Author Topic: Hamstead Village  (Read 45087 times)

Langstraat

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Re: Hamstead Village
« Reply #33 on: March 06, 2008, 09:37:12 PM »
Miss Horabin and Miss Wallet lived on the Newton on either side of Waddington Avenue. When they both retired they bought a house in Waddington and moved in together. They could be seen daily taking their Labrador and Golden Retriever for walks in Red House Park. Both were dedicated to the children they had in their care and organised many of the extra curricular activities which we all enjoyed. The clubs they instigated were: Chess, Country dancing, film, model making. They organised the fund raising events which paid for the swimming pool. Mr. Paddock was the caretaker and did a splendid job keeping the playing field and gardens neat and tidy. We were encouraged to buy spring bulbs each year and plant them ourselves. I can't imagine a more beautiful setting each year when they came up. There was a May Day pageant as well as a Christmas pantomime. The Lord Mayor spent a day with us every year joining in with the morning assembly and lessons before lunch in the dining area.
At the end of our term before we moved up to seniors we had a leaving do, sandwiches cakes and jelly and blancmange. Mr Swinton played the latest records on the swishest of Hi FI's. Each leaver was given a goody bag which contained a Helix `Drawing set, a three foot balloon you had to get your Dad to blow up and an assortment of sweets and a sachet of medicated Vosene Shampoo.

I went to Churchfields, one of the first Comprehensives in Britain. It was state of the art with every conceivable facility: Wood and Metalworking classes, Chemistry, Biology and Physics labs, Music and art studios, Technical drawing, cookery. There were 1200 of us; we all wore school uniform and the cane was rarely used, I think three times whilst I was there. A wonderful place which is no longer there, with falling birth rates after the advent of the pill many authorities had over capacity and places like Churchfields were in prime areas for Housing. I understand that Dartmouth never quite lived up to the same standard . My S.I.L who lived in Spouthouse went there and did well.
Never argue with an idiot, they'll drag you down to their level and try to beat you with experience.

jasper14

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Re: Hamstead Village
« Reply #34 on: March 07, 2008, 03:45:09 AM »
G,day Langstratt,  Just been re reading all the posts and  one  of the the extra curricular
activities was of course  Drama.....Being "big hearted" I donated my
Wedding dress to that dept when we left Gt.Barr in 1970 to be used for
any 1800 century (ahem) plays that might be put on..


u8design

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Re: Hamstead Village
« Reply #35 on: July 14, 2008, 05:18:09 PM »
Hi another newbie here, it would appear that its been four months since anyone has posted.

Just to say my I was bought up in Charnwood Road and went to Handsworth Technical School and had to walk through the village everyday.

I remember in my younger days before Technical school the Brick works and the Colliery and the Gala, watching Hampstead Collery Football team on a Sunday morning and then being chased off the pitch in the afternoon when we used to play in the goal mouth at the canal end.

I was up that way last weekend and my Dad pointed out the memorial they have put up near the 16 bus terminus to commemorate the Hampstaed Colliery Disaster...as you may all know there is a housing estate now on the colliery site and a Bird Reserve further up. Its a nice place to walk around just a pity they can't clean up the River there it could be so good.

Phil

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Re: Hamstead Village
« Reply #36 on: July 14, 2008, 06:03:16 PM »
Hi u8design

May I bid you welcome, sorry I know very little about your neck of the woods, as I am from the deep south, Sparkbrook and Balsall Heath, but there are some on here that do.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

mazbeth

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Re: Hamstead Village
« Reply #37 on: July 14, 2008, 06:09:10 PM »
Hello u8design,
welcome  :)

is that the Technical school on Soho Rd?
I used to work further up at the Unemployment Benefit Office in the early 80's

my brother did a car electronics certificate course at Handsworth technical school
Let those that love us, love us. And those that don't, may God turn their hearts. And, if He cannot turn their hearts, May He turn their ankles so we may know them by their limping!- Irish blessing

u8design

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Re: Hamstead Village
« Reply #38 on: July 15, 2008, 09:41:20 AM »
Handsorth Technical School (I think the School is now called Hampstead Hall Comprehensive School....)was in Craythorne Avenue which was just the other side of the River Thame and the railway. We had to walk over the railway bridge in Hampstead and then down the pathway to Beauchamp Avenue. then up hill and then down to the school. After School we would meet up with friends (girls) getting off the 16 bus who attended Rose Hill Grammer School and walk up The Old Walsall Road back home

