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Greyhound, Court Lane

Morturn said:
Another shot of the Greyhound c1938. Wondering if that is the boundary post on the rightView attachment 122428 in white
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OM and Froth
The last house in the terrace was a small shop run by a Mrs Davis and her assistant Francis, although they were only a small shop they sold most food and household consumables needed by a family in the late 40s and into the fifties. But the road looks in a poor state. The road sign suddenly reminded me that my Dad, he who knew everything, told me that as far as he knew it was the only place in Birmingham where the suburb was mentioned and that was because of the boundary. Before the Greyhound was a store, still there today, run in later 1950s by the Maddocks family, used to get our papers there.
Bob
 
thanks for that info bob.. like your dad i thought the reason for the naming of the suburb was due to it being the boundary...as i said earlier i have never seen that before..

lyn
 
I've been to have a look this morning and the pub re-opens on 8th February. I spoke to a painter who was working there (he said it was going to rain tomorrow so he was trying to get the job finished). He said that the inside has been completely re-modelled and there was a lot of orange and green in there. Been brought up to date and the bar area has changed. I expect they have to go with the flow don't they? I shall certainly pay a visit when it opens - I've been promising myself that I'd go. Photo taken today.
 

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thanks pen..i have only been in this pub once about 15 years back...must try and pay another visit when it opens

lyn
 
It's funny how you look at things and don't actually see them isn't it? I've been revisiting Viv's post #3, originally Lyn's from the Kingstanding thread.

I've been reading and re-reading the census returns for this area (must get out more) and I can now identify the cottages to the right of the terrace (sometimes known as Greyhound Cottages and Plants Cottages depending on who owned them at the time) as 'The Cottages'. Very original, they were 1, Cottages, 2 Cottages etc! However, in this picture there are only two of the original 4 still standing and they are probably due for demolition any day. I hadn't known about these and was trying to identify them on my maps. Morturn pointed out (at the meet-up) that this had been a builder's yard in our time. And there they were - all the time on Lyn's photo!

I think the building on the other side of the road probably wasn't anything to do with the stonemason but was part of Cottage Farm.

Bob, if you read this - can you remember when the houses in Hawthorn Brook Road were built please? This is the last road which is on the left hand side going towards Chester Road. It's not on this map.

I think the map below is from about 1884. Sorry about the poor quality, there's probably a better one on the forum somewhere.
 

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Lady Penelope said:
It's funny how you look at things and don't actually see them isn't it? I've been revisiting Viv's post #3, originally Lyn's from the Kingstanding thread.

I've been reading and re-reading the census returns for this area (must get out more) and I can now identify the cottages to the right of the terrace (sometimes known as Greyhound Cottages and Plants Cottages depending on who owned them at the time) as 'The Cottages'. Very original, they were 1, Cottages, 2 Cottages etc! However, in this picture there are only two of the original 4 still standing and they are probably due for demolition any day. I hadn't known about these and was trying to identify them on my maps. Morturn pointed out (at the meet-up) that this had been a builder's yard in our time. And there they were - all the time on Lyn's photo!

I think the building on the other side of the road probably wasn't anything to do with the stonemason but was part of Cottage Farm.

Bob, if you read this - can you remember when the houses in Hawthorn Brook Road were built please? This is the last road which is on the left hand side going towards Chester Road. It's not on this map.

I think the map below is from about 1884. Sorry about the poor quality, there's probably a better one on the forum somewhere.
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Lady P
Long after I had gone I am afraid, from the maps I have looked at it looks as if it was built on the track that led down to Chipmans, which for some reason my family always referred to as the Barracks
Bob
 
Bob, what date did you leave Court Lane? The road I mean was on the opposite side to the Chipman's but the houses look newer than those on Court Lane itself. I seem to remember that Cardean gave us a good way to find out the date of a property, on another thread, via insurance so I'll see if I can track that message down.
 
