Memories of Irene Smith, nee Trapp

My name is Irene Smith and I was Irene Trapp. Born in 1938, I first lived ay 3 Portland Terrace, Friston Street and when I was 6 in 1944, we moved to Rann Street number 132. We gave up our house and my grandma Bright's in St Vincent Street; she lived up the first entry past the doctors, Louis Glass and Sam Glass for the large house in Rann Street.

I always attended Osler Street School infants, juniors and seniors. I remember some teachers there. Infants was Miss Shakeshaft and Miss Ray was the head mistress, and in the seniors were Miss Butler who taught Art, Mrs Trigg, Maths and Miss James was the fourth form Senior Girls and Miss McCloughlin was the head. She moved on to Illmington Road Girls School at Weoley Castle and Miss James took over as Headmistress.

I was very good at Sport and went on to run for Birchfield Harriers, but mother put a stop to all that I'm afraid, but I was Sports Champion of the School for the whole four years in Seniors and when I left they gave me the medal to keep. I went to Brownies and then to Girl Guides and does anyone where some of them went to - Jean Hyde with red hair, Joyce Davis quite a big tall girl, Vera Hawkins and I had a friend in juniors, Pauline Pickering and I think she lived in Osler Street. Valerie Allbutt is another one, and she had a brother named Roger and they used to live at the first big house next to Hyde Road on Monument Road, but they went to live at Quinton at the back of the Holly Bush Pub somewhere. I also recall Gifford’s the Off Licence at the top of Friston Street and used to go there for gran for a jug of ale and to the cooked meat shop just around the corner and get some chitterlings and tripe.

Friston Street

I used to also go a youth club and I think it was at the bottom of Grosvenor Street and I remember going camping with that club to the Lake District. I walked into a wasps nest and got stung all over and had to spend 3 days in a sick bay. I have been scared of wasps ever since. I recall Vic Ellis from that Street and also a girl named Maureen who lived down the first entry at the top and I think there was a newsagents there. Also an Annette Bielby who lived in the house on Ladywood Road, opposite Beaufort Road and next to the place that Furber’s the Undertakers had before they moved to the end of Ladywood Road and Alston Street. Annette was a good friend.

If anyone remembers me I would love to hear from anyone. I have been married now for 51 years and have 4 daughters and have 5 grandsons and 2 granddaughters. We now live in South West France. My cousin Albert Trapp still lives in Birmingham. I also have another cousin there who is in Northfield, Pat Farren, who was Pat Watkins and she lived in Osler Street with her mum and dad Wilfred and Gertrude Watkins. My Uncle Wilf and Aunty Gert were lovely to me and I will never forget them.

Don't forget if there is anyone out there who DOES remember me at all.

Best wished to everyone out there and we shall always remember Ladywood with great affection.

Irene Smith   Nee Trapp

Memories of Alan Jones

This photo is taken at the bottom of St Vincent Street, this building used to be the community centre, from memory every Tuesday and Thursday night it also doubled up as a boys club where you could play darts, snooker, table tennis etc.

This photograph is of a grocery store in Vincent Street July 2010, this shop was for many years Grants newsagent, Grants were originally located on the old Ladywood Road opposite the park.  Mr & Mrs Grant were a great couple, I had a paper round for about 2 years when they were located in Vincent Street.

This photo is of Frankee hairdressers in Vincent Street as they are today July 2010.  In one of the photographs for Ladywood Road and the corner of Broad Street, next to the pub you can see a barbers pole, this is where Frankee was located prior to the redevelopment.

Memories of Alan Jones

Photograph of the rear entrance to block 50 Ladywood Road.

The children in this photo starting top left - Carole Jones my sister; next to Carole, Linda Bousfield.

Middle row - Brian and Susan Cahill.

Front row from left to right - Maureen Whetton; Two girls in middle unknown; Boy on right John Bousfield.

The photograph below is the same address, 50 Ladywood Road, but taken in 2010

Memories of Alan Jones

Here is a photograph of Dad, either known as William or Bill Jones, now deceased 20-11-09.

All I know about this picture is Dad was fixing a lightning conductor to the top of a flag pole at a factory in the jewellery quarter area.  Very doubtful if anyone can recognise the street from this.

Second photograph - Dad working on a coal gas plant somewhere in the Saltley area of Birmingham.  First man on right of picture is Bill.

