Colville Road, Sparkbrook

A Memory of Sparkbrook.

I was born at 4 Back, 34 Colville Road in January 1950. These back houses were very small with a shared outside toilet. We had all manner of creatures that lived there too, massive spiders, blackbats and beetles that lived in the coal cupboard which was in the kitchen. Bed bugs...the smell of which, I will never forget. My elder sister, Pat, and I went to Conway Road Girls Secondary School. We did have a few parks nearby - Sparkhill Park, Balsall Heath Park and we played in the street. I live in London now, but if I visit my family in Brum, I always try and go via Ladypool Road. Obviously the whole place is very different now, but there are various landmarks that I remember. The Congregational church in Ladypool Road, I went to Sunday School there. The vegetable shop at the top of Colville Road was called Jones's and still looks the same. There was a pub on almost every corner but I don't know how many of them remain. I would love to see any photos.

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