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Harborne

  • Thread starter Thread starter mike-g
  • Start date Start date
BrumBum said:
I remember cycling at speed along Vivian Road heading for High Street and with my mind not on the traffic (very much lighter then). I think I was probably about twelve. I went straight across the junction without stopping and remain eternally grateful to the alert car driver coming from the direction of the Royalty who saw me before I saw him and braked to a halt.
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hello lucky BrumBum, a child making the same mistake today would almost certainly be injured or worse. When my wife and I go into Harborne for a bit of shopping (twice a week) we use Vivian Road. I also had the TOA radio system installed in my taxi in the latter part of the 70s and through the eighties.
 
Vivienne, the picture you have in post #5 is Serpentine Road in Harborne not Selly Oak. Edit. Moved this post to this thread.
 
The photo of Morgans shop above (later Tennants) brought back so many memories. They sold a tremendous variety of foreign sweets like Turkish Delight in a funny looking box and perfumed cashews. I loved Keilers Fruit creams and bought them whenever I could afford them. Does anyone remember Lin-go-fizz? Pink (kayli) powder that fizzed in your mouth. Wonderful stuff. A little old couple had a shop in Greenfield road, opp the New Inn and they'd sell you 2oz. The man had a humpty back and his wife was quite small.
 
BrumBum said:
This takes me back. especially those cars. I see a Daimler (p0ssibly a Majestic), Morris Minor Traveller, Riley and (I think) Standard Vanguard. The last time I visited Rose Road you would have been pushed to find a parking space. Chad Valley toys were great and the fire station in Rose Road was iconic - just what a fire station should look like.
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Yes Standard Vanguard, but the Mark 2 with the rear wheel covered introduced 1949/50. The one that is my avatar was the first model and uncovered back wheel.
 
I don't think that ladies holding hands was unacceptable at any time in the past, it was just questionable for gentlemen. However things do seem to have changed in many respects where all manner of gestures seem permissible today. :eek:
However holding on to each other sometimes had a severe disadvantage. A large store in Newton Abbot (Devon) had escalators. Often two women, arm in arm, would attempt to get onto the moving staircase. As there was insufficient room for both one would be in a 'moving upwards ' position, the other still stationary! The result would be that both would fall down due to the stationary lady dragging the other backwards. Staff would always be alert to this possibility and quickly hit the STOP button. An ambulance was then summoned. This happened most weeks!! :oops:
 
harborne stn 1934.jpg

harborne stn.jpg
The first pic is Harborne Stn. in 1934. I do not have a date for the second pic.
 
The line closed to regular passenger service in 1934. The second pic must be 1934 at the latest. Chad Valley Toys apparently used the station and platform for storage but the line itself continued with coal and sand until finally closing in 1963.
 
Radiorails said:
The line closed to regular passenger service in 1934. The second pic must be 1934 at the latest. Chad Valley Toys apparently used the station and platform for storage but the line itself continued with coal and sand until finally closing in 1963.
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The second picture showing the station building survived until closure. I remember in the late 1950s exploring the line and the station was still intact and with modern advertising posters. I see one of the poster boards is headed LMS but I remember at lease one which said LNWR who worked the line before 1923
 
When Harborne Baths were due to be rebuilt, I asked for the entrance, particularly the pre-1974 Birmingham coat of arms to be preserved. In the end they were not able to preserve it but have made a replica which is on the wall inside the entrance
 
#527 looks about 1950s (?). Was this photo before or after #522 ? Did England Shoe Shops precede K Shoes ? Viv.
 
Princes Corner long ago unfortunately no date for the pic. A little meeting on the left pavement, a shop inspection on the right.
PrincesCorner.jpg
Today ... lots of street furniture on the right.
PrincesCornerNow.jpg
 
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What fantastic pictures. How the memories flood back. The ladies were probably looking in Miss Butlers shop. It was all haberdashery and Miss Butler attended St. John's Church. The colour picture seems to show how uninteresting it is now but that seems to be the way of things, or is it that black and white lends enchantment to the view?
 
