• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Smethwick

I worked in the office of hopes heating from 1954 to 1955 I worked in the typing pool with mrs berry
I remember the canteen meals they had syrup sponge neatly every day, I couldn't resist it.
Valerieexbrimmie
 
Smethwick Striver said:
Does anyone remember the Radio Rentals control room next to the bus-stop in Waterloo Road, Smethwick? It was the earliest form of cable, I suppose. A bloke sitting on public display, operating the dials, would pump out the programmes for the town.
Other places at the top of Cape Hill - Marsh and Baxters, with sawdust on the floor, Wrensons (posh) and Fosters, or its predecessor, with those wired cash canisters zooming around the ceiling.
Click to expand...

I do indeed remember the Radio Rentals control room and Marsh and Baxters (complete with sawdust) where my mom used to get her meat, Wrensons,
George Mason (had a lovely welsh lad as a boyfriend who worked there). I lived in Woodlands St opposite Charles Carr (foundry) - anyone remember that? Also I remember Rowleys grocers just diagonally opposite where I lived. I went to school at Shireland Rd for girls. I also remember shoe shops in Spring Hill and so many other shops - the names of which now escape me. Also the Gaumont Cinema - which was quite expensive compared to others in the area. The Smethwick markets were always an exciting place to shop with Teddy Carr's seafood always a favourite.
 
Post removed as the person it was addressed to is no longer a member of the forum and they last posted January 25th, 2011.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I don't remember Teddy Carr seafood but did you mean "Bill & Den the Shellfish Men"?! Dennis is still around doing voluntary work at City Hospital although his health is not good.
Teddy Gray was the sweet stall, my favourite!!
rosie.
 
rosie said:
I don't remember Teddy Carr seafood but did you mean "Bill & Den the Shellfish Men"?! Dennis is still around doing voluntary work at City Hospital although his health is not good.
Teddy Gray was the sweet stall, my favourite!!
rosie.
Click to expand...




Hi Rosie. Yes - you are quite correct about Teddy Gray being the sweet stall guy. I had got a little confused with who was who, but then having been away from Smethwick for 45 yrs the memory can sometimes play little tricks. Thanks again for the memory jog. I seem to remember my mom getting green shield stamps from one or two of the shops and also something similar from the co-op. There was also a school clinic located on the corner of Raglan Rd and Durban Rd where I used to visit the school dentist etc. and also (if my memory serves me well) a music shop selling LPs and 45s about halfway down Windmill Lane on the right hand side.

(Newfoundland)
 
An update on some Smethwick and Bearwood Pubs,
Two Brewers has been demolished and redeveloped,
Londonderry demolished for redevelopment,
Queens Head damaged by arson,
Thimblemill derelict.
Red Cow refurbished.
No news yet about the Waterloo.
A new Pub has opened on Bearwood Rd. in an old Bank building, it's for "real beer".
rosie.
 
There is an article in the local paper saying the Thimblemill is to be demolished to make way for a Care Home. I imagine there are a few that would prefer to leave the Pub and build the Care Home around it..perfect retirement!
rosie.
 
Most. Certainly Rosie because it is known drug dealers den and notorious characters who frequent the pub
From almost every where in brum and I can tell you even out side brum do
For many years back I can recall the pub it was well known in thimble lane for the crimms and stolen goods then years later
The druggs came and stayed and as time went on it was the harder druggs that came in
It took over where the pub on dudley road was finally closed down along with a lot of the shabeen houses was cleared out of the house
Where these supplyers was operating from and certain shops these people have long gone since the 70,
Early years of the fortys and fifties it was a nice area but towards the end and early sixties that's when it slowly started to change
I knew that area very well indeed right from there right up and through Winson green
So the care home should be better for it the thimble was known through the pub trade to managers as a chequered history pub
And the brewery as I was part of the team best wishes Alan,, astonian,,,,
 
jonathan2 said:
The 'Waterloo' .....Bobby Fields ran it for a while bless him. Public conveniences in Windmill Lane, pock marks visible from the bullets of the German plane that straffed the lane and killed a young chap outside the toilets. Anyone know his name? Dad told me about it as a kid, seems they thought the market was a small factory too and tried to bomb it. A rogue lone aircraft it seems....anyone know any more?
Click to expand...

I know that this is an old thread, but I've just come across it. I am Smethwick 41 as well, Devonshire Rd with grandparents in Bowden and Dibble Road. I remember the chip shop in Silverton Road, cooking with beef dripping over a coal fired range. I remember the little row of shops down past St Alban's Church: was the first one Butterly? Then it was Norris the butcher, Jochins the chemist, Harrods, yes Harrods, a grocer, then a Mr Round the green grocer and the Bray and Bailey, another grocer.
My schools were Devonshire Road infants, George Betts, in its second year of being open, and then Holly Lodge.
But what drew me to this thread was The Waterloo at Cape Hill; it sold at auction a couple of years ago, but is it still empty? What a gem of Victorian design that pub was, especially the downstairs grill bar.
 
Yes it's still empty Fabian! It's getting worse as time goes on and the refurbishment hasn't happened yet.
The Thimblemill is being taken down gradually though.
rosie.
 
