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Yardley Wood

I just noticed that this thread is entitled Yardley Wood. Possibly, in an earlier post here, someone mentioned putting pennies on the railway lines, which many youngsters did! ;)
Another 'dare' connected with the Cole and more precisely the Shirley Brook was the tunnel, for the brook, that ran beneath the North Warwickshire railway embankment. On the right hand side of the tnnel, leading to the outlet to the River Cole ran a narrow ledge. This was sometimes used to crawl under the embankment as a shortcut or 'dare'. :eek: Only the brave - or was it stupid? attempted it. :D
 
Called in at the weir in Scribers Lane today on the way home from church. If it is the correct weir then it is much narrower than in the postcard. There was no water going over it (and a lot of weeds) so it was hard to judge. I was not dressed for clambering around and think that wellies might be needed to stand in the ford for the best view. However, I did grab two photos - one through the trees and that section + wall look right for the right hand side of the post card. The other photo shows the top of the weir with the water level below the top.
 

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The postcard #194 which started this is dated 1912 so that just means the picture was taken before that date. Earlier maps seem to show the weir has remained the same size. So - if the weir in Scribers Lane is not the one on the postcard we still have a puzzle. If it is then when was it altered? It could have been when the Trittiford Mill Pond was cleaned up or when the housing was built, If it not where is the weir - I can't at the moment see any other weir in the area.
 
well done intrepid lady:D ...great photos janice and even if its not the weir in the original photo they are still worth having..as you say over the years it is possible that it was altered...

lyn
 
I get the impression that work on parts of the Cole between Colebrook Road and Chinn Brook area has been done piecemeal over the last half century and is often difficult to know exactly when things changed. There have, it seems, been some small diversions done; wooden bridges replaced, fords altered, de-silting and most importantly the island in part of Trittiford Lake made more secure for breeding birds, etc. etc.
I do remember the area known as the Slade being drained, to a degree, allowing a continuous path, when the main channel of the Cole was deepened and widened around the mid 1940's. I had no idea why this was done but on reflection I guess it was to allow housing to be built in Priory Road as a small stream/brook, on the windmill side of Priory Road seems to have been eliminated. The various races for the old watermills could only be a place where a weir was constructed it might be assumed that the weir has been rebuilt - after all the photo is around 100 years old.
 
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I agree Alan it is likely that over time there have been changes - when we next walk in that area I will be better shod and will try to get a better angle that is closer to the original - without falling in that is! I'm sorry but I wasn't prepared to sacrifice leather high heeled shoes today.
 
Went a walk round Trittiford Mill Pool this afternoon. Lake was quite full - water draining from sluice. Canada geese were over the road on the grass verge feeding but we did see a heron at the far end of the lake. He was there while we did two circuits and was not put off by people passing nor dogs going along the path. Took these photos - only just spotted him at first.
 

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Pics taken over the last year!
 

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Finely finished my book about Billesley & Surrounds after 10 years with the help of another "Billesleyite" John Lerwill !
 

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I liked the Trittiford area pics, but after 65 years ago the memory, except the lock cottage at Warstock, is just vague.
 
maypolebaz said:
I went to Highters Heath school, Infants and Juniors, (before going to Wheelers Lane). Memories of Flints etc.

I must warn you though, it was a LOOOONG time ago !
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Oh I have such a lovely memory coming back as I see the name 'Flints' in front of me - isnt memory amazing....? anyway Flints had everything, ha yes always open too. I seem to remember the excitement of going there with parents because they had a 'magic or jokes section' so I would occasionally get a magic or funny gift to play with....I think!
 
Peter1 said:
Oh I have such a lovely memory coming back as I see the name 'Flints' in front of me - isnt memory amazing....? anyway Flints had everything, ha yes always open too. I seem to remember the excitement of going there with parents because they had a 'magic or jokes section' so I would occasionally get a magic or funny gift to play with....I think!
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Yes I too remember Flints. I went to Yardley Wood Junior school and I would sometimes go down Highters Heath Lane and then along the Yardley Wood rd calling at Flints on the way. It was an Aladdins cave to a small boy. For me too it was a long long time ago.
 
maypolebaz said:
If you mean that group of houses that lay further back, Jennie, opposite Gorleston, then I remember a kid called Tyler lived there.(I used to get sent to that outdoor regularly to get ten Churchmans for Our Mom !).
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Yes the Tylers lived on Highters Heath Lane, Steve died about 5 years ago very sad, does anyone remember the Reilly family from Aldbury Road.
 
I can't remember the first name of the Tyler kid that I knew but it could've been Robert.
Funnily enough I could look straight up Aldbury Rd from my bedroom but the only person I knew, that lived there, was a girl called Maureen Jennings.
 
I was one of several evacuees to Billesley July 1944 and remember the cinema at or on Billesley Common. Not sure of its name but could be The Tudor. Detached from other buildings and at the far end towards the canal. We sometimes saw German or Italian POWs working on the common.
 
If youclick on this link you will find a number of "memories" of the Tudor Cinema

The Valley pub, Billesley

Hello everyone. I grew up on a road called Chinn Brook, in Billesley. Right next to Chells Grove. My mom & dad moved there from Hollybank road after my grandad passed away and my mom took the house over. I always remember the valley, as a kid my mom/dad went there as did my grandad and a lot of...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
Johnny Duff said:
when i lived at 70 Pendeen road we Knew the shop as Blacks.I was sent up by my mother to get ham on the bone Tub butter and crusty cobs for a Saturday treat Around 1956 i would have been 7 years old.
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Hi Johnny, your name rings a bell with me. I think I am the same age as you (born in 1949) and we may have been friends as children. Do you remember Ivor Parkin from number 34. I also have memories of Blacks, especially the smells of cheese, ham and vinegar and, of course, the fly papers covered in flies hanging over the counter.
 
maypolebaz said:
I find it hard to get dewey-eyed about Mrs Flint!

I remember the shop used to be stacked with stuff from floor to ceiling and when you went in she'd bark "whadda you want ?"

Most of the kids were too frightened to go in the place. The "Bottom Flints" was more child-friendly I recall.
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My mother-in-law used to call them "Skinflints".
 
Hi IvorP .... my mother-in-law (nee Shufflebottom) lived at 36 Pendeen, but moved out in 1949 to Prince of Wales Lane. She remembers your mother Hilda, brother Ronnie and sister Rita. She remembers your dad at the VE (or VJ) Day celebrations dressed as an Arab!
 
BrummieGeoff said:
Hi IvorP .... my mother-in-law (nee Shufflebottom) lived at 36 Pendeen, but moved out in 1949 to Prince of Wales Lane. She remembers your mother Hilda, brother Ronnie and sister Rita. She remembers your dad at the VE (or VJ) Day celebrations dressed as an Arab!
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Not knowing how old your Mother- in Law is does she remember the Breakwells at number 18 Denis, Gladys and there children Betty, June and David my mom Betty would of been 23 in 1949
 
BrummieGeoff said:
Hi IvorP .... my mother-in-law (nee Shufflebottom) lived at 36 Pendeen, but moved out in 1949 to Prince of Wales Lane. She remembers your mother Hilda, brother Ronnie and sister Rita. She remembers your dad at the VE (or VJ) Day celebrations dressed as an Arab!
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Hello, a cousin of mine who lived on Yardley Wood Road, was married to a Harry Shufflebottom in the late 60s. I wonder if he was related to to your Mother in Law's family.
 
jmadone : That sounds like my wife's Uncle Harry .... is your cousin's name Margaret ? If so, we know her well, and we'll be seeing her on Saturday.
 
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