terryb18
Gone but not forgotten R.I.P.
I can't find any reference to it anywhere, even on youtube. I presume it was called the Lonnie Donegan Show, though I really cannot remember.
Terry
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I can't find any reference to it anywhere, even on youtube. I presume it was called the Lonnie Donegan Show, though I really cannot remember.
Terry
I live in Water Orton but used to drink in the Two Hands for years, right up to it's closure....indeed, my son celebrated his 21st birthday there.
It was an honest, working class pub. I still miss it.
Ian
brumgum
Proud to be a Brummie!
To be honest i live in this area and it ain't all bad!, Shard End is very diverse. Some of it can be a bit rough but there had been a lot of redevelopment and renovation and some of it has been quite succesful.
I like living here to be honest.
Just to reserect this thread from the dead...........
Kitsland Road shops as I remember them but I could do with anyone else that could put names to the shops. I grew up on berrowside road (adjoining Kitsland) and would visit the shops every Saturday. My step dad even worked in and took over the butchers (Barry Johns butchers) he was the John half
On one side there was:
A bookies
Another shop which name evades me (on the end)
The Wool Shop - called Joyce's (I knew the family)
Browns Discount - was Liptons? (would sell random homewares & toys)
The Greengrocers
Barry johns Butchers - Not sure it was always called this but a really close family friend called 'Dave' was the butcher there for many years before moving to another shop in Shard End Crescent
Another shop which later become a chip shop then the lucky house chinese (which moved to lea village and is still there!) EDIT - I've been told this was a Bakery
An off license on the end
On the other side of the road (and still there)
Hair dressers
Co-Op (this shop became a Mace and bought the shop next door and expanded)
Another shop - this was the one that the mace expanded in to - I have no idea what it was
The Newsagents (now and off license)
The record/odd bits shop
The barbers (Trevors - was it Georges before? Believe it or not he is still there and it still looks exactly the same inside, he must be about 70 now and only opens for a few hours a week)
Can anyone else add to this and fill in the gaps?
Thank you
Alex.
Kitsland Road shops as I remember them but I could do with anyone else that could put names to the shops. I grew up on berrowside road (adjoining Kitsland) and would visit the shops every Saturday. My step dad even worked in and took over the butchers (Barry Johns butchers) he was the John half
On one side there was:
A bookies
Another shop which name evades me (on the end)
The Wool Shop - called Joyce's (I knew the family)
Browns Discount - was Liptons? (would sell random homewares & toys)
The Greengrocers
Barry johns Butchers - Not sure it was always called this but a really close family friend called 'Dave' was the butcher there for many years before moving to another shop in Shard End Crescent
Another shop which later become a chip shop then the lucky house chinese (which moved to lea village and is still there!) EDIT - I've been told this was a Bakery
An off license on the end
On the other side of the road (and still there)
Hair dressers
Co-Op (this shop became a Mace and bought the shop next door and expanded)
Another shop - this was the one that the mace expanded in to - I have no idea what it was
The Newsagents (now and off license)
The record/odd bits shop
The barbers (Trevors - was it Georges before? Believe it or not he is still there and it still looks exactly the same inside, he must be about 70 now and only opens for a few hours a week)
Can anyone else add to this and fill in the gaps?
Thank you
Alex.
Claribel
master brummie
I remember in 1966 When I was a coach driver with Claribel Coaches (The original not the bus company) Picking up the group and some of their supporters from the Custard House in Blake Lane and taking them to the Anvil pub Sutton Coldfield and then a few weeks later I took them to the Adelphi ballroom in West Bromwich for a competition.
Peter.Deakins
New Member
I was involved in the construction of these flats in 1954, 5, and would like to obtain photos please if possible.
Thanks
Thanks
peggygirl
proper brummie kid
hello Alex, The one shop we visited a lot was Reilly's the grocers, next to the wool shop. They sold loose butter that had to be patted up & wrapped in grease proof paper.
We lived in the flats at the bottom of the grove in Hall Hays, we were one of the first families in there abt 1955, it was a lovely estate up until the 80's. My sisters & myself all went too Hillstone Infants & Juniors & then onto Longmeadow Secondry Modern for girls.
Lipton's was down on the Heathway as my aunt worked there.
The 55 bus terminus was next to an old Army camp that was derelict at the time, so coming back from Alum Rock (early days) we disembarked there & walked down Kitsland to get to Hall Hays.
people were talking of pubs as well, but The Raven wasn't mentioned, that was my grandad's local. Does anyone remember Roland O'Neill?
We remember the Austrailian flats been built, we used to play on the site, lost many a shoe in the mud ha!
Sorry can't help with anymore details
Jeanette
We lived in the flats at the bottom of the grove in Hall Hays, we were one of the first families in there abt 1955, it was a lovely estate up until the 80's. My sisters & myself all went too Hillstone Infants & Juniors & then onto Longmeadow Secondry Modern for girls.
