S 97 1
A L
£1
B13 MAGAZINE
C O V D N A L A CE C LO IN 3
M SELEY
APRIL 2021 ISSUE 517
A MOSELEY ARTIST: THE QUIRKY CREATIVITY OF IDEAS LOADING SPRINGING FORWARD:
DIM SUM-DAYS
MOSELEY HISTORY:
QUOITS & BOWLS IN MOSELEY
MOSELEY VINYL CLUB: REVIVING THE RECORD
JUDITH FLEETWOOD-WALKER: POETRY IN MOTION
MOSELEY B13 MAGAZINE
APRIL21 EDITOR Mark Baxter (editor@moseleymagazine.co.uk) THE TEAM Ian Cook, David Isgrove, Stephanie Silk, Maria Arroja Ferreira, Tipton. Debbie Aldous, Max Jalil, Martin Jeffers, Jobe Baker-Sullivan, Baldeep Gahir, Izzy Knowles, Yonatan Yon, Mitch Schofield PHOTOGRAPHER Position Vacant CONTRIBUTORS David Spilsbury, Moseley Local History Society, Charles Wall, Ashley Lowe, Jenny Gwynne, Judith Fleetwood-Walker PROOF READER Jane Barry BUSINESS MANAGER Martin Jeffers DISTRIBUTION Izzy Knowles,Martin Jeffers ADVERTISING Yonatan Yon SOCIAL MEDIA Maria Arroja Ferreira TREASURER Leanne Holloway (accounts@moseleyb13.com) DESIGN Andy Wickett (andywickett@gmail.com) COVER IMAGE Central Learning Partnership Trust MAIL Moseley Publishing House Ltd. Moseley B13 Magazine, c/o: Moseley Exchange, 149-153 Alcester Road, Moseley, Birmingham, B13 8JP. ONLINE YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCqC-sOw9T6mBgpj8ox9Ph0Q?view_ as=subscriber instagram.com/moseleyb13mag facebook.com/MoseleyB13Magazine twitter.com/MoseleyB13Mag PHONE 0843 289 3665 BOARD David Isgrove (Chair) Stephanie Silk (Editorial) COMPANY SECRETARY Position Vacant LEGAL STUFF Moseley Publishing House Ltd is a non-profit voluntary run company based in England and Wales. Company No. 07786560. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, in whole or part, without express permission. All material is believed to be correct at the time of going to print.
WORDS FROM THE
EDITOR
Spring is in the air and sensory satisfaction is at the heart of this new issue, whether that be sight, sound or taste. Maria Ricardo chats to artist and graphic designer Ideas Loading about her vibrant creations (pages 8 and 9), and Jobe Baker-Sullivan savours supersonic sounds with the Moseley Vinyl Club (10 and 11). Our new food writer Jenny Gwynne recalls her early passion for top nosh as she slept under New England skies as a ten year old, and how Birmingham Dim Sum-days were a highlight of her pre-pandemic life (18, 19 and 20). Days are growing brighter and the world is opening up a little bit so there’s every chance our favourite places and pastimes will be returning in some way. I hope you all have a very happy Easter. Mark
10
OUTLETS
A and R News (320 Yardley Wood Rd) Drinksville (23 Woodbridge Rd) Greenhill Garage (89-91 Billesley Ln) Indigo Foods (50-52 St. Mary’s Row) Moseley Post Office (149 Alcester Rd) Nima Deli (103 Alcester Rd) One Stop (117 Billlesley Ln) Select and Save (174-176 Alcester Rd) Aiden McDonnell Hair (56, St Mary's Row), Ladypool Cycles (404, Ladypool Road) Maison Mayci (148, Alcester Road), Newslink (3, Alcester Road), Palmyra (13, St Mary's Row), Spend and Save (211, Swanshurst Lane) Farmers’ Market (Village Green)
2021 PUBLICATION DATES
ISSUE COPY SALE Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
17 Feb 17 Mar 21 Apr 19 May 16 Jun 14 Jul 18 Aug 15 Sep 20 Oct 17 Nov
27 Feb 27 Mar 24 Apr 29 May 26 Jun 24 Jul 28 Aug 25 Sep 30 Oct 27 Nov
<
08
0
NO.76
18 INTHIS ISSUE
24
26
04
NEWSHOUND
08
A MOSELEY ARTIST
10
MOSELEY VINYL
12
ALMSHOUSE TRUST
13
BACK IN TIME
14
STATION UPDATE
15
MOSELEY HOUSING
16
CAFEPHILIA
18
DIM SUM-DAYS
21
EASTER SERVICES
22
MOSELEY MEMORIES
24
MOSELEY HISTORY SOCIETY
26
JUDITH FLEETWOOD WALKER
28
SLEF EMPLOYED MOSELYITE
30
JUST TO SAY
31
AN EASTER ADVENTURE FOR KIDS
BY MARK BAXTER
NEWSHOUND
Tipton, the B13 Newshound Twitter: @B13Newshound / Instagram: @tiptonb13
BUDGET CASH BRINGS MOSELEY STATION CLOSER TO RE-OPENING Moseley station has moved a step closer to re-opening after Chancellor Rishi Sunak earmarked £59million for local rail improvements in his Budget on March 3. The plan to re-open the station will form part of a package to be made available for local rail services in the West Midlands. Some of the cash will be used to re-open Moseley Station and stations at Kings Heath and Hazelwell, on the Camp Hill line running through south Birmingham. Other stations in Darlaston and Willenhall on the re-opened Walsall–Wolverhampton line will also re-open thanks to the cash injection. The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) did agree additional funding for the Camp Hill line scheme at a board meeting which was due to be held on March 19. This WMCA cash injection will mean that there will be enough money to press ahead with the long-awaited re-opening plans. Two trains an hour are expected to pass through Moseley station once it is re-opened. The new Moseley station will have an access point at St Mary’s Row, with a roundabout – this replacing previous plans for traffic lights at the junction with Oxford Road. Platforms will be provided on both sides of the tracks, accessible by lifts and steps, and there will be a vehicle drop-off point and storage for 52 bicycles. The original Moseley station was opened by the Midland Railway on the Camp Hill Line in 1867. It closed on 27 January 1941 as an economy measure during the Second World War and has been closed for 70 years, although the line does still carry freight and some non-stopping long-distance passenger traffic.
