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Smethwick

coldstreamer said:
Lynsey and Zoe ????
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Enjoyed reading your post about Smethwick. I also grew up there and loved shopping in Cape Hill Market and Woolies. Because Brum was only a short bus ride away, I always saw Smethwick as being part of Brum and not really a separate place. That is just my opinion and I expect a lot will disagree. I have some happy memories living there and having fun at the Thimblemill Baths disco. My friend lived in the sweet shop on Waterloo Road and my other friend lived at Bakers Garage. There was also a lady who ran a second hand shop, she was middle aged, blonde and always wore a fur coat. For some reason my nan always called her "Bob's wife". I never found out who Bob was.
 
Lloyd said:
I was brought up on the western end of Hagley Road, and our local shopping area was Bearwood - in Smethwick, as was the local green areas, Lightwoods Park and Warley Woods, so I'm almost as much a 'Smerrick' lad as I am a 'Burningham' one.

Yes I remember the Radio Rentals shop in Waterloo Rd - my Aunt and Uncle who had a draper's shop in Shireland Rd (right on the boundary where it changed to Portland Rd), had an RR radio and later a TV from them too.

I also remember hearing loud explosions in the distance from our house, and my dad telling me it was the blast furnaces at Smethwick being lit - possibly at the Qualcast (pictured above) or the Midland Motor Cylinder works.

I was dismayed when half of Smethwick's main street was swept away in preparation for the new by-pass road, but at least the other side remains, including the Red Cow and Blue Gates pubs and the Princes cinema. There's enough left to imagine how it used to be, and the present (largely historically immigrant) population seem to have developed enough pride in the area to ensure it remains so for some time to come.
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Rosebury said:
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My school friend lived in Rawlings Road, Bearwood, so I was there quite often. I used to have a part time job washing up in a greasy cafe near the Bear Hotel. We very often went to Lightwoods Park and Warley Woods. I was also sad to see that a large part of Smethwick was demolished.
 
Lemonella said:
Enjoyed reading your post about Smethwick. I also grew up there and loved shopping in Cape Hill Market and Woolies. Because Brum was only a short bus ride away, I always saw Smethwick as being part of Brum and not really a separate place. That is just my opinion and I expect a lot will disagree. I have some happy memories living there and having fun at the Thimblemill Baths disco. My friend lived in the sweet shop on Waterloo Road and my other friend lived at Bakers Garage. There was also a lady who ran a second hand shop, she was middle aged, blonde and always wore a fur coat. For some reason my nan always called her "Bob's wife". I never found out who Bob was.
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oldbrit said:
In the 1940 1950s Most every Sunday, We would drive from Yardley to Grandma's house on 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.
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I am trying to find out more information and photos about Albert and Bertha Burridge - my grandparents. They had a shop at 114 Cape Hill in the 1940’s. Any help would be appreciated
 
Used to be a delivery driver for Warriner & Mason in Smethwick in 1965 .Delivering to all the Wrenson shops.
 
Sorry Angela but he doesn't remember. Have you tried contacting Smethwick Archives? I haven't been for a long time because they reduced their hours, they used to be quite helpful.
rosie.
 
pamhol said:
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.
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Hi. I know this is a very old post. I just joined. I live in Canada now, but I was born on the Albion estate which backed on to the West Bromwich Albion grounds. Every Saturday my brother and I would come to the Beacon on his motorbike and sidecar. We would first go in Jessons shop for a bar of chocolate. I remember your shop and the wool shop. My aunt used to live in Brasshouse Lane in one of the houses behind the fish and chip shop. ( I think it was Spires fish and chips) 3d a bag.
Opposite your shop was the bicycle shop. I went to Brasshouse Lane school and the infants on Kimberley Road. My uncle owned the newspaper shop in Dartmouth Road. His name was Albert Wallcroft. My nan lived on Kimberley Road. I really hope to hear from you or anyone else who lived on the Albion Estate.
 
hello hilary and welcome to the forum hope you enjoy it...just to say that although still a member pamhol has not been seen on the forum since 2013 but hopefully she may log back on and read your post

lyn
 
Thank you Lyn. Maybe someone else may remember too.
It would be nice to know if anyone remembers our family from St. Stephens avenue ( off Halfords Lane). We were the Hall family. I was born in the front room in 1945 and moved out in 1965 when I married. My older sister is Joan and older brother Derek. My dad (Bill) used to repair everyone’s clocks in those days. I recall on some occasions ; on the hour, many clocks chiming and cuckoos popping in at the same time. Every night it was quite the task for my dad to wind them all up before going to bed!!!!!
 