Lipton's was down on the Heathway as my aunt worked there.
The 55 bus terminus was next to an old Army camp that was derelict at the time, so coming back from Alum Rock (early days) we disembarked there & walked down Kitsland to get to Hall Hays.
people were talking of pubs as well, but The Raven wasn't mentioned, that was my grandad's local. Does anyone remember Roland O'Neill?
We remember the Austrailian flats been built, we used to play on the site, lost many a shoe in the mud ha!
Sorry can't help with anymore details
Jeanette
Thosewerethedays
New Member
Thosewerethedays
New Member
Paul Stoker
New Member
I just came across the forum when i was checking to see if there was any pictures of the flats i live in when i was young fella.
The block i live in was call Fremantle House. I lived there from 1970 until 1973 when we moved to Bradley Road Shard End.
My mother Rose (a Scot) was a bar maid in the Two Hands pub and my father Ralph was never out of that pub. At the time the two Hands was run by Larry and Barbs who later moved on to New Zealand.
Funny i now live in Australia and have done for some 26 years and when i think back to those days and all the place names that come to mind are all from here in Oz.
I do have a few photos of myself outside Fremantle House (black & white) so when i get back to the UK in July i will find them and post them up.
Regards
Paul Stoker
The block i live in was call Fremantle House. I lived there from 1970 until 1973 when we moved to Bradley Road Shard End.
My mother Rose (a Scot) was a bar maid in the Two Hands pub and my father Ralph was never out of that pub. At the time the two Hands was run by Larry and Barbs who later moved on to New Zealand.
Funny i now live in Australia and have done for some 26 years and when i think back to those days and all the place names that come to mind are all from here in Oz.
I do have a few photos of myself outside Fremantle House (black & white) so when i get back to the UK in July i will find them and post them up.
Regards
Paul Stoker
terryb18
Gone but not forgotten R.I.P.
Hi Paul, I also lived in Fremantle at No 31. We moved there 1958 and I left in 1969 when I got married although my parents lived there almost up until they were demolished. I was a regular in the Two Hands around that time and I remember Larry and his wife. I don't recognise your dads name though, but I may have known him to say hello to.
Here is a pic of the view from my bedroom window, sometime in the mid 60's.
Here is a pic of the view from my bedroom window, sometime in the mid 60's.
Attachments
canberra pete
New Member
As I recall, on one side there was originally a clothes shop ( I have a very vague and possibly imperfect memory that it was called 'Shirleys')Just to reserect this thread from the dead...........
Kitsland Road shops as I remember them but I could do with anyone else that could put names to the shops. I grew up on berrowside road (adjoining Kitsland) and would visit the shops every Saturday. My step dad even worked in and took over the butchers (Barry Johns butchers) he was the John half
On one side there was:
A bookies
Another shop which name evades me (on the end)
The Wool Shop - called Joyce's (I knew the family)
Browns Discount - was Liptons? (would sell random homewares & toys)
The Greengrocers
Barry johns Butchers - Not sure it was always called this but a really close family friend called 'Dave' was the butcher there for many years before moving to another shop in Shard End Crescent
Another shop which later become a chip shop then the lucky house chinese (which moved to lea village and is still there!) EDIT - I've been told this was a Bakery
An off license on the end
On the other side of the road (and still there)
Hair dressers
Co-Op (this shop became a Mace and bought the shop next door and expanded)
Another shop - this was the one that the mace expanded in to - I have no idea what it was
The Newsagents (now and off license)
The record/odd bits shop
The barbers (Trevors - was it Georges before? Believe it or not he is still there and it still looks exactly the same inside, he must be about 70 now and only opens for a few hours a week)
Can anyone else add to this and fill in the gaps?
Thank you
Alex.
Next door was the chemist. 'Tilley Daniels'. The grocery store was called 'Reillys', the greengrocers was 'Sharrads'. I remember the wool shop and butchers but not the names, followed by the off licence.
The barbers on the other side was 'Georges' run by George Gibbs. The record/toy shop, the newsagents which became 'Dillons' (I was a paperboy there for a couple of years and still remember the weight of 72 evening mails in a canvas bag). Lastly the (small by todays standards) supermarket. I can't remember if it started as a co-op or not. Happy days.
Richard Dye
master brummie
Pete, welcome to the Forum, a great place, enjoy!
Thank you. That’s amazing
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
welcome
Hi Bob..if my memories serves me right...i think the toyshop was called Playtime and the proprietor was a tall slim balding chap always friendly and smiling.
