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Memories : Tribute to old Birmingham

I dont know Bob I nicked the pics of the wall in the old Rag Market some ago I was just sorting my albums out when I came across them.
 
Edit. There is now a thread for more general discussion about Jazz Players here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/jazz-players.52357/

Astoness said:
dickie valentine was at the birmingham hippodrome in 1958..certainly looks like him in photo 3 and is that him signing autographs in pic 1
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He also regularly came to the Town Hall with Ted Heath and his band and Lita Roza and Dennis Lotus. Those big band concerts at the Town Hall used to be excellent, Ted Heath, Jack Parnell, Vic Lewis (Playing Kenton's music), the guy who did Oranges & Lemons on the Kettle Drums, Oscar Rabin when he formed his big band and there were a couple of others who I cannot remember. Although the group of us were modern jazz fans, we used to go to and see Humph and all the trad groups, Chris Barber and Terry Lightfoot.
Bob
PS Eric Delaney for Oranges and Lemons? Forgot Johnny Dankworth
 
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Bob Davis said:
Maurice
That was when we gave Humph the cold shoulder, when he crossed over to mainstream. Heath of course was a purist who looked for perfection and correctness in all that he did and it always showed through.

Bob
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I remember when Humph changed. I think there might have been some booing when he brought a SAXOPHONist to the Town Hall. He was a Canadian, Bruce Turner. The reaction was something like when Bob Dylan went from an acoustic guitar to an electric one.

Somewhere above it is said that he went mainstream. That was not the name I now forget. It was more Chigago style than New Orleans.

Incidentally, when I die if despite my not wanting it there some sort of service or they must play Humph's version of Onions (actually Les Oignons). Of course thr throng must shout "Onions !" in the tacit sections.
 
Astoness said:
dickie valentine was at the birmingham hippodrome in 1958..certainly looks like him in photo 3 and is that him signing autographs in pic 1
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Love these. My brother still, well he did till yesterday, ran a charity stall, several, but one outside the Moseley Dance Hall. I thought of him.
 
I saw many concerts at the Town Hall in the 50s including Humphrey Littleton.
This photo is from the local paper of a Lionel Hampton concert in 1956Townhall56.jpg. Sitting down half cut off on our right is my friend from school, Tony Green from Erdington, I am sitting next to him behind the rain coat. We were sitting behind the band near the organ
 
JohnWish said:
I remember when Humph changed. I think there might have been some booing when he brought a SAXOPHONist to the Town Hall. He was a Canadian, Bruce Turner. The reaction was something like when Bob Dylan went from an acoustic guitar to an electric one.

Somewhere above it is said that he went mainstream. That was not the name I now forget. It was more Chigago style than New Orleans.

Incidentally, when I die if despite my not wanting it there some sort of service or they must play Humph's version of Onions (actually Les Oignons). Of course thr throng must shout "Onions !" in the tacit sections.
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Michael_Ingram said:
I saw many concerts at the Town Hall in the 50s including Humphrey Littleton.
This photo is from the local paper of a Lionel Hampton concert in 1956View attachment 143334. Sitting down half cut off on our right is my friend from school, Tony Green from Erdington, I am sitting next to him behind the rain coat. We were sitting behind the band near the organ
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Do you come from Erdington, if so did you used to go to the Palace? The reason I ask is that before I scrolled down and read the bit at the bottom of the picture I thought I recognised the face. Why or where I cannot say, but somehow I thought I know that face.

Bob
 
Interesting about Humph My sister in Hagley lived down the road from the "Lyttleton Arms" pub. that is still there, anyone know if this is the same family?I have seen his name spelt different ways many times.
 
Bob Davis said:
Do you come from Erdington, if so did you used to go to the Palace? The reason I ask is that before I scrolled down and read the bit at the bottom of the picture I thought I recognised the face. Why or where I cannot say, but somehow I thought I know that face.

Bob
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No Bob, I lived in Lozells my friend did and I had a girlfriend from there an went with her to the Palace. I went to Handsworth Grammar and went to places like the Trocadero, the Windsor, the Stagedoor Club, Sombrero, etc., in town
 
Michael_Ingram said:
My hair is a bit ginger; anyway, everything was black and white in those days
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My brother used to dance rock and roll he had a big following I am told, (my birth half brother) at the Moseley Dance Hall where he has his charity stall now, or till the virus stopped him. He has a collection of small juke boxes and old cinema memorabilia.
 
Bob Davis said:
Town was always an exciting place to go, Lewis's and Grays, The Bull Ring, Galloways corner, the walk down New Street the hope that there was going to be a visit to a cinema (much better in town than the locals) or even the theatre although the parents would never take me to the Aston Hip. Up Corporation Street, through to High Street. If I was lucky it would be afternoon tea in Kunzles or in the Arcade opposite Snow Hill station. That was up to age 14/15. There was always a buzz about it, then the 5a back home, upstairs so that Mum and Dad could smoke. If I was lucky I got the single seat. Age 16 onwards, the Kardomah for coffee, Zissmans for shirts, there was also another shop where they sold modern clothes but I have forgotten the name, then the Cabin for refreshment and a decision, pictures or dance hall. But from both sets of times, the memories the flower sellers, the man with the chains in the Bull Ring, the gypsies with their lucky heather and of course Kunzles cakes. Still like going into central Birmingham, mainly the Bull Ring Centre and Grand Central, the only problem is moving around because we are elderly, but feisty, and none of you 'brummies' can stand still or give way, I do apologise for my walking stick.

Bob
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john knight said:
Tho old city is dead and buried, as far as I'm concerned, nothing now but new offices and re-vamped shops.
I remember as I think many others will do also,the old bull ring with the policeman directing the traffic standing in the middle of the cobbled road, how he never got run over in the ice or snow amazes me, corner of Moor st. Oswald Bailey, and over the way , Woolworths with the old lady in black on the steps selling handy carrier (4p).
T he market hall without the roof, Times Furnishing,(now Waterstones), the Odeon with Wimpey bar next door, the Midland Educational shop in Corporation st.,old Lewis's with the zoo? on the roof, the old OLD Square with Kings Hall market opposite, the Mecca ballroom, opposite Murdochs piano and music shop where I bought all my records, the music shop in Cherry St., for sheet music.
Yates wine bar and Barrows stores, Henry's, Jamaica Row with all the fruit and veg barrows,the Gaumont cinema, Chetwynds
where all the teds bought their zoot suits which was beneath the West End ballroom corner of Navigation st., and the opposite corner the hot potato man the Queens Hotel fronting New st. station, and the Woodman pub.
Galloways corner of New st.,main post office opposite,as well as the Kardoma in Colmore Row you had the National milk bar over the road next door to the Grand hotel.
I could go on forever, but I'll leave room for someone else's memories.
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l remember a lot of those places do you remember The Le Metro folk club.it was in one of the arches side of Snow Hill station.
 
Michael, what years did you go to the Troc, Stagedoor etc?


Michael_Ingram said:
No Bob, I lived in Lozells my friend did and I had a girlfriend from there an went with her to the Palace. I went to Handsworth Grammar and went to places like the Trocadero, the Windsor, the Stagedoor Club, Sombrero, etc., in town
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For Pete, #34 concerning Lyons Corner Houses.

Can I suggest that you might read a short essay by J B Priestley called “At Popular Prices”? It’s freely available on the inter web, and I think you might enjoy it.
 
My sister, sister in law and myself used to work at the Initial Towel Supply down Albert Road in Digbeth. Then we'd meet up with my brother at lunchtime and have our lunch at Woolworths in the Bull Ring!! I loved our town centre. So lively, so friendly!!
 
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