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Birmingham in 1950s

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During the late 40s and all through the fifties my dad used to take me fishing and I will never forget going to places like Shrewsbury and Stratford for works fishing matches. They always used the coaches with a sort of fin on roof at the rear, or if he was taking me for the day somewhere it would have been a BMMO.
How could I ever forget the fifties.

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You just reminded me. I used to tell everyone that my father had died in the war. I was born in 55, and was too young to do the sums. I really believed that is what must have happened to him. It was something you heard about all the time, even in the 50's.
Alberta said:
I was born in 1942 and I had a great 50s went to Grammar school,got a great job,had great parents.
Don't forget the other side of the 50s,thousands of women working hard to bring up families alone because their husbands had not returned in 1945.
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Arkrite, there was a coach firm called 'Gliderways' which was based in Bearwood and their coaches had a 'fin' too. The coaches were grey and red and looked very smart. Anthea.
 
The subject of Moquette could start another thread! I see London Transport have designed a Moquette Dress range for the (mostly) female fashionable anorak

Probably nice and warm, if she dont mind smelling like an old bus !
 
Talking of coaches/buses having moquette upholstery during the 1950's, do you remember that buses were lit by rows of small, semi-protruding light-bulbs? I recall the day that I disovered that 'light' equalled 'heat'! I was travelling home to West Bromwich, on a single-decker bus from Tipton, with my mother. It would be about 1953-4, and I was just a toddler and not used to electric light. I was admiring the 'pretty lights' when I decided to stand up on the bus seat and grasp one of the light bulbs!
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Yes, it hurt!

My poor little paw (donny) was seared! My Mom said ''you silly little bugger!'' I can remember to this day, thinking ''but why had no one told me before???'' I'd been taught about 'matches' and 'fire' but no one had ever mentioned light-bulbs! I was very aggrieved to have been told only half the story! I think thereon, I no longer thought that 'adults' were to be wholly trusted in disseminating essential information. For ages after that, I irritated everyone by asking ''is it hot; will it burn???''
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I remember those bulbs very well, mid 60s, and i remember my friend thinking it would look really nice in her bathroom, because it was small and cute, so she took one, took it home stood on the toilet, and put the little bulb in, next thing i know she is in the toilet and the house is in complete darkness.
 
there not forgotten by me Liz, so many happy memories and rememeberences, from a time of great deprevation and hardship but with so much love and happiness.
paul
 
paul stacey said:
there not forgotten by me Liz, so many happy memories and rememeberences, from a time of great deprevation and hardship but with so much love and happiness.
paul
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Great times Paul, everything to look forward to, i think everybody felt like that, hope you have a lovely Christmas, liz
 
How I agree with you Liz and Paul, being young in the fifties and it certainly seemed like there was so much to look forward to. Brum was a great place to live at that time for me, with the ice rinks, coffee bar's, jazz club's etc etc.
 
I was a child but i remember it well, and i remember my big brother and sisters had great times, jobs were plentiful and there was optimism, great times
 
Absolutely right Liz. People were happy in their job's too. Often on the Forum we refer to many large companies where some of us worked, and there are alway's fond memories of job satisfaction...Don't think there is so much of that these day's. These large companies really took care of their worker's too.
 
Hi Maggs nice to hear from you, Happy Christmas to you and yours, Birmingham in the 50's was a vibrant and thrusting city and a popular place to live it was during this time that things really began to change for the truly working class's.
paul
 
Hello Paul nice to speak to you too. We wish you and your's a Happy Christmas and a Healthy New year. Brum hold's no magic for me anymore. I find it a sad place now. I go back for old times sake, but I often wonder why I bother.
 
Oh yes the fifties,the best decade of all,after the poverty of the thirties and austerity of the forties,it was a wonderful time.The future looked so bright, we all needed shades.:cool:
For me, it began with leaving school,and then a roller coaster of a ride.Two bobs worth of dark in the back row at the cinema,falling in love:),sad partings :brokenheart:and happy reunions.:).We were still a force to be reckoned with,and able to compete with the world.We were confident,and maybe brash,but knew where we were going.
There were some downsides:rolleyes:,but we were conditioned to withstand them,and coped very well.
It ended for me as a husband and in that happy state of fatherhood for the first time.:beam:
Don't mention the sixties,I can't remember them,it wasn't drugs and drink...:rolleyes:I was too busy earning enough to feed my four little breadsnappers,to notice them.:rolleyes:
 
Oh Ray you couldn't have put it better, that's exactly how it was for me too. I think I also missed the 60's too busy feeding and caring for my babies, but that was a pleasure that I would happily relive, as well as all the other's you mention.
 