Another update! The Thimblemill has now completely gone. The Queen's Head which had a fire is still empty and will probably be demolished for housing. also the Waterloo is still the same.
rosie.
 
On post #107 there is a photo of the toilet block on Windmill Lane which had a row of bullet holes in the wall from the War. I went past today and it has been demolished in the last few days.
rosie.
 
I know this thread has not been used for a while, but I'm hoping someone might know something about a Galton Bridge House in Smethwick? References to the house and to titled people living there (John Freeth Es. died in 1855) are in the newspapers eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Not sure when it might have gone or what it might be now if it is still around. I'm hoping it was next to the actual bridge itself, but cannot access the old maps for a while. Any leads would be much appreciated. Thanks.
 
Been Googling a bit more, and chances are this might have been Galton House/Hall on Roebuck Lane? The House was apparently made by 1790, demolished in 1916, and appears to have been between the Old and Main Lines. ...
 
Update about the Queens Head, it's currently being refurbished to become a vets, I'm currently waiting for it to open to register my dog and cat there as it's not far from where I live.

I'm a Smethwick babby as well, my memories of it are from the '70's when I lived in Dibble Road just off the High Street. Both sides of the High Street were still there then and some of he shops and pubs I remember are:-
Rudds wallpaper shop, the second hand shop run by Billy?, The Crown pub, my granddad and dad's second home! Didn't like walking past the Crown though because of the funeral directors next door, the newsagent, Matty's chippy, Woolies, Dillons newsagents, The Red Fort and The George pub by the steps, the British Relay, Tescos on the corner of Ford Street, Welch & Rayner's on the corner of the High Street and Rolfe Street next to the station.

I now live about 5 minutes walk from where I grew up.
 
Does anyone remember Glovers sweet shop on the corner of Londonderry Lane and Francis Road, Smethwick, in the 1950s? Known by locals at the time as "Dirty Betty's"
 
I mentioned on #103 that the two Smethwick Markets had been demolished and the surrounding area turned into a shopping centre "The Windmills."
A new indoor market was created but recently this has closed down completely due to lack of customers. I remember being squashed by crowds as a child!
 
lynsey said:
I have just come across this site and am looking forward to reading the posts regarding smethwick. I grew up in smethwick, i went to corbett street infants school, mrs robinson was the head mistress then, sadly,thats the only name i can recall. There was a bakery on the corner of corbett street,the cakes were lovely especially the dripping cakes, my mum used to buy fresh cream from there, she used to take a bowl in. Then i went to cape hill junior school, i well remember the smell from mitchells and butlers brewery, think it was the hops.Teachers at cape hill, mr Burns was the head master and he was also a j.p, there was mr lane, and mr sharma, also a teacher who had wild hair, we called him fuzzy peg, he dies suddenly from a heart attack.There was also a mr johns, a welsh teacher, who i disliked intensely.Mostly happy days here. I moved up to Shireland high school in 1973, mr hill was the head master, he scared me!! I lived in windmill lane in the new town houses from 1971, we had the chinese playground opposite, it was on two levels, one we called big china and the other little china.My mum worked at gkn, i remember going down to meet her outside the work gates in heath street on friday at tea time when she was on afternoon shift, she would give me money to go up the precint to the chippy to get tea for me, my brother and sister.On friday nights, there was a disco at st matthews school 7-10, we felt really grown up being allowed to go and it was great fun.Saturday we would go up the cape to the market to do the shopping, the market was great back then, there was something for everyone, i remember buying ex model shoes for about 50p, and buying the latest fashions. There was a china stall, teddy greys, len russells fruit and veg who i worked for after leaving school, there was also his son tony who also sold fruit and veg and then later, tonys son also went into the family buisness.The little market was just as good, the last time i was there it was very run down and not at all how i remember it. All of my family lived close to each other in those days.My great nan lived in oxford road smethwick, we used to ride up to see her and do odd jobs and shopping for her, the days seemed sunny and longer then, oxford street seemed to be full of old people.There was a fruit and veg shop, a little shop which sold everything, sweets included, just down by st stephens church( no longer there) there was a butchers where i would go to get my nan a chop with a kidney if possible.The coal man used to call to deliver coal for her real fire and davenports for beer.On saturdays if west brom were at home, you could see people walking to the hawthorns in their hundreds and the noise was deafening. Smethwick high street was brilliant, it had everything including woolworths, the little toll house was a hat shop back then, happy days
Click to expand...
Lynsey and Zoe ????
 
In the 1940 1950s Most every Sunday, We would drive from Yardley to Grandma's at 174 Cheshire Rd Smethwick. We would sometimes in the summer (on a Thursday usually) ,walk to the park there. Then back us Snow Hill into Brum Happy memories. Does anyone know anything about 174 Cheshire Rd Smethwick who lived there in the 1940s 1950s?
 
Last edited:
Brummygirl66 said:
Update about the Queens Head, it's currently being refurbished to become a vets, I'm currently waiting for it to open to register my dog and cat there as it's not far from where I live.

