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Alexander Sports Ground

Vivienne14

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
The stadium was constructed in 1929 on a former power station ash tip. It was built for Birchfield Harriers athletics club. The Harriers badge carved by Bloye - a running stag - is still visible on the (now Perry Barr Greyhound) Stadium.

It was the venue used by Birchfield Cycling Club and the Sunbac Speedway Club dirt-track racing (speedway). Aston Villa Football Club teams also trained at the Stadium in the 1930s/40s.

It was requisitioned in WW2 and used by the Home Guard, as well as accommodating Italian prisoners of war; the last of these leaving in 1946 when the Harriers returned.

Floodlighting was installed for speedway events. The first floodlit athletics meeting in the UK was held in 1948 and floodlit horse jumping competitions were also held.

The Harriers moved to a newly built 'Alexander Stadium' in 1977 with the original venue renamed "Perry Barr Stadium".

Three 1939 images of Festival of Fitness displays at the grounds. Viv.

image.jpeg image.jpegimage.jpeg
 
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Does anyone know if any football matches were played at the Alexander Sports Ground (now the Perry Barr Stadium) during World War Two?

I have a newspaper cutting depicting a Czech football team meeting the Lord Mayor of Birmingham before a match against I.C.I Metals at the Alexander Ground, Perry Barr. I'm interested in finding out more about this game as my uncle played left back for the Czechs. Unfortunately I do not know the date or source of the publication. However, the Czech Army were based in Leamington Spa from Autumn 1940 until Spring 1942. It's also possible they also played games against other local teams.

Thanks in advance, Graham.
 
Thanks, Graham.

As you probably know, the huge ICI Metals site was nearby. It's interesting that this match took place at this stadium, rather than at the ICI sports ground in Holford Drive. This suggest to me that it was a rather more important event than just another soccer match, and one where perhaps a much larger crowd than usual was expected.

I am hoping that one of our knowledgeable members might recognise the Lord Mayor. That would at least give us the approximate year.

The cutting is likely to be from The Birmingham Mail, of course. Let's hope it was not the only mention there of this event. Can any member unearth a separate report on the match? (Pedrocut??!)

Chris
 
Thank you both, Chris and Mikejee!

There are similarities between the two pictures of the Lord Mayors. A family member I spoke to today dated the article I posted to approx. 1942, but if that is Martineau in both pictures then it couldn't have been that late as I think he was Lord Mayor between 1940-41.

I noted that one article lists Kynochs F.C. and the other ICI Metals. Could there have been two games with different parts of the company, or is this just down to how different journalists reported the names of the teams?

It is interesting that although ICI Metals had a sports ground that they used the Alexander. I think I read somewhere that the games were used as morale boosters, to encourage people to stay fit and also to raise money for service charities caring for the war-wounded and their families. That may explain why they might have use the Alexander Sports Ground along the lines you suggest, Chris.

Graham
 
A Sparks said:
I was thinking about the ground around where the dog track originally was on the other side of the road but I've probably got myself all mixed up!
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Perry Barr Stadium
Perry Barr Stadium (also known as Perry Barr Greyhound Stadium) is the home track of the Birmingham Brummies, located on Aldridge Road in Perry Barr, Birmingham. The stadium was originally constructed for an athletics club, the Birchfield Harriers. Since then its facilities have also been used by the Birchfield Cycling Club and also Aston Villa Football Club, whose second and third teams would train at the stadium in the 1930s and 1940s.

During World War II the stadium was requisitioned by the government and used by the Home Guard. And it was soon after the conclusion of the war that Birmingham Brummies rode at the stadium for the first time. The club initially rode on a Saturday evening, which resulted in floodlights having to be added to the stadium.

now primarily being used for greyhound racing on both Friday and Saturday nights.
 
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In the early 1970s I used to attend Perry Barr Tech. From the upper classrooms you could see two stadiums, the one was in the vee of two roads which appeared to be just a running athletics stadium with a single grandstand, the other on the opposite side of the road behind a shopping area, which at the time was definitly a speedway stadium, Birmingham Brummies.
Which one is which, or did the Brummies ride at both in their history?
 
I know the stadium between Walsall Road and Aldridge Road was definitely the Birchfield Harriers in the late 50's as I went to Birchfield Road Juniors and we had our school sports day in there one year.

Across the Birchfield / Walsall Road prior to the original Lynton Square shopping centre was the Greyhound Stadium and a large piece of ground belonging to the dog track, I think they used to excercise the greyhounds there and it was where Billy Smarts Circus used to come once a year.

I just can't remember now which track the speedway used at that time.
 
A Sparks said:
I know the stadium between Walsall Road and Aldridge Road was definitely the Birchfield Harriers in the late 50's as I went to Birchfield Road Juniors and we had our school sports day in there one year.

