• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Erdington

Great photo Viv just as I remember it. I can still see the lovely lights hung on chains inside. I went there often.
 
John can you re-post Erdington High Street please as I can't get it and I have so many memories of the place.
Thanks. Jo.
 
Hi all,

Just catching up with this thread.

I have many vivid memories of Erdington and lived there from 1974-1988

I grew up on the estate (Glenthorne Way) which was built next to, what at the time was called Glenthorne Youth Treatment Centre and was a young offenders institute/prison. Both my mum and step dad both worked there and that entitled them to a house on site. Glenthorne was on the Kingsbury Road, just opposite Rookery Park.
I went to school at Birches Green (then later Hodge Hill).
Most of my childhood was spent hanging around the Hight St and i spent a lot of time at the swimming baths and the library, or just knocking around the graveyard reading headstones at the Church. I used to work on a market stall at Wilton Market on a saturday (is Wilton Market still around?)
I joined the Army in 1988 and have not been back to Erdington since, although I am planning a visit soon.

Unfortunately, I lost a lot of my old photo's of Erdington (including all my school photos) and some priceless memories in a house fire.

Despite searching high and low across the internet, I can't seem to find any old photos of Glenthorne YTC or of Birches Green School. Would be delighted if any of you fine people could direct me to any that you know of.
 
jennyann said:
Lynda. Ann Harris was my dancing teacher for tap and ballet. Mom had to buy a tambourine for me which we put ribbons on and my first pair of pink satin ballet slippers I wasn't very good but at that time I wanted to be Moira Shearer!. I used to go to Cecil Road for lessons on Saturday mornings. I remember being in a show at the YMCA on Reservoir Road and singing Happy Days are Here Again.
Click to expand...

jennyann

As a newbie to this forum I am still reading and catching up with so much nostalgia and finding posts that trigger so many childhood memories for me.

I too went to Ann Harris's school of dance in the 1950's , she had a son and daughter if I remember rightly?

My most enduring memories are the shows at the Birmingham Hippodrome.......'Happy days are here again'.... yes indeed!

I still tell people that I 'trod the boards of the Birmingham Hip.
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

Lovely memories thanks for posting the link.. I went to the high street often my brother was manager of Tescos early 70's.
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

Brings back memories for me too,from the late 60's and 70's used to go into Erdington from Sutton with nan to the markets, especially the one diagonally opposite Woolies that used to sell material, nan and mom were keen seamstresses and knitters. Can remember Owen and Owen and had my first fob watch from Roberts jewellers in York Road (I think), lovely engraved one, still have it sadly doesn't work now, washed once too much!! And again in the late nineties and noughties, Micks nan lived in Stockland Green/Erdington and used to go to the "village" on the ring and ride, or with us if we were visiting, his mom and dad got married at St Barnabas too
Sue
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

Hi Sistersue61: Lovely memories for you. The Erdington Market on Barnabas Road is still going strong. I too used to go there regularly with my Mother years ago. I have a friend who lives close by and she knows all of the market people who are there today. When I visited she took me around to all of the stalls that were open and introduced me to the owners. It was such a friendly place to visit and has hardly changed over decades. There is a photo and many others on Keith Berry's site that can be found at https://www.pbase.com/beppuu/erdington
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

Thanks JennyAnn, was in a stand off with hubby, he was insisting that there was only Wilton Market and that the other one was the back of Wilton Market - now he has to admit he is wrong lol!
Will have a look at Keiths site later.
Sue
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

sistersue61 said:
Brings back memories for me too,from the late 60's and 70's used to go into Erdington from Sutton with nan to the markets, especially the one diagonally opposite Woolies that used to sell material, nan and mom were keen seamstresses and knitters. Can remember Owen and Owen and had my first fob watch from Roberts jewellers in York Road (I think), lovely engraved one, still have it sadly doesn't work now, washed once too much!! And again in the late nineties and noughties, Micks nan lived in Stockland Green/Erdington and used to go to the "village" on the ring and ride, or with us if we were visiting, his mom and dad got married at St Barnabas too
Sue
Click to expand...

I too remember Owen and Owen but it was called Taylors back in the 60's. I also had my first job in York Rd, right opposite you at an electrical store called Clearlight Electrical.
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

Great memories, I was brought up in Marsh Lane.
Went to Erdington Grammar and worked in Woolies on Saturdays, my Dad was beat bobby in the High street(Village) area.
When I was a child there used to be Wrestling matches in the Barnabas market.
Lovely to see the doctors surgery in the High street, remember Dr Houston and Dr Throne, my parents solicitor was in the house next door.
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

chocks2 said:
I too remember Owen and Owen but it was called Taylors back in the 60's. I also had my first job in York Rd, right opposite you at an electrical store called Clearlight Electrical.
Click to expand...

I forgot about Taylors chocks.
The good old Palace picture house. Saturday matinees. Back seats in later years:redface:
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

Frothblower said:
Nice to see my pub, The Lad. I feel quite thirsty now:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I enjoyed seeing "The Lad in the Lane" again too.
Every so often we used to make the trek across the city to meet my grandad in there, (he lived in Birches Green Rd).
While the grown ups were inside we kids would be running riot outside. I used to love seeing my cousin, Tommy Pallett. I wonder what happened to him ?
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

I loved the Erdington markets and visited them often with my Mother when she lived in Sutton. My sister worked in Foxy Lady next to the undertaker opposite the church. There was a brilliant Red Cross charity shop as well...great memories.
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

There was a little cafe in the market, a counter and three or four stools, run by the same lady who was there for years.

I can recall her form the late 50’s to the late 70’s
 
Remember another caff, The Griddle Inn. On a corner just up from Taylors/Owen Owen. Spent many hours in there. Also spent many hours in the caff in Taylors - usually after school discussing boyfriends. Viv.
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

Bikeral72 said:
I seem to recall the "MilkBar", wasn't that opposite the Parish Church?.
Click to expand...

My Dad used to take me swimming in Erdington baths on Thursday evenings to teach me to swim when I was little. We always stopped at the milk bar on the way back home for cheese on toast and a mug of Horlicks!
 
Hello janreb, I also remember Pat the sock. She was close to my sister in law, also a Pat, who sold the cooked meats. We were all good friends of Pats, she was a lovely lady.
 
Nick I'd assumed the driver would have been in the usual position at the front lower deck but there seems to be staircases at both ends. Surely that's not the driver's position top deck? Viv.
 
I know your comments are addressed to Nick, Vivienne but he may not see this thread for a day or two.

So, I mention that the driver would be in the lower vestibule and by noting the position of the trolley pole the vestibule would be the one in the right hand side of the 'photo. As you may well know most tramway systems did not have turning circles, such as that at Rednal, therefore the trolley pole would be reversed and the driver take up position at the other end of the car. Judging by the gentlemen's headgear I believe that is the driver sat upstairs partially appearing not to be included in the 'photo. For anyone with access to the National Tramway Museum at Crich, Derbyshire, I would say go there when you can and get some tram rides. I went some years ago: it was good then but has been even further improved.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top