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Miss Doogood was a terror. She never did me any good, but to be fair I never ran foul of her. What we must remember is that female teachers of that age, were often old enough to have lost someone in either of the two world wars; so if they were a bit 'sour', they could have had understandable...

Look on Google Earth and you can find the foundations which have been excavated and preserved. So I believe. I lived in Heston Avenue as a kid (1939-1960) and live in Great Barr now, just over the boundary in Walsall. Half a mile up the Beacon Road, from the Old Horns and Asda. John

Hi Pagan. What was your Dad's name I wonder? I was on the Birmingham Dog Section (With Tosca) 1968 to 1974. I was based at Thornhill, very convenient as I lived in Handsworth at the time. As handlers though we covered the whole of 'C' Division. John Walker

Since 'Del Boy and Only Fools and Horses', the term 'ankle-biters' has become popular for kiddywinks, in the Midlands; so iI am told! :cool:

Gillies is a name given to quite a few fragrant flowers. Wallflowers being one example. They came over from France it seems, around the time of the Norman Invasion. In those days, cloves were used in 'nosegays', which was a means of smothering the scent of unwashed human flesh! The French word...

Tarrah a bit; if I doan see yer through the wick, oil see yer through the windah. John

Have a look at Gunga Din by the way. Great Poem by Rudyard Kipling: The last line says it! https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46783/gunga-din John

Siddown, mek yerself a tum an' a summa tate! You probably heard that before? John

Oh yes Peter. Thank you. Now I can't get rid of pictures for love nor money!! John

That's struck a chord in my memory. Our art teacher at Birchfield school (A Mr. Massingham ) set us an exercise to paint or draw some scene or building in Birmingham centre. I chose Needless Alley, and my contribution was something similar to the picture above. I did it in pastel, as a rainy-day...

I lived next door but one to a David Burrows in Heston Avenue through the late 1940s/50s. His father was the Beat Bobby in Canterbury Road, Birchfields. I am assuming it is the same David Burrows. David was a few years younger than me, and I remember him being a useful little footballer. When I...

Thanks Lyn. That has now been rectified. I am obliged Charles. The Mr. Roberts I remember was my form master in my first year at Birchfield. As I recall, he was a tall, slim Welshman; sallow faced, moustachioed and with an extraordinarily prominent larynx, which, whenever he spoke, used to...

Thanks Sparks. Well if I got the amount of money wrong I can only claim it was way back in 1950! :yum I know my mother always gave me a couple of bob per day to get my lunch. Chips; not very nutritious I agree, but it's only recently I found out that chips in those days were not bad because of...

Thanks Chunky. Only just found your reply as I have been getting no alerts from the forum. Dunno why! I still don't, so I have to check in once a week! Do you remember the chippie just around the corner from the school, in Aldridge Road? Every lunch hour, a generous portion of chips and mushy...

I note these posts are from 2011. Seems longer ago than 1956! I was in the RN in the Med at the time and my ship, HMS Ulysses (F17) was sent to the Suez, when the Crisis started. I remember spending two days closed up at action stations. Not much else happened to us, other than being kept busy...

Thank you Nick. I just had a few days of conjunctivitis, which has finally eased, so that explains my 'time-out'. Instead of bothering the Doc, I wash my eyes with boiled water, and honey. (Gone cold of course!) Seems to work, but too much honey and I get bothered with big flies! :) BTW Nick...

Thanks Brian. Well what's a six year seniority? :) My wife is 88 also, but she is in full care now. I looked after her from 2010 until 2016, when she finally had to have more care than I could physically give her. She has Parkinson's and Dementia, and aside from that she is in good health...

Hi Oldplumber. Thanks for the reply. The reason I went to Birchfield Road School was simple. That teacher who took me to see Waterton was one of the staff at Aldridge Road. Hence, I chose to go to Birchfield Road to keep out of the way! I went to Perry Barr in 1950, as I said. Vividly remember...

Waterton was the Headmaster during my time in the juniors department. I started at Perry Beeches in 1943, so my time with Waterton would have been about 1946 -1950. I went to senior school at Birchfield in 1950. Waterton was a pig, who caned me for 'fraternising with the enemy'! Namely Italian...

Thanks Avril. I have spoken to David earlier today. Unfortunately I am a bit immobile at present, but of course have sent the usual condolences. Thank you again; I am most obliged x John