Hope Street School

[janey]

The only people I knew in William Edward St was the Griffes, my mate was Frank, I remember he had a younger brother, and some sisters, they lived on the left hand side as you go down from Conybere St, if I remember right I think they where in the rag trade as well..J2

  I remember the Griffiths, Sammy, Barry Barbara, I actually bumped into Mrs Griffiths about ten years ago and she looked exactly the same, small world

[janey]

Hi everyone, just come across this topic about Hope Street school. I attended the junior school between 1957 & 1962 ( ? not too sure ) and have vague recollections of a miss Pat Erskine in one of the earlier threads. The following are some of the pupils whose names i can still remember ; Tony Ward, Joey Floyd, Johny Hannah, Johny Randall, Heather Brown & Audrey Bradley. What was the name of the headmaster who loved his cricket? ( pre-school sessions in the hall ) Played football in Calphorpe park, walking up Varna Road ( interesting sights ), going to the Locarno Ballroom in Hurst Street, Saturday mornings bopping to Cilla Black, the Searchers, Dave Clarke Five etc, bag of chips from the chippie next door and a slow walk back to Hope street. Prior to that it was the Bristol Cinema for the morning matinee, straight out over to the "bomb peck". Oh ! by the way in them days i lived at 5 / 65, middle court. ( Dennis Fuller ) Many thanks for your time in reading my little walk down memory lane, who knows, some more names might come out of the woodwork. Best Regards, The Droog

  Tony Ward, Pat Erskine, Audrey Bradley,was it Mr Shaw who liked cricket, went to the locarno a few times Saturday lunch time, disco for youngsters, went to Dean St youth club a few times, Charlie Foot, Robert Addis, Maureen McGann, Timothy Feely, are you related to Barry Fuller

[alanmillard]

Andy, so very true, but I think one day the dogs will turn on their masters and then somthing will be done about it, I say bring back the cat o ninetails, it wirked years ago and it will work now, ....John 2000

i agree its the do gooders that killing this once great country

[Jenkins129]

Janey, thanks for your response, Mr Shaw does not ring any bells, never went to Dean Street youth club and of the other names i unfortunaley have no recollection.
I have an uncle ( Barry Fuller ) ? as to if they are matched.
Listed below are some other memories that have sprung to mind :-
Audrey Bradley had a trycycle which i used to ride with Audrey standing on the back with her arms around my neck. We used to follow this route : up Hope St. then along Sherlock St. to St. Lukes Road, down St. Lukes to the Belgrave Rd., on to Gooch St., then along to Hope St. and then back to her house. ( by then i would be cream crackered )
The Wilmots who had a shop in the middle of Hope St., by the coal merchants. I used to play Monopoly with their sons upstairs and go fishing up Lifford on the canal. ( one was called David i think and one went to Lordswood school in Moseley.
My first banana from the Asian shop at the bottom end of Hope St. ( Gooch St. )
If i had been good, mom giving me some money to have a plate of chips with gravy together with pudding / custard in the restaurant by the river Rea on Gooch St.
Going down to the play area by St. Martin's flats and up to the park at Highgate for the swings and witches hat.
Occasionally having a run in with the kids from Lea Bank across the Bristol Road.
Swimming lessons at the baths in Kent St.
Getting the bus outside school for sports up the Pershore Rd. ( 1st or 2nd Avenues i think )
The money dispensing arrangement in Foster Bros. on Gooch St.
Regards Droog

[janey]

Janey, thanks for your response, Mr Shaw does not ring any bells, never went to Dean Street youth club and of the other names i unfortunaley have no recollection.
I have an uncle ( Barry Fuller ) ? as to if they are matched.
Listed below are some other memories that have sprung to mind :-
Audrey Bradley had a trycycle which i used to ride with Audrey standing on the back with her arms around my neck. We used to follow this route : up Hope St. then along Sherlock St. to St. Lukes Road, down St. Lukes to the Belgrave Rd., on to Gooch St., then along to Hope St. and then back to her house. ( by then i would be cream crackered )
The Wilmots who had a shop in the middle of Hope St., by the coal merchants. I used to play Monopoly with their sons upstairs and go fishing up Lifford on the canal. ( one was called David i think and one went to Lordswood school in Moseley.
My first banana from the Asian shop at the bottom end of Hope St. ( Gooch St. )
If i had been good, mom giving me some money to have a plate of chips with gravy together with pudding / custard in the restaurant by the river Rea on Gooch St.
Going down to the play area by St. Martin's flats and up to the park at Highgate for the swings and witches hat.
Occasionally having a run in with the kids from Lea Bank across the Bristol Road.
Swimming lessons at the baths in Kent St.
Getting the bus outside school for sports up the Pershore Rd. ( 1st or 2nd Avenues i think )
The money dispensing arrangement in Foster Bros. on Gooch St.
Regards Droog

 
The British Restaurant in Gooch St,St Martins Flats best playground ever, Kent St baths, swimming lessons every week,the money thing across the shop, as you mention, do you recall Kench's chip shop, the Star on the corner of Hope St, Barnwells paper shop almost opposite Hope St, school clinic Benacre St.
The witches hat was undoubtedly my favourite thing in the park.

[roy one]

hi janey
              the best chippy about Kench's chip shop, 3p chips and 6p fish woolys next to the flea pit(triangle) my time in Angelina street was about 1949 till 1955 by the black patch next to the coal yard by luckets paper shop
 
in the winter we used to play in the church grounds sliding down the hill  on bit of board or old tin seller covers
 
us lads built a trolley out of an old pram and a plank and give it a go from the top of Angelina street to the bottom it went well but when we got to the bottom we could not stop it we forgot to put a bake on it so we hit the wall full bat
 
do you remember the rag and bone man gold fish and day old chicks and the milkman with his horse and cart  and dolly dings the fruit shop toffee on a stick roy

[buster]

When I read this like you have just described I back to my school days we enjoyed ourselves with not much money or no money at times(many times)I lived off the Balsall Heath Road.But we went to the triangle and the Briith Resterant in Gooch Street.I played many hours on the bomb sites and calthorpe Park, Cannon Hill was the best.My brothers played football in Calthorpe Park on the black patch.Sometimes I wish my grandchildren had such a simple life but it was had as well. So perhaps it is better now

[roy one]

a bike wheel and a stick i run with b.....y thing for miles
 
 
i used to get down to the river Rea by the side of the Briith Restraint in Gooch  then go up to calthorpe park or on to cannon hill slid in the river a few times might stop off at calthorpe park and have a play on the swings or witches hat. or stand and watch the miniature railway that ran by the side of the river rea in the park    time stood still for us kids we made our own fun and every day seemed sunny we did not ask for much no point would not get it but a bottle of cold tea and a jam door step and time to be a kid  such days

[janey]

Roy, Buster,I also used to go down the river by the restaurant, and walk up to calthorpe park, occasioally slipping in the green slime, I remember dirty dollys toffee lolly's, my brothers had a honk konk, four wheels and a plank, those poor chicks never survived more than a couple of days, it was hard no hot water, no heating, but we did have some great times, lovely memories.

[roy one]

hi janey
             if the kids today had the same life that us kids had you would have every dick and his dog on ya back

[janey]

Oh we'd all have grown up in care,if we had the pc brigade, the social services, the do gooders lol