I'm a Smethwick babby as well, my memories of it are from the '70's when I lived in Dibble Road just off the High Street. Both sides of the High Street were still there then and some of he shops and pubs I remember are:-
Rudds wallpaper shop, the second hand shop run by Billy?, The Crown pub, my granddad and dad's second home! Didn't like walking past the Crown though because of the funeral directors next door, the newsagent, Matty's chippy, Woolies, Dillons newsagents, The Red Fort and The George pub by the steps, the British Relay, Tescos on the corner of Ford Street, Welch & Rayner's on the corner of the High Street and Rolfe Street next to the station.

I now live about 5 minutes walk from where I grew up.
Click to expand...
As a Smethwick babby, do you remember the outdoor on the corner of Grantham Road?
 
Dragon said:
Great idea for Smethwick to have its own section. It never was part of Birmingham or the Black Country. Trouble is, it was so unique, they didn't know where to slot it in! It must be in the running for the most-moved-about-town record.

Although I lived over the border in Edgbaston (Poplar Avenue), I felt sorry for Smethwick when it was absorbed into the amorphous mass of a made-up authority because some local politician thought it was a good idea.

My real introduction to Smethwick proper came through family history research started some years ago, looking at the Middletons. They married into the Camm, Harley, Parkes and Weaver families (from the last of which I am descended).

I was married at Waterloo Road Methodist church as was my mother, her two siblings and their parents. It became a Sikh temple I believe but at least it's still being used, which is more than can be said for the Camm Studio in High Street, Smethwick. It was compulsorily purchased for a road widening scheme which never came off, and was finally destroyed to make way for featureless modern housing and shops. It was a landmark and would have made great flats or offices.
Click to expand...
Hello Dragon
I am new to this site, and in contact from Canada. I am researching family from the Smethwick, Cradley, Brierly Hill, Brown Hills areas. I have Weaver family, Harriet (b. 1826) from William. Married to Brooks and from there into the Lee family. Who are your Weaver family? Looking for connections on your side of the Atlantic.
 
New to the site and unfamiliar with much of the areas, (Civil parish: Harborne, Ecclesiastical parish: St Matthew, Town: Smethwick, County: Worcestershire, Registration district: Kings Norton, Sub-registration district: Harborne) - not sure where I would be best to look sometimes with that long list.! But am enjoying the information on your site. I was wondering if somebody could help with finding information on apprenticeships in England. My great grandfather was a George Lee born between 1837 and 1841, depending on census, but always in Birmingham. He lived from 1871-1905 in Smethwick. When he first married in 1863 he is listed as 'carpenter' and from 1864 forward, 'journeyman Carpenter'. Would love to find information on where he apprenticed. Any tips?
 
My family the "Crump's" have lots of ties to Smethwick on Cheshire road I think, Most of them in the late 1800s and early 1900s went to the USA Herbert Augustas Crump became a printer and started a printing company in Wallingford Connecticut USA in 1909 They all where very successful and wealthy, all lived in their late 90s in age. Uncle Gus sponsored me when I moved to the USA in 1957 Guess it runs in the family to be part YANK! The ink blotter (remember them) was on eBay no idea how it got there. The photo was taken when Uncle Gus (H.A Crump) visited England and his brother William Crump who also went to the USA, but did not like it there came back to Smethwick (MY Grandfather he worked at the Carriage works all his life, my Dad on the left, which one do you think became a YANK?
 

Attachments

  • crump 001.jpg
    crump 001.jpg
    267.8 KB · Views: 14
  • 17457630_1012996122133757_6610610821081092569_n.jpg
    17457630_1012996122133757_6610610821081092569_n.jpg
    10 KB · Views: 14
If it's any help, St. Matthew's Church is on Windmill Lane in Smethwick, the Harborne reference is complicated and refers to old boundaries I think. I haven't got a link at the moment but the best place for information would be Smethwick Library Archives.
rosie.
 
oldbrit said:
My family the "Crump's" have lots of ties to Smethwick on Cheshire road I think, Most of them in the late 1800s and early 1900s went to the USA Herbert Augustas Crump became a printer and started a printing company in Wallingford Connecticut USA in 1909 They all where very successful and wealthy, all lived in their late 90s in age. Uncle Gus sponsored me when I moved to the USA in 1957 Guess it runs in the family to be part YANK! The ink blotter (remember them) was on eBay no idea how it got there. The photo was taken when Uncle Gus (H.A Crump) visited England and his brother William Crump who also went to the USA, but did not like it there came back to Smethwick (MY Grandfather he worked at the Carriage works all his life, my Dad on the left, which one do you think became a YANK?
Click to expand...
Oldbrit, There were Crump married into our family. Down from Weaver and Sidaway. Is that your line?
 
rosie said:
If it's any help, St. Matthew's Church is on Windmill Lane in Smethwick, the Harborne reference is complicated and refers to old boundaries I think. I haven't got a link at the moment but the best place for information would be Smethwick Library Archives.
rosie.
Click to expand...
Thank you Rosie, that is a help. The family were on Pope Street, St. George Street, Oxford Road and Kimberley Road. I will attempt to contact the Smethwick Library Archives.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top