Author Topic: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat  (Read 349238 times)

yapyap

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Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #770 on: August 31, 2013, 06:07:40 PM »
hello phil, remember a irish club opposite the antelope pub on the corner where no 24bus came on to stratford rd,
also there was a club in Sparkbrook opposite stoney lane approx., it was ron by the donlevies? ex irish wrestlers,i think it was called the talk of the town.
yapyap

Phil

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Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #771 on: August 31, 2013, 07:35:28 PM »
Hi Yapyap,
 
Yes I remember the Talk of the Town one club I never used nor the Harp around the corner in Walford Rd. Not for any particular reason except no matter how hard you try you couldn't use them all, but I tried a fair few in my time.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

yapyap

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Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #772 on: September 23, 2013, 06:50:25 PM »
hello all, I was in the 60s  a barman at the mermaid, antelope, brewer and baker, then I was offered a £1 a night to work at the ship camp hill by the manager, ted nugent, (cash in hand) who most afternoons was fast asleep in the back room.
does anyone remember using these pubs in those happy days.

maltablue

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Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #773 on: October 01, 2013, 04:04:06 PM »
Used to get in the Bulls Head Camp Hill, before match
Born and Bred in Sparkbrook.

Phil

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Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #774 on: October 01, 2013, 04:17:16 PM »
Yapyap
 
I knew the gaffer of the B & B in the 70's and occasionally popped in there for a drink, but it wasn't my kind of pub. I went to the last night at the Bull in the 70's as well. it was a case of drink the pub dry after time. It was all free and it was full of coppers from Bradford St nick on duty and off duty.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

maltablue

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Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #775 on: October 01, 2013, 04:32:58 PM »
I was landlord there for a few months in 1974. The previous landlord was Ray ?, he went to the Country Girl. There was another Steve ?, he went further down the Stratford Rd, The Big Bull , I think and ended up at the Antelope
Born and Bred in Sparkbrook.

Phil

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Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #776 on: October 01, 2013, 06:19:12 PM »
I'm sure that the landlord I knew was called Don, he was a member of my Lodge and used to attend on Thursday nights.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

maltablue

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Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #777 on: October 02, 2013, 06:36:19 AM »
Phil, you may be right. M&B started using it as a " starter " pub in the 70,s, for new managers. So the turn over of managers was very quick. but i think that prior to the 70's managers were there for years.
Born and Bred in Sparkbrook.

Phil

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Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #778 on: October 02, 2013, 10:21:13 AM »
Malta
 
Very likely because the Talbot on the corner of Larches St my local at the time was also a starter pub and we had about 10 different gaffers in the last few years.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

maltablue

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Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #779 on: October 02, 2013, 11:15:55 AM »
Phil, one good thing about that if you got " barred ", you did not have to wait long to get back in.  ;)
Born and Bred in Sparkbrook.

Paul.

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Re: sparkhill sparkbrook highgat
« Reply #780 on: November 23, 2013, 12:17:40 AM »
Phil

Not sure about the cook in the navy but it wouldnt surprise me about Fred. He liked a little earner and I guess he started young. I'm slowly putting part of his war years memoirs onto this PC from notes he left. He was actually involved as an highly trained RN signaller although another 'line' he had going was as barbers assistant in South Africa to the troops. They'd rather pay this barber than the services offering. Another official duty in SA for Fred was IC the Shore Patrol!  Only 5foot 3inches of him but he had his head screwed on and of course a tough squad of young fit blokes to boss about. There are other notes around Freds family and I'll collect these sometime.  He was my Dads best mate from well before the war and they went everywhere on motorbikes. One with a leather drive belt so I do mean old.
I knew that Stockford went to Kings Norton Green since I'd seen him there in passing. The Stockfords sign also was a giveaway ;) Later years I would see the son (yes/no?) outside which fits your understanding.  The ironmongers in Highgate Rd was a typical Alladins cave of course supplying the little factories around, like Dawkins Cafe with loads of sandwiches. Understand Fred made the first self serve machine but changed that after a few years for a proprietary one. Ive had many freeby's off Fred or Dolly (remember her?) over the years in cups of tea. Retired to Kings Heath/Stirchley to be by his family including Dolly. Bet you wish you had some of the Holiday postcards now which used to decorate the shop walls inside?  I forget the charging system of money in the sniggering tin. How about Tommy Trot further down? I dont remember to much about him or what his shop was either.  I do vaguely remember the trolley buses and the conductress having to shift the electricity pick up across the overhead wires .  Think Dawkins Cafe opened in 1911.  How am I doing.  I suppose you remember Freds Encyclopaedia Britannia which got chucked out to be sprayed all over by the fire brigade one year. They'd had a little fire or suchlike. Nothing too serious. Fred complained that his treasureds source of info wasnt touched by the fire but it didnt stop the boys in helmets chucking the lot out the window!


Enjoyed reading about old Fred Dawkins, I was an apprentice at Youngs Lifting on the Moseley Road in the late 1970's and would get the guys sandwiches from Fred's cafe every day. Had to get in there before 9.30 to beat the Dustmen ! The cat was forever on the heater, seem to remember there being a sign above warning " beware of the cat", or similar  ! There was even a photo of the cat on the heater in the Evening Mail .
 Also on my rounds were visits to the bookies across the road (don't tell the foreman ..lol..), the cycle shop next door, Alibons Newsagents and Birds chippie. Fridays, we'd occasionally reward ourselves with a pint in the Falcon or the Wagon And Horses opposite. Apart from the work they were happy days !


 

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