Birmingham memories
Here are memories of Birmingham and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Birmingham or a Birmingham photo.
Burcot Grange School Four Oaks Warwickshire
I went to Burcot Grange School until 1948. Miss Cozens was the Head Mistress. I remember Pam Madeley, Janet White, Betty Genders, Margaret Vale, Jill Trott, Joy Cavill, Ann Barnett who were all in my class. I wonder if anyone remembers? It was such a nice school. I'd love to get some feed back. We lived in Chestnut Drive, Erdington which holds lovely memories. I have lived in South Australia for many years as we migrated in 1949 but I have returned several times and visited Burcot Grange which is now a retirement home. Pat Horwitch was my name.
Childhood Memories
This area has many happy memories for me. My Mom and Dad, Nan and Granddad lived in Holte Road, my parents would take me to Aston Park in the summer, then I would sit on the wall of the Holte pub and enjoy some orange squash and crisps.
This area holds a special place in my heart.
Anita Crowter (nee Hopkins)
Trams, Baths, Cinemas...
My parents had a shop in Balsall Heath Road not far from Cannon Hill Park - there was a murder committed there around that time. I used to catch the tram to town and in Lewis's basement you could get crabs' legs loaded with meat! Also caught the tram to the Lickey Hills along the Bristol Road (South?). Always a great film fan, at aged 9-12 I used to go to the Luxor, Moseley, and Imperial - even the ABC at Sparkbrook - but never the Triangle! I remember standing outside on my own when there was an 'A' film on - Asking "Will you take me in please?" and handing over my money to some stranger - imagine it now? And I remember the baths up the street at Moseley Road - I seem to recall a 2/3d charge for a bath - we had a tin one in front of the fire, so it saved a lot of work! I enjoyed swimming too, with my badges proudly sewn... Read more
Art Gallery And Museum
I used to take my 3 children to the Art Gallery and Natural History Museum in the 1970s/80s, but they liked the Science Museum in Newhall Street best (now Millennium Point). I used to love the natural history part with the stuffed animals and skeletons. However I recently visited the Art Gallery and used the headphones (were they there before? I must have missed them!) and it was great to have the paintings described so that you could notice things that you would otherwise have missed. We are so lucky to have all of this free culture in Birmingham.
CHEF'S 1948 to 1960
I was a young trainee chef at the then posh Pattisons Restaurant, Corporation Street, after national service in the far east. Who remembers the Worcester Street restaurant with then Mrs Burgess, today's site the Rotunda. I cooked a lot of meals here then the Mikado Cafe at the top of Martinu Street, then the now closed Union Club in Colmore Row. I cooked for some very important people during my stay in this lovely building, now a building society.
Happy Days
Living not far from Aston Park we would often walk to the park to play and enjoy the fresh air. Aston Hall held a fascination for me and I was forever asking to go inside for a tour. I would go in when ever I could and I never tired of it. When I grew older and moved away I never forgot it and I have always kept happy memories of it in a special place in my heart. I suppose it is a nostalgic feeling, reminding me of happy times during my childhood. Years later I was to begin working in Birmingham and would pass this wonderful hall every day. One day a colleague and I visited the hall in our lunch break it brought back wonderful memories for me.
Small Heath
I lived on Muntz Street, Small Heath from 1963-1973 at number 143. It was right on the bend, a three-storey house with three bedrooms, two reception rooms, a small kitchen and an outside loo in a concrete yard. I have loads of memories of my chilhood there. Like the times me and my brother Philip used to play marbles in next door's garden because they had soil. They were the Roberts, there were a lota of them but I only remember Colin and Jenifer and the mom and dad, Ken and Gwen. I went to Somerfield Road Junior School and Oakley Road Secondary. Happy days, I just didn't know it at the time.
King Edward Boys School, New St. Birmingham
I don't remember this far back, but my Great Grandad (Sydney James Ford), Great Grandma, my Grandma and her brother lived in King Edward Boys school which at that time was in New St. Birmingham. My Great Grandad was head Porter there and lived in the annex of the school. My mom can remember them having to get out of the building because of a fire, but someone had to go back in as they had forgotten 'the baby'!! She can't remember anymore about the fire - if anyone knows anything about this I would appreciate info. My Great Grandad joined the school in 1897 as curator and retired after 35 years service in 1933.
2Up And 2Down!
