Author Topic: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat  (Read 349250 times)

Hi De Hi

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 87
Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #1012 on: December 14, 2018, 09:12:16 AM »
HI HARRIS 22[Ken]
I remember Powells Cycle shop well.I had my first Three Wheeler Bike from him.It must have been just after the War Bill [Powell] made it up for me from old bikes he stored in the cellar.In the Mid Fifties Bill Powell turned the shop into a cafe he did quite well  for some time.
Powells Cycles was on one corner of Clarence Rd on the other corner there was another shop Powells the Grocer [no relation] my Mother bought our shopping from him. I have never heard anyone who could add up a grocery bill in his head so quick.
Regarding the old War Surplus hut in Oakwood Rd did anyone ever buy one of those huge yellow Kites I can only imagine that they were used for Air Sea Rescue Purposes in the War or perhaps as  a Radio aerial.If the wind got too high and got under the kite you were lucky not to take off.


My bikes always came from Fletchers on Walford Road. There was a little row of shops half way down, A grocer on the corner, then a post office, then Fletchers and last Butlers the Butchers. I had a saturday job there in the early 70s doing deliveries on a bike in the morning and cleaning in the afternoon.

Hi De Hi

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 87
Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #1013 on: December 14, 2018, 06:59:10 PM »
The Waldorf was the fleapit cinema nearby. and so was the Piccadilly happy days spent in farm road park


Were you a Saturday morning minor at the Piccadilly?  If you were do you remember the song we all used to sing?


The Piccadilly was a step up from the Waldorf. It always had the new releases whereas the Waldorf tended to show films that had been out a while.

Hi De Hi

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 87
Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #1014 on: December 14, 2018, 07:03:56 PM »
Hi
My husband's great, great uncle, Frank Sewell's, last known address was 7 Marshall Street South, Sparkbrook in August, 1914.  He died in the Battle of Loos in 1915 in France during WW1.  We want to find the location of where this street used to be so that we can have a look for any WW1 monuments, placques around that area that may contain his name.  Does anyone have an old street map they could email me so that we can see where Marshall Street used to be.   
Also, is there such a thing as a WW1 monument list with names.  Would his name more likely be in the area where his mother was living, Lower Loveday Street, not sure where where any plaques would be, is it normally closest to the family home or last know address?
Any help would be much appreciated.  Many thanks.
Christine


Quite often Companies would have memorials for fallen employees. Also schools sometimes had them. If you know where he worked or went to school you might have some luck.

Hi De Hi

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 87
Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #1015 on: March 04, 2019, 09:19:57 AM »
My parents moved into the Flats on Beach Road in 1958 when I was a baby of about 9 months.  According to them is was a palace compared to the back to back in Cattell Road they had lived in since getting married.  I grew up on the estate. Went to Golden Hillock J/I school and then managed to pass the 11 plus and got into Moseley Grammar.  My dad's parents lives in the Limes off Osborne Road so in the school holidays I was looked after there and spent a lot of time cycling around there.

Phil

  • Account Closed
  • *
  • Posts: 32653
Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #1016 on: March 04, 2019, 10:58:56 AM »
Hi, Hi De Hi,


Did your parents move into the tower block or one of the maisonettes on Beach Road - Alfred Road (see photo). If you didn't realise it before the flats were built the area was the local cycle speedway track for the local youth, I've attached a photo of a visit by local MP Percy Shurmer.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Hi De Hi

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 87
Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #1017 on: March 04, 2019, 06:19:26 PM »
Hi, Hi De Hi,


Did your parents move into the tower block or one of the maisonettes on Beach Road - Alfred Road (see photo). If you didn't realise it before the flats were built the area was the local cycle speedway track for the local youth, I've attached a photo of a visit by local MP Percy Shurmer.
Our flat is on the 4th floor on the left hand side of that photo.  Percy Shurmer's widow lived on the same floor. Each floor had 4 flats. two 2 bedroom and 2 single bedrooms.  The estate was built on a bomb site left over from a landmine dropped by the Luftwaffe.

Phil

  • Account Closed
  • *
  • Posts: 32653
Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #1018 on: March 04, 2019, 07:59:37 PM »
Hi de Hi


I'm surprised to hear you say that Percy Shurmer's widow lived in the same block of flats as yourself, although I shouldn't be because I doubt Percy would have used his position as an MP to make himself rich as they all seem to do today.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Hi De Hi

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 87
Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #1019 on: March 06, 2019, 06:44:07 PM »
Hi de Hi


I'm surprised to hear you say that Percy Shurmer's widow lived in the same block of flats as yourself, although I shouldn't be because I doubt Percy would have used his position as an MP to make himself rich as they all seem to do today.


She was quite old and frail as I remember and also deaf. My mum used to cook the occasional meal for her.

Phil

  • Account Closed
  • *
  • Posts: 32653
Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #1020 on: March 06, 2019, 06:56:27 PM »
Hi de Hi


To be honest I thought they had moved away from Birmingham when their house in Belgrave Road was demolished as I know that Percy & his wife Maud had a grandson by their daughter and he is a professor at Cardiff university now. I assumed that the family had moved there after Percy died in 1959.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

ted_warwick

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 2
Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #1021 on: April 01, 2019, 12:37:46 AM »
I lived up the road from Sparkhill, 325 Shaftmoor Lane. Is it still there?

Phil

  • Account Closed
  • *
  • Posts: 32653
Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #1022 on: April 01, 2019, 08:10:12 AM »
Hi Ted


Welcome to the forum, Shaftmoor Lane is still there and so is number 325.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.


 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy