Bells Mill memories
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Memories of West Midlands
Football in The Park
Behind this picture were the tennis courts and behind that were the football changing rooms and the pitches. I played in goal there for several teams over the years, the last being the Wordsley Labour Club. I had started with Stuart Crystal and over the years gained nicknames like the Crab or the Bear. There would also be some I cannot put here. Getting married and moving to Cradley put an end to the football (and other things) and I eventually moved to the Lake District (Cumbria Crystal) and then to Kings Lynn (Wedgewood Crystal) before moving to Stourport on Severn aprox 17 years ago. John Lampitt
Lower High Street
This picture is taken from the junction of Kinver Street and is looking up towards Church Street on the top left. At the bottom right is the Rose and Crown pub (Davenports house) next to which was a shop that sold everything and I think belonged to the Randalls. After that was the Hall (like a village hall) and then the church land started. On the left and out of shot was a butchers, a bank, a chemist (window showing by cars), a Co-op and a bakery. In front of the white house (Conservative Club ?) ran a lane which went to the bullring of Mount Road where I spent some of my time as a boy. John Lampitt
Walks With my Dad
This picture is the memorable part of our route, a walk from Belle Vue where I lived until the late fifties. My father would take me for walks on Sundays when the weather was good, which it seemed to be most of the time, we would walk up the common which was then all countryside. We would climb over the stile in the photo and turn up the hill towards the wood, known as the Cally Wood, it was private with no public access. So we we would take another stile which would take us across the fields towards Cot Lane. This was the exciting bit for a six year old as the path crossed the sand pits by a metal footbridge high above the workings, which was often a few feet deep in water. We then joined Cot Lane and back to Wordsley, perhaps for a Vimto and packet of crisps at the Raven, where they had a bowling green at the back. It was kept by the Mansells,... Read more
The Community Centre
The large building on the right is the Community Centre, built as an art school to improve the standards of design which in the 19th century was very poor, particularly in the glass industry. Opposite was a parade of shops, just out of shot. On the left at the corner of Kinver Street was Whitehouses the butchers, housed in a very old building with a Dutch gable. Farther on was the chemist, double fronted with large glass bottles in each window. Next I think was the bank, followed by the Co-op, and on the corner was Woods the baker. Mr. Wood's son Bob was in my class at Lawnswood Road school, and we were friends until I left to do national service with the RAF at 21.
However, it was the Community Centre that had a major influence on my life, in a variety of ways. Each night of the week had a different activity, Monday and Wednesday were boys' club nights, Tuesdays and Thursdays girls' club nights, Fridays was... Read more
Wordsley Hig Street
Wonderful to see these old photos of Wordsley. Unfortunately not of the shop where I spent the first few years of my life, from 1950.
My parents had a chip shop at 109 High Street, next door to the Cat Inn. Eventually they changed trades and went to fresh fish, then greengrocery, then hardware. Perhaps a few might remember "Bob" Hope and my mom, called Dora. As I walked to school every day (Brook Street Primary) I know the whole road as it used to be. From our shop uphill I remember a little shop owned by an old gentleman (well he seemed old then). He reputedly set fire to the shop, then hanged himself, when I was very young. Can anyone enlighten me and confirm my memory? As a young boy I knew all of the shop owners, from the Colliers, and several more.
Must stop rambling ... Thank you for a wonderful view of my long distant childhood.
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