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Alum Rock Road Shops

As a boy, I lived at a shop almost opposite the Capitol Cinema and I remember the milk bar nearby. It was owned by a Mrs Ball but she did not work in it or live above it.
Earlier posts have referred to the grocers called Jesters on Alum Rock Road. My uncle was the manager there during the 1960s. His name was Arthur Followell.
 
MWS said:
The Capitol Cinema was 766 and there are photos of the cinema. So you might get a glimpse of it.

As far as I can remember the buildings close to the cinema have always been shops but that's only back to the 1970s.

This photo is probably a bit earlier than the 50s but I think 760 is on the left and it looks like a shop...

Capitol Cinema in Birmingham, GB - Cinema Treasures

Cinema Treasures is the ultimate guide to movie theaters
cinematreasures.org
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I was manager of Freeman Hardy Willis at 754-756 Alum Rock Road in 1983. It had clearly been two separate shops as upstairs there was a bathroom on both sides and two staircases. There had previously been a managers flat above 754 which incorporated the front room above 756, but by the time I worked there, it had been incorporated into the stock area. The FHW branch (branch 0418) closed in 1987.
 
JonR said:
I was manager of Freeman Hardy Willis at 754-756 Alum Rock Road in 1983. It had clearly been two separate shops as upstairs there was a bathroom on both sides and two staircases. There had previously been a managers flat above 754 which incorporated the front room above 756, but by the time I worked there, it had been incorporated into the stock area. The FHW branch (branch 0418) closed in 1987.
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Jon, welcome to the Forum, enjoy!
 
My dad's second cousin married Frank Funnel's son, Alfred and they are listed there on the 1945 ER. Not sure if he was running the shop at that time. They are gone by 1950, the year of Frank's death.
 
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dav19390 said:
As a boy, I lived at a shop almost opposite the Capitol Cinema and I remember the milk bar nearby. It was owned by a Mrs Ball but she did not work in it or live above it.
Earlier posts have referred to the grocers called Jesters on Alum Rock Road. My uncle was the manager there during the 1960s. His name was Arthur Followell.
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Do you remember the music shop - Hawtins? I bought a guitar from there about in 1966
 
The cinema was between Tarry Road and Langton Road
1640684600275.png
This is the view now with the petrol station referred to by Kieron on the far left. What I am not sure about is whether behind these shops is still part of the cinema building - the roof looks right but I am not certain. any thoughts?
1640684738003.png
 
pjmburns said:
The cinema was between Tarry Road and Langton Road
View attachment 165333
This is the view now with the petrol station referred to by Kieron on the far left. What I am not sure about is whether behind these shops is still part of the cinema building - the roof looks right but I am not certain. any thoughts?
View attachment 165334
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I think it is the same building behind the modern shop fronts.
 
BLUEBOY said:
Hi Phil, we must have been there at the same time , i was also a sixer but couldn't attend on the night i was to get the Leaping Wolf badge i cant remember why but i never went back like you i left when i was 11 and my mates went off to different senior schools ,thank you for the memories not sure if our Akela, hope that's how you spell it was leaving Cheers Rich.
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Another 151 cub & scout here! I can't remember exactly when I joined the cubs, but it would have been late 1950s. My parents had both been involved in Scouting (it's how they met); my father evenually took over as Group Scoutmaster of 151, and my mother became the Brownies' Brown Owl (to be honest I can't remember the number of the Brownie Pack & Guide Company, as back then they were quite separate from Cubs & Scouts). Following the family tradition, it's how I met my wife too - her father was the Rover Scout leader - and we're coming up to our 50th year of happy marriage.

Graham
 
Graham S said:
Another 151 cub & scout here! I can't remember exactly when I joined the cubs, but it would have been late 1950s. My parents had both been involved in Scouting (it's how they met); my father evenually took over as Group Scoutmaster of 151, and my mother became the Brownies' Brown Owl (to be honest I can't remember the number of the Brownie Pack & Guide Company, as back then they were quite separate from Cubs & Scouts). Following the family tradition, it's how I met my wife too - her father was the Rover Scout leader - and we're coming up to our 50th year of happy marriage.

Graham
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Having thought about it, and recalling when we moved from Duddeston to Alum Rock, I must have joined 151 in 1955 or 56.
 
