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Grosvener Road

N

norton bob

proper brummie kid
Hi everyone, had a look but can't find anything on Grosvener road Aston in 1955 / 57 my mom and dad bought a bus/van and parked it on some wasteland there so did my uncle Bill Shorter there were other caravans there plus an old gypsy man in a proper gypsy van unfortunately he died whilst there.
My dad ( John "PAT" Patrick Jordan ) and uncle Bill converted the vans so they were sort of livable and that was us for a couple of years.
We have found a number of 58a Grosvener road but to be fair this bit of wasteland only contained perhaps a dozen or so families. I would be great if anyone can remember this.
 
There were a lot of wasteland on that road then, as can be seen on the map c 1950
 

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I lived in Queens Road and regularly used the Grosvener Road washing baths and my Dad used the 'Grosvener' pub, I also remember a PDSA clinic, this was in the 40/50's, I vaguely remember seeing caravans on the pub side of the road, that is the side the railway was on but exact spot I cannot place. it was a long time ago. Eric
 
Hi Mikejee Eric thanks for the excellent map the site was almost opposite the Grosvener pub where we lived it was council owned and we had to pay 8s 1d a week to the rent man who came every Friday. Other names that my mom can remember from there are Charley ? the gipsy, Nancy Kelly, Roma Hartwell, Marion ?, in all the site was only there for a few years before the council re homed every one, I've included a photo of my mom and me outside the van from late 1955 Bob
 

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Hi bob
Yes i recall the vans and the PDSA i used to .along on the Lichfield road aston
And just around the corner my younger brother lived above the butcher shop
Just around the corner from there on lichfield Road
Around that time i was working At J,V, Murcotts at the other end of Grovenor road
As a alumiium die castor, when some demolishing of the road took place
They set up in worcestershirejust lut side of the city even bigger building now
Best wishes Astonian,,,,
 
norton bob said:
Hi Mikejee Eric thanks for the excellent map the site was almost opposite the Grosvener pub where we lived it was council owned and we had to pay 8s 1d a week to the rent man who came every Friday. Other names that my mom can remember from there are Charley ? the gipsy, Nancy Kelly, Roma Hartwell, Marion ?, in all the site was only there for a few years before the council re homed every one, I've included a photo of my mom and me outside the van from late 1955 Bob
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Nice photo Bob. That is definitely a converted bus, most likely from the 1920's going by the styling.

Simon
 
img052edit.jpg img050.jpg thanks Astonian I've asked me mom about Murcotts but she can't remember it but in the same conversation she told me that the bus was definitely midland red as it was written down the side and in the cab where I used to pretend to drive it, oh and they hand painted it blue because it looked nicer. I've put two other pics in this was different to ours my mom holding me and my cousin Madge and my dad doing the same this was outside next door of my uncle Bill auntie Val's bus. The buses were bought off Gipsies late in 1954 for £28 each, in august 1957 the site was cleared and people housed, the gypsies bought the buses back off my dad and uncle Bill on the cheap as they had to go, what they didn't know was dad & Bill had been underneath and took off all the brass an expensive parts and sold them on to the tatters up the road this caused an uproar when they found out the whole site was up in arms baying for blood but dad and Bill not long out of the army and fit as a butchers dog stood back to back but the gipsies backed down in the end and we were allowed to leave.
 
what delightful photos of bonny babies bob... were you a twin??....love the one showing the pram showing the canopy with tassels on..our mom always had one on the prams she used....brings back happy memories...

thanks for sharing with us

lyn
 
Hi bob
Nice to hear from you again Murcotts was further down the otner end more less
Queens road end Aston hall end yes i recall the midfi red and because when i first seen the vans
To be quite honest i could not beleive my eyes seeing the vans parked up
I thought cor blimey what next still never mind i was young in those days
And there was a young lady working at the PDSA whom until recentently was my next door neibour
Out here in worcestershire she was a walsh girl blonde hair whom moved to Aston around that time
Her name was Jackie, and worked at the PDSA, when it was around across on the other side of the lichfield road
And she was there with the vans on site at the time
Unfortuneately i never knew jackie when she was in aston but we often spoke about Aston
Once she got to know i was an Aston Lad ,we came good friends and neibours
But sadly jackie lost her husband ,he died a couple of years back whom i already knew him from old days
He used to run pubs like myself he used to run the weoly castle pub and the caleidoinian
He died suddenly jacki as moved out to live in sutton now
May be your mom might have met her she was quite popular ladyor should i say she was young like your mother
Was, i have to agree with other members whom spoke about you as the baby in arm,s
You was born a pretty young baby to a pretty young lady
She certainly was a good looker
Best wishes Alan,,,Astonian,,,,,
 
