Sheldon

[devonjim]

In 1968 there was a jewellery shop "Frank Sanders" in the shops opposite the Wheatsheaf I remember because I bought my wife's wedding ring there.

 

[Elmdon Boy]

mbenne ,I think the H G Turners that I used to go in for my rabbits bran and oats was where you say it was by the now PDSA charity shop. This would have been 1960 to 1964 ish.
Yes I remember the willow trees by the Arden Oak pub next to the Hatchford brook, but there were willow trees also by Shakespears right by the traffic lights, junction of Sheaf Lane, Hobs Moat Rd and Coventry Rd, 1959 to probably late 60s, not sure when it was all ripped up to make way for road widening Yes I remember the horse chestnut trees running along the divider between the service road and the main road.. Conkering in the autumn. Halfords and Wrensons supermarket also in this parade of shops.
I remember the Ablesons plant hire yard, as I only lived at the back of this yard just off Old Lode Lane in Jillcot Road, I remember they had an outside tannoy system, during the weekdays when on school hols you could hear the call, "Calling Mr *******, Calling Mr *******, always called the name twice.
Also that barbers shop you mention in the precinct, I remember going there in the early 60s, not to much off the hair was required in those days to be fashionable, Beatles, Rolling Stones days about 1964. My school friend said, if you go there they don't take to much off. Came out like a freshly sheared lamb, and took loads of stick at school.
My Mum said it looked nice, that was enough for me to know it looked awful.
Never went back!

 

[mbenne]

Eldom B0y, I lived in Goldthorne Avenue way back 1935 t0 1939, my Father worked for Bryant's who built Eldom airport during that time. We used to play by those willow trees, I think that area was known locally as Tigers Island, I don't know why, I may have gone t to school with a lad who lived at Shakespeare's newsagent (could be wrong, it's a long time ago) and my Mother worked at the Wheasheaf pub for a short time. Also remember Turners, we used to obtain our chicken food from there for our few chickens we had in the back garden. Eric

mbenne ,I think the H G Turners that I used to go in for my rabbits bran and oats was where you say it was by the now PDSA charity shop. This would have been 1960 to 1964 ish.
Yes I remember the willow trees by the Arden Oak pub next to the Hatchford brook, but there were willow trees also by Shakespears right by the traffic lights, junction of Sheaf Lane, Hobs Moat Rd and Coventry Rd, 1959 to probably late 60s, not sure when it was all ripped up to make way for road widening Yes I remember the horse chestnut trees running along the divider between the service road and the main road.. Conkering in the autumn. Halfords and Wrensons supermarket also in this parade of shops.
I remember the Ablesons plant hire yard, as I only lived at the back of this yard just off Old Lode Lane in Jillcot Road, I remember they had an outside tannoy system, during the weekdays when on school hols you could hear the call, "Calling Mr *******, Calling Mr *******, always called the name twice.
Also that barbers shop you mention in the precinct, I remember going there in the early 60s, not to much off the hair was required in those days to be fashionable, Beatles, Rolling Stones days about 1964. My school friend said, if you go there they don't take to much off. Came out like a freshly sheared lamb, and took loads of stick at school.
My Mum said it looked nice, that was enough for me to know it looked awful.
Never went back!

A lad I knew from school worked at Abelson plant for a short time and one of his jobs was to climb the rigging on the cranes and oil the pullies.

 

[mbenne]

I should remember this but I don't. As far as I know the site was where St Thomas Moore's church is? The trouble with a changing environment is that you take whats there for granted until its gone. Then when you realise you can't remember what was there before. A lot of the changes in Sheldon were like that for me e.g. the Wheatsheaf crossing before that monstrous underpass was built

 

[mbenne]

One of the few rural bits of Sheldon left when I started school was Lower Barn farm which could be seen from the playground of Mapledene Road school. There never seemed to be much activity there except for the odd car traveling along a long dirt track which ran from the cottages at Tigers Island to the farm itself . I was about 7 years old when I and a couple of mates decided to make an unofficial visit one weekend. Again the farm seemed deserted until an Alsatian dog ran out of an open door. I was petrified and took a long dive into some hay in a nearby barn. The dog caught me in mid flight and tore the pocket off my school blazer. Having caught me it lost interest and settled for being patted and stroked. Dread to think what could have happened.

We made another visit a couple of years later when it was due for demolition and tried to make a den in the roof space of the house, taking great pains to refit many of the roof tiles that had been removed. We made several visits until one day we found that it had been partly demolished, great mounds of bricks, collapsed walls and big oak beams pointing skywards, so we stopped going. Later we heard that a local lad was killed by falling debris. Soon after it was demolished completely and the land was swallowed up by Hatchford Brook golf course. I'd love to see a photograph of it but all I canfind is a pencil drawing sketch held by Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery...........