Hi Graham , our paths my have crossed at cubs i think i joined about 58 -59 where on the Rock were you living i was born in Reginald Rd in 52 and moved to Wright Rd in 57 my wife and i will be celebrating 50 years next June 2023 Cheers Blueboy.
 
Could well have. We lived in Herrick Road, so just round the corner from you in Wright Road. Do you remember Porters' corner shop? Roger "Podge" Porter was a couple of years ahead of me at grammar school, but I knew him through the drama society.
 
Again thinking about it, by 1957 I'd moved up into Scouts. In Cubs, Akela in my time was Eileen Bonsall; I seem to remember she was succeeded by Noreen (can't remember her surname!), who later married Graham Allen, Scoutmaster at the time I moved up. It's a LONG time ago now, and it takes time for stuff to creep back into my head!
 
Thank you for the reply, yes i remember Porters we lived just down from the shop on the other side of the road Kensington Place it was up the entry our house was in behind the roadside houses we used porters for that last minute groceries that mom forgot when shopping on the Rock she used to work at Atkins bakery opposite Ralph Road and i worked at Ted Haynes for a while while waiting to start work after leaving school in 1969
 
Rob Scott said:
Hello Everyone.
Lovely to read the old memories of Alum Rock, I grew up in Ludlow Road from 1965 and lived there until 1988. My Mom & Dad had the newsagents on the corner of Ludlow Rd & Alderson Rd (Scott's). I went to Shaw Hill School and remember the shops along Alum Rock vividly. Jim Fitters butcher's, Arnold Moores' butchers, CH Brown greengrocers, Armstrongs ironmongers (mentioned in an earlier post). Cherry wallpapers, Wisemans on the corner of Parkfield Road, Holliers pet shop, Turned On Records opposite which then became Green Dragon Records about 1976 I think, Staffords for a hair cut, Shaws for anything electrical, and I haven't even reached the Rock pub yet ! I remeber our class from Shaw Hill walking from school first thing Monday morning down the Rock to George Arthur swimming baths ! Happy days indeed.
Rob.
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hello rob i just stumbled upon your thread !! i lived on ludlow rd frm 1984 til 1987 i think !! i ws 11 yrs old and used to visit your parents shop !!! they were such a lovely couple and mr scott was so polite when taking money and would always say ta love ta !!!! your mum always happy n smiling it was my favourite shop walking up home after school ..my memories of those few yrs are so precious n tht time was 1 of the best for me ! mum used to ask if i had been in the scotts shop when i got in !!! loved tht shop so much and your parents were so very homely lovely people ! Would you be kind enough to share a picture of them so i cn show my siblings & parents as your shop was our local !! thank you for revoking such wonderful memories of not just my favourite sweet shop but also 2 of my favourite people who always served me with humour and smiles !!!
 
saddlebag said:
A few years ago I wrote a book for my grandkids called 'Times around the Gate', about my times living in Saltley. In it I enclosed a listing of the shops in the Rock from Saltley High Street to Bowyer Rd (around 1950). The attached files show the relevant pages.Attach files

Hi Rich, the attached files I tried to send appear to be to large. Below is a listing of the shops, taken from Kelly's Directory 1950. The lone numbers generally indicate properties that were still residential.
HIGHFIELD ROAD BOWYER ROAD
199 Harley's (Shoe repairs)
Albt. Turner (Butcher) 188 197 Blindell's Ltd. (Boot & Shoe Stores)
Rock Upholstery Ltd. 186 195 Taylors (Chemists)
Percvi. Grinnell (Newsagents) 184 193 Chain Libraries Ltd.
191 F.W.Woolworth (Bazaar)
Wyatt Bros. (Hardware) 182 189 F.W.Woolworth (Bazaar)
Smart's (Pork Butcher) 180 187 Decorwall (Wallpaper)
P&E Jewell (Butcher) 178 185 D. Furey & Sons (Cooked Meat)
M. Bywater (Butcher) 176 183 Geo. Mason (Grocer)
174 181 Wm. Timpson (Boot & Shoe)
172 179 Boots (Chemists)
170 177 Birmingham Co-Op (Tobacco Dept.)
British Bata Shoe Co. (Shoes) 168 175 Birmingham Co-Op (Grocery)
Bradley's (House Furnishers) 166 173 Birmingham Co-Op (Confectionery)
Charles Bragg (Bakers) 164 171 Birmingham Co-Op (Drapery & Boot)
Helen Carr (Boots & Shoes) 162 169 Birmingham Co-Op (Drapery & Boots)
Birmingham Co-Op (Butchers) 160 167 Birmingham Co-Op (Drapery & Boots)
Birmingham C0-Op (Furnishing) 158 165 BirminghamCo-Op (Drapery & Boots)