hi Alan, Lyn, thanks for the feedback the pictures are from 1955 and me mom will be celebrating her 83 birthday next week she's enjoying this forum as much as I am as it's bringing back so many happy memories for her, the first picture I posted was me and mom outside our van the next two pictures are outside my uncle Bill and aunty Val's van next door so that's me and my cousin Madge in my mom and dads arms, Madge is two weeks younger than me. I have some memories of Grosvener road mainly the wood burner that kept us warm and me wind up gramophone, only had half a dozen 78 records so I used to drive me mom and dad mad playing "the yellow rose of texas" all the time. My dad and uncle Bill used to go to the Grosvener pub quite regularly when we lived there and it's fun finding out all that was around me at that time like shops and people etc all in Grosvener road, Bob.
 
Bob, I was a regular visitor to the Grosvener with my Dad and sometimes my Wife when I left the RAF in '56, so may have met your Dad. The pub was run by Jimmy Leach, an ex-Villa player, buy him a drink and he would show you his FA Cup medal circa 1920's. I also remember Murcott's towards the Aston Hall road end. Eric
 
Hi bob and eric
There used to be quite afew characters knocking around that area in and out of the bee hive pub And
The bee hive cafe in those days also the last chance cafe
Bob there used to be alot of guys from off the Gaff,,when they came to the serpentine grounds
Meaning the lads off the fair there was one lad called cowboy he was very popular
With the girls i beleve his name was ron always had the cowbly neck toy
I brought him to our house for one night blimey he came every night
He was trying to chat up my mother ,really mom liked him he made her smile and cheered her up
Our dad had died long before he ever came around i would imagine hepased away now
The bee hive oub with its tatters and chatactors plus a couple of the old summer lane
Gangsters of yester years the thursdays cortina,s gang robbers
You could bought any think in there around those early years
I think we do not have any old characters today like we had years ago
If you went down the market you would get a guy with two lengh of there arms full with wrist watches
Best wishes ,to you both Alan,,,,Astonian,,,,,
 
Hi Eric I bet you must have bumped into me dad and uncle Bill if you were around at that time both big drinkers back then and me mom had me to look after and Alan if you are looking for characters my uncle Bill (Shorter) was into anything and every thing I think he'd sell his granny for tuppence he knew some right dodgy characters.
 
Hi bob
Nice to hear from you again do you or any other member of the forum ever used or recall the pub up the other way or if you like up the other end nicked named the rat pan
In later years it got used by the Irish gangers road workers where they got dropped off
And spend there 25 Quid a day allowence they could sub from there wages
Best wishes Astonian,,,,
 
Can't place the 'ratpan', unless it was that dubious haunt c/o Grosvener Rd/Aston Hall Rd by the railway bridge. M y Dad had 4 regular haunts, Aston Tavern, the Avenue (top of Queens Rd), the Queens (c/o Queens Rd/Church La) and the Grosvener, his favourite. The only remaining pub is the Aston Tavern, recently restored. In those days there seemed to be a pub on every corner. Eric
 
cookie273uk said:
Can't place the 'ratpan', unless it was that dubious haunt c/o Grosvener Rd/Aston Hall Rd by the railway bridge. M y Dad had 4 regular haunts, Aston Tavern, the Avenue (top of Queens Rd), the Queens (c/o Queens Rd/Church La) and the Grosvener, his favourite. The only remaining pub is the Aston Tavern, recently restored. In those days there seemed to be a pub on every corner. Eric
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Hi Cookie,
I cannot recall the proper name but the pub nicknamed "The Ratpan" was at Salford Bridge at the junction of Slade Road and Gravelley Hill. I cannot really be sure but I think it survived the construction of Spaghetti Junction and may even still be there. I do not know why it was called The Ratpan.
Chris Beresford (Old Boy)
 
Hi cookie
Sorry its not directly along from Grovenor road
But when you come on to aston hall road and head towards aston parish church
And turn right you would be facing the bottom end of queens road and coming out of church lane
Head towards the Holte end keep Left pasing the villa and the rear end of the park
I think its the bottom end of Bevington road aston is the corner and there was a little shop oppersite
The gangers was from murphy yrd at factory road and they all but moxt of them lived in room lodging
Of the surrounding road and albert road and the other roads
Best wishes Astonian,,,
 