Work takes place on Camp Hill line between St Marys Row and Woodbridge Rd
4
www.moseleyb13.com
PLANS FOR FORMER MOSELEY EMPORIUM SITE CRITICISED Plans for the former Moseley Emporium site at 116 Alcester Road have prompted a critical response from the Moseley Society and the Moseley Regeneration Group, as well as from the Prince of Wales pub next door. The plans, from an unnamed applicant, are for offices. The applicant has proposed various extensions, which have proved controversial along with other aspects of the plans. The Moseley Society has objected to the effect of the extensions on the Conservation Area as well as on the neighbours at 114 Alcester Road. The Prince of Wales at 118 Alcester Road has also made several objections of its own. According to the applicant the office development with its extensions will allow the building to be used by various companies. The building in its current form is too large for one tenant but too small for a number of tenants. The plans outline how the proposed extensions will allow the offices to be rented out to different companies, allowing the building to be brought back into practical use and creating many jobs locally by allowing small new businesses to have affordable offices in a location that allows easy access. However the Moseley Society, while not objecting in principle to new offices in Moseley, is critical of the application, saying: “This property has no parking space and there is no information in the application about where the tenants of the offices would park bicycles or cars. Seven new offices without a single parking space represents an over-intensive use of the property. “The application form indicates that the plans do not incorporate areas to store and aid the collection of waste, and there are no arrangements for the separate storage and collection of recyclable materials. This is a significant omission, and we hope no permission will be given for office use of the existing building without adequate arrangements being made. “The application states that the existing building is too large for one office and too small for several offices, but no information is submitted to indicate that there is any demand for office space in Moseley. Therefore, we think that if permission is given to convert the existing building to office space, with a condition attached that no further change of use could take place using Permitted Development, then if and when it is bursting at the seams and with a list of potential new office tenants, that would be the time to submit an application for extensions. We hope this application will be refused.” The applicant is not named in the application, nor are any contact details given, and so we were unable to put these points directly to them. However, we welcome their comments should they choose to contact us. The application can be viewed online at birmingham.gov.uk and the reference number is 2020/09501/PA .
5
ROUGH SLEEPING REMAINS A SMALL BUT PERSISTENT PROBLEM LOCALLY The reduction in rough sleeping across Birmingham since the start of the pandemic has not been seen in Moseley, where rough sleeping remains a small but persistent problem. In March 2020 the government with its ‘Everyone in’ campaign told local councils to find accommodation for all people regardless of whether they legally had a right to support. As a result, Birmingham City Council was able to accommodate all rough sleepers with a place in a Covid-19 secure hostel or hotel. ‘Everyone in’ was followed by the Next Steps Accommodation Programme, the Protect Programme, and the Cold Weather Fund, each helping with moves away from the street, and targeting those who might remain. Despite these campaigns rough sleeping in Moseley has not shown the same A person experiencing homelessness beds down outside dramatic decline as that in other parts of Birmingham the doorway to the Sorrento Lounge on Alcester Road) over the past year. A local Outreach Worker, Anji Paige, told Moseley B13 Magazine that since she started her role in 2018 there have been between zero and four rough sleepers in Moseley at any given time. Currently there are two people rough sleeping in Moseley, possibly three. Ms Paige said that although two of Moseley’s current rough sleepers do have accommodation, for many reasons they are still sleeping rough. She acknowledged that Moseley is not the worst place for rough sleeping in Birmingham; other areas experiencing similar or worse issues include Erdington and the City Centre. One of the factors contributing to Moseley’s small but persistent problem is Moseley people’s generosity and genuine wish to help by giving money to people who are sitting outside local businesses. The Moseley Alternative Giving Campaign (MAGC) gives those who wish to help an alternative way to offer support, by funding a Neighbourhood Outreach Worker who will try to offer ongoing support to people who are homeless or who may be at risk of homelessness by signposting them to appropriate services and assisting them to navigate often complex and inaccessible systems. MAGC can also offer small grants. The Moseley Community Development Trust gives generous donations to MAGC from the community, thus supporting the Neighbourhood Outreach Worker. Anyone who is concerned about someone they believe may be rough sleeping is asked to notify the outreach services through StreetLink: https://www.streetlink.org.uk/
COMMUNITY
6
www.moseleyb13.com
ESSENTIAL WORKS TO TREES AND PATHS IN MOSELEY PARK According to the latest Moseley Together newsletter essential tree works and restoration of the main footpath are being carried out in Moseley Park. The newsletter says that according to Moseley Park and Pool: “We commissioned a tree survey of the Park in late summer 2020. This identified a small number of trees that are diseased and need to be removed, and other trees that need to be pollarded or reduced in height to make them safe. The Park will remain open throughout, although at times some areas will be cordoned off for your safety. “In January 2020, we sent out a questionnaire to help us plan much-needed improvements to the fabric of the Park. Footpaths came out as your number one priority. In December we appointed a landscape designer to draw up plans to restore the footpath from the main Alcester Road gate to the Pool. We’re very excited by what we’ve seen so far, and early in the new year we’ll be unveiling the design and launching a major fundraiser. This is going to be the biggest project the Park has undertaken since we became a charity in 2006.” It is understood that updates on the works to the park will be posted on Moseley Park and Pool’s website: https://www.moseleypark.co.uk/ FLORAL TRIBUTE FOR WOMAN WHO DIED TWO DAYS AFTER SALISBURY ROAD CAR COLLISION A 46-year-old-woman who suffered serious injuries after being in collision with a Ford Focus in Salisbury Road sadly died in hospital two days later. Floral tributes (see picture) were left later near the scene of the accident. The woman was injured at about 8pm on Thursday, February 25. West Midlands Police said she was taken to hospital but died on Saturday, February 27. The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene following the incident and helped officers with their inquiries. The woman's death has prompted a fresh appeal for information. "We know this is a deeply distressing time for her family and friends," said Detective Sergeant Paul Hughes, from the police's serious collision investigation unit. "They asked for privacy to grieve and we're now working to establish what caused this collision to occur. We remain keen to hear from anybody who was in the area and may have dashcam footage." Anyone who has information, and has not spoken to officers already, is urged to contact police via FL_ COLLISION_INVEST@ west-midlands.pnn. police.uk, on live chat or by calling 101. Please quote log number 4016 of February 25. In a statement sent to us on March 17 West Midlands police said: “The driver has been voluntarily interviewed, but we don't expect any other updates for some time.” Ian Cook 7
