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Erdington

A postcard of Erdington Village.

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Erdington High Street again before the trams were diverted away from it.

Replacement image - may vary from original.

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Not sure about the street name but I have some old Brum maps that might help....I'll check and see what I can come up with.
 
Kevkonk - I looked at some old maps but it was difficult to see the orientation at the corner of Chester Rd and Orphanage Rd. I think the photo was probably taken from Silver Birch with Orphanage Rd crossing between the camera and the Orphanage. I believe the flat roofed house on the corner of Orphanage and Silver Birch is still there.
 
Hi Kev: A theory re the photo. I would say that it was the junction of Wilton Road and High Street. I was familiar with those shops from the 1940's until they were pulled down. Why do I say Wilton Road at this part of Erdington? In this day and age Wilton Road only exists on the other side of the by-pass. Up until 1938 when the Erdington bypass was put through, Wilton Road extended through to the junction of High Street more or less opposite the Public Library.
 
Re paul Higgins google earth - Many thanks - the 'age' in Orphange is my mother in laws house !

The shot is taken in Silver Birch Road, looking towards Orphanage Rd. Turn left for Chester road (with Josiah's head on the island - still with his father Xmas hat on!), turn right for Erdington.

Brian
 
Key Hill Brian- whoops! Google earth can be really useful at times. What a pity 'street view' isn't available in the area. I had a school mate who lived in Silver Birch Road. Can't remember the number, but his dad had suits of armour in his front room study. Nobody was allowed in! In his back garden we found a brick tunnel but his mom stopped us investigating. On reflection, since it had side tunnels, it could have been a disused Victorian sewer. Anybody know about tunnels/sewers in the area?
 
Beryl M, and Jennyman, I'm a fairly new member of B'ham History Forum and still finding my way around, I lived in Erdington for many years, and it was on buying our first house in Reservoir Road, in 1955 that I needed an extra job, as a part timer I became a 'doorman' at The Palace ballroom and was there for the next ten years, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings, so we may have met. The dances were run by Harry Phillips, and the MC was a well known Birmingham councillor, Ald, Harry Watton, Harry Phillips always kept a small tin of scented 'cachous' and would offer them to any lad who smelt of 'booze', saying "I'm sure your young lady would prefer the smell of these!" The small orchestra that played there eventually had to give way to the '60s popularity of rock bands, different groups played the 'intermission' spot, the most famous of these --'Carl Wayne and the Vikings' Carl eventually married 'Miss Diane' of Crossroads fame. Don Clive
 
Hi Don: Thanks for posting your memories of living in Erdington and working at the Palace Ballroom. I walked all the way from
Six Ways Erdington up Reservoir Road and down to Stockland Green when I was visiting a few months ago to meet my friend at the Modern China Restaurant.
The lovely old Stockland Inn of years gone by. I couldn't say how many times I have done that walk in years gone by. You
must have seen a few sights Don when you were on duty at the Palace. Erdington High Street was a very different place back
in those days. Many lads didn't make it into the Ballroom until they had had several drinks in the High Street pubs. I remember
the tins of Parma Violets used as breath fresheners.
 
Hi Jennyann, Thank you for replying so promptly, you walked past our old house on the Stockland Green side of reservoir road, right opposite the No11 bus stop before the 'Green'. Did you ever go dancing at the Palace Christmas Eve or New years Eve? if so do you remember the big box of baloons that hung from the ceiling, well I was up in the roof space pulling the strings! what a way to see the new year in, may I also pass on another bit of use less information... one of the cinema usherettes who worked there just as I started was named Violet Pretty, she went on to become a quite famous film star...Anne Haywood, and her films are shown on TV here from time to time. Couldn't think of the name 'Parma Violets', but your quite correct,happy days. Don Clive.
 
Hi Don: Nice to hear from you. Yes, I remember the balloons in the ceiling at the Palace Ballroom. Everyone on those occasions
looked forward to the balloons floating down at midnight or the end of the evening. Big bangs all around. Great fun.
Your house must have been close to Dr. Butler's surgery. My doctor was Dr. Ross at first and then Dr. Bullock whose
surgery was on the Slade Road side of Reservoir Road not far from Wilkins Chemist. A few years ago I wrote some short articles about most of the shops on Stockland Green following l945. https://www.pasttimesproject.co.uk/lsl_browse.php?subsite=ll&town=erdington&county=West Midlands There is also a site you can go to about Birmingham Garages in which the Stockland Garage is featured.https://www.obgt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

