Hi: Although I've been a Canadian citizen for many years I was born and raised in Brum (Sparkhill, & Hall Green). Recent posts about the River Cole seem to have vanished, but I want to add a little bit of my own childhood nostalgia.
I lived near the Baldwin Pub (Baldwins Lane at the 29A bus terminus, when it was still BCT) and it was a short walk to the Cole. Like previous posters, I fished for tiddlers and got my feet wet umpteen times. One day I came upon a group of men cleaning up the rubbish in the river; I did not speak to them but a man nearby told me they were German p.o.w's who'd been drafted to do the job. This was quite an interesting revelation for a young kid at the time, and reminded me we were still at war.
Cheers, Robert French