“The Old End News”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following is a direct copy of The Heartlands Newsletter that is published to all Heartlands members.

I do not omit, amend or alter any item. Richard.

 

 

                   

 

EDITORIAL

 

Do you ever contemplate the majesty of wonder of this universe in which we live – No! neither do I but I bet you love to read the stories in our

‘Old End News’ don’t you and have we got some boster’s for you in this one, so you’d better fasten your seat belts and brace yourselves ‘

cos Oi enner kiddin’ yo with the stuff we’ve got in this one we’re gonna tek ya on a rip-snorting, barnstorming, window-rattling, explosive trip

down the nostalgia highway – for a start off  there’s part two of David Henderson’s story of his younger days, Ray Fleet tells us about his

Daily Mail Boots, Jim Pedley  reminisces about Ashted and Great Lister Street, and Fred Bradford tells us about his time in Nechells

and talking about Nechells, Betty Pickering will definitely give you a laugh with her poem about the Baths and so will Brett Ford’s 

‘Perks of Growing Older’  plus there’s a quiz and a few other bits and bobs. So sit back with a cuppa a fag or a bag of

cuck-cucks and enjoy yourselves.

 

                                                                                               John.  

 

    

     

 

 

 

               

 

                                 

                                    

                              You can’t help getting older – but you don’t have to get old

                                    HEARTLANDS - PART 2

 

 

  David Henderson’s story of growing up in the Heartlands Area of Birmingham continued from the March Issue. .  .

                               

                Another hobby I had along with my brother and cousin was train spotting, we used to go down Aston Church Rd and climb on the fences to see the engines in Aston Sheds or go to Ward End Park on weekends to see all the Expresses speeding through. Another place we used to go regularly was Tamworth (where I now live) to a field by the side of the Track. Sometimes there would be dozens of kids there from as far as Derby and Nottingham; it was always a good day out for us.

                One time my brother Wilf and cousin Victor with a couple of other lads were at Saltley Shed in Duddeston Mill Road when the Railway Police came and took our names, the next day we had a visit from the Police and told we were being fined for Trespassing on the Railway. Our Mom was furious I remember I cried and the Policeman gave me a tanner (6d) but we were both fined 10 shillings and had no pocket money for a month. 2 of our friends gave the wrong address and got away with it.

                In September 1948 I started the BIG school, Leigh Road Secondary Modern; the main building was in fact in Warren Road, I don’t know whether it came under Washwood Heath or Ward End.

                I know I was frightened to death of going on my 1st Day because of stories that all new boys had to go on the RACK. The rack being the fence around the young trees that were in the Playground,

We had heard stories of new lads being tied to the railings and left for anyone to throw ink saturated paper at them or at best being tickled on their feet. Thankfully it never happened to us on our first day.

                We had to go to school on the No10 Tram, costing 1½ ^D there and the same coming back. We walked it most days and spent the 3d at the tuck shop on the corner of Warren/Leigh road. In those days you could get a packet of Spangles and 2 gobstoppers or a block of Cadburys Chocolate for 3d (about 1 and a half pence in to-days money) My mom didn’t mind me spending my tram fare, but it was woe betide us if ever we were late for school.

                Does anyone remember the BULL, no not a male cow; it was similar to an air raid siren. It used go off at midday and again at 1o clock, then again at 5.30 in the evening. I think it came from Saltley Gas works. It was for the workers knocking off and starting times. We lived our lives around it, my mother would say” is that the 1 o’clock Bull? Off to school you go”, and in the Evenings the Dinner had to be on the table when it went off.

                My Dad was the local Window Cleaner, he had his own round and did most of the houses around the Alum Rock area, and he also worked as a barman to bring in extra cash to help bring us six kids up. Consequently most people in the area knew us kids; we could not get up to anything without him finding out sooner or later. In the summer holidays I had to take his lunch to him but we always knew where to find him, in the Pub having a pint. He used to say don’t tell your mom or you will feel my belt across your backside. I think he meant it but it never happened.

                When I was 14 I had my first pair of long trousers, you had to be 14 for some unknown reason irrespective of how tall your were, although I was chuffed, actually getting them was embarrassing.

