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Soho Hill

Looking at some of the Photographs reminds me of that area in Early 1960 through to 1970. First the Shops opposite the Roebuck Pub was a Ladies outfitter, and was derelict for many years, the women who owned it had a son who lived there for many years even when derelict. The shops on the top of Soho Hill just before the Pub I remember there was a Sub-Post office and newsagent and the Modern School of Motoring with a Driving instructor Known as Wilf quite a local character in Handsworth he used to Drink at the Club Polski where the Temple now is, also my Father sadly left my Mom for another Lady who lived with her Mother over the Modern School of motoring, she became Mrs Edna Court when her and my Father married but don't recall her maiden name but she did work for the Electrical contractors on the corner of Richmond Rd, she had a Sister Hilda whose married name was Musson and lived in The Crescent off South Road where we lived she was always ' muss ' to us and was loved dearly by us. Also I notice a Shoe Shop called Orchards we used to have our shoes from him on Tick and was a bit of a Tally man, I think he had other shoe shops in Bearwood and Small Heath. Loved all the photographs. Thank You
 
another new one for this thread folks..showing no 83 soho hill...i have also moved this thread to the streets section of the forum

lyn
 

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Hi Lyn. It looks like the house has an advertising board along the roof edge, yet it seems to be a residential property. Viv.
 
hi viv i noticed that but thought it was just a trick of light as it is an old photo having said that you could be right as having researched the matthews family with help from mike they did run a family business from this address which was whip socket making for carriages..as you can see from this map it was a fairly large house..the photo would dated from around 1909 to 1919 and could show mr samuel matthews in the front garden..hard to tell as it could be mrs matthews lol

lyn
 

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Thanks Lyn. The sign writing might have worn away then. And it seems such a large sign, as though it's a large company. Viv.
 
viv its such a shame that so many fine houses were demolished on that side of soho hill..but as they say thats progress and at least we do have a few photos now

lyn
 
I agree, Viv, it does seem a shame that these buildings should have been demolished, however, I used to go past them on the bus to work every day, and by 1965 they were a bit of a sad sight, not falling down, just very neglected. If the owner/Council had had the blessing of foresight, they may have fought demolition. What's there now is an absolute eyesore in my opinion. The problem was that the A41 was just to narrow to cope with the traffic, it's the main road to Holyhead, but nobidy expected traffic as we have it now.
 
I have to agree with you Shortie. I used to walk passed all these houses on my way to and work on Hockley Hill back in 1954, and it was so much nicer then than it is today. I haven't been back for a while but the area was unrecognisable last time I was there.

Judy
 
Got this photo Today, I really like it.
 

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viv not sure if you noticed but that is is pic of lodge road this is the soho hill thread:rolleyes:...i have had that one for some time now but not sure just how much is remaining...i think it may have been taken from the icknield street end looking up lodge road but i cant be certain as lodge road was and still is a very long road with only a few shops remaining at the icknield st end which locally was known as the flat
 
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Been up and down Lodge Rd quite a few times Lyn, can't see any clues but will have another look. Viv.
 
viv i think that is the abbey vaults pub on the corner in the distance..it was on lodge road
 
Cracked it ! Below, the old photo and Streetview compared with red dot matching up both. It's a view taken from Key Hill Circus looking up Lodge Road towards its junction with Park Road South and Ford Street. Some buildings in the photo remain, but many of the bottom right buildings have gone, probably to make way for the widening of the road/roundabout. It was and still is a very busy junction (a fact suggested by several bollards on the old photo). Your pointer Lyn of Icknield St helped. Thanks. Viv.
image.jpeg
 
was just about to say viv that in the old photo i think the first st on the right is heaton st your red dot and the 2nd on the right is ford st...all the shops on the right up to heaton st have gone and that is the abbey vaults pub we see in the old photo
 
Yes here it is - all beyond the Abbey Vaults since gone. So there's just a small section of the road left standing on that side. Viv.

image.jpeg
 
View attachment 92459mists garage just up from the roebuck pub..

My Dad Mac worked at Mists Garage for a number of years in the 1960's to the early 1970's as a Motor Mechanic specialising in Rolls Royce, Bentley, Jaguar, Jensen etc. Owner was then Phillip Mist, son Glen, Service Manager Mr Parker. I remember that my Dad was the only mechanic that Lady Bird (Birds Custard) would allow to work on her Rolls Royce; she was a very elegant & gracious lady indeed.

Lozellian.
 
hi lozellian hope you liked the photo of mists garage:)...i can remember it well...thanks for sharing your family memories with us

lyn
 
Your second map is interesting Mike. The milestone which was pictured outside Denbro's in the 1960s used to be on the other side of the road. Your map shows it to have once been about here, near the bus stop, just up from Soho Avenue :

View attachment 90658

These things seem to have moved about quite a bit! Viv.


Just seen your Post #98 which seemed to have passed me by. What a very sad photo that is. The house is next door to my old school, Soho College, which was always so pristine all those years ago (opposite Dennisons). My doctor was a couple of doors away on the corner of Soho Hill/St Michaels Road, so the end of this stretch of houses. How it has changed in so little time!
 

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Hi Katie . My cousin was the housekeeper for Cheffins .. when the wife was expecting our daughter(48yr ago) she had the problem of some of her teeth crumbling and Cheffin took ALL her teeth out and told her that that would save your husband some money ... I was not aware of this at the time and have since found out that it was a custom for the wife to have her teeth removed prior or just after marriage to save money on having to have dental treatment in later life ... how barbaric !!!! Remember when visiting going into were the dentures were made what a wieard site seeing rows of false teeth all round the room
All the best Rich Keep smiling
Hi Mr. Pastry,
My better half worked as a young Dental Nurse at Cheffins for a while & thinks your cousin's name was Barbara(?). She worked with Mr. Preece who was employed there as a junior Dentist. We both went to HKPS school round the corner in Park Avenue and were members of the 'Busy Bees' club which collected 2d/3d donations and bottle tops & silver wrappers from chocolate bars etc. for the local PDSA Katie mentioned.
 

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Hi Mr. Pastry,
My better half worked as a young Dental Nurse at Cheffins for a while & thinks your cousin's name was Barbara(?). She worked with Mr. Preece who was employed there as a junior Dentist. We both went to HKPS school round the corner in Park Avenue and were members of the 'Busy Bees' club which collected 2d/3d donations and bottle tops & silver wrappers from chocolate bars etc. for the local PDSA Katie mentioned.

Rather off topic but your magazine picture rang a distant bell - I remember the Busy Bees, there was a lady near where I lived who used to collect for them.
I think the author Enid Blyton was their 'Queen Bee' at one time and there was a Busy Bee page in her magazine in the 50's.
 
Mike would you be kind enough to find out where the attached photo actually is. I was under the impression it was down from the Palladium on Hockley Brook, whereas someone said its on Soho Road by Holiday Road. Thanks
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Carolina
In 1955 Bursteins were at 6, 10 Soho hill, Hawkins were at no.14, and Orchards were at no 16. So it is Soho Hill
 
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