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St John's Church Perry Barr

I took this photo of St. John's sometime in the 1970s (I think) and it still has the spires. Viv.

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This article is trying to find out more about a visiting Minister named Harold J Scot from Barbados. If anyone knows about him there's a named contact in the article. Viv.

https://theironroom.wordpress.com/2014/11/16/a-curious-curate/

Just happened to look at the link you've posted - only out of curiousity - was amazed to see that the marriage certificate related to an elderly couple who lived next door to my family, during my childhood!!
 
Surprising how these things pop up! I agree with the writer that 17 clergy conducting marriages over 3 years is a lot. But maybe it was due to the run up to the Second World War. Did couples rush to get married before the war? Viv.
 
One of my aunt's got married at St Johns Church in the decade before the Second World War. The brick gate posts seen in the first pic are still there. The little bridesmaid made the second pic unusual standing with her foot sideways ....
 

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Just happened to look at the link you've posted - only out of curiousity - was amazed to see that the marriage certificate related to an elderly couple who lived next door to my family, during my childhood!!
Glendower and Teddington were both on my paper round back in the late fifties. My parents bought a new house in Dewsbury Grove back in 1939 so Glendower and Teddington must have also been fairly new.
 
Glendower and Teddington were both on my paper round back in the late fifties. My parents bought a new house in Dewsbury Grove back in 1939 so Glendower and Teddington must have also been fairly new.

I lived in Glendower Road, we moved into the house in 1952 or 1953. I think you're right about the houses being built around 1939 as the house my parents bought was previously lived in by forces personel during the war, they moved them in to the houses as soon as they were built I believe.
 
I was christened at St. John's in 1954. Here we all are - I'm the one in the white frock admiring my new shoes from England's shoe shop on Birchfield Rd, Perry Barr. Viv.

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what a lovely photo viv....ive often and still do walk past st johns...its a lovely church...ps show off with the shoes lol
lyn
 
Just for you Lyn, a closer view of those shoes (or maybe booties!). I've often wondered what the poster says to the left of the entrance, but impossible to read it. Viv.

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ahh what a cuttie viv....cant make out the poster either but i bet it is proclaiming your christening lol
 
Blimey Lyn you could be right! Or it might be 'not a public byway, no parking in this churchyard.' Seems my uncles car was exempt!

Had a look on Streetview and, as Oldmohawk says in post # 25 re his aunt's wedding photos, the pillars are still there. The entrance to the church looks the same too. It's good to see it so well maintained, including the churchyard. Viv.

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l was a bridesmaid at my brothers wedding in June 1956..at st Johns....it is a lovely church all tucked away in the middle of nowhere, or so it seemed...also my two nephews were christened there,l do have some lovely photos but as yet have never found out how to post them...l remember it being a hot day the sun was shining it was . beautiful day for s wedding....Brenda
 
Would love to see the photos Brenda. Are you able to send them in an email to me and I'll post them on the thread for you. Just message me if you want me to do it and I'll send you my email address. Viv.
 
A view of the church that you don't often see. This is dated c1904, and the church still has its spires.

Not sure about this, but the wall in front of the church must be where St John's Walk is today. If so Church Road/.Lane must be to the left.Viv

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Hi another old post i found i lived just round corner aldridge road i delivered news papers round their kids damaged them head stones twice i remember their was a concrete football on a villa player grave that got broke that was going to be replaced there also was a lot of damage done at another time i think they where both mentioned in the evening mail and midland news years after they happened. I lived their 1956 to 65.
 
St John the Evangelist Church compared with today. The same gates, but there was once lots of ivy attached to the church tower and around the entrance gates. Gates look the same, probably repainted several times.The boundary wall looks much the same. Today, there are no longer any pinnacles on the tower - it originally had many pinnacles around the whole building, but these were removed as a safety measure. These pinnacles must have been sizeable pieces of stone. You have to wonder if some now decorate local residents gardens, or even somewhere in the churchyard.

Not sure if it's a typo or just fading on the caption ('Pepry")

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Yes Lyn. The two ladies to the right are my aunts. Soon after, they emigrated to USA. I think the car was my uncles.
 
Exiting the church on the day of my Christening on Mothering Sunday 1954. I'm the one checking out my new shoes!

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I was christened at St John's too Viv - would have been in 1951!

My parents were married there and I was in the St John's Brownie pack which met in the more modern church hall in the grounds next to the church.

After my parents passed away we had their ashes buried in the church grounds along with my Nan's.

Did you know Steve Winwood was a choir boy at the church, he used to play the organ there too I believe!
 
Seems Perry Barr/St John's Church must have been our 'local' church at the time (the Winwoods lived in the same road as us). So we'd have travelled there from Kingstanding.
 
Someone may have used this path, myself included, although I don't remember it. But looking at Streetview, I think it still exists. The start of the pathway, through the bollards, could have been from Walsall Road. The fact that there are bollards in place, suggests a warning to people exiting here from St John's Church of a busy road.. A bit of guesswork, but, the end of this pathway could be one of two on Church Road - see red dots marked on Streetview.images.

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