Re: balsall heath changes over the years

[Phil]

Alan
 
Lets face it prostitution was pretty rife all over Birmingham in the 60's & 70's the only thing that took it off the streets was nothing to do with police action or neighbourhood schemes it was the advent of massage parlours.
 
The thing is, if it ever was moved from the Balsall Heath area, it was only moved on to another area. They say it's the oldest profession, so it's been with us a long time and I expect it will be with a while longer yet.
 
Phil

[alanmillard]

Alan
 
Lets face it prostitution was pretty rife all over Birmingham in the 60's & 70's the only thing that took it off the streets was nothing to do with police action or neighbourhood schemes it was the advent of massage parlours.
 
The thing is, if it ever was moved from the Balsall Heath area, it was only moved on to another area. They say it's the oldest profession, so it's been with us a long time and I expect it will be with a while longer yet.
 
Phil

Sorry folks but i have always said it they should legalise it it would keep them off the street and make sure the girls are healthy and also with luck keep the druggies away, prostitutes do not kill so many people. alan

[roy one]

i can remember varner road and princess road going back to about 1952 or 53 in them days it was considered to be posh and big houses who had servants  that was about the time that they started to move out and some folk turned the big houses in to one bed digs  that then was the time that the Lady's of the night moved in some of the room had five beds  they had five on nights and five on days so the beds never got cold the girls would move from house to house

[lolly]

I was born in Balsall Heath in 1954 and can honestly say when i was a child it was fine a normal place like any other area, i lived in wenman st very close to Balsall heath rd and varna rd, it wasnt until i was about 9 that the council started moving in big (poor) familys because the houses were so big they could accomadate large familys , these familys did bring the area down, but the prostitutes stayed mainly at the bottom of balsall heath rd, they started pulling down the houses around wenman st when i was about 14 you cant imagine what this was like all around you were half demolished houses ,but we had bought our house so we were one of the last to move , the council finally bought our house under the compulsary purchase agreement we got paid £600 and re housed by then i think we were the last ones to go i was 17 then and guess were mom wanted to go.............bottom of balsall heath rd in the new houses 2 doors away from a very busy prostitute who didnt bother with the streets , they just knocked on her door and formed a line !!!!!!!! It was varden croft i think it was named after varna rd..

[buster]

I agree with you roy when we Lived in Longbridge Road all the 40s and up 1954 verna Road etc we where well off people lived lots off teachers etc.And Belgrave Road towards the Pershore was veryy well off lots off people had maids it was a great place to go carol singer because people had money and we always did well off the jews.The people in Balsall Heath were nice to live by and helped one another. My mom was always ill and people helped a lot.The heart went out of balsall heath they moved people to the new council houses, and the big houses were sold and made into flats.

[alanmillard]

I agree with you roy when we Lived in Longbridge Road all the 40s and up 1954 verna Road etc we where well off people lived lots off teachers etc.And Belgrave Road towards the Pershore was veryy well off lots off people had maids it was a great place to go carol singer because people had money and we always did well off the jews.The people in Balsall Heath were nice to live by and helped one another. My mom was always ill and people helped a lot.The heart went out of balsall heath they moved people to the new council houses, and the big houses were sold and made into flats.

Hi we did quite well round that erea for snow clearing in the winter. we happened to be in the birmingham bull ring yeaterday and brought some flowers off the little old lady just outside the rag market does any one know how long she has been selling flowers, as i can remembering not been there. alan

[roy one]

my back yard was Angelina street  varna road or princess was the roads to go scrumping they all had big back gardens and at that time i did not know what a lady of the night was or what she did but being a kid always on the look out to make a few bob i soon found out once they got to know me  one of the things i did was go to the bagwash load an old pram i had and off i would go just round the corner from the luxor flicks  soon the Lady's of the night got to know me and trust me i would go to the shops with a list of things they needed some invited me in to there room for  TEA AND FOOD  i might add this one lady who was called sugar who used to give me two envelops one with a pound note in and a note the other  had nothing but i had to give both to the chemist man only him i was told he then went in the back of the shop and then he gave me the envelope back and i took that back to sugar she would give me two bob for doing that i some times took a bet for them and give it to a man out side this would be about 1953 54  i found the Lady's of the night to be kind and nice folk then it all went bad i soon found out that some of the lady of the night had been took over by men that had come from over seas pimps they called them and they lived in fear i was told it would be best for me to keep away Roy

[xlishanx]

hello i am a result of the prostitution of the 70;s i know my mum lived there early seventys. I and the rest of her children have lived a difficult life because of this. M mum recently passed and wish regardless of outcome wish her to rest in peace. But myself growing up and the secretive person she was, have grown up having a lot of questions unanswered/ answered to late without explanatioN. i would love if there was someone from this era that could fill in some gaps.






My birth name was lisa, ihad a brother called darren born a year after me , My real mums birth name was mary(litlle) and the woman i got given to was called janette (scottish) please help need answers

[Phil]

Hello Lisa

I'm afraid that I was not around Balsall Heath in the 70's so as to your enquiry I can be of little help. I have to say that it was unusual for anyone in the working girl scene to allow themselves to get pregnant as it was bad for business. So perhaps there was a little decency behind the fact that your mother allowed the pregnancy to run it's course.

Knowing some of the girls from the early 60's there were many reasons why they took to this kind of life, some of them pretty sad and horrific, of course I have no idea of your mothers story or circumstances. Most of the girls in Balsall Heath in the early 60's came from Scotland, Bradford & Leeds.

I think although it might be hard for you to do, but the best thing might be to put your past behind you and concentrate on your future and perhaps the unknown is best left alone.

[Twitch]

Hello. I'm looking for anyone who knew my grandparents. Nan was Gwen White. Married Cecil Powell aka Cyril. He was born in Darwin st. I heard the whites were a big family. Had good party's as they had a piano. Rare for most then. Born about 1924 ish?

[laylag1]

raja amin cleared bham 12 recall him he died recently and thank god that islam is what cleared those tarts off the streets but theyre back its still high class knocking shops the moneys too good that's why.