2014-07-02-the-brew-us-bugle-issue-41-spring-2014

THE BREW 'US BUGLE The

m a g a z i n e

of

the

L a d y w o o

j s t o r y

G r o u p

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THE DAY WE SAID 'GET YOUR SKATES OKI' FOR THE LAST TIME...

ICE RINK CLOSED FIFTY YEARS AGO We all like an anniversary and as anniversaries go this is a big one, but you'd best get your skates on because anniversaries are soon over. It is fifty years ago this month since the Birmingham Ice Skating Rink at Summerhill closed its doors for the last time.

On the final evening, 18 April 1964, it was reported that 800 people were waiting in the queue for it to open and many teenagers were seen singing and blowing bugles. The rink will always be remembered as a great venue for a social night out, but it also attracted a number of serious skaters. At the time of closure there were two Olympic and seven international skaters in the Mohawks skating team based at Summerhill.

The Silver Blades in Pershore Street opened the following week.

The Summerhill site later became a roller skating rink and then a car showroom. It was eventually demolished and a car showroom stands on the site today.

The main photo shows the construction of the rink in early 1931.

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Inside this issue THE ICE RINK

by Gert Yaskateson

LOCAL MAN IN US PRISON byAlCatraz FOSTER'S CLOTHES SHOPS

by Su T'syasir RECALLING TUFTY

by Squirrel Regis BAGGIES CUP WIN

by EI Adieo This issue was produced with funding from the Ladywood Ward Community Chest Fund

Contact Us: Norman Bartlam The Ladywood History Group Ladywood Social Club Ladywood Middleway Ladywood Birmingham B16 8SY 0121 454 0600 (in school hours) Email: brewusbugle@hotmail.co.uk Albert Trapp is chairman of the Ladywood History Group Look out for the best of Ladywood past and present at: www.digital-ladywood.org.uk www.tntnews.co.uk

THE BREW 'US BUGLE QUIZ - Questions a b o u t A p r i l - Q1 King Edwards Five Ways School closed d u r i n g April of which year?

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itn History This month in history as seen through the pages of school log books.

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by Bugle editor Norman Bartlam

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2 April 1873 'Six boys found out in playing truant, the two ringleaders have been expelled from this school. The others have been severely punished and warned.' St Georges Boys' School.

9 April 1943 'There were three very bad days in the middle of the week- heavy rain and desperate winds, when slates and chimney pots were crashing in the streets. In spite of that the attendance was wonderfully good.'

St Peter's School 9 April 1962 'Classes are performing Easter Plays this week. The use of the tape recorder is proving most valuable to our reading.

Children are realising the need to speak more slowly and distinctly. We have also been able to record BBC lessons, which take place at times inconvenient to us.'

St George's Primary School

Sharp-eyed TV viewers may have caught a very short clip of old Ladywood on TV recently. Danny Baker presented a programme that looked at street furniture and it featured a ten second clip of children around a pillar-box. I recognised it has being on Icknield Street with the Hockley railway bridge in the background. The children appeared in close up. Here they are in a still from the film, but who are they? I wonder if anyone knows?

12 April 1889 'After having repeatedly warned Miss T—against thumping children, and finding my remonstrance's unheeded l felt compelle to report her conduct to the clerk or the Board. The immediate occasion for so doing was the throwing of a ruier at a boy and • cutting his head.'

Nelson Boys' School 15 April 1901 'I am sorry to say that three fresh cases of scarlet fever were notified- all in Morville Street- close neighbours of each other.'

St Barnabas School 15 April 1907 'Attendance as usual except that the few workhouse children were absent with ringworm. Four fresh girls admitted from workhouse this morning.' Steward Street Girls School 15 April 1947 'Class 4 & 5 taken to Summerfield Park to see spring flowers growing.' Barford Road Infants' School 21 April 1941 'School obliged to dose owing to unexploded bomb in City Road'. Two days later: "School still closed, warned by police very dangerous for anyone to be on the premises.' School reopened on 24th but 'attendance poor.' City Road Infants School 21 April 1969 'Builders commenced alterations to the classrooms today, to make new indoor infant toilets. Approx £10,000 has been granted towards the first stage of remodelling the school-toilets. 12 rnetal framed windows, 3 modern panes of glass, mahogany framed outer doors and extra display cabinet and stockroom leading from the hall.' Barford Primary school

Page 02

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60 years ago this month Docker's paint Company on Rotton Park Street held a great event for their <f£S* staff. Since then the company, which later became PPG, has closed, but former employee Mark Barrett is organising a reunion for anyone l>lin<Tii;J llui }1U >l I.'» ».»: EM t:• >•.

1 . . ., i . . . .. : v:•I associated with the company. It will Thi* u*$t ii»:t » inlord tut wo« 'J iU wçitMV ita ciMbm Mli« hi«. be held at Ladywood Social Club on It -«> | li#ri" >-.-"»» M*J I*.« M U M MÜH« Wtftt, Saturday 10 May 2014. call Mark on il-- 1• . lui. , 0121 525 5684 for more details.

