Author Topic: Percy Shurmer  (Read 24256 times)

roy one

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Re: Percy Shurmer
« Reply #55 on: August 01, 2009, 05:59:31 PM »
i went to one of his party's at the town hall but i did not know much about the man until i was much older but it seems he was a man for the people he would do what he could and not just to get your vote so i think that most of us from b/heath and high gate owe him  a debt of gratitude
each day is a blessing and I bless each day when it comes

Andy Capp

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Re: Percy Shurmer
« Reply #56 on: August 01, 2009, 06:01:46 PM »
HI PHIL
I WAS 5 WHEN DAD WENT INTO THE ARMY & NEARLY 10 WHEN HE CAME OUT SO ALL THOUGH HE WAS A GOOD DAD THERE WAS NEVER THAT STRONG FATHER SON RELATIONSHIP HE WAS TRYING TO REBUILD HIS LIFE AFTER THE WAR & BEFORE I KNEW IT I WAS A TEENAGER. BUT LOTS OF KIDS WERE THE SAME. ANDY CAPP

Phil

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Re: Percy Shurmer
« Reply #57 on: August 01, 2009, 08:18:08 PM »
Andy

St Paul's School stood where Tanworth Grove was built, you know where your relation Dennis lived. The school was bombed out in 1940 along with quite a bit of the street.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Andy Capp

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Re: Percy Shurmer
« Reply #58 on: August 01, 2009, 09:23:05 PM »
HI PHIL
I'VE GOT A FEELING OUR DENNIS LIVED IN TANWORTH GROVE AFTER HE GOT MARRIED IN THE EARLY 1960S BEFORE THAT MY COUSINS HAD LIVED AT 64 MARY STREET. ANDY CAPP

Phil

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Re: Percy Shurmer
« Reply #59 on: August 17, 2009, 09:05:39 AM »
Hi Andy

Yes your Dennis did live in Tanworth grove as I remember him mentioning it. I also remember his wife living in the masionette on the corner of the grove before they got married her brother Terry was a mate at the time. I've got a photo of the grove itself that I took a year or so back. When I am able I will post it.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Phil

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Re: Percy Shurmer
« Reply #60 on: August 18, 2009, 12:26:53 PM »
Hi Andy

The first photo is of Tanworth Grove where your Dennis lived I took the photo a couple of years back and is the site approximately of St Pauls School that was bombed out during the war.

The second photo shows where Dennis's wife lived before they were married her younger brother Terry was a mate of mine. I lived just past the right of the photo.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

trapio

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Re: Percy Shurmer
« Reply #61 on: March 10, 2014, 02:34:08 PM »
Percy was the epitome of the real Labour Party, while his activities from B'ham Mail boots to Town Hall Christmas for his Sparrows were the living essence of true socialism in action. I'm from Balsall Heath and benefited  from both  more than once. 
 
At that age, I obviously no understanding of politics, just had dry feet and 'summat in a bag' for Christmas like hundreds of others.

Over time I came to understand - the last politician I ever heard speak Percy's language was the late John Smith - possibly the best Prime Minister Britain never had.
Integrity is non negotiable

Bertie

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Re: Percy Shurmer
« Reply #62 on: March 10, 2014, 03:49:36 PM »
I feel the same all the fire has gone out off the Labour Party they all seem to care about their image

trapio

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Re: Percy Shurmer
« Reply #63 on: March 10, 2014, 03:58:11 PM »
I feel the same all the fire has gone out off the Labour Party they all seem to care about their image

......and their expenses, second homes etc - many of 'em actually seem to envy Tory millionaires like CamCon, who simply don't need to work.....but want the power.
Integrity is non negotiable

rwmcgowan

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Re: Percy Shurmer
« Reply #64 on: March 10, 2014, 08:41:15 PM »
wellput phil,  myself and my sisters also had boots and shoes  given to us by  the mail charity , even though my mother had her home destroyed by the bombing in the second world war , and my father in the army , we still had to be assessed  to see if we were  hard up enough to  be given these  boots and shoes.  also percy shurmer signed my attestation papers  , to enlist in the regular army , as my father would not sign them ,   mr shurmer did  ask me was it really  what i wanted,  the army did me a lot of good, and as trapio says , two pair of boots and a bed ," my first bed " and 3 meals a day , and paid weekly , why wouldnt i want to join the army . rwm

Phil

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Re: Percy Shurmer
« Reply #65 on: March 11, 2014, 10:01:22 AM »
Since I last posted to this thread I have acquired a few more photos of Percy so I will post them here now. The first one is of the sad day of his funeral on June 4th 1959. The streets on the route of the cortege took through Balsall Heath, Sparkbrook and Highgate were packed with local people as Percy chose the share even his last public appearance with the people he worked so hard for all his life.

In this photo the cortege halts momentarily outside his house in Belgrave Rd, Balsall Heath.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.


 

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