paul stacey
master brummie
Is it just me or dos anyone else find the old photo's more human and cosy than the new one's, I have to say all the new ones seem some how seedy and brash. Paul
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Then & Now
- Thread starter Phil
- Start date
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Hi Paul,
I'm 77 and left Brum in January 1961, so I don't think it is at all unnatural for me to prefer the old city of my younger years for most things, although I have been back quite a few times in the last 30 years. A Brummie of 20 years old today would probably think that "our" Brum was a really scruffy place. Each to his/her own!
When it comes to recently built Brum buildings, I wouldn't give most of the concrete monstrosities a second glance. They could equally well be situated in London, Leeds or Manchester. With the added traffic there are just so many more restrictions regarding parking, and if I wanted to drive from say Fox Street to Aston University, it is now a nightmare, whereas 60 years ago I could have found my way easily.
Let the youngsters have their present day Brum and I will keep my memories of how it was in the 1950s!
Maurice
I'm 77 and left Brum in January 1961, so I don't think it is at all unnatural for me to prefer the old city of my younger years for most things, although I have been back quite a few times in the last 30 years. A Brummie of 20 years old today would probably think that "our" Brum was a really scruffy place. Each to his/her own!
When it comes to recently built Brum buildings, I wouldn't give most of the concrete monstrosities a second glance. They could equally well be situated in London, Leeds or Manchester. With the added traffic there are just so many more restrictions regarding parking, and if I wanted to drive from say Fox Street to Aston University, it is now a nightmare, whereas 60 years ago I could have found my way easily.
Let the youngsters have their present day Brum and I will keep my memories of how it was in the 1950s!
Maurice
Jayell
master brummie
Thanks Phil for the photo of Soho Road/Rosehill Road. You really jogged my memory with the old one. I used to catch the bus into town at that bus stop regularly when growing up in the 40s/50s it would have been the 70, 72, 74 or 75 bus, and the house behind the bus stop was my dentists although I can't remember his name. I took my 11-plus at the Girls Grammar School in Rosehill Road (failing miserably) and as I lived only 5 minutes away in Soho Avenue, that area was very familiar to me, but I wouldn't have recognised it from the new photo. Like Maurice says, some areas were much much better in the 'old' days!
paul stacey
master brummie
You are quite correct Maurice, it is a generational thing, #62, we grew up with our city, and we humans do hate change, the present generation will grow up with the city as it is today, and will regret any changes made by the following generation. The city to us is not just the memories of the architecture it is the memories of our family, and friends, some now long dead that encapsulates all that the old city means to us in our aging years. Paul
sheldontony
master brummie
Liked seeing the pic of Garretts Green lane, brings back memories of going into Job's for ice cream, chocolates sunday afternoons. At one time the shop on the end was a chip shop called Gees
Mickymoo
master brummie
Great to see this picture of Gees shop,that takes me back,I went out with their daughter Lynne for a while,in 1959 !!
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Phil/Judy,
I had to go back and look at that picture again and again, and that inset in the wall looks tailormade for those appliances. My late father-in-law was for many years - certainly all of the 1950s decade - the caretaker of King Edwards School and I was up there almost every evening from 1958-1960, but I can't remember those gadgets being there then. Very odd....
Maurice
I had to go back and look at that picture again and again, and that inset in the wall looks tailormade for those appliances. My late father-in-law was for many years - certainly all of the 1950s decade - the caretaker of King Edwards School and I was up there almost every evening from 1958-1960, but I can't remember those gadgets being there then. Very odd....
Maurice
sheldontony
master brummie
Mickymoo, I remember Lynne Gee too. She married one of the Maturis who ran the shop on Coventry Road. Lovely woman
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
How about a little walk down Digbeth, here we have the junction of Digbeth and Smithfield, then the view toward the Civic Hall, next id the Midland Red Coach Station, followed by the Stone Yard junction with Digbeth, finally the junction of Floodgate Street.
Attachments
Thanks again Phil, for the memories, many a time I had to stand with Mom in the Post Office opposite Farm Rd and the bank a few doors along where I had to take my money box to be opened.
The money box was an oval shape and I think the account was credited with a shilling as I was a pupil at Stratford Rd. Infant School. Having trouble with the banks name, think it was The Municipal, yes now sure it was!
The money box was an oval shape and I think the account was credited with a shilling as I was a pupil at Stratford Rd. Infant School. Having trouble with the banks name, think it was The Municipal, yes now sure it was!
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
Tim
Yes it was the Municipal Bank forerunner of the TSB, I also had one of those cast iron oval money boxes. I think I still had mine up until a few years back. I think I sold it on ebay. Here is a photo just for your memories, although I would think the earlier one is just a bit before your time.
Yes it was the Municipal Bank forerunner of the TSB, I also had one of those cast iron oval money boxes. I think I still had mine up until a few years back. I think I sold it on ebay. Here is a photo just for your memories, although I would think the earlier one is just a bit before your time.
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Mickymoo
master brummie
Hi sheldontony,I guessed that she would marry Mat,she went out with him after me and I saw them around together for many years afterwards,he was a nice guy too,they were made for each other !
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
I'm not a religious person, but that doesn't stop me worrying that we seem to be loosing as many churches as we are public houses of late. Here are just a handful of some of the beautiful buildings that we have lost during the last century. In this batch we have Christchurch Victoria Square, The Church of the Messiah Broad St, The Church of the Redeemer Hagley Rd, St Mary's Aston Rd North, St Pauls Moseley Rd.
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paul stacey
master brummie
like you Phil I am not overtly religious, (I have my own private believes), but I to am sorry to see these, "some very beautiful" buildings disappearing from our urban landscapes, once the centre of the local community's they served, as did the pubs, now lost in a world no one understands, gone along with our English values, and history.
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
I am not religious either, but churches and their parish records were a major part of our history and, for most, a way of life. With hardly an exception, churches were beautiful buildings and landmarks, as were many pubs, in the City of Birmingham. Equally, and almost without exception, the buildings that replaced them are, at best, bland and in many cases just ugly boxes. << Rant over >>
Maurice
Maurice
norfolk brummie
gone but not forgotten
As the churches disappear, the mosques appear. Does this not this tell us something? Eddie.
Smudger
master brummie
It does tell us something Eddie, but if we say or write what it tells us then we`d be in bother. My garden is my church.
norfolk brummie
gone but not forgotten
Smudger, you are so right. Enjoy your garden. Eddie.
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
Alan
The Golden Gloves was actually the Highgate branch of the Birmingham General Dispensary prior to it being the Golden Gloves. It was the machine bumping firm next door that took over the Highgate Park Baptist Church. The T Bone steaks were great, especially after a few drinks.
The Golden Gloves was actually the Highgate branch of the Birmingham General Dispensary prior to it being the Golden Gloves. It was the machine bumping firm next door that took over the Highgate Park Baptist Church. The T Bone steaks were great, especially after a few drinks.
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Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
Alan,
The old photo shows the corner of Stratford Place and Moseley Rd where the Golden Gloves was situated just opposite Chandos Rd and Highgate Park. I would hazard a guess that the photo dates from sometime in the early sixties before the club was opened. The colour photo shows the location today and was taken from Google. As far as I am aware the Golden Gloves and the premises next door were demolished sometime in the last twenty years or so.
The old photo shows the corner of Stratford Place and Moseley Rd where the Golden Gloves was situated just opposite Chandos Rd and Highgate Park. I would hazard a guess that the photo dates from sometime in the early sixties before the club was opened. The colour photo shows the location today and was taken from Google. As far as I am aware the Golden Gloves and the premises next door were demolished sometime in the last twenty years or so.