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Soho Road Handsworth

Well Stephen, that shows I am good for something, although quite what I don't know! It was a place that I found quite scary walking past from the Ninevah on my own late at night (well about 10pm).
 
Was that because you were passing the pub close to closing time ? Can't image a lady walking down many roads after 10, esp these days shortie. But I would imagine Soho might have been fairly empty/quiet at 10 - was it ?
 
Hi Stephen, sorry to be late replying - I think it was because a lot of people, at least during the summer, were drinking outside. They were also largely slightly uncouth too, from memory. You have to remember in 1962 I was only 15, so loads of things were scary. My parents initially used to walk down Soho Road to meet me, but I was deeply offended (as you do at 15) and so they did not do it for very long. It was not too busy - shops were all lit up - dress shops, shoe shops, it was a good sight to behold to be honest, but there was the odd person hanging around here and there.
 
In the late 50s I used to walk into town at night from Putney Road, via Hamstead Road, Hockley Hill, Great Hampton Street et al to go to the Jazz nights.
Not a care in the world and never any trouble....neither was I!
 
Stephen0002002 said:
Unsure if we have listed any of these pics previously ... but I came across this excellent website and thought I'd share them using the link below.
Credit to John Houghton & Mike Ingram. (is this... "our" Mike Ingram ?)

https://www.handsworthhistory.co.uk/Soho-Road.html
Click to expand...

hi stephen yes it is indeed our john houghton and mike ingram...they also run the astonbrook through aston manor site...both worth a look at...

lyn
 
Hello
I am new here. I remember the shop as we lived 171 Soho Road, and we used collect the paraffin. Your parents used to fill up this metal container and tip it into the paraffin can. I have never forgotten them, and often talk about the store because of using paraffin and the glug,glug glug as it went into the can - fascinating for a child, and the vast products that they sold. They were lovely people... god I find this site so emotional. Have such a soft spot for the place that I walked the length of Soho Road, and went to Handsworth park on my own a couple of months ago. I felt safe as houses, and as if I had come home. I could go on forever...
 
Hello Sue,Glad you can join us,what years did you live at 171 (And more to the point where was it) can you remember the name of the shop too.
Alan
 
Hello Alan
I was born 1958 - moved from 171 in 1965. The house is where the row of shops are laid back off the road, so in effect it was next door to the chip shop (opposite side of the library) - which looking at google street view is now a kebab shop. There were a row of shops - one was Vera's gown shop and another a food shop, and above these shops were what we would call flats above shops now. We were next to the butchers who were next to the Co-op - or the butchers were in the co-op - too young to remember the details. Then George Masons etc.
I do not know the name of the hardware store. Double frontage if I have got the correct one. Same side as the Frighted Horse public house and a bit further down.
Hope this helps
 
Yes, that name rings a bell. Yes it was. Although did it change hands later?
 
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I remember Merrick & Heath because in the late 1960's when I was about 22 I worked for about 9 months at a sports and hobby shop between Merrick & Heath and The Frighted Horse. It was probably the worst period of my life - I went there only because my previous job turned sour, and I quit the sports shop as soon as I could. There was a lady working at Merrick & Heath who gave me support and encouragement at the time, for which I was very grateful. All part of growing up, I guess.

G
 
Hello G
Sorry about your time at the sports and hobby shop. I don't remember this shop. Unfortunately having gone to Handsworth a couple of months ago, all I can see now are the new shops - which is a shame.
Do you by chance remember the very long train line tunnel that was down Ninevah Road somewhere? Radio Rentals and the record shop by Radio Rentals where you were able to go into the listening booth before purchasing a record?
Sue
 
Hi Sue,

I haven't been along Soho Road - on foot, at least - for years. Not my favourite part of Brum, to be honest. Sorry, I can't help you with Nineveh Road or the Radio Rentals shop. The only place on Soho Road that I do remember with affection is The Woodlands Restaurant, because that's where I met my wife and we'll have been married 41 years come Tuesday!! So some good did come out of my rotten time in that shop!

A few years ago I used to stay overnight on business trips at a small place in Petham, Kent, and the new owner's wife was coincidentally enough the daughter of a Sikh family from Nineveh Road and we had a bit of a natter about the area, not that I'm very familiar with it. I don't think the hotel worked out for them, unfortunately. Nice place, too.

