• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Harborne

  • Thread starter Thread starter mike-g
  • Start date Start date
BARTLEY GREEN said:
Dr Crombie was our family doctor when I was born back in 1952. There was also Dr Green and an older doctor called Dr Gathergood, if I remember correctly.
From my recollection of those days you just turned up at the doctors if you were ill without making an appointment and and just joined the queue. You didn't have to wait long to be seen. I remember them making the odd house visit when called upon. What happened to those days? Or am I misremembering??
Click to expand...
Not misremembering at all. He was ours, probably from before i was born in 1949. I can remember visiting the house to see the doctor, having travelled from Hagley Road (where we lived) on the Outer Circle bus to the Duke of York, then on return catch it in Harborne Park Road, having got there via Albert Walk. He also made house calls if my father or his sister were ill.
 
pam m said:
Thank you, have you got an earlier map showing houses on Gordon rd please?
Click to expand...

There's one of the same scale about 10 years earlier (1901) but Gordon Road is exactly the same.

There is also one of a less detailed scale from the 1880s but on that there are no houses on Gordon St.
 
Harborne reservoir was originally constructed provide water for the Worcester & Birmingham Canal in around 1806on land purchased from Jervoise Clarke Jerjoise Esq, who "happened " to also own shares in the company. It fell out of use for its original purpose, but was used for fishing, and in 1923 John Phillip Monk , who had been the reservoir keeper, acquired the lease to the reservoir and started a boating and fishing business there with his son. This was until the reservoir was breached in 1957. the map shows it in 1914,, probably a few years before the photo

Harborne Road Reservoir, Selly Oak.jpg

map 1914 Harborne Reservoir.jpg
 
Just looked on google maps to try and see where the reservoir would have been and whats there now. Cant locate it but the canal looks a long way away bearing in mind it was built as a feeder....lol.
 
Am on my mobile so cannot give you a map. But it waS to the west of Harborne lane. Reservoircroad gives an indication. It was close to the old dudley canal that went through te lapall tunnel, which collapsed , thu9s meaning it was abandoned , though is now being partly restored
 
Keith R said:
Just looked on google maps to try and see where the reservoir would have been and whats there now. Cant locate it but the canal looks a long way away bearing in mind it was built as a feeder....lol.
Click to expand...
The reservoir was fed by the Bourn Brook - In the space between Quinton Road on the North and Reservoir Road on the South. Most of it has been kept as a green space. The footpath that runs through it follows the Bourn all the way to the Woodgate Valley Country Park. - On google maps

www.google.co.uk

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
www.google.co.uk www.google.co.uk
 
George Douce, potato salesman at 85 Vivian Road in 1904, though Kelly's describes him as greengrocer. He moved to Vivian Road from 65 Lodge Road, Harborne 1897-1898, and is there till 1912. In 1913 the shop is run by Arthur Douce, who runs it till sometime between 1915 to 1921

Vivian Road Harborne 1904.jpg
 
Last edited:
I believe that's the shop that was either a bike shop or maybe a second-hand shop around 1953/4, from where I had my first two-wheeler (that I was hardly ever off for the next many years!)

It was quite an event, as by then I had outgrown my 3-wheeler Gresham Flyer (with an actual boot on the back that you opened with a handle 'just like Dad's car had') which I still whizzed around on all the same.

I had a friend who lived just round the corner from there in Greenfield Road in one of the houses that were later replaced by the 2-storey row of flats that run the short distance from there to Margaret Road. His mum had been on the lookout for a tricycle for his little brother, and it was arranged that my mum and I would go there one morning and he could have my trike and then we'd go just round the corner to that Vivian Rd. shop 'to see what they might have'

It must all have been set up in advance of course, as I'd otherwise never have let my 3-wheeler out of my hands! I'm still not exactly sure why I agreed, lol, but I was told that there would be a special surprise after. I suspect that Mum must have spotted the bike in that shop on our daily walk to/from school at St Peter's, and popped-in one time to have it put to one side for us to collect. Oh how grand I felt to be a big boy riding a big boy's bike home!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top