The company Dad worked for was Elvin's, based in the Hockley area, if I remember correctly this company was run by a Miss Shaw?

Memories of Val Hanson

I was amazed when I stumbled across the pictures of Parade Service Garage taken during the 50's.  These pictures were taken before and after the demolition of Devoties (spelling ?) Sweet Shop, which had been on the corner - this allowed the garage to double in size. 

I know because the proprietor of the garage at the time was Larry (known as Harry) Weston, he is  the tall gent stood against the wall in the second picture, and was my father.  I worked for my father when I left school in 1953 and learned to drive in the garage van - how times have changed.   I often wonder what has happened to all the folk from those days.

Regards

Memories of Norman Shaw

My name is Norman Shaw I was born in November 1939 and lived at 22 Parker Street with my family. I had an older brother called Barry he was born in 1937, unfortunately he died a few years ago.  I also have a sister called Pam, who was born in 1950. It was Pam who told me about your site.

My Nan, Alice Hadley, lived at number 20 Parker Street.  She was a bookies runner and she also used to "lay dead people out" - I'm not sure how you would describe that today. When I was approximately 18 years old we moved to 12 Bellis Street.   

I have spent many happy sessions trawling through all the different peoples entries on your site. I saw several photographs of my young self on your site at St George's School and Osler Street School.

I remember the Wilkinson family well, I was really proud to know Len he was a REAL gentleman in every sense of the word. I remember most of the families in Wellington Terrace and I wonder how many of them are still alive. 

Regards

Memories of Alan Beet

I have no idea when the 'Charra' outing was or who was on it, but the speed was only 12 mph!!!

Memories of Barbara Johnson

Memories of Fred Cooper

I looked at your old Ladywood pages, just great. My name is Fred Cooper and I lived in St. Mark’s Street with Mr. & Mrs. Gillespie, daughter Frances, 2 sons David, sorry I forget the other boy in the 1950s.

Then met a girl, one of the Price girls and got married to her.

Ladywood, what a place, just wonderful, from ice skating, snooker on Sunday, a game of darts at the Turf Inn on Sunday, listen to Billy Cotton at Sunday dinner time, quite hard times then.

I was in the army at Catterick camp, then away to Germany.

When I read the dreams of all those people looking in their mirrors, such wonderful people. I cannot remember many though, I wish I did. All the old Ladywood alas has gone. Many people reading your pages must sit and day dream of many wonderful times then and many good ones.

Anyone wishing to contact me I will answer.

Memories of Kelvin

Our yard/garden (luxury) at 58 Ingleby Street showing the chimney tops of Spring Hill shops 1956ish.

That's me on the floor (Kelvin) and big brother Chris on the horse with the Lance, typical. Between the bottom of the garden (note the corrugated iron patch) and the shops was the sausage factory and to the left of the yard was a nut and bolt factory.

The yard/garden was later made famous by an escape from The Green running down the entry through the yard and over or through the corrugated at the bottom, closely followed by the Old Bill. I can’t remember who he was but I think he was quite infamous.

Memories of Robert George

I have just been "trawling" through the site, and under St. Vincent Street I noticed a photo titled " the school", I remember when the school first opened maybe 1959/60, thereabouts.

My family moved to Ladywood when the new flats and maisonettes were built. We lived in Ladycroft, No.2. I still remember Mr's Ralphs little paper shop in the street, which ran over the canal.

 
I still have very fond memories of playing in the streets around Ladywood, going to the Park and the Reservoir. Walking into town to visit the museum was always a thing to do when on holidays. I never tired of going there or spending time at Cannon Hill Park catching tiddlers from the lake.

 
I wonder if anyone else who regularly visits your site, went to the "new school" also I was there until 1962, when my parents emigrated to Australia.

Some of the people I remember from the school, John Stokes (best friend, wonder what happened to him); Richard Ball (neighbour);  Lynn Phipps (first girlfriend) and a teacher, by the name of Mr Wall, my last teacher before leaving Brum. There was also another Robert George (no relation) who lived nearby.

Memories of Derek Cull

What a fantastic site, full of memories for me.

My names Derek Cull, and I lived with my parents and sister at 2/97 St. Mark’s Street, I think it used to be known as 'The Big End'.

