Author Topic: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.  (Read 1745480 times)

Phil

  • Account Closed
  • *
  • Posts: 32653
Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« on: October 25, 2008, 01:00:13 PM »
I just noticed that telstar 1957 and myself have been reminiscing on the Balsall Heath thread about Nechells and I think Nechells deserves its own thread.

Telstar, when was the last time you was in Dollman Street. Did you know that it now houses the BMAG stores where they house all the exhibits they don't have room to display in the museums. The actual warehouse covers quite a large area and stretches from Dollman St to the river culvert that you jumped over when you was being chased and it actually encompasses the area where my parents house stood. They open it for the public to view on occasions (the warehouse, not my parents house), and I have been a couple of times. Its quite an interesting couple of hours or so.

I have some photo's of the area somewhere, I will look them out.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Phil

  • Account Closed
  • *
  • Posts: 32653
Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #1 on: October 25, 2008, 06:35:56 PM »
As promised a few pic's of the area,

The first one is Inkerman St. It looks as if it was taken down the bottom end of the street just past Alma Crescent and I would guess early sixties.

The second one is of Duddeston Mill Rd, taken around the same time I would imagine. I had a fish & chip supper from that chippie many a night.

The third one is Watson's shop at 67 Dollman St, I think this one is much earlier.

A final one is St Vincents church attached to the school of the same name in Vauxhall grove.

 I will post some more photo's at a later date.

Phil

Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Telstar

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1212
Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #2 on: October 25, 2008, 08:51:35 PM »
Phil, were the hell did you get these photos from? They are fabulous and the one of Watson's shop is sensational to see. It brings back so many memories in one go. It played a huge part in my life that shop did. I loved going in it and listening to the oul wans gossiping.

The old fashioned blind used to be pulled down in the summer and it really was a handsome little shop. Mrs Watson kept it immaculate as she did her house up Dollman St on the right. She had big gated double doors beside her house to an enclosed entry, and they were painted in stripes of two shades of green and her step was in that old fashioned red polish you used to see.... If all the houses in the street had been kept as well as her's, it would have been a classy little street altogether.

I think it must have been Coronation Day or VE Day as there are a few flags on the shop and what looks like an old Johanna and stool. That shop was directly opposit my house. I could run out the front door or down the entry and a hop, skip and a jump and I was there.... It's a rare class photo! A gem!

I'm going to send it to Margaret Loveland who who lived a few doors up at No 75. I met her at my nieces wedding in July. It will blow her away... We have great cherished memories of that place. It was bought by St Vincents Lollipop Man, who lived in the house to the left, that's his entry, for his grandson Graham Bodman. Graham fancied my sister and become great friends with my oldest brother Terry. They went touring in his Mini and even come over here touring and up the Dublin mountains in 1967, to my nan's where I was on holiday.

My mom was very easy going and at the weekends, there would be a knees up on a Friday night at our house when they would all come from the pub carrying those big tins of beer, 3 and 7 pinters. I would play the records and Graham would go over to that shop and open it up, slice up the ham and cheese and bring the goodies over for the party. Brenda's friends would bunk in with our mom with sometimes 5 of them in our mom's bed and laugh themselves to sleep. Then on Saturday night they'd go up town.... They would insist our mom went with them, and 3 o'clock in the morning they'd all roll home for tea and toast and stand up against the fireplace with their skirts lifted up at the back to warm their [censored]. It really was a wonderful time. Some of them surfaced out of the woodwork a few years ago for our mom's 80th birthday. All they could talk about was the great times and laughs they had in our mom's house in Dollman St......



The truth always prevails.....

Phil

  • Account Closed
  • *
  • Posts: 32653
Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #3 on: October 25, 2008, 09:31:52 PM »
Telstar

I have been collecting these old photo's for years and I have thousands. If your mom is Irish I bet she drank in the Adelaide at the top of Erskine Street. That was where the Irish crowd drank

It would be odds on that she would know my stepfather or his mates. They were all from Dublin.

Heres a few more photo's, an old factory in Dollman St, Duddeston Cleaning Sheds, Newdegate Playground Great Francis St,and Revsby Walk.

More to come later.

Phil

Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Telstar

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1212
Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #4 on: October 25, 2008, 09:54:25 PM »
Meant to say, the last time I was in Dollman St was last July. I took a drive down to the lampost that still stands almost beside where our old house stood. There used to be an old Victorian one that was replaced towards the end of our time there.... You know, I was only saying to a mate of mine when I was over.... We used to climb them old Victorian lamposts, swing on the arms of them, put ropes on them and swung around them, but not one kid damaged or broke any of the glass in any of them, perhaps in the hundred years they stood there....

