Chelmsley Wood Pubs

[Alberta]

Welcome to the forum Karen, I have lived in Chelmsley for 52 years ( before we had proper pavements, lol), firstly in Marlene croft, then in Conway road and now live in Bacons End, by the old Legion club.
So many changes over that time. we live near the Centurian which is still thriving., so is the Greenwood in Whitebeam Road

 

[Karen59]

The Centurian was my Local when i lived on Forth drive back in the early 70s. The best kept secret on the Wood was the Post Office club !!! we used to get in there for late night boozing when the pubs had turned out. Max

The Cent was one of my hunting grounds used to love the place. My mum and dad would visit the labour club opposite, spent many a happy hour in there too. The disco on a Thursday evening was great and it introduced me to Hawkwind. What an era.

 

[Karen59]

Hi Karen,

Welcome to the forum. Yes I remember (that's an effort for me these days!) the Woodsman quite well.
A friend and I used to meet in there for a while once a week and have a few pints. Area 10 was all of
what was known then as Chelmsley Wood Extension as far as Arran Way. Areas 11 and 12 took care of
everything else on the left hand side of Auckland Drive, going up the hill, with Area 13 being on the
right hand side.

I lived in Area 11, firstly for about 18 months in Landrail Walk, and then for the next forty six years in
Nightingale Avenue, moving to Norfolk in 2017.

I remember there was a line of shops behind the Woodsman, and the end one was a CB shop in
the early 80's. Thinking about it, there was a CBer with the handle Rupert who lived just behind
the Woodsman. I wonder if you knew him.

A lot of memories of the Birmingham area, including of course my dear wife, who is still with me
after 56 years.

Kind regards
Dave

Hi Dave, I wonder how many of us know each other on this site. Area 10 was I think an area that was mainly left behind because it was the smaller side of the Wood. I lived opposite the Woodsman. My dad used to visit it regularly. I remember they had an alsation that was always barking in the yard. My memories go back further than yours regarding the shops. When the shops originally opened there was a fruit & veg, butchers, hairdresser, newsagent and I forget what the others were. My mum used to shop in Kingshurst and I often met her at the bus stop helped her with the shopping and carried it home. Wow, a lifetime and more ago.

 

[Dave89]

Hi Karen,

I think the best days were when we first moved there when it was new.
Since then most of the shops and pubs have gone, and most of what
green space there was is lost.
I will always have happy memories of the estate, but I am glad to be back
on the east coast where I came to Birmingham from as a boy.
My wife took a while to get used to the quiet here, as we could always hear
the M6 from where we lived.

Kind regards
Dave

 

[Alberta]

When I moved to Marlene Croft in 1968 the nearest pubs were in Marston Green or the White Hart.
Nearest shops were by the White Hart, then they built Craig Croft now Chelmunds Cross.
Then I moved to Conway road in 1970 ,the houses around were still being built and the builders constructed a small wooden bridge over the river so that they and the local people could get to the Centurian and the shop in Waterloo avenue.
When the Labour club opened local residents all were given free membership for a year.
I moved to Bacons End in 1998 and Dave the noise from the M6 has trebled since then.
I moan about it daily but miss it when we are away.

 

[Karen59]

Hi Karen,

I think the best days were when we first moved there when it was new.
Since then most of the shops and pubs have gone, and most of what
green space there was is lost.
I will always have happy memories of the estate, but I am glad to be back
on the east coast where I came to Birmingham from as a boy.
My wife took a while to get used to the quiet here, as we could always hear
the M6 from where we lived.

Kind regards
Dave

I left Chelmsley Wood when I was 21, since then through various scenarios I've moved around the Midlands quite a bit. I now live over in Shropshire which is so beautiful. I've always been one for wildlife and such and walking with the dogs, not so possible on the Wood

 

[Karen59]

When I moved to Marlene Croft in 1968 the nearest pubs were in Marston Green or the White Hart.
Nearest shops were by the White Hart, then they built Craig Croft now Chelmunds Cross.
Then I moved to Conway road in 1970 ,the houses around were still being built and the builders constructed a small wooden bridge over the river so that they and the local people could get to the Centurian and the shop in Waterloo avenue.
When the Labour club opened local residents all were given free membership for a year.
I moved to Bacons End in 1998 and Dave the noise from the M6 has trebled since then.
I moan about it daily but miss it when we are away.

