Kingstanding

[daimlerman]

Hi Eric,
Another regular I remember from Cranbourne Road, was an old fella selling Periwinkles from a cart on Sunday mornings. He'd shout "Periwinkles, Periwinkles" as he passed by. I think they were sixpence a bag. We had to pick them out of the tiny shells with a safety pin. Others I remember were the Ice-cream men. Walls, Midland Counties, Tonybell, and Mr Whippy.

 

[Eric Gibson]

Hi Eric,
Another regular I remember from Cranbourne Road, was an old fella selling Periwinkles from a cart on Sunday mornings. He'd shout "Periwinkles, Periwinkles" as he passed by. I think they were sixpence a bag. We had to pick them out of the tiny shells with a safety pin.

I remember them, I suspect the modern day kids would turn their noses up at such 'delicacies'

 

[lmr3103]

This old fashioned kid didn’t care much for them either! Eugh !

 

[A Sparks]

Talking about characters, before the influx of W Indians when all locals were white we had two coloured gents an Indian GP and a door to door salesman a Sikh I think, he wore a turban, he sold silk neckties out of a suitcase, the lads used to call him Sidi Ali ben Woolworth.

We lived in Perry Barr and I remember there was a Sikh gentleman who came round door to door selling small items.
My Mom didn't want anything but he gave her a lucky bead which she kept and I have now

 

[daimlerman]

I remember them, I suspect the modern day kids would turn their noses up at such 'delicacies'

And mo doubt the Health and safety police would lock him up!

 

[Vivienne14]

When Kingstanding was developed for housing in the 1930s, there were inadequate amenities to support the rapidly growing population. The Residents Association was calling for a children's playground and hospital in 1938. At least one playground and pool - Finchley Park - was developed, but I don't think a hospital was ever built.

There's a thread about Finchley Park pool here:
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/threads/finchley-park-pool-kingstanding.62553

Source: British Newspaper Archive

 

[Vivienne14]

Kingstanding residents in action



Source: British Newspaper Archive

 

[Barr_Beacon]

Remember him very well the opera singer .His roofing mate was a small guy who lived on college road with a lot of gnomes in his front garden

I remember him. He was working on the roof of a house on the corner of Aylesbury Crescent and Warren Farm Road (opposite the GP's surgery). I was about eleven or twelve but even then I realised he had an amazing voice. I remember his mate's bungalow, It was on College Road (opposite Lucas's Sports Ground, near the junction of Kingstanding Road). The front garden was filled with garden gnomes. I remember it well and always kept an eye out for it when I was travelling on the 42, 107, or 113 bus.