Early 1980s looking up the High Street towards Shire Oak. Image very Kindly supplied by Steve Turner.
Reader Steve Turner sent me some great pictures a week or so ago that I know blog regulars will love – but I couldn’t resist pulling out these two for a quick midweek post and a bit of nostalgia!
Steve sent these with a huge collection of images of the canal breach in the 1980s also recordered by David Hodkinson, which I’ll post later in the week, but these are fascinating.
Steve said:
Good Morning Bob,
Sorting through some old photos and came across these that might be of interest to your readers.
Late 70s I think when a hole appeared at the back of Millfield School and drained the canal.
Also a couple of the high street maybe early 80s.
Best Wishes
Steve Turner.
They show the garage that is now Kwik Fit, and the entrance to the old market site, now pedestrianised and the cut-through to Tesco. Amoco petrol is £1.896 per gallon – that’s about 42p a litre.
The Fish and Chips sign in the upper picture I think is from the Golden Grill cafe, a palace of formica tables, faux Americana and vinyl seats. The photo would have been taken from outside the old MEB showroom, I think. Also, there appear to be two Ford Capris in the same shot!
I can’t date these precisely, but I’d say early 1980s. Certainly no later than 85, as that’s when the market was moved and the access road pedestrianised.
Thanks to Steve for a couple of wonderfully evocative photos and for the whole bunch he sent me – thanks, donations like this keep our history alive.
Has your memory been jogged? Please do comment here or mail me: BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com.
This is the place that is now Kwik Fit, and the road branching to the left beyond went to the old market site, behind the garage. Image very Kindly supplied by Steve Turner.
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I remember the High St well when it was like this. I used to work at FLIP on the Pelsall Rd at weekends and took a couple of mine and friends cars to that garage for MOT. Catching 2 Capris in one shot was an achievement – even stranger available parking spaces!
Nice one Steve, brings back some memories I thought i had forgot!
this is where the old picture house was and REG BARKERS garage was his photograph is on the old carnival film dressed as a pirate i wonder how mutch the petrol was in those days you were posh owned a car the only other one i remember was ownd by JIMMY JOHNSON the grocer next to the mutton up church hill a morris with shiny brass radiater thanks for the memory
I thought the picture house stood where Ravens Court is 🤔
There were two – the Regent and the… other one
1985 I reckon – Rothman’s Hockenheim poster
Also https://www.theaa.com/public_affairs/reports/Petrol_Prices_1896_todate_gallons.pdf seems to indicate 1984/5 was the cost per gallon border.
I worked at that garage on the pumps when I was 16. The owners were Paul & Steve I think 🤔
Paul ran the local BMX team. Great memories.
Hi Shelley. It’s Paul. Dave and I owned the garage. Good days and fond memories.
Hi paul. Long time no see! Hope your keeping well. I worked with a girl called rowena ? I think. Lol senior moments! I’m 54 now 😂 I remember yours and paul’s cars the jaguar XJS very flash! I got dropped of home a few times by you or paul, If my dad couldn’t pick me up! My dad was Gordon Roberts. Sandhills school of motoring. We sadly lost dad years back now. Really happy memories- lovely people to work for.
Hope your keeping safe in this pandemic. See you on the other side ! Sending best wishes. Shelley Hankin. ( nee Roberts)
I used to work on the petrol pumps in the evening 6.00/9.00 pm three days a week to earn a bit of extra pocket money in the early 1970’s
One of the co-owners of the garage at that time was Colin Prince.
I worked there (High Street Service Station) when I was 16. The owners then were Les Bowker and Vic Millward. Foreman was Dougie Jupp. Dave Stanley was a superb body repairer and Dennis Gripton was there too. At some stage Les Bowker sold out and Mike Prince took over. Happy days.
I also worked at FLIP (Flanges Lines and Industrial Piping) on Pelsall Road. People could bring in their batteries to be refilled with acid. We took the battery and emptied the old acid into an open ‘paddling pool’ behind the shelves, then refill from an acid-containing carboy. No Health & Safety in those days! Does Chris Smith remember Vince (can’t recall his surname right now) who had a false arm? A great chap to work with.
yes i worked at flip brownhills and then at cannock really enjoyed it
I worked at the petrol station too, Paul Clarke was the owner, friend of my dad Wallace Kerr