• 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

Smithfield Garage

Back in the early 60's when working on converting Morgans Sausages to the Manzil Restaurant and the Lorica Cafe next door that where I used to go for the Sos & Tom sandwiches for breakfast every day, as you say Bob the best in the area.
 
The site of this garage, is of course just a very small part of the history of the old city. Most history of that place and the area lie beneath the surface. Quite interesting excavations and the subsequent finds have given much information of the areas past, illustrating the various industries that were undertaken in the early and late medieval times. Most seem to have been located there due to the amount of water/river that was a large feature of the place. It revealed that some of the area, where the garage was, was built-up ground enabling structures to be built.
Digbeth and Deritend have so much hidden history* that is still being discovered.

* "Birmingham The Hidden History" - if you haven't got a copy, treat yourself to one. ;)
 
Bob Johnson said:
I was there about the same time and can remember: Les Smith, Allan Corbett (he went to work at Car Lighting), Hedley Hindmarsh, Tony Ticer, Dave Rowley ( died a few years ago), Tom Gillette, Mr Winkley and Martin Broadbent. I was an auto- electrician with Les Jeans. Gordon (the swimmer), he was the workshop foreman/tester. I sometimes see him in Sutton. Roger the workshop foreman. Terry Blizzard (mechanic) who was a friend of Dave Rowley.
Click to expand...
Yes, Allen Corbett became a rep at Car Lighting which, I think, was in Moseley Road. I now remember Les Jeans and Gordon played water polo at a high level. When I was there I think Terry Blizzard was in the Service Reception. I was with Allan Corbett in the part of the stores that issued parts to the workshop. I had acne and glasses!!
 
Last edited:
Bob Johnson said:
I was there about the same time and can remember: Les Smith, Allan Corbett (he went to work at Car Lighting), Hedley Hindmarsh, Tony Ticer, Dave Rowley ( died a few years ago), Tom Gillette, Mr Winkley and Martin Broadbent. I was an auto- electrician with Les Jeans. Gordon (the swimmer), he was the workshop foreman/tester. I sometimes see him in Sutton. Roger the workshop foreman. Terry Blizzard (mechanic) who was a friend of Dave Rowley.
Click to expand...
I remember Dave Rowley spraying air freshener into the back of a Type 2 van that was used by a fish merchant. Were you there when there was a fire in the paint stores?
 
vicfarlowe said:
I remember Dave Rowley spraying air freshener into the back of a Type 2 van that was used by a fish merchant. Were you there when there was a fire in the paint stores?
Click to expand...
I don't remember the paint store fire.
I have a picture somewhere of when all the staff went to "Hoar Cross Hall' for a bit of a do.
 
vicfarlowe said:
I remember Dave Rowley spraying air freshener into the back of a Type 2 van that was used by a fish merchant. Were you there when there was a fire in the paint stores?
Click to expand...
Garage I worked at in a Ryland street had a Johnsons ? Fish merchants van in for accident repairs, think it was one of the Austin J series, when we started to strip out the double skinned rear floor we found it full of maggots. Much panic followed before we pushed the van to the steam cleaner and that was the end of the maggots.
 
On the opening of the extended Smithfield Garage in April 1972. The building was built over some very old wells - the area once known as Meriden Wells is, according to the Birmingham Post article below, part of a very old settlement. Viv.
 

Attachments

  • 9D954B42-4F56-443A-AC3F-1A5EE61FDF37.jpeg
    9D954B42-4F56-443A-AC3F-1A5EE61FDF37.jpeg
    273.5 KB · Views: 75
  • 9274D15B-1E6C-4C28-BDD4-0FA577CE0F13.jpeg
    9274D15B-1E6C-4C28-BDD4-0FA577CE0F13.jpeg
    226 KB · Views: 72
And some history in the Post on the Garage’s Silver Jubilee in May 1978. Viv.
 

Attachments

  • AC900273-12F7-44DC-8068-6C8EC377FD06.jpeg
    AC900273-12F7-44DC-8068-6C8EC377FD06.jpeg
    290.5 KB · Views: 49
  • 446F856A-1EB2-4910-92FC-FF83A6735F18.jpeg
    446F856A-1EB2-4910-92FC-FF83A6735F18.jpeg
    370.1 KB · Views: 48
Bob Johnson said:
I was there about the same time and can remember: Les Smith, Allan Corbett (he went to work at Car Lighting), Hedley Hindmarsh, Tony Ticer, Dave Rowley ( died a few years ago), Tom Gillette, Mr Winkley and Martin Broadbent. I was an auto- electrician with Les Jeans. Gordon (the swimmer), he was the workshop foreman/tester. I sometimes see him in Sutton. Roger the workshop foreman. Terry Blizzard (mechanic) who was a friend of Dave Rowley.
Click to expand...
My dad ran Smithfield during the late 70’s and early 80’s for the Labrookes - Clive Shakesheff. He became the Group Operations Director for the group when they were awarded franchises for Porsche, Mercedes Benz and Jaguar (Monarch Cars) My brother and I have very fond memories of going to the dealership in digbeth every Saturday, drinking hot chocolate and eating sausage sandwiches, wandering around the new cars.
Great pictures on this thread, can’t wait to show Dad.
 
