Author Topic: Birmingham 'Back To Backs'  (Read 86609 times)

Phil

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Re: Birmingham 'Back To Backs'
« Reply #121 on: April 29, 2012, 12:08:08 PM »
speedy
 
I would never laugh at anything to do with poverty, having witnessed it first hand. Although not as badly as some that I lived among. Yes we all knew families that were worse off than ourselves and seemed not to mind the filth they lived in.
 
Some of them if circumstances were the same today would be no different, but I prefer to let my thoughts linger on those who's aim in life was to better themselves and to get out of the poverty trap even though it was much harder in the 40' & 50's.
 
Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

trapio

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Re: Birmingham 'Back To Backs'
« Reply #122 on: April 29, 2012, 01:57:55 PM »

I never saw getting out of 'that house' as seeking a 'better' life - I simply wanted a 'very different' life, starting without gratuitous violence - and I've been having this in spades since 1956...without chasing money.   Open honest people, poor, comfortable or better off; each have the same status in my book - top of the human decency and thus, dignity tree...obviously the poor take priority.
Integrity is non negotiable

Jenny C

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Re: Birmingham 'Back To Backs'
« Reply #123 on: April 29, 2012, 02:29:41 PM »
I have just read some of the comments on the back to back forum, its true we had to work hard to hope we could make a better life for ourselves.  I have to admit for years I didn't admit I had lived in a back to back, being a bit ashamed, but I know its what helped to make me the person I am now.  My father was born to a very well off family, lost all our money and we ended up in a halfway house in Edgbaston for 6 months, and then relocated to Lodge Road.  My father always said his happiest years were at Lodge Road.


Jenny C

tony armstrong

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Re: Birmingham 'Back To Backs'
« Reply #124 on: August 01, 2012, 02:47:59 PM »
i lived just down the road from phil at roughly the same time our paths did not cross that we were aware of.i only remember the good times that we had things never seemed that bad i used to help my mom in the brew house and if me and my brother had been good she would let us have a paddle in the washing water after days washing,i also remember the house we lived in mom/dad/brother derek and brother jim and sister pat house was two bedroom 4 kids in the attic mom dad in other bedroom, living room was 12 foot square gas cooker was in same room,scullery was roughly 8 foot by 3 foot brown sink plus cold tap one end and open other end with cellar steps down to coal hole,bath night in tin bath top of cellar steps in summer in front of living room fire when mom deemed it cold enough bath was only 3foot by 2foot oh and we still had only gas until 1957.you dont miss what you havent had. ;)

Phil

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Re: Birmingham 'Back To Backs'
« Reply #125 on: August 01, 2012, 03:07:24 PM »
Tony
 
Our paths must have crossed several times, but we just never registered with each other. Besides I never hung around he area much a night especially as I got older and from 11 or 12 years of age I used to make my way over to Balsall Heath in my spare time mostly and only later when I was about 16 did I start hanging around Nechells but it wasn't long after then they demolished Francis St.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

tony armstrong

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Re: Birmingham 'Back To Backs'
« Reply #126 on: August 01, 2012, 03:37:02 PM »
phil our paths must have past daylight hours as i was to young to have been out late with my parents its probably where i got it with mine not allowed to hang about onstreet corners,my dad still made me be in by 11pm at 19, i also moved to ladywood just before i was 12,my mom did tell me to let st vincents know but didnt they might have had to stay,it was a very strict school led by fear,ended up at the oratory where i began to enjoy school,i have always been very good with my spelling and fairly good with speaking english my wife as always said will give people my lifes history if they let me, i often wonder if i had escaped st vincents earlier i might have got some help with maths i was never out of work though. O0

Phil

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Re: Birmingham 'Back To Backs'
« Reply #127 on: August 01, 2012, 03:49:24 PM »
Tony
 
My few years at St Vincents turned me against religion for life, I had no problem with St Johns in Balsall Heath where I started school in England having started school at four in Scotland and again at 5 in England. So when I returned to live with my grandparents in Vincent St Balsall Heath I rebelled and would not go a RC school any more and finished school at Dennis Rd secondary Modern Boys School and started to learn something beside catechisms
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

tony armstrong

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Re: Birmingham 'Back To Backs'
« Reply #128 on: August 05, 2012, 01:45:48 PM »
jenny never be ashamed of where you came from its what makes us what we are today. ;)

vauxonion

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Re: Birmingham 'Back To Backs'
« Reply #129 on: August 05, 2012, 02:50:35 PM »
The horrors of St Vincents how it turned us against religion. From the day I left I felt relief never see the priest again at the door asking why I wasn,t at mass on Sunday.Since that day I have only gone to church for Funerals and Weddings.Dek

tony armstrong

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Re: Birmingham 'Back To Backs'
« Reply #130 on: August 05, 2012, 03:28:52 PM »
dek dont forget sister atracta she scared the priests :(

vauxonion

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Re: Birmingham 'Back To Backs'
« Reply #131 on: August 05, 2012, 03:39:18 PM »
dek dont forget sister atracta she scared the priests :(


I had the good fortune never to come into contact with Sister Atracta although I remember her I never was in the infants, Seniors only which taught me nothing not until I left and went to night school( which was required with my job)did I realise how far behind the other lads I was luckily being quite bright I was able to catch up with a little extra teaching.Dek


 

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