My mother took me to Moss Bros up the Rock and paid by Provident Cheque, and the short trousers I was wearing had 2 patches on the backside. I was glad to get out of the shop.

                The Parks we played in were Ward End Park  & Adderley Park. At Ward End Park we would go fishing or boating on the lake, and in winter we would go sledging down the big hill by the lake. We would also go trainspotting on Sundays watching all the Main Line Expresses going through,

                One day when fishing I fell in the lake and was rescued by an Irish Man, The Park Keeper took me home in his van and my mother was not pleased, but could not find the man who had saved me to thank him.

                At Adderley Park we always went there to Play Football, we used to use the big football pitch because the goals were always left up. We would meet other kids from nearby Streets and challenge them to a game, we very rarely made 11 a side but we still played no matter how many a side, if some one was using the pitch we would put our coats down for goals and stay till dusk, or when our Parents came looking for us.

                In my last Year at Leigh Road I did Social Studies, It involved going out on Visits to Factories all over Birmingham, some of the firms we went to Included, The Singer Motor Company on Coventry Road, learning how a production line worked, Cannings in Snow Hill and Fachinoes the Biscuit Factory, Kynocks in Witton watching how they made Lightning Zip Fasteners and Cadbury’s itself where every child liked to visit. We were always given an afternoon tea with cakes & biscuits, the bad part about it was writing an essay on what we had learned.

I left Leigh Road School in December 1952 and on the 29th December I started at FW Evans Ltd as an apprentice Toolmaker. I was very nervous starting work at 15, but soon got used to it. There was 12 Toolmakers in the Toolroom and every one of them was good to me, they were very strict but it was to be a very good background for my career as a toolmaker for 50 years.

                                                                             

                                                                              David Henderson

 

 

       From one Old End (Alum Rock) to another Old End (Nechells?)

 

Jerry Dutton’s story in the September 2008 ‘News’ reminded me of the many happy years when I lived in Nechells but more of that later on.  

I was born in Ludlow Road, Alum Rock in 1921. My Father Fred was a Londoner and my Mother Ellen was a Shropshire girl. My Father served as a regular soldier in the Boer War and the 1914/18 War with The Queens Own Hussars. My Mother at the age of 8 in 1889 was at school (St. Annes Girls) in Duddeston and living in St. Clements Road, Nechells. Our family consisted of four girls, Doris, Winnie, Betty and Peggy, Les my brother and myself. We all went to Anthony Road School, Alum Rock until the age of 11 and then moved on, the girls to Cherrywood Road, Bordesley Green and Les and myself to the College School Saltley. The teachers names I recall are, Anthony Road Miss Pugh and Miss Cox and at College School Mr. Fleet the Headmaster, Mr. Goode, Mr. Rushton, Mr. Weldon, Mr. Harris and Mr. Kirby the Sports Master. We had a good football team at the College and in later years (1934/35) Mr. Kirby obtained for me the autographs of the Villa Team which includes Eric Houghton who was mentioned by Jerry in his story. We had reached the semi-final of the Aston Villa Schools Cup and had played Ada Road school three times to see who would reach the final. Sadly we lost the third game. I can’t recall who won the final. The losing semi-finalists did not usually receive a medal, but the Villa made an exception in this case and presented us with a lovely one enamelled with claret and blue and inscribed on the reverse was your name and Runners up. I still have it now.

     I lived in Ludlow Road until 1949 with a break between 1934-46. I met Barbara in 1945 and we married in 1949 and went to live with her Auntie Marie and Uncle Bert Hunt at 7 Chattaway Street, Nechells, the beginning of many happy years.                            