I'd rate those old cream and maroon Victorian lamposts up there with red telephone boxes, the original old decorative Birmingham street signs, the old hop on, hop off, cream and navy double deckers with the forward crest on the side, the old blue enamel, circular, Buses Stop Here By Request signs, along with the old Bundy Clocks as great images of old Birmingham. There are still plenty of the old street signs but the new ones are..... well.....new!

I don't really like new. It's practical, but sterile. It's unappealing, shapeless, designless and charmless. All of those old things I mentioned had character, an identity, a life, and you missed them when they passed away.....

You know the thing that strikes me about the birmingham forum is.... It's a good website and diverse and all and, it's great for a good moan.....

                                                          Forward




The truth always prevails.....

Phil

  • Account Closed
  • *
  • Posts: 32653
Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #5 on: November 02, 2008, 12:46:25 PM »
telstar

Did you know that the last gas lamp street lighting in Birmingham was removed from a street that was  not that great a distance from where you used to live. It was removed as late as the 3rd of January 1975 in Duke Street Gosta Green.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

AnnRNR

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 27
Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2008, 08:44:34 PM »
Hi Everyone
Liked all the photos.  Doing my moms family tree at indepth at mo.  She lived in Devon Street and went Bloomsbury Street school.  Just text her going to show her the photos see if she remembers any of them.  I had a nan you lived in Inkerman Street.

Cheers x 

Phil

  • Account Closed
  • *
  • Posts: 32653
Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #7 on: November 04, 2008, 09:13:29 PM »
Hi AnnRNR

Welcome to the forum, the womens here will be glad to see you. They are trying to outnumber us men, but are failing as usual.

Where did your nan live in Inkerman St, theres a slim chance I might know her, but it was a big street and if she lived at the Duddeston Mill Rd end there is not much chance.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Telstar

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1212
Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #8 on: November 07, 2008, 10:42:48 AM »
Hi phil, haven't gotten round to posting on Nechells for a while. Not that long ago is it - re- lamp post? I remember Tant's up Dollman St, painted navy blue. Doesn't look it from the photo, but it was.... I fell off the very top of that train, when they first put it in. It was before they put the sand in. The base is concrete. I banged my temple, which made my head swell up like a balloon. Don't know if it's related, but I've had a fear ( terror ) of heights ever since....

Fellow's outdoor, was across the other side from Tant's, up on the corner of Alma Crescent and Dollman St. Diagnally, on the opposit corner, was Bill's Cafe. At one time there was an old bakery there, or beside it, as the old ovens were still in place. It was a very popular cafe and a popular haunt with the BRS drivers, as their old green wagons used to be parked up the side of the outdoor. Fellow's, was later owned by Shepard/Taroni's. They had the coal yard up Inkermen St, on the lefthand side, between the junction of Alma Crescent and Cathcart St?
The truth always prevails.....

gibson

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 262
Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #9 on: November 07, 2008, 11:15:29 AM »
Hi Everyone, really enjoy reading about Nechells, I was born in Aston Church Road in 1938, and lived and worked in Nechells at L H Newton, later GKN, UNTIL 1981, Do any of you out there have any memories of Aston Church Road, or GKN, It would be nice to hear from you.

AnnRNR

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 27
Re: Nechells, Vauxhall, Duddeston & Saltley, 40's, 50's & 60's.
« Reply #10 on: November 07, 2008, 11:58:21 AM »
Hi Everyone
Got the one nan wrong.  I knew the road started with an I but it was Icknield Street but anyway my nan lived at 7 Devon street between 1935 - 1969. They then moved to Victor Tower Bloomsbury Street.   She was born in Ledsam Street Ladywood but my grandad was born 33 Cato St North.  His parents both lived and died at 173 Devon Street.  My grandad fathers name was Norman smith and he was also a Time Keeper at the wrestling at Digbeth.  Just been picking my moms brains.  She named a few pubs (even though she is not a drinker)Duddeston Mill Inn (The Monkey House) Cato St/Somerset Street and The Train that was rebuilt and became the Rocket.  She met my dad (he was Liverpudlian) whilst he was working at The Duddeston Mill Sheds as a Fireman on the trains


 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy