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Queens Tower

BazzM

BazzM

master brummie
Is there anyone out there who used to live in Queens Tower? Our family moved in to No.27 before the block was officially opened by I think Harold McMillan in 1950 something. We stayed there until we moved to Chelmsley Wood in about the early 1970s. We had some wonderful neighbours in the block at those days. So if anyone remembers me, or just wants to chat about the block, then get in touch.
 
Well I did the Plumbing in it as an Apprentice and as a Plumber just out of my time, more recently I've been changing all the old Boilers in the blocks, (Potterton Neataheats, full of Asbestos)..what would you like to know?
43 is a terrible gossip, 29 dyes her hair, 83 is having an affair with a Russian Sailor, and 37...well!...(dont worry moderators, there is NO 83)
Queens Tower is the Concierge block, looking after the door entry systems to Home, High and South.
opened I think in 1953 by Harold McMillan, Home Tower housed the 'Central' heating system that heated the Maisonettes in Melvina Rd and the other Towers..
Most of the places were infested with Blackbats and were fumigated on an hourly basis (least it seemed that way)
Loads of problems now with the Soilpipes which are internal and keep flooding certain flats out...I will say however they are kept very clean...
The only real problem I know of is the individual security of the flats, so called 'Secure by design' doors, when I do a forced entry it takes us about 15 seconds to get in with absolutely no sign that we did so, we dont even need to change the locks...
 
Well what a small world Kandor. Fancy you working on Queens Tower. The block was officially opened by Harold Macmillan on 5th February 1954. The reason I know is that when my Father passed away last year, my Brother cleared out his house and came across the official opening book-let that was issued to all the families in the block. I got him to copy it for me, and I have it in front of me now. It tells you about Accomodation, Construction, and Mechanical Services etc. Barry.
 
If you have an electronic copy of the book Bazzm we could post it up on the Birmingham Mainsite!!!
 
Will get my Son to look at it Rod, I,m not too much into the comp yet. Will let you know though. Barry.
 
My Dad, Stan Jordan was Caretaker of High Tower circa 1970- 1975 the estate caretakers used to have a meeting in the boiler house.

Know them tower blocks inside out.
 
:angel: As I said on another thread, my sister was Mr Harbon's Gt Lister St paper girl for Queens, South, Home and High towers . During the late fiftie earley sixties.
 
Seeing this stuff about Queens Tower reminds of Brooks Tower, where a relative of mine lived from the 1960s when it was just built until about 1988. I walked past the site of it last Saturday - it's just a scrappy bit of grassland now.
Peter
 
Glad to say my old block ( Queens Tower ) is still there Peter, reply No.2. I finally visited it again last December. First time in about 40 years. Barry.
 
Hi, I used to live at No15, Queens Tower (5th Floor). Not sure about the dates, but I know my sister was born there (in the flat) on Feb 14th 1960. At the time, on our floor there was a family with twins (girls) and a family withe two girls. I was four in 1960 and used tro play in the derelict houses at the back of the flats, and went to the school (that was) opposite the flats. And I once climbed through the round? windows onto the roof!! (one of the girls, I'm sure was called Susan).
 
Hello Tony, who are you and who is your sister? I lived in the block next door from 1955 until 1972
regards
Amanda
 
Hello there Tony. We lived at No.27 Queens Tower from when it opened, to round about 1966, when we moved to Chelmsley. I too went to the school opposite ( Loxton St. ). We lived on the 8th floor. Our name is Morley, and we shared the floor with the Willetts, and the Powells for many years. There where two boys of each family, and we where very similar in ages too. If you want to reminese any further, feel free to pm me. Best wishes, Barry.
 
Tony you must mean Susan and Valerie Webb and they were not twins and neither were the other girls on that floor the Wales', I'm pretty sure the elder of the two was called Joan. By the way I lived at 26 next door to BazzM.
Got another name for you Bazz. Do you remember Charlie and Grace Bellemy up on the ninth, right over Roger.
 
Hi, I'm impressed that you remembered so much about the two families we shared the 5th floor with. Did you Know my parents Albert and Evelyn Jeynes. We must have moved out about 1962 (to Cannock), i remember one night there was a big fire across the way (to the front and left of Queens Tower) I thought it was a tyre factory, but might be mistaken, I was 6 at the time.
 
Tony I think you'll find it was the fourth floor you lived on, turning sharp left as you came out of the lift. The mention you made of a fire rings a very small bell but, I used to be out until quite late. The tyre factory was further up Great Lister St. I think and the big news we had about that, was when one of the workers fell into the rubber vat. That may have happened after you left. I remember on the fifth floor lived Roger Gibbs at 16 and Robrt Male at 17, I can't remember who was at 18.
 
Tony I think I remember about you climbing out on to the roof. You had gone missing and everyone was searching for you. I think it was the one of the Fletcher or Jones boys that found you initially and the caretaker that brought you down off the roof. Daft little sod. I don't remember you particularly but, thats hardly surprising as I'm somewhat older. I do recall one of the little kids in the block always getting into scrapes and doing things like eating worms and earwigs, that wouldn't have been you by any chance would it?

Just remembered about Valerie Webb, she married an African Prince and moved to Kenya I think it was. She was the slightly younger of the Webb girls.
 
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Brian. At last a name thats vaguely familiar. Bellamy. Way at the back of my mind though. I honestly dont know how you can remember so much from so long ago.
 