ATHE QUIRKY MOSELEY ARTIST CREATIVITY OF IDEAS LOADING This month, we speak to artist and graphic painters. What about the area has influenced designer Sharon, AKA Ideas Loading, about her your work? colourful creations. From using the greenAll the greenery that surrounds ery of the area as inspiration, to advice Moseley and the creative comon how to find your own voice, Shamunity here has been so inron explains the creative process spiring. As a person of Indian behind these vibrant works... heritage, I’ve found it diffiWhat first inspired you to begin cult growing up when most creating your artwork? of the artists we’re taught about at school tend to be I first became interested in art white men, and that did when watching Art Attack on the TV affect my confidence as I as a kid. My mom has distinct memwent through arts eduories of me as a child being sat in cation. But the diversity front of a drawing pad, scribbling of creatives here in away for hours. Two deMoseley and the cades on, and I still like surrounding areas making scribbles. has been really good to see. As I’ve gotten older, though, I’ve found I’ve noticed art to be a great that my art way to communihas become cate my thoughts so much and feelings. For more dynamic someone like me and colourful who has always since movsuffered from ing here, and shyness and having lovely social anxiety, creative spaces making art has like Ort Gallery, been both a The Gap and Kings comfort and a Heath Art Rooms form of communearby has been nication. I also very important. love making people smile and laugh You make very quirky through what I make and colourful pieces – that human connecof clay work, which tion is what keeps me everyone should check wanting to make art. out! Are there any other media you use to bring Moseley has hisyour ideas to life? torically inspired a variety of artists Thank you! Since I grad- from authors to uated with a Graphic 8
Be yourself, keep creating and don’t be so hard on yourself! In any creative field it’s easy to compare your work to others. Take time to forge your own path, find what works for you and try not to be afraid to make mistakes. Practically speaking, get yourself out there both digitally and within your community. Collaborate with other makers and have fun learning as you go along. Half of my creative practice is working as a freelance Graphic Designer, so that has helped a lot with getting an income that I can live off, whilst giving me the freedom to make personal artworks in my spare time. Design degree almost four years ago my work So it also helps to keep an open mind for other has taken more of a digital turn, but since be- creative practices that might not be your first ing in lockdown I’ve really begun to love mak- choice, but can support you as an artist. ing physical pieces again – as the physical aspects of life are kind of what’s missing at the Are there any art forms you're eager to try moment. I’ve been having fun lately scouring out? Facebook Marketplace for any free stuff people are giving away so that I can turn them into art- I’ve really been wanting to have a go at learnworks, which has become quite an obsession! ing to crochet and knit, so maybe that will be I’ve also been enjoying doing watercolours, my next venture! making lino prints, sewing – all sorts really. What's the most difficult aspect of your craft? I am my own worst critic, so it can be difficult, and even frustrating, when I’m making my work. But once I work through that ‘self-doubt phase’ it gets a lot easier. Do you have any advice for anyone wanting to turn their creative passion into a job?
Maria Ricardo If you’d like to add a pop of colour to your home with one of Ideas Loading’s pieces visit: Instagram: @ideasloading Website: www.ideasloading.com 9
MOSELEY
Audiophiles are in for a treat with the brand new Moseley Vinyl Group due to start facilitating events and selling its wares very soon. Moseley B13 Magazine speaks to founder Ali Whitticase to find out more about his enterprise...
“I have always liked buying job lots of records, then sieving through them to find any vinyls that suit my (extremely specific!) taste in music to add to my record bag. This however leaves me with some amazing leftover music that I just can't fit in my personal collection, music that I know will be greatly appreciated by other people. I have previously sold the remainder on as a job lot, but I loved the idea of making sure some of the great records get to collectors and DJs that will appreciate their true value. At Moseley Vinyl Club, I want to pursue a very personal approach to the customer experience.” Commencing in January as a social media group, Ali and his friends Joe Davies and Matti Barton intend to set up an array of pop-up stores and events. Joe is helping source selections of vinyls, whilst Matti runs Kommunal radio. The Moseley Vinyl Club’s first Facebook post was to announce the sale of a Daft Punk vinyl, ‘One More Time’, after the French electronic music duo had split up. The Vinyl club is still in its inception, with the launch of online sales due to go ahead within the next few weeks. Most of the records will be listed on Discogs and will also 10
www.moseleyb13.com
Y VINYL CLUB be sold via our Instagram page @moseley_ vinyl_club.” The club will also be hosting livestreams and interviews.
Asking how he has been affected during the lockdown, Ali bemoaned the fact that he has “had almost a year away from my usual weekends of DJing and event-organising in Birmingham due to the pandemic”, but that this was a “time to focus on pursuing something I've always loved the idea of doing – starting my own record shop.” DJing was once Ali’s bread and butter, and he is excited that his new group has already secured a residency post-lockdown. “We have just confirmed our first residency in Birmingham – an amazing new space, Zumhof, formerly the famous ‘Air’ nightclub, in the heart of Digbeth. Here we will be hosting the pop-up record store and also have accompanying DJs and live acts playing some great music. It will be amazing to finally be able to interact with people again and listen to good music as a community! They also have one of the best outdoor spaces in the city and an almighty beer selection!”
incorporate a bar area and have the ability to host small-capacity events that really focus on fantastic new and old music. I am really keen to host events with guest DJs and speakers, to talk about career paths within the music industry. Whether this will be online or in person only big Boris can decide unfortunately!” Ali is an experienced DJ and well respected on the local scene, and will be using his extensive contacts to help fuel business and activity for the club. He talks about the different venues he would normally play at.