For a start there were more people in the black and white photo which adds interest plus there were other noticeable items of interest such as the clock and shop windows with merchandise in them, attracting passer by attention rather than an empty or office appearance. The colour photo is clinical.
 
I like the group of young boys having a natter .As its a quarter to 2 I guess its school hols, or Sat or Sunday. The clocks usually worked in those days. I note the one has a tie on looking very smart probably like his dad. They used to then even when in off time. Did I?, I cant remember. All got short trousers, and where's Mum And Dad? Didn't need to be chaperoned then , innocent days. Oh what happened.
Yes I agree handlebar and Radiorails now uninteresting and clinical like most areas now.
 
An even earlier view of Princes Corner. The bus, a German Dourkopp, is one of several types tried unsuccessfully between 1904 and 1907 by the company forerunner of the Midland Red. The emblem on the side panel is the 'Wheel & magnet' of the BET (British Electric Traction) group.Dourkopp at Princes Corner.jpg
 
Lloyd, what a great picture. The above shops dwellings had little altered by the (I guess) middle fifties, and are still recognisable now. My Grandmother used to tell me how, when horsebuses were running, they'd have to get off the upper deck and (in winter) help push the bus up the hill by the Bluecoat school.
 
Great pictures of Princes Corner that I used to pass on my way to Station Road Secondary Modern School many years ago. Thanks for posting and bringing back memories. Anthea.
 
Very interested in photographs of Harborne Railway. Harborne library has a wonderful collection of photographs & other material on the railway. Some on display in the library entrance hall, along with the signal box nameplate. Well worth a visit. Incidentally they have a much better collection of Harborne photographs than the Library of Birmingham.
 
handlebar said:
What fantastic pictures. How the memories flood back. The ladies were probably looking in Miss Butlers shop. It was all haberdashery and Miss Butler attended St. John's Church. The colour picture seems to show how uninteresting it is now but that seems to be the way of things, or is it that black and white lends enchantment to the view?
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I tried some colour on the old postcard pic but it was a cloudy day so colours are subdued .... and probably not the colours Miss Butler would have seen when she looked out of her shop window ...:)
CPrincesCorner.jpg
 
handlebar said:
The photo of Morgans shop above (later Tennants) brought back so many memories. They sold a tremendous variety of foreign sweets like Turkish Delight in a funny looking box and perfumed cashews. I loved Keilers Fruit creams and bought them whenever I could afford them. Does anyone remember Lin-go-fizz? Pink (kayli) powder that fizzed in your mouth. Wonderful stuff. A little old couple had a shop in Greenfield road, opp the New Inn and they'd sell you 2oz. The man had a humpty back and his wife was quite small.
Click to expand...
 
handlebar said:
The photo of Morgans shop above (later Tennants) brought back so many memories. They sold a tremendous variety of foreign sweets like Turkish Delight in a funny looking box and perfumed cashews. I loved Keilers Fruit creams and bought them whenever I could afford them. Does anyone remember Lin-go-fizz? Pink (kayli) powder that fizzed in your mouth. Wonderful stuff. A little old couple had a shop in Greenfield road, opp the New Inn and they'd sell you 2oz. The man had a humpty back and his wife was quite small.
Click to expand...
Remember them well used to go in there.My wife was standing outside the sweet shop on a metal coal grid when it collapsed and she fell into the cellar as a child in the late 1950`s. As a 13 year old I used to work in Wrenson`s on Princes Corner and also Murray`s fish and chip shop. Went to St Johns church opposite ravenhurst road before it was knocked down and used to watch the Saturday materny at the Royalty Between 1958 and 1968 I studied at Station road Junior school and Harborne hill .Many happy days in my youth we spent in. Harborne i still go there most weeks as I live only in Quinton
 
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