    Still at school in our last year, we also won the Saltley Schools League and played Windsor Street, Loxton Street and Charles Arthur Street amongst others. Most of our games were played at Adderley Park (ash covered pitch) or Stechford Road. During our school holidays most of our time would be spent at Ward End Park or on the banks of the river Cole at Bordesley Green (the weather always seemed to be good in those days) or Hodge Hill Common. Ward End was a lovely park with cricket pitches, bowling greens and a boating lake and plenty of trees waiting to be climbed!! We would arrive at the pool with our fishing tackle. A length of cotton, a matchstick for a float and a jam jar for our catch. One of the ‘gang’ would be almost certain to fall in the pool and would be taken to the Boat Shed where he would be dried out and sent home. The Park keeper kept a wary eye on us but I don’t think we caused him any serious problems. At other times we would set off on long walks mainly in the area of Castle Bromwich, Water Orton, Yorks Wood but didn’t quite reach Coleshill. Mainly fields in those days, early 1930’s. All this without a penny in our pockets. We would arrive home in need of a good scrub!

    On now to my time in Chattaway Street, 1949 onwards. - I clearly remember all the incidents in Jerry’s account. Mr. Clayton the Dentist was a very good friend of Barbara’s Uncle Bert and we often called on his services and he appeared to be on call at any time. I only had an extraction so cannot comment on the old drill. Next to the Woodyard was the house of Mr. Bayliss the local decorator. On the corner of Chattaway Street and Nechells Park Road was the Chemist, Mr. Hurcomb, a gentleman who would help anyone at anytime, later taken over by his son. Just past the Dentist was the surgery of Dr. Cooper followed by Dr. Cooke, and later Dr. Lawrence, who moved at a later date to premises near the Post Office. Further on was the Garage owned by ‘Wally’ Trigger.

    The Onion Fair was a main attraction for us, and on one occasion Randolph Turpin was “taking on all comers” at the Boxing Booth. Needless to say we didn’t volunteer. During our time in Nechells, Barbara had worked as a Tracer in the Drawing Office at Hercules in Salford Street. I worked in Jameson Road and Mark our son went to Eliot Street School so although we were not born in the area I think we could be called ‘locals’ and happy to be so.

     Eliot Street was a wonderful school with very dedicated Staff who arranged many after school interests for the boys. Teachers I can remember. Mr. Tom Alderson, Mr. Mike Dobson, Mr. Kennedy and Miss. Parry. The main project I recall was to build a boat for use on the local canal network. This was at the time when a lot of demolition work in the area was in progress and a lot of time was spent by the teachers and boys in the evenings and weekends collecting material needed to complete the job. With the help of local firms and demolition people this was achieved at very little cost to the school. The hull was made of wood, covered by canvas and coats of fibre-glass and paint. Finally a boat capable of carrying (I think) 8 crew. It was propelled by oars or outboard motor. I believe it was launched at Brookvale Park Pool and named EXPLORER. It was tried out with success on the canals and it was then decided to take it to Lake Windermere to travel the length of the lake. A local firm came to the rescue for transport and provided a low loader with driver for the weekend at no cost. I think the driver was the father of one of the lads. (I can’t recall the names of the crew) Tom Alderson, Mike Dobson ad Miss Parry were in ‘command’ of the venture. We set off early on a Saturday morning and arrived at Waterhead at the northern end of the lake at about mid-day and proceeded to unload and launch the boat. After putting on their blue and white woolly hats (knitted by Barbara) they started the trip to the south of the lake to the cheers and applause of the considerable crowd which had gathered to watch. On arrival at lakeside the teachers realised that possibly the latter part of the return trip would be in darkness, so decided to ask the parents and helpers to ferry the lads back to Waterhead whilst they returned the boat themselves. This was arranged and we delivered the crew to the YMCA hut where Miss Perry supplied them with a very much appreciated meal. We returned to Nechells on the Sunday after a very pleasant weekend. The date of the trip would be about 1970/71 when most of the lads would have been in their last year at school. 

   My sister Betty and husband Fred Hollyoak also helped with the transport to Windermere. Fred worked at BMC, Drews Lane for many years.                                                Fred Bradford

                                Where Next Goes The Footprint...?

 

I'd been browsing through Heartland's posts regarding old Birmingham schools, a lot of which are now defunct and gone to Eternity.

     Sadly, I didn’t come across any mention of Dartmouth Street Infants - which was on the opposite side from St. Lawrence's Church- or  Dartmouth Street Junior that was further on up the hill.

     Mentioning St. Lawrence's Church makes me recall that there had been a school there, as well.   I attended all of them at some time or other, including dear old "Locko" - Loxton Street Senior Boys - which, all of us know, has joined others mentioned, and gone to Eternity.

