phil clark
Brummie babby
Just been looking at my great grandfather 1881 census it states his job as a Carter at station any ideas where I can find more information about his work from
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'Orse Road
- Thread starter Mayfield
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sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Phil,
For much of his early life my late father was a carter working out of Curzon Street with his horse and cart. This was before WW1, and when he got demobbed from the Army and applied for his old job back, he was told that it had been given to a young married man with two children. He was also told that as an ex-serviceman he could legally insist on having his old job back, but that would mean that they would have to sack the young man. In order words, we was shamed into not getting his old job back.
Of course, with so many ex-servicemen flooding onto the market, there was a shortage of jobs in 1919 and he ended up taking a poorly paid job making packing cases for reputedly one of the worse paying employers in Birmingham, Perry Pens Ltd of Lancaster Street. Even before WW2 he was still only getting £2. 12s 6d per week.
His carter's job was delivering packages which had arrived by rail at Curzon Street Station from all over the country and covered all of the central area of Brum. Consequently, we knew central Brum like the back of his hand and, although he wasn't a drinker, all of the pubs!
He died when I was still a schoolboy in 1952 and in 30 years I've never been able to establish whether he was actually employed by one of the railway companies or by a contractor. I've checked all the railway employment records without success, so I am inclined to think it was probably a contractor.
Maurice
For much of his early life my late father was a carter working out of Curzon Street with his horse and cart. This was before WW1, and when he got demobbed from the Army and applied for his old job back, he was told that it had been given to a young married man with two children. He was also told that as an ex-serviceman he could legally insist on having his old job back, but that would mean that they would have to sack the young man. In order words, we was shamed into not getting his old job back.
Of course, with so many ex-servicemen flooding onto the market, there was a shortage of jobs in 1919 and he ended up taking a poorly paid job making packing cases for reputedly one of the worse paying employers in Birmingham, Perry Pens Ltd of Lancaster Street. Even before WW2 he was still only getting £2. 12s 6d per week.
His carter's job was delivering packages which had arrived by rail at Curzon Street Station from all over the country and covered all of the central area of Brum. Consequently, we knew central Brum like the back of his hand and, although he wasn't a drinker, all of the pubs!
He died when I was still a schoolboy in 1952 and in 30 years I've never been able to establish whether he was actually employed by one of the railway companies or by a contractor. I've checked all the railway employment records without success, so I am inclined to think it was probably a contractor.
Maurice
Eric Gibson
master brummie
My next door neighbour drove one of those Scammell mechanical horses for British Rail Maurice, he was certainly directly employed by BR, that would be 1956 when I first moved in but I'm sure BR did their own stuff or used BRS (the nationalised British Road Services) from when they were nationalised.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=S...horse&imgrc=LZ0ZgId6yBJ6dM:&spf=1498375494775
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=S...horse&imgrc=LZ0ZgId6yBJ6dM:&spf=1498375494775
Another weird old Brummie expression used in our house was "Never in the reign of pig's puddin'!", meaning 'no chance'. When I was a nipper I always had a giggle when my dad came out with this. I thought he'd made it up, but then I heard someone in a shop use it. Has anyone else ever come across this?
G
G
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
BG.
I came across that saying for the first time about 30 or 40 years ago, long after I had left Brum. Never heard my parents use it. I suppose the American equivalent is "How many R's in Fat Chance?", though I first heard that used by a major in the Israeli Army that I knew.
Eric,
Dad's carting was long before the existence of BR and BRS and he definitely used a horse and cart, sometimes taking it home with him to Ladywood! I've no idea what the horse's name was though!
Maurice
I came across that saying for the first time about 30 or 40 years ago, long after I had left Brum. Never heard my parents use it. I suppose the American equivalent is "How many R's in Fat Chance?", though I first heard that used by a major in the Israeli Army that I knew.
Eric,
Dad's carting was long before the existence of BR and BRS and he definitely used a horse and cart, sometimes taking it home with him to Ladywood! I've no idea what the horse's name was though!
Maurice
Hi Maurice, "this is only a feeling in me water" as my mom used to say but I feel your Dad may have been employed directly by one of the railways. It is only based on when I traveled to and from Handsworth for school I would see metal signs (about 1 foot square) hung in the windows of shops and small manufacturing establishments saying LMS or GWR Carrier to Call.
I presume that the carrier cart would have a regular route and call for pick-up's and at the same time drop of any deliveries.
Maybe I'm wrong (not unusual ) but ?
Cheers Tim
I presume that the carrier cart would have a regular route and call for pick-up's and at the same time drop of any deliveries.
Maybe I'm wrong (not unusual ) but ?
Cheers Tim
Old Boy
master brummie
Hi Big Gee,
Yes that phrase was quite common when I was a lad (prewar). It seems to have died out now though.
Old Boy
Yes that phrase was quite common when I was a lad (prewar). It seems to have died out now though.
Old Boy
Radiorails
master brummie
I expect, Maurice, he most likely, over a period of time, had more than one horse. Would have been nice to know I guess.
One of my grandfathers had horses and they were all named after people featured in The Old Testament of The Bible. such as Abraham, Moses, Sampson, Elijah, Samuel, Saul and so on.
