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Aston - View From My House

same place ,but as you can see the lovely old gate house at the entrance to imi has been demolished
 
Maybe it's time the City fathers took the rolls and drove around Brum. They ought to be ashamed of some of the outlying areas. We go from the horror of that to the multi millions spent in town.

Thanks for the photo's Peter. The end shop is where I bought Cadbury's flakes, when Witton was my 'village'. i think I would rather see it all demolished than look like that.
 
I totally agree with you Di. It is really very sad that areas that were once vibrant with businesses have been allowed to get into such a decrepit state as those photos portray.
It's just as though they don't care about the places or the people in them. We have places in Vancouver that have deteriorated in similar ways and it's beyond most citizen's comprehension even the newer arrivals, the difference between the glass and aluminium of the centre of the city and then some of the city's suburbs. It simply doesn't make any sense especially with the price of land these days and it's only going to become more valuable. Also, the crime factor has escalated in such areas that have been left to rot. In New York they have reduced the crime rate by a great percentage just by caring about such areas and making them liveable again. They call it "The Broken Window Syndrome" meaning that if one window is broken then the property just deteriorates in a bad way and the criminal element moves in. When the buildings are cleaned up and the broken windows fixed, the criminals go away and the area thrives once again.
 
jennyann, do you remember the young Aston Villa players painting that Bridge? I think it was in the 60s but not sure.
 
I can't say that I do remember that Aston. I wish the Aston Villa players would paint it again though...it looks as though it hasn't been painted since the l960's :tickedoff:
What do you remember about the l960's painting of the bridge by Villa players, Aston?
 
I worked at the GEC in Electric Ave & used to walk Witton in my lunch hour, the Bridge had scafloding put up & descaled by the railway company then some members of the Villa youth squad painted it in the team colours.
I agree Witton is a run down area now that all the large factories have left, parts of the Witton Rd look like they could do with pulling down, like they did with Witton Lane houses.
I do not know what away supporters think of the area around Villa Park.We have on one side the lovely ASTON PARK, but the supporters that come in by rail only see what you have posted Pictures of. what a GREAT ADD for Birmingham I dont think! The City is Magnificent so why not areas that thousands see every Saturday?. Be it shopping or sport.
 
Can't agree more Aston. It's all come down to money, changing shopping habits and people working all hours, etc. I'm just glad my mother and father can't see the area. It was so idyllic when they were small. They were both brought up around Tame Road when beyond the canal up to Stockland Green it was just open country for so many years. The Plaza Cinema was opened in 1928 and the beautiful Cotswold stone "Stockland Inn" was opened a few years later. Stockland Green had a couple of streets of Edwardian houses and a very large farmhouse on Marsh Hill that was it until you reached the lovely village of Erdington or turned left into Slade Road where they built some pretty big houses and side streets down to Salford Bridge and some very large houses on Copeley Hill overlooking the Canal.
 
jennyann did you know the Dunn family they owned the news agents in the brookvale rd end of deakin ave,Teddy Dunn played in the Barons Ice Hockey Team at springhill at the same time as my self.
You saying about the country side round Marsh Hill My Dad used to tell how he and his pals used to go bird nesting up Marsh Hill & play on the sand hills at the bottom of Gravelly Hill/Tyburn Rd, Salford Bridge junction(now Gravelly interchange) Both My Mom & Dad went to see the opening of the what was then the new Salford Bridge now over shadowed by the Gravelly Interchange.
Do you remember THE STAR MOVIE HOUSE in Slade Rd?
 
The Star Picture House in Slade Road...Oh. yes. We used to go there often in the l950's.
We sometimes would go to the ABC Minors at Perry Barr in the morning and The Star in the afternoon on a Saturday. It wasn't as nice inside as any of the other picture houses
around but it was quite a bit cheaper, a bit rougher but a lot of fun. Over the years as I used the No.65 to come home from work up from where ever to Stockland Green I would keep my eye on it and eventually it closed down as a picture house and opened up as a car show room and then something else.

I often saw kids leaving their seats and letting in their friends as well. I also used to go to Broomfield Road Hall which was the street next door to the Star or close by. My mother went their herself years before to toss clubs which was quite popular in the l930's. In the l950's a cafe opened up close to The Brookvale pub and I used to go
in there with my friend. It had the first juke box in Erdington area and sold coffee. I went in because my Mother thought I was at Broomfield Hall taking some kind of lessons. I thought it was very daring then drinking coffe and listening to early rock and roll music. There is a photo of the cafe in one of Alton Douglas' books
 
Its a car tyre fitting bay now, or was the last time I passed, how things change & not for the better either.
 
Aston, I knew the shop at the end of Deakin Avenue but not the family. It's great to know that local boys and men from the area were playing ice hockey back when you were a Birmingham Baron....wow.....no helmets, lots of grit I bet the games were great. I can just imagine it. Vancouver is a hockey "town" an the team has a great start. Mike Fisher has two goals for Ottawa so far and 4 assists.

