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Birmingham - my sentimental journey

P

Peter Walker

gone but not forgotten
Having rediscovered a passion for the Birmingham of my youth, I like to come back as often as I can to rediscover places I used to know and explore others I never got round to discovering. My last trip was last Tuesday, arriving at New Street about 11.15 and getting on the first bus outside which happened to be going to Gannow. I first knew Gannow Green 55 years ago when I had my first serious girl friend and we as students would go for walks in the afternoon when we were could get the free time. As she lived in Harborne, we concentrated on the south-west part of Brum and beyond to Clent, and I became quite fascinated with what was then open country from Bristol Road to Kitwell, and if you avoided the Frankley Beeches Estate you could get right across to Clent, and I later led several walks with our youth club that way. Now of course it's almost all built up, but the some road names are the same and there are still some of the old landmarks like Bartley Reservoir and Hollymoor Hospital.
Then back towards town, of the bus at the Inner Circle to walk up to some houses that fascinated me 50 years ago in Lee Crescent, and into Yew tree Road and Wheeleys Road in the Calthorpe Estate to see the elegant early Victorian houses which are still standing. Crossed over the Middleway there to get a gander at the 'New' Jewish Cemetery, now inaccessible and abandoned, and round the corner for a nice pint in the 'City Arms' (formerly the 'Bull's Head'), on the corner of Bishopsgate St and Tennant St. Then past the 'old' Jewish Cemetery site off Granville Street, now partly a building site, and over the Horsefair to cover some of those old streets like Wrentham St and Gooch St, into the 'British Oak' and round to Barford St, where the 'Lamp Tavern' (formerly the 'Lamb' beerhouse), has acquired a good reputation. Round those back streets we've been talking about like Skinner Lane to the 'Old Fox' in Hurst St for something to eat and something to wash it down with, then just time to pick up a 'Mail' and an 'Express & Star' to read on the train coming back. In my pub at Croydon in time for Quiz Night. An enjoyable day, with a lot of good impressions.
Peter
 
What a lovely day you had, Peter. A few years ago I met my sister in Birmingham and we walked around Witton, where we both grew iup. We went into the Aston, and went into the little saloon bar where my father spent many of his leisure hours. There were a couple of serious drinkers in the pub, and we joined them with a couple of shandy's. :) We walked up Witton Road, along Norris Road and into Woodall Road to our old home. We took the train out from New Street, and thought we would get the bus back into town, and for some reason decided on the old 39 route, but after we asked for a single into town, we were told it no longer goes that way. We got off, I can't remember where now, and finally onto another bus into town. I'm not siure we were too safe, but we didn't lkmow it then and really enjoyed the day.
 