There are some memories to add, but regrettably I cannot recall in detail as it’s all a long time ago. Gran and step grandad in Cemetery Rd, Gran’s sister and her husband in Victoria Rd, Dad’s half brother and his wife in Lonsdale Rd, then moved to Londonderry district. About once a month or so the 4 hours of a Saturday afternoon would be a mad rush of a drive from central Staffs to Smethwick and a charge round the relatives. Mum ran a little offy/general store, and the opening hours were sacrosanct.

Very occasional trips into “town” to the old fish market, (no roof?), last call at Gran’s, tinned salmon, green salad and fruit and cream sticks in the memory. Not much time to play with the cousins, but now and then the various bits of the family would come to us. My cousin who went to Holly Lodge, now a retired teacher in Devon, still has his Mum around, living close to him but independent still, well into her 90s. They say hard work never killed anybody, if that is true she is the living proof.

My family were brilliant, always cheerful and supportive, and people of my vintage got the best life due to the period in which we grew up. Education, jobs, never quite enough money, but we all got fed. In certain respects I can’t believe my good fortune.

But that’s another story.

Cheers
jfs
 
Breconeer said:
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"
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Yes I remember Glovers sweet shop.U sed to think she was a witch with her long fingernails ,dirty hands and grey whispy hair!It didn't stop us buying sweets from there though. I remember Carol's just up from there and the Coop on the opposite corner.I lived in Manor Road .
 
This is an amazing thread on Smethwick, which was started by "Smethwick Striver" back in 2010 and the last post a only few weeks ago.
I came to this wonderful country from Kenya in 1966 and the first thing that really mesmerised me was the colour and height of the Spire at St Pauls Church. It seemed then a mysterious building. I finally managed to find a photograph on the web as it was then, see attached. I went to George Betts Junior School (not knowing a single word of english!) and then Smethwick Hall Boys School (Head master B F Jones- not forgotten his mantra " Respect and be Respected" ), Warley College of Technology at Crocketts Lane (now demolished). Smethwick has a rich industrial heritage, for example when I was visiting a Lighthouse on the Isle of White and realised the Optics came from Chance Glass Bros. More recently whilst surfing also discovered that armoured fighting vehicles (Stalin) were built in Smethwick for the Red army.
www.birminghammail.co.uk

When the Black Country built tanks for Stalin

Pictures from the special day when the Soviet ambassador came to thank Black Country workers in person
www.birminghammail.co.uk www.birminghammail.co.uk

With the COVID 19 epidemic and lockdown its given me some time to reflect. This all started I was trying to find old photographs of Railway Side. The terraced houses on Railway side were demolished and replaced modern housing estate which is now called " Adams Close."
 

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mommaCas said:
Yes I remember Glovers sweet shop.U sed to think she was a witch with her long fingernails ,dirty hands and grey whispy hair!It didn't stop us buying sweets from there though. I remember Carol's just up from there and the Coop on the opposite corner.I lived in Manor Road .
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I also remember Glovers at the top of our road, which was Francis Road and our house backed on to the Londonderry playing fields. This was the home ground for Smethwick Highfield football team.
 
My Grandparents lived on Cheshire Rd Smethwick I remember it had a stream running at the end of the garden.. Grandfather grew Rhubarb and also watercress. We would walk down to a park with nice gardens by a big building is that still there?
 
oldbrit said:
My Grandparents lived on Cheshire Rd Smethwick I remember it had a stream running at the end of the garden.. Grandfather grew Rhubarb and also watercress. We would walk down to a park with nice gardens by a big building is that still there?
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It could have been Victoria Park, next to the Council House,that's a big building. Did you cross a road by a Post office and a couple of shops?
 
mommaCas said:
It could have been Victoria Park, next to the Council House,that's a big building. Did you cross a road by a Post office and a couple of shops?
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Yes we crossed the road I am sure it was Victoria Park. Have some good time there in the 1950s
 
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.
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Although this is a very belated response to your post it mentions various aspects of my earlier years in Smethwick such as Dibble Road, due to the first proper job I had was working on the estate for S. Dibble and sons and the direct owner at the time was Brian Dibble who had his office in City Road Edgbaston. My wife and myself rented the flat in City Road opposite the offices. We worked in Dibble Road, Sabell Road, and White Road building bathroom extentions to the rear of the properties. I remember all of the shops that you have referred to in your post and more besides. I went to Holly Lodge Grammar School for boys and upon leaving horrified my parents by obtaining work polishing handlebars at Raleigh industries for a VERY short time. Whilst working on the estate a contractor named B. J. Smith took over the repairs and maintenance work for Dibbles and I transferred employers to stay in work with a workshop at the bottom of Dibble Road and a store at the top.
 
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