Marsh Hill was nicknamed "Jilly Flower Hill" in those days when yoiur Dad went there, since in the spring it was covered with Wall Flowers. What a lovely sight that must have been. Some houses were built in the early l930's after Marsh Hill school was built in 1929. It was quite a steep hill as you went up the hill towards Stockland Green. There is a little l930's house for sale on Marsh Hill at the moment and it is going for a huge amount!

That area near Salford Bridge with the sand hills was called the Dwarf Caves and has some interesting history attached to it. There were also some sand hills close to Witton Lakes Park. They were filled in post war and houses built on them. The sand was used to build all the houses in the Stockland Green area apparently.
The Hare & Hounds pub was a black and white Tudor type building when it was built in the l930's...now named The Mill House now and very much changed.
 
JennyAnn the Stockland pub has now changed to a large Chinese Restaurant run on the lines of a carvery, you know you take your plate and help yourself to whatever you fancy, and can have as many helpings as you like. I went there a couple of weeks ago, set evening charge of £12.00 and lunch time £6.00. The food was very good, but the layout reminded me of a works canteen!!! apart from the bar area which had a few leather sofas dotted around. I can't recall ever going in there when it was a pub.
 
Hi Sylvia: Thanks for the info about the Stockland Inn...I knew it was a Chinese restaurant but I couldn't
imagine it if you know what I mean. Glad to hear that the food was good. So glad you get around all over and are able to send reports about many places. Wonder if it will be there when next I come back!. The canteen set-up doesn't sound very good as you say. Not exactly comfortable. I like the Carvery in Sutton Park at the old Mill House and the one out past Mere Green. They have great atmospheres and the food is great.

In all the years I lived around the corner I never went in to the Stockland Inn except to the Ladies on the way back from shopping trips. Pubs were very scarce around there with the Stockland and the Hare and Hounds down Marsh Hill being the only two close by. My brother was in the Dominoes team for quite a few years. About four years ago I actually spent the whole afternoon in there with my daughter Michelle. We walked from Erdington to our house in Hidson Road and stopped in on the way. We ended up spending the whole afternoon in there drinking rum and peps. It looked as though they had spent zero pounds on the place over the years it was very old and drab looking. . The Stockland started life as a local to serve the newly built private houses and the council estates down Marsh Lane and Streetly Road, there was no car park, the Bowling Green was paved over in the late l960s for a Car Park. It was a great accompaniment
for the Plaza Cinema across the road. I wonder what it's final fate will be.
 
Oh you're all bringing back such sweet memories.I had a wonderful childhood in Aston.I lived in Park Street,just off the Lichfield Road.Playing in Aston Park,visiting Aston Hall,hoping we may see a ghost or two.Went to Manor Park schools.
Now I'm living in Tasmania,Australia,but love looking and reading these lovely stories. Thank you all. Janet Harris
 
Hi Jan: So glad you have found all of us and are enjoying reading our stories of Aston and surrounding areas. Looking forward to reading some of your memories before too long.
Welcome, of course.
 
Thank you Jennyann, i have so many memories,and wish i had the photos i took of certain areas. Someone mentioned Dyson Hall. I had photos of that building from a child. Remember as children near bonfire night,we would go penny for the guy.We knew it was against the law,but still did it. Choosing one of us to dress up as the guy. Sit them outside of the Vine pub.One occation it was my turn, i was proped up against the wall of the pub,sitting on the floor,when an old lady approached me shaking my hand asking how Mr Guy was today ? I answered with im good thank you, i was 8 yrs of age. This poor woman screamed,than laughed with glee. She gave us half a crown. We would then put all the money together and buy fireworks.Oh the smells...
 
Hi Jen what a lovely garden your mom and dad were good gardeners it looks like an happy house you must have lovely memories playing out there has a child . we lived in cecil street much nearer to town there were no gardens just a big back yard but we were still happy would have loved a garden like that, we moved to handsworth in 1966 and we had nice garden then so got one in the end .
 
