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Definition of “Brummie”, “Astonian” etc

ODE TO WINSON GREEN by FRANK THORNHILL 03/0906.....THIS COULD APPLY TO ANY OF US BROUGHT UP IN BRUM

I WASN'T SURE WHERE TO POST THIS, BUT ITS SO NICE, I HOPE YOU ALL LIKE IT

I have written my thoughts in the form of an ODE.
To tell you of my life as a kid, in my humble ABODE.
Some of you reading it may find it FUNNY.
But what must it have been like raising kids without any MONEY.
I have lived in this city all of my LIFE
I have witnessed its triumphs, its troubles and its STRIFE.
When I think back to how it was THEN.
When families could number four, six, eight, or even TEN.
Our house was quite tiny; in fact it was small, but very still NEAT.
When you opened the door, you were straight onto the STREET
The pavement outside was covered with GRIME.
But to me it dain`t matter, after all is was MINE
The area I lived in was then called a SLUM.
But to me it was my home, my house, and also my HUM.
No telly for me, when I was a KID.
No one had got one and nobody DID.
.
We had gas in our house, and no ELECTRICITY.
For the wires hadn't got to our part of the CITY.
Fridays were washdays for our mom and ME.
And I`d light the fire under the tub, on my bended KNEE.
In the “brewhouse” she'd mangle and maid, rub and then SCRUB.
All of that washing that came out of that copper TUB.
She'd put in a “blue” to make the clothes clean and BRIGHT.
Never did find out how “blue” turned black mud into WHITE,
We played in the gutter, the road, and the STREET.
Cos that’s where your mates where, and that’s where you'd MEET.
We didn't have gardens, no lawn or a SHED.
And most of your mates slept three to a BED.
If you mate had a birthday that lived over THERE.
You would go to his party, with spoon, plate, and a CHAIR.
You sat down and ate whatever you'd GOT,
And pleased you'd been asked and so gulped down the LOT.
The loo was a building built at the BACK.
The side entry was cold it was bleak and BLACK
That’s how it was in the times way back THEN.
I do hope for mankind that don't come back AGEEN.
We played hopscotch, marbles and also FOOTBALL
We also played cricket, with the wickets drawn on the WALL.
When Christmas came round you hoped you'd get something you'd like/
And if you were lucky it may be a BIKE.
The house that I lived in is long, long GONE.
Replaced by council with a bright shiny ONE.
When I think back to what it had BEEN.
I'm glad I'm a lad who lived in WINSON GREEN


This was written by Frank Thornhill, I thought it would be nice to share it,, Elizabeth Redmond
 
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Thank you Frank for such a nostalgic poem about live for most people on this forum,days of actually being allowed to grow up and finding tears and laughter were all part of Gods plan
 
how very true elizabeth, and it could apply to any of us , though I suspect the ones who had tellys, fridges, phones, and cars/holidays, in the fiftys would disagree.
paul
 
Thanks for posting that Elizabeth as I'm sure many of us can relate it to our own childhood in Brum.
 
Thanks I thought it was so nice, so thought I would share it,
 
Yowm a brummie if yo had Stockton's Bread Puddin' as a kid. Sitting in the back of my Grandad's shop at 10 Greenway Street on match days when the Blues was playin' at ome.
 
paul stacey said:
how very true elizabeth, and it could apply to any of us , though I suspect the ones who had tellys, fridges, phones, and cars/holidays, in the fiftys would disagree.
paul
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Not only did we not have any of em, many of us had never even heard of em. What you,ve never had you never miss. Dek
 
Strange you know Astonian, but when I think of Brummies now I can see the people during the blitz helping each other. We were all in the same coal barge and nothing was too much trouble. Survival I suppose, but nonetheless I am proud to be part of those people even to this time for somehow they were very special. Here's my shoulder rest your head on it, here's my arm let me help you out of that crater and here's my bare hands and I'll dig until they bleed to help you get your little babbies out. Remember? Regards, David
 
Elizabeth, thanks for that lovely poem. My dad was born and bred in Winson Green, I was born and bred in Handsworth. It always amazes me that memories of the past when we had little brings us comfort and warm feelings, yet we wouldn't want to live through them again. "those were the days" bring back memories of a time now lost, times for which we sometimes yearn. Perhaps it is just because we are old now and long for the days when we were kids and teenagers and young adults looking for a better life. Looking to the future. But that "future" brought problems and struggles which we didn't have as kids. I love life now although my bones and joints ache, I have little energy to do the things my mind wants me to do, wrinkles show the past life. So I think memories are full of the warmth and love of an age gone forever.
 