     This brings me to a bit of a moan I have made from time to time. That is, that while I have been a member of Heartlands, I have only ever found one other person who attended any of the schools I mention during the various times that I was there. Only Brett Ford - another member of Heartlands - who attended Locko at the same time that I did, has put in an appearance…

     It leads me to suppose that maybe all my other schoolmates of the period - who, I admit, would be getting on a bit, now - are not bothered about the Internet, or computers. This is probably the case. (You either love computers or you hate 'em...!)

     Or, maybe, they've joined the schools they once attended and gone to Eternity...

     Or, further, maybe they remember me only too well…!

      But other facets of those early days, also, have gone, leaving us with only fading visions of what they once looked like....

     I refer, in the main, to the district in which I grew up - the Ashted area - and Gt. Lister Street in particular.

     Across Dartmouth Street on Lister Street hill, had loomed the thriving Delta Metal Company, with its noisy, metallic, clamour.  I have a family reason to take note of The Delta.  This is where - I’m told - my Granddad’s brother, Edwin, was killed in an accident in 1904.  Edwin was fourteen…

     Beryl Rudhall, whose father was caretaker at The Delta, was a classmate of mine at Dartmouth Street Junior School.  When I left Locko at the age of fourteen to start my working life, my first job was with Holt Brewery in Holt Street.  And who did I find working there?.... Why, Beryl  Rudhall !  She was a comptometer operator...

     When I was a kid, there had been shops and businesses on either side of Gt. Lister Street before you reached Adams Street.  One such business was Parton's, which used to lend out barrows and carts (for a small charge) of all shapes and sizes - mostly used by the borrower to fetch coke from the gasworks in Windsor Street. 

     Just further along was Shakespeare's, a small grocery shop, and Mrs. Davies‘s drapery business.  And we have to mention, of course, "The Welcome Inn " on the corner.  My Gran used to toddle down Adams Street, every evening, for her and Granddad’s nightly jug of ale from the The Welcome’s outdoor…

     On the other side of the street was The Raven pub, where my Dad sometimes did a stint as barman.  I recall that Johnny Longthorne’s, the flower shop, was just down from The Raven. Then there was Tunnadines, where I played the pinball machine when Dad would send me for his packet of five Woodbines.

     Carrying on down, we would come to Walker's, the pawn shop, on the corner of Adams Street.  This is where my Mom fished out my first "whiz-up" (zip fastener), blue-checked lumber jacket, from the "sixpenny" box of second-hand clothes...

     I was so proud of that "lumber jacket".  I believe they call them windcheaters, these days...

     Across Adams Street, on the opposite corner from Walker’s, was Burgess's, the chemist.  Old Mrs. Burgess would call out to me from time to time and ask me to fetch her a bottle of milk from Shakespeare's, across the road.

      When I brought the milk back, she would always have made up a small packet of sulphur tablets to place in my hand as a reward.  The tablets weren't sweets, as such, but they didn't taste too badly, and I guess they kept you healthy.   And Mrs. Burgess ran a chemist's shop, after all - not a sweet shop...!

     Over the road in Gt. Lister Street, was the “wireless” shop, where we used to get our accumulators recharged.  Further along came the “New Inns”, another pub where, from time to time, my Dad did an evening job as barman. 

      And we mustn’t forget Burstein’s, the classy ladies and gent’s outfitters on the opposite corner from The New Inns. Gus Burstein and his sister, Ethel, ran the two shops very successfully.

     Well, I can say, anyway, that Gus did pretty well out of my Dad, who was quite a snazzy dresser as a young man…

Coming back across the road, we would find Catermole’s, some kind of sweets and tobacconists, I think.  And I remember Hateley’s, the butchers.  I went into Hateley’s once when my Mom sent me for some belly draft.  I was a bit modest in those days, and thought “belly” was rather a rude word; so I asked for stomach draft.  Didn’t that raise a few laughs…!

     On the same side was a fruit shop and a post office, and Harbone's where I used to buy second-hand comics, and walk out of the shop reading them - leaving Mom's belly draft, or some other such errand, on the counter.  Usually, it would occur to me that I’d left Mom’s errands on the counter, when I was half-way up Adams Street, on the way home...

