Nostalgic memories of Kidderminster's local history
Share your own memories of Kidderminster and read what others have said
For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.
Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.
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Displaying Memories 1 - 10 of 27 in total
The girl in the foreground could easily be me with one of my brothers in his pram. It was usual to be left outside the shop to look after one or all of my brothers - and of course very safe to do so - when my mum went inside to shop.
I have distinct memories of being bought brandy snaps from the old retail market when the entrance was to the right of the Swan pub (before it moved next to the Boar's Head, ...see more
My father (Frank Francis) worked at this garage TBC following his return to Kidderminster at the end of the war. He worked there through all of the remaining 40s and 50s. As a young boy I had the run of the garage and its roof garden. TBC (Tenbury Baths Company) owned the swimming baths at Tenbury Wells and an open air pool and filling station at Fenn Green on the A442.
Beyond the garage on the left are the Central ...see more
My first job working in grocery joining the first cut price supermarket of its time giving green shield stamps , and the big flood in Mill street in1960-61 does anyone remember this . Terry Moore from Kidderminster. This store was between Noakes furniture shop and Prices the prom shop then Buyright Ltd then the old Grand picture house.
Kidder fire station was then the North Division headquarters of the old Worcester & County Fire Brigade . Aged 20 I started my first day as a fireman in July 1965 here. Some of the watch I served with were Sub officer Keith Livermore, Leading fireman Ted Farr,Fm Ted Oakey, fm Jack Foxal , fm Dadge, fm 'Tiny' Yarrington. I remember visiting the carpet factories to learn what the risks were ...see more
I would often go to Kidderminster with my father, he would go there to do ' The Banking' he was about 30 years old, ran the new Mitre Oak Hotel at Crossway Green and played cricket for Hartlebury 1936. In later years, I was back from National Service in Egypt, the dance at the Black Horse on a Saturday night was a bit of a draw ( 1955 ). Remember the policeman on traffic duty in the middle of Kidderminster.
The picture is of Trimpley reservoir taken from the yacht club slipway looking towards the south-eastern end of the reservoir somewhere around 1969 as in 1965 the contractors were still moving the soil to create the reservoir. My father was the supervising electrician during the construction and first two years of it's operation, a period of about four years. Our house was the last one of a block of four in a ...see more
My family on my dads side all lived in Kiddie, His name was Joe Barker, he lived with his Mum and Dad at 68 Peel St, His sisters were Muriel, Audrey, Jean, Christine and a brother Barry, his Dad also called Joe was a Slaughter Man and his Mothers name was Doll and her maiden name was Hutton, if there is anyone out that that remembers any of these people can you please leave a comment, thank you...
The old Comberton Hotel is only just visible at the margin right; owned by Len Grove who turned it into flats and opened a betting office on the ground floor and was a well known personality in the town. The shops were all occupied and business's flourished up and down the hill...behind the cameraman, of course, the station, which was never better than engulfed in steam, a tradition still to be ...see more
Seemed like everybody knew everybody in the town in the 1950s and a trip to town with grandma was an obstacle course of gossiping delays riddled with 'not for the ears of children' innuendo...Yellow bereted... swashbuckling- hat pinned Grandma-Giles lookalikes with rough, front step scrubbing, gas-tub wash-board raking, and "aint he grown" hair ruffling hands. Women in their Whitsun best; all powdered ...see more
In the fifties Kiddy bristled from dawn to dusk and back to dawn again as the Lowry-folk on 'six-'til two' grumbled and tumbled out of their beds and either cycled or 'legged it' (if they couldn't afford the early-bus) into an ill let Dickensian reminiscent Market Town an hour or two before the day shift weavers and creelers and tuners and winders were shaken cruelly from their rhythmic-drop-forge- ...see more
