Balsall Heath Memories 50's and 60's

[pat11]

Phil,


That is so true.  My brother is 3 years younger than me and I didn't know or mix with any of his friends.

[cocacolakid]

Phil,
thank you for your reply.  Yes, St Paul's does ring a bell.  Another friend of mine was Carol Lamb.  You would probably not know my friends because if you are the same age as Alan Chance's brother then you would be 3 years younger than me.

Pat..

If You are 3yrs older than Phil, then you & I are about the same age.   I am not aware of a youth club at St Pauls Church in my time, there was a boys brigade troop there.   St Pauls may be ringing a bell for you due to St Pauls Rd being very close to where Winifred lived.  The youth clubs in the area that I went to from time to time were at Sherbourne Rd School, The Friends Institute on the Mosely Rd, Very close to Upper Highgate St School & and next to the remand home/Borstal. There were two on Ladypool Rd, one at the school, which then moved to the church hall on the other side of the Rd, close to the bottom of St Pauls Rd, Only a few mins walk from where Winifred & Alan Chance lived. There may have been others? but these are the ones I went to. There was never any fighting or trouble at any of the youth clubs that I have mentioned, not when I attended. 

                                                                                                                                                        Malc.

[Phil]

Malc

It was held in the church hall opposite the church by the railway bridge on St Pauls Rd. I'm not sure of the year now bur it would have had to have been about 63/64. They closed it once because of the fights and bad behaviour, it re-opened after a couple of weeks but soon closed again. In total it didn't last that long and it never got to be really popular.

[pat11]

My memory is quite vague about this 'disco' although I remember it was quite popular and they used to play Hound Dog, so it was in that era.  I have a feeling it may have been a school though and was over Ladypool Road way. 

[cocacolakid]

Malc

It was held in the church hall opposite the church by the railway bridge on St Pauls Rd. I'm not sure of the year now bur it would have had to have been about 63/64. They closed it once because of the fights and bad behaviour, it re-opened after a couple of weeks but soon closed again. In total it didn't last that long and it never got to be really popular.

Phil..

If it was 63/64, then that is why I would not be aware of that youth club, I left B,Heath during 1961.  The first time I went to the youth club at Sherbourne Rd School, they were playing Diana by Paul Anka on the record player, this was the #1 record in the hit parade, this would have made it 1957.
                                                                                                                                                            Malc.

[cocacolakid]

My memory is quite vague about this 'disco' although I remember it was quite popular and they used to play Hound Dog, so it was in that era.  I have a feeling it may have been a school though and was over Ladypool Road way.

Pat..

It would have been too early for disco's as such, they did not come about til the latter half of the 60s.  The youth clubs usually had a record player, and members would bring there own records to play. Disco's were different in as much as they had a D.J who would supply and play his records and would put on a light show, some of the disco's were usually big profit making  events, put on at big venues, though there may have been some smaller ones around. The "Hound Dog" Era would Have been the Small youth clubs.

                                                                                                                                                                   Malc.

[pat11]

Malc,


You are quite right it was a record player.  The earliest memory I have of seeing a DJ was at Laura Dixons in Navigation/Hill St.,
and much later the Opposite Lock.

[cocacolakid]

Malc,


You are quite right it was a record player.  The earliest memory I have of seeing a DJ was at Laura Dixons in Navigation/Hill St.,
and much later the Opposite Lock.

Pat..

You mention the disco at the Opposite Lock club in Gas St.  I was involved in motor racing and knew Martin Hone, the co owner, quite well. I also knew the guy who put on the light show there and other local disco's His name was Paul. The opposite lock club also had live music, the Peddlers were regulars there.

                                                                                                                                                      Malc.

[pat11]

We seem to be veering away from the subject but out of curiosity did you know someone called Colin who used to race a Mini?

[cocacolakid]

We seem to be veering away from the subject but out of curiosity did you know someone called Colin who used to race a Mini?

Sorry Pat, no I didn't.       Now back to the topic.                                                                                                                Malc.

[brum-e]

I worked at Lush furniture during the 1950's. The shop one of 13 branches was next to the Times Furniture which is now the Waterstones bookshop. The Lush had factories at Warwick Road Sparkbrook, Bell Barn Road, and in Balsal Heath Road. Lush moved all production to a brand new FLATTED factory in Blucher Street, the first of this type in Birmingham, opened by the Lord Mayor and Noel Gordon cir: 1955/1956.