     Averill's was on the corner of Gt. Lister Street and Windsor Street. My Mom used to spend a little money, and a lot of time, chatting with Mrs. Averill.  Mrs Averill’s husband was a shoe-repairer who had his place next door.  He wore a flesh-coloured patch over one eye.  I never did ask about the eye patch...

     Further along, I think, was Shepherds, the grocers.  They had a daughter named Patricia who was a friend of Beryl Rudhall, the Delta caretaker’s daughter.  Pat was a classmate of mine, too.

     Back across the road, there was, somewhere along that side, a sweet shop where they made their own "rock" and I can see the stretcher going round and around in the window, pulling and stretching the stripy, coloured, rock before it

was hardened and chopped into mint humbugs.

     A bit further on, I remember, was the Poulton‘s - the famous "Soldiers" - where you could buy almost anything in the way of food.  They used to hang the rabbits up outside, some complete with fur, and some having been stripped of all modesty…

     If I concentrate hard I might remember a few more of "Lister" Street's busy shops and businesses that made up my childhood visions of the district in which I grew up.

     But, you know, a few years ago - after being out of the area for a couple of decades or so, as a result of National Service, and marriage, and moving around the country a few times - I took a walk down Gt. Lister Street.

     Starting from the Dartmouth Street end, I ambled along what had been my childhood shopping centre and found myself in unfamiliar territory….  

     Ashted, once a place of smoke-begrimed architecture topped by blue-grey roofing slates, was now an area of green landscaping, invaded by towering blocks of flats, and red-brick business premises.

     If I wasn't careful, I'd get myself lost in a place I once knew like the back of my hand...!   It's a good job that Fletchers was still there operating their car parts establishment.  At least, Fletchers was one landmark I could pinpoint... 

     But even Fletchers had changed.   I knew the Fletchers when they had a yard in Dartmouth Street, near to the Dartmouth Arms.  And - here we go again ! - I went to school with Jeannie, one of the Fletcher girls.  And yes, it was Dartmouth Street Junior !  Jeannie had an elder sister, Barbara.  Later, the twins, Barry and John, came toddling into existence.

     As the Fletcher kids grew up, so did the business, for when I last saw it, they'd opened up with a front entrance on the corner of Adams Street - where Walkers, the pawn-shop used to stand.  And they had crept half way up Adams Street and halfway up Gt Lister Street!

     Later, I was told Fletchers had commandeered the whole of the block that once contained the shops, and pubs and factories I knew. They’d roped in The Raven, the factories along Dartmouth Street; they’d swallowed up The Dartmouth Arms pub, on the corner of Heneage Street, along which street they pressed on until they reached Adams Street.

     Fletchers then marched on down Adams Street to arrive back on the corner of Gt. Lister Street  - completing a perfect, military, encircling movement…!  In fact, the whole of the block that was bounded by Gt.Lister Street, Dartmouth Street, Heneage Street and Adams Street was now Fletchers...!!!

     Recent intelligence informed me that Fletcher’s was taken over by Oscott Holdings some time ago, although they retained the popular Fletcher trading name.  And now, it seems - as a result of the world-wide financial meltdown and fewer customers buying car-parts - the business will be closing down on the 21^st February.

     So, yet another - maybe the last ! - Of my notable Ashted memories fade into oblivion… 

But, no !  I believe White’s Removals is still hanging in there.  Even so, I remember when it was Pickford’s Removals, before White’s took over. So, how long before White’s Removals pull the plug…?  

     It’s a bit daunting to find that you could possibly lose your bearings in an area in which you spent you childhood.

The house I grew up in - is gone; the houses and factories in the street in which I played the forbidden “tip-kat“ - are gone; the schools I attended - are gone; the people I knew - all are gone.

     In fact, the footprints that I and my generation left - so heavily - in the dirt and dust of Ashted's turbulent history, vanished many moons ago, blown to the four corners of who knows where - by The Winds of Change and Progress...

     And Time Marches Resolutely On...

                                                                Jim Pedley