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Growing Up In Brum - Roy Blakey Inspired.

norfolk brummie said:
Roy,

There were two singers that our mothers 'swooned' over. Quite right, Donald Peers was one, with his own programme, and the other was Steve Conway, who died when still quite young. Anne Shelton was also very popular around that time.

My mother loved them all.

Eddie
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Plus Mario Lanza, David Whitfield, & don`t forget the one & only Max Bygraves with his pink toothbrush & gilly gilly ossenfeffer catsenellen bogen by the sea! Probably spelled that one wrong.
 
One of my Mum's and Nan's favourite songs of around 1950 was Ivor Novello's composition "We'll gather lilacs in the Spring again" Looking at the lyrics I can see why.

We'll gather lilacs in the Spring again,
And we'll walk together down an English lane,
Until our hearts have learned to sing again,
When you come home once more.

And in the evening by the firelight's glow,
You'll hold me close and never let me go,
Your eyes will tell me all I long to know,
When you come home once more.


I believe it was normally sung as a duet. Dave
 
farmerdave said:
One of my Mum's and Nan's favourite songs of around 1950 was Ivor Novello's "We'll gather lilacs in the Spring again" Looking at the lyrics I can see why.

Farmerdave, that song for me, conjures up the way England used to be, but sadly i fear those days are gone forever. Luckily i live in a village with country lanes & if it wasn`t for the traffic it could almost be the 1950`s.
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I remember "We'll Gather Lilacs In The Spring Again", being sung on Workers Playtime, by Ted & Barbara Andrews, the parents of Julie. A great song that reminds us older codgers of times gone by.

We also live in rural Norfolk, so we too are lucky, but sadly today, as Smudger says, the country lanes can be lethal, with much traffic. Also the "firelights glow", has been taken over by central heating!

Eddie
 
This thread brings back old memories and I remember when I was growing up in Brum I met 'foreigners' for the first time. They came from a United States Army base about a mile from where I lived and were quite a novelty for young Brummie kids. I hadn't got a camera back then and my Dad did not photograph them so here is a link to a nice photo taken (somewhere in Britain) at that time. She looks pretty in the pic !
https://www.americanairmuseum.com/media/2614
 
I remember riding my bike down by Meriden on the Cov Rd then turning left down a lane and there was a US Army base. Use to say to the Yanks "Got any gum chum?" always got some Wrigleys gum, also collected the old knives and forks and badges left around. Very friendy chaps always laughing and joking around. NOW I am married for 52 years to a Yank living, possibly where some of those soldiers came from. Who would have even thought that would happen then? How the path you take in life can change. FATE? John Crump Parker, Colorado USA
 
When I was growing up in Brum a pic was taken outside our house early in WW2. The day was sunny but during the dark nights we spent time in air raid shelters during the bombing. I'm not sure how the photo got into such poor condition although we did have an incendiary bomb come through our roof and set fire to a wardrobe.

I'm a bit short of patience these days but had a go at 'improving' it using a 'freebie' program. In my early days of computing I put names on the pic but I've now noticed my sister was in the pic sitting on a tricycle, we are the ones with dark hair. The pic on the left is the 'improvement' and the original on the right !
 

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Was there a duet of Ann Ziegler and Webster Booth (sp) during the War time years? I seem to remember my mother singing while washing up etc. "We are in love with you my heart and I"
 
As well as Ann Ziegler and Webster Booth, I have early memories of Tommy Handley, ("Can I do you now Sir ?).

I hated the Victor Silvester music that seemed to be on constantly. When I hear it now it allways takes me back to winter days in our damp kitchen, full of wet washing as my mother tried to get her laundry dry by the fire.

"Worker's Playtime" has been mentioned before but I also remember "Down Your Way". Was it Wilfred Pickles that compered it ?
 
anvil man, it appears that Ann Ziegler and Webster Booth were husband and wife, they did sing as a duet as well as performing individually. They ( as a duet ) were known as " The Sweethearts of Song " 1940,s.
There is a considerable collection of their recordings to be found on ' You Tube ' should you be interested.
 
Ann Zeigler & Webster Booth were very fine singers, and broadcast a lot during the 1940's.

Tommy Handley (Its That Man Again), was a huge war time comedy programme, with 'Colonel Chinstap' (Jack Train), 'Mrs Mop', and many other regular characters.


There have already been a few postings on this website about 'Down Your Way'. However, this was not a wartime programme, and commenced after the war, in the later 1940/50's.


Victor Sylvester and his Orchestra was heavily featured by the BBC in its music programmes, including Music While You Work. As an ex. World Champion ballroom dancer, Victor Sylvester and his music was strict tempo dance rhythms, much loved by the dancing fraternity. As a professional musician, I, like other musicians, hated the music. Very rigid stuff.


Eddie
 
#518, I remember my own dear mother singing this exact song, it would have been in the early mid 50's, and I never knew its name, singer, or title, but the words "we are in love with you, my heart and I", thanks for posting and bringing back those memories. Paul
 
Paul, that song was written by Richard Tauber around about 1929 for himself. It was one of my mother's favourites, and we only discovered who sang it when my husband and I had a chat about songs at school, about a month ago. One I learned at the age of ten was 'You are my heart's delight' which to this day makes me tingle. That song was written for Richard Tauber again in 1929. I have to say that the words to 'My heart and I' are quite lovely, and very pure which all songs were in those days.
 
