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Betting Shops Bookies Bookmaking

Good grief Lyn, that would have been a fortune in those days if your dad had won on the Grand National race. You could buy a smashing house for that amount of money in the 1950's. What a shame. Well it wasn't mean't to be was it?
 
hi maggs..ive just been down to see dad and forgot to ask him if the figure of 3 thousand pounds was correct...hope to see him again on tues so i will ask....

lyn
 
I wonder if any one backed Fionavon in the 1967 grand national at 100/1 i doubt it

Lady Pilkington was the owner and she put a lot of money on that horse she used to live in Criccieth in Wales next door to our family cottage just down from the castle

Mossy
 
Yes Lyn, Red Rum was a real winner. I believe I saw a statue of him at Newmarket stud...a very famous and loved gee gee that one.
 
hi all
I only bet once 1964 I put a £1 each way on two horses, OXO. and PURPLE SILK Oxo won and ps came second. Hows that for luck for about 6 mths I really felt quite wealthy, but I have never bet on a horse again.
regards
paul
 
Hi Maggs,one thing we have to remember is things where tight after the war, I know the circumstances where different from family to family but Mon and Dad never went out for years after the war, Dad worked every shift he could get as a Stoker for the GPO in town, after eighteen years the fumes finally killed him, so Moms only pleasure was a dabble on the horses. She used to meet with her friends in Edward rd and check the runners in the Sporting buff, I think it was called. They very rarely won anything, God bless them.
Baz
 
I was on the phone to Bernard Arnold last night and he asked if I remembered a Horace Turville who owned a betting shop in the Victoria road area. Maybe someone out there might remember?. There was one owned by Mr. Roadnight by Salford park too. Jean.
 
I am trying to find infomation on the Fielding brothers,thought to be bookmakers in the Aston area between the years 1915-1930
 
I have checked a number of directory's between those years and there are a number of Fielding but no Fielding Bros for any trade
 
The only one i recall at alma street was charles jelf ;aroundthat period
but i also think there was a rake ofthem he also had one in holly lane and the junction of tyburn rd
i think it was here another guy whomran on victoria rd springs to my mind
he was up the terrace behind the post office asi recall
astonian
 
Would they have been listed, as I thought it was illegal until about 1961? Or perhaps it was only a certain kind of betting, but I do remember a flurry of shops opening once the law had been changed.
 
There was a bookie in Wilton St, just around the corner from Gower St. I used to take my Grans bets there, there was a gate across the entry at the side of the house, and you passed the bet and money through a small gap in the gate.

Barrie.
 
Hi tony ; shorie ;
in those days it was iilegal;and the storyies my tld me about the family
was because of there postion within the city ; they was involved with the legal system of birmingham
and being involved with the courts and etc ; and they used to have big partys in nerw canal street with all the top brass and they would my mothers father to tell his brother that he was being raided on a certain day and the fruit machines was always hidden ; because of that reason my grand father was a serving police officier at the lane ;
and piddock st ; astonian
 
I know this thread is more than a few year old. but noticed that Eric Gibson told about a illegal bookies in Cranbourne Road.
I remember this so well, because living on the road, and my Mum especially like a bet.
I sometimes took the bet, and was told to run past the bookies runner standing outside of the house, and as I passed him stick out my hand, and he would do likewise to take the bet.
The bet usual horses was written on the paper, and the sum of money place. The money was wrapped in the paper.

Sad tale although about the bookie in Cranbourne Road. He had a daughter who had special needs, and when her parents died she still lived in the house , which I believed was brought from the council. She became almost a recluse with just one neighbour going in.
She boarded up all her windows, very sad, she died alone.
 
I lived in Atlantic Diane. Didn't know about the bookies, although I expect my mum would have known. You've painted a funny picture of placing the bets! Thanks. Viv.
 
As a child in the 50's I recall going with my dad to go to the bookies
The only thing I can remember is that he would leave me at the bottom of a hill and he would then go up the hill to place the bet

No idea where... possibly Holloway Head
 
Russell said:
As a child in the 50's I recall going with my dad to go to the bookies
The only thing I can remember is that he would leave me at the bottom of a hill and he would then go up the hill to place the bet

No idea where... possibly Holloway Head
Click to expand...
Yes I remember, I lived in Pigott street and our local bookie was up an entry in Owen street. Just like Peaky.
 
