Hi , im john stone , I used to live across the rd from the boys brigade in great king street . The boys brigade was run by a high court judge named judge finimore . Being a mischievous lad of around 10 , when the boys brigade were gathered , I used to keep throwing the mains light switch located by the front door and plunge the place into darkness , im sure the judge would have strung me up if he caught me !
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Great King Street
- Thread starter Key Hill Brian
- Start date
Hi folks , I'm john stone , I was born at 3 back of 213 great king street in June 1950 . My house was right next door to the bell pub and next door to me , lived the sewels who ran the paper shop . Opposite was another pub possibly called the George and dragon ? , and on the two opposing corners were a butchers and a café . As you went down great king street towards Lucas's on the right side , just below the butchers , was a welding factory which was next door to my aunt Jane and uncle albert (my moms brother) . just a few yards below them was the hall where the boys brigade used to meet . It was run by a high court Jude named Judge Finimore , I used to throw the outside mains light switch when they used to meet and plunge the place into darkness , I was just a mischievous 8 year old at the time . On the last corner was another café , and I recall a large Twinnings tea advert painted on the wall above the door , it was the one with a girl drinking a cup of tea wearing a large black and white dress wearing a hat . On the opposite corner was the queens pub . Does anyone share the same memories ?
Sadly I don't have any pictures , I was hoping to see a photo of the entry to my house 3/213 , which is on the right side as your going up great king street , theres a shop just a few yards from the bell pub that was on the entrance to my entry , it's just before you get to new john st . I must admit that I am finding the site difficult to navigate around , I only managed to reply because I clicked on the link when I received an email off you
I started my school years at was was harry lucas but it was called burbury street school in the mid 50's , I then went to anglesley street school for a few years , then went back to what was then harry lucas and remained there untill I was 15 in 1965 . I do find the site difficult to navigate around , the only way I could reply to you was by clicking on the link on my email , otherwise I just don't know how to get back to a specific page . Are you local and what school did you go to ? where did you live ?
Although paddington street is just a 10 minute walk from great king street , it would have been like climbing mountains and crossing rivers for a 6 or 7 year old boy to get there . As you probably realise , we lived in a very confined area and didn't venture far out of it . Yes , anglesly street school is still there , it's one of the few remaining parts of my childhood / youth that still remains , it sadens me thats it's all gone but the memories are still vivid
Thats a fantastic picture ! thank you so much for posting it , i would love to see the same aspect but from the butchers side looking down towads Lucas's . I have been to the central library many times looking for photos of a specific place , and although they have a great array of photos , they dont have one of my entry etc . I sugges you go there and sound them out , you wont be disappointed
At least that puts my mind to rest about the name of the pub ........... it WAS the george and dragon , the photo was clearly taken from the bell which i lived directly next door to around the back . Thank you for your post , im getting closer by the day to seeing my entry leading to my house , which was 3 back of 213 great king street
cookie273uk
Gone but not forgotten
Phil, do you know who holds the copyright for the 3rd pic (with the 2 ladies talking). I would like to do a painting based on that one . Eric
hi john..unless you already know this a little tip for you when you next visit the archives at the library...ask them to search through their public works dept photos and also the regeneration of birmingham photos...the public works dept took pics of most of the streets before demo and this is where i found pics of paddington st last year including one of the house where i was born...as these photos do not usually come under the data protection act you should be able to get copies from the library or take pics of them with your camera for a small charge...
lyn
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paulboyle290
Brummie babby
Great King Street
Hello all.
Im posting this on behalf of an elderly friend .His mother lived on the above street and worked for lucus..but had seen many photographs of the factory's but however has never seen any of the housed end of the street .
Has anyone ever came across any pictures of Gt Kings street houses or could you point me in the right direction to do so..I have looked on this site but havent come up with any as yet.
Any help would be most kind.
All the best
Paul.
Hello all.
Im posting this on behalf of an elderly friend .His mother lived on the above street and worked for lucus..but had seen many photographs of the factory's but however has never seen any of the housed end of the street .
Has anyone ever came across any pictures of Gt Kings street houses or could you point me in the right direction to do so..I have looked on this site but havent come up with any as yet.
Any help would be most kind.
All the best
Paul.
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Rob1abb
Boys' Brigade Brummie
The girls are members of the Girls Life Brigade attending a district service at the People's Chapel. Carrying the district colour is Barbara Watkins (now Sabin) with colour party Eileen Mullett (on right) and I think Sylvia Clarke. Now called the Girls' Brigade the 14th Birmingham company still meets at the People's Chapel, which is now located further up Great King Street.