One of my grandfathers had horses and they were all named after people featured in The Old Testament of The Bible. such as Abraham, Moses, Sampson, Elijah, Samuel, Saul and so on.
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Tim,
He doesn't appear on any of the railway company online staff records, yet a member of my late wife's family does, but he was actually working on trains. Possibly certain "onshore" occupations are not included. I know he enjoyed the job.
Alan,
Dad may have possibly mentioned horses' names to my mother, but both are long since gone, of course. (No Hercules amongst them then?)
Maurice
He doesn't appear on any of the railway company online staff records, yet a member of my late wife's family does, but he was actually working on trains. Possibly certain "onshore" occupations are not included. I know he enjoyed the job.
Alan,
Dad may have possibly mentioned horses' names to my mother, but both are long since gone, of course. (No Hercules amongst them then?)
Maurice
Radiorails
master brummie
Probably Maurice. Purely from memory as it was nearly seventy years ago when I was acquainted with it all. Like you no one to consult any more - assuming they knew anyway.
paul stacey
master brummie
March 1989, I was standing in a queue at the main bus/coach station, it was about 5 pm in the morning in the Turkish City of Mugla, I was drinking a small cup of green tea, very sweet and hot, I had a nightmare journey of some hours from Marmaris bus breaking down several times, so was very tired and slightly out of it. The bus station was an a antique place and enclosed with a multitude of languages and shouting and talking, when suddenly over all this talking bus engines revving and bus's turning I heard a distinct Black Country accent shouting, (" Margie, get that Babby, out the orse road, hers gonna get kilt"), I never did see who it was , so if they read this and it rings a bell let me know. Paul
Radiorails
master brummie
Those 'Brummies' get everywhere Paul. Why. just look at the locations mentioned here of so many of them. 
maypolebaz
master brummie
That expression was common when I was little, one of many that were in use just after the war.
"Goo an' tell the Marines !" was one, (I didn't know where the Marines were !)
"Blue pencil" another, used instead of a swear word when kids were about. It has since dawned on me that the wartime censor used to cross out forbidden words in letters with such a pencil. I bet that was irritating.
Radiorails
master brummie
Those days of the 'orse road' was when children could quite easily play in the roadway and older people could cross at leisure. I am convinced that pre the mid 1950's children, whilst not having all the present day knick-knacks did have far more fun than today and did experience a longer - and in my view - beneficial childhood. Maybe it is because I am old but children do seen to loose their childhood too soon these days, sadly a lot has to do with parenting and schools who seem to treat the under eights as adults and give them far too much say in what they do and eat. 
Just my twopenn'orth or cents. 
Just my twopenn'orth or cents.
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Other than Special Days when we were on an outing ,maybe to "The Licky's " our everyday playground was in the street.
You played "Marlies" in the gutters or sailed little hand made or matchsticks down them when it rained. You played such games as "London" or "May I Cross Your Colored Waters" which were across the road from one curb to the other. There was Hopscotch or skipping also played in the road. On the seldom occasion when the road was resurfaced we made "things" out of the tar (which smelled great!).
We played on our bikes, roller skates ,billy carts and things I've forgotten.
We even had Ores in the road which delivered the milk, bread coal etc.
Cheers Tim
You played "Marlies" in the gutters or sailed little hand made or matchsticks down them when it rained. You played such games as "London" or "May I Cross Your Colored Waters" which were across the road from one curb to the other. There was Hopscotch or skipping also played in the road. On the seldom occasion when the road was resurfaced we made "things" out of the tar (which smelled great!).
We played on our bikes, roller skates ,billy carts and things I've forgotten.
We even had Ores in the road which delivered the milk, bread coal etc.
Cheers Tim
Radiorails
master brummie
I once chalked a hopscotch plan (the one with numbers up to ten - I believe there were at least two designs) on the paving outside my home. A neighbour came by and flew into a rage shouting about 'pendiment' houses or something similar. I had no idea what a 'pendiment' house was I went indoors to ask.
It transpired that her reference was actually to tenement houses! Tenements? In a posh area controlled by Solihull UDC!
It transpired that her reference was actually to tenement houses!
Tenements? In a posh area controlled by Solihull UDC! Bryn Meurig
knowlegable brummie
I wonder if the child you mention lived in Mary Road, Handsworth? My grandfather's sister lost her son, Richard Phillips, following a similar accident. He was aged about 4 (1928) when he was playing in the gutter and a cart reversed over him.
wages clerk
proper brummie kid
just found this thread. how about pumps(plimsoles). any road up(point of conversation) down the suff(drain) never in the reign of pigs puddin(never) ower kid(sibbling)parkie(park keeper)(park warden)donnies(hands) lovely memories!!
Lumpammer
master brummie
Yes, and your mum would hold your donny to cross the ‘orse road.
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
steptoe might have past`d. evenMy mother always said to me and my brother,Look both ways when you cross the road in Case a Orse is comingalways wondered if Gene Autrey or Roy Rogers might ride past
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
yer gold fish or chicks. and plenty of stuff for the roses. i love`d the days of the horses.walking down the orse rd, one day my brother went out and led the coal mans horse down the rd with a slice of bread, the coalman went mad lol.
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
why not a donkie rd.lol