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alex the pie man

  • Thread starter Thread starter jake
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jake

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anyone remember alex the pie man in corporation street in the 60s, i can still taste those pies, used to go to birmingham city centre
around 11pm just to buy a pie, they don't make them like that anymore

jake
 
Those pies were made at the Fleur Dy lyse pub in Lowsonford, and yes they were delicious. O0
 
Alex was a neighbour of ours in Kings Heath,He and his sister lived opposite us.All the neighbours complaned when he parked his van in the road,but they would always buy the pies off him.He must have supplied most of the road
They were loverly.We also used to go to the Fleur de Ilyse pub by the canal at Lowsonford,and sit on the bank with a pie and pint.You could smell them cooking in the kitchen .I don't think they make them anymore.
Didn't Alex move to by the Smallbrook Ringway,Corner of Hinkley Street/Hill Street,seem to remember drinking coffee and eating hot dogs there after midnight,it was one of the few places you could get anything at that time of night

Colin
 
No, mate the pub at Lowsonford don't make them anymore, but its still a nice place to sit by the canal and enjoy a drink. O0
 
I fondly remember Alex's, we all used to go there after the loccarno on a Monday night before running to catch the last 39 bus home. There was one by Snow Hill Station, we used that when we were a bit older after the Ceder Club or the Rumrunner. Was it the same caravan?
 
Alex's refreshment bar, Dudley St was open from 4pm till 4 am mainly for the benefit of the workers in the nearby markets. O0
 
Love the motors in the piccy :smitten: especially the Rover O0

I am sure it was Alex's that many of Brums bands went to after appearing in the clubs and pubs around the city centre. I am fairly certain it was mentioned in a recent documentry about Brum Beat.... fantastic really he must have met so many people who are now legends.
 
Yes me to Patty spent many happy night at alex's snow hill after a night at the Springhill ice rink at Christmas he would spice up the coffee with a dram of scotch & no one made pie like that!
ASTON
 
KIND OF HILARIOUS SNAPSHOT AS GORGEOUS MONOCHROME. HOW DECENT. I INVARIABLY WONDERED HOW COME THE PIES WERE SO LOUSY. THE CORNISH PASTIE ORIGINATED FROM THE STANDARD BRUTALITY; viz.: THE WOMEN BAKED MEAT, TURNIPS, PARSNIPS, ONION, CABBAGE INTO A DOUGH PIE AND WRAPPED IT IN A 'T TOWEL' AND DROPPED IT DOWN THE TIN MINE CHUTE. YEAHS... A SCORE AGOG GOSHERS. SO MYSELF HAVING TASTED THOSE PIES WONDER HOW IN THE REIGN OF A MONTH OF SUNDAYS DID THEY EVER? LARD, LEFTOVERS FROM SLAUGHTERY: BAKE 'EM. THE ANAEMIC PEPPER, DASH OF VINEGAR, SWISH IODIZED SALT.
ASK ROD.
(SURELY STUFF WAS BETTER THEN? I HAVE TASTE TO THIS DAY. IS SURE REMEMBER THE OK FAGGOTS, HOME ROAST - AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.)
AND THAT'S QUITE ENOUGH OF THAT
 
I think anything tasted good after a night on the beer but as a rule I have always found Cornish pasties peppery and bland ate just as a filler because their is nothing else about, good old steak and kidney or chicken and mushroom pies were far better tasting.
 
Hi CROMWELL, I have had some of the best pasties in the world from the pastie shop on the quay in Hayle CORNWALL.
 
Everyone says that Aston, why don't they make a good sardine, pilchard etc pie or something like that
being as its by the sea (It's to flog to the gull-able two wrists)
 
Donot mention sardines Igot talked into having these on holiday in Portugal some years ago, Ispent the whole meal picking the bones out, :tickedoff: I was the last one to finish as the all had stake.LOL :2funny:
 
I find postie's piccy unusual as there isn't a single Triumph Bonneville, BSA Road Rocket, Royal Enfield Constellation, or Norton Dominator in sight. As I remember it, Alex's was always a hang out for the rockers/bikers.
h054.gif
 
i had this on good authority, a friend of mine who was a cornish man, told me the origional cornish pasty was made with fish not meat,
i have sampled these at a tea room in port issac as i was a regular visiter to st teath and port issac lovely grub, and those cream teas mouth watering.

jake
 
CORNISH & DEVON CREAM TEAS "WOW" My mouth is watering at the thought.
it may not be on topic but thanks jake for the memory.
 
I always thought the Cornsih pasty was made with vegetables. Our village shop here in Cambs used to sell them bought direct from Cornwall , and they were veg.
 
i think you are thinking of ginsters pies and pasties they still sell them in birmingham, going back to the fish in pasties they did have some sort of vegitables, but when you think cornwall is a fishing comunity, so fish would make sense, i do not know how far back it was when they used fish, i can't ask my friend as he has passed away.

jake
 
There was no fish in a proper Cornish pastie (but I suppose you could put what you liked in it)
I had a little booklet many years ago that said in the tin mining communitiesthe wives of the men use to put a section in the middle so it was meat and veg at one end and apple at the other so they had dinner and sweet in their break time
 
Alex`s Mobile Food Van

alex`s is that the van parked up by snow hill station?the place we nearly all.hung out of a night,i did when i was a patrol man,and was working nights in town.the food tasted lovely.sitting in your van.when it was raining or snowing,yum yum.There was another van in sparkbrook,did that one belong to alex?. pete in sunny pwllheli.:P
 
I've just put a post on the "Grey's Department Store" thread about Alex's pies.
Sorry, it was before I read this one - and was off thread :rolleyes: whoops!!!
It wasn't very informative anyway, just a comment. I'm sure others can do far better!!!!
 
peter martin

I didn't realise that the pie stand at Snow Hill was Alex's, although I used it on many occasions. I remember Alex's from Hurst St at the back of the Crown Pub in Station St. I used to come out of there and nick round the corner for pie and a coffee.

I don't think the van on the corner of Stoney Lane, Sparkbrook was anything to do with Alex (don't quote me). I say this because the van moved there from the corner of Moseley Rd and Highgate Rd from outside the Railway Goods Yard. (that used to be Camp Hill Stn). It was located there from the late fifties at least.

I remember this one because I also drank in the Belgrave over the road and would call there at closing time for a hot dog and coffee, no burgers or pies in those days.

pmc1947
 
Re Alex

PMC1947.TA i put this thread,becouse i did not want to ask about alex`s on on a tread posted,about greys.I did not know the name of the chap who had the van,i heard some one at work once call it alexis.it was very handy,for a cupa.
 
peter martin

here's a photo of Alex's in Hurst St. Im sure he moved later to the site just over the road, as I remember the stand almost backing on to the Crown Pub. I'm sure I have got a later photo than this somewhere I'll see if I can find it.

Phil

CityHillStAlexs.jpg
 
re alex

pmc1947.ta good pic,i can not remember that one,i only remember the snow hill,and sparkbrook.ones.some one told me there was a alex,down by clairs auction room,but i think it was some kind of club.(i do not know what kind of club) pete
 
We all used to come out the Lacarno Monday night grab a Steak and Kidney pie from Alex and then run up the hill to catch the last bus home
 
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