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Hello John,
generations of my direct, maternal ancestors lived in your house in Great King street for about 100 years, approximately from 1839 - 1939. They were probably its first and only residents up until they vacated it. My late mother told me that in winter one could quickly dry washing near the internal wall which backed onto the Bell pub as they had a big fire. There was a well in the yard. When she heard it was to be demolished, as a child, she took me to see it. My memory is a bit vague as it was so long ago but we went down the entry and turned left and it was in the corner if I recall correctly. She asked the lady who answered the door if we could go inside so I could see it, but she clearly wasn't comfortable with that, unsurprisingly, and said that her husband was asleep as he was a fireman who worked shifts so it wasn't convenient. I do have a picture of the entry that you requested if you are still interested.
Hello John,
generations of my direct, maternal ancestors lived in your house in Great King street for about 100 years, approximately from 1839 - 1939. They were probably its first and only residents up until they vacated it. My late mother told me that in winter one could quickly dry washing near the internal wall which backed onto the Bell pub as they had a big fire. There was a well in the yard. When she heard it was to be demolished, as a child, she took me to see it. My memory is a bit vague as it was so long ago but we went down the entry and turned left and it was in the corner if I recall correctly. She asked the lady who answered the door if we could go inside so I could see it, but she clearly wasn't comfortable with that, unsurprisingly, and said that her husband was asleep as he was a fireman who worked shifts so it wasn't convenient. I do have a picture of the entry that you requested if you are still interested
generations of my direct, maternal ancestors lived in your house in Great King street for about 100 years, approximately from 1839 - 1939. They were probably its first and only residents up until they vacated it. My late mother told me that in winter one could quickly dry washing near the internal wall which backed onto the Bell pub as they had a big fire. There was a well in the yard. When she heard it was to be demolished, as a child, she took me to see it. My memory is a bit vague as it was so long ago but we went down the entry and turned left and it was in the corner if I recall correctly. She asked the lady who answered the door if we could go inside so I could see it, but she clearly wasn't comfortable with that, unsurprisingly, and said that her husband was asleep as he was a fireman who worked shifts so it wasn't convenient. I do have a picture of the entry that you requested if you are still interested
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This post was written on the 22nd October 2020 .... I haven't been on here for a while , but after speaking to my nephew Sean regarding photos of the bell pub and the entry leading up to my house in great king stre et , he was on the case with lighting speed . he found photos of the bell and just in view to the right side was number 213 to the back of which I was born at number 3 , just next to that is the shop that was owned by Mr and Mrs Sewell , but I wanted a photo of the entry that I lived down which is just out of view . To my amazement , he found a photo that was posted in response to my appeal , to say it bought a tear to my eye is an understatement ! . Now ...... Wait for it !............. it actually shows a picture of me sitting on a step and possibly my older sister Maureen standing close who would have been around 14 ? . I know its me because I was born at 3 back of 213 great king street on the 25th June 1950 and we were the last to live there before it was demolished around 1957/58 . The car in the photo is an Austin A40 Somerset which wasn't made until 1952 , so that photo is bang on and consummate with the date when we lived there . I recon I was around 5 or 6 which would have been mid 50's . My older sister Maureen said we used to sit on that step and watch the workers come out of Lucas's at 5 o'clock . In those days , no one else of that age would have been sitting on that step except myself because a 5 year old simply didn't stray from his house more than a few feet . not only that but there was no other boys of that age living up or down the rd from me . Can you clarify that it was you that posted the photo , if so I would love a clearer copy of it , im told that you lose some quality when you upload it . I would love to contact you in person , please email me if it was you johnstone1986@live.co.uk If it wasn't you , can the person who did post the photo of the bell inn pub and the shop with an entry at its side in great king street , Hockley please contact me . I must admit I find navigating this site a bit difficult sometimes , I just want a clearer photo if possible , it may even show our faces a bit clearer as well
Many thanks to all for reading my long(ish) post , I look forward to your replies or emails on johnstone1986@live.co.uk
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Lovely to see this photo, I lived at 182 New John St West just around the corner from this. I worked as a newspaper boy for Mr Sewell around about 1949/50
Glad you liked the photo , amazed someone even remembers the Sewells let alone worked for them . Theres one correction though , the 1st photo I saw was quite blurred and thought I could see my late brother david next to me , I then saw the same photo that was slightly better (still blurred though) and it seems I was on my own sitting on the step . I am confident its me because there were no younger lads either side of my as far down as great king street , no one else so young would have strayed far enough to sit on that step right next to our entry