One of my oldest friends is Dave Marsh, who used to live in 'The Little End'.

I went to Steward Street Infants and Junior School and Barford Road Senior School, in fact it was at Steward Street where I met my oldest friend Barry Reeves, whom I have kept in touch with since 1956.

I have fond memories of friends from St. Marks Street, Steward Street, Barford Road and Springhill Baptist Church, where I was in The 92nd Company of the Boys Brigade.

If anyone reading this remembers me or my sister Irene, I would like to hear from you

Memories of Shirley Ray, nee Allington

What memories looking at Coplow Street again. I lived at 3-73 Coplow Street and Tustin’s shop was at the bottom of our row of houses. I attended Barford Road Infants and Junior Schools and then went on to City Road Senior School, where the headmistress was miss Aston.

My name then was, Shirley Allington, our next door neighbours were a family named Kirton.

At the bottom of the road was the canal and round the corner was the shop were I used to get faggots and mushy peas for my dads tea.

Thank you I will be able to show my granddaughters and my daughter were I lived and went to school. My name now is Shirley Ray and I am 72 years of age.

Best wishes

Memories of Tom Magee

I have just been sent the great website by my baby sister Carole and was scrolling down as you do and found the above young lady and this brought to mind my school days with her elder brother John at St Peters.

I can well remember coming out of school onto St. Mark's Street and climbing over the canal wall and dropping down on to small wall that led down to the tow path, this was very scary at the time but one of those things that young boys do !!!

John and I would the walk along the tow path until we could get out on to the street by the Foxall Café, where Mrs. Foxall would give us a bottle of fizzy pop, a great treat in those days. I can also remember the fret saw machine that was in one of the upper rooms of the Albion Pub that also held the pubs stock of crisps and cigarettes. I would then walk home to our house at 16 Ryland Place, off Broad Street. It was between Ryland Street and Ruston Street.

Foxall's Cafe

It was from there that I moved school to Cardinal Newman in Poplar Avenue, off Sandon Road. Whilst at the school we moved house to 29 Reservoir Road, just off Monument Road. After leaving school I had a job at Thomas Plants on Bath Row, then moved to Dockers Paints in Rotten Park Street (my father worked at the Salvage Dept at the Council Depot in Rotten Park Street and used to play me up if he saw me on my way home wearing my suit and tie, I think he was proud of me really). It was from there that I joined the Royal Air Force spending most of the time away in foreign parts, I really enjoyed it.

As luck would have it I met the girl I was to spend the rest of my life with, Susan Jennifer Baggus from Bearwood, maybe it was the uniform. When I came out of the RAF I managed to get a job at M&B at the Cape Hill Brewery, I stayed there for 16 years before moving to my present job with Wolverhampton Council.

We have two sons Tom and Paul, Tom works in the USA and Paul is Head of Design at Coventry University and is expecting his first child in a couple weeks, our grandchild is Joshua who is ten and nearly a black belt in karate. We are very proud of them.

If there is any one out that remembers me please contact me through Mac.

Best wishes to you Mac, you have a great site.

Tom Magee

Memories of Paul Bates

My name is Paul Bates and I used to live at 1/67 Clark Street, Ladywood from 1958- 1967.

I was reading the memories and came across Judith McKenzie (Pearson). I remember her sister Susan very well and I think she would remember me or if any one else can remember us - the Bates Family.

There was Mom Olive & Dad Cyril; the twins Olive & Rita, then John, me Paul, Colin and Peter. Our gran, Liz and granddad Ted Thomas, lived at 67.

Our house was across from the school just down from the top gate.

One of my friends I remember was Steven Poppet, who lived in Winson Green by the nick, his mom had two bald tiny dogs.

My mom used to wash cloths for people to earn money due to dad being ill most of the time or being in hospital having ops.

Another girl I remember is June Atkins.

I spent most of my childhood walking around the Rezza and climbing trees.

Most names have now drifted into the woodwork with me, so if you can jog the gray matter please contact me through Mac.

Memories of Brenda Fazakarley - nee Noon

What a great website you have created!  I have never spent so much time on my computer - it is all so fascinating.

Just after the war ended ice cream became available. I started school in Hockley in September l939 so could not remember what ice cream tasted like.