Oh yes,and the girls of the fifties,in their smart dresses and skirts,always looked good,more than that...they were gorgeous.
 
how I totally agree with you Ray,very similar feelings and memories, things could never again be as bad as the 30's and 40's, the only way was forward and upwards, I am so sad to here what you say maggs, the problem with our memories is that we only recall the very best of times, and the happiness that surrounded us when young and immpressionable when we knew no other world than we had , as we get older we become so much more aware of realitey and it can cloud our perception.
kind regards to all
paul
 
The girls were so feminine during this time and seemed to be more happy in there world, that slim, dark, handsome chap down at Plymouth Hoe, couldn't possibly be you could it Ray, ho happy days.
paul
 
Ray, the chap's were just as delicious with their DA haircut's and Tony Curtis look's. It was all a bit Italian too wasn't it? Like you say Paul, we knew no other world than the one we had in Brum, but we all enjoyed the best that we could find.
 
l was another one who grew up in the 50's happy memories that stay with me today.....did'nt have time to sleep always on the go having a good time, what with going to the pictures and dancing etc, my dad always said he had to make an appointment to see me, working at Johnny Wright too was fun... lots of apprentices's , always looked forward to going to work, as was said we never knew any different, can'nt remember anyone complaining... going to town on the weekend lewis's basements record dept and of course the Kardomah... was fun, also how about those day escursions from new street, don't forget there was so many young men in uniform then ,l wrote to so many ...wonder what has happened to them....yes the 50's was a wonderful time but like a lot of you the 60's are a blur learning to be being domesticated and raising a family...Brenda
 
Brenda,
Working at Johnnie Wrights in Holborn Hill,you would remember the dances they had.:):):)
they also had a good boxing club..Did two kinds of dancing there myself.:rolleyes:
 
I get a bit annoyed when people go on about the "Swinging Sixties", the 50s to me were far more interesting, I spent my 21st birthday in
Tel el Kerbir, two pints of Stella in the NAFFI.Once I was back in Brum things were great, you could go dancing two or three times a week,
lots of pictures, having met and married the most beautiful girl in Birmingham life was great! It was sad in a way to leave, we moved out to
Burton on Trent on the Overspill Scheme in 1957. Memories! where would us GOM be without them, Bernard
 
Bernard you spent your teen and 20's something years in the 50's you say, which were great years but not a lot of cash about after the war, but I enjoyed my teen and 20's in the 60's where cash via a perfusion of new jobs. The swinging 60's where a great time to be footloose and fancy free I assure you. By the sounds of it bringing up your family in the 60's, please don't get so upset as I dare say that what ever generation of your youth where great times in Birmingham, as all the decades had something different to offer the youth of our great city.

Bob
 
I think your probably right Bob i remember the 50s as a child, and there was lots of optimism,the fashion was great, everybody worked hard to rebuild after the war, and there was still a sense of pulling together,
But my teenage years were the 60s and i have great memories from then,another whole new world opened up and seemed to be there for the taking.
70s settled down taking care of the family,but i wouldn't mind betting there are people who class each decade as their special time
 
Ray, l can'nt really remember dancing at Holbern Hill, but can remember Ansells & Dunlop to name a few, of course the crown and cushion the tower,crystal palace the swan of course a lot more.....l loved ballroom dancing but got caught up with" bopping" loved that to, quite a few dancehalls looked down on it and l actually got thrown out of one because of it ...this was before it really caught on oh! happy days...would you believe Ron has ltwo left feet so that cut down on my dancing...a bit...he was in the raf and gone a lot so l was'nt about to stay home on a weekend....Ray you were right J.Wrights did have a good boxing team and l went to quite a few of their fights.....Brenda
 
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