Summer Lane

[Astoness]

this is for our new member villafanman...

here is a map showing where you was born at 10/331 summer lane no 10 highlighted in blue...if you look at the map you will see no 330 is marked out as thats where you thought you lived until looking at your birth cert if you look at the map you will see a pub on the corner which is the barrel pub and is still there...everything else in the photo has gone however if you count about 9 down from the pub this is where 331 was of course you would have had to go up an entry to get to your house which you can also see on the map...its only a rough guess but if you look at the back of the van on the wall is a tall pasted on advert...i think 331 roughly next to that there but maybe if mike our map expert spots this post he may work it out exactly for you

lyn

 

[villafanman]

oh wait till i show my kids this,it has made my day thank you lyn

 

[mikejee]

I have marked where I think the entry to back 131 was with a blue arrow

 

[Astoness]

thanks mike that is just where i thought the entry was...not bad for me lol....also i forgot to say thanks for sending me the map mike..

hi villafanman it is comments like yours that make this forum what it is...i can fully understand your excitement....happy to help please feel free to save the map and the photo to show your children

lyn

 

[adap2it]

I have marked where I think the entry to back 131 was with a blue arrow

View attachment 169797

So I gather that this view shown is towards town? I was never that familiar with Summer Lane past New John St West. I believe there were hills in both directions.
Dave A

 

[Radiorails]

I have marked where I think the entry to back 131 was with a blue arrow

View attachment 169797

Nice rear view of Midland Red single decker. Shame I can,t make out the registration.

 

[adap2it]

Nice rear view of Midland Red single decker. Shame I can,t make out the registration.

I know for sure that the first 2 digits are HA. I believe that all Midland Red buses were registered in Smethwick, which HA represents. On later registrations, they would have been the second digits. Like this...
Dave A

 

[Astoness]

jim this is todays view and out of the 16 or so pubs that was open along summer lane in the 1960s it is the only one still pulling pints the stag and royal george pub buildings are still standing but used for other things now...all the rest demolished

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

 

[Hilda]

What was the Unity Club. Is it still in existance.

Hi unity club was on summer lane originally , men only club working men's club, also was money lenders like the money clubs at church now, only business men at first, my great uncle Dave Osbourne was second member. Later on it went into new summer St, later on ladies where members , too, my dad loved playing snooker there .

 

[Hilda]

very interesting views of Summer Lane, I used to go to The Birmingham Settlement in Summer lane used to do dancing shows there with the Lawley school of dance and then went to the youth club there, bopping the night away. memories bless em
Gladi

Hi I remember going to brownies at settlement and youth club in 70s

 

[Astoness]

Hi unity club was on summer lane originally , men only club working men's club, also was money lenders like the money clubs at church now, only business men at first, my great uncle Dave Osbourne was second member. Later on it went into new summer St, later on ladies where members , too, my dad loved playing snooker there .

welcome hilda and of course you are quite correct about the unity club...on the corner of new summer st and summer lane..there should be a couple of photos of it possibly on this thread...the new unity club is now half way up new summer st...enjoy the forum

lyn

 

[Radiorails]

I know for sure that the first 2 digits are HA. I believe that all Midland Red buses were registered in Smethwick, which HA represents. On later registrations, they would have been the second digits. Like this...View attachment 169799
Dave A

They were HA registrations. THA 136 was new in 1952 and withdrawn in 1967. It was classified as as D7.

Nice photo.

 

[Pedrocut]

Out to dinner last night got talking to a friend whose dad had a shop in Summer Lane Baileys Cycles it was by Henietta St any one have any memories .Dek

Bert Brownhill, dame in Birmingham Prince of Wales's pantomime " Jack and jill," opens the spring show of Hercules Cycles at Bailey's, of Summer-lane. (Birmingham Gazette, April 1940)

 

[Pedrocut]

WRONG WAY UP BUT RIGHT.
“No, the picture IS the right way though the girls aren't. They do "essential exercises for balance" at Summer-lane Senior Mixed School, Birmingham, and they keep their poise even though they are upside down on the bars here. And they're certainly enjoying the experience.
They take an equal delight in the various strenuous exercises they do. They are adepts at rope climbing.”

Summer Lane School. (Birmingham Gazette November 1940.)

 

[adap2it]

Reminds me of the girls that used to do handstands would tuck their dress into their knickers to stop 'exposure'

Dave A

 

[Astoness]

Reminds me of the girls that used to do handstands would tuck their dress into their knickers to stop 'exposure'

Dave A

yes dave and i was one of them... happy days

lyn

 

[Astoness]

cant say as i have seen this one before so could be a nice addition to the thread..no 258...i wonder what those are hanging outside the shop window of j prichards..they look like a tangle of old broken cycles to me or maybe horse harnesses ...maybe someone could look it up in kellys and also post a map showing where no 258 was...thanks sorry no date

 

[ed.s]

Ancestry has J. H. Prichard, 259 Summer Lane, saddle and harness maker, in Business Directory of Worcestershire, 1912

 

[Radiorails]

It does like they are the accessories of a horse: they were ten a'penny in the past,

 

[Astoness]

thank you both so one of my guesses was correct...they are horse harnesses

lyn

 

[mossg]

Hi Lyn, I hope you are well.
Do you know if it’s Summer Lane Birmingham or elsewhere?
Moss

 

[Astoness]

hi moss all ok here thanks hope you are ok....see post 763 but thats a good point...i assumed it was this summer lane but thinking back wasnt there another summer lane over erdington way...maybe ed or someone else could confirm which summer lane j prichard was at

lyn

 

[ed.s]

The directory says Birmingham, yes.
I've also found an older entry in White's 1873 Directory of Birmingham, for James H. Prichard, in the same line of work, but at number 258. I should think this is nearer the time the picture was taken than the 1912 entry.

 

[Pedrocut]

Was it not Summer Road in Erdington ?

 

[Astoness]

Was it not Summer Road in Erdngton ?

yes ive just realised pedro thanks

lyn

 

[mossg]

So summer Lane Hockley it is then.
A strange item to stock in the area don’t you think.

 

[mikejee]

James Henry is listed in directories there from the early 1870s tll 1913. However , to me the fascia seems to read L Prichard,, I cannot find any L.Prichard in the directories. I had wondered if he took over the business from L Prichard, but no evidence of this. Should note that his wife was Annie L.Prichard, but that almost certainly means nothing. Must just be the faded lettering

 

[Astoness]

So summer Lane Hockley it is then.
A strange item to stock in the area don’t you think.

hi moss although there must have been loads of horses around there at that time your comment did getting me wondering so just to confirm that the photo location is good here is the 1901 and 1911 for the prichard family 259 summer lane and also the marr cert

i have a good idea where no 259 was but could someone post a map highlighting its position please...thanks

lyn

 

[mikejee]

Here is map from 1954 showing 259 summer Lane.

 

[mikejee]

I think here it is just obscured by the bus

Correction .this is the corner of New John St West