On the corner of Osler Street, opposite the Tavern Pub, was a little sweet/tobacconist shop (the name escapes me) and the ice cream used to arrive on a Monday and as I recollect so much was sold at a time.  When the ice cream was on offer we would all dash up and queue all down the street waiting for our treat and when the allocation for that day was sold, that was it, until the next time. We were only allowed a small amount - in any event there was no such thing as a frig or freezer in Ladywood.

Our GP was Dr Louis Glass who later became Mayor of Birmingham - he had four sons, and his brother Sam was also at the practice. The surgery was just off Monument Road in Oliver Road and I went to him for many years after moving to Northfield.  After our second baby arrived I thought it sensible to change.  Louis Glass was a lovely doctor.

There was also the music teacher, Mr Timmins in Hyde Road where I attended for a few years for piano lessons.

The Crown Cinema was one of our haunts, as well as the Edgbaston - I remember seeing Gone With The Wind at the Edg. You had to be over 16 to get in to see an A category and we used to put on a headscarf to make us look older - sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. 

I also remember another shop on the corner of Leslie Road and Reservoir Road just near the entrance to the Res.  Mr and Mrs Dukes owned the shop and my mum used to shop there; they sold groceries and a bit of fruit and veg. As I recall they were a very obliging couple.   They had one daughter - a very smart young lady who was secretary to Mr Kunzle at his lovely Five Ways shop.  I can see that shop now and at Easter time they would display huge beautifully decorated eggs. Mr Kunzle was a very charitable gentleman who had a chalet in Switzerland for disabled children to go on holiday. He was obviously Swiss.

His confectionery was lovely. Kunzle's was on the corner of Broad Street, north side, and Bannister & Thatcher the pharmacist was next door and there was a nice provisions store, rather high class, a bit further along.  When I was about eighteen I worked at a firm of solicitors at No 57 Calthorpe Road for many years, but of course that was after we had moved to Northfield.

As there were no travelling fair grounds during the war years, Billy Butlin took out a seven year Lease in Edgbaston Reservoir and because Louise Wassell and myself were such great friends I spent a lot of time in there with her, much to my mother's annoyance. We used to get free rides!  Most of the fairground people went into the Wassell's cafe for refreshments and also the Tavern.

Opposite our terrace was where Wathes, Cattel & Gurden kept their horses and milk floats for the dairy - that was on the same side of the tavern. Reading through all the memoirs I have not seen the dairy mentioned.

There are lots of Brummies here in Bournemouth, but I have yet to meet someone from Ladywood, even better still Osler Street School! 

Memories of Brenda Fazakarley - nee Noon

re: Last junior class 1944/45

My brother sent me a print out of our old school a couple of years ago and I have just found it again and thought I would reply at long last.

I lived at 11/119 Osler Street and there was a wall at the bottom of our garden and the school playground the other side. How well I remember Mr. Davenport (daddy Davenport as he was nicknamed). You could hear him yelling at the children in our back garden.

Relating to the photograph sent by Val nee Powell I remember quite a few of the children in my class as follows :-

They were Doreen Kilby who lived in Hyde Road, May Tindall who also lived by there, Lilly Freeman lived in Leslie Road, (I was very friendly with her), June Perks, Mavis Pountney LOUISE Wassell (BettyWassell was her older sister and would not have been in that class), Joy Riley from Clark Street and myself Brenda Noon - I am on bottom row, third from right and I think Louise would be second from right.  Louise was a tiny girl with very blonde hair.

Louise and I were great friends for many years - they had the coffee shop just in Reservoir road and her family were travellers with the fair and when Butlin’s fair opened in the Edgbaston Reservoir they had a couple of stalls in there and a lot of the fair men used to go to the cafe. On busy bank holiday weekends I used to help to do the sandwiches with Louise. I was also very friendly with Lilly Freeman who lived with her grandmother in Leslie Road; also I was quite friendly with Joy Riley and Doreen Kilby.

Regarding the boys there was Roy Hicks, Sammy Hanson, Patrick Moon who lived at the bottom of Osler Street - there were about seven children in the Moon family and the kids used to get us mixed up as we had such similar sounding surnames!  Also Jim Clark who lived in our same terrace, Johnny Clarke was a couple of years older and like Betty Wassel could not have been in that form. I was born 5th April l934 and Jimmy Clarke 12th April '34. We all grew up together.