Oldboy, aren't you getting mixed up with the 'Muckman' (which I think is still there), I lived in Hillside Rd off the Slade Rd from 1962 till 1987 and used that pub regularly, I think its real name is/was Erdington Arms, could be wrong (Frothy would know). It was called the Muckman because many year ago the so-called 'night soil' collectors frequented it. Eric
 
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cookie273uk said:
Oldboy, aren't you getting mixed up with the 'Muckman' (which I think is still there), I lived in Hillside Rd off the Slade Rd from 1962 till 1987 and used that pub regularly, I think its real name is/was Erdington Arms, could be wrong (Frothy would know). It was called the Muckman because many year ago the so-called 'night soil' collectors frequented it. Eric
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cookie273uk said:
Oldboy, aren't you getting mixed up with the 'Muckman' (which I think is still there), I lived in Hillside Rd off the Slade Rd from 1962 till 1987 and used that pub regularly, I think its real name is/was Erdington Arms, could be wrong (Frothy would know). It was called the Muckman because many year ago the so-called 'night soil' collectors frequented it. Eric
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Hi Cookie,
I cannot argue with a pub regular. You are most probably right. I am 89 years of age and seem to have a memory to go with it. Thank you for putting me right.
Chris Beresford (Old Boy)
 
Hi cookie
I have just came across a black and white picture of an house in Grovenor street
Dated 1890.
And it states undeneath , Alice Cooper was discovered Dying from starvation in her
Home at Grovenor , it shows just how bad conditions was in those periods
And crimes was rife yet you hear the generation they say those was good time ,
I would not tnink for a minute they was not best wishes Astonian,,,
 
Astonian, I spent 3 periods in Aston 1930-35, 1943-48 and 1956-62 in Queens Rd and Vicarage Rd and can't remember much in the way of crime, certainly not the gun and knife crime we seem to get now, perhaps I lived in a more law abiding area. Eric
 
Hi Eric just spoke to my mom and she asked me to see if you remembered the woodyard it was run by Sergeant Homer her granddad and his two sons Laurence and Dennis also does any one on here have any photos of the Grosvener road area thanks. one other thing if I were to put the picture of our bus on the transport side do you think any one would be able to recognise what bus it actually was so I can get a picture of one thanks a lot. Bob
 
I was refereing to the 1800s in a book called the sinister side of birmingham
Written by steve jones and veryfied photograph of the crim by spark hill museum
And co suporting pictures of the slums of brum and the court yard conditions they had to enjure
Which resulted them to petty crimes and the flogging of the boys, and being shipped
Out off to Astralia and i never mentionioned guns
Crimes of theft and prostutions and murders by husbands and wifes
The fashion was death by drowning in the cannal,s was a popular way of disposeing
Of there wives our Dave whom was the cazre taker of the museum as furbished alot of stories and photographs
Of all the courts and mug shots of every indivisional
I suggest you get yourself a copy a very good read and a very good chiller to read
Best wishes Astonian,,,
 
Agree Astonian, life must have been grim in the Victorian era, disease, poverty crime all very common but by the time I was born (1930) life had improved considerably and I have nothing but pleasant memories of my young days, apart from world war 11. Eric
 
norton bob said:
Hi Eric just spoke to my mom and she asked me to see if you remembered the woodyard it was run by Sergeant Homer her granddad and his two sons Laurence and Dennis also does any one on here have any photos of the Grosvener road area thanks. one other thing if I were to put the picture of our bus on the transport side do you think any one would be able to recognise what bus it actually was so I can get a picture of one thanks a lot. Bob
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hi bob i am sure if you posted a photo of your bus on the transport section someone on the forum would be able to identify it...

lyn
 
thanks Lyn I will give that a go. I have just had a call from my sister to tell me Sergeant Homer my great granddad my moms granddad lived at 54 village road from 1918 to 1950 and was a firewood dealer in lovers walk he must have gone up and down Grosvener road thousands of times before I was even born and I'm only just finding this out, very exciting.
 
Norton bob, yes I do remember the wood yard, about 5o yards down from where I was born. Our house was owned by Atkinson's brewery who were a little way up in the other direction. Eric
 
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