Regarding Violet Pretty, who became very famous as a film actress many years ago. Like me she attended Fentham Road Girls School in Erdington, although not at the same time. Almost six years ago, a reunion celebrating the fact that had the school remained open,it closed in 1973, it would be 100 years old. Violet Pretty was contacted by Margaret Rowe,an ex-pupil who was helping put together the special reunion. Violet lives in California and is very involved with painting and art in general. She wrote a letter to be read at the reunion about her days at Fentham. Margaret also spoke to her on the phone and said she was very friendly. Violet said she would like to have come to England to attend the Reunion but unfortunately she was unable to make it. 375 ex Fentham pupils attended the reunion at Sutton Town Hall on April 18, 2004 including myself.
 
Hi Jennifer, thank you for the reply, yes I had some good times at the Palace Ballroom,and yes the balloons were delated far quicker than they were inflated, Bang Bang. It's a snap with Dr Butler, Him and his wife (also a GP) were our family doctors together with Dr Price, a couple of amusing stories, Dr Sarah Butler was attending my wife as she was giving birth to our second child, while she was upstairs doing what was 'neccessary' I was hovering (not Hoovering, hanging about !) downstairs, when I heard Dr Sarah call "Mr Clive, we need more water" so on went the kettle again and it was almost ten minutes later when I walked into the bedroom with the kettle of boiling water..."Where have you been" the Doctor said, "It must have been ten minutes ago since I called you you to say you had a daughter!". We lived just up the road from the surgery, No116 next door but one to Bill Miller the optician,I've read your postings re Stockland Green on the other website, they bring back many happy memories, the Radio/Record shop where you used to listen to the records was Taylors, He had another shop in Kingstanding, oh, and my wife worked for a short time as an usherette at The Plaza. I forgot to mention that I went to one of Voilet Pretty's birthday parties held at the 'Gas' Company's Sports Ground in Woodacre Rd Erdington, I can't remember which one but there were lots of girls present, and I'm sure it was before she became 'famous'.... were you there? as another young lady said when replying to one of my posts... I love this site !! Don Clive
 
HI Don: Loved the story about the doctor delivering your daughter and you thinking the Doctor needed water. Sadly, I never remember meeting Violet Pretty. I certainly saw many of her films. I also remember the record shop Taylors. Fancy your wife working as an Usherette at the Plaza. Those were different days for cinemas. The films played continuously through the afternoon and evening.
I can remember people coming in with packed lunches at the Plaza, one time distinctly hearing someone say..."Tomato or Cheese" and seeing them hand over a large doorstep sandwich. You could smoke in the ciinemas in those days and at the evening shows there was always a haze hanging over the place.
Do you remember the Chiropodist on Reservoir Road? I believe her name was Helen Jones who operated out of her home. My Mother, who loved all the service based businesses around Stockland Green used to go there to "have her feet done"as she used to say. She also went to the Opticians, who used to have a small showcase outside advertising his services. Stockland Green was
a great place to shop back then.In later years she went to the Regency Hairdressers next to Banks.
 
Hi Don - You are correct this is an amazing group! I have been able to re-kindle all sorts of memories in the short time I have been browsing the forum. When I was born in 1947 my parents were living with my Paternal grandmother in Crowther Road, just a few minutes walk from 'The Green', which was the centre of our world. We stayed there until I was 9 and with both parents working full time.....Dad at Lightning Fastners (IMI nee ICI metals Divn.) on Aldridge Rd and Mum at Premier Motors in Aston....Nan and I were inseparable. I always relished my trips with her to the shops on The Green, which usually resulted in a KitKat, a Mars Bar or Maltesers for her spoiled brat grandson! In those days, before fridges, those trips were frequent! I remember going to Wrensons, Swinertons and I think Dolmans (?) on a regular basis. Like you we also used Dr Sarah Butler who, from my recollection was quite a character, a true, old school GP who knew exactly who was who in the zoo of all the families of her patients. When I was a bit older one of the highlights of my week (if I'd been good!) was being allowed to go to the Saturday Matinee at the Plaza with my pals. After watching Zorro or Daredevils of the Red Circle us kids would stream out onto Streetly Road, fasten our raincoats 'cloak style' around our necks using just the top button, mount our trusty steeds and charge off to re-enact the events of the picture we had just seen! I used to attend Marsh Hill Infants, as it was then, and I often got myself in trouble dawdling somewhere on my way home either in the alley behind the houses on Woolmore Rd or on Hesketh Crescent where there was a friendly dog who was always ready to chase a stick. Happy Days
 