With business in high streets being severely damaged in the pandemic, it can be predicted that many spaces will be available. Ali has his hopes set on a space of his own for his Vinyl Shop. “I want to eventually have a permanent spot for the store. It would be amazing to
“There are also many of my favourite events and venues that I cannot wait to see spring back into action. Diverse and established parties like Shanty Town, Voyage, Penda, Method and Sum Cellar, as well as amazing venues that have done so well to survive this last year, such as The Hare and Hounds, The Spotted Dog, Mama Rouxs, The Mill and Lab 11 – I am so excited for their doors to open once more. I think the recent encouraging news about a potential end to lockdown has every part of Birmingham's music industry buzzing once again!” You can like the Moseley Vinyl Club – and Ali asks you to “keep an eye out for Komrad” – Matti Barton’s social media handle [@komrad. live] for more info on events, including an upand-coming Zoom event. Jobe Baker-Sullivan 11
COMMUNITY
ELIZABETH DOWELL'S ALMSHOUSE TRUST
Did you know that Moseley has an almshouse that has just celebrated 200 years since its founding in the 19th century? Originally, Elizabeth Dowell's Retreat was built in Warner Street, Bordesley by Mr James Dowell to accommodate 16 elderly widows or spinsters.
In 1960 the Retreat moved to its present day site on the Alcester Road, next door to The King David School, and in 1986 the name was changed to Elizabeth Dowell's Almshouse Trust. It provides accommodation for men and women over the age of 55. We are currently restoring the grounds and have, with the help of Trustees, volunteers and residents, cleared laurels, self-seeded trees and ivy, and also pruned some other trees. The Trustees would now like to plant flowers, trees and shrubs to complete the project. With that object in mind we wonder whether the people of Moseley would remember us when they are moving or splitting plants, or perhaps bringing on too many seeds? If you are able to help us we could collect (see email address below); or, if you want to see where we are, please deliver to EDT, Dowell's Close, 240 Alcester Road, Moseley, B13 8EY. Thank you. Charles Wall Chair, Elizabeth Dowell's Almshouse Trust chair@dowellstrust.org.uk 12
www.moseleyb13.com
13
MOSELEY (VILLAGE) STATION UPDATE They’ve started work on the site!
• They have had a Natural England Ecologist on site who checked to ensure that there were no nesting birds in any tree that was cut down and who will oversee moving the badger sett further down the cutting over the coming months under strict controls. • Although the slope doesn’t look steep, today’s H&S requires ‘landing spaces’ every 10m which effectively rules out being able to have a ramped access from Woodbridge Rd. • The funding gap of £20million has now been covered so we are all systems GO!. • As this has been achieved, procuring detailed design and build contracts will next take place which will enable us to have an input into exactly how it will look. • They would like to start building towards the end of next year to be finished with all three stations during 2023 which would then be tested and handed over for full passenger use by December 2023. We will continue to update you with photos and information over time. The Moseley Forum will be keeping an eye on how things develop and will be holding periodic meetings for discussions and input. Any questions for now can be sent to moseleyforum@gmail.com
As you can see from these two photographs, the overgrown slopes and original station area have been cleared, revealing both the original Eastern platform area and the sloped walkway from Woodbridge Rd. The trees that have grown up since the station was closed just David Isgrove after the 2WW have obviously become mature, being 70 years old or more, and so it is no wonder there’s been noise disturbance as they’ve worked to fell the trees and remove the debris back along the railway: disruption has been inevitable. Gavin Smith of the West Midland Rail Executive has given us further information of the progress: • They could only cut the trees down during the nights of a weekend when timetabling gave them a good 5 hours free each weekend night. They managed to finish this a week early by early March. There are no preservation orders on any of the trees in the cutting. 14
www.moseleyb13.com
air! Lots of new valuations help if we can. and new homes have come We hope you are all still The property market for onto the market in the last Moseley and surrounding keeping safe and well. couple of weeks with signs areas is still very buoyant, of continued extremely high Ashley Lowe especially with the Budget demand, as we are having announcement about the multiple viewings and often stamp duty holiday being multiple offers per home. extended until the end of Clearly there is a strong will June. After 30 June the stamp to move out there and the duty holiday allowance will supply in the market is driving be tapered back down to this – it could be deemed a £250,000 by 30 September. sellers’ market. The Government is also With the vaccine backing a new 5% deposit programme in place, children mortgage for buyers. returning to school and the Rightmove experienced arrival of spring we could yet its highest site traffic ever see more activity. It bodes within minutes of the well for the market in the announcement and recently reported the highest demand next few months. for 10 years! As ever, for a realistic view of the current value of your Half-term has come and home and the market in gone and as we expected general please do give us a the market has really begun call; we would be delighted to to pick up. Spring is in the MOSELEY HOUSING MARKET
15
CAFEPHILIA RE-BRAND FOR LOCAL BUSINESS
After a Catastrophic year of sales, muchloved coffee shop Cafephilia has been feline the pinch in the throes of the Coronavirus pandemic. This has prompted them to take a rather quirky re-brand.
Mark, Spencer and Indigo fight, but we see Gandhi acting as a peacemaker, intervening in catfights. “Soyshake is lactose-intolerant, which is actually the case for most cats, but this poor creature had to go to hospital as her stomach cramps were so bad. Ernesto...well, he’s just a bit of a rebel,” joked Felisa.
Capitalizing on the popularity of viral cat videos and the success of cat cafés across the world, the Moseley independent business is altering its name to ‘Cat-a-philia’ and becoming a hybrid home for cats and café for humans.
The world’s first cat café opened in Taiwan in 1998, and ended up becoming a global tourist destination. The concept really took off in Japan, first in Osaka in 2004, where residents without access to gardens or the ability to keep cats could go to the café for respite.
Eight felines are taking over the new space, and the owners of Cat-a-philia have been working closely with members of the group ‘Feral Cats of B13’ to house them. The names of the cats were decided by the group, with certain names being suggested and then shortlisted from the 400+ strong Facebook group; they have been selected as follows: Indigo, Assam, Soyshake, Mark, Spencer, Gandhi, Travers, Ernesto.
“We want to offer residents somewhere to come to be comforted,” says Bob, Cat-aphilia’s owner. “We will be working closely with Birmingham Cats Protection. Any sign of prolonged distress from the cats and we will find them a more comfortable home.” With stiff competition from Kitty Café, a similar enterprise in the city centre, Cat-aphilia says that its USP will come from its patronage from the local musical community.