The picture is as I remember it and this view would have been facing out towards the brook and the school. The outbuilding to which I refer was to the far right of the drawing.

I was keen to know who had lived there before but it doesn't appear to be listed in the 1891 Census - I can find Elmdon hall and Elmdon Farm in that area but nothing for the Lower Barn - unless it wasn't named correctly or missed from the census completely.

 

[devonjim]

I should remember this but I don't. As far as I know the site was where St Thomas Moore's church is? The trouble with a changing environment is that you take whats there for granted until its gone. Then when you realise you can't remember what was there before. A lot of the changes in Sheldon were like that for me e.g. the Wheatsheaf crossing before that monstrous underpass was built

Too true! I have the advantage that I have moved away and expect things to be as they were when I left. I have attached a map that shows "The Moat House" as opposite Cranes Park. I hope this helps.

 

[mbenne]

View attachment 120776
Too true! I have the advantage that I have moved away and expect things to be as they were when I left. I have attached a map that shows "The Moat House" as opposite Cranes Park. I hope this helps.

Thanks. I always thought it was where the church is

 

[oldbrit]

I remember a fish and chip shop around there?

 

[mbenne]

I remember a fish and chip shop around there?

Hi oldbrit - depends which part of Sheldon you are thinking of as there have been 4 as far as I know - the March Hare which opened in the late 60s and was in Sheaf lane but has been an indian restaurant for over 30 years. There was one at the bottom end of Cranes Park Road next to what used to be Roseberys newsagent. This also opened in the late 60s and is still going. Then there was one at the top end of the road in what became Goodes newsagent. I dont actually remember this one and it certainly wasn't there in the late 50s. There was also a mobile fish and chip van which used to park on waste ground at the top of Cranes Park by the 60 terminus, before new houses were built in the mid 60s.

 

[robert]

Hi mbenne, Like you i dont remember the one at the top of Cranes Park rd (bus terminus) to young. The one at the bottom opened in the late 70s/early 80s . it was called Charlies Chicken bar due to the fact he couldnt get planing permision for a fish and chip shop, allthough he sold evey thing else but fish. He did later get full p/permision to sell fish.

 

[mbenne]

Hi Robert
Terrible with names but you reminded me of what it was called and I remember the fuss when it was first opening . I think the trouble was to do with residents not wanting the smell of fish wafting around which is probably why they couldn't get planning permission. Its now the Cranes Park Fish bar.

 

[badpenny]

The mobile chip van at the 60 bus terminus Cranes Park was run by Tony Collins, he lived on Mapledene Road.

 

[oldbrit]

Hi oldbrit - depends which part of Sheldon you are thinking of as there have been 4 as far as I know - the March Hare which opened in the late 60s and was in Sheaf lane but has been an indian restaurant for over 30 years. There was one at the bottom end of Cranes Park Road next to what used to be Roseberys newsagent. This also opened in the late 60s and is still going. Then there was one at the top end of the road in what became Goodes newsagent. I dont actually remember this one and it certainly wasn't there in the late 50s. There was also a mobile fish and chip van which used to park on waste ground at the top of Cranes Park by the 60 terminus, before new houses were built in the mid 60s.

The on Sheaf Lane this was in the 1950s then the other on the Cov rd before the island pass the cinema

 

[robert]

As mentioned The one on sheaf lane was the March Hare (supplied them with meat pies in the 60s) The one by the cinema was the seasprey

 

[oldbrit]

Thanks for the info, What are they now?

 

[robert]

The March Hare is an Indian restraunt Named the Easten Inn untill last year then changed its name to The Indian Kitchen. The Seasprey is now, im pretty sure is a chinese take-a-way.

 

[mbenne]

Shops at the bottom of Cranes Park Road, The shop in the centre is Woodroffs. Not sure when this was taken as I remember there being a milk vending machine outside. Never recall it working and don't know who owned it (Woodroffs?)- it just disappeared one day - does anyone remember it.

https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/who-laments-passing-of-old-milk-machine.html

The chemist was to the far left - not in view, the first port of call for collecting prescriptions after visiting Dr Awad's surgery at no. 27 across the road.

 

[mbenne]

A reminder of the shops on the Coventry Road before the road was widned - Mundays Toy shop can be seen on the far right - this became the Wing Wa Chinese restaurant and later became and indian restaurant. The fourth frontage from the right was the Post Office if I recall correctly. In later years this became the Balti Society? Most of the shops are now mainly serving food of some kind or other

 

[mbenne]

Its hard to think of Sheldon being a village these days as the views of the Smithy, across the Road from St Giles Church show in the before and after views below

 

[badpenny]

The house situated at the far side of the junction, (Horrell Road?), doesn't seemed to have changed very much.

