• 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

Lucas Sports Ground

  • Thread starter Thread starter Villan
  • Start date Start date
V

Villan

Guest
My Uncle always took me to the Sports day at Moor Lane. It was fantastic. I always wanted to work at Lucas so I could actively compete.
 
So glad to see the old Lucas Sports Ground is still there.(Moore Lane)
Went there today to watch my 11 year old grandson play soccer.
It bought back many happy memories of playing there myself in 1946/50.

As a matter of interest my grandsons team won 3-0.
He scored 2 of the goals and was awarded the "man of the match" trophy.

Whoops! Sorry! The rantings of a proud grandad!!!:)
 
Whats his name RayD? Just in case he plays for the claret & blue or my be the othe lot!
WELL DONE LAD KEEP THEM GOALS GOING .
ASTON (A VILLAN THROUGH & THROUGH)
 
football

my family through 3 generations are bcfc supporters summer lane gang so watch it
 
Ray well done to your son from me.

I used to go most years and loved that narrow gage railway thanks for the memory Ray:)
 
Sorry for this late response to your replies.

Peter: Thanks for the link.8)
Aston: Watch out for Ben Derbyshire (Nickname: Dabber):happy:
Margaret: No comment!:bad:
Alf: Although my son can claim some of the credit, it was my grandson who scored the goals !! :rules:
 
Hi Folks,
Thought you may be interested in the attached, don't know how it survived so many years in my files.
Regards.
Bill Fraser
 
We used to take our twins there and thouroughly enjoyed it. Do you remember the stall with the goldfish?. We nver failed to come home without some. Mind you they lived in the pool not a tank or bowl. TFN. Jean.
 
I am an ex Lucas Apprentice who served my time at Lucas Fazakerley Liverpool from 1961-66
I remember Lucas Sports Day with happy memories as I belonged to the Apprentice Decathlon Team.
We left Liverpool on the Friday morning and arrived at GKS in time for lunch. Then off to Moor Lane to practice the parade of apprentice schools for the next day.
We where then taken to our Hotel for evening meal and then did what any teenagers did in a strange town on a Friday night went to the nearest pub
After breakfast on the Saturday it was back to Moor Lane for the 4 field event sports ie Shot Put, High Jump, Long Jump. Javelin.
We where then issued with vouchers for food and drink for the day.
At 3 o/clock all other sports where stopped and the parade of the of the Apprentice Schools began, As well as ourselves there where teams from Burnley, Cwbran, Birmingham,Hemel Hempstead,Willensdan and London
after the parade the remaining 6 events took place with plenty of cheering from the crowds
Happy memories ;)
 
Birmingham University has built a Students Club on the site of the Moor Lane sports ground. Len.
 
Last edited:
My dad came out of the army from the Highland Light Infantry 52nd Lowland Division in July of 1946 and came back from Germany to the UK.

He had been living with my Moms parents in Dovedale Road before he joined up in 1939 (he came to Birmingham from Barnsley in 1937 when he was 17) and when he came out Mom and Dad with some other ex service couples broke into the camp in Moor Lane and lived in the wooden Huts there for about four years.

I still have his Identity Papers and the camp was known as Sunnyview of Sunnybank Camp, not particularly appropriate names for an ex Army / POW camp I always thought !!!

From there they eventualy moved to the prefabs in Hurstwood Road,
 
My Grandad Bill Wells was the head groundsman as Moor Lane.. He and his family, including my dad lived in the onsite bungalow from the 1930's until the late 60's.

Peter: Thanks for the link.8)
Aston: Watch out for Ben Derbyshire (Nickname: Dabber):happy:
Margaret: No comment!:bad:
Alf: Although my son can claim some of the credit, it was my grandson who scored the goals !! :rules:[/QUOTE]
 
When I was a kid we used to go the the Lucas sports day. I used to come home with lots of prizes, some of them I even raced for. My Uncle Ken, was some how or other connected with the running or organizing. My cousin and I always got lots of stuff. My Dad and Mom both worked at Shaftsmoor Lane during the 40,50 ad 60's I worked there for a time and later moved to a new office on Coventry Road. I remember those Sports days and the Christmas Parties as some of the best times of my life.
 
nishja, Was your uncles name Ken Strangward?, Lucas Aerospace had drawing offices above some pre WW2 built shops which did not open due to the war, they are used now, they were on a service road between Aldershaw Rd & Gilbertsone Ave on the r/hand side going towards Sheldon. Len.
 
I pleased its still there Peter thanks for the Photo, nice to see the Witton Cemetery which my parents lived opposite when we lived in The Ridgeway:)
 
No Len, his name was Fox. He used to MC dances and entertainment and well, not sure where but I think it was Shaftsmoor Lane. Did they used to have dances there on some nights.
 
I remember the Lucas Annual Sports days as my parents, who were both All England qualified netball umpires, used to umpire the netball tournament and later my Mum, who was also the Secretary of the Birmingham Netball League at the time, took over organising the tournament, so my sister and I would go along with them.

I remember the tents with the various clubs and societies as well. My favourites were the audio society, who ran a competition to identify various recordings, and the Amateur Radio tent. I have a 'QSL' card from the 45th Annual Sports Day (GB3LAS) which must have been from 1976. I'll attach a scan of the front and back if the system will allow me to attach two pictures.

I also have photographs, which I took, showing various sports taking place and one of a White Helmet motorcycle rider going through a flaming bail of straw. The White Helmets were sponsored by Lucas at that time, of course. I'll see if I can scan it and post a copy as well.
 
nishja, Yes they did hold dances at Shaftsmoor & lots of other events such as Boxing, Table Tennis and all kinds of indoor activities. Len.
 
I am researching Birmingham works sports and wondered if anyone knows where I could see copies of Lucas in house magazine 'Reflection'?
I too remember my boys at Moor Lane having cricket coaching there, in the 70s!
 
Hi Jennyann

Thanks for that.. I have already tried but no reply yet!
It is a really interesting website which Carl Chinn recommended to me.
 
hello jennyann, my name is chris dale and i live in north scotland, i m trying to trace anyone who might have known my uncle and auntie who ran the moor lane sports field from the 70s up till the 80s my auntie dided about 1976 but my uncle was there for some time after they were jim and pearl wheeler he was the head groundsman and she did the food in the pavilion helped by a couple charlie and edna as a child i spent my school holidays there with them, o happy days, was friends with charlie and edns son, paul but i never new there surname so cant trace him allthow he would still only be about 55 or 56 if you could help at all i would be very gratfull chris
 
How these things stick in your memory. I must have been only 8 years old when I can remember going to the Moore Lane Witton ground for the annual sports day. Highlight of the day was watching a man climb a ladder 72 ft aloft and diving into a tank of water that had been set alight with petrol. I do believe the man only had one leg, but I wouldn't sware to that. I know doubt today that would be banned on the grounds of "Health and Safety". Does anyone remember that day, it would have been in 1948 or there abouts.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top