Burdens Cream Ices

[Burdens ice cream]

hi everyone!


I'm the daughter of the old owner of Burdens Cream Ices.  I've noticed a few messages on here that mentioned us and I just wanted to say how lovely it is to read such warm (or cold as it's ice cream!) memories.


To set the record straight a little... basically before we were ice cream makers we were grocers, but when my nan made a batch of homemade ice cream one day, my grandad, Norman Burden, had a lightbulb moment and started manufacturing if from my nans original recipe. After the shop, my grandad bought an old snooker hall by the corner of Ladypool Rd and Alfred Street, knocked it down and up sprung the factory. We also had another factory on alcester street in town where we made the long tip-top lollies, inventing the first with two flavours in one lolly.  After that, the business moved on to Oldbury to combine the two factories into one big one, due to the ongoing successes of the business. However, that is also where things went wrong...


Contrary to what has been said here, we were not bought out by Walls, I wish! Unfortunately, a massive fire devastated the business and my family lost almost everything. It is a clear and poignant part of my childhood and that is also why it is so lovely to read that people remembered us. My grandad was a well known figure in Brum back in those days and a kind hearted man to his core who had a skill to turn anything to a trade, even my nan's homemade ice cream. It's so touching to know that all the hard work of him, my nan, my mum and uncle has lived on through the memories of our fellow brummies.


All the best to you all!

[roy one]

hi and welcome to the forum


a friend of mine had a ice-cream  van    it was called yanky clipper and he would use Burdens Cream Ices mix and he would get most of his hard blocks from Burdens  I went with him a few times just to stock up  I only went in once or  twice to help carry the stuff out he used to buy six two call mix in the plastic containers ten box of choc ice 50 hard block ice-cream five boxes of askys cones and two box of flakes for is 99s and plastic cups for his screw balls plus the bubble gum he used to say sunday was the best block day  this would be  about 1978  he worked the northfield  patch has he called it    he has a set time to do his round so the kids new when he was coming I might add he made a good living


I forgot to add   he some times used  Mcnabbs  but was not to keen on there mix it went off quick

[sandyrose]

hello, its lovely to read about Burdens cream ices.  i worked at the oldbury site, with my sister Linda,  my daughter Cara and my then son in law mike.  I was so upset when the fire happened.  I loved working there and the gaffer as we called him was fantastic. Many a laugh we had with him. Best place i ever worked at and most certainly the best gaffer,.  He challenged me to a race in the stapling room to see who could make the most boxes in a certain time. He did it his way and I did it mine. I was the winner lol.  i hope all is well him and patricia too.  Fantastic family. Miss that job so much.   from sandra

[My Dad]

Hello everyone.


My father had a Rupert van and got his supplies from Burden's in Alfred Street. He would sell screwballs, lollies, ice cream blocks, flake ice creams, choc ices etc. He had this van in the 70's. He bought his van off a late mate named Johnny (I won't put his surname for confidentiality purposes). Prior to this for many years he would sell all varieties of hard ice cream for Midland Counties and would work for someone called Cliff and George. He also sold ice cream at the shows where he had to stay overnight and sometimes even for a week or maybe longer. This was before I was born so I am gathering the information from a family member. Midland Counties was Dawlish Road in Selly Oak. This was in the 60's.

My father was a real joker. He always liked to make people laugh. He sadly passed away at the beginning of April this year after hospital negligence and I thought I would reply to this post in his memory in case any of you knew my father.

[My Dad]

Hi BookWorm


Thank you for your lovely message. It is much appreciated.


I miss my dad a very lot and he always will be loved. However I am coping as best as I possibly can, thanks.


Me and my dad were the best of friends and due to him having Dementia he was also like my child.


He was so lovely and charitable and almost everyone that met him, loved him. It's unbelievable that an hospital would treat him so bad


Thank you again. I hope you get this message as the forum wouldn't allow me to private message you. Take care xxx

[Zaf]

Hello Everyone,
As many of you will know Ladypool Road has changed so so much over the years.
I run a balti restaurant Shababs 163 - 165 Ladypool Road B12 8LQ.
We have many customers coming in that mention Burdens Ice Cream Shop and mention the factory on Alfred St.


I wanted to know what door number the ice cream shop was because everyone thinks it was 163, when customers come in they say this used to be the ‘old ice cream shop.’
We have been there as a family business since 1987.
Would like to know what was there before us and old photos would be fantastic.

[JT]

Thank you burdens for just being there when I was a kid. during my school days I attended Dennis Rd school annex just down the road from your shop. I would save my biscuit money which was supposed to be for my morning break and buy a cornet whenever I could. To this day Burdens ice cream was the best ever made. I now live very near Oldbury, it is so sad to hear of the demise of the business but rest assured at 75 years old I have never forgotten your Ice cream or ever will