EDMUND ROAD
Birmingham Municipal Bank 156 163 Birmingham Co-Op (Greengrocery)
Albt. Fox (Boot & Shoe repairer) 152 161 Birmingham Co-Op (Tailoring)
A.C. Wilcox (Butchers) 150 159 Birmingham Co-Op (Tailoring)
Albt. Fox (Boot & Shoe repairer) 152 157 Birmingham Co-Op (Chemist)
55
153
Methodist Church 151A Esther Smith (Knitted Goods)
151 Harrisons (Opticians)
149 Gerald Cook (Baby Linen)
Jn. Green (Hardware) 134 147A Gerald Cook (Baby Linen)
Jn. Green (Hardware) 132 147 Johnson Bros. (Dyers)
130 145 F & P Holland (Greengrocers)
128 143 Perry & Sons (Pork Butchers)
124 141
122 139
120 137 Haworths (Musical instruments)
Donald McNab (Confectioner) 118 135
Wood's Milk Bars Ltd. 115 133 Alec Stannard (Stationers)
Wm. Davies (Electrical engineer) 112 131 Decorators' Supply

ELLESMERE ROAD
Julius May (Tailor) 110 129 Jackson Bros. (Furnishers)
May Mitchell (Draper) 108
Eliz. Bennett (Confectioner) 106 127 Jn. Reed (Electrician)
Jsph. Cheshire (Photographer) 104
Jn. Wellsted (Grocer) 102 125 Jn. Holland (Fried Fish & Chips)

WRIGHT ROAD
Ted Hayes (Fruiter) 100 121 Anne Austin (Confectioner)
Ellen Gertrud (Butcher) 98 119 Yousif Faraony (Doctor)
Wimbush & Son (Bakers) 96 117 Lily Standen (Draper)
115 Saml. Dean (Loan Office)
Stone's Garden Laundry 94 113
111
Edith Brookes (Tobacconist) 92 109 Albt. Carter (Furniture Remover)
T.H.Baines (Bakers) 90 107 Wm. Davies (Tailor)
Issac Goldberg (Draper) 88 105 Rose Marie (Ladies Hairdresser)
Michl. Antoniou (Fried Fish & Chips) 86 103 Jsph. Brugger (Watch Maker)
Ivy Grove (Ladies Outfitter) 84
Atkins (Baker) 82 101 M. Lycett & Co.
Lillian Hawkins (Dairy) 80 99 Jsph. Hilton ( Provisons)
Lillian Hawkins (Dairy) 78 97 L. Wiltshire (Confectioner)
Birmingham Ebenezer Prov. B.S, 76
74 95 Allaways (Wireless Supplier)

RALPH ROAD

Rich, I will complete the list down to the gate tomorrow .
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I'm pretty sure that Ted Hayes was...Ted Haynes.
 
wendyP said:
Hello

I am writing an article about the shops on Alum Rock Road in the 1950's. I know there is someone out there that has a Kellys Directory and can possibly help. So I would be really grateful if someone can show the relevant pages. thank you
WendyP
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Attachments

  • Harlew Caravans - Owner Hubert Oldacres 41-43 Alum Rock Road Birmingham Evening Mail 29 Nov 1978.jpg
    Harlew Caravans - Owner Hubert Oldacres 41-43 Alum Rock Road Birmingham Evening Mail 29 Nov 1978.jpg
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The Tilt Hammer Saltley Gate by the number 8 bus stop with clock, the phone number will date it as it shows East rather the a 3 digit code
source old brum pubs no date
 

Attachments

  • 2C493623-944B-49FF-A74F-EE4589EDFDB1.jpeg
    2C493623-944B-49FF-A74F-EE4589EDFDB1.jpeg
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