I used to go in the White Hart quite a bit. I remember I used the catch the bus home from work and the 195 was the only one that went up to area 10. It was always packed and infrequent, I used to catch the 194 but had to get off at the White Hart as the bus turned then for the other areas. It was a long walk up the road.

 

[Sharon67]

When I moved to Marlene Croft in 1968 the nearest pubs were in Marston Green or the White Hart.
Nearest shops were by the White Hart, then they built Craig Croft now Chelmunds Cross.
Then I moved to Conway road in 1970 ,the houses around were still being built and the builders constructed a small wooden bridge over the river so that they and the local people could get to the Centurian and the shop in Waterloo avenue.
When the Labour club opened local residents all were given free membership for a year.
I moved to Bacons End in 1998 and Dave the noise from the M6 has trebled since then.
I moan about it daily but miss it when we

I live in the North West now but as a child I lived at 192 Conway Road (1971-1982). We then moved to Worcester Walk with the nearest pub being The Friendly, although I only ever went in there the once as they refused to serve my friend and I - we were underage at the time!

 

[Mandyren]

This thread has bought back so many memories! I grew up in Area 13. My mum was a barmaid at the Kingfisher pub for a few years in the late 70s/early 80s.

 

[Taxi Tom]

These are the facts about Chemsley Wood pubs
Chemsley had 15 pubs from the start

7 Ansells pubs
7 M&B pubs
1 Davenport pub

 

[Richard Dye]

This thread has bought back so many memories! I grew up in Area 13. My mum was a barmaid at the Kingfisher pub for a few years in the late 70s/early 80s.

Not sure exactly where Chemsley Wood is but this thread is wonderful piece of (almost ) recently history. a history in which many were a part of!

 

[Dave89]

This thread has bought back so many memories! I grew up in Area 13. My mum was a barmaid at the Kingfisher pub for a few years in the late 70s/early 80s.

Hi Mandy,

If I'm not wrong, you were a CBer back in the day, and your dad had a handle
which suggested he had taken Holy Orders.
Perhaps you remember Skyking and Ratbreeder?

Kind regards
Dave

 

[Pablo manelli]

I grew up in Chelmsley Wood, in fact we moved into a flat when it was built so that dates back to late 60's. I lived opposite the Woodsman, now demolished I believe. Who remembers that? Area 10, not far from Bacons End.

 

[Pablo manelli]

Hi. I remember the shops by woodsman were Kevin’s newsagent then jays newsagents. Franks butchers at end. Bookies other end and hairdressers. Then early 80s TC cars and petes pix videos Spent many years hanging around Falkland way as kid.

 

[Covroad]

These are the facts about Chemsley Wood pubs
Chemsley had 15 pubs from the start

7 Ansells pubs
7 M&B pubs
1 Davenport pub

Hello,
I lived off Moorend Avenue in the 70’s and my local was the Happy Trooper .
It was a fantastic pub , lovely people in there and a very nice Chinese Takeaway opposite.
I drive past sometimes and it to see it’s now housing is sad, but a sign of the times

 

[Alberta]

Do any of your know when they changed the pub sign for the Centurian, always was a Centurian/Roman soldier presumably because it is on the original Roman road , Chester road and later it was changed to a Centurian Tank

 

[Lumpammer]

Do any of your know when they changed the pub sign for the Centurian, always was a Centurian/Roman soldier presumably because it is on the original Roman road , Chester road and later it was changed to a Centurian Tank

When it first opened (1972, I think), the Bar was themed on a Centurion Tank and the lounge was themed on Roman Centurions.

