Author Topic: Montgomery Street Works  (Read 1878 times)

Montgomery Street Co-op

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Montgomery Street Works
« on: May 04, 2020, 12:10:03 PM »
Hi Everyone,


Does anyone have any memories, photos, stories of the old Council Works situated on the canal side of Montgomery Street in Sparkbrook? It's just opposite the listed Marlborough Pub on the crossroads of Sydenham Road, Anderton Road and Montgomery Street. The address is 272 Montgomery Street B11 1DS.


It's now known as Montgomery Street Business Centre. We are a group of tenants that work and run small businesses there including engineering, metal polishing, vespa restoration, food production, catering, laundry and a cafe to mention a few.


We got together to start a campaign to prevent the Council auctioning off our site to the highest bidder last December. We've succeeded so far and we're in the process of negotiating with the Council to buy our site. We intend to run it as a not-for-profit Co-operative and improve and preserve it for generations to come. Montgomery Street Business Centre is now the last remaining business start-up hub left in Brum.

We'd love to hear any memories, stories, photos of the site along with the other businesses in the area  O0 

Spud

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Re: Montgomery Street Works
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2020, 12:19:29 PM »
If I remember correctly there was Public Weighbridge in Montgomery St years ago, I recall coming along there one very windy night on a Vespa Scooter with a rather big windscreen. Just as I approached the weighbridge a gust of wind caught me the windscreen acted like a sail and I took off The Vespa landed some yards away I landed on my chin. Still have the scar to this day some 60 years later.
The Only Free Cheese is in The Trap

Montgomery Street Co-op

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Re: Montgomery Street Works
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2020, 12:38:46 PM »
Ouch! Scars always trigger interesting memories. Cheers for that Spud.

There's a business now on site that restores Vespas.

Where was the weighbridge exactly? Have you got any more recollections from back then? Do you remember the Council Works or the cut?

Spud

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Re: Montgomery Street Works
« Reply #3 on: May 04, 2020, 12:52:09 PM »
The weighbridge was on the Left of Montgomery St coming from Birmingham I think that it  must have been adjacent to the Council Dept no more than yards from the junction with Anderton Rd.
I worked for Cartwrights the Timber Merchants they had a depot in Anderton Rd it ran alongside the Railway. I only spent the odd day there standing in for Yard manager. it was a huge yard. I think it closed in the late 60s or early 70s  along with their other yards. Never really sure what happened to Cartwrights but I  often wonder if there was a bit of a dispute with a couple of the Directors. They were a really nice company to work for.
The Only Free Cheese is in The Trap

roy one

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Re: Montgomery Street Works
« Reply #4 on: May 04, 2020, 01:12:07 PM »
each day is a blessing and I bless each day when it comes

frederick

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Re: Montgomery Street Works
« Reply #5 on: May 04, 2020, 05:33:05 PM »
Was there a working mans club just by there      :-\
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Seabrook Bred

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Re: Montgomery Street Works
« Reply #6 on: May 06, 2020, 09:04:12 PM »
The nearest working mens club was the Anderton Social Club in Sydenham Road, about half way down on the left from Anderton Road. I came from Dolobran Road where I spent my first 20 years until I got married. I think the weighbridge was further back into Montgomery Street. I'm wondering if there was another entrance into the council yard.There was a nursery school on the corner of Montgomery Street and Grace Road and I think the weighbridge was approximately opposite the nursery although my memory could be playing tricks.


Good news to hear that the yard is still in active use.

Montgomery Street Co-op

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Re: Montgomery Street Works
« Reply #7 on: September 21, 2020, 09:22:52 AM »
Over at the Birmingham History Forum, we've learned that the Corporation Works at Montgomery Street was a Stone Works and around 1899 a dust destructor was built that appears to have lasted until 1920s.


There's a postcard of Anderton Road where you can see the Destructor chimney alongside the Marlborough Pub.


Montgomery Street Co-op

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Re: Montgomery Street Works
« Reply #8 on: September 21, 2020, 07:10:07 PM »
The nearest working mens club was the Anderton Social Club in Sydenham Road, about half way down on the left from Anderton Road. I came from Dolobran Road where I spent my first 20 years until I got married. I think the weighbridge was further back into Montgomery Street. I'm wondering if there was another entrance into the council yard.There was a nursery school on the corner of Montgomery Street and Grace Road and I think the weighbridge was approximately opposite the nursery although my memory could be playing tricks.


Good news to hear that the yard is still in active use.

This shows the Corporation Wharf with the Destructor circa 1916. There's the initials 'W.M.' which I understand stands for weighing machine

Seabrook Bred

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Re: Montgomery Street Works
« Reply #9 on: September 24, 2020, 05:48:31 PM »
Montgomery Street Co-op


That's an interesting map and, of course, dated further back than any of us could remember. I note that the weighbridge is just where I remembered it, almost opposite Grace Road which is the road above and parallel to Anderton Road on the map.
I can't remember the row of houses that run from the corner of Grace Road to the Marlborough pub which extended well along Montgomery Street from the corner of Anderton Road. There were many bombed sites around in my childhood as both BSA sites, Armoury Road and Montgomery Street were prime targets for the German bombers. For that reason I think that around that corner of Grace Road/Montgomery Street must have been a bombed site until the nursery was built on it. I can just remember that being built so I guess around 1950.On the other corner of Grace Road/Montgomery Street which is blank on the map was the infants playground of Montgomery Street Junior and Infants School. The school extended well up Grace Road and the junior's playground was at the top end. I never ventured inside the council yard, the brickwork of which, from the previous photo looks to have been preserved.


I love the black and white photo looking down Anderton Road and I'm curious to know what the third tall structure is in the distance, the other two being the Destructor and the Marlborough clock tower.


You may be aware that the BSA had various functions in Montgomery Street and took the one side of the Street from approximately opposite White Road right through to Vincent's Wood Yard where the New Bridge comes in and they had a social club around half way between the junctions of Dolobran Road and Kendal Road on the opposite side of course.


Good luck with your campaign to fend the council off!




scbubb56

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Re: Montgomery Street Works
« Reply #10 on: February 07, 2021, 10:18:33 PM »
The tall building I believe is the old Waverley grammar school


 

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