You must remember Charlie. Big man, not only tall but around the middle too.
Can you remember a little kid that was always running around naked eating worms and earwigs out of the wooden post of the fence that ran around the bit of grass outside the block? For some reason, I seem to remember we called him 'Chuckie'. As for remembering so much from so long ago, well I am younger than you don't forget, haha. To be honest, I don't know either mate, I just start with what I do remember and little bits keep on coming out, sometimes connected, sometimes not. You must remember Maureen Lloyden, lived below me. Terry Brown, lived below you. I know you remember Frances Skinner, lived below Roger. Do you remember Corrie Brown, married Robert Male. I think she lived below Fran Skinner. Her name just came to me.
 
Hi, just seen another post refering to the the kid that ate worms an earwigs, i know for sure that wasn't me, but I was the kid on the roof (maybe we'd both been up there). funny though I do remember weedling the earwigs out of the tops of the posts with ice lolly sticks at the front of Queens Tower (half round tops about 6" wide by 1.5" thick by 18" high) where the wood had split. Anyway I'm going to settle down to watch England beat Switzerland 3-1? I wish.
 
I see your wish came true then Tony.

I have, over the years, often thought about that kid 'Chuckie'. I wonder if he became a biologist.

Do you remember the playground area between Queens Tower and, I can never remember which block was 'Home' and which was 'High' Towers. Anyway, the area that was sunken slightly and had a wall around it with three entrances. I can remember a few of us caught a big rat in there one day. The size of a big cat it was, kind of grey in colour with faint rings. We used to play a form of cricket there, with three or four clothes pegs and a ball. Thats as well as painting a full size wicket on the wall nearest Queens Tower and playing properly.
Remembering any of this BazzM.
I know you remember some things from those days. Like cracking me with my own cricket bat, I still have that scar.
How about when I got my hands trapped between the lift doors and the lift wall where the doors slid back into upon opening. It seemed as though I was bandaged up for months, in reality it was two I think. I've had trouble with both hands ever since, its why I just hate the rain.
 
Hi, yes I remember the playground exactly as you described, I also remember that when it rained, it flooded in one part leaving what seemed like deep puddles to splash around in. I remember one day a group of us were playing around the back of the pub opposite and i thought it a good idea to put my finger in a used beer tin (4 pint party bumper) and try to throw it......needless to say it cut most of the way through the tip of my finger. My friends proceeded to 'carry' me back the my flat, to have it bandaged (no stitches or tetanus injections) we later took great delight in following the blood trail pretty well all the way back to the pub. Does anyone remember a lorry catching fire, parked on the waste ground opposite Queens Tower? it wasn't a big fire, just the cab caught fire, lots of smoke probably a discarded fag. I'm on a roll, what about the Christmas parties at a local community type centre, fancy dress for the kids, I remember one year I went as a 'Snowman', and another year as 'Wee Willy Winky' I think we all won prizes, I remember I won a big red Fire Engine....aah happy days
 
Just like you two, I remember the playground area. (How about that Brian)? And the wickets being drawn on the wall. My main memory of the bomb-site opposite the flats, was one day, a small group of us thought it would be great fun (?) to start a small fire right next to the school wall on this area. Everything was fine until a policeman came round the corner. We got a good lecture, and then he took us back to see our parents. What I got that night was nobodys business. But the punishment worked. I never lit another fire on that site. And I was always wary of policemen. I can also recall visits to the community centre. I seem to recall lots of old cartoon shows there. Bugs Bunny, Woody Woodpecker etc.
 
Just recalled another event in the tower. Does anyone remember one time we had an infestation of rats ? I remember they where on the stairs on our side of the block, and someone, (either the care-taker, council worker, or firemen), where using the tower emergency fire hose to wash down the stairs, from top to bottom, along with the rats. I remember killing one rat myself on the staircase once with a big piece of wood. Thought I had better post this item before I forget again.
 
Brian. I also meant to tell you after my old man passed away a few years ago, David cleared out his house, and came across a 7 page introduction leaflet regarding the official opening of the block. I have a photo copy of it, and it makes for interesting reading. i.e. Do you remember it was Harold Macmillan, M.P. who opened the block, on 5th February 1954 ? Theres a mention of the other blocks being built, the accommodation in the flats, construction info, and such. If interested, send me your address, and I will get a copy to you. I have already done this for a member of this site, and they where amazed.
 
Here you are chaps i think this is Queens Tower the middle one you can just see the old pub that was on the corner of Bloomsbury St and Gt Lister St in the background. Can you remember this shop it was just down from the pub on the corner of Loxton St there was part of your bomb peck between the shop and the pub.I lived down the Vauxhall rd end we never went in the flats as they were to posh for us but i did try to climb those A frames holding the building up. Can you remember an Air- raid shelter we played in up by the corner of Heneage St and Bloomsbury St at the back of South Tower??Dek
 
Thats a great shot Dek, thanks. It is Queens Tower, if you look at the middle set of verandahs, you'll see one with a white blob on it (its a sheet), thats my flat. I do remember the shops there and the pub on the corner of Loxton Street, although not its name. The same goes for the pub on the corner of Bloomsbury and Gt Lister Streets. I remember the Police Station too, on the opposite side of the street from the pub and down a few yards. Those were the days, a bottle of pop and a pack of polo mints and a chew for 2 1/2d.
 
Was the pub on the corner of Bloomsbury Rd and Great Lister St. The Turk's Head? I think it was the gaffer in the Oliver Cromwell that had the old pub sign for The Turk's Head.
 
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