Peter Walker
gone but not forgotten
In conversation earlier today I realised that 50 years ago, the dates and days matched, so that 8 February was a Wednesday. So I just looked in my old 1956 diary, and this is what it tells me.
I had started work in the City Architect's Department five months before and my first job was to supervise the construction of an old people's home (it was officially called an Aged Persons' Home at the time) at Serpentine Road, Selly Oak. Building started about the time I joined, so there was not much more to do on that. I also did some detailed work in the Council House, one of the jobs being to work up a design to include a lift to give access to the first floor of the Museum and Art Gallery. Some people wanted to block off part of the impressive portico, which would have been criminal, and the only alternative that wasn't impossibly expensive was to tack on a shaft in the courtyard, which was not popular. I don't know what happened in the end. I also had just become involved in an interesting project to update the official plan for the Civic Centre redevelopment, which had been adopted before the war and might have gone down better in Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy or Communist Russia. It is interesting to see what has taken place since then - first the Repertory Theatre, which was designed by my old tutor Graham Winteringham.
That day, 8 February, I went to work that day on the No. 5 Perry Common bus to Victoria Square, or perhaps the odd No. 7 Portland Road bus which stopped right opposite the Hall of Memory and the 'Civic Centre', where I worked. I had an appointment later that day with Bill Hinder of the Welfare Department, to discuss a few details on the new old people's home, in particular to resolve a problem about a boundary wall - I cannot recall the details now.
My mother had been taken into Dudley Road Hospital again on the previous Saturday, and after a makeshift tea at home I went to see her (I have a feeling the evening visiting time was 8 to 8.30). After that I went to St Thomas' Schools in Granville Street, where the Birmingham Model Railway Club met on Wednesdays, mainly to adjourn with my mates to the Gough Arms later, probably for a few rounds of 'liar dice' which we played for matchsticks. In those days the Gough was an Ansell's House, but the last time I went in in the early 1980s it was rsupplied by Courage.
The previous day after work I went to the Midland Institute where I sang bass or tenor as needed in the Birmingham Singers choir, which at that time I think was conducted by Tom Hancock, and my dad did the
accompaniment. Having time to spare, I then got a day return rail ticket from Moor Street to Acocks Green, used it
as far as Tyseley, where I walked around, gettting to Acocks Green and returning to town im time to meet my
girl friend Mary who did pottery classes at the College of Art until 8.30. We then went to Joe Lyons in Victoria Square, after which we got a 16A or 29 bus from Bull Street to 'The Village', Lozells, where she lived.
Next day I was to go to the Scala in Smallbrook Street to see 'Girl in a Red Velvet Swing'.
It would be interesting to see other people's recollections, not necessarily that long ago.
I had started work in the City Architect's Department five months before and my first job was to supervise the construction of an old people's home (it was officially called an Aged Persons' Home at the time) at Serpentine Road, Selly Oak. Building started about the time I joined, so there was not much more to do on that. I also did some detailed work in the Council House, one of the jobs being to work up a design to include a lift to give access to the first floor of the Museum and Art Gallery. Some people wanted to block off part of the impressive portico, which would have been criminal, and the only alternative that wasn't impossibly expensive was to tack on a shaft in the courtyard, which was not popular. I don't know what happened in the end. I also had just become involved in an interesting project to update the official plan for the Civic Centre redevelopment, which had been adopted before the war and might have gone down better in Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy or Communist Russia. It is interesting to see what has taken place since then - first the Repertory Theatre, which was designed by my old tutor Graham Winteringham.
That day, 8 February, I went to work that day on the No. 5 Perry Common bus to Victoria Square, or perhaps the odd No. 7 Portland Road bus which stopped right opposite the Hall of Memory and the 'Civic Centre', where I worked. I had an appointment later that day with Bill Hinder of the Welfare Department, to discuss a few details on the new old people's home, in particular to resolve a problem about a boundary wall - I cannot recall the details now.
My mother had been taken into Dudley Road Hospital again on the previous Saturday, and after a makeshift tea at home I went to see her (I have a feeling the evening visiting time was 8 to 8.30). After that I went to St Thomas' Schools in Granville Street, where the Birmingham Model Railway Club met on Wednesdays, mainly to adjourn with my mates to the Gough Arms later, probably for a few rounds of 'liar dice' which we played for matchsticks. In those days the Gough was an Ansell's House, but the last time I went in in the early 1980s it was rsupplied by Courage.
The previous day after work I went to the Midland Institute where I sang bass or tenor as needed in the Birmingham Singers choir, which at that time I think was conducted by Tom Hancock, and my dad did the
accompaniment. Having time to spare, I then got a day return rail ticket from Moor Street to Acocks Green, used it
as far as Tyseley, where I walked around, gettting to Acocks Green and returning to town im time to meet my
girl friend Mary who did pottery classes at the College of Art until 8.30. We then went to Joe Lyons in Victoria Square, after which we got a 16A or 29 bus from Bull Street to 'The Village', Lozells, where she lived.
Next day I was to go to the Scala in Smallbrook Street to see 'Girl in a Red Velvet Swing'.
It would be interesting to see other people's recollections, not necessarily that long ago.
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