Lady Penelope said:
Bob, what date did you leave Court Lane? The road I mean was on the opposite side to the Chipman's but the houses look newer than those on Court Lane itself. I seem to remember that Cardean gave us a good way to find out the date of a property, on another thread, via insurance so I'll see if I can track that message down.
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Lady P
You said the left hand side, DUH!!, stupido, I have the white letters on my mittens L & R. I looked the wrong side of the road on the old map that I had. I left 1959 and Mum and Dad left about 1960, so I never went back unless I made the children worship at the shrines of my birth and upbringing on our infrequent visits home, but strangely enough was never aware of the changes around there until about three years ago and I suddenly realised how many houses had been built, sorry I cannot help on this one
Bob
 
That made me smile Bob! Hard to type in mittens! You have helped, because I'm sure I read the date of the finding of the handaxe (on another thread) and I couldn't remember if it was 1948 or 1968 so it must have been the later date if you don't remember the houses.

As I said earlier I've been looking afresh at Lyn's 1930's picture of the Greyhound. I also hadn't noticed Davis's shop that you mentioned or the two figures who are by the lamppost. The other thing that struck me was the lack of pavement on the opposite side to the pub. Still quite rural.
 
Lady Penelope said:
That made me smile Bob! Hard to type in mittens! You have helped, because I'm sure I read the date of the finding of the handaxe (on another thread) and I couldn't remember if it was 1948 or 1968 so it must have been the later date if you don't remember the houses.

As I said earlier I've been looking afresh at Lyn's 1930's picture of the Greyhound. I also hadn't noticed Davis's shop that you mentioned or the two figures who are by the lamppost. The other thing that struck me was the lack of pavement on the opposite side to the pub. Still quite rural.
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Lady P
I was in Google roadview of Court Lane, two questions is the cemetery still there and in use and when did they demolish the old cottages that were the last houses on the Sutton side of Court Lane. The Milners lived at 394, next door to us and his mother lived in one of those old cottages. Looking at those Hawthorn Brook houses, they look very 1970/80s.
Bob
 
Bob Davis said:
Lady P
I was in Google roadview of Court Lane, two questions is the cemetery still there and in use and when did they demolish the old cottages that were the last houses on the Sutton side of Court Lane. The Milners lived at 394, next door to us and his mother lived in one of those old cottages. Looking at those Hawthorn Brook houses, they look very 1970/80s.
Bob
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I see on the 1884 map, the cottages were there.
Bob
 
Bob, Yes, the cemetery is still there and as far as I know it's still accepting burials. I think the cottages on Court Lane have been there since before 1841, but I've yet to confirm this, still at the theory stage. The landowners keep changing so the records are quite difficult for me to follow, and I've only just noticed the cottages as I was looking over the border in Sutton for some of the people on the 1841 who I now believe are living in them.
As far as the Hawthorn Brook houses are concerned I'm fairly sure the date of finding the handaxe was either 1948 or 1968 so you sound right on your estimate.
 
Lady Penelope said:
Bob, Yes, the cemetery is still there and as far as I know it's still accepting burials. I think the cottages on Court Lane have been there since before 1841, but I've yet to confirm this, still at the theory stage. The landowners keep changing so the records are quite difficult for me to follow, and I've only just noticed the cottages as I was looking over the border in Sutton for some of the people on the 1841 who I now believe are living in them.
As far as the Hawthorn Brook houses are concerned I'm fairly sure the date of finding the handaxe was either 1948 or 1968 so you sound right on your estimate.
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I made a sentimental journey today, down Court Lane and turn left into New Oscott Village, pity about the state of the road around the shops and flats. Then into Hawthorne Brook. Stopped and had a long chat with a chap who said they were built 30 years ago and he was one of the first people in. Incidentally his wife used to live at 176 Court Lane. The changes quite surprised me. Posh gate into Short Heath park. Intersting hour or so
Bob
 
Well, the 'posh gate' is about where our pre-fab was. We had a lovely childhood with the park literally on our doorstep. There were no flats in Jarvis Road and no housing estate at the back either. Still an old fashioned garage in Goosemoor Lane too. Oh, how times change.
 
