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Spring Hill roller rink

Re: spring hill rollar rink

Yes I am sure I knew him,we was a tight knit mob and we always covered each others backs trouble is putting faces to names after all this time.
dave
 
Danny Kelly was a floor manager at the rink and skated for the Midland Olympic club who had their base there. He was also a World Champion speed skater in 1963. My dad, John Fry, also skated for them and won his first British Speed title there in March 1967. He was awarded the trophy by the boxer Johnny Prescott. Does anyone remember?
If you go on www.britishskatinglegends.webs.com you will find skater profiles on Danny and my dad. Also, if you go on to www.britishpathe.com and type in "World Championships Birmingham" you will see a few minutes footage of the world roller dance championships and the inside of the rink as it was in 1967.
 
hi johfry i cant beleive what ive just seen...the footage of spring hill is amazing..could clearly see the bar and the stage and the whole of the rink and the amazing thing is this footage was taken when i would have been going there..it has bought back so many happy memories for me as i spent 4 or 5 nights at the rink...i shall play this one over and over again...

many thanks for the link to it...

lyn
 
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I never used this one because Walford Road was the easiest to get to from where I lived.
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Hi dalehunt i might know you both i worked there i was a red coat for a short time i spent most of my time on the ring. I remember to brothers names ray and keith they rode moter bikes. I remember pete the head steward he allways had a darksuit. I knew a lot of people at the ring they do roller skating at the tower ballroom every friday till late its a good laugh
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Hi foxbat i remember Dave my name is peter i done a lot of skating at the ring with dave
 
I met the girl I eventually married at Springhill Rink and we celebrated our Ruby aniversary Last July 1st
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Hi my name is Maxine (Barnes) back then , always called Max. I went to the rink 7 days a week also on sat & Sunday afternoons, from about 1965/6 to when it closed. Which was a very sad day for me. I was good friends with Doc ie Brian Lindsay used to take him his glass of milk to stage every night from the hasty tasty. Was actually first engaged there to a billy Bowen, he used to go there everyday as well. Les Ross was also DJ & a red coat floor skater Johnny got married on skates to his wife. I was well still am only short 4'6" to be exact. I always used to go on my own as all my friends were already there once I got inside. There was a crowd I used to stand with who stood right hand side of stage as you looked at it. I always asked Doc to play gene Pitney & moody blues go now amongst other songs. Used to sit with doc in his dressing room between his breaks. There was a girl with long dark hair Tina I was friendly with, but I was a tom boy with long hair & mixed mostly with the boys. What became of doc does anyone know. I've look for him on FB. If anyone from the rink knows me or anyone I used to mix with. I'd really like to know
max
 
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hello maxine and welcome to the forum..just a typing error on your part as you said you went to the rink from about 1996..but as you know it closed in the early 70s..you can always edit your post and change the date if you want to:encouragement:.. anyhow back to the rink i used to sit on the right as you looked at it usually with a group of friends both male and female..do you remember the dj frankie who took over from les ross had black curly hair?? i do know he went to live in australia and is still a DJ.. i went 5 nights a week and was gutted when it closed down..very happy days....just out of interest where abouts did you live at the time...

hope to hear from you soon

lyn
 
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Astoness said:
hello maxine and welcome to the forum..just a typing error on your part as you said you went to the rink from about 1996..but as you know it closed in the early 70s..you can always edit your post and change the date if you want to:encouragement:.. anyhow back to the rink i used to sit on the right as you looked at it usually with a group of friends both male and female..do you remember the dj frankie who took over from les ross had black curly hair?? i do know he went to live in australia and is still a DJ.. i went 5 nights a week and was gutted when it closed down..very happy days....just out of interest where abouts did you live at the time...

hope to hear from you soon

lyn[/QUO

Hi lyn
sorry I should have said 1965/66 till it closed. I don't know how to amend it. My surname then was Barnes & I lived in Charles Road, Bordsley Green & got the number 8 bus. As I said most people remember me as I'm so short, had long dark hair.
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hi maxine..dont worry if you cant edit but if you want to just go back to your 1st post and click on edit post at the bottom right...i lived in villa st and jumped the no 8 bus from nursery road so its very possible that we could have been on the same bus somtimes..

lyn
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Bill123 said:
We rarely bothered to skate, it was much more fun meeting the girls on the walk around the rink.
I wonder what they are all doing now? Probably have to remain nameless to protect the innocent!!!
Great times.
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Hi Bill

i went to the rink from 1965/66 to when it closed. My name is Maxine was (Barnes) back then, most people knew me because if my size as was 16yrs old then and only 4'6" tall, had long dark hair. I went 7 days a week even broke my collar bone at one stage, while there was later engaged to a guy called Billy Bowen who lived near centre of town & later he moved to fifth avenue in bordsley green. Gee that's many moons ago, new doc well in fact most of my friends over those years were from the rink. The group that stood at side of stage, I was there when one of them broke his neck it was scary. A guy called Mac used to stand there with them. A guy called Kevin Fletcher, Billy Mckray. Les who's last name I forget, he was not too tall & had lovely dark curly hair , drove a mini. Lots if people I just can't remember names of, but now I'm 63 that goes with the teratory
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Hi Maxine.
We used to stand on the left side of the stage (when facing it) most of the guys had long hair, about 3 of them were called Mick, and there was Ray (dark curly hair).
We used to skate now and then but much preferred the girls!
 