I remember one winters day it snowed really heavily and on our way home from school we played in the remanants of the Brick works where all the kilns were. I vagely remember al the old houses and the slag heap where they built new houses and the waste ground towards Tower Hill Library. We used to go Bike riding around there and play in the old derelict houses. Anyway thats about it really...

Langstraat

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Re: Hamstead Village
« Reply #39 on: July 15, 2008, 12:57:22 PM »
Hiya,

As a Great Barr lad you may have read some of my reminiscences of Hamstead and local areas. It was a good place to spend a childhood. There were rock faces to climb in the Tame Valley canal cutting at Tower Bridge and the deep marl hole at the Brickworks. I agree the nature reserve at Spout House Lane has 'grown' up well with many trees and improved habitate than the open boggy marsh that I once knew. The river Tame is in a much better condition now than how I remember it being the waste culvert of the industries which used to empty their effluent into it. Most of the firms of the Black Country which dispoiled it have gone now and each season fresh clean water flows through it on it's passage through the filter of the Sandwell valley. I wonder how much longer it'll take before the balance is right for river life to return. I can remember times when the river used to flood at Hamstead almost up to the bus terminus. Perry Hall Park would frequently be submerged in spring time.     
Never argue with an idiot, they'll drag you down to their level and try to beat you with experience.

u8design

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Re: Hamstead Village
« Reply #40 on: July 15, 2008, 01:39:26 PM »
Hi Langstraat,

Yes well I remember the floods, Hampstead Station was once flooded when the Tame burst its banks. Handsworth Technical School's playing fields were always flooded after prolonged rain.

The river itself could be a beautiful one to fish and hopefully one day as my Dad said will be a lovely spot around the Sandwell Valley nature reserve. We live in hope...and soon we'll see people enjoying fishing there. Apparently my Grandad (who lived over Erdington way) used to come over and fish it many moons ago....I also didn't realise that the Aqueduct over Old Walsall Road has architectural importance. It's a Piercy design which supposed to be rare. The sand cliffs by Tower Hill also have archeology interest apparently go back so many million of years.

Going back to the River Tame.....I now live in South London and there is a river here which goes through Wandsworth and environs called the River Wandle....it was heavily polluted due the die used by the  textiles mills which used to be there...as time went on the river slowly fell into decline with its usual shopping trolley and builders collateral dumped in it. However. locals along with the Council cleaned the whole river up and now when you go into Sainsburys car park you can watch fishermen catching Trout and Chub....its so refreshing to see....hopefully the same will soon be seen on the Tame.

I walked around the reserve at Sandwell last weekend and I must admit its a gem for the area.

Regards


 
 

Lozells Lad

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Re: Hamstead Village
« Reply #41 on: December 30, 2008, 05:47:54 PM »
Any body remember either the Probyn's from Bradford St (my grandad and 2 uncles worked down Hamstead pit) or the Hickmans from Rockford Rd just up the road in Gt Barr, 1940 -1970's??

Donp777

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Re: Hamstead Village
« Reply #42 on: July 18, 2009, 01:09:27 AM »
I remember  a probyn's family lived in Spouthouse lane he worked at the pit, i used to play with their sons, there were three of them John, Melvin  and i cant remember the youngest

nickcc

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Re: Hamstead Village
« Reply #43 on: July 31, 2009, 09:14:22 AM »
I used to go fishing at the canal Tower bridge back in the late fifties (maggots from winfields), also went to Beeches road school.   Went on a school visit to Hampstead tech school in the hope that i may pass the 11+, no way.  Nice sweetie shop on the way to the school though.
Nick

Helston Cornwall


 

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