Thanks Shortie, you are quite right mate, songs were pure in those days, Mom, " bless her" had very little to be happy about in the fifty's times were very, very, hard for a poor family, even though my dear dad, bless him , worked very hard , as I am sure a lot of followers of this forum will know, so the few times she was so happy she could sing were quite precious to me. Paul
 
Had to laff a few months ago. A friend of Marcia my wife, sent and Email to us that she was going to watch that English show on TV. DOWNTOWN ABBEY (This is a bloody yank for you). But it at once brought back to my mind the Petula Clark song DOWNTOWN! What ever happened to her? John Crump DOWNTOWN Parker, Colorado USA
 
Yes Paul, I understand that fully. The nice thing is that although those songs are not regularly on the radio, you will still hear them from time to time and evoke those memories. Also, there is You Tube, so you can hear them when you want! Pure songs that will never die.
 
Petula Clarke is still going strong, John.

She is our age.

In the 1950's, her then partner, Joe (Piano) Henderson, ran a music publishing company, and he would often take 'Pet' with him on his visits to music stores when he was checking on sheet music sales.


They both came into Kay Westworths a couple of times. Nice couple.


Eddie
 
Anne Zeigler and Webster Booth singing "We'll Gather Lilacs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvC8gz-cq88 My Mother loved this song and played it on her piano all the time when I was growing up. Richard Tauber was also a favourite of hers. So many familiar tunes from that era can be heard on Youtube.com. Mom also liked Lisabeth Webb singing "This is my Lovely Day" from the show "Bless the Bride" which Mom took me to see at the Theatre Royal, New Street in the early 1950's. Wonderful music and written by Vivian Ellis.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58e1rxKAUzI
 
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jennyann.. Thanks for youtube ref to "We'll Gather Lilacs". I've played it and I still have tears in my eyes.
 
Thanks Jennyann. The recording of "We'll gather lilacs" brings back lots of memories of my Mum and Nan. Dave.
 
Here in Norfolk it is a beautiful spring like morning. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the crocus are out, the daffodils are about to burst into flower. I feel good, and walked into the room singing "We'll Gather Lilacs In The Spring Again".

My wife thought I had gone mad, and asked me what had brought that on. I did not have the heart to tell her....too complicated.

Eddie
 
" TOM BOYS ". ( Usually strong characters and all rounders and in most cases a treat to know ).
These young girls, rightly or wrongly labelled as ' Tom Boys ', joined in with the boys on activities, adventures and games.
They were accepted by the boys because very often they could match or better some of the lads with their skills in things like Roller Skating, Tig and Tag, Swimming and even Tree Climbing.
They appealed to the boys also because, in general, they proved to be ' Non Gigglers ' and ' Non Screamers '. The boys liked that. They could also take a bit of teasing in their stride and could take a knock or two without a tear and could usually ' give as good as they got ', another thing that the boys respected.
They were in the main very competitive in games and sport and they very often put more effort in than some of the boys.
They also had the advantage of being able to mix back in with the girl groups at any time without any fuss.
I don't think that the boys ever referred to them as ' mates ' ( as in part of the gang ) but they definitely were accepted and quietly liked by the boys.
Sketch : " Anything the boys can do " .image.jpg
 
Roy,

I think that it would also be true to say that, in a boyish way, one or two of the lads also had a slight 'crush' on the 'Tom Boy' girls in their crowd/gang. I know I had, with a couple of other lads, a small boys 'crush' on a girl that joined in our boys games, and was considered one of our 'gang'.

We were always ready to defend her if needed, which was not very often.

Eddie
 
image.jpgUshered off our own street patch.( 1940's )
This was at the time of the LDV ( Local Defence Volunteers ), the Home Guard. On occassions companies of these part-time soldiers would appear on the streets of Brum to practise their anti-invasion routines.
A Sunday morning.
We kids were out in the street playing our games and generally having fun. Into our street came a company of these soldiers and began, in the first instance, to clear the street of any civilians ( us included ), We were told by one of the soldiers to get off the street and go and find somewhere else to play. They then began their defence exercises.
Well, we were not going to give up our patch that easy were we. So we hid up one of the ' entries ' for a little while and then we sneaked up behind the front privet hedge and began watching their ' techniques '. They appeared to be doing a bit of take cover and advance and then a bit more take cover and advance as they progressed down the street.
After a while they packed it all in, formed up and marched away.
We discussed the event afterwards.
Nah, We could have beaten them at real hide and seek anytime was our conclusion
They ought to have asked us how to do all that stuff properly, we could have show them easily.
Sketch : Thrown off our own patch.
 
Hi Chris. That story took place around the area of Caversham Road, Carshalton Road and Hurlingham Road, Kingstanding.

Roy.
 
A MOTHERS DAY. ( 1950's ).
Mom's looking really happy this morning, she's kept her rollers in and has got her turban on, she'll get dolled up later though cus Dad's taking her out to-night. It's a grown ups do though, they're meeting up with Mom's sisters and their husbands. I don't know where they're going though cus it's being kept a surprise Dad sez.
It will be a good'un for us kids as well cus we will be able to stay up a bit later to-night, until they get back.
From us kids we've bought Mom a new food mixing bowl for her present ( Dad lent us the money ). We've also made our own beds up to-day and we're going to do the washing up after we've had dinner as well.
Dads bought her a little bottle of scent, she'll like that.
I wonder though if they're ever going to have a ' Kids Day '. Yeah, that would be pretty good.
 
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