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Old street pics..

berniew said:
View attachment 87785Nice shiny River Street
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Yes, i visited there last year with Dad and I've got his picture standing outside that building which once formed part of the medical mission. Dad lived in two locations both just past the mission but one was up a yard. He knocked a hole in a wall at the back of the yard so he could get to Floodgate Street School a bit more sharpish but the landlord made Granddad fill it in. We've got a picture of Dad in Shorts standing with his younger Brother by the offending wall. The family had to vacate River Street in about 1940 due to Cranes Screw expanding their factory, thank's Bernie, carolina. I haven't been able to find any pictures of the houses that once stood on that side where Cranes screw expanded their factory.
 
Hi Reg Two of my friends went to Leigh Rd school but most of the local lads went to Saltley College.. I have tried to locate some of them but no luck, I think that at 87 I must be the last survivor. I remember the local store Eagles we called it I lived three houses away along Hartopp Road toward Clodeshall Road.. I used to park my car at the top of Clodeshall Road, the pudding bag we called it. I used to work for Oldacres on Alum Rock Road.. Do you remember Kings the removal people on the corner of Bridge and College. Les the son was a friend of mine, but we lost touch. The Grand Cinema was the place we all went to Saturday afternoons. I think we called it the two penny crush. Happy memories.. Harry
 
The pic in post 2449 is a real classic.....I'm sure he used to walk the roads of Bordesley Green....thanks for posting Bernie.
 
paul stacey said:
#2450, shows the "Fire Point" sign, I remember loads of those war time signs, still around in the 50's.paul
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I remember these painted signs on walls in the 50s too. Think there were many buildings with 'F.H' on them. Think it might have been for 'Fire Hydrant' (?) Viv.
 
The Fire Point, I believe, was often situated at the home of an Air Raid Warden. It was he who was responsible for the issueand maintenance of stirrup pumps and other items.

Another sign to be seen was EWS, which stood for Emergency Water Supply. These supplies ranged from large pools, lakes, rivers, canals or a pupose built circular tank. On canal road overbridges there was - and still may be - a metal door in the wall which was used by the Fire Brigade for obtaining water from the canals.
 
My Nan who lived in Turfpits Lane Perry Common had to have a SP sign in her front window.
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I've seen the doors on the canals and the FH signs Alan and Viv but never noticed the Fp or the Sp signs Paul and Phil
 
FH plates, as mentioned signifying Fire Hydrant, are used by Fire Brigades (although some local authorities use them to top up water carts/road cleaners)bin all built up areas and often in the countryside. They are standardized (by the Fire Services Act of 1947) so that all fire services can use them. Before 1947 - and this fact caused some problems particularly in WW2 - each town had its own brigade and equipment. Frequently it was incompatible with that of a neighbouring town.

The hydrant and plate are always yellow for easy visibility particularly for those crews from other stations. It is (or was in my time) part of the job that you knew where all hydrants and open water supplies were. The severe drought of 1976 tested the knowledge of many but in my area I still held details of water supplies that were listed in WW2.

Incidentally some places, harbours and tidal rivers, are not always reliable: well, the tide does come in and out. :biggrin:

Just spotted BernieW's post. Thanks for the confirmation about the canal parapet wall doors. I thought they would still be used but as I like in the SW I was not able to verify personally.
 
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