hi maxine ;
just wondering where you are coming from are you from ladywood [ st marks street ] during does years i hope yoy do not mind
as you know its behind the ice rink and a guy called bowen i think it was anditon street and do you have a sister called maureen;
it was a couple of doords from wrights cleaning bag wash at the corner by the entry ;
best6 wishes ALAN; ASTONIAN;;
 
Astonian said:
hi maxine ;
just wondering where you are coming from are you from ladywood [ st marks street ] during does years i hope yoy do not mind
as you know its behind the ice rink and a guy called bowen i think it was anditon street and do you have a sister called maureen;
it was a couple of doords from wrights cleaning bag wash at the corner by the entry ;
best6 wishes ALAN; ASTONIAN;;
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Hi Alan

No I lived in Bordsley Green. Billy Bowen originally lived in town not far from the centre as I used to get off the bus and walk to his house, he had a sister called Rosanna I think and a brother called Norman..If I remember right his dad was norman and moms name began with an M. He himself had a slight stutter and was always playing a fool.. Really nice guy.

I do have a sister but she was older than me and never went to the rink. as I said before most people knew me as I had long dark hair, was quite friendly with Doc and im only 4' 6" tall I almost lived at the rink used to go 7days a week as that's where everyone I knew was and skating was all I lived for.

Max

Max
 
hi maxine
many thanks for your reply as i know one or two barnes from the area and you skating i thought there may have been a a connection
still not to worry and i hope you did not mind me askling
take care and merry christmas to you and your family and may you have a very healthy and prosperous new year
best wishes Astonian; alan;;
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Just seen this thread and wondered if anyone remembered my cousin Derek Helt who worked behind the bar for years in the 60's. Met his wife Jenny there. He was always laughing and joking and very well liked.
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Hi Maxine I remember you and also Billy you went to the ring as many times as me I still do a bit of skating at the tower ballroom but it will never be as good as the ring All night skating do you remember john stokes I did help out now and again got on well with Doc From Pete
 
hi folks...last night the years just rolled back for me...i went rollar skating for the first time in 42 years...absolultely wonderful...spent 15 mins having a practice on the carpet area then onto the floor and although a bit rusty and not quite confident yet to do the cross overs for turning corners it was just like i had never been away from it...the atsmosphere was great even the stage and bar were in the same positions as they were at spring hill...by the time i left around 10 oclock they were still queing to get in so if any of you ex skaters fancy a good night out give it a go at..THE TOWER BALLROOM EDGBASTON...EVERY 1ST AND 3RD FRIDAY of the month...£10 entrance that includes the hire of your skates..its £6 to get in if you are not skating or if you have your own skates...OPENS AT 8 PM CLOSES AT 1 AM..i shall be there again on the 21st so may see you there:encouragement:...oh and i had the best nights sleep ive had in years lol

lyn
 
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Heaven help us if they ever decide to pull down the Tower Ballroom now. Lyn will be wanting to save it and transport it to her garden.
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

I haven't been on this site for a long time, but after seeing some stuff on Facebook about the Roller Rink, I came back to forum to have a look too. I remember Dave Burley, but he wasn't a red coat then, I don't think. He used to skate around. I remember that me and my friend Christine met quite a few "Dave's" & we gave them nick names, one was Dave badges. We went in the late 60's to about 1970. We both met boyfriends 'outside' of the rink, so we stopped going. I went a little while later, on my own, with the loan of my friends lovely white roller boots & when I arrived the place had closed down. Terrible!!
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Have you been to the tower ballroom they have roller skating on a Friday night 3 times a month its a good night and lots of fun I went roller skating most nights and week ends had some great times there my name is peter
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Hi Nanet I think I no you from the roller rink I use to go at least 6 nights a week I was a friend of Dave Burley I Did work there part time do you no they do roller skating at the tower ballroom 3 times a month. O sorry name is pete I lived in Hockley in the good old Days Look forward to hearing from you take care for now
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Hi Nanet B when you went skating were did you live at that time only I new Dave Burley well I work there my self Doc was in charge then and John stokes work there as well I find it great to b able to talk to people who went to the roller rink we had some great times there it was a shame when it close down I got on well with a girl call Jackie she had to friends who was all ways at the rink together they were from the Blackheath area nice people once again its great talking to people from the past
 
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