Another sentimental journey

Yesterday (Sat 24 Feb) I paid another visit to my beloved Brum, mainly to meet fellow members of the Pub History Society, especially as it was to be in the Barton's Arms. I decided to splash out and go by train, as it involved being in Brum by 11.00, and I don't like going out until after dark. Having a rail card made it a bit cheaper, but it was very comfy to travel in Coach A at the Brum end of the train, which is the QUIET ZONE - no mobiles, radios and few people, and none of them eating smelly food as so often happens at any time of day elsewhere. Arrived a minute early, and popped in Waterstone's to see if there was anything of interest on the local interest stand. Then mustered at 11am in the 'Wellington' pub in Bennetts Hill, over a gentle starter.
A local member very kindly ferried three parties of four in his car to the Barton's Arms, where we met others, arriving separately from different parts of the country - literally north, south, east and west. The earliest record I have found of this pub was in Dix's 1858 Directory. After ordering a pint of Highgate Mild (brewed in Walsall) and booking a Thai meal for consumption later, we wondered around the wonderful pageant of rooms and spaces on the ground floor (discretion precluded us from passing the door marked 'Ladies and Way Out'). At 12.30 we ascended the magnificent staircase to the First Floor, to discover more superb rooms before the Business Meeting, at which it was advertised that 'important issues' would not be discussed. The Co-Chairmen introduced themselves and the two hosting bodies - the Pub History Society and the Friends of the Ancient Order of Froth Blowers. The PHS is only a few years old, and most of its members are so busy in other activities (often on licensed premises, it must be admitted) they don't have the time to build it up on the scale of the Brewery History Society. The Friends of the AOFB is moreorless an offspring of the PHS, which commemorates the organisation set up in the 1920s to raise money for various charities. Local branches were to have been set up to raise money for good causes, but little or nothing happened, and no traces survived the early 1930s. A few relics - membership booklets, cuff links and mascots - have been found, and some were passed around the table. The 18 others present then introduces themselves, described their interests and activities. There was a specialist in pewter tankards, who gave a demonstration of reading hallmarks which would have you would expect on Antiques Roadshow, an ex-Head Brewer with and MSc in brewing, genealogists, and others with a host of side interests. The Business of the meeting was closed with the standing to sing 'The more we are together, the happier we shall be'. Then downstairs to the Lounge, where we enjoyed our excellent meal. I chose a Thai curried beef with Naan bread and some excellent unfatty chips - which made a good balance to the volume of beer being consumed.
About 3pm, we started a stiff walk to the 'White House' in Unett St, close to where Lucas's was. We started off along Whitehead St, past Alma St, with all the old buildings still standing on the right, including the Creocodiloe Works, whuich has been the subject of some discussion recently.
I had never been to the 'White House' before, but was reassured to learn that it had been taken over by Holden's of Woodsetton near Dudley, and most impressed by the genuineness of the staff and customers there. I'm afraid I let the side down by only having a half - perverse really, because they charge were Black County prices rather thas Brum prices. The earliest record I have found of this pub was in Dix's 1858 Directory, incidentally. It is very much a back-street family pub.
Then on to the 'Church' in Great Hampton St (mentioned in Pigot's 1841 Directory) for a pint of Batham's from Brierley Hill. This has recently changed hands, but but with little difference apart from a slight price increase. Another nice drink in a lovely environment. By 5pm, some wanted to get back to the 'Wellington' before making their way homewards. Four took a car and the others walked, but I made my apologies and stayed to finish my pint in comfort.
It was starting to get dark before I was ready to take a leisurely stroll back to New St Station. Ay first I was thinking it would be nice to walk the length of Livery Street, as it had often been compared with my face, but as I passed Northwood St I realised that pedestrians can't cross the accursed Inner Ring Road there. So I turned into Cox St, looking at the surviving older buildings. Then diagonally across St Paul's churchyard, as I admired yellow, white and blue crocuses and daffodils in full bloom, into Ludgate Hill, where more Georgian and early Victorian buildings still stand. I was carefully looking at the ground levels, and noting that the canal bridge in the dip would have been the earlier site of a brook, which would have been diverted into the canal to top up supply. This was the Fazeley Canal, which was started after the Birmingham Canal, which came to the high part of the town centre opposite Paradise St through Tipton and West Bromwich, with a branch to New Hall, on the high ground on the other side of Lionel St and Newhall Hill. The Fazeley Canal locked down the slope with a less-than-successful branch to the edge of the Jewellery Quarter off George St and Graham St, and continued until it crossed the Tame near Salford Bridge. I crossed Great Charles St on the level at Newhall St, then right via Victoria Square, to pay my respects to the Town Hall [such a beautiful building, whatever it is used for]. Down Pinfold St, past the side entrance to the station (closed by then) up that horrid little staircase into vthe Palissades centre and down to Platform 3 for the 18.30 to Euston, which was ready and waiting.
I was home just after 9 pm, cheerful but a little tired. Glad to have some fruit juice with my sandwich.
Peter.
 
Thanks for the account Peter, it's almost as good as being there, but for the fact of having nothing to drink!!
 
Peter, what another lovely account of your day out in Birmingham yesterday, I could visualise almost every step of your journey. As only a couple of weeks ago Ray and I visited the Pen Museum in Graham Street, and walked round St.Paul's Square etc. Did you have a hangover this morning?
 
:angel: That was another must read Peter...
I do hope you didn't have a hangover after such a lovely interesting day out. :cool:
 
A great adventure indeed Peter. I enjoyed every step of your special day out. Thanks for "taking" me with you.
 