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Astoness said:
thanks pen..i have only been in this pub once about 15 years back...must try and pay another visit when it opens

lyn
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My sister and I are new to the site. We were most interested in your discussions about Court Lane and the Greyhound pub. We actually lived at 359 , the cottage with the road sign on it, along with our brother , Tony. My sister went to Boldmere school and then to Aston Comercial, whilst I went to Court Farm and remember a girl called Penny that lived in a prefab on the edge of the park. We have traced our great grandfather back to William Hodgetts who was the first landlord of the Greyhound. His daughter Mary married Wiliam Spiers they then became our grandparents. From the census we have found that when Mary was widowed in 1874 she became a shopkeeper in Court lane, what we don't know is whether that was 359 or the cottage at the other end. My sister can remember a Colemans mustard sign on our house so it could possibly have been a shop. The shop to the left of the Greyhound was Moores, Mr. Maddox had the little lean to shop at the side where he sold the newspapers . And I always thought that Francis was the daughter of Mrs Davies and I believe they lived in Fernwood Close (or Drive).
 
Jenny M said:
My sister and I are new to the site. We were most interested in your discussions about Court Lane and the Greyhound pub. We actually lived at 359 , the cottage with the road sign on it, along with our brother , Tony. My sister went to Boldmere school and then to Aston Comercial, whilst I went to Court Farm and remember a girl called Penny that lived in a prefab on the edge of the park. We have traced our great grandfather back to William Hodgetts who was the first landlord of the Greyhound. His daughter Mary married Wiliam Spiers they then became our grandparents. From the census we have found that when Mary was widowed in 1874 she became a shopkeeper in Court lane, what we don't know is whether that was 359 or the cottage at the other end. My sister can remember a Colemans mustard sign on our house so it could possibly have been a shop. The shop to the left of the Greyhound was Moores, Mr. Maddox had the little lean to shop at the side where he sold the newspapers . And I always thought that Francis was the daughter of Mrs Davies and I believe they lived in Fernwood Close (or Drive).
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I was born at 369 in Sutton above the Greyhound and crossed over to contuinue living at 396, the one with the printed porch. The name Spiers rings a bell, but I cannot think why. I was led to believe that Francis was not related to Mrs Davies at the shop. When we lived there, the Greyhound was run bu the Edwards family. Names you might remember were the Ponters, the Milners, the Dudleys, the Glendennings, the Greenhouses and of course the Maddox, and Mr Wall, the bus inspector. My sister Yvonne went to Boldmere Secondary circa49 to56.
Bob Davis
 
Jenny M said:
My sister and I are new to the site. We were most interested in your discussions about Court Lane and the Greyhound pub. We actually lived at 359 , the cottage with the road sign on it, along with our brother , Tony. My sister went to Boldmere school and then to Aston Comercial, whilst I went to Court Farm and remember a girl called Penny that lived in a prefab on the edge of the park. We have traced our great grandfather back to William Hodgetts who was the first landlord of the Greyhound. His daughter Mary married Wiliam Spiers they then became our grandparents. From the census we have found that when Mary was widowed in 1874 she became a shopkeeper in Court lane, what we don't know is whether that was 359 or the cottage at the other end. My sister can remember a Colemans mustard sign on our house so it could possibly have been a shop. The shop to the left of the Greyhound was Moores, Mr. Maddox had the little lean to shop at the side where he sold the newspapers . And I always thought that Francis was the daughter of Mrs Davies and I believe they lived in Fernwood Close (or Drive).
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Your great grandfather selling a good-tempered mare in April 1865!

69601952-6841-403C-AA00-6462160E1AB1.jpeg
 
Jenny M said:
My sister and I are new to the site. We were most interested in your discussions about Court Lane and the Greyhound pub. We actually lived at 359 , the cottage with the road sign on it, along with our brother , Tony. My sister went to Boldmere school and then to Aston Comercial, whilst I went to Court Farm and remember a girl called Penny that lived in a prefab on the edge of the park. We have traced our great grandfather back to William Hodgetts who was the first landlord of the Greyhound. His daughter Mary married Wiliam Spiers they then became our grandparents. From the census we have found that when Mary was widowed in 1874 she became a shopkeeper in Court lane, what we don't know is whether that was 359 or the cottage at the other end. My sister can remember a Colemans mustard sign on our house so it could possibly have been a shop. The shop to the left of the Greyhound was Moores, Mr. Maddox had the little lean to shop at the side where he sold the newspapers . And I always thought that Francis was the daughter of Mrs Davies and I believe they lived in Fernwood Close (or Drive).
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My great grandmother Ellen Hunt is on the 1891 census as a servant at the Greyhound with William Hodgetts down as publican/farmer. Ellen went on to marry Bernard Hope and they ran a fish and chip shop at 4 Marsh Lane in 1901.
Carolann
 