welcome to the forum shakey thanks for your memories and i hope your dad likes the photos...if there are anymore you can add to this thread that would be great

lyn
 
Malmar Do you remember Martin Broadbent,He was in Lease-hire.I used to deliver his cars when we were laid of from Pressed Steel Fishers
 
Yes I did, he worked for my Dad for many years at Smithfield. His son, Paul also worked for us at the Mercedes site in Tamworth - good guys!
 
Shakey71 Martin lived round the corner from me in Streetly.We drunk together in the Buccaneer pub.He was so good to me helping me out delivering the VWs when they were on strike at Leyland & Jaguar.Went all over the country really enjoyed it.Will never forget him
 
Martin used to organise a trip from the Buccaner by coach to the Welsh Grand National.We would stop on the way at Tinton Abbey with a big basket of sandwiches and beer .Any left was given to anyone around.Great days
 
Delivered a car for Martin to Lerntherick the Perfume Company in Surrey once.The Managing Director let me go into the seconds shop and pay 10p for any Perfume such as Charlie and Talcs for my Children.He even paid for a Taxi for me into London .Because there was a strike on
 
Radiorails said:
The site of this garage, is of course just a very small part of the history of the old city. Most history of that place and the area lie beneath the surface. Quite interesting excavations and the subsequent finds have given much information of the areas past, illustrating the various industries that were undertaken in the early and late medieval times. Most seem to have been located there due to the amount of water/river that was a large feature of the place. It revealed that some of the area, where the garage was, was built-up ground enabling structures to be built.
Digbeth and Deritend have so much hidden history* that is still being discovered.

* "Birmingham The Hidden History" - if you haven't got a copy, treat yourself to one. ;)
Click to expand...
Who was the author of The Hidden History?
 
I wrote this in April 2015.

Book : Birmingham - The Hidden History Mike Hodder

Due to an Amazon refund, on something from Japan for my granddaughter, that seemed to get lost, I decided to spend the refund, to clear the amount, I ordered two books. One deals with West Bromwich Corporation bus history and the other - the reason for this post - is "Birmingham The Hidden...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
Did Smithfield Garage have a Renault dealership somewhere in Digbeth in the early 70s? When I worked at The VW Smithfield I think I heard about the Renault place but never went there.
 
Hi everyone. I'm currently restoring a 1985 vw t25 and I'm trying to find out a little more about its history. It apparently was bought new at Smithfields vw Digbeth, a while back I even had the original dealer plates and rear window stickers recreated from the originals it had on it. I'm not from Birmingham and don't actually know it that well but I was at a gig in Digbeth last week and by chance actually walked past the garage which was pretty cool. When the vans finished I'm planning on taking back there to get some photos of it in front of it. Was this part of the site that sold VW's and if so what year was it when this site closed?
Cheers
 

Attachments

  • imag2259.jpg
    imag2259.jpg
    813.9 KB · Views: 53
  • imag2261.jpg
    imag2261.jpg
    475.4 KB · Views: 55
  • imag2262.jpg
    imag2262.jpg
    380.6 KB · Views: 53
  • van___5.jpg
    van___5.jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 9
Bob Johnson said:
I was there about the same time and can remember: Les Smith, Allan Corbett (he went to work at Car Lighting), Hedley Hindmarsh, Tony Ticer, Dave Rowley ( died a few years ago), Tom Gillette, Mr Winkley and Martin Broadbent. I was an auto- electrician with Les Jeans. Gordon (the swimmer), he was the workshop foreman/tester. I sometimes see him in Sutton. Roger the workshop foreman. Terry Blizzard (mechanic) who was a friend of Dave Rowley.
Click to expand...
I now remember some of us used to go to that pub at the top of Digbeth, the pub with the Galleon on the outside wall. What was the pub called? Any memories of it please?
 
vicfarlowe said:
Thanks for the info, me not remembering that was bothering me. Much appreciated.
Click to expand...
Bob, you seem well up on those days. Do you remember if Bristol Street Motors Ford spares were in Charles Henry Street, plus was Prestage the main Vauxhall spares place, also in that street please?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top