I lived opposite the flats from when they were built till 1965ish. I remember the flats being built. It was another piece of land that we lost to 'the builders'. I lived at 16 Berrowside Road. It was an end terrace. As you looked at the front of the house the was an open field to the right. There was also an open field to the back of the house. The Two Hands pub was built later and more houses were built next to us. Here is a picture of me at our gate with the land where the flats were built in the background.
Attachments
AMillionMiles
New Member
Hello folks.
I found this thread on this forum as I was Googling Berrowside Road to see if there were any photos online from this area of Shard End back in the day. I've really enjoyed reading peoples accounts and memories of the area as well as looking at the photos people have kindly shared.
I used to live in Melbourne House from 1985 (aged 9) up until March/April/May(ish) 1997 (aged 21). Prior to 1985 I lived in Ward End just around St Margarets church. From 1997 to 2004 I lived in Lea Hall. I now live in Hampshire.
In my time period of living on Berrowside I remember the papershop being Dillons, where I had a paper round aged 13 for about 1 year. I remember I got paid £9.50 per week. I remember that as I always got a 5 pound note and some coins and always used to think "why not round it up to a tenner, the tight sod".
I remember the off licence which had a small corner section of videos to rent (I think it was 50p-£1 per night per VHS). Brownie points to anyone who remembers the top shelf behind the counter that had a Coke bottle that was all waped and melted into a funky shape (very Dali-esque).
I used to get my hair cut at Trevors after school every few weeks and the queue was always long. Trevor was a nice gent and I recall it being closed for several weeks when his wife sadly passed away, I felt really bad for him.
In 1993 I got my ears pearced in the ladies hair salon on the corner (which I think is a pizza place now). Someone told me at the time that one of the ladies who worked there (or possibly owned it) was in a band called Fuzzbox who had a track in the charts called Pink Sunshine. Not sure how true that was, but i'd love some clarification on that if anyone knows.
The main supermarket in the 1980's was called O.M.Superstore owned by a really nice asian couple. Something tells me it might've been a Spar supermarket prior or after O.M, but I could be wrong on that bit of info (i'm now an old fart and my memory is not quite as sharp as it once was).
The brick and brack shop on the opposite side of the road was owned by a family called the Browns. I bought all sorts of items in there, it was a bit of an Aladins cave.
I also remember the little narrow alleyway between Kitsland Road and Budbrook Grove. Since 1997 I visited the area back in Feb this year (2025) for nostalgia purposes and that alleyway is completely bloked off now. It was a very sketchy alleyway when it was dark so I assume this is why it was blocked off.
Another memory of those 6 blocks of flats was the unofficial 7th floor. You had to get out the lift on the 6th floor, turn right onto the stairs that then lead you upto a door for the roof. I used to wag school and sit up their smoking fags and reading a book (it was dry when bunking off school during the rain). That would've been 1991-1992.
I never entered the Two Hands pub, but I remember watching the bonfire and fireworks they used to put on most years. Bloody noisey, but it was only 1 night of the year.
One thing I was always curious about was the fact that in the early or mid 90's the council replaced all the white balcolny railings with a concrete walls instead, yet only a short few years after they demolished the blocks. I never understood why they did that as the railings were always solid and not what I would class as a health & safety issue (if that was the case). If anyone knows why they did that (at a massive cost I assume) only to knock them down then please share your thoughts.
Living in the block wasn't too bad, I liked the views, the central heating system was half decent and never failed. The 2 bedrooms and living room were a decent size, although the kitchen was tiny and had big black meters that took 50p to top-up. You could tell the age of the blocks though as the kitchen had a lada (before fridges were the norm for everyone). The intercoms were a nightmare and rarely ever worked, but that might've just been our flat.
I remember Longmeadow fields as well as Longmeadow school and when that got demolished.
In my nostalgic visit back in Feb this year I wondered around Yorks Wood as well as Babbs Mill park and Shard End Park. When did they get rid of the boating building at the edge of Babbs Mill lake? I'm surprised that was demolished as I remember seeing people use it on weekends.
I also recall that behind Maitland House there was a stone/brick play feature that my mates and I used to called the Egg and Spoon. Does anyone remember that?
Not all the memories were pleasant though. In my old block (Melbourne) there were a couple of really nice old ladies that lived in a couple of the flats that got mugged and beaten up. That really saddened me at the time, and still does now if i'm being honest. I couldn't speak for the other blocks of flats, but you'd have to assume it happened more than in just my block on those two occassions. I remember that Brisbane House always used to have trouble and many times I saw police vehicles parked outside that block.
I've uploaded/attached a couple of photo's of the flats. The first photo is the front of Melbourne House from 1986. And the second photo is from the third floor front balcolny looking towards Maitland House on the right with Sydney House in the background. I'm sure my Mom has a few more photos of the area so i'll get copies of these next time I visit Brum later in the year and upload them in a new post in this thread.
