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They Were Caught In Our Old Street Pics...

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I remember coming down Hunton Hill from Gravelly Hill Station every work night in the late
1950's when I worked at New Street Station and caught the diesel into work and back every day. The
buildings with the gables at the bottom of the hill had some nice shops in them in those
days. It was a bit of a haul to walk up Hunton Hill in the mornings.

I have watched Slade Road change over the years and I like to remember it before it
became a jumble of mismatched buildings as it is these days. Thanks for posting the post cards.
I spied the cupola Viv. Nice to see that
 
I suppose we like the way it was, but enjoy the convenience of how it is now. There must have been people in the late 19th century who lived there, and were a little dismayed as they watched those houses being built over their lanes and fields. I have been looking at the narrow railway bridge (see pic below) and wondered whether Slade Rd was originally a narrow lane when the bridge was built. I notice on the present day streetview that a separate pedestrian tunnel has been built, and maybe the view today will be the 'old street pic' for our young grandchildren !

Sent from my iPad
 
I used to race from work winter nights and catch the train to New St to see my mum in hospital, the noise of the starlings outside on the ledges were deafening. Are they still there?
 
Re post 693. I lived in Hillside Rd, just to the right but out of picture. We had a number of apple trees in our garden and I used to take all my surplus apples to that shop on the right, owned by an Asian, he would sell them (they were Worcester pippins) and we would go 50/50 on the sales. I live there from 1962 to 1987. Eric
 
Nico said:
I used to race from work winter nights and catch the train to New St to see my mum in hospital, the noise of the starlings outside on the ledges were deafening. Are they still there?
Click to expand...

Hi Nico,

The starlings have disappeared. It seems that whatever the council were doing to discourage them finally wprked.

Old Boy
 
Vivienne14 said:
Still on the theme of Slade Road ............... Viv
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Sincere apologies all. I made an error in posting a comparison photo from Streetview of the corner of Slade Road and Reservoir Road. It's been pointed out to me that the old postcard is in fact the corner of Slade and George Road. So here's a comparison. And even better, the good news is that all the shops in view on the pc are still there! Fantastic. Viv.
 

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Viv. thats a much better comparison picture, gr8 to see the changes arent so great as we thought.
Your right Mohawk, some folks will look back on our today pics and see them with fondness like we do - funny though.
I think it is the cars that change things Nico to a certain extent mate.

All in all though we do still have the vast majority of the older buildings still standing.
 
I remember walking with my mom, dad, and sisters down Colmore Row, Nico, in around 1957 and being amazed at the amount of starlings , screeching and soaring above, must have been thousands, and thousands of them roosting along the whole street.paul
 
I worked as a temp secretary at Slade Electrics in Slade Road back in 1959/60. I was there for quite a few months I think. Does anyone remember it and know whereabouts in Slade Road it was? I learned to drive all around those streets as one of the men working at the firm was also a driving instructor and gave me lessons in the lunch hour.

Judy
 
That's a very vivid memory for me too Paul. Up town with my dad on a Saturday afternoon. Last stop into Lewis's food hall to pick up a cottage loaf and some cream cheese (both their own make). Come out onto Bull Street at dusk and the starlings would be circling overhead looking for a night perch. There seemed to be thousands of them. Then I knew it was time for home; over to the #29 bus outside Grey's. Then home for cream cheese on some of that delicious bread in front of the fire. Blimey it's brought tears to my eyes. Viv.
 
I remember the thousands of Starlings flying around the streets and the screeching noise they made. I also remember the council had a van with loudspeakers playing the distress calls of Starlings and driving from street to street chasing them. It was a lost cause and many Starlings would roost in the trees in St Philips churchyard leaving quite a mess before they flew off in the mornings.
 
In this photo (maybe pre hack) lots of people scattered around two trams in Holly Lane Erdington. some hanging out of open tram windows, others crowding tram platforms, several people apparently 'helping' a tram driver, is it the end of trams on that route ? I can see two possible photographers, it looks a good day out !
holly_lane.jpg
 
I sort of liked them. like another world above the hustle and bustle of mine was then .In Cov it's pigeons, they have put rubber spikes, sticky spikes, a real hawk, stone owls, played hawk noises to no avail. Everyone eats food outside and chucks it everywhere.
 
Did people lean on lamp posts, walls or whatever in Victorian photos as there had to be a long exposure and they had to stand still? The photo would have been very special for them, a rarity and the photographer would have posed them with instructions to keep still. It's easier if you lean on something. Small children an animals couldn't keep still and became a blur!
DAVID
 
wow - what a great link Viv - those pics look funny - thank you.
Your right Nico - they do look like early full-body Burka's ... how interesting that they're nothing new then :)

Great pics again - and gr8 thread this is.
 
I looked at the old photo link too, excellent. When you think how people go to gyms etc now, the Victorian era physique was as good as they are now. And I would imagine no air brushing.
 
Stephen0002002 said:
Mo - it does look like the end of the tram line to me. I can only spot one photographer though at the moment.
Click to expand...
I think the bloke wearing a mac holds a stick which has a camera or cine-camera on it, and the guy in the dark suit holds a camera in his left hand. I notice the tram has 'Special Car' on it's destination indicator so it looks like a final journey.
 
oldMohawk said:
In this photo (maybe pre hack) lots of people scattered around two trams in Holly Lane Erdington. some hanging out of open tram windows, others crowding tram platforms, several people apparently 'helping' a tram driver, is it the end of trams on that route ? I can see two possible photographers, it looks a good day out !
holly_lane.jpg
Click to expand...
The man in the upper deck on the left hand tram is looking at his watch saying ther's never a tram when you want one and there's 2 here not moved so stop chelpin to the conducter eh chap and let's get a move on.
 
Flippin' eck, minus 10 for me and go and stand at the back of the class. I thought he was doing something technical to the tram with that rod and the thing on the end was the controls! Viv.
 
Yeah, something has occurred there. Passengers were not allowed in the drivers section and the sliding door was always closed behind him. An accident might have happened and the police not arrived yet. Hard to say. Is that a blood patch by the exit of the nearside tram.
 
No I think it is a shadow Rupert. The man with the long cane and the man in the dark suit to the right with the short baton are duetting, Me,me, and. and my, my shaaaaadow, strolling down the avenooooo!
 
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