 

[Covroad]

Do any of your know when they changed the pub sign for the Centurian, always was a Centurian/Roman soldier presumably because it is on the original Roman road , Chester road and later it was changed to a Centurian Tank

I really do not know the answer , most of the pubs called Centurian / Centurion are named due to Roman settlements etc, the close proximity of the pub to the Chester Road may have influenced the original name.

 

[Dave89]

Hi,

There were old paths which linked between the Chester Road and the Roman temple which was
as far as I know situated on or near Grimstock Hill Coleshill.

We certainly found a few Roman coins and brooches on local footpaths and fields
facing C.W. Areas 10 and 11. This was many decades ago and it's probably changed a lot since
then.

Kind regards
Dave

 

[Brummie wench]

My sister lived by the Woodsman in a tower block, Birkbeck House, Geurnsey Drive back in 1974. She used to send me to the Woodsman with an empty pop bottle and they would top it up with sherry from a barrel. I was 13yrs old!!

 

[Joby Bcfc]

I think I sent more time in the Roundhouse than the Landlord and that’s saying something

 

[janjohn]

Hi,

There were old paths which linked between the Chester Road and the Roman temple which was
as far as I know situated on or near Grimstock Hill Coleshill.

We certainly found a few Roman coins and brooches on local footpaths and fields
facing C.W. Areas 10 and 11. This was many decades ago and it's probably changed a lot since
then.

Kind regards
Dave

Hi Karen,

Welcome to the forum. Yes I remember (that's an effort for me these days!) the Woodsman quite well.
A friend and I used to meet in there for a while once a week and have a few pints. Area 10 was all of
what was known then as Chelmsley Wood Extension as far as Arran Way. Areas 11 and 12 took care of
everything else on the left hand side of Auckland Drive, going up the hill, with Area 13 being on the
right hand side.

I lived in Area 11, firstly for about 18 months in Landrail Walk, and then for the next forty six years in
Nightingale Avenue, moving to Norfolk in 2017.

I remember there was a line of shops behind the Woodsman, and the end one was a CB shop in
the early 80's. Thinking about it, there was a CBer with the handle Rupert who lived just behind
the Woodsman. I wonder if you knew him.

A lot of memories of the Birmingham area, including of course my dear wife, who is still with me
after 56 years.

Kind regards
Dave

Hi Dave,(Skyking),fond memories of you and your family.
From Jan(moonwind)

 

[Mark Wilson]

This is a pretty historic thread going back 16 years!

I lived in Chelmsley Road for a few years and the Greenwood seemed to be the only pub in that side of the Wood.

But I can say that the area has lost a lot, as many on the thread will know. Myself and a few friends have been having 'First Friday' pub crawls for the last 20 years. This is a 5 pub crawl on the First Friday of every month. We've done loads of the West Mids areas (Black Country/Brum/Solihull/Coventry/Rural Staffs/Warks/Worcs).

In 2015, I was in North Solihull. I put forward the East Brum/N.Solihull area to see what was there. We started at the White Hart then moved to the Centurion, then the Punchbowl to the Toby Jug and finished at The Kingfisher. (We missed the two Clubs out). It was 4.7 miles of walking, our longest ever crawl yet (Even Longer than a treck of 5 pubs from Tidbury Green to Earlswood). Just shows how few and far between pubs are becoming and in particular in that area.

Only one pub, and that is area 13. The Toby Jug is just about Kingshurst, and is technically the only pub there after the closure of The Punchbowl.

 

[Dave89]

Hi Dave,(Skyking),fond memories of you and your family.
From Jan(moonwind)

Hi Jan,

Just revisited this thread, and realised that I had not replied to your post.
Sorry about that, - my memory is awful these days!

Hope you and John are both well, - I often think of our happy memories with the old 021 Club.
Seems like yesterday, but it was over 40 years ago! We moved to Norfolk in 2017, - but I still love
to see the places we knew so well on this Forum.

Kind regards
Dave .