Nostalgic memories of Castle Bromwich's local history
Share your own memories of Castle Bromwich 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 all 9 Memories
I've just posted 2 photos of Highcroft School pupils circa 1961 on my Facebook Page . If you're interested friend request to view them. I now live in Torquay.
Flamborough Close, 1945. With my parents (Reg and "Bunny"), who were married at the village church in 1939, I moved into 31, Hazelhurst Rd in 1945. My maternal grandparents, Fred and Elizabeth Hopkins lived at 19 Flamborough Close for many years (Fred died there in 1957), and my maternal aunt and uncle, Sonia and Ron Akehurst, at (I think) Number 31 or 33. The Close in those days ended a few doors further ...see more
I lived in the bungalow at the end of the spinny on West Avenue in the late 1960s and went to Highcroft School from age 4 to 5, which was an old Victorian building which always smelt of tomato soup and stood on the corner of Kyter Lane.
The shop you mention was called The Castle and my friends and I used to buy our sweets and regretably, our cigarettes from there,10 between 4 of us I recall. Right by it ...see more
I have copied and pasted a few sections of my great-grandmother's memories of Castle Bromwich to share.
"As I was not robust as a little child, my parents took part of a small house at Castle Bromwich, a country village, as town life did not always suit my health.
This house belonged to the village schoolmaster. His name was Mr. Barnes and he had the village school ...see more
As a student teacher, I waited with others for the college bus to collect us from the village school. The headteacher in earlier days was Mr. Blewitt.
As it happens, I was a colleague of his son, Harry Blewitt, at Coleshill High School. Harry remembered his father saying that some of the children from the Ward End area of Birmingham who attended his school were in bare feet.
I remember moving to the village school in about 1962/3. I had been at Highcroft private school further up towards the church for a couple of years but my parents decided to move me to the village school. The school was very old. My grandfather went there too as he was born in the village and I lived here from when I was born until I was 22. My farther still lives in the same house in Castle Bromwich to this ...see more
Although I so far know little about it, the white house with the black beams was formerly the local shop. In the early 90's it was derelict and subsequently refurbished as a residential property. I purchased the property in February 2007, and live there now. If anyone knows anything of its history, please leave information here! It used to be a coaching inn, and its age is approximately 300 years old.
We moved to nearby Kingshurst and the Post Office on the corner of Hurst Lane was the nearest for collecting the much needed Family Allowance. It was a good walk as the buses were not very frequent. When I was newly married 13 years later, our first house was in Hawthorne Road so this was my local shopping area. We moved away 33 years ago but having friends who live in Hurst Lane North we do visit the area ...see more
To the left of where the photographer was standing was the junior's playground of the old village school (St Mary and St Margaret's.) In 1963-4 we would have vacated the old buildings and moved into a new building in Southfield Avenue on the Hall Estate. The old school was basically a large room divided into classrooms by immense sliding concertina doors. The windows were very high and so were the ceilings. ...see more