My Memories Of Selly Oak And Bournbrook

A Memory of Selly Oak.

I was born Anne Shirley Crofts back of 622 Bristol Road (opposite where Aldi is now) in July 1944, brother Ronnie was born 1940, sister Vivienne was born 1942, and Alan was born 1947, between Riverton Road and Hubert Road. We lived there till I was 16, then we moved to Bartley Green on a new estate. I went to Tiverton Road School and Selly Park Girls, my parents were Doris and Ronald Crofts. Gran Willis, my mom's mom, lived at 4 George Road off Dale Road, Bournbrook, as did her mom, Rose Cox and her grandparents, way back in the 1900s. We would play most of the time in George Road Park, which was at the top of George Road. There were two Anderson war shelters at the top that we used to play in, and climb through the metal railings around the park, up the steep bank and on to the canal and railway bridge, we used to play on the locks on the part of the canal that went up to Selly Oak Park, by Harborne bridge, filled in years ago. The park itself was all concrete with 2 sets of swings and one seesaw-like apparatus that you sat on and two kids would pump you up to the rafters, while you held on for dear life, I was always at the parkeepers hut with cuts and bruises, while he sent for my dad who usually had to take me up to Selly Oak Hospital to be stitched up! My friends from George Road were Barbara Linton, Katie Reading. Some of the families I remember were the Coxes, Carpenters, Birds, Culls, Fitzgeralds, Flannagan, Lintons, Readings, the corner shop was run by the Philpots whose daughter was a friend of my auntie Marian Macarthy.
I remember little John Fitzgerald getting drowned in the canal aged 3, very sad. My brother Ronnie used to play billiards at Burtons Hall on corner of Dale Road, and had a friend called Tudor (I think), who lived on Dale Road. There was also another sweetshop and groceries opposite George Road, on Dale Road. We used to go to Cannon Hill Park or Lickeys on the tram for treats when we could. My dad was a wire drawer at Elliots on Elliot Road. My mom worked at Cadburys and Birmingham University, also Bluebird Toffees at Romsley I think. I always remember the carnival ever year from the uni, we'd sit on the small balcony outside our bedroom window (above Cables shoe shop) and have a first class view!Sis and me worked for a time at the dummy factory, Louis Woolf I think, off Bristol Rpad, there was a little coffee bar at the top think it was called the Trabelco or something like that. Also worked at Wrights Saddles, Dale Road, Viv worked at Boxfoldia. Shops I remember were George Masons, Wrensons, the offy on the corner of Hubert Road where years before a loose horse had careered down Bristol Road (from the battery I believe) and gone through the offy glass window and was killed, I remember the big dent in Hubert Road where the bomb had landed during the Second World War, the station pub on the corner of Heeley Road where Uncle Albert spent most of his time, much to Auntie Phylis's dismay. They lived at 11 Heeley Road. Mom and Dad used to take us kids to the Gun Barrels, the Bournbrook, or the Steps pubs sometimes and we'd have pop and crisps out in the gardens at the back, we also used to play in the uni grounds but weren't supposed to, I dont think! I also remember going to Elliots Club which as I can remember was somewhere near Lodge Hill down a lane, Mom and Dad would dance on the slippery floor after the commitee man had strewn the white powder all over it, we kids loved it! And people would get up on stage and sing, including us kids! I also remember the Coronation party in George Road with all the tables running down the middle, and we all got a spoon and mug! Oh happy memories! When I go back it's not the same place that I knew, it's been taken over by uni students, although the uni was there in my day, I think it was harder to get into then, and now anyone can more or less get in, hence the change, there certainly wasnt the graffiti in the park in my day! and the canal is now overgrown and unkept.