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Summer Lane

Lady Penelope said:
That's great Mike, thanks. Lovely maps. I was going the wrong way from 268 (typical) I thought they would number the houses from the city end but they probably started on the other side of the road at the city end and came back down, is that right? I can start looking through all the books again to see if I can find a photo. I do wish there were a few more names on old photographs - I can only name a few of the people on this one and they're directly related. Having said that I'm just as guilty and never write dates or names on photos.
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I was born in 7 back 268 in 1965.Didn't actually live there as I was given up for adoption very soon after. If anyone remembers the Hamblin family please get in touch as I am trying to trace blood relatives. Thanks.
 
I found the words.

Way Down Summer Lane About the song called “Way down Summer Lane”. My husband told me it was composed by Bert Mallet who lived in Brearley Street. It was Bert who taught it to me and I took it for granted it was his song. Not many people know the verses to it, so here goes;

Way Down Summer Lane
Now if you’re friends from the country for a day or two,
Take them round the town all the sights to view.
First in Cutler’s for a drink you’ll call, you show
Then the fountain and the Old Town Hall.
Then along Colmore Row, the car you can catch,
To see the Water Melons on the old Black Patch.
But there’s one sight you must not miss.
Before your friends say goodbye, just mention this.
You ought to see the palm trees swaying way down Summer Lane.
Every Saturday night there’s a jubilation
Hear the Birdies singing in The Salutation
Though there’s snow in Snow Hill,
You’ve cause to take the train.
To your southern home where the weather is warm
It’s always summer in Summer Lane
Now you keep on sighing for your Dad and Mam
Your Mason Dixie Line and your alabam.
You say you’ve heard your Tennesse call,
Yet you never saw Tennesse at all.
And your songs from Mandy Land have been done Brown
So let’s have a song about your home town.

We sang this song always if we went on a trip, on coach or train. When we were older and went in “The Little Bull” on the corner of New Summer Street and Summer Lane, or the ‘Barrel’ on the corner of Tower Street. We used to sing ‘Carlo Musseltoff’ which became more popular as a pub song than ‘Way Down Summer Lane’. But if Summer Lane is remembered in later years, as such as Nellie Dean, by lots of us.
 
hi folks..every so often a photo comes along that makes all the searching worth while and we are very thin on the ground for pics of summer lane...i have personally never seen this cracking one before....summer lane taken from the junction with brearely st dated 1959....the factory on the left is still there as is the zebra crossing...next to the factory i believe is an entrance to summer lane school...heading on down towards the corner would be the brittania inn corner of njsw and summer lane...just above the roof of the school building you will see the roof of c brandaurs njsw which is being renovated at the moment...

lyn
 

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Smashing photo Lyn. I have recently found my great granny's baptism from St Phillips, it seems she was born in Summer Lane.



Margaret McKnight Baptisim record..jpg
 
great wendy...now if you can find her on the 41 or 51 census you may find out what number she lived at always assuming the family were still living there..i had a rellie living in summer lane in the 1950s

lyn
 
Great picture Lyn, I have never seen that one either. Nice to see The Summer Lane Post office from a different angle.
 
sorry steve i dont think i have any in my files but there could be some vicarage road on the forum somewhere...

hi ya moss....which building was the post office...i reckon thats a postie on his bike coming down summer lane with his bag slung round his neck

lyn
 
Not seen this one before either. We spent a very cold 3 hours in Summer Lane on Wednesday night waiting for the RAC as we had managed to hit an obstacle in the middle of the road and got 2 punctures in my (new-to-me) car. We parked on the Murco garage forecourt and the manager there was really helpful and kind offering us the use of the telephone etc. The garage closed at 10pm (he asked if we'd be OK if he turned the lights out) and he waved goodbye as he went - really nice man. A proper 'Summer-Laner'. We spent the next two hours in the dark counting cars (120 with lots of police cars included) and thinking about what it must've been like years ago.
 
nice to know that the summer lane spirit is still there lady p.....hope you and your car got home safe and sound..

lyn
 
Yes thanks Lyn - bit dozy at work the next day but then that's nothing new!

I was reading about Carl Chinn on another thread and thought I'd give his book 'The Real Peaky Blinders' a plug. It's given me much food for thought regarding the Summer Lane area in the late 1800's. Well worth a read - it came in my stocking on Christmas morning but Parker says he's only seen it at Waterstone's where he bought it. Might be mentioned on the forum elsewhere.

Some years ago I spotted a hand made map showing where all the gangs were but I can't find it - it may have been in a book from the library. I'll start looking as it mentions quite a lot about Summer Lane. Must try harder with the filing system!
 
hi lady P..glad you got home ok...carls peaky blinders book is next on my list....there was a very chance that carl would have popped into the bull on the day of our christmas meet up to say hello to us but unfortunately that was the day of his peakys book signing and straight after that he was off to london so he couldnt make it....that hand made map sounds interesting so if you do find out where you saw it i would be glad of the info...

all the best

lyn
 
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now that has got to be the best photo ive seen of the houses on that side of the lane wendy can see a little girl sitting on the step and it runs in continuous line to last one i posted thats shows the post office in the far distance on the corner....just brilliant...

lyn
 
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Wendy. That's a really good photograph. Do you know what numbers the houses are? and also do you know what the road is that crosses summer lane please?
John
 
john bev said:
Wendy. That's a really good photograph. Do you know what numbers the houses are? and also do you know what the road is that crosses summer lane please?
John
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hi john maybe mikejee can help with the numbering but i meant to say in my post that is it new john st west running across

lyn
 
Below is a map c 1955. Many are numbered, but have added post Office as 283 in red.

map_c_1955_showing_summer_lane_around_no_283_.jpg
 
john bev said:
Wendy. That's a really good photograph. Do you know what numbers the houses are? and also do you know what the road is that crosses summer lane please?
John
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According to Kelly's the Post Office is number 283 and the hairdressers next door is 282.



Sorry Mike, once again at the same time.
 
thanks for the map mike and i have just realised that we were so close to getting a much sought after photo...mallyb2 s dad had the bakers shop on the diagonal corner to the post office....so close but like i say they are out there somewhere...
 
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