Lichfield Road was almost as much a major artery to Brownhills as High Street itself. Image from ‘Memories of Brownhills Past’ by Clarice Mayo and Geoff harrington.
After all the fuss and madness of the last couple of weeks, let’s hope things settle down again and we can get back to what we normally do – parish notices and local history…
With that in mind, I had this one in from old friend of the blog Mike Sarsfield a couple of weeks ago, all the way from Wales, and he asks a couple of great questions about old Brownhills:
Hi Bob,
Mike Sarsfield here from Swansea…
As Christmas gets nearer I wonder if any of your readers remember the Guiness clock that used to appear near the Cinema/Garretts bakery shop? I believe that it would appear around Christmas time (1950s).
I noticed an item on your site ‘A walk up Lichfield Road with Aer Reg‘ posted on February 15th 2014, that the poem featured, has ‘In row of houses grand and tall, Was Jeffries fish shop a meal for all.’
I believe that this was my great grandmothers shop. Are there any of your readers who can verify it please?
I was born in No. 20 Lichfield road (which no longer exists), but I was always told that my great grandmother used to sell fish & chips from the front room.
Best wishes to you and all your readers
Mike Sarsfield.
A coupe of great questions there from Mike – upon which I have no idea, so I’m hoping readers can help? And Mike, it’s always great to hear from you, thanks for a great couple of questions!
I’ll repeat the poem in question below – it’s best mentally read in Reg’s voice, the chap is irrepressible and his spark is infectious. Reg, you may recall, kindly donated the 1934 Brownhills Carnival cinefilm, and can be heard narrating it.
Come Walk With Me
Come walk with me down Lichfield Road
A second High Street, my childhood holds
Start at the Top – a club serene
Cross the road Brewe’s cakes a dream
With matronly grace the sisters oversaw
Eclairs and scones, pastries by the score
Blood tub once held in a nearby field
The smell of horse hoof as the Smithy hammer wield
In row of houses grand and tall
Was Jeffries fish shop a meal for all
Then Mrs. Pearson’s tiny shop
For a piny or toy we used to pop
Challis renown for his skill with the brush
Whitehouse the builder his cart would push
Building a shed or chicken run?
Timber from Smith the Smithy’s son
A club was started by the British Legion
Alas it faded into another region,
Seeds Lane corner stood a shop
Harvey’s for your sweets and pop
To kids of my generation, this was a chip shop. Now demolished, there are houses there. Image from ‘Memories of Old Brownhills’ by Clarice Mayo and Geoff Harrington.
Brothers and sisters by the name of Turner
The sale of apples a small income earner
Call in at Jones’s, Woodbines far many
The ‘Railway Tavern’s pints drunk by many
Then a front room shop, ‘Walker’ by name
Hair cut by ‘Kelly’, trim was his fame
Then the farm of Oliver Twist
Cows, Poultry and horses endless the list
Today they say organic for garden is new
But Oliver’s cow muck was there sixty years agew
The empire of Beattie of Biggins name
Open all hours to serve you her aim
And then to the Memo hours danced away
Dear old Sal Gripton taught her own special way
Fishers’ for shoes, Trussell for flowers
Then Mrs. Oak’s for pianoforte hours
For grocery or coal Suttons next stop
Dear old Gert reigned over her shop
Important to all her skills not to lack
Was nurse Seedlwuse of 109 and her maternity pack
Beacon the Printer made his mark
When the world developed the hall pen lark
Then the chips of Alice Wood
Cooked as only good food should,
Perce with trolley from the station would fetch
Ice packed fish the day’s fresh scale ketch,
For Radio Battery Electrical fame
The next shop carried Syd Law’s name
Mrs. Cooper there for Millinery
Sankeys Club one of three
Bostons, Mallard, good old Co-op
Yes in Lichfield Road, you could all shop
Ice-cream made by yow yow Plumb
Breezes Club run by Ernie run
Craddocks Coal and the Chemical stack
Yes in my childhood walk they all come back.
Much of this housing remains. From ‘Memories of Old Brownhills’ by Clarice Mayo and Geoff Harrington.