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DavidGrain
master brummie
Agree with Carolina, the pub is The Plough
Yes, my old-man grew up on Grays rd and told us of being sent round to The Plough with a jug for supply of ale at dinner-times..nice.(pre-war,mind.)
It used to have a large beer garden at the rear when I supped there. ( erstwhile bowling green ?)
The Vine used to be a well-run quiet pub in my day - at least it has survived.
It used to have a large beer garden at the rear when I supped there. ( erstwhile bowling green ?)
The Vine used to be a well-run quiet pub in my day - at least it has survived.
Bob Davis
Bob Davis
Spent Friday and Saturday in the old homestead, stayed at the Holiday Inn Express at Castle Bromwich, but went looking for relatives in the grounds of St Barnabas in Erdington and finally St Peters in Harborne. Went to the Plough for lunch on Friday and was amused to see that the old side door (it used to be the entrance to the outdoor) was still there. Very nice, good food, friendly staff. On Saturday back to St Peters and looking at the gravestones, could not find what I wanted, so had lunch at the Bell. That was very nice, what a good idea a church with a pub attached - lucky Harbonites. But was amazed how countrified/villagey the whole thing felt and also so far from the High Street. I was trying to remember where George Davis had his greengrocers shop and also where did I used to take the accumulator to get it charged, that was up the High Street and I am sure near to Uncle George's shop. I was just reading a book in which there was mention of George's pigeons bringing the news back from Bala of the opening of the dam. They were probably faster than my broadband!!! I did a few circuits around the roads where we used to walk and take the dog out, horrified as to how narrow Grays Road felt, now a lot brighter than when the Grandparents lived there.
Hurricaneplanes
knowlegable brummie
I used to take my fathers radio accumulator to Dingleys the cycle shop for recgarging until Durrants the radio shop provided the same service. There was a cycle shop adjacent on the right of the Vine pub. Clearly seen in the Vine photo.
Bob Davis
Bob Davis
many thanks, this would be about 1944/45, but I have a feeling it must have been the radio shop. Can you put a date on their existence?do not remember the pub, but on Saturday, all of sudden I was passing a name I had not heard of or seen for decades- The Old House St Home'. I remember my Dad and Uncle would take the dog out for a long walk and be home late for Sunday lunch
paul stacey
master brummie
poor old Harborne, I don't go back any more, so sad to see all the old places demolished and shiny new ones in their place. Paul
DavidGrain
master brummie
Don't worry Paul, Harborne is actually pretty well intact. OK some buildings have gone but basically the town is still recognisable with many of the landmarks still there
Having looked on Google, it seems the top end of he village has changed considerably more than the bottom end. Having said that, there seems to be far fewer old style shops and more of the Estate Agents, Bookies, Charity shops type of thing. No Co-op, no meat shops not over much to interest the regular shopper. How things have changed. Are there any shops still trading that were open in the early 60's? (David Groves)
Hurricaneplanes
knowlegable brummie
The Old House at Home was of course on Lordswood Rd half way to Bearwood..There were all ways less shops at the top end of the High St. above the Royalty Cinema (Which is still there) than at the lower end of the High St. below the Old Police Station. The top end of the village has seen more of a change in buildings that the lower end. I remember Durrants Electrical, Murrays Fish and Chip Shop, Murrays Green Grocery, Tennant Sweet and Cigarette Shop and the Outdoor by the Bundy Clock. A little lower was a petrol station alongside another newsagents and of course the original Harborne Police Station.The Bus Garage and Old Harborne Cinema as well as Wimbushes Bread and Cake Shop. Opposite was a Chemist, Gas Show Rooms, a butchers, Post Office and the Newspaper Shop run by Mary Faulkner. How many remember the shops in the Mews, among which was an electrical shop, gents hairdresser and a Pet Food Shop. Happy days.
You obviously remember much of what I do as I was born in 1939 and left Harborne in 1961. Hadleys had an electrical shop bordering on the Mews and I watched my first b/w t.v. in the lid of a sort of radiogram in the window. Next door, a British restaurant operated for a time (remember them?)
DavidGrain
master brummie
Several of the pubs are still there although they may have changed name. I think Murrays Fish & Chip shop is now Sara's Kebab House so still in the take away food business. Otherwise I think the oldest shops still trading are those in the 1960s development each side of the St John's Road junction like Boots, WH Smith.
Hurricaneplanes
knowlegable brummie
Sara's Kebab House is very close by the Vine Inn. Murrays Fish and Chip Shop and also the Grocers was adjacent to Serpentine Rd and opposite the burnt out Kings Arms Pub.
Hurricaneplanes
knowlegable brummie
Sorry but the correct name for The Mews is The Stumps on account of stumps in the ground stopping traffic . A memory lapse.
