-
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
High Street Erdington
- Thread starter gingerjon
- Start date
I think he is near the (new) Robuck, I think the shop was a men's tailors, corner of the precinct. To me it looks like a Sunday in the early 70's. Just looking at the 1,100 and the Hilman Imp?
I think it was late sixty's early seventy's. I worked at the Greyhound in Court Lane in 1972 and am quite sure it had stopped by then
Think there's a female mannequin in the shop window and there's the lower loop of a letter on the shop fascia. Viv.
Frothblower
Lubrication In Moderation
The photo was taken more or less where Walter Smith butcher's shop is now, not far up from Barnabas road. Would not see cars parked that way these days either, being a one way street the other way.
Frothblower
Lubrication In Moderation
I think Foster brothers shop was about there. You can just see The Palace, my old picture house further up.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
The number plate on the Vauxhall fixes the earliest date, the suffix 'A' was used Jan '63 to Dec '63. The shops look closed so it was probably on a Sunday. When did 'Sunday trading' start? A Morris 1100 and possibly an Hillman Imp parked might offer date clues. A man in a smart belted Gaberdine mac holding his daughter's hand ... I think that might have gone out of fashion before the mid '70s. It has a mid to late '60s look to me.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
More traffic in Erdington High Street compared to the pic in post#770 . Parking still looks easy, loads of spaces between cars. F.Foxton & Sons has a blind out so maybe it is a weekday and the shops are open in this pic, in the #770 pic the blind was not out. F.A.Powell closing down may give a date clue.
Frothblower
Lubrication In Moderation
Plenty room for parking in this photo about 1910ish ?
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
The Owen Owen shop in Erdington High Street and a Tandy Electrical shop on the corner of Harrison Road. The shop had presumably replaced older buildings like the ones next to it. It has now been replaced as shown in the modern pic and possibly could not be classed as an improvement.
Then
Now
Then
Now
Last edited:
Spent many hours in Owen Owen in their cafe - upstairs - after school with friends. Tandy, I think, was also a cafe in the 1960s. Think it was called the Griddle Inn. Viv.
Indeed it was the Griddle inn! You must be a frightfully posh girl Viv... they used to cut the rind off the bacon for your sandwich there. It was Des O'Connor who did the official opening of Owen and Owen. My mom got his autograph on the day. Was it called Tays or Taylors before that?
Yes it was Taylor's - must have been taken over by Owen Owen in the late 1960s/early 1970s. Rindless bacon was all I knew Mort. My mum always cut the rind off bacon - to feed to the birds ! Never questioned why though. In fact I still do it today.
Cba - it might have become a Wimpy Bar, but not too sure. Viv.
Cba - it might have become a Wimpy Bar, but not too sure. Viv.
Frothblower
Lubrication In Moderation
It used to be great shopping on the High street. Now it's just Polish and Charity shops 
Gosh that is posh. Bet you had Crumpets and cut your sandwiched diagonally.
I have to admit that I did go into the Griddle Inn with a friend, and he did ask the waitress to leave the rind on the bacon. We were sharing one half of a bacon sandwich. Funny to think that you could buy half a bacon sandwich.
I was so impressed by frothy coffee made with milk.
Lady Penelope
master brummie
Morturn, they were on the opposite side of the road weren't they? Same side as the police station. That Chinese Restaurant was the first one I ever went to. Was it called the China House? I don't remember the chemist or the optician though. I think my problem with this end of Erdington was that I very rarely went this way. If we went 'up the village' from Court Lane it was usually on the little red bus or if we walked we would go through the two gulleys coming out in Summer Road and then cut through to Sutton New Road and up to the shops. I probably only passed that way going to the swimming baths.
Radiorails
master brummie
Many folks will be more familiar with the route 17 and its short working that ran from the city centre to Yardley and Garretts Green.
However there was an earlier route 17 which was classed as a semi express running from the Maypole, via Alcester Road, the City Aston Road and on to Sutton Road/Chester Road in Erdington. This service commenced 19th. March, 1928 annd continued in that form until September 1939. The one-way system in the city centre in 1936 saw the route split into to numbers: the northbound buses remained as 17 but the southbound became 35. Wartime economies saw the northbound section abandoned in September 1939 leaving only the 35 service operating. The 35 route ceased running on 2nd. October, 1949 being replaced by routes 48, 49 and 50 when the Moseley Road tram services were abandoned. A letr 35 routse, initially single deckers, commenced in 1967. It was a city - Pool Farm service and replaced the 49 in 1975.
I cooked burgers there back in 1965! Met my wife there too ... still with her to this day!
Last edited by a moderator:
Welcome Philbee5. I was going in the Griddle from about 1968. Maybe you were still there ? Worked at Boots the Chemists on the opposite side, further down towards Six Ways. Viv.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
Erdington High Street 1938. A part of the street was too narrow for double track so the oncoming tram waits for the other tram to leave the single track. It looks like the driver of the open top car could not wait. The Palace Cinema on the right is showing the 1937 film 'Stella Dallas' starring Barbara Stanwyck.
shoothill
shoothill
Last edited:
Tidying up this thread is a work in progress. Aiming to focus this thread on Erdington High Street and the Village Green. But still more to work on, chipping away at it little by little. Meanwhile, a former Erdington High Street favourite - Woolworths. Good to report that the building’s still there. Viv.
Attachments
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
If I remember correctly, at one time the surface just by the vertical column became slippery when it rained.
Must have been treacherous in winter if it froze. I remember corners like that which were on a slope would catch the wind and any surface water would freeze. Seem to remember several 1930s shopping parades with steep corner slopes and the inevitable risks in winter. Viv.
The buildings to the left in this view have changed dramatically. I think some of the buildings to the right remain today. On the Streetview image next to the ice cream van are, I think, some of those earlier buildings. Viv.
The passageway just to the left in the old photo in the previous post is, I think, probably where the entrance to Central Square shopping is now located. Viv.
Last edited: