Brierley Hill Girls Memories

A Memory of Brierley Hill.

I was born in Chapel Street, in 1947. My uncle, Len Gray, had a newsagents in the town, near the bus stop by the Old Post Office, as was. My Grandad used to sell papers on the Five Ways and as a girl I would stand with him, and later progressed to having a paper round, down Corbett Road. I worked as a Saturday girl at Timothy Whites in the photo - and we used to get the 282 bus at 6 oclock back home to Wordsley, get changed and catch the same bus on the return, so we could get to Cradley Heath Speedway, on Saturday nights. I remember going to Youth Club at Brockmoor Youth Centre, you had to go to church first to qualify, I was at Brierley Hill Grammar School, Bromley Lane, by then - also we used to help at the Civic, when Brierley Hill Operatic Society had their shows, with John Wood, Sam Dean and Betty Banks.
After A levels at Dudley Tech, I had a career in the NHS before leaving to have a family in 1974 - I now live in Stourbridge, near to Mary Stevens Park, where I would be taken as a child, it seemed like Alton Towers to me, I recall the long walk up Worcester Street and the joy of seeing those fabulous gates. I also recall long afternoons at Stourbridge outdoor baths, and on rare wonderful occasions, going to the Lido at the Stewponey. Also when at BHGS we would cycle up towards Enville Golf Club, I loved feeling we were so near the countryside yet having all the benefits of the town.