 

[sheldontony]

Does anyone know when coventry road in post 378 was widened? I cant remember the trees outside the shops.

thanks

 

[mbenne]

Does anyone know when coventry road in post 378 was widened? I cant remember the trees outside the shops.

thanks

Hi Sheldontony , I don't know for definite as a lot of development just seemed to happen. However, re widening at the Wheatsheaf some of this must have occurred in the early 70s as I worked in offices across the road in 1972 and remember staff parking in the slip road under the trees. Around this time there was also a large grass embankment fronting the houses leading to the 58 terminus and this was all cut away too to widen the road. Have attached google image of where this occurred. The line of the wall on the carriageway shows the contour of the bank which sloped down the the right hand lane, which would have been the old Cov. Road. The whole restructuring must have been a gradual process as the underpass at the Wheatsheaf was done in the 60's. Also found another snippet showing the underpass by the Good Companions pub with quote.....''To get traffic moving on a new dual carriageway at Coventry Road, Yardley, sections of a pedestrian subway are being laid, 3rd October 1969''

Real good planning and a waste of money as this underpass and one that at the 58 boundary have both been filled in - progress in reverse!

 

[Elmdon Boy]

mbenne that modern day photo of the shop parade on the Coventry road today. Totally sole less, lifeless and depressing. What did they do, and all for the motor car. I'm sure this rant would apply to virtually everywhere.

 

[devonjim]

Also found another snippet showing the underpass by the Good Companions pub with quote.....''To get traffic moving on a new dual carriageway at Coventry Road, Yardley, sections of a pedestrian subway are being laid, 3rd October 1969''

Real good planning and a waste of money as this underpass and one that at the 58 boundary have both been filled in - progress in reverse!

Nice picture of Job's newsagents, not strictly "Sheldon" more Gilbertstone or S. Yardley.

 

[sheldontony]

That pic brings back memories, thanks.

 

[mbenne]

mbenne that modern day photo of the shop parade on the Coventry road today. Totally sole less, lifeless and depressing. What did they do, and all for the motor car. I'm sure this rant would apply to virtually everywhere.

Elmdonboy, the real irony of it all are the road changes that have been made to manage traffic and now cars are banned from towns and everywhere is being pedestrianised lol

 

[mbenne]

Nice picture of Job's newsagents, not strictly "Sheldon" more Gilbertstone or S. Yardley.

Agree but it was the only local pic I could find that placed a date on the Cov road widening. Would be good to find something on the Wheatsheaf though

 

[Astoness]

mbenne that modern day photo of the shop parade on the Coventry road today. Totally sole less, lifeless and depressing. What did they do, and all for the motor car. I'm sure this rant would apply to virtually everywhere.

it certainly does apply to nearly everywhere elmdon boy..i have said it many times on this forum

lyn

 

[pjmburns]

One of the few rural bits of Sheldon left when I started school was Lower Barn farm which could be seen from the playground of Mapledene Road school. There never seemed to be much activity there except for the odd car traveling along a long dirt track which ran from the cottages at Tigers Island to the farm itself . I was about 7 years old when I and a couple of mates decided to make an unofficial visit one weekend. Again the farm seemed deserted until an Alsatian dog ran out of an open door. I was petrified and took a long dive into some hay in a nearby barn. The dog caught me in mid flight and tore the pocket off my school blazer. Having caught me it lost interest and settled for being patted and stroked. Dread to think what could have happened.

We made another visit a couple of years later when it was due for demolition and tried to make a den in the roof space of the house, taking great pains to refit many of the roof tiles that had been removed. We made several visits until one day we found that it had been partly demolished, great mounds of bricks, collapsed walls and big oak beams pointing skywards, so we stopped going. Later we heard that a local lad was killed by falling debris. Soon after it was demolished completely and the land was swallowed up by Hatchford Brook golf course. I'd love to see a photograph of it but all I canfind is a pencil drawing sketch held by Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery...........

The picture is as I remember it and this view would have been facing out towards the brook and the school. The outbuilding to which I refer was to the far right of the drawing.

I was keen to know who had lived there before but it doesn't appear to be listed in the 1891 Census - I can find Elmdon hall and Elmdon Farm in that area but nothing for the Lower Barn - unless it wasn't named correctly or missed from the census completely.

I found it on the 1881 census; under Sheldon not Elmdon

 

[mbenne]

I found it on the 1881 census; under Sheldon not Elmdon

Thanks. Just wonder if the enumerator skipped this one in 1891 - it was a fair way off the Cov Road