Hi Geoff,
When I was about 7 or 8, and my younger brother about 6 or 7 we had been somewhere ,maybe Ward End park or Adderley park,we were walking home and the heavens opened, by the time we got to the top of Nechells Place we were like two drowned rats.
As we were walking past the Albion a lady came out took one look at us and said something to the effect "you poor little [censored], come in and dry off" she took us into the pub stuck us in front of the fire and gave us a glass of pop and a bag of crisps each,about an hour later we were ready for the off, and she gave us 6d for bus fare, even though it was only 3 stops to Cromwell Street.
That was in 1947-8, so it could have been your Aunty who was the good samaritan that day, bless her.
Here's a couple of pics to remind you of the old end.
Jean Chatin was a tiny wisp of a girl if I remember right.