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Handsworth

In 1962 the shop on the corner of Nineveh & hollidays road is labelled Mrs G. Folks, shopkeeper
 
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Does anyone remember 'Ernie UNDERWOODs' Gym. in Queens Head Rd......Ernie, and brother Frank lived with their sister, both were bachelors. Ernie had one leg and was often seen riding his 'fixed' wheel bike up and down Soho Rd. The Gym. was located in a tin shed at the bottom of his garden and it also had a snooker table. Started my weight training their in 1953. 9d a session.
 
Sorry Paul, I'd be too young to remember that and I never heard it spoken of. I know the same happened when my Mom was taking me on a bus to see my granddad when I was a baby and a lone plane flew low gunning along Digbeth. My Mom threw herself over me to protect me. I don't know if anyone was injured in that incident either.

Judy
 
I know I've posted this photo of the 1945 V.E. Day Party in Vicarage Road before, but it shows your Mom and Nan in it, and I do remember them very well when I was growing up. We kids used to play in Vicarage Road all the time. Handsworth was so lovely in those days.

I'm the little girl in the front seated row, 4th child from right in the dark coat and band round hair!

Judy
 

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Thanks for that Judy, I have the original you sent me, it is lovely to see everyone alive again and young, did you know "Anthony Grimshaw", ?, also the little blond girl on the older girls lap in the front is my cousin Pam Manton, as she was then, later Holland, known on the forum as "Pamhol". You are right Handsworth was a very special and beautiful place in those days. Sincere Regards. Paul Stacey.
 
I can't recall a Tony Grimshaw, but I do recognise your cousin Pat seated on the girls lap in the middle of the front row. My own sister was just a bit further along that row on the left sitting on the lap of the older girl with a party hat on. My best friend Isabelle Instone is the first little girl on the right hand side of that row. The two adults seated at left front were I think Mr & Mrs Grennan who lived in Soho Avenue, like me, with their two children sitting on the kerb next to them. I remember most of the faces in this photo but can't put a name to them now unfortunately. They were all part of my growing up and were very happy days.

Judy
 
These 6 houses, built in 1907, are a good design and claim to be better than the monotonous designs being built for people of this class. But where are they? I presume somewhere between Handsworth and Aston, but they're not familiar. Be good to hear that they're still standing. Viv.

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Excluding the façade which is a bit different, the layout of the houses in the plans is much the same as 90% of the terrace houses built by speculative builders in that period. Actually quite a cheap house for 1907 at £227, my small 3 bed terrace house on the Selly Park/ Stirchley border was built in 1909 and the original selling price was £265
 
The architect was a Birmingham boy - lived 15 Handsworth Wood Road, went to King Edward VI Birmingham and had offices in Colmore Row. He was born in 1880. The details I found did not list his death. Is the address a clue to where these houses might be?

Janice
 
Not a bad investment for a potential landlord, at those rents the cost of the houses is paid off in nine years, a return on capital employed of over 10% per annum and a residual value of at least the original outlay
 
Does anyone have any recollection or information about "The Handsworth Wood Tennis Club" in the 1930's?

When clearing my father in law's house we came across a silver cup presented to the club by my mother in law's step-father. It is called the Davison Cup and was won by E Swannock & E Snell in 1935, P Millington & D Caswell in 1936 and D Caswell & M Millington in 1938.

I do hope someone can shed some light on this trophy.

Many thanks
Janet
 
I know where the tennis club was, as the house we rented when we were first married overlooked the courts. We lived in Philip Victor Road, and the Tennis Courts were off Church Lane. Between Hinstock Road and Grove Lane, the entrance was between some houses.
 
janetmw said:
Does anyone have any recollection or information about "The Handsworth Wood Tennis Club" in the 1930's?

When clearing my father in law's house we came across a silver cup presented to the club by my mother in law's step-father. It is called the Davison Cup and was won by E Swannock & E Snell in 1935, P Millington & D Caswell in 1936 and D Caswell & M Millington in 1938.

I do hope someone can shed some light on this trophy.

Many thanks
Janet
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Hello Janet,

I know nothing of this club but judging by the last date the cup was awarded (1938) the war intervened and The Davison Cup competition stopped and was never reinstated.

Old Boy
 
This is an interesting little church in Handsworth. There's no address, but it was designed and erected by a London company. Viv.
 

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There are still many of these buildings by John Harrison & co. around. They were usually chapels, known affectionately as "tin tabernacles", or village halls. Usually timber framed with corrugated roof and sides. Many have had a new, less noisy roof I believe. They were a reasonably quick solution where the need was pressing and finances short.
 
Thanks Alan. I remember discussing a tin tabernacle on the Erdington thread. This one looks a bit more ornate than the Erdington one. Didn't know there were companies who supplied these. Had imagined they were built by local people to a local design. Makes sense to have them almost ready-made and erected by the company. Wonder if this is still there in Handsworth. Viv.
 
