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Smethwick

Ton UP boy
I knew all the magical men.Cox senior was a Charge hand,I worked under W Taylor,Des Barnes(known as bostic sandwich)George Axorn who
became blind, Biil? Hughes,he died while I was placed with him,Stan Burlison.Les Wilden(noder).Doug Barnes ended up runing the Transport
section ,Howard Cox moved to goods inwards.Ginger Leigh became a trade union officer and comitted suicide setting his car on fire.There
is also John Bowden who moved to Tame Bridge.Cyril Brown had a brother Gorden who was a top designer.When I was with Hughes we
built 1474's.
On another note I belong to Avery Retired Employees Association.We meet once a fortnight starting this year on 11th.Jan
at the old Nettlefolds sports ground in Thimblemill Rd,Smethwick.There are about 50 to 60 of us a mixture of office and shop floor
all in 70s or 80s.we have a program Quiz Medleys,in dor Golf,Quoits,Skittles ,Lecture usually with a slide show..
Regards
John Hughes
 
50s BUSES IN SMETHWICK
Does anyone remember the little single decker bus that used to run between Shireland Road, on the boundary with Birmingham, and West Bromwich?
It belonged to West Bromwich Council, I think. It went past Victoria Park, the Council House, up Oldbury Road, over Galton Bridge to W.B. Light blue? Rickety, but nippy.....
 
Re: Smethwick Council House Landmine

My aunt Joan and grandfather Frederick Weaver were on duty at the Council House that night. I was told that all the young men who had been eyed up by the girls in the past were forgotten, and the girls suddenly became more interested in the reassuring calm of my grandfather while the land mine swung from the lines.

A copy of the letter sent to Edmund Charnock the Mayor of Smethwick informing him that the bravery of the staff who remained at their posts had been mentioned by Herbert Morrison to His Majesty the King who gave orders for the publication of his name in the London Gazette as representing those who rendered service on that night.
View attachment 63328
Dragon
 
I remember waiting for this bus at the very end of Shireland Road where it becomes Portland Road, outside the hairdressers and a greengrocers which I think was called Barretts. It was the 252 and my mother and I caught it most Saturdays to visit her twin brother who lived off the Newton Road at Great Barr. I seem to remember catching another bus to take us on the second leg of our journey from West Brom past Hallam Hospital down the Newton Road to the Malt Shovel where we got off to go to Pear Tree Drive.

Uncle Charles brought us back in his bright orange Derwent Television van at night when it was dark - very exciting going down Forge Lane and the back of Smethwick in the dark with the van lights picking out the trees and then the houses on the way.

Happy days.

Dragon
 
Smethwick Striver said:
50s BUSES IN SMETHWICK
Does anyone remember the little single decker bus that used to run between Shireland Road, on the boundary with Birmingham, and West Bromwich?
It belonged to West Bromwich Council, I think. It went past Victoria Park, the Council House, up Oldbury Road, over Galton Bridge to W.B. Light blue? Rickety, but nippy.....
Click to expand...

Yes, the terminus was outside the next door shop to my Uncle Holly's drapery shop, (his full name was Holford Edison Penfold) and as a youngster I used to watch these two-tone blue, and cream single deckers with a peculiar rear entrance (quite common in Scotland, apparently - so called a Scottish Entrance!).
One is nearing the end of a lengthy restoration by it's enthusiast owners, and should be back on the road later this year.
 
Re: Smethwick Council House Landmine

Thanks, Dragon! Glad you showed us that letter. What sacrifices our parents' generation made, eh? If my parents were here today, would they have thought they were worthwhile? But that is another story.

And the 252 to West Brom - of course. At the top of Shireland Road there used to be a milk bar, on the right, THE thing of the 50s.
As you say, happy days.
 
I lived in Smethwick during my teens (1959). My parents owned the grocery shop in Brasshouse Lane, next door was Jessons the sweet shop and the other side of us was the wool shop. There was also the old Beacon cinema next door but one. On a saturday afternoon my friends and I would join the happy band of Baggies fans to walk up to the football ground, rattles in hand and scarves and hats on. No violence then, just a few fans going to watch our boys play. In fact I went out for a while with a group of young footballers from the youth team. We used to go ballroom dancing ( they would love me for saying so). I met my husband to be at Springhill Ice Skating, and he lived in Rolfe Street. His mother had a wholesale food warehouse. Saturday evening we used to go to the Princes Hall Picture House on the High Street and have chips out of newspaper on the way home. My first job at 17 was as shorthand typist at Pneulecs in Mafeking Road. We used to go up Cape Hill to the market for bargains. We didn't live in Smethwick for long before moving to Great Barr, but they were happy impressionable days and I have fond memories.
 
born smethwick 1949 poplar st off windmill lane gran aunts uncles lived in lower cross st others lived in molliet st dad worked at birmid mom worked for gkn, me I owned the little red bus co in rabone lane one thing I can remember is our address 4 poplar st smethwick 40 staffs
 
sorry mike if you Q is addressed to me I not sure I understand , if you mean what part of rabone lane ...... our garage was on the corner of rabone lane and engine st we also had a warehouse and yard in middlemore rd.
 