In our yard there was also Gordon and Horace Wood who lived next door to us, Brian Lane, Elsie King and other siblings, John and Jim Clarke. Gordon and Horace Wood's mum used to clean at the school.

I well remember Miss Watson because I was head girl; or rather school captain as it was called in my day.  In l945 I passed my eleven plus and was offered a place at George Dixon Grammar School, same as Sammy Hanson - the only two who of us who were lucky. However my mother was in Dudley Road hospital for many months having her second baby - after eleven years! Dad was worried to bits about her and so I never showed him the letter about my GD place and it was not until they went to parents' evening in July they were told about the exam - of course it was then too late because we had not accepted it.

However I went into the senior school, took another exam the following year and finished up at Sparkhill Commercial School.

My brother was born on 25th May l945 whilst all the end of war celebrations were going on.

After the war Louise's family went back to travelling the fair grounds and we kept in touch for many years, often meeting up when they were at a B'ham fairground. Through life's inevitabilities we lost touch, but we named our daughter Louise, as I always loved the name.

The Wassel family were much better off than my parents - they had a radiogram! and when the cafe was closed in the evenings, Louise used to play records and we would dress up in lace curtains, shove the tables together and dance.

Unfortunately I do not seem to have any school photographs - but I have a feeling somewhere in the archives I have a photograph of the street party celebrating the end of the war.

In l952 we moved to a council house at Northfield, near Weoley Castle and when I married we lived on the new part of Bourneville estate. Mr. Davenport had a son and daughter and I used to see him in Northfield when I went shopping. Eventually of course I read his obituary in the B'ham Mail one evening.

In l974 my husband, son and daughter moved to Bournemouth and have lived here ever since.

I do have a very good memory and keep trying to think of some other names.

I know in our street we had the Cook twin boys, but they were a couple of years older than me, and Jean Berrows who lived at the front of our houses who was also a couple of years older.

Then we had the McCormack family on the other side of the street. Dave, the eldest, then Pat and Johnny the youngest - all very clever children. They moved into grannies’ house in Mostyn Road, much posher than Osler Street.  Pat was about 3/4 years older than me, but we were friends for many years. We were both keen ballroom dancers and her auntie was a teacher at the Laura Dixon studio in the town - Pat and her mum moved to Cornwall, but sadly Pat died at the age of 50 in Saltash, Cornwall. Johnny Mac went to Dartmoor Naval College and did very well for himself. Pat visited us in Bournemouth on a couple of occasions before her death - she remarked what a long way we had both come since Osler Street!!

When I started this I didn't think it would be this long.

I would love some feedback if anyone is out there from Osler Street.

Been thinking again and very well remember IRENE SMITH - I think she lived around or in Parker Street. I do not remember her at all in junior school, but I do remember her in the senior school. I did not stay in the senior school long because I went on to Sparkhill Commercial.

I didn't like that very much and I had rheumatic fever when I was fourteen and was absent from school for a whole year. However, in spite of that awful illness, I am still alive and kicking. I thought Osler Street School was a really great school.  I only remember going on one school outing on a Midland Red Bus and that was to the Odeon Cinema on the Wolverhampton Road, Warley, to see Henry V - my first introduction to William Shakespeare and I was absolutely bowled over by Lawrence Olivier and became a firm fan, due to his brilliant performance in that film.

Irene Smith married one of the Hickman boys. Hickmans had the fruit and vegetable shop in Monument Road, just past the Municipal Bank on the corner of Icknield Port Road and opposite was the Co-op store where most of our mothers shopped.

There were seven Hickman children and the family lived further up Monument Road after Reservoir Road - it was a big house if I remember. It would have to be with such a big family!   All the family served in the shop and they used to take it in turns to go to market at about 4 o'clock in the morning. Hickman’s sold fruit and veg of course, wet fish and poultry, rabbits, turkeys at Christmas etc.  I can see Mrs Hickman now with her ruby lips and black hair, always serving, and a real businesswoman. Hickman’s was a fantastic shop.

I wonder how many girls remember the Dolls' Hospital further down Monument Road on the same side as the bank where we used to take our dolls when they were broken, and of course Spring Hill Library (a listed building) where I used to frequent every Saturday morning. We couldn't afford books, (except for Christmas pressies) neither did we have a bookcase, no room for such luxuries in those small back houses and I do wonder how we managed to read in that dreadful gas light, although I remember we did eventually get electricity. 

