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Kingstanding

  • Thread starter Thread starter margaret
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Does anyone remember that huge red sandstone cliff at the top of Kingstanding road. It was on the left hand side as you came up from town--Hawthorn rd to the right--Dyas ave to the left. We lived in Melverley Grove off Kingstanding--for a couple of years (1947 to 9), and there would be a 'Fair' on the open flat ground at the base of this 'cliff' from time to time. Can anyone tell me about this odd spot? To a toddler this cliff looked huge and dangerous. What is on the site now and how did they shore it up?

These cliffs used to be my playground I lived on Birdbrook and if I crossed over the road and went up Goodwood ??? I was on the sandy path up to Hawthorn Road, the cliffs seemed enormous when I was little. I did not move into the area until 1955 so do not remember a fair on the flat ground. Thanks for reminding me of this place, a part of my childhood/
 
My son and his family are in Weymouth at the mo but when they come back I will go take a photo from their dormer window of where I think the sandcliffs were. If it isn't it will still make a nice photo. Jean.
 
I remember that if you walked down Dyas Rd (Hill) from Kingstanding Rd to Birdbrooke Rd, on the right hand side it was as you described, sand cliffs. I remember that when it rained the island at the bottom of the hill used to get buried in sand and this was a favorite place for kids to tunnel into. Everyone was shocked when they built houses on there and joked about finding houses and gardens on the island if ever we had heavy rain.


bren
 
Re: kingstanding sand cliff

golightly I remember that sand cliff very well that is the one that caved in on me when we were playing miners. Does any body remember the Stockland Coaches that used to run day trips to the seaside just after the war. I can remember my first trip to Rhyle I had never at the age of 10 seen the sea before, it used to be a 4 hr trip. The best trip was to Barmouth going through the horseshoe pass. Moss in Aus
 
i remember been at the kingstanding swimming baths and there was a bomb scare we all had to leave the baths with our towels asap!
 
i doubt it cus it was early evening it was just after the birmingham pub bombings
 
does anyone out there remember the families OGrady's Wagstaffs or the Farnells or Dangefield, my mom violet dangerfield my dad john farnell. would love to hear off anyone who knew these people.
 
golightly said:
Does anyone remember that huge red sandstone cliff at the top of Kingstanding road.
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I think you can just about see a hint of it behind the telephone pole in the pic in my post #298. I don't know what is there now. In an up-to-date pic later in the thread there's too much greenery to see it. One thing I remember about the sandpits in the area, is when my Dad was building walls in the house or garden, we use to take a wheel barrow and get some sand - no need to buy any !
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Re: kingstanding Queuing

Oldmohawke Do you remember when the word went round that they had oranges or bananas at Haines the greengrocers, my mom would race up the Warren FARM road hill when she got there there would be a queue of people waiting and when she got to the front she would only be allowed 2 oranges or 2 bananas. It was also the same at Wimbushes the bread shop there would be a queue there every morning.
I can also remember the welfare at the bottom of Warren Farm road mom used to go there for the tins of national dried milk, concentrated orange juice and cod liver oil all supplied to moms with young children.
Moss in Aus
 
Moss that welfare place you talked about is now a health centre or drop in centre for medical treatment. My neighbour remembers it years ago as you speak of it. had to go there a few weeks ago to have a ring cut off when my finger began to swell. It is great to know that you can just pop in if you have a health concern. Jean.
 
Hi Wendy: I don't recall any of the families you mention. My Aunt lived in Kingstanding and our family lived close to Witton Lakes Park.
 
hi a very good friend of mine work for Rochelle butchers on the circle his name was Brian Fisher sadly he passed away a few years ago
 
It's only four days since someone suggested having a get-together for locals, which I am certainly interested in, although I have not lived there for over 50 years.
Wouldn't it be a nice idea to arrange something if we could in the next few weeks, while Jennyann is over here before she returns to Vancouver.
The only local venue I can think of is the 'Golden Hind' on Kingstanding Road, corner of Greenholm Road. I was last there a couple of years ago when it still seemed quite good, and they were doing food. I was also there five years earlier, when the food looked quite impressive.
Would anybody be able to check it out and see if it's still open, decent and offering food?
Otherwise the next best I can think of is the Barton's Arms in Aston, which is familiar to some of us.
Peter
 
Peter the food is very good value and you don't have to have CHIPS with everything as they serve mashed potato [not the powdered stuff]. There is also the Queslett and there food is good value too. The Cat and fiddle and Farmer Johns are close by too. Jean.
 
hi peter...the golden hind is only a few mins walk from my house...its a lovely pub with plenty of old pics and maps on all the walls...i was in there a couple of months ago having a meal...excellent food.plenty of it and if you go on i think its thursday lunch time it only £8.95 for 2 meals and pint each...i can highly recommend it...it no trouble for me to confirm the prices and the day of the special offer...

lyn
 
Peter it was Dennis who suggested a get together. The only thing that I can fault the Golden Hind with is they do tollerate very loud bad language which could put people off. It does not bother me as a rule but it's not called for. I am not a prude by the way. Bye. Jean.
 
