If you post then the thread will come to the top of the list and your message will be read. We always like to add to old threads with new memories.Hello... is this Forum still active? As far as I can tell, the last message was over 4 years ago. I was going to share my thoughts, but there's no point if there's no-one out there![]()
Hi and welcome to Birmingham History ForumHello... is this Forum still active? As far as I can tell, the last message was over 4 years ago. I was going to share my thoughts, but there's no point if there's no-one out there![]()
Swanswell Road was part of a large estate built by David Charles Limited and ran between Gospel Lane and Kineton Green Road in Olton. We bought a detatched house there around 1965. The estate finished near to to The Gospel pub.Hi and welcome to Birmingham History Forum
The forum is indeed very active however, not all threads remain active all of the time unless there is a developing discussion relating to the main topic. Please do share your thoughts as is most likely to respond.
good to have you onboard...thank you for your memories..very interestingHello everyone! I'd like to begin by saying that I'm very excited to be joining this Forum. I actually joined way back in January 2013, but, for some reason, have not posted until now. The older I get, the greater my propensity for nostalgia so I'm really keen to contribute, however, I'm mindful of not upsetting all of the far more established members on here as there are one or two minor factual inaccuracies that I shall try and address. By way of background, my parents moved to Swanswell Road in February 1972 - prior to that, we had lived on Langley Hall Road since 1966. Here are a few random comments - I'm happy to receive any feedback regarding my posting style etc
I think that'll do for now - looking forward to connecting with other members and sharing more details/stories etc
- Swanswell Road was a kind of U-shape that joined Gospel Lane at one end and Langley Hall Road (between Nos. 136 & 138) at the other end
- Did David Charles Limited also build Langley Hall Road? LHR definitely came first because I'm pretty sure when were living there we went to look at Swanswell Road which was still under construction
- The top end of LHR joined Gospel Lane near to the large Gospel Oak pub as you say Pat
- Going back to the earlier posts on here from 2009 - as Swanswell Road met with Gospel Lane, the pub on the left-hand corner was indeed The Moonraker. In photos of the pub before it was demolished, the pub sign was not visible, but I can remember, as you looked at the pub, there was a pub sign to the left with a picture of man holding a rake. The GP practice was on the right-hand corner - it was already there when we moved to Swanswell Road, but I can't remember what it was called. One of the GPs was called Dr Wine (not sure re: spelling). He was Jewish and, when I was at Langley School, he once visited to give a talk about Judaism (I can remember him talking about Passover)
- Brook Lane is a confusing one - from Swanswell Road, you'd have to turn right (onto Gospel Lane) and sharp right again to get onto it. Always tricky when I was learning to drive! It had Kineton Green Road at one end and Gospel Lane at the other
- The 'club' that Robert mentions was there when we lived on LHR (can't remember what it was called at the time) and is still there now! It was a kind of working men's club I think and had a bit a reputation for late nights and rowdiness. As you get to the top end of LHR, there's a turning on the left (between Nos. 42 & 40). If you bear left once you've made that turn, there's a footpath that we used to take to get to school - it goes all the way to Langley Infant & Junior schools
Can you remember the house number?Swanswell Road was part of a large estate built by David Charles Limited and ran between Gospel Lane and Kineton Green Road in Olton. We bought a detatched house there around 1965. The estate finished near to to The Gospel pub.
A bit off topic but....The school is now a state junior school called Our Lady of Compassion. When I went it was a 4 to 18 fee paying school. From 11 upwards half the places were funded by local authorities for Catholic girls who passed the 11+. I was fortunate to come into that category.That's interesting to know - thanks for sharing. That would support our thinking that Swanswell Road was a (possibly late) 1960s development, although 'devonjim' said his uncle moved there in the 1950s. As regards your slightly earlier message, I know the school you're referring to... for a long time, it has been called Our Lady of Compassion. It took me a while to figure this out, but I believe it connects to Servite House the entrance to which is on St Bernards (no apostrophe) Road. I think there used to be an order of nuns there, but I'm not sure if that's still the case. Obviously, I know Gunns Way very well - for a long time, it was a simple connection between Kineton Green Road and Swanswell Road, but there are now a couple of houses on the left hand side (going towards Swanswell Road). On the other side of the road, there used to be one of those green telephone exchange boxes. It was a popular place for groups of kids to sit on in the '70s - I had to run the gauntlet past them to get to the 'outdoor' on Kineton Green Road
Yes to a Sixth Form. Grammar schools in Solihull had sixth forms until comprehensive eduation started in 1974.I see that 'Brummie babby' status has just been conferred upon me (which I assume is a result of a certain number of posts) so far be it from me to advise a 'master brummie' whether or not their last post was off-topicPersonally, I found it very interesting. I am aware that one of the fundamental rules is to keep contributions on-topic - I do have a tendency to go off piste occasionally so do feel free to reel me back in! You said that you spent 7 years at the Olton Convent - do tell me if I'm being too intrusive, but was that from the ages of 11 to 18? If so, that suggests that the school had its own Sixth Form