Hi Bordesley Greeners...just discovered a wonderful sister thread that I think deserves a wider audience...see what you think. It was started some time ago by the Boss, and brought back so many memories for me that I spent hours looking for appropriate pictures of featured 'places' to go with his lovely evocative narrative...which I'm looking for help with...many photos may already be on here, but many more may have been lost to the hacker...
Here's the link and Postie's post...
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=40678&highlight=Richmond
ALL ABOARD THE 53. 1950/60
Boarding the 53 bus at stechford on our journey to the City Centre, we wait for the Driver and conductor to finish their " fag break ", they punch in at the Bundy clock and at last we are on our way.
On the right is the Dame Elizabeth Cadbury Hall, lots of good dances held there.
On the left is the Richmond pub, they have a very good bowling and darts teams and again lots of good times are enjoyed there.
Here we are passing the Ritz park, which, at one time boasted a very well used baseball diamond, mainly played on by American workers from Cincinatee Engineering .
Adjacent to the park is the Ritz cinema complete with its Saturday morning ABC minors club, where kids go to cheer the heros and boo the vilians, Roy Rogers, hopalong Cassidy, Cisco Kid and of course Flash Gordon with his arch rival Emperor Ming the merciless.
Next, on the left is East Birmingham Hospital, which used to once be a fever Hospital.
Opposite the Hospital is Alston Road School where I have spent many a happy day having knowledge bashed into me.I also went to the scouts there as well, I was in the peewit patrol.
We are now at the Broadway with the most peculiar named Belchers Lane crossing the main road.
The Broadway is another pub with good sports facilities like bowling and darts.Onward now towards Bordesley Green.
Whats that shop crowded with children of all ages ? ah yes, Gardners sweet shop.
After passing Finnemore Road, rows of neat houses known as Batchelors Farm Estate hide a little known gem of tranquility which we call The Grass Park, with its beautifully kept grass and flower beds, on the left hand side.Behind the houses on the right hand side is another oasis in the form of a massive allotments, complete with various ponds.
On the left hand side are Bordesley Green Schools, junior and infants and of course the Girls senior school, hang on a minute I know those three girls, Susan Jones, Jackie Moore and Anne Burdett, shouldn't they be at school.
As we approach Blake Lane we see the Era cinema with its unique balcony which is only two steps higher, but still costs you an extra three pence to sit there.
Passing Blake Lane, we come to the builders yard of Jim Plumley and if we look carefully we can see Kenny Baker having a crafty fag.
Its a very busy little shopping area with Bruces fruit and veg and Kens bike shop, I’ve spent loads of money on batteries for my torch, in there.
Down past the Post Office towards Fordrough Lane on the right, it seems that millions of people work down there at the GPO.
On the corner of Botha road is a general store and sweetshop called Scrivens who do very nice bottles of home made pop at a penny a bottle.
On the corner of Pretoria Road is a kids treasure trove , a sweetshop containg every known sweet and run by Dorothy Simkiss and her Mother.
To the left looms the great big tall chimneys of the brickworks and an area of derelict land known affectionately as “the tip“.
On the right hand side, just before Humpage Road is the Police and Fire Station, a marvelous old building that commands respect.
On the left hand side as we go past Imperial Road is a neat row of terrace houses that belie the fact that there is a massive park behind them, nicknamed "the gravel park”, because thats exactly what its covered with, even to this day I still carry the scars from falling over in that park.
The bottom half of the park contains loads of playthings such as , the witches hat, the pirate ship, a massive sea saw, roundabout and rows of swings. The top half was just one massive open space again covered in gravel
There was a downs syndrom Girl who seemed to live in the park, her name was Iris, she was a big girl and kids, being kids, were scared to death of her.
One day I fell over and hurt my knee, she came running over to me, picked me I thought she was going to eat me but she picked me up and carried me to the Parkies hut, I was never scared of her again.
Leaving the park behind, we pass the Coach and Horses pub and carry on towards another row of shops which includes Bert Guy and of course another great Cycle shop Harry Craigs.
Just before Victoria St is the strange combination of Pearks grocers and, next door, the grocers shop of George Mason. Continuing on we pass the Court Steam Laundry quickly followed by my second home, Willie Holtes snooker hall run by Percy and Mrs Reeves.
Further on we come to the dividing of the ways, the Atlas Pub, Turn right into garrison lane and left into Cattel Rd, we are taking the right hand lane.
On the right hand side is the scrap metal and rag merchant, Thomas (Raggy) Allens, crowded as usual with tatters and their handcarts.
After the Royal George pub are some of the earliest blocks of flats in Birmingham, The Homes.Behind them is a football stadium belonging to some team or other ( lol ).
The rest of the journey is mostly through one industrial area or another and we finally alight in town at Carrs Lane.
“Terminus, all off “
Ding Ding
Postie...