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Gosta Green Through Duddeston

Ernie

Thats absolutely fantastic, do you know that map has just reminded me of something I would never have remembered from now until the day I died. Its reminded me that I lived at 190a Francis St and not 190 like I have always remembered it for these last 45 years.

Just another fact brought into the open again by this wonderful thread. Ernie if you remember it was the name of the mission hall I was after. I well remember the mission hall itself with its bring your own plate & mug dinners. I think they kept half the children in the district alive.

Phil
 
Phil, Your Mission Hall I had a look on Kelly's 1904, no luck but they probably don't list places of religion anyway. I have checked " History Of Warwickshire " City Of Birmingham but what I have is incomplete, That is the place to find it.
I will try once more tomorrow.
 
Phil
Kellys do list mission halls together, but at the end of the clerical section. In what street was the one you were interested .
mike
 
Mike if you look on the map Ernie provided, its the Sunday School on the corner of Francis St and Henry St next to no 37.

Phil
 
So much for my confidence ! All I can find are records 1944 and before, of it as St James Sunday School, though obviously it must have been used for other purposes on non-sundays. Back in 1890 it was St james national Schools
mike
 
Hi Mike

It is still listed in 1950 as St James's Sunday School, something to do with St James's in Barrack St I would think which was just a short walk away.

St James was bombed out of existence during the war year, so I doubt that it was still associated with the church at the time when I used to get a dinner there.

I really don't think it was on a Sunday, I seem to think it was Saturdays. I would love to know it was that organised these dinners and if they are still in existence. I know it wasn't the Sally or Church Army, but they certainly were church people because we used to sing hymns for our dinner.

Phil
 
'Morning, Heartlands,

Can I just push in for a moment to say - once again - thanks for the help I have received in response to my query about Francis Street.

I have already remarked to Phil that reminisences and info about past history of the Old End all helps to paint a picture of times gone by - especially when we weren't even born then...!

Thanks again.

Jim Pedley (pedlarman)
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Phil
From the recent posts in his "when is it" thread, Richie works in what he calls the "benevolent sector", and seems to have access to some historic records. He might have some suggestion as to who might have run the dinners, or, at least where the information might be. Don't know if he reads this thread ......?
Mike
 
Talking about St James, this is how I remember it, never having seen it before it was bombed. It remained like this for years after the war. When the rest of it finally fell down an air raid shelter entrance remained. Of course all us kids thought it was the entrance to the crypt and thought it was full of bodies.

Phil
 

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I have looked at the forum for a long time now and this is the first time that I have known that St James was bombed. It was probably mentioned here before but it is not possible to read everything and I must have missed it. Located right opposite the Barracks I think and I wonder now about the feelings of the Brummagum folk to the latter which I think was placed there with thoughts of keeping them in check if they had a mind to try and improve their condition with strikes and protests. I must admit that when I lived there in the 40s/60s the subject never came up and I only learned about a lot of things from here. Time changes most perspectives though and even reasons for being can be forgotten.
 
Rupert

The barracks were built in 1791 for a garrison of calvary that were based in the grounds of Duddeston Hall otherwise known as Vaux Hall who's original owner was Thomas Holte who's family built Aston Hall. The Calvary were sent to help quelling the Priestly Riots of that era.The Barracks remained in use until 1850.

Phil
 
Vauxhall gardens is a subject that I have spent some time on as you will know. You will remember the old etching of Vauxhall Gardens with the iron gate on Vauxhall Road and the trees, bowling green and old Manor with Erskine going away down to the Rae on the right of the picture. It seems that in the background of that, there are some structures behind further trees down towards where you lived I believe. I wonder if they represented temporary barracks.
 
Phil, The copies of the History Of Warwickshire Vol.. 7 Birmingham appear to be incomplete so I cannot find the name of the Mission Hall you asked about.
 