Sorry just checked it was Joshua Hodgetts Licenced Victualler and farmer. Was this William's son?
Carolann
 
Jenny M said:
My sister and I are new to the site. We were most interested in your discussions about Court Lane and the Greyhound pub. We actually lived at 359 , the cottage with the road sign on it, along with our brother , Tony. My sister went to Boldmere school and then to Aston Comercial, whilst I went to Court Farm and remember a girl called Penny that lived in a prefab on the edge of the park. We have traced our great grandfather back to William Hodgetts who was the first landlord of the Greyhound. His daughter Mary married Wiliam Spiers they then became our grandparents. From the census we have found that when Mary was widowed in 1874 she became a shopkeeper in Court lane, what we don't know is whether that was 359 or the cottage at the other end. My sister can remember a Colemans mustard sign on our house so it could possibly have been a shop. The shop to the left of the Greyhound was Moores, Mr. Maddox had the little lean to shop at the side where he sold the newspapers . And I always thought that Francis was the daughter of Mrs Davies and I believe they lived in Fernwood Close (or Drive).
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Hello Jenny M, I remember you very well (as Jennifer) and have often thought about you when I have seen the name Spiers in connection with Court Lane. My memory is of a very pretty, sensible girl. We were in Mr Hill's class together before we left Court Farm.

I am trying to trace the history of the Greyhound from the very first and believe that it was there long before your Hodgetts came from Rowley Regis although it may not have been called by the same name and it was probably, judging by the style of the pub, one of the members of your family who rebuilt it.

At the moment I'm still working on Baldmore Lake which would have been behind the Greyhound but although I enjoy the research I find the actual writing up a bit of a trial and it's taking me ages. You can find some information which may interest you on the thread here: https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...happened-to-the-lake-house-in-boldmere.48710/

Penny
 
Hi Penny, and you were the girl with lovely long blond hair. Very fond memories of Mr Hills class, as does my son who was in his class in the late 70's. We had an old Anderson shelter at the bottom of our garden and I can remember my dad leaning over the fence to watch the bowls being played by the Greyhound team, that is presumably where Baldmore Lake would have been. We started our ancestry research back in 2005 , that's when we discovered GGgrandfather Wm Hodgetts, but it has been on hold since then as I went off to live in Ireland. Returned in April this year so back on the trail, but hoping that there is much more information available on line now. My sister and I will have to have a nostalgia trip , I think, back to all the old haunts, see how much it has all changed and a visit to the Greyhound, it must be re-opened by now. I am looking forward to gleaning much more from this site.
Jenny
 
Carolann, my g.g.grandfather was William Hodgetts, Joshua was his Son who took over the pub after William. I remember a Fish & Chip shop in Marsh Lane in the 60s might still be one there.
Chrissy
 
I think it is a kebab shop now. One of the forum members looked up the history of 4 Marsh lane and it seems to have been a "take away Food" outlet for generations. You can find the info on the 4 Marsh Lane thread.
Carolann
 
Jenny M said:
Hi Penny, and you were the girl with lovely long blond hair. Very fond memories of Mr Hills class, as does my son who was in his class in the late 70's. We had an old Anderson shelter at the bottom of our garden and I can remember my dad leaning over the fence to watch the bowls being played by the Greyhound team, that is presumably where Baldmore Lake would have been. We started our ancestry research back in 2005 , that's when we discovered GGgrandfather Wm Hodgetts, but it has been on hold since then as I went off to live in Ireland. Returned in April this year so back on the trail, but hoping that there is much more information available on line now. My sister and I will have to have a nostalgia trip , I think, back to all the old haunts, see how much it has all changed and a visit to the Greyhound, it must be re-opened by now. I am looking forward to gleaning much more from this site.
Jenny
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Hi Jenny, did you or your sister go to Erdington Grammar school and ever work at Boots in Erdington, perhaps as a weekend job?
 
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