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I remember buying rugby kit from the Quaife and Lilley store in Kings Heath in the ‘80s, I think it was at the top of Station Road, near the park. My mate had a cricket bat made to order by them, at least he said it was anyway. Can’t begin to imagine how much something like that would cost now.

If you think they’re tales worth telling, go ahead. Maybe best not to name names, though.

Hello Paul, I grew up just down the road from Dingle Mead all through the seventies, I lived next to Dawberry Fields. Like you I’d sometimes play by the canal, Lifford reservoir (though I was strictly forbidden to) and on the railway embankment and remember the area with a great deal of...

Now you mention it, I recall being told Billy’s had something to do with Paul Henry. Out of all the pubs I mentioned I liked the Old Wharf and the Spotted Dog on New Canal Street best. I remember there being a cockatoo (or parrot) at the Spotted Dog for a while. I’ve just looked at the pub on...

From Wikipedia: “In the 1970s, Morris read children's bedtime stories for the Post Office to be heard via the telephone. Children could dial 150 and hear a different story over the telephone each week; these included the Peter Pixie stories written by Olive Hyett.”

As a child I remember calling a number (when I was allowed to as I was told it was expensive) and listening to a recording of the late Johnny Morris reading a “Bedtime Story”. Looks like the same sort of thing to me.

That would have been within earshot of my house if it were tested.

Lyn, the “Bull” name sounds familiar to me. As I recall, the factory siren was a continuous note with an intermittent lower blast sounded on top of it. It’s hard to say what direction it came from but I think it was from the other side of the railway embankment, so that would be Stirchley...

I remember hearing sirens being sounded as a kid quite regularly when I lived in Brandwood in the ‘70s, I believe one was a factory siren but another time I was told one was a test of an Air Raid siren. Does anyone else remember air raid sirens being tested at that time?

brummy-lad, I think you’re right. Looking at an online map dated 1944-1973 it seems perfectly plausible that the factory seen in the background is the “Cumberland Works” on Vittoria Street, and the low building the workman is looking out from is the “Light Engineering Works.” I’ve marked the...

Though much has been replaced in that area it’s still worth a look on Google Earth to see if anything stands out. I noticed the multiple, unequal pitched roofs of a factory in the background so I looked around Hockley for something similar and found what may be a possible candidate at 143...

A very Merry Christmas to you all!

By the way, there were plans to build houses on the old allotments a short while ago so that whole area may soon disappear. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/social-housing-scheme-imposed-community-26939087...

robind, I still visit the area occasionally and if possible next time I’ll get some photos of the pond and what used to be the bowling green. The last time I was there I bought roe and chips from the chippy at the top Allens Croft Road, then drove to Shalnecote Grove intending to sit at the top...

robind, unfortunately I am very much a casual visitor to this site and others here are far more capable of helping you find those names, but knowing that tunnel as I do I can barely begin to imagine how terrifying it must have been for them. It’s sad but I’m not really surprised there isn’t a...

Well you’re certainly in best place if you need identification or clarification of photographs and events etc. The members here are remarkable at being able to help others in that regard and not much eludes their collective memory.

Honestly robind, I find these pictures absolutely fascinating. Though I haven’t lived in that area for 40 years I still think of it as home and always greatly appreciate any information and memories people have of the place. I’m genuinely surprised just how nice it was back then, your relatives...

robind, those really are terrific pictures, thank you so much for sharing them. What an amazing wartime tale, the picture of him and his pals sat on that “Cookie” is fantastic! I never knew there was once a bowling green on the allotments, I wonder how long it lasted? Again, many thanks.

What tremendous pictures robind, thank you for sharing them and if you have any more of the area I’d love to see them, too! The allotments are so well tended and the whole thing looks wonderfully picturesque. They were still just about in use when I moved away from the area in ‘85 and it’s sad...

I’m glad it helped, robind. While talking to a chap I’ve worked with for several years I discovered he’d grown up just around the corner from me on Waldrons Moor, moving in sometime in the early ‘70s. I’ll find out what number he lived in and if it was 45 the world will not be small, but tiny.