Author Topic: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.  (Read 1745023 times)

Harry Purves

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Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #3971 on: October 05, 2020, 02:09:22 AM »
Hi Graham. Welcome to the forum.
I'm not sure how old you are but did you attend St Annes School in Devon St, I was there from 1956 till 1960 and have some fond memories of the school and some not so fond. Some of the teachers were pretty rough on us kids. Loved the swing park opposite though....

MALCOLM G

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Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #3972 on: October 19, 2020, 04:53:08 PM »
I HAVE JUST RETUNED BACK TO THIS SITE AND I AM WONDERING IF THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO LIVED IN ADERLAINE TERRACE STILL ABOUT

Whitty

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Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #3973 on: October 20, 2020, 09:39:24 AM »
Malcolm , are you talking of Aldelaide Terrace Erskine St
Vauxhall , my gran her sister and there friend all elderly lived in the first three houses on the left side that backed onto the railway there where
five or six houses altogether with shared toilets up the top this would be early 60s they had been residents a long time I was born in Erskine St the other side of the bridge in the war days , the rightside of the terrace was bombed , there was only the five or six houses left and eventually became Saint Vincents School playground , I hope this has been helpful and wish you well in your search 

I HAVE JUST RETUNED BACK TO THIS SITE AND I AM WONDERING IF THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO LIVED IN ADERLAINE TERRACE STILL ABOUT
If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours.

MALCOLM G

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Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #3974 on: October 20, 2020, 03:41:57 PM »
hi whitty hope you are well and safe it is Adelaide terrace i was hoping that my grandparents would be on your list harry Jackson & phoebe never mind many thanks for your time

Karenkelly

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Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #3975 on: December 08, 2020, 01:23:38 AM »
Hi Ronaldjoseph I'm Karen , Danny Kellys daughter.  I came across this post mentioning my Dad and Terry purely by accident.  So nice to see old names in black and white and know that they're still remembered :-)

Brum Walker

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Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #3976 on: December 09, 2020, 12:47:26 PM »
Let me say, I never lived in Nechells, although my father was born in Phillips Street, (1906) not so far away. I asked my Dad about Nechells. All he would say was 'Be thankful you live in Great Barr son.' I never understood that, as later in life I met the salt of the earth in Nechells and Aston.
I went to school in Beeches Road Secondary Modern, when the school reopened in1951, after the Civil Defence had occupied the lower buildings for some 10 years before.
The new school was headed by Harold D Edge, who was a local 'celebrity', being a correspondent for the BBC Sports Report team. The school being very new had to be run on a shoestring, and for a number of months we used stationery which had been printed for Nechells School. I presume that was Mr. Edge's doing as he had been at Nechells, prior to getting his Headship with us.

A lot of people found him somewhat abrasive I believe, but not me. I got on well with him. Maybe I was a 'toadie'? I don't think so. I just did as I was asked; the easiest way in any situation whatsoever. I thoroughly enjoyed Beeches Road School. Edgie was also instrumental in getting me the job I wanted in 1965. when I left the RN after ten years service. So bully for him, and his wooden leg... (Or caliper, I dunno which.)
 
John  O0

cathcart

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Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #3977 on: December 13, 2020, 04:41:24 PM »
Harry Purves.
Harry hi, over the years I have read every page on this forum, then reading yours where you mentioned Mrs almonds shop on the corner of Cathcart Street ,sees me reply to you today .as you have been the only one who has ever mentioned her.


We arrived at 58 Cathcart Street in early 1961 when I was just 7 years old at that time I had two brothers age 5 and 4, within a short time I had three more brothers and 1 sister, we stayed there until shortly before demolition in 1972/73.
I think you are probably talking about old Mrs almond, running the shop, with daughter violet beside her ,Mrs almond was tough lady and quite scary to the younger kids ,lol, however she died in first half of the 1960s, and Violet took over, she was amazing she helped out so many people in need in those tough streets, including my family.


When money was short she let us have our weekly Friday night grocery list and pay the week after, My dad always paid his way and always made sure Violet was paid, many did but sadly some didn't .
She is one of the fondest memories of growing up in difficult times ,which would have been almost  impossible Without her wonderful generous and kind ways..
On the day we left Dad made sure he thanked her and gave her some flowers ,she was visably  touched, by this, just a few weeks later she had to leave as well, she moved to a flat in Revesby walk.,we were to move to Woodgate valley,one of the last major housing estates ever built i believe


We went To St Anne's in Devon Street and to the then new school Duddeston Manor as secondary school, it opened in 1964 , l started in 1965..


I loved St Anne's 1961 to 1965, Mr cocking was head teacher with Mr Bennett deputy and also our class 10 teacher in our last year , Mr brandreth was class 8 and would give out the double ruler across the knuckles, while Mr Bennett gave out the infamous or famous slipper,or Pump, , he was a big man with a red beard similar to actor Brian blessed, so the pump across the back side was sore taking out a whole  cheek ,hahaha..


