Tower blocks Perry Barr demolition.

[TowerStreetBrummie]

I think Enid Goodwins was along that stretch of Perry Barr. Thank goodness those tower blocks are gone, that bit of Birchfield Road is confusing to drive along, especially if you want to turn right to go along the Broadway. Maybe they will sort that out with the new buildings going up. The underpass as you say Graham is an eyesore.

I lived in Livingstone Road (which was in between the tower blocks on Birchfield Road) around 1962 when I was in my young teens and the Enid Goodwin dancing Club was exactly opposite to my house. It was a great move from Hockley as we had an indoor toilet apposed to an outside one shared between 2 families and my brother each had a bedroom and we all had a bathroom to share instead of a tin bath in front of the fire. My Mum had a kitchen instead of a larder cupboard to cook in and we had a back garden instead of a back to back house (look it up!)
It was good times for all of us in a very safe area with many friendly families and friends who lived in the tower blocks and nearby with the allotments around the back.
So to those who say thank goodness that it as all gone, I trust you can say that you are in a happier place than we were at the time.
Guess you will be pleased that the underpass is currently being removed also (2021)

 

[JOHC]

I lived in Livingstone Road (which was in between the tower blocks on Birchfield Road) around 1962 when I was in my young teens and the Enid Goodwin dancing Club was exactly opposite to my house. It was a great move from Hockley as we had an indoor toilet apposed to an outside one shared between 2 families and my brother each had a bedroom and we all had a bathroom to share instead of a tin bath in front of the fire. My Mum had a kitchen instead of a larder cupboard to cook in and we had a back garden instead of a back to back house (look it up!)
It was good times for all of us in a very safe area with many friendly families and friends who lived in the tower blocks and nearby with the allotments around the back.
So to those who say thank goodness that it as all gone, I trust you can say that you are in a happier place than we were at the time.
Guess you will be pleased that the underpass is currently being removed also (2021)

I was very interested to read your post because I don't live in Birmingham any more so I didn't know the tower blocks were being demolished. When we used to get the bus out of town towards Perry Barr, my mother always used to point out the solitary tree that had been in the garden of my grandmother's Victorian house. This was number 22 Birchfield Road and it was outside one of the tower blocks. I recently made contact with a long-lost cousin who spent the first few years of her life in that house and I would love to show her where it was but I'm not sure I'll be able to find it now.
Can anyone help identify the tower block?

 

[A Sparks]

I was very interested to read your post because I don't live in Birmingham any more so I didn't know the tower blocks were being demolished. When we used to get the bus out of town towards Perry Barr, my mother always used to point out the solitary tree that had been in the garden of my grandmother's Victorian house. This was number 22 Birchfield Road and it was outside one of the tower blocks. I recently made contact with a long-lost cousin who spent the first few years of her life in that house and I would love to show her where it was but I'm not sure I'll be able to find it now.
Can anyone help identify the tower block?

I remember the tower block flats, there is another thread on Birchfield Road and I see that one of our members @Banjo once lived at 28 Birchfield Road - perhaps he can help?

 

[Banjo]

I was very interested to read your post because I don't live in Birmingham any more so I didn't know the tower blocks were being demolished. When we used to get the bus out of town towards Perry Barr, my mother always used to point out the solitary tree that had been in the garden of my grandmother's Victorian house. This was number 22 Birchfield Road and it was outside one of the tower blocks. I recently made contact with a long-lost cousin who spent the first few years of her life in that house and I would love to show her where it was but I'm not sure I'll be able to find it now.
Can anyone help identify the tower block?

I replied to the message JOHC sent me and put him on to "Birchfield Road Perry Barr" thread (page 36). I also add this 2001 Google Earth photo of the area he talks about which shows the tower block.

 

[MainStreetMusic]

I reckon they were built in the 70s we used to call them suicide blocks for obvious reasons


Mossy - built in the 60's.

 

[MainStreetMusic]

I think Byrons Cafe was in the block where Lloyds Bank used to be. My mother and I would pop in when we got off the bus from town. She fancied the bloke who owned it!

Big Gee

Yes, and one of my families shops C Southwick & sons electrical shop on the corner of the Broadway

 

[Catherine Crawley]

I remember Byron's very well, used to love their 'lucky dip' barrel, and bought all my Jublies , kayli and Lucky Bags from there. I lived in the maisonettes opposite Calder Tower.
We moved there in the autumn of 1960 and the first block of flats, Tweed Tower, had just started to be built. I remember all three going up; Tweed was followed by Birchfield (the one in the middle) and finally Calder.
The only tree I can really remember by the flats was in the playground between Birchfield and Calder Towers, we tied a rope swing to it for a while.

 

[MainStreetMusic]

I remember Byron's very well, used to love their 'lucky dip' barrel, and bought all my Jublies , kayli and Lucky Bags from there. I lived in the maisonettes opposite Calder Tower.
We moved there in the autumn of 1960 and the first block of flats, Tweed Tower, had just started to be built. I remember all three going up; Tweed was followed by Birchfield (the one in the middle) and finally Calder.
The only tree I can really remember by the flats was in the playground between Birchfield and Calder Towers, we tied a rope swing to it for a while.

Byron's made the best bacon sandwich's ever, he delivered them yo our Electrical shop.

 

[Catherine Crawley]

Hi .. just came across this forum posting ... As a large family, we moved from Perry Common Road Erdington, to Perry Barr in 1962 while construction was still taking place on the tower blocks & maisonettes. If I'm remembering correctly, all, or most of the houses had been completed and we moved in to a 5 bedroomed home in Ashcroft Grove during 1962 .. it was pure heaven. I later used to date a girl from Birchfield Tower .. cant believe that it was 58 years ago....

I used to live in the maisonettes opposite Calder Tower, we moved in 1960. Can you remember the name of the girl you dated...just wondering if I knew her!

 

[Catherine Crawley]

I'm new to this site but I used to live in Bragg Road,Perry Barr.I knew several people who used to live in the tower blocks and maisonettes (mid 60's-mid 70's)People from my school Great Barr Comp and from the local BB which my Foster mum ran Olive Woolass at Perry Barr methodist Church in Aston Lane.
Very interesting to read all of this. Thanks

I remember a boy called Sparks who lived down Bragg Rd, could he have been your brother? I lived in the maisonettes opp' Calder Tower.