Sorry to be picky David, but Harborne was always referred to as 'the village' not town. Town was the city centre.
I always knew what you call the Mews as Albert Walk. I was told that the bollards at each end were actually cannon from the Crimean War. I remember the pet shop very well. There was a large blue Macaw that used to sit above the doorway and try to peck you as you went in and out.
DavidGrain
master brummie
Sorry BrumBum but my turn to be picky. However I agree that the the Stumps or Mews is correctly Albert Walk. It is because I could not remember the correct name that I have not commented on it before. But what is now the High Street used to be called Heath Lane as it ran across Harborne Heath. The west end was known as Town End and the far end by the Green Man was the Heath End.
Carolina, just picked up your photo of the top end of the high Street. It's exactly as I remember it having left the village in 1961. The Mews Garage sign is fixed to the wall of O'connors paper shop. I used to deliver papers for them round Serpentine Road. If Elizabeth Redmond is reading this I'm wondering if she lived in the houses next to Furbers and would remember the Reeves family (Tony and Noel and Dianne). We lived on the corner, at 275 and had a pair of shears over the top of the front door as my Grandfather (Joe Bellingham) and my dad ground lawnmowers and shears in a shed at the back. Out of interest, does anyone have, or know where I can get a photo of the inside of The Picture House (Old Harborne) in Serpentine road. I spent half my childhood in there and have fond memories of it
David, thanks for the added knowledge. I was unaware of the Harborne Heath link, but it makes sense. This forum is great. We know what we know, but often, others know more. In my family (I was born in Milford Road), Harborne was always referred to affectionately as 'the village', and even though it had already been sucked into the wider Brum conurbation, it still had a distinct identity.
Handlebar, that pair of shears over the front door was always a real focus when I was growing up. I remember them so clearly, opposite the old Royalty and police station. I also frequented The Picture House and recall watching Blues (lose I think) in the FA Cup Final. I used to love peering in the window of the old Dower Chest as a child. A lot of the stuff was tat, but it was nostalgic tat!
DavidGrain
master brummie
Harborne is a little confusing geographically. For example when I have lead walks around Harborne, I have asked people to meet in the car park in St John's Road and they have been confused when they have passed St John's church sometime before they reach St Johns Road. I explain to them that St John's church used to be in St Johns Road but was bombed during the war and the new church built elsewhere.. St John's church on the High Street is not Harborne Parish Church because that is St Peter's some distance off the the High Street.
I organised a walk last year along the former Harborne Railway and again asked people to meet in St Johns Road so they were confused when they passed Station Road and their SatNav took them on further along the High Street. I explained that Station Road made two junctions with the High Street.
I organised a walk last year along the former Harborne Railway and again asked people to meet in St Johns Road so they were confused when they passed Station Road and their SatNav took them on further along the High Street. I explained that Station Road made two junctions with the High Street.
Brum Brum, did you ever look in old Mr. Manton's shop window? As much dirt and dust as actual itms for sale!! And he was a strange character. I always thought him a bit spooky. David, interested to read that you led walks. Can you actually gain access to the old line from Station Road or does it start from further down? Did you do notes on the walks? It would be interesting to read them.
DavidGrain
master brummie
Hi Handlebar, You can get onto the old Station site from Station Road (look for Frencham Way, blocks of flats on the site of the station and Chad Valley works) but you have to come back out again by the side of Rose Road Police Station. Walk down Rose Road and turn left into Park Hill Road. You will see an access point on the other side of the road by the railway bridge which has survived all these years. However I walk on under the bridge. Park Hill Road then has a left turn in it. Follow this round and you will find some new houses in Forest Drive. In Forest Drive you will find a pathway which will take you up onto the bridge.
Another way onto the station site is from a pathway off Park Hill Road near the top of the road but I have to say that I have not checked this out for a number of years.
Sorry I don't issue notes but I do sometimes give out copies of old maps eg from the Godfrey old OS maps series.
Another way onto the station site is from a pathway off Park Hill Road near the top of the road but I have to say that I have not checked this out for a number of years.
Sorry I don't issue notes but I do sometimes give out copies of old maps eg from the Godfrey old OS maps series.
Sad that such a valuable building as the Royalty has been left in such a state and for so long. I've read that it might be converted into a three screen Cinema. I wondered if it would be better to convert it into a music and show venue able also to present films. There isn't too much competition in the area is there? It could be a tremendous asset with a bit of vision. Thanks David for the info. Perhaps at some time in the future I'll do the walk and find out where it concludes.
paul stacey
master brummie
Is Elizabeth Redmond, still a member of the forum, she was extremly helpful to me when I joined in 2009. I would like to say hello. Paul
paul stacey
master brummie
Hello!!!, anyone know what happened to Elizabeth??Paul Stacey