Hi Jennyann, sorry I'm late replying to your query if I'm related to 'Peter Clive', No, not as far as I'm aware, I had numerous 'Clive' cousins but none of them were named Peter, he may be one of their children though. Some years ago I received a phone call from a 75 year old man in Rhyl (Nth Wales) saying e had spent a number of years since his retirement tracing the roots of the Clive name, (this was before personal computers) he said his surname was Clive, and asked if I would answer a few questions on my immediate 'forebears', he then asked my fathers name,his brothers name, their fathers (my grandfathers) name, then shoutd out "I've found the right side of the family at last" he then went on to explain that when he started tracing his family roots he thought he was descended from 'Clive of India' apparently he didn't, but according to him, and the letter of confirmation he sent, myself and my family, oh and my cousins were. At a later date I tried to contact him at the address he'd given but was unsuccessful and never heard anymore, I keep meaning to look up the 'family tree', and find out for myself. Don Clive.
 
I too have fond memories of Erdington High St even though i was only six when the family left Erdington.
My late mum,grandmother and gran off course go much much further back than i ever could.
Mum used to play the piano at the carlton ballroom for many years.......Her brother Les Freedman had his own dancebands in the area.
Nan worked and drank at the Acorn and Roebuck in the forties and fifties.
Mum once "inadvertantly" left me in my pram outside Woolworths and walked home to South Rd before remembering.....(mmmmthat was her story! lol}
Mr Hazel was a family friend and i still have the invoivces of my grandfathers funeral at the parish church in 1941.
Mum .went to the National school.....
I was christened at the parish church on Easter Sunday 1951.
Not long before leaving the U K i went to "Mothers" where i saw Peter Greens Fleetwood Mac when they were a Blues band and John Mayalls Bluesbreakers.
Not just a High St.....Its my heritage.
 
I was talking to an elderly lady (80+) yesterday and she told me as a child there was a large house on Short Heath Road that was given to the local people as a nursing home. This was told to her by her mother. She said the house was called Ryland House and the person who lived there owned a large bakery and several shops. Does anyone have any recollection of this as it would be nice to know. I realise sometimes people get a bit confused with memories.
 
Hands up for me Wendy......I remember it well. My dear friend Margaret lived in Court Farm Road which is off Shortheath Road.
Margaret and I went to school together at Fentham and met up on the bus when we were 16. She worked at the Wesleyan & General and I worked at New Street Station. We joined St.Margaret's Church which was then in Somerset Road off Court Lane and Gravelly Lane and we walked from her house to the church very often as we belonged to the Young People's group.

This would be in the mid 1950's and we passed by the house at least three times a week. I remember seeing the house from the street and I also remember it being a nursing home. The house was called "Leaholme" and I have found quite a bit about it from Gary 0'Brien's "Goosemoor Lane" site- https://www.goosemoor-lane.com/history.htm. For newer members to the BHF this site contains a lot of information about the Erdington area and is run by an ex-policeman. It's worth a look. Efforts were underway at some time in the last while to try and save the building.

I have just had a look on Google View and the Care home is gone. It stood on the corner of Camberley Grove and Shortheath Road. The efforts to save it obviously failed. Such a shame. You can find it by entering 157 Shortheath Road, Erdington, Birmingham, UK in the Google View search. The land is empty and the entrance barred.
 
Hi Wendy: On reflection, perhaps there was another house on Shortheath Road that was larger than Leaholme. There was another house called Lytham House which was a private school for many years. That was close to the Station Road/Marsh Lane end of Shortheath.Lytham House was pulled down many years ago. Ryland House....could be something to do with the Ryland family who lived in Sutton Coldfield and some members of that family were great benefactors going back in time. The spelling of their name has been with an "i" and a "y".Years ago there was a mix of houses along Shortheath Road from cottages up to larger properties. More digging is needed unless someone knows something about Ryland House.
 
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Thanks Jennyann. Well their must be some truth in what this lady said. I will try and find out which house she is reffering to. Thanks for the link to Gary O'Briens site it's most interesting.
 
I spoke to a guy today who was telling me he used to go to Wilton Rd with his father as a youngster to watch boxing at the weekends, also that there was once a huge Russian strongman who made an appearance there, bending
iron bars around his neck etc. I just wondered if there is any references on this site about it?
 
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