• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Aston Brook Street/Chester Street

M

missrockandrose88

New Member
Hey All, I am trying to trace any information anyone can recall / Know's information about Chester st.

My Nan Jean Evans lived there with her parents (Ernest and Beatrice Field) at 6/16 and 4/20. Her sisters we call Iris and Lily and they lived next door to a June and Pauline.

She remembers a Mr Haines in charge of the horses by the timber yard and used to play with Edna Cattell whos parents were the landlord of the Grand Junction inn on the corner.

She used to go to dances at the Palace dance hall in Erdington.
 
Welcome to the Forum missrockandrose. I recommend you do a search for Chester Street as there are many comments and photos scattered in various threads on the Forum. To search use the magnifying glass near the top of the page.

Viv.
 
missrockandrose88 said:
Hey All, I am trying to trace any information anyone can recall / Know's information about Chester st.

My Nan Jean Evans lived there with her parents (Ernest and Beatrice Field) at 6/16 and 4/20. Her sisters we call Iris and Lily and they lived next door to a June and Pauline.

She remembers a Mr Haines in charge of the horses by the timber yard and used to play with Edna Cattell whos parents were the landlord of the Grand Junction inn on the corner.

She used to go to dances at the Palace dance hall in Erdington.
Click to expand...
Hi Missrockandrose88,

I'm Edna Cattell (now Armatage)'s, Granddaughter. My aunty stumbled across your post and showed my Grandma. She's asked me to contact you as she remembers Jean ever so well and the family. She was thrilled to be remembered and It's brought back some lovely memories for her and said if you have anything, in particular, you wanted to know about the street she'd be happy to recall those and help you gather some information.

She hopes she's doing well, and said maybe they could share some photos and memories if they can find any out. We could pop them on this thread or in a private message maybe.
 
Danni1303 said:
Hi Missrockandrose88,

I'm Edna Cattell (now Armatage)'s, Granddaughter. My aunty stumbled across your post and showed my Grandma. She's asked me to contact you as she remembers Jean ever so well and the family. She was thrilled to be remembered and It's brought back some lovely memories for her and said if you have anything, in particular, you wanted to know about the street she'd be happy to recall those and help you gather some information.

She hopes she's doing well, and said maybe they could share some photos and memories if they can find any out. We could pop them on this thread or in a private message maybe.
Click to expand...
Hello there I am not sure how old this post is but I'm jeans daughter and mom is so excited to hear how edna is? Xxx
 
The poster wrote this several years ago and does not seem to have booked onto the forum recently. However you could try sending a private message to her by clicking on the envelope symbol on the top right of the page. If she has messages allowed, she might receive it
 
This image shows what is now 1 Aston Brook Green in the corner of Chester Street and Aston Brook Street (East) in Aston. The photograph was taken in 1979 before the housing was saved from demolition, renovated and named Aston Brook Green. We are interested to hear the history of these houses and who lived here before 1979. We believe the houses were originally built in 1893.AstonBrookStreet.jpg
 
The end corner house appears to have been built as a business premises and first appears in directories in 1908 or just before, a shop occupied by Joseph Latham. Nothing is listed there in 1904. He is only there for a short time, as by 1910 the occupier is William holder, shopkeeper, who stays there till 1921, and by 1922 the shopkeeper is Ellen Follis , who stayed till at least 1925.. By 1927 the shop had been taken over by Arthur and Elizabeth Hughes. The Hughes family run it till at least 1946, but the 1947 directory does not list a shop there. The shops listed would have been small corner shops selling confectionary, some food items and possibly newspapers. No information is available directly after 1946, Although Frank Knight obviously (from the photo) occoiedn it, it is only their office at chester wharf, opposite no 2, that is listed
 
mikejee said:
The end corner house appears to have been built as a business premises and first appears in directories in 1908 or just before, a shop occupied by Joseph Latham. Nothing is listed there in 1904. He is only there for a short time, as by 1910 the occupier is William holder, shopkeeper, who stays there till 1921, and by 1922 the shopkeeper is Ellen Follis , who stayed till at least 1925.. By 1927 the shop had been taken over by Arthur and Elizabeth Hughes. The Hughes family run it till at least 1946, but the 1947 directory does not list a shop there. The shops listed would have been small corner shops selling confectionary, some food items and possibly newspapers. No information is available directly after 1946, Although Frank Knight obviously (from the photo) occoiedn it, it is only their office at chester wharf, opposite no 2, that is listed
Click to expand...
That is really interesting, I wonder what the shop was. I wonder if the properties were empty from 1946 until the renovation started in 1979? By the look of our picture they had probably been empty a few years, but I hadn't imagined it had been that long. Where did you get the plan from?
 
did you read post 2 and click on the link posted there for frank knights coal wharf...that is what the offices were used for..how long frank knight was trading from there i dont know..maybe someone can check the directories for you

lyn
 
Astoness said:
did you read post 2 and click on the link posted there for frank knights coal wharf...that is what the offices were used for..how long frank knight was trading from there i dont know..maybe someone can check the directories for you

lyn
Click to expand...
Thanks Lyn. I just looked at that, I can see the houses weren't there on the plan that covers to 1891.
 
I think the building was built as a shop or business, so presumably the first occupant is likely to have been sometime between 1904 and 1908, when is the first mention I found in directories. As I said previously directories do not listb Frank Knight at that address, presumably because the registered office nwas opposite at the wharf.
 
mikejee said:
I think the building was built as a shop or business, so presumably the first occupant is likely to have been sometime between 1904 and 1908, when is the first mention I found in directories. As I said previously directories do not listb Frank Knight at that address, presumably because the registered office nwas opposite at the wharf.
Click to expand...
Thanks so much. When do the buildings first appear on plans? They aren't there on the plan from 1891.
 
There is a reference to 100 Chester Street in the papers of 1900 (hover over and it will show the paper and date).
Birmingham Daily Post - Saturday 17 February 1900.jpg
 
Last edited:
Frederick Finney was another resident of 100 Chester Street in 1911, he was found guilty of fraud.

Screenshot_20250331_093441_Chrome.jpg
Source: British Newspaper Archive
 
Last edited:
Land was being sold in lots with frontages to the "newly laid out street called Chester Street" in the 1850s. Obviously residential building must have come much later. There was certainly industrial activity here (eg night soil collection, coal and timber businesses), made possible because of its proximity to the canal.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20250331_163610_Chrome.jpg
    Screenshot_20250331_163610_Chrome.jpg
    355.7 KB · Views: 8
Last edited:
pjmburns said:
I think 98 to 124 are on the 1901 census. Need to check when I have my laptop on.
Click to expand...
They are listed on the 1901 census. Here is the start. 1743507540688.png
Covers 2 more pages.

1911 and 1921 would be trickier as they are 2 pages per household.

I would advise either a free trial of Ancestry or FMO or a month's subs for either, Then you can find out about the people who lived there in those years. Also check the 1939 register
Erolls should also give names.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top