“All of the cats are very sociable – we’ve observed they get on with each other very well. You could say they’ve created their own ‘bubble!’” says Felisa Choudry, founder of the ‘Feral Cats of B13’ group. “Sometimes
The grand opening celebration has been planned for Sunday 8th August [International 16
www.moseleyb13.com
said, “It is preferable for my purposes that my Kat-man-do dojo is as small as possible. I created the martial-art form after I gained my black belts in other disciplines. The inspiration comes from a cat’s incredible balance, patience and aptitude for hunting in small spaces.” Not everybody is pleased with the re-brand, however. Some regular customers at the café have professed allergies, with others feeling their canine companions are now unwelcome. Angela Dogberry runs a charity called 'Yoga for Palestine'. Her studio is located on Chantry Road opposite the café. She believes that her days frequenting her favourite coffee shop are now numbered, due to her passionate dislike for the furry creatures. “I hate cats. I hate them traipsing across my garden. I especially hate their proliferation online. I’m literally – literally – bending over backwards to make this business a success: I pay a graphic designer £150 per day for engaging video content about my Yoga practice and I get about 300 views on Facebook, except for my Marjariasana video which gained quite a few thousand. I wonder why that is?”
April, the first cat cafe cat
Cat Day]. The event will feature comedy act Barbara Nice, backed by former principal of the Birmingham Conservatoire, Julian Lloyd-Webber on cello. The duo will perform “Memory” from Julian’s brother’s hit musical, Cats.
Caféphilia, located at 138 Alcester Road, is open for takeaway with a large selection of coffees, teas, paninis and cakes.
Jobe Baker-Sullivan
“We wanted Ocean Colour Scene but we don’t really have enough space, so figured that Babs and Julian would have to cut the mustard,” says Bob from Cat-a-philia. Whilst the national lockdowns have prevented business as normal for many, Cat-aphilia has already secured a new enterprise. It will host classes for a new form of martial arts, ‘Kat-man-do’. It was founded by pioneering Taekwando master Ugdam Biralo, who moved from Nepal to Moseley in late 2019. “It was extremely frustrating for me to move just before a pandemic, but I am very keen for my classes to go ahead and hope to use the café from June 21st onwards in the evenings.” When asked if the rather small, L-shaped café was big enough for his purposes, he 17
SPRINGING F
DIM SUN When I was ten years old at overnight camp in the woods of pine-scented New England, I was feeling homesick with one of my camp companions. It wasn’t because I necessarily missed my parents (sorry Mom and Dad!), it was that I really, really missed food. “Raviolis and red sauce”, I would whine… “An Italian sub with extra hot peppers from D’Agastino’s!”…”Pizza from Pizzeria Regina!!” We would call back and forth to each other as if we were stranded out in the hot desert without any food or water. It’s not that we were starved, or that the food at Camp Calumet was all that bad actually… it is just that I am really obsessed with food. In University (in the middle of Ohio) I would eschew the stodgy chafing dishes of mashed stew-y bits in the food halls and turn to the salad bar to make these creative (or so I thought) concoctions. A bit of pasta here, a sprinkle of cheese there, a bunch of raw vegetables, oil… I told myself it was “Non-cooking cooking”. Without access to a genuine kitchen, and a twelve-hour drive away from home, I would dream about food. “Can somebody please just give me my Dad’s meatballs and some mortadella!?!” “I need a Vietnamese spring roll!!!” I mean I wore my heart and food desperation on my sleeve back in the day. Now the world has changed in terms of 18
culinary accessibility, but I have realised that I have not. Fast forward to present day and I am an American living in the UK. I can get nearly everything here, but I preoccupy myself with the ones that I cannot. I make Italian–American style sausages with my sausage-maker, boil and bake New York ‘everything bagels’ and I even try to recreate the deli meats, pickles, salad dressings and rice packets from the US that I am so very fond of. In a way this whole lockdown life has lent itself to me as a food epiphany that was always lingering inside that ten year old desperado. The epiphany being that I love to cook, eat, create and write about it… in an obsessive way. Take dim sum for example. Pre-pandemic one of my most favourite things to do in Birmingham would be to go and get dim sum in Chinatown on a Sunday with my husband and my two sons. “Hey, today is Dim Sun-day!” we would exclaim and then happily get lost tucking into slurpy soups
www.moseleyb13.com
FORWARD TO
N DAYS
and savoury parcels. With restaurant closures I am still that little girl listing off a wish list of foods to eat… ”Shanghai Soup Dumplings!”…. “Char Siu Cheung Fun!!!!!!” I whimper. I have been making variations of dumplings for many years now. From ‘Shrimp har gow’, to ‘Pork and chive’ – they are a project. Folding a dumpling alone can take years to master (I still use a standard pleat). There have also been sob-worthy moments where I have put so much into making a dough, only to have it completely flop on me. In fact, I never truly appreciated the work and intricacy of the dumpling until now. Being able to physically go out for dim sum or anywhere at all means it is a total privilege. You get to have your pick of these incredibly hot, detailed, tasty, beautifully mastered dishes. Of course, a great option is to get takeaway but there is something about the ambiance, the bustling noise, joyful families, the wafts of tea and the mouth-watering garlicky scents. To me there is mystical power behind dim sum. It travels far beyond the glorious food and into the realms of human experience. From a cold pint at a country pub to a fancy dinner out with loved ones, we are all salivating nostalgically over our own coveted magical moments. And I now truly realise that as I shouted out my most missed meals in desperation way back when, and as I recreate foods now, it is because there were and are important people, places and experiences that come along with it (I did really miss you, Mom and Dad!).