G
 
I used to work at Wine Ways (c1970's) on a Saturday when I was a lot lot younger. Yes Sue the site brings back lots of memories. Know what you mean. We had a few posts on the Little Red Shop up towards the Rookery Road - and thats where we got our parrafin and I can remember dispensing it when I was about 8 just like you said :-)
 
Hello to all those of you who have had a heated debate about "The Little Red Shop" ,don't mean to re stoke the fire ... but in Kelly's Directory for 1964 listed under Professional & Commercial The Little Red Shop is listed at 319 Soho Road Tel No: Northern 1513 ... checked Google Street view and when there images were taken the premises are still standing and show a shop name of Ramans (premise up for letting) 5 th premises out of city side of Boulton Road. I was born in Handsworth in 1942 and lived there up to 1969. I remember the shop very well and as some have said it was very small . The front of the building was painted "Cardinal Red" with the name of the shop in white semi circular lettering .The one thing that sticks in my mind about the shop was the warped ridge of the the roof which you would see when on the opposite side of the road.Some of the other premises I remember and I don't think have been mentioned are Arthur Rose's (Butcher) on the corner of Babington Road. Withers newsagents corner of Queens Head Road?Soho Road (had a paper round there in the mid 50's, 10/- per week). Last but not least The Queen's Head LH also on the corner of Queens Head Road/Soho Road.
Hope this solves the problem of the intriguing debate of the infamous Little Red Shop !
all the best to all of you keep the info coming
Pastry
 
It was in the block between Stafford Road and Thornhill Road as far as I can recall. Small place, never very busy, and long gone by now I should think.

G
 
Got it,used it once took a school friend for a coffee,rather sad he was on drugs and wanted to borrow some money,well thats what he told me,good looking lad, hope he turned his life around,but I don't think he did.
 
Well it is I who have to hold my hand up and say that I was wrong - made even worse by Pat Mills of Handsworth Historical Society saying the Little Red Shop was next to Darlingtons - Pat claimed that Darlingtons was on the Regal side of Boulton Road, which it clearly was not - even as far back as 1907. I was waiting for a photo to be sent to me so I could post it, but by Monday, Pat had not sent it, so I have made arrangements to go at the weekend to see and photo these photographs. I think they should be interesting as they are The City Engineer's photos, taken in June 1952 when it was first decided to widen Boulton Road. Why they did not do it until much later is not clear although I don't remember it being a particularly bad junction. I am taking my camera, as they will let me take a picture of all the ones they have of Soho Road. I don't believe they have been on here, but if they have I won't bother to snap them.
 
I've just read all the way through this thread and I really enjoyed it as Handsworth, Soho Road especially, has a number of family connections for me - here are a few of them:

My grandmother and grandfather met for the first time on Soho Road about 1910;
My aunt met her future husband for the first time on Soho Road during the 1940s blackout;
I met my husband for the first time in Handsworth Library on Soho Road in the early 1980s
My granddmother was adopted as a child back in the early 1900s and grew up living at the Red Lion, (270 Soho Road);
My grandfather's relatives owned a Drapers shop next door to the pub (272/4 Soho Road);
My husband's friend owned the Elite Cinema (116 Soho Road) back in the 1980s.

Just days before celebrating our 30th anniversary my husband and I drove through Handsworth, we hadn't been there for years, and we walked along Soho Road. It was nice to see that many of the familiar buildings were still standing even though a good few had disappeared.

Thanks for all the great memories and pictures.
 
Does anyone else remember a cafe on the Soho Road, in between Nineveh and Holliday Road? I think it was called the El Sonne or something like that. This would have been in 1966/67/68 when I used to work in the area. There was a fish and chip shop next door and you could take your eats into the cafe if you bought coffee from there. I used to go in on a Saturday with a friend and we used to put money in the juke box (one of those small wall mounted ones) to play our favourite bands like Vanilla Fudge!

I had a look on Google street level and I think it might have been at number 65 which is now Soho Sweet Centre - one of a pair of older buldings standing on their own after the new single story block of shops running south from Nineveh Road and almost opposite the library.
 
Do you mean the Elasona? Not sure if the spelling is right though. I rememer it, but never went in there.
 
Blimey, I remember that place! I think it was the Elasona. When I was working in that horrible sports shop I sometimes had someone in on a Saturday to help out, in which case I'd go either to The Woodlands or The Elasona for a break. Vanilla Fudge...now there's a name to conjour with... I do remember that someone always played 'Little Arrows' by Leapy Lee on that juke-box. It's been stuck in my brain for nearly 45 years!

G
 
Yes, it would have been the Elasona!! I knew it sounded like that but didn't remember how to spell it.
Glad I am not the only one who remembers it!!

That Leapy Lee song was dreadful - now you've mentioned it I will probably have it on the brain today now!!
 
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