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Hockley Hill

It seems that we have two Hockley Hill threads, which could cause confusion.
I wonder what the photographs are about in that case to the right of the Coca-Cola advert? This is in the link, rather than this thread.
 
thanks mike will get the 2 threads merged..

Edit. Threads now merged.
 
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Astoness said:
another great high pavement photo of hockley hill...map below showing it was at no 40 and was joseph henry lane paper hanger in the 1900 kellys directory...thanks to mikejee for sorting out the info and the map

lyn

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I've always loved this photo, and its great to be able to place it on the map - with No 40 shown! What year would the map be? I ask because my first job from school was at Harry Astbury Electrical Engineers in 1954, they were at Abbey Place and I can see it on this map. The number if I remember was 64 Hockley Hill, and it was opposite Guest Street, so it wouldn't be far away from this old photo.
 
hi judy the photo is a new one to me....not sure of the date of map ....at a guess early 1900...yes i can see your abbey place on the map and a little further up is albion place which is still there..

lyn
 
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Jayell said:
I've always loved this photo, and its great to be able to place it on the map - with No 40 shown! What year would the map be? I ask because my first job from school was at Harry Astbury Electrical Engineers in 1954, they were at Abbey Place and I can see it on this map. The number if I remember was 64 Hockley Hill, and it was opposite Guest Street, so it wouldn't be far away from this old photo.
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Nearly right, 63 Hockley Hill according to 1955 Kelly's,
yes opposite Guest Street.

63 abbey house.PNG
 
mikejee said:
Judy
the map is dated c1889, which is publication date. According to Richard Oliver the survey for Birmingham that produced the map was done 1885-7
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Thanks Mike. I think it was you who posted a 1953 map of the same area for me a long time ago. Interesting to see that Abbey Place is there on the 1889 map..
 
Astoness said:
well they cant take them away from us judy

lyn
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Too true Lyn! You prompted me to have a look at Hockley Hill on Google maps myself and I hardly recognised anything. But at least the old post office building is still standing at the top of the hill. I used to have to take the mail up there every night after work. Been many years since I visited Handsworth.

Judy
 
snap judy i used to take the post down as well from my job in vyse st...as you move up street view the white building of albion place is still there and the shops leading to vyse st including the famous harry smiths ironmongers...actually i am glad i posted that street view as ive just had another look and spotted an interesting building behind albion place..i shall investigate this next time i am down that way which is often as i am now keeping an eye on whats going on along gt hampton st...actually i was down there the other day and popped into the lord clifden pub as i wanted some info off them

www.google.com

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
www.google.com www.google.com

lyn
 
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What a fantastic thread this is! I found it yesterday, and went through it then from start to finish; and I've just done so again.
My great grandfather John Waterson (son of JW in Wellington Street) lived his life on Hockley Hill starting as a 'chemist and druggist' at no 168 and ending as a 'surgeon in general practice' at no 62, in Abbey Place, opposite Guest Street; and my grandmother spent her growing-up years here.
I visited Hockley Hill for the first time in 2017, and that was a sorry experience, and it has been a delight to capture from this thread some of the vibrancy of living there in former times.
If any of you ever think of doing guided tours again, count me in!
 
Hi Jayell! I see you used to work at Astburys at no 63 ... from the maps it looks as though there are three houses together set back a bit from the road; did you ever take a photo?
 
Hi David. Yes I worked at No.63 which was Harry Astburys. It was a long time ago and was my first job from school at 15. I didn't take a photo, but do remember there was a bit of a forecourt to the front of the building. I wish I had a photo and if you ever get one, please let me know. I can see from the 1950's map that next door was the surgery which used to be where your gt.grandfather had his practice. No.6where I worked had a wood panelled ground floor entrance with stairs leading up to the offices and there was a workshop at the back of the building.

Judy
 
hi david click on street view below..i would think that your gt grandads chemist at no 168 would have been where a p smith and sons are now gt king st is to the left...certainly the old shops opposite which are still standing would have been there in your gt grandads day so he would have looked over at them many times...i also include a map highlighting no 168 which i hope you find useful

lyn

www.google.com

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
www.google.com www.google.com


hockley hill 166 well st on right.jpg
 
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Thanks, Lyn, that is fantastic. I guess the new street front is much further back than the old one, but I have found that in your post back in 2015, #176. No 169, Bannisters, is clear enough with the number painted on the side, and the next one along must be 168, Donald Collins in 1961 ... and probably much the same as it was in 1861 when GGF was there. And the map itself is so interesting with the narrow passage between 168 and 167 and the very long back yards with sheds all along the side, just what a chemist needed to cook up potions! I can't resist repeating your photo!
 

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happy to help david and to be honest i did not realise that the photo actually showed no 168...i wrongly assumed it was on the other side of the road so thanks for putting the correct location on it...how lovely to have a photo of your gt grandads shop...my first job after leaving school was in vyse st and i know for certain that all those shops had been demolished by 1971

lyn
 
I love it! What a crowd of people, no shortage of passing trade ... and the sit-up-and-beg cycles, and lots of straw hats!
 
The Grand Turk
 

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Would like to say a big thank you to all who have posted photo’s and plans on this thread it has brought so much pleasure reading your comments and ambling down memory lane. The Howletts photo brought back particular memories because every Friday evening me and my sisters would wait outside Howletts gates waiting for our dad to finish work and give us our pocket money. I got 3d but that would buy 4 chews for 1d and a Williams toffee bar for 2d yum yum. Thanks for the memories.
 
Terry01 said:
Would like to say a big thank you to all who have posted photo’s and plans on this thread it has brought so much pleasure reading your comments and ambling down memory lane. The Howletts photo brought back particular memories because every Friday evening me and my sisters would wait outside Howletts gates waiting for our dad to finish work and give us our pocket money. I got 3d but that would buy 4 chews for 1d and a Williams toffee bar for 2d yum yum. Thanks for the memories.
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hi rose when you mentioned howletts on the farm st school thread i had completely forgotten that i had posted a photo of the factory on here...so pleased it brings back happy memories

lyn
 
Astoness said:
hi rose when you mentioned howletts on the farm st school thread i had completely forgotten that i had posted a photo of the factory on here...so pleased it brings back happy memories

lyn
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Hi Lyn, yes I noticed you had posted it and as I'm new to this site didn't realise there was so much to view about the area I spent the first 9 years of my life. Funny really how all my siblings remember Hockley with such fondness bearing in mind the desperate lack of money and lack of material items we had as a family - no inside lav as we called it back then, only one water tap in the house and that was cold, winters when ice formed inside the windows - the poverty they talk of these days had nothing on us! And now I'm beginning to sound like a grumpy old gal which I really am not. That period of my life and that area taught me so much of what is really of value.
Going back to Hockley Hill and looking at your more recent day photo's of the are I mourned the lost place we lived, why oh why did they ever build that concrete hulk of a flyover, I watched the first parts of it being built but before then we were able to cross the main road on our way to Ickneild Street and shopping on 'The Flat'. Before that monstrosity was built the Hockley Hill I remember hadn't changed all that much from the really old photo's you posted
As Prince Charles would say "The flyover was and is a carbuncle"
Must trot or another two hours will pass in yesteryear but later on I shall look for photo's of that lovely red brick library on Soho Hill that I used to frequent. Another beautiful building as I recall and there WERE so many of them. Thanks for all your hard work on this forum
 
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