Mossy said:
I wonder if any one backed Fionavon in the 1967 grand national at 100/1 i doubt it

Lady Pilkington was the owner and she put a lot of money on that horse she used to live in Criccieth in Wales next door to our family cottage just down from the castle

Mossy
Click to expand...

I won't forget the 1967 National as I backed the 2nd, Honey End. One of a few seconds!

YouTube clip...

 
Forward said:
In the circa late 50’s I used to take bets for the old man to an house/office in either one of these streets.

Used to walk up Burbury Street, cross over Farm Street and turn right into either Bridge Street West - Little King Street - New John Street West.

Looking at map I would say Little King Street or New John street West, but unsure?

Did you do the same? Any clues as to which Street
　
Ray
Click to expand...
Can anyone remember a Bookies Hut in Hunters Vale (Off Farm Street). Beside The Queens Head
 
1571581900071.png
There are few, if any photos of old style book makers on this thread. However, here is one in Dudley Road. The photo is from the Spring Hill thread and posted by Astoness.
 
Mr Kenneth Morris said:
Can anyone remember a Bookies Hut in Hunters Vale (Off Farm Street). Beside The Queens Head
Click to expand...

hello kenneth i personally cant recall that bookies hut but if my dad was still with us he would remember it...as a lad living in hunters vale he was a bookies runner

all the best

lyn
 
I used to work for Bookmakers of Birmingham (in the early 60’s). They opened in Edgbaston Street, opposite the markets. I also worked in one of their shops which was inside Snow Hill Station. I think the station had closed down by then. I remember that when the Snowhill shop opened it was in a disused Spanish Restaurant or similar. There were flamenco dancers painted all round the walls. There was no tannoy system, only a telephone which the manager had to stand by so he could call out the odds while we took the bets. Then when the race had started he would shout “no more bets”. When the race was finished he would write up the results and then settle the bets.
We didn’t have tills, only metal roasting tins under a counter which we threw the cash into and we paid the winnings out of them as well.

When there was a big race meeting on and punters came in with lots of cash for a particular horse I can remember being taken by car over to Aston or Lozells area to lay the bets off with Back Street Bookies. Fascinating times.
 
olibobs said:
I used to work for Bookmakers of Birmingham (in the early 60’s). They opened in Edgbaston Street, opposite the markets. I also worked in one of their shops which was inside Snow Hill Station. I think the station had closed down by then. I remember that when the Snowhill shop opened it was in a disused Spanish Restaurant or similar. There were flamenco dancers painted all round the walls. There was no tannoy system, only a telephone which the manager had to stand by so he could call out the odds while we took the bets. Then when the race had started he would shout “no more bets”. When the race was finished he would write up the results and then settle the bets.
We didn’t have tills, only metal roasting tins under a counter which we threw the cash into and we paid the winnings out of them as well.

When there was a big race meeting on and punters came in with lots of cash for a particular horse I can remember being taken by car over to Aston or Lozells area to lay the bets off with Back Street Bookies. Fascinating times.
Click to expand...
thats a great insight into 60s bookies...thanks for sharing

lyn
 
My Dad went to school, Oldknow Road, with a lad called William Hill.

I think he went on to open a betting shop...
 
Hi reading this thread brought back some memories of my childhood. In the 40s and 50s there was a old woman Mrs Layne we used to call her ( she seemed old to me then ) ran an illegal bookies from her house in Redhill Road Hay Mills. My Dad used to send me with a bet with the money wrapped up in it to her house every Saturday, I would walk up the entry to the back door where she would have a table blocking the opening with bets and money all over it. If dad had a win he would send me to pick up the winnings on the Sunday after usually just a few shillings. All I would say to her was Ron B and she would hand me the money. Some time she would stand on the corner of Arthur Terrace and take the bets until the police arrived when she would run into one of the houses in the terrace. The police came quite a lot but I never saw them catch her.
 
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