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Dawlish Road Selly Oak
- Thread starter carolina
- Start date
A good aeriel view looking along Dawlish Road in the 1960s. This is looking towards Raddlebarn Road (Bristol Road is nearby behind the photographer). A garage/MOT centre was still there between the gap in the houses to the left until at least 2015. The plaque on the wall on the houses to the left reads "Kerby's Pool Villas, 1888" Who was Kerby ?
pjmburns
master brummie
An interesting snapshot of leisure time history Janice. I lived in the area, but yet again, I and knew nothing about these pools. Viv
I've received the following request from this member for help. If you can help please post responses on this thread. Thank you.
With regards to the building and naming of the road, I can't trace the Dawlish Road name origin, but given there's a Tiverton Road and Exeter Road nearby, perhaps the builders had some connection to Devon. Or maybe they simply decided on road names reminiscent of Devon. This is just guesswork, I'm afraid.
The houses in Dawlish Road were probably built in the late 1880s going into the 1890s looking at some of the plaques on the walls of the house. Two examples:
A couple of houses weren't built to local bye-laws in 1888.
Source: British Newspaper Archive
The houses in Dawlish Road were probably built in the late 1880s going into the 1890s looking at some of the plaques on the walls of the house. Two examples:
A couple of houses weren't built to local bye-laws in 1888.
Source: British Newspaper Archive
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There's an interesting short piece by a former resident of 74 Dawlish Road on the DJ Norton site here http://www.photobydjnorton.com/GTC/SellyOak.html
From the Connecting Histories site, this goes some way to explaining the naming of Dawlish, Tiverton and Teignmouth Roads:
Date:1876
Description:Today's Cross City Line between Birmingham New Street Station and Kings Norton follows the former Birmingham West Suburban Railway.<sup><small>1</small></sup> Opened in 1876, this key route has had a significant, yet varied, impact on south-west Birmingham.
The West Suburban was a speculative development that aimed to exploit local and national markets. It provided a shorter route between central Birmingham and the Midland main line to the West Country and was aimed to capitalise on Birmingham's suburban growth. Bournbrook's 'Little Devon' typifies this dual ambition, with late Victorian terraces offering a ready commuter market. The street names (Dawlish, Exeter, Teignmouth etc)<sup><small>2</small></sup> reflect the allure of distant places brought closer (disposable income permitting) via Selly Oak Station.
Date:1876
Description:Today's Cross City Line between Birmingham New Street Station and Kings Norton follows the former Birmingham West Suburban Railway.<sup><small>1</small></sup> Opened in 1876, this key route has had a significant, yet varied, impact on south-west Birmingham.
The West Suburban was a speculative development that aimed to exploit local and national markets. It provided a shorter route between central Birmingham and the Midland main line to the West Country and was aimed to capitalise on Birmingham's suburban growth. Bournbrook's 'Little Devon' typifies this dual ambition, with late Victorian terraces offering a ready commuter market. The street names (Dawlish, Exeter, Teignmouth etc)<sup><small>2</small></sup> reflect the allure of distant places brought closer (disposable income permitting) via Selly Oak Station.
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Until at least the 1930s, the top of Dawlish Road (near Raddlebarn Road) was known as Upper Dawlish Road.
Bournvilleboy
knowlegable brummie
I love the photograph of K.A. Windridge, when I was a lad in the late 1950's me and my mates would go in there and read the comics, Beano, Dandy etc. There where two brothers who managed it. Over the road was a woodyard called Vincents, I worked there for a little while in the late 60's and I still used to go and see the brothers.
paul stacey
master brummie
As a lad 13 years old , worked on a Saturday , for the big Pawn brokers on the Bristol Road,cannot remember the name now, had suits hanging out side all over the windows, and went swimming often in the baths in Selly Oak, There was a coffee bar called the red heart I think where bikers would go, facing the chippy, on the Bristol Road, spent a lot of my youth there.!!
Selly Oak boy.
knowlegable brummie
From my aged memory, the pawnbrokers were Sheils (pardon the spelling). They also had a second shop inbetween The Prince of Wales and the Post Office further up Bristol Road just before Chapel Lane.
paul stacey
master brummie
I remember swimming at the baths, Viv, they were in Dawlish Road I am sure, and the little shop where you could get a huge packet of broken crisps for a penny. !!
izzy eckerslike
yow've med my day yaw av
I was about to add that we were sent from Weoley Castles schools for swimming lessons there, I remember the shop you mention with broken Smiths crisps and also broken biscuits as well
paul stacey
master brummie
Hi izzy, I went to Ilmington Road, we went swimming at Harborne, but my sisters went to Princethorpe Road, and they went to Selly Oak baths, the Crisp shop, also sold packets of broken biscuits as well. happy days !!
izzy eckerslike
yow've med my day yaw av
I went to Ilmo and left in 1961 but not sure I went to Harborne baths thoughHi izzy, I went to Ilmington Road, we went swimming at Harborne, but my sisters went to Princethorpe Road, and they went to Selly Oak baths, the Crisp shop, also sold packets of broken biscuits as well. happy days !!
Not so happy for me trying to learn to swim at the shallow end of Selly Oak baths. Although I grew up to be 6ft the water came right up to my nose as I was very short then so would not dare let go of the rail and I never did learn to swim
paul stacey
master brummie
I remember being about 12 years old, standing on the top board at harborne baths , hugging old, Raza Hinkley, both frightened to death, with old man "Roberts", his face as red as his hair, screaming at us to jump !!!!!.
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