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Then and Now - Aston Cross
- Thread starter Ian FOFB
- Start date
cookie273uk
master brummie
![79-Paintings-042[1].jpg](/forum/data/attachments/27/27133-fcb34fc90a10d74e8c22438442d32f39.jpg?hash=_LNPyQoQ10)
hi guys
thanks for the cracking pictures and seeing the painting i must keep an eye open for one i have got one of the old bull ring dated
1948 and i just want to say it as brtought memorys flooding back to me of my days of good old aston
i remember birds opening up shop but across the rd by hp there was a small up market tailor there before them
my rich grand mother took me there to get fitted up with a rake of clotheing
and i remember the days when they started to demolish those old shops to create a moderen ansells building and when they moved along the lichfield rd front knocking down the old houses and some with court yardsright up to mattys radio and tv shop on the corner of upper portland street and as you turned into upper portland stret ansells had abit of a delivery yard for the small wagons
the horses up vicarage rd stables
when they built that big yard they had a big hole it must have been about 80 feet deep it was where they stored all the coal bits for there boilers through out making the beer me and my dear old friend colin gaskin used to wonder through the gates and be a couple of stupid kids
thisbig hole was full with what i call slack fopr the boilers it had an over head crane to scoop it out and take it across the yard
but we was silly because as we used to dare each other to do things as lads used to do we would jump off the parafitt down deep ionto the slag pile and because of gravity we would go down into it waist high then we would paniic to try and get out
before the crane or the bloke came it was luckily we did not get killed at them times
then as time march on we relized how stupid we was and we stoped going in
there is abook some where with the old court yards of that section of lichfield rd in it coming from the cross
i am going ito waterstones tomorrow tose if i can get a copy or find out the name of the book
incidently i must opologise to forum member mandyfor keeping her waiting for a pic of her relatives court yard and her grand father
which was photograph with him in it i have not forgotten i will spend this week trying to relocate it for her
please excuse me for a moment i stand corrected i should have said denise i am seeking the pic for
so once again guys many thanks for making me relive some more memos of dear old aston which isin my vains through and thrtoughj
have your selfs a nice day
thanks for the cracking pictures and seeing the painting i must keep an eye open for one i have got one of the old bull ring dated
1948 and i just want to say it as brtought memorys flooding back to me of my days of good old aston
i remember birds opening up shop but across the rd by hp there was a small up market tailor there before them
my rich grand mother took me there to get fitted up with a rake of clotheing
and i remember the days when they started to demolish those old shops to create a moderen ansells building and when they moved along the lichfield rd front knocking down the old houses and some with court yardsright up to mattys radio and tv shop on the corner of upper portland street and as you turned into upper portland stret ansells had abit of a delivery yard for the small wagons
the horses up vicarage rd stables
when they built that big yard they had a big hole it must have been about 80 feet deep it was where they stored all the coal bits for there boilers through out making the beer me and my dear old friend colin gaskin used to wonder through the gates and be a couple of stupid kids
thisbig hole was full with what i call slack fopr the boilers it had an over head crane to scoop it out and take it across the yard
but we was silly because as we used to dare each other to do things as lads used to do we would jump off the parafitt down deep ionto the slag pile and because of gravity we would go down into it waist high then we would paniic to try and get out
before the crane or the bloke came it was luckily we did not get killed at them times
then as time march on we relized how stupid we was and we stoped going in
there is abook some where with the old court yards of that section of lichfield rd in it coming from the cross
i am going ito waterstones tomorrow tose if i can get a copy or find out the name of the book
incidently i must opologise to forum member mandyfor keeping her waiting for a pic of her relatives court yard and her grand father
which was photograph with him in it i have not forgotten i will spend this week trying to relocate it for her
please excuse me for a moment i stand corrected i should have said denise i am seeking the pic for
so once again guys many thanks for making me relive some more memos of dear old aston which isin my vains through and thrtoughj
have your selfs a nice day
cookie273uk
master brummie
Slightly of topic, if anyone is interested in the above painting then google "Eric Bottomley" look at his gallery and you can purchase greeting cards £1. 20 each or 14" x 18" prints at £20, (which is what I took this pic from) you can also by full size prints signed by the artist but obviously far more costly. City views and Railways seem to be his speciality. Eric
cookie273uk
master brummie
jennyann, I bought 6 cards to send to people who knew Aston Cross during this period and a print for myself which I have framed. Its obviously painted from a photograph in Oils or Acrylics, but suberbly done. Eric
jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Hi Eric: It is a great picture. Years ago, say l5-20 years there were shops that sold a variety of Birmingham prints that had been
painted by different artists over the years. These days it is really hard to find prints like this for sale in Birmingham. It's a shame because so many people would buy them if they were available. I am very glad I have the ones that I have purchased over the years, especially the large East and West Prospects of Birmingham, which I had framed and one has been over my fireplace for many years.
painted by different artists over the years. These days it is really hard to find prints like this for sale in Birmingham. It's a shame because so many people would buy them if they were available. I am very glad I have the ones that I have purchased over the years, especially the large East and West Prospects of Birmingham, which I had framed and one has been over my fireplace for many years.
cookie273uk
master brummie
Jenny Ann, there is (or was?) a place called 4 Seasons Galleries in Erdington up by the Library, I've had a few Bham Tram prints from them including Aston Cross ,have not been that way for a few years so they may be gone. Eric
cookie273uk
master brummie
Jenny ann, just checked on Google, Four Seasons Gallery still there, 2 Orphanage Rd Erdington. Eric
jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Thanks Cookie: II must have assumed this shop had closed down when I was around that area last year. I always remember them as being called "The Brum Shop" and their on line site had some nice Birmingham related items and prints. Glad to hear that you can buy Birmingham related items there.
sylviasayers
master brummie
Eric Google pics must be out of date, Four Seasons has been closed for 3 or 4 years now. A great pity it was a lovely shop to browse around and I have bought many an item as gifts for old Brummie friends.
jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Oh dear....Thanks Sylvia. I know I didn't see anything like that kind of shop. I do remember a great fish and chip shop near to the Library on Orphanage Road though. There used to be another great little art shop on Gravelly Hill near Fentham Road.... gone now. I was surprised that the shop at Birmingham Art Gallery didn't have any Brum prints. You could buy all sorts of other things including Japanese prints and Russian doll sets that fit inside each other. Does anyone else know if there is any other place to buy items like Four Seasons sold in the Birmingham area?
Sorry Eric...thanks anyway.
Sorry Eric...thanks anyway.