So glad you all like it, when I read it it reminded me of my childhood, and stories I heard of others, I thought I just have to share it
 
Someone will read what you've written in two hundred years from now so it's not gone forever. Write down your stories and it will be registered in all our histories. Regards David.
pamhol said:
Elizabeth, thanks for that lovely poem. My dad was born and bred in Winson Green, I was born and bred in Handsworth. It always amazes me that memories of the past when we had little brings us comfort and warm feelings, yet we wouldn't want to live through them again. "those were the days" bring back memories of a time now lost, times for which we sometimes yearn. Perhaps it is just because we are old now and long for the days when we were kids and teenagers and young adults looking for a better life. Looking to the future. But that "future" brought problems and struggles which we didn't have as kids. I love life now although my bones and joints ache, I have little energy to do the things my mind wants me to do, wrinkles show the past life. So I think memories are full of the warmth and love of an age gone forever.
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I once said that to a good friend of mine, she was black i am white, i did not understand what i had said and bitterley regret it Jean xxx
 
Thanks Elizabeth for the Frank Thornhill on what is a true Brummy. I came from Newtown, Tower Street and can relate to Franks story of his childhood!!!!. I left Brum over
38 years to live in the South West and still have a strong Brummy accent, I am often asked if I am on Holiday. Im proud to have been Borne (1945) and raised in Brum Times were hard but I still look on my early days as some of the best in my life and they !!!!
 
Hello Pete, went up your bit of Tower St. a few weeks ago, it's gone. we had to trespass on school grounds to walk down there. My Gran would be spinning if she knew.
Lynne.
 
lorz said:
tip tops rule!!!

rackhams, anyone remember Marshall & Snelgroves Hair by Steiner lol
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I still say tip tops,to my children,and grandchildren,they call them ice poles,remember swizzles,they call them mini refreshers,funny lot these Leicester folk.
Just remembered,they don,t know what kali is either.
 
Pete Ex Pat said:
Thanks Elizabeth for the Frank Thornhill on what is a true Brummy. I came from Newtown, Tower Street and can relate to Franks story of his childhood!!!!. I left Brum over
38 years to live in the South West and still have a strong Brummy accent, I am often asked if I am on Holiday. Im proud to have been Borne (1945) and raised in Brum Times were hard but I still look on my early days as some of the best in my life and they !!!!
Click to expand...
My Wife and I moved to Cornwall from Chester in 1997 then to Torquay in 2004 then back to Cornwall in 2009. Wherever we go we can be assured that we will always hear as many Birmingham (midlands) accents as the locals, always reminds me of home. I was also born in 1945 and started work when I was 14 (after missing the 3rd year at school) fortunately things worked out well for me but still remember the old days with fondness.
 
Well guys i don't know how you reminisce, but me, I need a bacon sandwich, blow - I have to wait for the bread n bacon to defrost, not when i was a kid, we could keep bread in a bread bin, or just on a shelf, n bacon, lived forever can;t remember where though, but it wasn't a fridge, we didn't have one, sausages to only came in one flavour and were super, so while I sit an glare at the frozen food have a smile for me!!!!!!! i am hungry yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Ah good old Marshall and Snelgrove - My Mom almost wept when they closed not that she could afford to shop their that often.
 
lorz said:
Well guys i don't know how you reminisce, but me, I need a bacon sandwich, blow - I have to wait for the bread n bacon to defrost, not when i was a kid, we could keep bread in a bread bin, or just on a shelf, n bacon, lived forever can;t remember where though, but it wasn't a fridge, we didn't have one, sausages to only came in one flavour and were super, so while I sit an glare at the frozen food have a smile for me!!!!!!! i am hungry yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!
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We kept the meat, milk etc on the marble cold slab in the pantry, remember once in the summer when the bluebottles had got at the meat, not a pleasant site but useful for when I went fishing at the Canal. We freeze the bread and milk nowadays, when I'm desperate for a bacon sarnie I put the bacon pack into cold water to defrost and the bread into the microwave (don't like microwaved bacon).
 
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David Weaver said:
Strange you know Astonian, but when I think of Brummies now I can see the people during the blitz helping each other. We were all in the same coal barge and nothing was too much trouble. Survival I suppose, but nonetheless I am proud to be part of those people even to this time for somehow they were very special. Here's my shoulder rest your head on it, here's my arm let me help you out of that crater and here's my bare hands and I'll dig until they bleed to help you get your little babbies out. Remember? Regards, David
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I'm sure this is true about Brummies but also for people from, as an example, East London
It was an era that sadly no longer exists.
 
is it summer lane,or the town they say
when kids could come out to play
back to backs,regal or odeon we saw
not allowed to go we said `we caw
brummie is a way,a type of life
many had it rough so strife
not yam yam nor rural we lived in town
but every street had its nurse and clown
manufacturing now gone aint much that blows
either a villain or somewhat of a blue nose
so today brum has changed it aint the same
oh how we miss those days what a utter shame
 
Hey Astonian, I telephoned my brother from Australia last night and asked him how he was going, 89 not out, and he said 'Oh ya know, just pithering about'. Now that's a true Brummy. Regards, david.
 
Hi,
I dunno if you will chuck me off the forum for this but I was born in Solihull but have quite a strong brummie accent. My Dad was born in Barr Street, Hockley. We all support the Blues. I HATE it when people say to me 'ya a yam yam ar ya' when I say I'm from Birmingham ( I never say Solihull cos no one ever knows where that is)!!! Lol
I say red sauce, island not roundabout, rackhams not house of fraser, bought my engagement and wedding rings from the jewellery quarter and say I'm going up town. I feel like a brummie in my heart and I spend WAY too much time on this forum!!!
Lucy :)
 
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