Across the Birchfield / Walsall Road prior to the original Lynton Square shopping centre was the Greyhound Stadium and a large piece of ground belonging to the dog track, I think they used to excercise the greyhounds there and it was where Billy Smarts Circus used to come once a year.

I just can't remember now which track the speedway used at that time.
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the same track
Birmingham Edwards Plumbing Brummies Speedway ...
 
Vivienne14 said:
This is how I remember the stadium in the late 50s/early sixties. Viv.

View attachment 123894
Birmngham Daily Gazette 26 July 1939
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This is how I remember it in 1972/73 I ran at Birchfield Harriers for a short while at this time, the track was rubber then. I remember my running spikes were a little too long and hit the concrete under the rubber affecting my performance. Unfortunately I did not follow my running passion... well I did but it was running after a boy and I gave Birchfield up...silly me! my dad was furious. and kept reminding me years later I could have made the Olympics. Hey ho! the things you do for love.
 
Thought I would drop this one in for what its worth - shown previously on my thread .
Alexander Sports Ground Perry Barr-70 x.jpg


went there for a schools football cup final 1970's I was around ten - we lost! - thought the stands were rickety and drafty.
 
This photograph was taken in 1972 for the Birmingham Mail who were writing a feature on athletes of the future after Birchfield Harriers had had ten athletes selected for the Olympic Games that year.
The coach is the one and only Norma Blaine who was a hard taskmistress! She's saying something like 'arm drive' to us. I'm the one far right with the hanky stuck down my top! On the left hand side of the photo you can see Blondel Thompson practicing her hurdles. She had a famous athletic son; Daniel Caines.
As can be seen the track was an ash track and long spikes were needed and leather skin too as a fall on there left some nasty gravel rashes!
I never did make it as an athlete!
untitled9.jpg
 
Unfortunately 1971 and 1972 are not covered for the Sports Argus, but in 1970 there is a mention of Norma...Mary Stewart 14 years old junior race winner… “not being forced along in training by Norma Blaine but her talents are such that the results are being achieved just the same.”
 
Norma was a brilliant coach and so was Dorothy Nelson-Neal whom we called Nelson. Many happy years were spent under their tutelage although they didn't half make you work hard! I remember Mary Stewart and her brothers along with Tom Cooke. It was a great club to belong to and compete for as a young person. I gave up the training just as they moved to the new stadium in Perry Park in 1977.
 
“1930 The British Empire Games, then the name was changed to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games until 1962. From 1966 to 1974 they had the title of British Commonwealth Games and from 1978 onwards they have been known as simply the Commonwealth Games.”
 
LindiLou62 said:
This photograph was taken in 1972 for the Birmingham Mail who were writing a feature on athletes of the future after Birchfield Harriers had had ten athletes selected for the Olympic Games that year.
The coach is the one and only Norma Blaine who was a hard taskmistress! She's saying something like 'arm drive' to us. I'm the one far right with the hanky stuck down my top! On the left hand side of the photo you can see Blondel Thompson practicing her hurdles. She had a famous athletic son; Daniel Caines.
As can be seen the track was an ash track and long spikes were needed and leather skin too as a fall on there left some nasty gravel rashes!
I never did make it as an athlete!
View attachment 171958
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Oh my Gosh this picture has taken me back to my days at Birchfield, that stand was the only covered one and the concrete terraces. My dad used to stand there egging me on during my training. I remember my running spikes were a little too long and there was concrete under the ash track, each pace jarred up my legs. I also never became an athlete in later life.....such a shame I gave it up.
 
GDH said:
Does anyone know if any football matches were played at the Alexander Sports Ground (now the Perry Barr Stadium) during World War Two?

I have a newspaper cutting depicting a Czech football team meeting the Lord Mayor of Birmingham before a match against I.C.I Metals at the Alexander Ground, Perry Barr. I'm interested in finding out more about this game as my uncle played left back for the Czechs. Unfortunately I do not know the date or source of the publication. However, the Czech Army were based in Leamington Spa from Autumn 1940 until Spring 1942. It's also possible they also played games against other local teams.

Thanks in advance, Graham.
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Hi to all. I remember the stadium and have seen it change over the years since I was born in 1955 as I used to pass it hundreds of times on the bus (number 29 or 29a that then became the 90 or 91) on the way into Birmingham. I only ever went there once to see THE CANADIAN HELL DRIVERS that were a stunt team that drove cars around at fast speeds doing tricks and stunts. I think my Grandfather ran there a couple of times as he was a member of Aston Harriers athletics club and I am fairly certain he was the midland one mile champion back in the 1920's
 
A well attended event. The stand in the background is the one I remember. Behind the stand is Aldridge Road, near the junction with Wellhead Lane. Viv.

21EB3C39-2473-4C57-8237-1FBF4A7B818F.jpegSource: British Newspaper Archive
 
I'm sure i saw an Isetta bubble car disappearing down the road (back view) a few days ago. not time to get a photo though
 
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