The marvellous Lickey Hills

[roy one]

hi Fred the last time i went over bittal lakes  they was low and the bottom was sand so it must be spring fed

[[email protected]]

BANK HOLIDAYS AFTER THE WAR WW2/ THE QUEUES FOR TRAMS  I THINK WAS NAVIGATION STREET USED TO STRETCH UP TO BROAD STREET PAST THE WESTEND CINEMA / ARMED WITH A BOTTLE OF POP A SANDWICH IF YOU WERE LUCKY AND OFF TO THE LICKIES FOR THE DAY / THE TREAT WAS THE TRAM RIDE /  AN AMUSEMENT SHED GREETED ONE WHEN GETTING OFF AT THE TERMINUS / GREAT DAY OUT / NO MONEY TO SPEND AND NOTHING TO SPEND IT ON //
 

[Tillingham Tim]

My memories of going to the Lickies include the older trams, just after or late in the WW2 when the trams had open decks upstairs and this seemed to make them go faster. These decks had very narrow doors and you had to turn a very fancy cast handle that had Gothic letters shown on them, something like MTS all interwoven, maybe stood for Metropolitan Tramway Services or the like. The wooden seats were in a horseshoe shape and you could lean over the cast iron balustrade. You knew you were into the adventure of the day out when you saw those huge letterson the roof of Kalamazoo, it wasn't a boring old factory making stationary filing thingies but straight from the USA and out of the Andrews Sisters song.
In later life 1960 or so I was pulled over on the Bristol Rd up by the University by the police for exceeding the 30mph speed limit on my motor scooter. It was dual carriage way with the tramlines up the middle and I was about the only one on the road that evening. I said I thought it was a 45mph zone and if not it should be. The very nice constable agreed with me and said he thought plans were afoot to change the limit. In the meantime he advised me to obey the law even if I thought it wrong and sent me on my way with a pleasant "Good Evening".
Things like that happened when the man on the beat ruled his own patch. As a younger chap I was stopped in Ladypool Rd. for riding my bike with no lights and after being given a warning on the dangers etc. I was allowed to continue on foot pushing my bike. Just to make sure I did the right thing PC Plod stood and watched me walk from Oldfield Rd. to Highgate Rd and I could feel his eyes on my back all the way. Cheers Tim.

[Hockley polisher]

I have moved back to redial after thirty years away and are lucky enough to look at the hills every day.

[jennymoores]

I left Brum when I was twenty-two, in 1963.  I have always returned to visit family over the many years and two of my four children now live there and love it and two grandchildren born and brought up there.  It must be in the blood!  So I have seen the changes that have taken place over the years.  I live in Scotland now and a neighbour recently went down to the Christmas Market and commented he was not looking forward to going to Birmingham of all places!  I, of course, protested and said you will be pleasantly surprised.  On his return he exlaimed" How right you were - loved it".  Very impressed and he hadn't seen the half, just the Centre. 

 I spent most of my childhood during school holidays and week-ends walking to the Lickeys through Cofton Park, getting an ice cream at the Bilberry Tea Rooms or perhaps a drink at the Cafe in Cofton Park and watching the boys play football.  Does anyone remember the cafe in the park?  Also fond, fond memories of the paper shop in Longbridge Lane, I think it was Gittins, where my Mum left my sister's pushchair round the back (they had a pram and pushchair 'park') and then we would all get on the bus to Northfield.  My other fond memories are of the tram journey from Longbridge Lane to Selly Oak and back again. (Visiting my Aunt and Uncle and their three sons on a Sunday morning). We sat on the back seat upstairs and as the tram gained speed down the hill after Selly Oak up to Northfield again we were thrown all over the place -  how we laughed.  The older you get the more vivid the memories of long ago!!!  I still love Brum.

[roy one]

northfield tram  about 1950

[roy one]

lickey hill tea room

[planetmalc]

I left Brum when I was twenty-two, in 1963.  I have always returned to visit family over the many years and two of my four children now live there and love it and two grandchildren born and brought up there.  It must be in the blood!  So I have seen the changes that have taken place over the years.  I live in Scotland now and a neighbour recently went down to the Christmas Market and commented he was not looking forward to going to Birmingham of all places!  I, of course, protested and said you will be pleasantly surprised.  On his return he exlaimed" How right you were - loved it".  Very impressed and he hadn't seen the half, just the Centre. 

 I spent most of my childhood during school holidays and week-ends walking to the Lickeys through Cofton Park, getting an ice cream at the Bilberry Tea Rooms or perhaps a drink at the Cafe in Cofton Park and watching the boys play football.  Does anyone remember the cafe in the park?  Also fond, fond memories of the paper shop in Longbridge Lane, I think it was Gittins, where my Mum left my sister's pushchair round the back (they had a pram and pushchair 'park') and then we would all get on the bus to Northfield.  My other fond memories are of the tram journey from Longbridge Lane to Selly Oak and back again. (Visiting my Aunt and Uncle and their three sons on a Sunday morning). We sat on the back seat upstairs and as the tram gained speed down the hill after Selly Oak up to Northfield again we were thrown all over the place -  how we laughed.  The older you get the more vivid the memories of long ago!!!  I still love Brum.

 
Great story, Jenny, it really took me back.     Never knew there was a cafe in Cofton Park   -   whereabouts was it?
 

[Phil]

Roy

I think your photo of the tea rooms at the Lickeys is in fact Clent.

[roy one]

hi phil that is the question 

The caption for this photo states adults and children with donkeys at the tea rooms at the Lickey Hills in the early 1900's, but is it at the Lickies or the Clent Hills?    I'm not sure phil


it looks nothing like this place

[Phil]

Roy

Your latest photo is the Rose & Crown on Rose Hill, it used to be a good pub and the only place I ever drank where the Mild was dearer than the bitter. Apparently the Mild was that good nobody drank bitter only strangers.

Back to the tea rooms, it's a pub and its called the Hill Tavern and it's located on Adams Hill at Clent.