Thanks for the extra info on the 'Kingstanding Cliff'. I hope someone can recall the fair that visited from time to time. My memories of this particular area were only 2yrs in all but---as my old man liked to uproot often, we only stayed on average, 3yrs in any one place--11 addresses, 9 schools. Strangely, virtually all these addresses were in the Great Bar/ Perry Bar/ Erdington/ Kingstanding area. Reading all these personal stories make me realise just how close all my homes were to each other--we had'nt gone very far---all that upheaval, for what ? I remember leaving for school one morning ( Cranborne Rd) and going home in the evening to a different address, and school the following day (Beaches Rd). One other huge mound I recall at the top of Kingstanding Rd, but this time, it was on the right hand side----a huge cliff of black grit ? cinders? which backed up to the rank of shops on Hawthorn Rd All I know is that on the very top, which was levelled out, stood a dozen or so vehicles ranging from Furniture removal vans---to small vans and cars--some for sale. Now, my dad was a dealer in transport and new these other dealers who were named Jack and Alf Thompson. Does anyone know what became of them? or what stands on this plot now ? Cheers---golightly.
 
Dave M #384 two photo's taken by my son tonight from one of the houses at the top of your first photo looking up towards Dyas Road. What a view over Brum eh. Bye. Jean.
 
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Re: kingstanding Queuing

mauricesellars said:
oranges or bananas
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Hi Moss,
With a war at an end, I was 9 when I tasted my first small slice of a banana, about a 1/4 inch cut from one banana in the family, and with my first orange, I didn't know how to eat it. I remember the concentrated orange juice, especially a crafty swig neat when Mom wasn't looking. I also vaguely remember something possibly called 'extract of malt' - might be wrong here!
I also remember an American G.I. from the Pheasey Base visiting a neighbour and he gave me a packet of chewing gum. I think I made it last about a month.
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Hi Jean,
Just looking at your son's photos - what a view. It's amazing how many trees there are in Brum.
oldmohawk
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G.G. seem to remember the 33 bus ? used Dyas Rd, they used to turn round at Aldridge Rd, then a walk to the Pheasey Dave
 
Thanks OldMowhawk but looking at Dave M's photo you can see the house it was taken from. Quite a few years in between though. Your thread #298 Mowhawk. Bye. Jean.
 
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Dave M,
The first bus route to run from Kingstanding Road to a point just short of Aldridge Road was the 28A, which as I recall started on Saturday 8 May 1948. It was a lovely sunny spring day I remember, and as a 14-year old I think I walked the new route out to the terminus, which was at the junction of Glenmead Road and Delhurst Road. There was just enough room at that point to do a U-turn on full lock without clipping the kerbs.
One thing I noticed on my walk was that the new bus stop signs were still the old familiar round ones, but mounted on a frame to the side of the vertical post, rather than symmetrically over it as in the past.
The 33 traditionally ran via Six Ways, Perry Barr and the Boar's Head to Finchley Road via Warren Farm Road and Ellerton Road. When the Perry Barr tram went on 31.12.1949, the route was diverted from Summer Lane and Alma Street to Newtown Row to replace it, and a new short working numbered 33A was introduced to Boar's Head for a while.
Peter
 
Peter W
Seem to remember a No.25 bus.Did it follow the 29/29A route from Town as far as Hawthorn Rd.and then divert down Warren Farm Rd to follow 33 route.Think this bus also ran from Finchley Rd.along Kings Rd.to Circle.Was a "rush period"only service
 
Re: kingstanding orange juice

oldmohawk As kids we used to put the concentrated orange juice into a cup or a jam jar (we were poor) add a couple of tablespoons of national dried milk and top up with ordinary milk, the resulting drink was not unlike yogurt. Any body remember the 33 bus with a gas bag on the back during the war also the old leyland iluminated bus that ran round the bus routes at the end of the war and also at the Queens Coronation. Moss in Aus
 
Because my little sister b.1945, naturally got most of the attention and 'sweetie foods' ie..Concentrated orange, powdered milk, and that malt stuff--(nearest thing to soft toffee) we 3 boys were er---a bit naughty, and helped ourselves when mom was out with her. AT LAST--a CONFESSION ! boy that feels good.
 
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