Well i've waffled on enough for now. I hope you enjoy the photo's and that i've stirred up a few more memories for people. Thank you to those who have posted in here, it's been a great read. I'll be back when I find a few more photos to post up.
I found this thread on this forum as I was Googling Berrowside Road to see if there were any photos online from this area of Shard End back in the day. I've really enjoyed reading peoples accounts and memories of the area as well as looking at the photos people have kindly shared.
I used to live in Melbourne House from 1985 (aged 9) up until March/April/May(ish) 1997 (aged 21). Prior to 1985 I lived in Ward End just around St Margarets church. From 1997 to 2004 I lived in Lea Hall. I now live in Hampshire.
In my time period of living on Berrowside I remember the papershop being Dillons, where I had a paper round aged 13 for about 1 year. I remember I got paid £9.50 per week. I remember that as I always got a 5 pound note and some coins and always used to think "why not round it up to a tenner, the tight sod".
I remember the off licence which had a small corner section of videos to rent (I think it was 50p-£1 per night per VHS). Brownie points to anyone who remembers the top shelf behind the counter that had a Coke bottle that was all waped and melted into a funky shape (very Dali-esque).
I used to get my hair cut at Trevors after school every few weeks and the queue was always long. Trevor was a nice gent and I recall it being closed for several weeks when his wife sadly passed away, I felt really bad for him.
In 1993 I got my ears pearced in the ladies hair salon on the corner (which I think is a pizza place now). Someone told me at the time that one of the ladies who worked there (or possibly owned it) was in a band called Fuzzbox who had a track in the charts called Pink Sunshine. Not sure how true that was, but i'd love some clarification on that if anyone knows.
The main supermarket in the 1980's was called O.M.Superstore owned by a really nice asian couple. Something tells me it might've been a Spar supermarket prior or after O.M, but I could be wrong on that bit of info (i'm now an old fart and my memory is not quite as sharp as it once was).
The brick and brack shop on the opposite side of the road was owned by a family called the Browns. I bought all sorts of items in there, it was a bit of an Aladins cave.
I also remember the little narrow alleyway between Kitsland Road and Budbrook Grove. Since 1997 I visited the area back in Feb this year (2025) for nostalgia purposes and that alleyway is completely bloked off now. It was a very sketchy alleyway when it was dark so I assume this is why it was blocked off.
Another memory of those 6 blocks of flats was the unofficial 7th floor. You had to get out the lift on the 6th floor, turn right onto the stairs that then lead you upto a door for the roof. I used to wag school and sit up their smoking fags and reading a book (it was dry when bunking off school during the rain). That would've been 1991-1992.
I never entered the Two Hands pub, but I remember watching the bonfire and fireworks they used to put on most years. Bloody noisey, but it was only 1 night of the year.
One thing I was always curious about was the fact that in the early or mid 90's the council replaced all the white balcolny railings with a concrete walls instead, yet only a short few years after they demolished the blocks. I never understood why they did that as the railings were always solid and not what I would class as a health & safety issue (if that was the case). If anyone knows why they did that (at a massive cost I assume) only to knock them down then please share your thoughts.
Living in the block wasn't too bad, I liked the views, the central heating system was half decent and never failed. The 2 bedrooms and living room were a decent size, although the kitchen was tiny and had big black meters that took 50p to top-up. You could tell the age of the blocks though as the kitchen had a lada (before fridges were the norm for everyone). The intercoms were a nightmare and rarely ever worked, but that might've just been our flat.
I remember Longmeadow fields as well as Longmeadow school and when that got demolished.
In my nostalgic visit back in Feb this year I wondered around Yorks Wood as well as Babbs Mill park and Shard End Park. When did they get rid of the boating building at the edge of Babbs Mill lake? I'm surprised that was demolished as I remember seeing people use it on weekends.
I also recall that behind Maitland House there was a stone/brick play feature that my mates and I used to called the Egg and Spoon. Does anyone remember that?
Not all the memories were pleasant though. In my old block (Melbourne) there were a couple of really nice old ladies that lived in a couple of the flats that got mugged and beaten up. That really saddened me at the time, and still does now if i'm being honest. I couldn't speak for the other blocks of flats, but you'd have to assume it happened more than in just my block on those two occassions. I remember that Brisbane House always used to have trouble and many times I saw police vehicles parked outside that block.
I've uploaded/attached a couple of photo's of the flats. The first photo is the front of Melbourne House from 1986. And the second photo is from the third floor front balcolny looking towards Maitland House on the right with Sydney House in the background. I'm sure my Mom has a few more photos of the area so i'll get copies of these next time I visit Brum later in the year and upload them in a new post in this thread.
Well i've waffled on enough for now. I hope you enjoy the photo's and that i've stirred up a few more memories for people. Thank you to those who have posted in here, it's been a great read. I'll be back when I find a few more photos to post up.
Attachments
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