Peter ,
I was at the PHS/FOFB get together at the Bartons Arms, I wish we'd have had a chance to chat. I run the FOFB website and rather than go downstairs to eat, stayed upstairs in the Boardroom chatting with some of the others. Had a nice chat with Steve Wilson who was up from London for the day too. I only wish now that I'd joined you on the 'pub crawl', sounds like I missed out on a good outing .

Ian.
 
I'm only a short hop from Brum as I live in Walsall and as I'm off work at the moment I'm off to Brum every chance I get. I used to work there for years and it brought back many happy memories and I knew I belonged, but for personal reasons I had to leave my job in Brum and start work over here. I like to get around to see all the places my forebears lived, like Bath Row, Pinfold Street etc, but never get back to Hockley etc because I'm apprehensive of going on my own. I'd love to have a look inside the Barton's Arms as I've never been in there, but I know my grandfather used to use that pub regularly and I've passed it millions of times.
 
Sentimental Journey No 3

For 70 years I have loved to wander round towns, not deciding where I was going till I got there. After a gap of a month while Barbara was unwell, I was able to make another trip to Brum yesterday [Friday 30 March 2007]. Arriving at New St Station 11.10, I walked through the Pallasades (what a stupid name!) to New St and Waterstone's, where I picked up Carl Chinn's book on Birmingham housing schemes, which I hadn't seen and is very good, and a new [to me] copy of the first one-inch Ordnance Survey maps originally published in the 1830s, just before the railways were built. More about them elsewhere. From there I thought I would like to go and check if anything was left of Dale End. There wasn't of course, but I saw there was a bus stop with one of those clever signs which tells you were the next bus is going and when. An express bus to Kingstanding arrived, so I jumped on, got my day ticket for £3 and rode front seat upstairs, wrong way historically, down what were Dale End and Stafford St to Lancaster Place, past the Central Fire Station, which still has WEST MIDLANDS FIRE BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS on prominent display. Private cars were parked in the courtyard, plus a van and some junk, but certainly no fire engines any more.
Then down Lancaster St, New Town Row and High St Aston to Six Ways (non-stop, through the underpass) and on towards Perry Barr, noticing that the mosque opposite Trinity Church is no longer named 'President Saddam Hussein Temple', as it was the last time I went past it. Non-stop past Perry Barr tram terminus as I knew it - again through the underpass - and past the former Alexander Sports Stadium to Perry Park and under the M6 Motorway, passing the 'Boar's Head' pub. I still have memories as a tiny tot of 3 or 4, being terrified of the pig's head as depicted on new sign in front of the newly-reconstructed pub. Looking again, it is quite fearsome, with a fierce face, and teeth or rather fangs, which extend well above the lips of the brute - it looked really terrifying at night, when it was floodlit.
By this time it had started drizzling, and I thought better of doing the Kingstanding again. Instead I jumped off, and went straight into the 'Golden Hind', where I was pleasantly surprised on my last visit 15 years ago. Still quite good for a suburban pub, nice historical pictures on the walls; and real fresh air in the loos, a rarity these days! It had stopped raining when I left, so on impulse I legged it back down the hill, and along Crossway Lane to Moor Lane. When I used to go round there it was all pedestrians and cyclists - perhaps a dustcart or two. Today it's all cars, except for a lorry going into the new Poplars Industrial Estate. After we had been discussing the place on this site, I had to go in the 'Safe Harbour' for a quick one. I knew it had been listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guides a few years ago, and it wasn't bad, really.
Then into the Cemetery, past the impressive gatehouse buildings, which appeared to be under repair, and which were spoiled by as new pair of gates and fence erected probably in the 1950s. Admiring the spring flowers and the stately trees, I slowly climbed up the steps and walked on to the gate in the Ridgeway, opposite Gipsy Lane. The remaining Chapel looked really handsome, and for no particular reason my eye fell on a memorial to Alice, wife of Gustav Schurhoff, who died on 14 December 1893 at the tender age of 26, three months after giving birth to a daughter, Pansy Emilie, who died when she was only 29, and was buried with her mother. I imagine her dad Gustav was still alive and had a new stone made in memory of both of them. He would probably have only been in his sixties then, but I didn't see any memorial for him.