Wontons in dipping sauce
And so my heart is springing forward to those “Dim Sun-days”. What are you looking forward to? Until then I have included a recipe of mine for un-sob-worthy dumplings as you can make these very easily with storebought wontons and savour them at home. Jenny Gwynne Jenny is ‘The Salty Chilli’, an obsessive cook and food writer who lives in Moseley. To read more check out her Instagram @ thesaltychilli ; her blog www.thesaltychilli. com will launch in April. These pork and ginger wontons can be enjoyed in soup or simply boiled with a delightful dipping sauce and garnishes. Wonton Recipe (Yields approximately 40 Wontons) Ingredients: 40 square wonton wrappers ** 300 grams pork belly, ground and minced finely, or store-bought fatty pork mince 5 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced finely 4 spring onions, minced 1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine ** 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 3/4 tablespoon sesame oil Pinch of white pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt 19
Pork and Ginger Wontons
Instructions: Mix all ingredients except the wonton skins into a bowl very well until it forms a paste. Test a small bit of the meat by frying it in a pan, and adjust any seasoning if necessary. Place a wonton skin in one hand, with the other hand dip your finger into some water and trace the inner edges of the wonton with the water. Add one heaping teaspoon of filling to the centre, fold and seal the wonton into a triangular shape. Take the two opposite corners of the dumpling and press those together. Place on a lightly floured baking tray. It is best to cook them right away, or to freeze, place the baking tray in a freezer for a few hours. Take them off the tray and place them in freezer bags. They should store in the freezer for up to three months. To serve in a soup: Simmer 2-3 litres of chicken stock with 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 smashed garlic clove and 5 large slices of ginger for at least 30 minutes to infuse the flavour. Season with salt to taste. Sieve out the ingredients. Boil the dumplings in the stock ‘to order’ for 5-6 minutes. 20
Pour your hot stock into individual bowls with raw greens (such as pak choi or chopped lettuce). Add dumplings in, drizzle with a tiny bit of sesame oil and garnish with finely sliced ginger and any of the following: spring onion, coriander, chilli oil or chilli paste. Serve with a dipping sauce: ½ small garlic clove, finely grated ¼ teaspoon sugar 2 tablespoons light soy sauce ½ tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar (or rice wine vinegar or white malt vinegar) Chilli oil to taste Finely sliced ginger matchsticks and finely sliced spring onion to garnish Instructions: Mix all sauce ingredients together in a bowl along with a bit of the ginger and set aside. Boil dumplings in boiling water for 5-6 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Drizzle sauce and garnishes on top. ** Wonton wrappers can be found in the frozen section of a Chinese grocer’s in Chinatown. ** Shaoxing wine can be replaced with sherry or omitted.
Folded Wontons www.moseleyb13.com
EASTER SERVICES
Whereas the first lockdown was often described in the words “these are strange times”, the current lockdown has been termed by some as “these are difficult times”. As we approach Easter, some of us will find that being able to take a step out of these times and watch an online service is a valuable time to reflect and find some peace. I would encourage you to watch… St Mary’s and St Anne’s: all live-streamed: check out moseleychurch.org.uk/ or www. facebook.com/StMarysMoseley Maundy Thursday 1 April: 7.30pm – The Eucharist. Good Friday 2 April: 10.00am – Intergenerational Worship
2.00pm – The Final Hour of the Cross – reflections, readings and music
Easter Sunday 4 April: 10.00am – Outdoor Eucharist in the churchyard. Please take a COVID lateral flow test before deciding to come. This will be live-streamed as well. If the weather is bad, it will take place in the church, with no congregation allowed. Riverside Church: on-line services and Zoom: check out riverside-church.org.uk for all details and link to the Riverside YouTube channel Good Friday 2 April: 9.30 to 10.15am – Family Zoom with fun and games focusing on the meaning of Easter. Sign in through the website to get Zoom details. 10.30am to 11.30am – Good Friday Reflections on the Riverside Church YouTube channel Riverside Church - YouTube Easter Sunday 4 April: 9.30 to 9.50am – Generations Extra (children and Young People) fun activities and worship on www.facebook.com/RiversideChurch.Birmingham 10.30am Family Celebration of Easter with limited booked spaces at Riverside House and online on Riverside Church - YouTube Family Fun after Easter: details on riverside-church.org.uk Tuesday 6 April: 3.30pm – Lego Zoom workshop Wednesday 7 April: 10.30am – Music Zoom workshop Thursday 8 April: 10.30am – Easter Fun Zoom
David Isgrove
21
Every Monday, all juniors at Moseley Grammar School were banished from the Junior Quadrangle, while it was taken over by the Army Cadet Force for drill and occasional minor exercises.
You had to be 14 by law to be a cadet, so just before Christmas 1953, I enrolled and was issued with full instructions, not actually taking part until the following January. Less than 10 years after WWII, there was a lots of surplus military stock available, particularly from Oswald Bailey’s on the corner of the Bull Ring, High Street, and the street that led to the ‘shambles’, where, ever since the middle ages, animals sold in the open market area had been slaughtered. Previously, they had been tied to the eponymous ring in the market area, to be baited by anyone who enjoyed it. It was believed the stress induced by this torture produced a tenderer meat.
Officially known as ‘H’ Company, 4th/5th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment (RWR), the ACF consisted of strongly motivated boys aiming to become at least as good as – if not better than – regulars in their tin soldier performances. As juniors, we sat on the retaining walls around the quad or just went off to be ourselves. The hard, flat tarmac produced an impressive “Thwack!” as hobnailed army boots banged down. Woe on anyone whose timing was out, producing a loud rebuke from the drill sergeant or officer in charge.
Fully equipped, we had webbing belts of a tightly woven load-bearing fabric, ammunition pouches, gaiters
MOSELEY MEMORIES Atte-e-enSHUN! Ri-i-ightTURN, By the Left, Qui-i-ickMARCH!
22
www.moseleyb13.com
and rucksacks, all except the bags having to be regularly dressed with a ‘blanco’ paste (a misnomer, since only band members had white blanco, the rest regulation khaki). We wore a dark blue beret with a ‘must-beBrassoed’ badge of the antelope which had been awarded to the RWR’s predecessor in 1710 after they captured a Moorish flag bearing the symbol at the Battle of Saragossa. It was familiar to us from the regimental memorial on the inside wall of Chamberlain Square.
Is to open the breech, as you see. We can slide it Rapidly backwards and forwards: we call this Easing the spring. And rapidly backwards and forwards The early bees are assaulting and fumbling the flowers: They call it easing the Spring. Reed had gone to King Edward VI’s, Aston (now grammar school), going on to Birmingham University, where he was a close associate of W H Auden, Louis McNeice and Walter Allen. He had been called up in 1942 (the same year that the poem was published in The New Statesman and Nation) and spent the War as a reluctant translator of Japanese military messages and documents. Although Reed had studied French and Italian at university and taught himself Greek at school, none of this was put to military use. Allen said Reed “intended to devote the rest of his life to forgetting another word of Japanese”. He knew of the atrocities on the Burma Railroad and in Singapore.