Thanks Mike. I think it was most probably on Rookery Road. The position of the later Methodist church looks more like the position of the tabernacle. The Victoria Road church doesn't seem to fit the original photo. Viv.
 

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I remember bands marching up Soho Road most Sundays when I was a little girl. We used to run up to road to watch them go by.
 
alanfisher202 said:
The hair dressers where run by the daughters of the builders Mr Johnson in detached house same side and next to the wood yard,there was 2 single terrace's and a double terrace on the right hand side going down Dawson Road.
I will ask my wife if she knows the two lads you mention and the girl called Jenny,my wife lived in Woodstock road so she may well remember her.
If you had a shock when you first saw Handsworth, you should see it now,such a lot of history we should be proud off.
Alan
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hi,. My mom usto go to the hairdressers you mentioned two sisters ran it. We lived in Baker street just round the corner
I also remember the shops on the opposite side of the road. I seem to recall the name David sparrow. I went to Grove lane school untill 1961 so most of my friends lived in this area, very happy times.
 
mikejee said:
In 1962 the shop on the corner of Nineveh & hollidays road is labelled Mrs G. Folks, shopkeeper
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The shop was run by a Gladys Folks, together with her family. I lived across the Road at No 38 Nineveh Rd until 1972 when we moved away. About 10 years ago and now then living in Halesowen, I took my daughter to Infant School and instantly recognised one of the teaching assistants as Jacqueline Folks, one of Gladys' daughters, I asked her if she remembered our family which she did vaguely. Her mother had passed away a few years earlier. I hope this adds to someones memory of the area.
 
Shortie said:
Oh Goodness. I was only there for four years, do you remember the shop on the corner that sold wallpaper, paint, glass paraffin, etc? That was my mother's shop. Thank yo ufor confirming that The Grand was opposite Woolworths - I think the building might have been used by Walpamur - I seem to remember something like that with a large, long window. I might be wrong, it may not have been a Walpamur showroom, but it was not an ordinary 'shop'. There was also just further along, Norman Linton clothes, which seemed to me just for old ladies. Do you remember Steve Eagle, and David Sparrow? I think one lived in Whateley Road. Do you remember the shop, run by a lovely cheeful black lady in Dawson Road? I think her name was Mrs Ankle. I was always fascinated by her sweet potatoes, but at that time always called yams. Never dreamt that one day I would eat them - they looked disgusting to me at the time. Oh to be young again!
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Oh so many memories, I lived in baker street untill 1965. Usto play around all the streets you mention I seem to know the name David sparrow. Keep reminicsing.
 
alanfisher202 said:
Pamhol I used to attend Union Row Church as a lad, lovely old church, what amazed me after the fire when they built a new mosque the grave yard was made into a car park with graves still there,just covered in Tarmac,perhaps I am being too sensative.
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Hi, I attended union row church and belonged to the girls life brigade in the 1950s/1960s.
 
fountain said:
Shortie, I think you are right about Douro Wine.
Going down the Mainy towards Woolies I think the shops were Playfair, a greengrocers - I remember they sold huge, juicy peaches in summer - Wimbush, Wilkinsons, the shop with the pig, British Relay (my mum worked there) ,a couple I can't remember offhand and then Barretts the butchers. The Pump Tavern came next and then Nelson House with, I think, the chemist you mentioned next door to it.
I can't recall what the rest of the shops in that row were just now but maybe it will come - except I am fairly sure the shoe shop was Timpsons. Mom used to take us there for our "proper" school shoes.

The other side of Linwood were Shoe Fayre on the corner, the 'fancy goods' shop, the greengrocers (was that Tibbetts?) Bakers the butchers, the leather bag shop, Patti French the ladies clothing and lingerie shop - and something else.


Does anyone remember the milk machine (Handsworth Dairies possibly) on the pavement in front of the butchers ? You put your threepence in and a carton of milk dropped down into a drawer below. You pulled open the drawer and took out your milk - and straw. Mostly it was just ordinary milk but sometimes you could get strawberry flavour. I think it may have held cartons of orange juice too.


Oh and on Saturdays in the summer there was always a Verricchia (spelling??) ice cream van on one corner of Linwood Road ... and a rival on the other.
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Hi the ice cream van verrachias were garaged ihn baker street, up the road from were I lived.
 
Shortie said:
Hi Judy - I can't find the post where I mention The Grand - it's not a place I remember to be honest. I wqas only there from 1960-64. Opposite woolworths was the MEB abd the Post Office, both set back, then there was the Market and Hawkins (not sure if in that order). One of the shops along that stretch may have been a cinema at one time, but my memory of the buildings on that side is a little vague - however the Walpamur shop was quite large and may have been the Grand at one time. I shall have to find my map and see if that is any help. Shortie
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Hi, I seem to recall my brother going to the billiard room near Hawkins and the post office just below handsworth market
 
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