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Magnet Club Greek Orthodox Church Stockland Green

S

stevenjoes

Brummie babby
How do all. I'm a newbie, love this site though.

Me and my Girlfriend have just brought a house on the northcote development which basically is on the site of the MEB in Stockland Green / Brookvale on George Rd.

Behind our houses on a bit of a walk we came across the Greek Orthodox Church and from what little i can tell it used to be the magnet club and / or banqueting suites.

I was wondering if anyone can shed any light on what it was built for and why it has the land it does? Im only 28 so i really dont know much about the area but its obvious it was a far grander building at some point and that there was a dedicated football team there once as the stands are still there!

Thanks for any help
 
Steve I don't know the Greek Orthodox Church you refer to, but the Magnet Club was in the grounds of the old GEC - I think it was their social club, I went to many dances there in the 1950s and 60s. I never got much of look at the outside of the building as it was always dark when we went, but from memory it looked purpose built, I certainly never thought it resembled a church.
 
Hi Steven: Just read your two threads. Firstly, where your house is located is very nice indeed. My father worked for the Midlands Electricity Board and that building was his headquarters at one point. There are so many memories by members on this site of Brookvale Park. You can read about them by entering Brookvale Park and Witton Lakes in the Search engine on the top right hand side of the main page. There are many photos as well. The Magnet Club is also a place of memories for many of our members and also their parents including my own going back to the 1920's. The Magnet Club now belongs to the Midlands Greek Cypriot Association and does indeed contain a church. You can read about this on this site: https://dbpedia.org/page/Greek_Orthodox_Church_Of_The_Holy_Trinity_and_St_Luke The Midlands Greek Cypriot Association is also on Facebook.
 
The General Electric Company was a really large important employer in Witton area of Birmingham,hence Electric Avenue.
My mother worked there in 1950s assembling airport runway Lights.
 
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I spent almost 10 years at GEC (General Electric Co.) from 1956-65 as an apprentice and trainee Engineer. The Magnet club holds many fine memories for me. The building served many purposes during it's prime years including cafeteria and restuarant for midday meals, social club and dance hall, Sports Complex complete with dressing rooms and showers in the basement and finally, an on-site shop where employees could purchase GEC products at reduced prices. I haven't visited the area for many years now and often wonder what happened to the sports fields below the Club and on top of the hill opposite. I would be interested find out if any other members contributing to thjs thread have similar memories of thiis fine old building.
 
The Magnet Club was my lunch time eating venue & as sylvia as said spent many a happy night dancing at that venue.
Joined GEC Witton in thhe 50s as a drawiing office apprentice.
 
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My Sisters worked there and many New Years Eve Parties there with the Family in the 60s, happy days.
 
Alf you & I most have passed each other many times at GEC dances & Fairlanes around the 60s I used to go to the villa Bowling alley to suport my brothers Bowling
teams brian brewers Autospares, Villa Park A, M&B Brewers, to name but a few.
I bet your sister would have known Jimmy Jack one of the main MAGNET CLUB commitee members back then, He also ran the Magnet Crown Green bowling club of which I was a member for a number of years.
As you say HAPPY HAPPY DAYS
 
I stumbled on this thread during a google search last night and thought i would add some background to the current Magnet Club. The building is currently owned by The Midlands Greek Cypriot Association and has been since 1984. I am the serving chairman of that association currently. There is a Greek Orthodox Church there (The Greek Orthodox Church of The Holy Trinity & St Luke) which has been there since circa 1996/7. The church however only occupies what used to be the main banqueting hall. Much has been spent by the Greek Cypriot Community in converting that part of the building to look and feel like a Greek Orthodox Church, which it now does and which is open to that wish to experience the Greek Orthodox Liturgy on a Sunday morning.

More importantly however, the Magnet Club was acquired by our Association as a community building. It provides Greek School for anyone wishing to learn the Greek language (young or old). As it is a community building for the Greek Cypriot Community it has games and recreational facilities. It also has a lounge where traditional games such as backgammon and other games can be played as well as Greek TV. All are welcome and Greek Coffee can be enjoyed. There is also a Restaurant serving a choice of Greek food.

We have recently undergone a large refurbishment project and have also installed a lift for the elderly and disabled. The upstairs banqueting hall has also been upgraded and is now available for hire to the general public. The premises is run by volunteers and relies on donations to keep it going which is tough of course but challenging nonetheless. It is a far cry from what the building used to be in the 50's and 60's as some people here remember it, however we are committed to prolonging the building's existence as part of Birmingham's history.

You can find us on facebook or follow us on twitter (@midlandsgreek) or you can visit our website at https://midlandsgreek.org/ although we are in the process of changing this to www.midlandsgreek.org
 
The Baron said:
Well done Alf, just about to post this, The Magnet Club was my lunch time eating venue & as sylvia as said spent many a happy night dancing at that venue.
Joined GEC Witton in thhe 50s as a drawiing office apprentice.
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Hi baron just picked this site up by chance i am a exiled brummie now living in the north west , originally from Erdington . My late father JACK THOMPSON worked at GEC WITTON in the eariy 50s and played cricket for the GEC and we used to have tea and my parents would have drinks in the Magnet bar after the game , although only very young i remember spending many happy hours in the surrounding fields around the cricket pitch with the rugby pitch up on the higher level and can remember also all the old air raid shelters behind the Magnet . I did not realise that my 2nd home ha ha had been converted to a church , but i suppose things move on MIKE THOMPSON
 
Guys - reference my earlier post. It is NOT a church. Only part of it is (the old banqueting hall on the ground floor). It is in fact a community centre for the Greek Cypriot Association. Small difference i accept but important nonetheless :-)
 
villamickey said:
Hi baron just picked this site up by chance i am a exiled brummie now living in the north west , originally from Erdington . My late father JACK THOMPSON worked at GEC WITTON in the eariy 50s and played cricket for the GEC and we used to have tea and my parents would have drinks in the Magnet bar after the game , although only very young i remember spending many happy hours in the surrounding fields around the cricket pitch with the rugby pitch up on the higher level and can remember also all the old air raid shelters behind the Magnet . I did not realise that my 2nd home ha ha had been converted to a church , but i suppose things move on MIKE THOMPSON
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I used to score for the cricket club and my dad used to umpire. There was a fast bowler called Thompson playing when I scored, but that would have been around 1962-1965. Probably a bit late for the Thompson you mention. The one I knew was a bit quick and I remember a game at Sutton Congs and Meths at Tamworth Rd when he broke one of their players jaw.


What fond memories they bring back of the Magnet club. The groundsman in those days had the cricket square looking like a billiard table, the outfield was like a bowling green, immaculate, just a bit different how it looks today I would imagine. After the game up into the bar and snooker room for a bottle of vimto and a packet of Smith's crisps. Those were the days.
 
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