Apart from drill, designed to produce unquestioning takers of orders, whose discipline and camaraderie had saved many a life in past wars, we learnt things like practical map-reading. The Royal Ordnance Survey had been set up in 1791 to provide means by which heavy guns (and later aircraft) could be aimed precisely at targets, so that ‘ordnance’ (shells and bombs) landed as economically as possible. Using a sighting compass, we took bearings on at least two identifiable objects (church steeples were favourite) and then pencilled in counter bearings on the map and knew exactly where we were. We also learnt in detail about our own weapons, the Lee-Enfield .303 rifles and the two Bren guns in the Armoury, opposite the Junior Quad. It all became very familiar when we read Birmingham poet Henry Reed’s ‘Naming of Parts’. The fourth of its five verses says enough to get the idea:
How Reed’s sorrowful verse related to our experiences and the adventures we got up to on exercises and Annual Camps is worth another account. David Spilsbury
And this you can see is the bolt. The purpose of this 23
MOSELEY SOCIETY HISTORY GROUP QUOITS AND BOWLING IN MOSELEY
Moseley Quoit and Bowling Club, c. 18
Moseley Quoit and Bowling Club Grounds, 1890
From 1867 John Avins of Highfield House, Church Road, Moseley (now the All Services Club) leased land further down Church Road from his home for Moseley Quoit and Bowling Club at a peppercorn rent to Francis Corder Clayton. He left the land for the Club to Clayton in his will, as well as
£250 and £10 for prizes. In 1889 there were ninety-six members and a committee of eleven, one of whom was a woman – unusual for the time. The Honorary Secretary informed members of dates and times of Quoits matches, ballots for membership and subscriptions (1 guinea).
A Card sent to Members of Moseley Quoits and Bowls Club, 1888 24
Ken Robb sent us a photograph of the cup received by R McConkey when he won the Quoit Handicap at the club in 1890. The cup was in the possession of Ken’s grandmother whose maiden name was McConkey and who was born in 1889. At some stage she lived in Nottingham, but spent her subsequent years in Northern Ireland. Ken Robb also sent us a photograph of the club that shows bowling in action later in the nineteenth century. This suggests an allmale, relaxed atmosphere, with players dressed more informally, and a brick-built clubhouse. An image of Moseley United Quoits and Bowling Club was provided by Ann CrichtonHarris, which she thinks was taken just prior to WWII. Her grandfather, George Tandy, is in the dark suit in the front row. She thinks he was president. There are thirty-three members in the group photo – all men – all smartly dressed as befits the www.moseleyb13.com
Moseley United Quoits and Bowling Club, c. 1930s
890
occasion. George and his wife lived at 12 Forest Road, which is still there. George was a jeweller (at Tandy & Sons, Vyse Street, Birmingham). The same all-male formality is displayed in an image that shows Prize Day at the Club in 1958. The John Avins Cup is on the table, perpetuating his name into the twentieth century. The Club operated until 1964 when it held its final dinner.
A Card sent to Members of Moseley Quoits and Bowls
Quoits and bowling were very popular in Moseley. There were other bowling grounds in Moseley, for example in Moseley Park, the Trafalgar Hotel (now the Patrick Kavanagh pub) and the Fighting Cocks. Go to our website for more information on John Avins’s Quoit and Bowling Club and the others in Moseley.
Please contact us if you have any information about any of the Quoit and Bowling Clubs in Moseley. Perhaps you might be able to identify individuals in the photographs? Janet Berry moseleyhistory@gmail.com. www.moseleysociety.org.uk/ local-history
Moseley United Quoits and Bowling Club, 1958 25
JUDITH FLEETWOOD-WALKER:
POETRY IN MOTION
Judith Fleetwood-Walker is a local poet and artist. Judith writes for this month’s Moseley B13 Magazine, reflecting on her early creativity and finding inspiration in Birmingham...
smells of a selected location. Chris was Birmingham’s Poet Laureate some years ago and was very encouraging to his students; he is still in teaching and we often talk on the phone. After Chris retired from our class we were taught by Nigel Kennedy who was an expert in screenwriting – he even taught us with a broken leg!
My first piece of writing was ‘the sun shone on the window’ when I was four years old. It was saved for me by my mother, and it reminds me that I was an early reader as well (I particularly loved the Owl and the Pussycat). Also, my Auntie Phyllis helped me to carry on the family poetry tradition by singing, reading and reciting poems to us, passing on my grandmother’s interests, before I was five. I also took elocution lessons. When I was eleven I started a story about children having adventures and my sister illustrated it.
When I moved to Balsall Heath around twelve years ago I managed to win a writing competition in the Balsall Heathen magazine. It was based on my entry about a local activity I’d taken part in, so I wrote about Moseley Road Baths and the sessions keeping me fit (I still swim at the Baths). The prize was a threecourse meal for two and we had it in Kishi Bar on the Alcester Road.
I didn’t write poetry until I was in my thirties, and in my forties I started going to Stone Hall education centre in Acocks Green where I was taught by Chris Morgan who gave us some interesting subjects for homework such as recording the sights, sounds and
I am inspired to write by the parks around me, such as Cannon Hill and Highbury, and have also gained inspiration from the gardens on the way to Tindal Street when I get my paper every morning. Many of the houses have flowering plants, bushes and trees, 26
www.moseleyb13.com
Van Gogh
which are colourful for most of the year, and they are pleasing to the eye.
He lived a tortured yet productive life; Full of colour, shape and light.
About three years ago I joined the poetry group Poet’s Place in the main library in town, and the sessions were held in the Mezzanine Café. It got too noisy, though, with all of the announcements, and so we moved to the upstairs café in the Repertory Theatre. An open mike night group called ‘Hit the Ode’ gave us funding to meet in a studio in The Hippodrome which was quite plush, and we used to have special sparkling and still water on the tables...and free pens and note pads! Jasmine Gardosi, the leader of the group, would start the readings and also run a poetry workshop, helping us to be more creative in our writing. Jasmine has spoken at Glastonbury and is a performance poet.
He was a lonely sort of soul, Yet he was clear of his role. Many years later, proclaimed his fame, But in his lifetime he was just a name. Doctor Gachet was hard pressed, To guide him in a helpful quest. In his pictures he endeavours To show landscapes, faces and demeanours. Don McLean has him there like paint, And describes him like a sort of saint. He loved to paint in Japanese form, And represented an apple blossom storm.