Took the bus towards Town, dropped off at Loveday St, ambled past the former power station (and former General Hospital before that) and into the Gun Quarter. I stepped up my pace as I approached the 'Bull' pub at the corner of Price St, because it was approaching 1.00 pm, and was the last Friday in the month. I could see smartly dressed people heading in the same direction like good Catholics going to Mass on a Sunday. (You can always tell when people are going to the pub or to church). The 'Bull' is one of my favourites in Brum, with good food and drink, and a nice atmosphere, even if it is a bit of a time warp, with its 'Old Lady's Drawing Room' theme. Buy it is a real old building, dating back to the 1720s.
An hour and a few paces later I reached the 'Gunmaker's Arms' in what is left of Bath St. As it was another building of that sort of age, I had to go in, although a drink was the last thing I wanted. I was the only customer, but the guvnor and his wife were there, and welcoming enough. It obviously specialises in loud music in the evenings, with the usual decor and trimmings that entails, though it was being renovated at the same time, so the corner bar was out of use, and the main space was not as it should be.
I had been thinking I should like to sniff around what used to be called Highgate - the hilly area between Deritend and Balsall Heath, I took a bus which thought would go down the Moseley Road, but it went along Stratford Road. So I got off at the 'Mermaid', crossed over and meandered round the back streets of Sparkhill, which still have some nice Victorian houses in between the later rubbish. This is a real multi-cultural area, and I didn't note anything unattractive about it apart from appalling car parking all over foot paths, often two deep, I had to step in the road.
The high spot of my visit was Ladypool Road, which I had seen from old postcards and directories had always been a major local shopping centre, rather like the Flat at Hockley, or New Town Row. Apart from all sorts of food shops, it was the ladies fashion shops which caught my eye. Window after window of colourful displays, with saris and fabrics of the most intricate patterns and wonderful hues, all tastefully arranged to look their best. Quite as exciting as I used to find Father Christmas's Grotto. I wanted to find Kyrwick's Lane, which I only knew from old directories and maps, and once had some old buildings, but nothing left now. Then over Moseley Road as was (where Highgate Middleway now branches off) into Upper Highgate St, where I stopped for several minutes taking in the panorama of the town while checking up in my old street atlas which I had with me. A kindly resident came out to ask if I was lost, and was I all right? So I thanked him and explained I hadn't been there for fifty years, and was just trying to picture Brum as it was then. Then down Conyers St past the old Lench's Almshouses and St Alban's church along Vaughton St to Macdonald St.
By this time it was past five, my legs were beginning to tire of carrying my 16 stone around, and I needed to find a loo anyway. Not entirely by accident, there was a good pub nearby - the 'Lamp' in Barford St. It was a very slow job getting in, as the pub is small and a mixed office party of twenty-odd was tanking up in preparation for a night out. They all chose to or stand by the door, and couldn't let anyone in without moving a few chairs. So I had my last beer in Brum, picked up a leaflet for 'The Event' - a series of artistic activities taking part in Birmingham over the next two weeks or so. The Launch Party for the programme, incidentally, is being held tonight (Saturday 31 March) at Curzon St Station.
On to New St station in good time for the 18.30 back to London, and home in my local pub less than three hours later.
Another good day!
 
:angel: Thanx once again Peter for a great description of your wanderings.

My first school used to be on Mosley Rd at the top of what was Darwin St and my brother was in the choir at St Albans church, of course this was in the 1950's.

Also my sister now lives across the road from The Golden Hind,
so It really was very interesting reading for me.

Thanx again :cool:
 
You took me with you again Peter, through my bit of Birmingham, Perry Barr and Witton, this time and on to where my gt gt grandfather lived in Moseley Road. Thank you for the ride.:)
 
You are amazing Peter, I so enjoyed your trip to Brum. :great:

My husband is going to read in a minute, I know he will enjoy it too.:smile:
 
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