At the bottom of Osler Street was the garage where we used to take our accumulators for the radio to be charged. We had two and one would be in the radio and the other at the garage being charged. I had that job - how I hated it. I also remember in 1947  (a terrible winter) fetching coal from the wharf in Icknield Port Road, 28lbs at a time (quarter of a hundredweight) and pushing it all up Osler Street - then we had to take the darn wheelbarrow back when it had been emptied.

Those were the days!

Brenda Fazakarley - nee Noon

Memories of William Workman

These are some photos of my brother and sisters, Susan, Val, Ken, Pete, we lived at number 53 Shakespeare Road.

We lived at 2/19 Garbett Street before we moved to 53 Shakespeare Road, were all the families living these days. Ray, Sue, Pauline Ward, the Owens that lived next door to the outdoor.

John Cross that lived next door to the Vine pub, the Powell’s that had the shop, and also the Carters, the Berks. Peter Jones, John Beasley, John Lorimer.

If anyone remembers these people please get in touch. 

Memories of Christine Robertson

These photographs were taken at Wilmot Breedon when my father, William Drew, received his watch for 25 years service

Memories of Jean Johnston

I attended Osler Street School in Birmingham from 1957-1962 when we went to New Zealand to live. Some of the people in my class where June Gordon and Peter Heath.

I remember going over to the big hall for lunch and how we used to moan about what was served up especially when cabbage was on the menu. It was great to see the old school and going through the photo's found 2 Strawford boy's but not sure if they are related or not.

I do remember having to walk across the playground to go to the toilets and we always rushed when it was cold.

We lived in Clark Street in Victoria Terrace in a back-to-back house and we were the last house in the terrace at 7 back of 34, as they used to put it in those days. I now live back in England, as New Zealand was not for me.

Memories of Pete Lambert

Just sitting here thinking about my teenage years in good old Ladywood, I lived at 26 Summerhill Street with my Nan and granddad, Teddy and Emily Lambert, also in our house lived my aunt and uncle Doreen & Bobby Wise. My Nan often used to play the piano in the Robin Hood that was just across the street. My uncle Bob played in the darts team in Kelsey’s on the corner of Edward Street and King Edwards Road.

I remember Gerry's grocery shop run by Gerry Marshall and his wife Nancy. My nan used to send me there very often to get a few bits on the tick until pension day. There was also Hickman’s, the veg shop just past Nelson Street.

I remember a few families in the street like, the Fiddlers, Dave, Doug, Dennis, Jean, and also the James family, Sid and Mike, The Cain family, The Brunts, Tony and his sister Jacky,

I went to Barford Road School and left in 1958. I was in Mr. Peasnell's class when I left.

In those days my evenings were spent hanging around outside the exit doorway of the ice rink in Goodman street where me and all my mates could hear the rock ‘n roll music that was being played inside, we would be there seven nights a week hanging around listening to the music.

I remember some of my mates, Tony Brunt, Monty Morgan, Billy Jordan, Colin Jordan, Gordon Packham, Malcolm Murphy, Terry Fuge, John Donnovan, Keith Timms, and also the young ladies that hung around with us, Jacky Brunt, Jean Davey, Mary Dunkley,

If there is any of the old crowd that remember me please get in touch, as I would love to hear from them.

Pete Lambert

Memories of Carol Langham

I have just found this site and I am from 1/79 Edward Street.

My family name was LANGHAM, my father was called Bill, my mother was Cath and mine is Carol. My sister was Catherine, my brother Bryan, we lived there from 1948 to 1959. I went to Nelson Street School and then to City Road School.

We lived next to the shop, which Sally Chambers owned, they had a daughter called Brenda, John Cox also lived next door to us. There was a Mrs. Townsend at the bottom of the entry. I remember Janet Ireland, Peter Savage, Vera Wheeler and a few more.

Looking back we used to have fun all day, there were so many things we did and so many places to go. I went down there last week to see how it had changed it was so sad, the only thing left is the big step at the top of the road.

I will keep looking on this site to see if there is anybody else who remembers us.