HI THERE JAN , HOW ARE YOU KEEPING FINE I HOPE .?.
nice to see you back on site , just read your thread about some-one mentioning dyson hall .
that would have been me , astonian,, my nane is ALAN , YOUR FRIEND, SHEILA ,CHRISTINE , AND VAL MARSDEN
FROM NUMBER 10 PARK ROAD , I,M THERE COUSIN ,
MY DAD WAS THERE MOMS BROTHER , WE LIVED ALONG THE LICHFIELD RD , WHICH I HAVE PREVIOUSLY
TOLD YOU ,
I THINK ONE OF THE GIRLS ASKED ME TO KNOCK ON YOUR DOOR ONE DAY FOR SOMTHINK ,
TO BORROW SOMTHINK ,OR COME AROUND TO HER HOUSE FOR SOMTHINK,
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A SUNDAY MORNING OR LUNCH TIME , AND UNCLE FRANK WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE .
ANY WAY WHEN YOU SAID YOU WAS GUYING IT OUT SIDE DYSON HALL ,
IT CAME BACK TO ME , I JUST ABOUT REMEMBER YOU FROM THAT ,
BECAUSE RONNIE, BILLY AND ME USED TO GO THERE A COUPLE TIMES A WEEK .
AND ESPECIALY ON SUNDAYS
RONNIE AND BILLY ,WAS IN THE BOYS BRIGADE , AND I WAS IN THE LIFEBOUYS ,
AND WE WENT TO DYSON HALL ON SUNDAYS AND ON WEDNESDAYS FOR CHOIR PRATICE
TO SING AT ASTON PARISH CHURCH CHOIR ON THE MORNING AND AT THE DYSON HALL CHURCH
ON THE EVENING ,AND I REMEMBER A COUPLE OF GIRLS GUYING OUTSIDE , THE HALL ,
WHEN WE LIVEDON THE LICHFIELD RD WE HAD THE BIGGEST BONFIRE AROUND
THERE WAS A GULLY THAT RAN DOWN FROM LICHFIELD RD AROUND TO YOUR STREET
AND THERE WAS A BIG FAMILY DOWN THERE , CANNOT THINK OF THE NAME AT THE MOMENT
DID ROGER ENSOR CAME FROM YOUR ST OR AROUND THE GULLY ,
MY YOUGER BROTHER DAVID WHOM HIS THE SAme age as christine ,
married a mary bagshaw from around the corner by the shop , don,t know if you knew her ,
i can recall the girls coming once or twice to our house up lichfield rd ou the terrace
for the big bonfire , did you ever come there ,
my mom was there auntie joyce ,
our bonfire was usaly about 15 feet high
we had the biggest bonfire up the yard wehad the biggest garden up the terrace
mom used to do enough chest nuts an baked pototoes, to feed the terrace all night
the old man used to pay the old bin man ten shilling to removed the rubbish next day
incidently we got five shilling aweek ,, [ two half crowns ] for choir pratice at dyson hall
those were the days jan.
i don,t know whether or not you know our other cousin or not ,brenda stewart
but she has started to contact me , i live in worcestershire , so i don,t get to sheila
but brenda phones christine regular , so i will tell her to tell christine , to tell sheila that you are on site
so now i do recall who you are , now , from that guy fawkes ,, take care ,, alan ,
 
Did you know anyone from upper webster street ?.Ilived there in the 1960s but left around late 1968 .
 
Looks lovely .I lived in upper webster street 1960 to 1968.My mums friend used to run the corner shop. I remember the streets were cobbled!
 
wagstaff said:
Looks lovely .I lived in upper webster street 1960 to 1968.My mums friend used to run the corner shop. I remember the streets were cobbled!
Click to expand...
what was your first name, if you don't mind me asking?
I'm sure their was someone in my class with your surname
I was born in '59, so started at Burlington St. in about '64, and lived at 49 Parliament St. round the corner? from you..
I remember a Zena lived up there [I think]

I'm getting mixed up with roads in my mind, I'm sure
it's nearly 2am here

i remember my schoolfriend Jill Scott [?] her mom ran the shop/outdoor on the corner...I forget the roads now...Phillips St./Webster St.?
 
maz_beth said:
what was your first name, if you don't mind me asking?
I'm sure their was someone in my class with your surname
I was born in '59, so started at Burlington St. in about '64, and lived at 49 Parliament St. round the corner? from you..
I remember a Zena lived up there [I think]

I'm getting mixed up with roads in my mind, I'm sure
it's nearly 2am here

i remember my schoolfriend Jill Scott [?] her mom ran the shop/outdoor on the corner...I forget the roads now...Phillips St./Webster St.?
Click to expand...
Hi thanks for replying.My first name is karen and my maiden name was ford.I was born in may 1960 . So we was probably in the same year ! Yes i must admit i am working from a childs mind . so i might get roads a bit muddled !! But my mum and dad were john and jean ford. i had a sister amanda. my mums friend who ran the corner shop had a son called bailey. My parents friends joan and bert lived up the road. They had 4 children.karen diane little bertie and cant remember what other was called . Our dr was close by and he was called dr brown. My great nan hchugh lived over the road.
 
Hi i was born in Aston in February 1960.my address was east terrace, vicarage road,.I used to attend manor park infants and junior schools until 1970/71 when i moved upto aston manor secondary.I Still recall the smells of hp sauce and anseels mild as i walked to school all those years ago.The old victoria road ploice station backed on to our playground, we also had an annexe away from the school, does anyone remember it?There used to a corner shop at the top of the road and a newsagents called blakeys,i used to help out there way back then.does anyone have photos of either the school
or poice station or the vicarage which was knocked down when i was little.thanks, steve
 
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