But you know we were tough lads in a tough area our punishments at school were deserved ,our dad always said there was consequences to actions and breaking certain rules meant the slipper.
Once you had it ,Mr Bennett gave you a fresh start. Tomorrow was another day.
I remember them with a smile and respect them and their memory.


Having been involved in schools in my life I am pretty sure if any teacher opened their classroom door and Saw my old class waiting for them, they would  turn back and go home. Different times different places .
Taronis scrap yard was at the bottom of our garden, and Saltley gas works next to the school.


























cathcart

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Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #3978 on: December 13, 2020, 04:47:59 PM »
I am in Devon, and a very late starter here, having only recently found this wonderful site which triggers many memories of people and places that I would love to hear more about. I lived at 106 Inkerman St 1938 (born) to1959 (married) with my father Jim who worked at Morris Commercial,Adderley Park, and with 2 elder sisters Iris and Joyce, (still with us) who both went to Bloomsbury St. My mother Emily died in about 1944. Our next door neighbours were the Browns and the Gardiners, the Gilberts lived at the back of us, Alf Gilbert had a printing business in his shed. Opposite were the Dixons, Johnny about my age and a younger sister Joyce I think.  Mark Dixon was a plumber/builder. Their house was at the entrance to Homers? yard, and had a strengthened cellar that was used as an air raid shelter, rather better than our Anderson down the garden by the Rea. His brother had the cobblers shop just down the street. We were opposite Greens the grocer. So many shops! I can recall about 10 in Inkerman St alone, even before Duddeston Mill Rd. Brian King in Alma Crescent, Roy Troughton (his father kept pigeons} and the Bowdens in Inkerman St, and Keith Brown in Duddeston Mill Rd are some of the friends that I remember. I attended St Annes and then went to Central Grammar School, losing touch with many local pals who went on to Loxton St. One of the Marsden lads was at Central.  “The Britt” was a few doors down, my father a regular customer although he used all the local pubs and a few more! Richardsons shop was nearby. Mr Richardson was a disabled war pensioner who had an adapted Morris 8. On Saturdays we could hear the roar of the crowds from St Andrews, and of course I grew up with factory hooters,railway shunting engines, horse drawn drays and the occasional steam brewery lorry. Auntie Ag (Swift) lived down the street, near to Barnards the ice cream man and the Cheshires. Joy Cheshire was a friend of my sister Joyce. At the age of  about 9 I had a few “girl friends”. Hilary Sparrow in Devon St, Barbara Shaw in Dollman St, where are you now? I married a girl from Sutton Coldfield, (she had been a Brown Fairy, remember their Christmas visits to St Annes?)  Canon Edwin Thomas married us at St Matthews, he forged the Wedding Certificate to put me living with the Rhodes family in Devon St so that we could be married in his Church! A wonderful man, I saw him last at a 211th scout troop re-union at the church. I would be thrilled if this forum prompts a few responses about my happy years in Vauxhall.

cathcart

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Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #3979 on: December 13, 2020, 05:30:51 PM »
Les Hi
I remember the brown fairies coming to st Anne's from 1961 to 1965 ,it was something we all looked forward to, simple happy times.
We lived in Cathcart Street.
Taronis scrap yard was at the bottom of our garden and there was a guy who keep pigeons next to it,he was called Bomber, maybe he was a relation of the Troughton you talk off.
As kids we played in the streets and on the bomb pecks
Breadman, milkman, coalman and the rag and bone man and his horse were busy up and down our streets add in the gas Street lights and that was the scene of our days and nights.
There was a lot of shops ,with one on each corner of Cathcart Street almonds was top of Cathcart Street ( Violet almond was amazing),bills shop  at the bottom of Cathcart and inkerman street, greengrocer's an , outdoor plus ironmongers, 


To this day I wonder how they survived in such a deprived poverty area..
Loxton school was demolished and duddeston Manor was built in 1964,  we went to play centre at Loxton school
I remember the Rev Thomas, he stayed there long after our streets were demolished, there are a couple of nice stories on here about him


Whitty

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Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #3980 on: December 13, 2020, 07:16:36 PM »
Hi Cathcart look up garden Gerald on the forum
he came from your neck of the woods a real interesting guy
I was born in Erskine St bottom Inkerman St & Dolman St
I recognise some of the people & local places that you have mentioned


Welcome to the forum enjoy
If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours.

Bin1

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Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #3981 on: February 23, 2021, 09:43:58 PM »
Hello john 123. Your post 11 years ago mentioned my name. I lived in the yard just up from your Mum and Dad, Pat and Reg. think there were seven children? Carol the eldest, Brenda, Steven - nickname Butch etc... I recognised most of the people mentioned in your post. Maybe you could get in touch... Paul Binfield


 

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