Memories of Lin Randall

My name is Lin Randall, nee Chapman. I lived at 101 Coplow Street, Ladywood between 1956-1965. We lived with my nan, Gertrude Smith, who was a newspaper seller at the top of the Parade in Birmingham.

My nan looked after my aunt, her daughter, Gert was disabled, everyone knew her!

My mum is Joan Chapman and dad is John. He originates from Dublin. As a child I attended Barford Road School, loved looking at the pictures couldn’t see Mrs. Johnson, my reception teacher.

A fabulous site hope someone can remember my family.

Memories of Christina Grove

What a wonderful site and a great chance to wallow in nostalgia.

I was born in 3/33 Sheepcote Street in one of the courts at the back of the Albion Inn in 1951. My parents then took over Foxall’s Cafe in 1956 from my grandmother after the death of my grandfather a year earlier. My father made the lettering above the cafe using a contraption called a pantograph, (I think!) This enlarged his handwriting onto a large sheet of paper that he then transferred to a piece of wood. He cut it all out with a jigsaw and when finished (painted bright red on a cream background,) It looked pretty good. Before the building was finally demolished about 10 years ago after years of neglect by the then owners I went back to see the old place. I now wish I had taken the sign before it was destroyed but sadly I didn't take the opportunity.

In 1958 we moved into The Albion Inn. It was known as the pub on the island as a canal surrounded it. Although rather tatty looking in the photo, I remember it as a little gem of a Victorian pub. It was all polished wood & brass with a red tiled floor. The cellar was enormous with 2 levels. The lower level had an arched ceiling, which reminded me of the kind of undercroft you see in old churches. Apart from the bar, outdoor and snug on the ground floor there was also a large kitchen and a living room. Upstairs there were 2 bedrooms and a bathroom plus a huge 'club room' with a small stage! To the rear of the first floor over the large entry next door was another large room with a raised 'stage' area, which became our playroom. In the ceiling above the stairs was a beautiful stained glass skylight. On the top floor there were 3 more bedrooms, which were never used whilst we lived there.

My older brother & I both attended St. Peter's Catholic Primary School off Broad Street, roughly where the Convention Centre now stands. Most of our spare time was spent basically running wild around the back streets of Ladywood! - Sheepcote Lane, Ledsam Street, Clement Street, Ryland Street etc. Plus of course forays into the city centre. There were plenty of old air raid shelters to play in and also lots of bombsites too.

My family go back many generations living in Birmingham. My father lived in Shakespeare Rd. & attended St Marks School. Most of his family lived in & around the Jewellery Quarter and Deritend right back as far as the 1820's.

My aim is to find out as much as I can about the area they lived in and your site has been a real help.

Many thanks,

Memories of Julie Jones

Just had to drop you a line to say how much I have enjoyed browsing through your webpage of Old Ladywood.

I was born in Beech Street in 1957 and my father worked at Bellis's as we called it.  One of my earliest memories was going to meet Dad from work and waiting by the big metal gates for him to come out.

I went to St Georges school and I married in 1976 at St Johns - so you can see, I was and still am a Ladywood girl through and through.

Thanks again for bringing my memories to life with your fabulous collection of photographs.

Julie Jones (nee Campbell

Memories of David Todd

I'm now almost 72 and have decided it's time to get some memories down on paper.

Your website is great, but there is so much I would like to know and so much I could contribute from my own background that I do not know the best way to start.

Some brief details. I lived until 1955 in a 2up, 2down back to back in a "close" of six houses at the upper end of St. Vincent Street-3/265 or (better sounding!) 3 Chatsworth Place with my mother, Winnie and father George. We moved to Bartley Green.

I went to St. George's School from 1943-1949,moving to KES Five Ways for one year before moving again to King Edward's School Edgbaston, a.k.a "The High School".

My father's family (Grannie Todd) lived in a former farmhouse at 203 Ladywood Road and were well known in the area, as my uncles were scoutmasters in the troop which met in Icknield Square before and after WW2. Grannie enjoyed a drink and was a "regular" at weekends at the Working Men's Club in Reservoir Road, and I went there at times with my parents, sitting in the large snooker room, which doubled as a concert room.

My grandmother (Grannie Field) lived lower down the street up an entry roughly opposite Johnstone Street.