Things I remember about smerick and companies even if they only moved to the area after starting somewhere else.poplar st, windmill lane, six ways, soho st, Geoges ironmongers corner poplar st windmill lane the greengrocers next door a alley way where billy mullins parked his lorry adodge kew tipper painted in dunlop colours this was also the rear entrance to st mathews school I went to st mathews till I was 11 lets walk round st mathews road the school is on our left oposite a wall of blue brick with a gate in it behind the wall st mathews church and a large garden for want of a better description, we walk further and on our left is upper grove st the road bears right now and at the end we come to woodland st we turn right here to raglan rd if we go left we would come to M&B brewery on the left we would have past the house that billy savage lived in he was a friend of my fathers and his photo hung in woodland st club for many years. But we will turn right instead and walk up raglan rd on our left we have Nashs coaches out side is parked a couple of his commer two stroke coaches inide a bedford ob and a few half cab leylands.On the opposite side of the road we have the doctors surgery we now come to the junction with windmill lane on our left a factory cant rememeber what they make on our right the police station theres a pub opposite cant rember its name on the other corner is what used to be a brewery they are building flats now I can see the pile driver funny how you see the big block drop and after what seems an age you hear the bang I turn right here to go home as I walk along I can see on my left the new shopping precint being built turn into poplar st now past the blue police box I just pop into Adams shop for a kayli dip got to go now mom will be waiting for me have my tea ready think its my favorite fish with mash peas and parsley sauce perhaps we will take another stroll round smethwick and I will show you a bit more unless of course Ive bored you to death
ron
 
From what I can gather my whole CRUMP family started at 107 Cheshire Rd. Smethwick, My Grandfather William Crump worked for years at the Carriage works also his brother. They left for the USA in the late 1800s and did not like it there and came back. I would be very interested in any info that anyone has on the CRUMP family. John Crump oldBrit in Parker, Co USA PS Use to walk down Cheshire Rd to the park o Sundays, real nice palce
 
Hi mike I cannot remember the exact part I notice that my cousin (pamhol) has a thread further back so it would be that the shop was in brasshouse lane and Mike Holland her future husband lived in rolf street, her husbands family were big smethwick people his brother had a scrap yard for years hollands scrap, and his mom had a wholesale food distributors also in rolf street.
thanks paul
 
I pass The Red Cow on my way to work in the building in Middlemore Road where the old locomotives used to be made

Martina x
 
I amy trying to find about my rels, All lived at one time 107 Cheshire Rd, Grandad Will worked at the Brum Carriage works for years, The whole family went to the USA in the early 1900s Grandad came back with his bro a deaf mute who worked with Grandad at the Carriage works, any suggestions how I can out more about them, John Crump Parker Colorado USA
 
My Granparents lived on Cheshire Rd round the corner on the photo to the right, use to walk down to the park on Sundays. Is it still there with the City buildings on the left on the first photo? John Crump OldBrit Parker. Co USA
 
View attachment 68024I have had this photo on the snaps part of Webring to have the place identified. The clever folks on here tell me it is Portland Garage, Corbett St, Smetthwick. We wonder if the occasion was a carnival to celebrate the end of WW!. Any ideas?
 
ASTONITE said:
View attachment 62469Here are a couple of photos to get the ball rolling!View attachment 62468
Click to expand...
The first photo I THINK! My Grand parents house was up Cheshire Rd that is the street around the corner on right, On Sundays we all would go walk around and play in The park past the buildings on the left in the photo, Photo must have been taken in late 40s by the car and the tram. John Crump oldBrit in Parker, Colorado USA
 
Zumfan said:
View attachment 68024I have had this photo on the snaps part of Webring to have the place identified. The clever folks on here tell me it is Portland Garage, Corbett St, Smetthwick. We wonder if the occasion was a carnival to celebrate the end of WW!. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
NAW! Thats the movie crew for The Pirates movie on telly to night! John Crump oldBrit, Parker. Co USA
 
smeffik boys like me recall foster bros up cape hill,major nicholls bikes when it was down the grove,the old picture house,cape of good hope dudley arms,engine etc all around cape hill,ionic,mansells,barclays up cape hill on the left by monument rd,the 82 bus to bearwood,when windmill lane had 2 markets,bill and den the seafood men,tandy electricals,lloyds bank on the corner and so on,the real heart of smethwick was cape hill,never mind what anyone else tells ya
 
My project to photograph the listed buildings in Smethwick is nearing completion, with final images to be completed in the next few weeks when the final location has been photographed. Some images are on my site now, and I'm currently preparing for an exhibition and book to be available when complete. Sample pages can be viewed my site and you can register for updates and pre-order a copy too.

https://www.kdharrison.co.uk/photo_8196176.html#photos_id=8196176
 
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