My father was born in Ford Street Hockley Brook Birmingham in 1936. He was the youngest of 6, 2 sisters and 3 brothers. Ford Street consisted of a row of houses on one side and factories on the other side. The houses were 2 up and 2 down and the toilet was outside. At the top end of the street was the tram station and around the corner from there was Icknield Street school which my dad started at in 1941. During the war, Birmingham was repeatedly bombed by the Germans and my dad and his family had several close encounters with bombs in Ford Street. One time was when the factory oppisite my dads house was hit by bombs from a night time raid and the factory was completely flattened and none of the night-shift workers survived. Another time was when the family was in the kitchen at the back of the house and there was a huge crashing sound at the front of the house and everyone rushed through to... Read more
Watch/clock Repair Shop, Harborne
Hi, Does anyone remember the watch and clock repair shop on the corner of Victoria and Vicarage Road in Harborne, Birmingham? It was run by my grandfather Leslie Charles Henry Jones (born 1902?) who was married to Ellen (nee Norton), d.1960(?), neither of which I ever met. Lesley possibly had an original shop in Northfield Road, Harborne, which became a hairdressers. They had 5 children (Lesley, Ken, Ronald, Paul (my dad) and Mary). I did visit the area about 15 years ago with my brother and actually went into the watch/clock repair shop and met a man who had been taken on as an apprentice by my grandfather, who had since gone on to to run the repair shop himself. Any information or tales would be great, my father died in 1984 and we only ever had contact with one of our uncles. Thanks for your time, Marsha
Memories of West Midlands
Mother's Pride Bakery
I used to work at Wilsons bakery, Greatbarr Street in the early 1970s, prior to that I used to help a Mother's Pride baker in Northfield on Saturdays and before I went to school. I still remember the round to this day, also the van reg 974 KOA, a Morris J2 type, those were good days like the milk disappearing slowly, the Tascos dairy in Stirchley, the old Austin FG truck, oh also Hawleys bakery in Moseley, now its all British Bakeries where bread is just rubbish, gone the hot delivered bread to your door, oh well no worries, I had my days.
Childhood in Sparkbrook
I grew up in Elm Grove, Sydenham Road and went to Montgomery Street School. Does anyone remember the Waldorf Road cinema ? It was near the junction of Stratford Road. We used to go on a Saturday morning to see 'The Lone Ranger' and 'Flash Gordon'. Many happy hours were also spent in the roller skating rink next door. We played in the BSA grounds and along the canal and took the train to the city centre from Small Heath train station on Golden Hillock Road and went swimming in Sparkhill Baths. My biggest treat was to be taken to meet my dad in Digbeth, where he worked, and going to a small sweet shop next to the Birds Custard Factory. The sweets were made by hand and I watched facinated as they went through the press. I can still picture the metal birds in the railings of the Birds Custard Factory. Happy days!
Montgomery Street School in 1968
I am looking for people who went to Montgomery Street School. The headmaster's name was Mr Brazier, I remember the Hicky family very well who went there, if you would like to contact me on 01279 835166, my name then was Karen Green, now Mrs Fowler. I look forward hearing from you.
Sparkhill And Sparkbrook
I grew up in Sparkbrook. I lived in Priestley Road. I went to Montgomery junior school. Mr Brazier was our head master. My favourite teacher was Mrs Green. I worked at Sparkhill Police Station for 15 years as a traffic warden. I'd love to hear from anyone who knows me. My email is: the_boult@hotmail .co.uk
SPARKBROOK BIRMINGHAM
Hello, I lived in Sparkbrook in the 1980s - does anybody have any stories or photos of the place in the 80's please - it would be great to hear any stories. I went to Christ Church Junior School - Ms Johnson, Ms Web, Mr Warbouton - it would be great to hear any stories.
Memorybank total
We're very pleased and excited by your response so far to our "Share your Memories" community.
You've shared 28,826 memories of 5,943 towns & villages across the UK - keep them coming!
Find Memories
Simply search for your favourite places to read others' memories and share your own.
Tips & Ideas
Not sure what to write?
It's easy - just think of an important place in your life and ask yourself:
How does it feature in your personal history?
What are your best memories of this place?
How has it changed over the years?
How does it feel, seeing these old photos of your favourite place?
Do you remember stories about the local community, its history and people?
Start now!
It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the orange "Add your Memory" icon to begin.
Places this week
Here are some of the places you've shared memories of this week:
- Dagenham, Essex
- Llansamlet, West Glamorgan
- Gillingham, Kent
- Boston, Lincolnshire
- Stokesley, Cleveland
- Blundellsands, Merseyside
- Ealing, Greater London
- Kirkandrews-On-Eden, Cumbria
- Broxbourne, Hertfordshire
- Kempsey, Worcestershire
- Stanhope, County Durham
- Bethesda, Gwynedd
- Mitcheldean, Gloucestershire
- Knypersley, Staffordshire
- Chiddingfold, Surrey
- Heywood, Lancashire
- Helsby, Cheshire
- Beverley, North Humberside
- Fyfield, Essex
- Pyrford, Surrey
- ... and lots more - Browse this week's memories now.
Your memories
To jump straight to the memories you have added already to the Community, click here
I Remember When...
This stunning compilation highlights some of the best stories selected from the thousands contributed here on the
Frith website. The result is an absorbing chronicle of British life from the Second World War to the mid 1960s.
A colourful treasure trove of memories, "I Remember When" is an
irresistible mix of personal stories and recollections that affectionately reveal the detail of everyday life in Britain.