Ladywood was my world until the move-school: visits to the cinemas in Ledsam Street, Monument Road (The Edgbaston) and Icknield Port Road (The Crown), shopping in the shops in "our" Street and the Co-op in Monument Road; baths and swimming in the Monument Road Baths; using the tram to go to town; fairs in the "Rec" at the corner of Ladywood and Monument Roads; in the 1950s (inspired by Norman Power) regularly attending St. John's Church and its drama group, youth club and cricket team.

Memories of Dennis Smith

My name is Dennis Matthew Smith and I was originally from Cape Town, South Africa.

I moved over to the UK a number of years ago I brought over some treasured items.

My late Dads birth certificate, his SAAF photograph and a family photograph with his mom, sister and brother.

Starting a short course on family trees at the local library it was with shock at we came across your site not only that, but photograph of my dad birth place namely Blythe Street. 

I also found my late grandfathers marriage details. His address was - 48 Blythe Street

I have enclosed photograph of family before moving to S.A. and his photograph.

My granddads name was: George and Florence Smith - 48 Blythe Street

Family background was superimposed many years ago.

The family comprised of Winifred, Tom and Frank (my dad) and Florence (formally McCay)

My grand father is killed in the 1st world war at Gallipoli

Memories of Keith Fisher

I was born in1940 at 2/52 Marroway Street. My auntie Vi insisted we call it 2 The Elms. Auntie Violet and Uncle Percy Moore lived at 6 The Elms. I remember the area and Marroway Street well. We moved to Stourbridge in 1962, so I spent my formative and teenage years there.

Both 2/52 and 6/52 had horse chestnut trees in the front garden, which were a source of conkers as I was growing up. Our front garden also had an air raid shelter, which we used during the blitz. A bomb in the street demolished several houses and the blast took off part of our roof. That was the bomb mentioned by Olive Walker (nee Dance) who lived at 56 Marroway Street. Her brother was one of my playmates and the enclosed photo shows me (centre) and Barry (on my left) and Terry Newberry who lived at 52 Marroway Street. This photo was taken in the garden of 56 Marroway Street about 1948.

At just under 5 years of age I went to Barford Road School then later to Dudley Road School. I also sang in the choir at Christ Church near Summerfield Park. I have fond memories of going to the pictures either the Crown or the Grove near Cape Hill or very occasionally the Lyric. I enjoyed football in the street and putting pennies on the tramline in Icknield Port Road.

I remember Phillis and Kathleen Smith (mentioned earlier by Chris Moon) Josie Russell (she lived in Wiggin Street) and Kenny Moss; there were a whole group of us who used to play in the street (very few motor cars).

After junior school I went to Holly Lodge Grammar School in Smethwick. I remember I used to hide my cap on the way home but I rarely got the ‘mickey’ taken for my school uniform as I was friendly with all the local rogues.

My father and Uncle Percy used to frequent the Belle View pub and some Sunday lunchtimes we went to the gardens of the pub. When I was older I frequented the Belle View and the Bricklayers Arms as well as the Tower Ballroom.

My father worked at Wiggins and my Uncle Percy worked at McKechnie Brothers in Rotton Park Street. I visited the McKechnie factory several times and was always amazed at seeing hot billets being rolled and wire being drawn. My uncle was a foreman so it was easy for him to show me around. One of our neighbours was a train driver and he took me to the shunting yards near Monument Road, it was a real thrill to be in the engine while he shunted a few carriages around.

After I left school I started work at INCO in Wiggin Street and even though I only had to cross a bomb site and down a short entry, I was nearly always late for work.

Memories of Sandra Evans

Sandra Evans nee Soanes and her cousin Sylvia Smith, then of Beech Street, this was taken in her gran's garden in Gt. Tindal Street in about 1956

Memories of Mike Green

My brother and I at Edgbaston Reservoir around 1938?

How many people will remember when the car park there was once used as a zoo?

Observe the lions' cages.

Kind regards

Mike Green

Memories of Joyce Rowe

This is a photograph of my husband with his friend taken at Rhyl on 30th July 1948, I think Billy Hinks, whose wedding photo was one of the first to be published on your wedding page, we found it amongst some old photos of days gone by in Ladywood.

It would be lovely for them to get in touch with one another again after some 60 years.

Joyce Rowe, wife of Gordon, married at St. Johns Church in 1954.