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aston cross

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hi there does anyone remeber the pawn broker shop (were you could pawn things some people used to call it the pop shop or uncle it was on aston cross i remeber it had a wooden floor and a very high counter well it look high to me beging little :wink: then there was a big toy shop does anyone remeber the name and thomson the butcher also can anyone remeber having the pig trotters from there and chicklins i used to love them
i used to live in pugh road when i was little i remeber the ravehalls they had a big family mr mrs matin the sweet shop at the top of our entry
the oh yes and how could we forget the tin bath :oops: :D also there was a family call the evans fred i think his name was i cant remeber his wife name i ask my dad for more names
 
I can remember the pawnshop at Aston, it was almost next door to Woolworths. When it got to tough and there was nothing more mum could do she use to pawn some items.
 
Earp I bet you remember the Cake shop going down to Aston Cross from were you lived, that sold the stale cakes the next day.
 
:angel: Well they were used a lot (pawn shops) so may be there were two in the area, just a thought.
May be a 'Kellies' could help out here, if someone has one at hand.

Chris :angel:.
 
the entry door between Woolworths and Hunt's is the entrance to the pawn shop as you were not allowed to enter the shop with goods for pawning quite a few Jewellers shops had a pawn brokers counter Kate Baker was in the pawn brokers business for many years which was on the corner of Park Lane and Parliament Street and then there was Pawsons in High Street Aston (Newtown Row) as the locals called it. what year range are you interested in as we have a few Kelly's range from 1845 to 1976 none for the nineteen twenties
 
HI JOHN , GREAT PIC,S OF ASTON CROSS I WAS WONDERING IF YOU HAVE GOT ONE OF THE ASTORIA PICTURE HOUSE AND POSSIBLE THE ONE OF THE CORNER OF ROCKEY LANE ,,, IT BROUGHT BACK SOME MEMORIES IT WAS OUT SIDE HUNTS WHEN I GOT KNOCKED DOWN , BY A HIT AND RUN DRIVER AND NNOW I HAVE GOT A SILVER PLATE IN MY RIGHT LEG IT WAS IN 1953 , BEST WISHES,, ASTONIAN ,
 
In late l971 I came back to Britain from Canada to spend a year, split between Spain and Birmingham. I worked as a temp at Barclay's Bank on Aston Cross for approx six weeks. The bank in those days was pretty well in it's original state except for the teller stations which were fitted out with the usual security glass, etc. I had a great time though the work was boring and I still have the "Farewell" card signed by everyone in the Bank when the assignment was over..

I went past Hunt's shop everyday and eventually went in and bought a topaz ring I had had my eye on. Didn't cost a lot. I was trying to save my money for a trip on the QE2 back to North America later on in the year and it was very hard not to buy stuff. One regret though and it has stayed with me as "the one that got away". There was a 22 carat solid gold braclet with a thick chain and heartshaped gold clasp which was full of chunky solid gold charms in the same carat as the bracelet with no room for anymore charms. These bracelets were popular years ago and my friend in Toronto had one. I am not positive about the price but it wasn't more than fifty pounds! I kept walking by and walking by, looking at it and then, of course, one day it had gone. It would be worth a small fortune now and that thought was in the back of my mind at the time...an investment.
 
Great memories of Aston Cross.
Does anyone remeber the Birmingham Municipal Restaruant facing the old Astoria? We used to go there in the school holidays for our meals. Ther was also a cycle shop either Byodds or Lyodds by the Library. Dad bought my first bike from there on 'the knock' at 2/6p a month.
l ;D
 
:angel: Hi Brian, hope you enjoy the site and the forum. We aim to be a very friendly lot here and so far seemed to achieved that aim. O0
I remember the place you mean, but only for walking passed never went in there.

I noticed your name 'Nutt' are you by any chance related to Colin Nutt? He rode a motorbike and Sidecar in the 1950's/60's with a white windshield & mudguard flaps, similar to what the cops had.

Chris :angel:
 
Thanks John, how the mind plays tricks, I'm was pretty sure there was a pub along there by the name of STAR.

To answer the other query I'm pretty sure the cycle shop by the library was Boyds.
 
My Dad was a policeman in the Aston Cross area 1948+ .His colleague and friend was Tom Somerville.In those days there was no radio contact,the constables met with their Sergeant at a designated time and place.

One night Tom failed to keep ther rendezvous and a search of the area found him with a gunshot wound to his stomach.Fortunately he survived, but the city was in uproar,policemen didn't get shot in those days.
The gunman was found,he had walked out of Highcroft hospital and had broken in to a shop selling firearms in Aston Cross and stolen a gun and ammunition

I met Tom at my Dads funeral in 1995,he had remained in the force, but behind a desk.he told me that he had almost finished a book about the shooting and his life after.I have never been able to find if it was published.

I think the shooting was 1950 ,can anyone remember it?
 
I had a brother Dave Nutt, who now runs an outward bound centre in Wales.
My uncle Ralph lived in Aston I think in Avenue Road, he had two children, cant remember the girls name but his son was named John.
The pub by the restaruant was the Star.
Does anyone remember the shops facing Ansells in Park Road. I think the barber there was Billy Whitehouse, I can still rember my short back and sides.
There was also a small record shop. We had a record player for Xmas on year and Dad could only afford one record. 'The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot' by Nat King Cole. It still haunts me.
Brian  >:D
 
The pawn shop on Aston Cross,was Shields,it was between Rocky Lane and The Astoria cinema.The Star was opposite what became the T.V studios,saw Cathy Kirby in there once.
 
Ray Barrett said:
The full name of the pub was the Star Vaults.
Click to expand...
Hi Ray,
The picture shows it was The Star Inn. Maybe the regulars called it the Vaults? It was across the road from Halfords bike shop on the corner of Yate Street and adjacent to the post office which was on the corner of Aston Road North and Holland Road. The pub opposite the Astoria/Aston Hippodrome/ATV Studios was the Travellers Rest run by Mr Bazeley. I had a crush on his daughter Jennifer at St Mary's C of E. I wonder where she is now?
 
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Hello Dave,
The Trevellers was the pub I used the most,late 50s early 60s,well, it was Ansells.
Used to play cards in the smoke room.
I'm pretty sure it was Star Vaults,though.
When did you go to St.Mary's,knew a few lads who went there.
Regards,
Ray.
 
Brian the record shop was Bliss's my aunt owned it and futher up I think next to the dress shop that the 39 bus stop was, there was a hardware shop also Bliss's, it was owned by her daughter Marge
 
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