There’s the Grizzly Pear poetry night at the Bristol Pear in Selly Oak, which is popular with university students. There is also an open mike event called Funk and Tellekie, and I’ve heard it is very good. The poetry scene is pretty vibrant in Birmingham. Every two weeks we have a Zoom session between one and three o’clock where we all get together and discuss a different subject for our writing.
His brother Theo was his friend, Writing to him to make amends. Nowadays he is widely known, And everywhere his works are shown.
I am inspired by the Birmingham Buddhist Centre in Park Road in Moseley which has a sort of peace emanating from it. I attend meditations there and have been in its garden for sketching, and it has got me writing about mindfulness and contemplation. So you see, I can find ample provision for my writing in and around my home, and all over Birmingham! Another good thing in Birmingham is the Verve Poetry Festival, held every other year for the past six years, which focuses on spoken word and is always charismatic and involving and a good opportunity for those in attendance. It’s been a good source of connectedness and power for poets. My poem about Van Gogh was created after I attended the Van Gogh Experience at the Hippodrome last year. It had lots of screens with projected images, and a mock-up of his room in the yellow house at Arles and a room full of plastic sunflowers!
Judith Fleetwood-Walker 27
SELF-EMPLOYED ARE YOU REME PLAN FOR YOUR
Moseley is a dynamic community filled with entrepreneurs, small business owners, and self-employed individuals. Running your own business can be very rewarding but it also can be very challenging, as evident in the extraordinary year we have just had. In the last 12 months (and counting) Moseley’s business community (like in the rest of the UK) has had to adapt rapidly in a constantly changing environment. Amid all these challenges it can be easy to forget about planning for the future and
your retirement, but making the time to get it sorted could bring benefits both now and in the future. Automatic Enrolment The numbers of UK workers paying into a workplace pension are at record numbers. It is part of a continued upward trend that began in 2012 when the Government launched automatic enrolment. Since its launch, automatic enrolment has led to millions of people entering the pension system for the first time.
However, automatic enrolment did not include the self-employed. The number of people choosing to be selfemployed has grown rapidly over the past two decades, rising from 3.4 million (12.9% of the workforce) in 1998 to 4.8 million (15.1%) in 2017. Worryingly, whilst the numbers of those working for themselves are higher than ever, the proportion of selfemployed workers paying into a private pension has fallen from 48% to just 16%. Falling behind The self-employed are falling behind when it comes to saving for retirement. There are a number of reasons for this apart from being excluded from autoenrolment. 1 – The self-employed are often caught up in the day-today running of their business and don’t feel they have the time to plan for retirement.
28
www.moseleyb13.com
D MOSELEYITE? EMBERING TO R RETIREMENT?
2 – Often, when you are self-employed your earnings are less predictable than when you are employed, so it can be a challenge to work out exactly how much to contribute and when. 3 – The self-employed often expect their business to fund their retirement. However, this could be a very risky strategy if no other strategies have been put in place.
could reduce and your re-sale value could be less than you anticipate.
Seek advice Making plans can be easier than starting and completing them. Sometimes we are not quite sure how to start. Advice from a professional Financial Adviser could help you get on the right path and help you develop a diverse retirement strategy.
Ideally any retirement plan should be a mix of pensions, investment and property as well as the value you will realise from the sale of your business. This more diverse approach will give you a safety net should the sale Martin Jeffers of your business take longer than planned or the re-sale value be less than anticipated. Martin Jeffers Wealth Management, Moseley
A diverse retirement plan We have all heard the phrase warning against putting all our eggs in one basket. Relying solely on the sale of your business could be equally risky. The last year has shown that nothing is definite. The only thing it seems we can count on is that things always change. The environment your business operates in today could be very different in 10 years’ time. Your earnings from your business 29
Just to Say Editor’s note: Thanks, John. I don’t think Tipton would cope well with sharks. Tip is certainly intrepid and was born in a coastal town, but she has never been great with anything water-related (tadpoles can even bring on nightmares). It seems to be her kryptonite! The Park and Pool sharks do seem to be more of a case for the former Moseley B13 Magazine spoof paranormal reporter Tommy Quang. Speaking of which… Dear Editor, I hope these rare photos are not too late for inclusion in this month’s issue. Sharks in Moseley Park and Pool. Imagine my astonishment. I wonder what your Newshound Tipton would make of them? What would they make of her? Cheers! Anonymous John
Carol Miller on Twitter responded to last month’s World of Strange feature on Moseley’s Mission To Mars:
controversial sacking from this magazine after a series of supernatural, history/ myth revisions and conspiracy laden cock-ups (such as claiming King Arthur’s Round Table is buried beneath Bog Island), and it will be published in next month’s Just to Say (unless we get some other letters)... See you then!
Tommy Quang @ WorldofStrange Will David Isgrove of @MoseleyFarmMkt be the first person to set foot on Mars? Is the Fighting Cocks a suitable launch pad for the MASA rocket? Find out the answers to these questions & much more in the latest @ MoseleyB13Mag! Carol Miller: Don’t leave us David! Editor’s Note: Don’t worry, Carol! MASA (Moseley Aeronautics and Space Administration) looks unlikely to ever get its rocket off the ground so I think we are keeping David! Tommy Quang has also issued a full statement regarding his 30
www.moseleyb13.com
• Saturday, 3 April 2021 • All Day • Online
About Join the Riverside Performing Arts theatre company for a public online performance of JOE’S AMAZING EASTER ADVENTURE. Hear about the original story of Easter through the eyes of a young boy swept off his feet on an adventure by the Easter Bunny. Easter is Joe’s favourite time of year because Joe loves chocolate Easter eggs! This year, he has a clever plan to trap the Easter Bunny and secure his spot as the Easter Egg Hunt Champion, but nothing has prepared him for the adventure the Easter Bunny is about to take him on while he’s keeping watch… The show is 45 minutes and suitable for all ages. Available to watch on youtube for the entire day on the 3rd of April: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkizLp_qJZjRMxQ2k7hrIlQ
info@moseleyb13.com
31
9
772050
609007
ISSN 2050-6090 00512