Phil
From the recent posts in his "when is it" thread, Richie works in what he calls the "benevolent sector", and seems to have access to some historic records. He might have some suggestion as to who might have run the dinners, or, at least where the information might be. Don't know if he reads this thread ......?
Mike

I read every thread Mike. Ten times a day even. I'm a BirminghamHistory addict LOL.

Can you guide me as to who were where and when? I'm plumping for the WRVS as an agency already followed by the British Red Cross. Both had pro-active projects in UK in the immediate post-war period. I'm struggling for time in my day job but will advise whenever I can.
 
Sounds like you're worse than me Ritchie. I do omit some threads, ie (shock-horror ) football and sport related ones. Phil will have the details, but thanks for the quick reply
mike
 
Richie

It was the St James Sunday School at the corner of Francis St and Henry St Nechells. It would be about 1953/54/55. I think it would be approximately once a week some organisation used to put on a free dinner for children. It was a hot cooked meal and a pudding. We usually sang for our our suppers you know hymns etc.

I have no idea who the organisation was, but I seem to remember it was mostly during the summer school holidays when most of the kids being off school would not see a hot meal for six or seven weeks.

It didn't last for very long because the building was one of the first to be demolished and was gone a long time before the rest of the street.

Phil
 
Does anybody recognise this street, at first I thought it might be another one of Henry St but after studying it I decided that it doesn't match up. I don't think its Willis St. I thought it might be Windsor St before the built the flats. I suppose it could be somewhere around Saltley.

This is not a where is this quiz because I don't know the answer, so your guess will be as good as mine.

Phil
 

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Pom

Thanks at least I can put a name to it, funny that I have cruised that site many a time and never caught on. I've been trying to put a name to that photo for ages.

Thanks again

Phil
 
Does anybody recognise this street, at first I thought it might be another one of Henry St but after studying it I decided that it doesn't match up. I don't think its Willis St. I thought it might be Windsor St before the built the flats. I suppose it could be somewhere around Saltley.

This is not a where is this quiz because I don't know the answer, so your guess will be as good as mine.

Phil
It may be Havelock rd Saltley, it runs parallel with Alum Rock Rd. If it is most of these houses are still there.
 
Hi brumgum

Thanks for the interest and suggestion, but a nice lady called pomgolian sorted it. Its a photo of Devon St, which I should really have known. It just shows how fast my brain is pickling during the onset of old age.

Phil
 
Very interested to hear you were born 5/34 Coleman St. I am trying to get details of my Uncle, born 31.1.1907 who was born at number 34 Coleman St. His name was George Horton. No matter how we try, we can't get a birth certificate for him. They tell us he is not registered. Any clues? He was married from this address in 1934, wondered if your family knew of him. The father was a wire drawer name Alfred ( who was deceased at the time of the wedding).
 
Re: re gosta green

Lupin was the continuation of Coleman St across Henry Street
 
Very interested to hear you were born 5/34 Coleman St. I am trying to get details of my Uncle, born 31.1.1907 who was born at number 34 Coleman St. His name was George Horton. No matter how we try, we can't get a birth certificate for him. They tell us he is not registered. Any clues? He was married from this address in 1934, wondered if your family knew of him. The father was a wire drawer name Alfred ( who was deceased at the time of the wedding).

My parents had mentioned the name of Horton , a chap referred to as Buller Orton lived at number 40. A Mrs Penn lived at number 34 with her daughter and she died before we left Coleman Street. No one else lived there as the houses had been condemned and had a little yellow cross paint on the door post. Electoral Rolls would verify who lived there at certain dates. PS 1934 was well before my time. Check that address on the Electoral Rolls prior to his marriage.
Just a thought, could the name be Orton as apposed to Horton
 
Hi, thanks for the info. If Mrs Penn lived there, I wonder now why this address in on his wedding cert. He had a nickname of "Wop". To me that meant Italian, but don't know. As I'm new to this, how do I check the Electoral roles?
 
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