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Where is This? - 123

ChrisM

ChrisM

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Staff member
(I don't know the answer to this and should appreciate opinions. And hope it's OK to barge into pmc1947's series).

June or July 1940. An early LDV/Home Guard parade. Note the lack of uniforms and the complete absence of rifles and other weapons. Desperate times.

Chris
 

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Chris
I may be wrong, but in general I agree with the earlier posts. Although I wasn't around in 1940, I did live at 1164 Bristol road south in the late 60s and early 70s, and I think that would have been behind the hedge on the right. This would make the soldiers at attention on the pavement being outside Longbridge police station (no 1170 B.R.S.), an understandable place to take a salute. I attach a photo pointing the other way up bristol road from no 1164. I'm not sure if the Spot garage in my photo is the building behind the Haig sign on your photo. There was a motor spirit station listed in the same position as the Spot (no 1163 B.R.S.) in 1940.
mike
 
I would say it,s erdington/ pype Hayes tyburn rd in between kingsbury rd and
the Chester rd,and i think that if it was there then they may have been a parade at the forget me not club?
regards dereklcg.
 
ChrisM

I haven't a clue where it is although If pressed I would plump for Bristol Rd South as well.

I am only posting this to repeat this isn't my thread, admittedly I do tend to post on it more than others, but you as part of the admin team should know more than anyone it is open to all, and they are more than welcome. I like to have a try myself, the trouble is I never know the answer.

Phil
 
Many thanks for the interest and contributions to date. It seems to be 3-1 in favour of Bristol Road South at the moment.

It's a pity that the definition isn't better. The best I can do with the background is attached. Don't know whether that helps at all.

Does the slope in the road in the distance tell us anything?

Chris
 
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chris..thats a lovely pic...ive zoomed as much as i can to see if we can make out the names of any of the shops...that way a kellys look up may have helped out with the location but i cant quite make out the names....

lyn
 
MJ has it SPOT on
icon7.gif
 
The slope to a little hill in the distance does fit in to the idea of B.R.S., as i remember it anyway. But then there may be other straight roads with a similar slope
mike
 
Anbody know where the 3rd Battalion of the Home Guard was stationed, that may give some idea.

Phil
 
(Ah, wondered when you would notice that one, Wilson!)

That's one of the little problems, Phil. After the flurry of forming the different battalions initially, there was a lot of reorganising and redistribution. The ten or so first Birmingham battalions extended to over thirty, eventually, and in some (?all) cases got new numbers. The 5th Birmingham Battn. became the 25th Warwickshire (Birmingham) Battalion, for example. The 5th Warwickshire was something else.

It's almost certain that the 3rd Birmingham became the 23rd Warwickshire (Birmingham) - the C.O. of each was the same chap who is taking the salute in the pic.

BUT... the 23rd Warwickshire (Birmingham) was based in the Aston area. This tends to argue against the Bristol Road South identification (even though from what I remember of occasional tram journeys in the early/mid 1940s, clattering down those long straight stretches at an exciting top speed, it certainly looks a good call). And it does make one wonder about Derek's Tyburn Road suggestion.

Wish we could read the shop names!

Chris
 
I think this is the absolute best one is going to get of the shops.

If I had to put money on it, I think I would bet on "The Cook-Shop".

Chris
 
hi chris....i think it looks like cool...but i cant think what type of a shop that would be....

lyn
 
hi Chris M,
i,m looking at an a-z 1988 of the area i think it is, and there is a TAVR center in holly lane/tyburn rd / kingsbury rd. coincidence maybe!
where are the guys that live in erdington when you need them,it,s not the winning it,s the taking part,i spent a lot of time round the area,courting the wife,there was a great chippy just on the left hand side there. happy days Derek
 
if I ask Other Half nicely he could go and take a pic tomorrow where we think it is and then compare them.
 
Only possibility I can think of for "Cook shop" in 1940 kellys in the areas suggested that might be it are a cooked meat shop. Only thing is :
Tyburn road between Kinsbury Rd and Chester road , other side of road to forget me not club (not enough buildings listed to see exactly where):
984 Trengrove C., cooked meat shop

Bristol road south about in right position but impossible to be sure as don't know what houses might have been knocked down (if any) for garage. :
1175 Kimberley Mrs L., cooked meat shop

Aargh !!

mike
 
I would agree with Dereklcg. I think it's Tyburn Road, for the simple reason that it appears to be moreorless midday and the sun is to the right of the picture. This mean that the road is running roughly east-west, while Bristol Roadruns more north - south. Elementary, my dear ChrisM! -Thanks anyway for a good teaser.
Peter
 
Chris M the picture is a gem and While I wouldnt want to dis agree with the tyburn rd cant remember the slope but I could be wrong where were the 3rd battalion stationed HELP
 
Derek has tactfully pointed out that I have previously said the the 23rd's (or the 3rd's) area also included part of Erdington. Had forgotten that!

It's all a bit confusing, especially with later boundary changes after the date of the pic. But basically I think it means that the Tyburn Road area COULD have fallen within the area of the 3rd Battalion in the summer of 1940.

Mr. Godsall had an M.C. from the Great War and was listed as a Captain in the T.A., prior to WW2. And, thanks to information from printmeister, now we can see his medals in an auction house. How do these treasures escape from families, I wonder?

Glad to be exercising so many minds on this and thanks for all thoughts to date!

Chris
 
Somethink tells me its by the Norton pub on Tyburn Rd which is now a lidl/aldi and the shop is cool cuts but im not sure when the word cool came into fashion and the soldiers are standing just after by where the bank used to be.
 
hi donna..i also thought it said cool...maybe we are getting somewhere now....

astoness
 
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