Balsall Heath as it was.

[Phil]

Hi Carolann

Welcome to the forum, at number 13 you must have been near the junction with Oldfield Road and the outdoor & newsagents. It's changed a bit around there now. Even so you should remember Oldfield Rd when it looked like this, even if they were preparing to demolish most of it when this was taken.

[townie]

Cheddar Road Sorry about the image but just found it.

[GeePal]

I was born and brought up in Balsall Heath in Upper Cox Street - 5/10 to be precise. Grew up there in the late forties till being rehoused in 1966. Upper Cox Street and Cox Street West disappeared in the redevelopment and it seems there are virtually no photographs. Also as a teenager I worked part time in Harold Price's greengrocers in Longmore Street and in Cannon Hill Road. The latter's still there. But great childhood spent around the streets and hours in Calthorpe Park.    Great memories of everywhere and the characters.

[Phil]

Hi GeePal

Welcome to the forum, try typing Cox Street West and Upper Cox Street in the search box at the top right of the page, that should bring up loads of posts and photos of both streets and surrounding area.

[townie]

Hi GeePal Hope this brings back some good memories . The caption says Knutsford Street.

[GeePal]

Thanks townie.
I think this is the damage from a bomb that hit at the back of Mary Street. The bomb site was quite a popular play area in the fifties and early sixties

[Phil]

GeePal

It's the results of demolition in 1967, at least that's the date on the copy of the photo I have. In These photos the first one is taken in 1964 3 years before the one posted previously. The second a short time after when they had started to build the replacement for Mary Street School. The bomb you mention took out the end of Wenman Street just past the church hall you can see on the first photo.

[GeePal]

The church hall at the top of Wenman Street was run by an evangelical Christian group in the fifties, I think followers of Billy Graham. My brother and I went there for Sunday School. It was also the base for the 38th Birmingham Scout group which again my bother and I went to.

[Phil]

GeePal

Taking my last post a little further, the building in the first photo is the church hall at the top of Knutsford Street, the second one is the bomb site that was between there and Balsall Heath Road. As you say it was a very popular bomb site in the 50's and 60's especially in the winter when it was used for sledging.

[Phil]

Geepal

I was in the 38th when it was on the corner of Vincent Street and Vincent Parade, but I was only a member for a short time, There are photos of the building and the scout group outside sometime in the 50's on this thread.

http://www.birminghamforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=8709.msg343498#msg343498

[GeePal]

Thanks for that Phil. I think I can see my brother!!!!!!