See you there! ,.i

In the next issue we'll be commemorating the centenary of the death of Joseph Chamberlain, who decided that he'd be buried amongst his people in Key Hill cemetery. We'll also mark the centenary of the outbreak of World War I. If you've any information that you'd like to share about either feature please get in touch. To set the ball rolling here's a great newscutting that showed MKMIMIIIAM C U V MISSION \l[ X1\SC day-to-day life as World War I approached in Noel Road. This photo appeared in the local press in April 1914

THE BREW 'US BUGLE QUIZ - Questions about April - A l 1958

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Ladywood's Summerhill Ice Rink closed this month in 1964 and although it reopened for a time as a roller rink it never regained the popularity of the ice rink. Here are some pictures and posters of the much-loved venue.

In March 1964, Janet Sawbridge, one of Summerhill's most well known names was in the news. This cutting appeared in the Birmingham Evening Mail. At the time she held six European Pairs medals, four world pair medals and had earned eleven medals in as many years for ice dancing in Britain and she was awarded the MBE. • There was a feature on the ice rink in Issue 2 (April 2002) of the Brew 'us Bugle and copies are available on request.

J KLEENfKATE BIRMINGHAM ICE SKATING RINK

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Champion!A Janet back at the top

by ROBERT PROCTER Sawbridcc, the J ANET Binnine.ham champion

who skated through illness four limes, was back on top of the world today.

In Munich, Janet, and her partner, Peter Ualby, came fourth in the World Ice Dance Pairs Amateur Championships.

This was just six weeks after she was treated at a Yugoslav : hospital after she fell 111 with dehydration.

Last year, Janet, whose parents live at Erdlnuton, was (lni:t:«-'i !>>' Illness, and lour time« a prleat was lent for became her parents thought she may not pull through.

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THE BREW 'US BUGLE QUIZ - Q u e s t i o n s a b o u t A p r i l - Q2 A h o a rd of d y n a m i te f o u n d in a shop made n a t i o n a l headlines w h e n f o u n d in w h i c h street in 1883?

Page 03

Easter Memories

Easter Eggstra As The Brew 'Us Bugle has now reached 40 we think we we'll' start running an archive column of stories from previous issues. For this issue here is an article about Easter from issue 2 in April 2002.

track of time. I arrived at the shop at 8.ioam and it was now 1230pm, a fellow called at the shop to enduire if I had been and collected my hot cross buns and was told I was working there, when he saw me he said my mom was frantic not knowing what bad happened to me and told me to gat home Quick, needless to say I got i clout around the ear hole, but I cleaned up with the money from the job plus the profit from selling the buns.

Another recollection comes to mind from around the same time, mis fella called fini Easter ana hm cross buns luv* long sine« o«en associated wtn the nam» of Warty Green Many people Cunnlngton was the local bookie I recall visiting the Cross Ken pub in Stewart! Street for his remember he wore beautiful suits but the annual ceremony of handing out the buns. odd thing was it was said lie wore a corset end had a figure any is or 20 year-old-girls would have been proud of I He had an archenemy Albert West who was born In Nelson street in May 1923 remembers hoc cross buns for a different reason! He writes: i suppose a copper caned Ginger, people would warn Bin if Ginger was about Bin would get one of the locals realty one of my earliest recollections could be called the Mot cross Bun incident. I was about 12 yean old and like most 12 year olds I went around to stand in as a runner with a bet In his pocket Ginger would arrest the runner, he would be knocking doors to get orders for delivery on Good Friday, we would buy the hot cross buns for three a penny and sen them at two a penny, which fined and Bill would pay the fine and treat the made us a good profit. Anyway this particular year I went to get my buns runntr. Ttie runner being a tint time offender and the baker asked me If I would Ilk« to earn a few extra coppers and would have a cheaper fine than If Bill was caught gave mo the job or painting the tops of the buns with a brush and some himself, The runner would most likely be out of work anyway so really Bin was doing him a favour houid which made the tops of the buns look shiny, unfortunately I lost by putting a fewbob his way!

Hot Cross Buns, One A Penny, Two A P e n n y . . .

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Sr Mark's Estate CLEAN-UP REMOVES 41 TONS OF RUBBISH AT LADYWOOD jinil ruliMili m r r mu! «bnvt Ihr normal «alvair rlraranre.

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T h r St, Marks Resident»' l"<4 LiLI»n «pok'unifi »All! thai "Operallan Clean-up H had two main aim«—1*> ilear Ihr arr* • >[ uiitlflill) rubbUh. Mild |n fiiiimr^ir lOral famlllr* In Iiavp prldr l i t l h r i r Mirr-Miitnlinf. uhllc llu'y »Or* nailing !'•( m >• li'-uu'v,

St Mark's Street looking towards Summerhill in the days before there was much traffic about! The factory in the distance is Bulpitt & Sons Residents Jill Treadwell, aged about 4 and her sister Janice, aged 8 or 9, of 1 back of 222 St Mark's Street in 1946.

50 years ago the St Mark's estate area of Ladywood made the news when residents got together for a community clean up. Half a century later and the current residents did exactly the same thing recently cleaning up the area which today stands in the shadow of The National Indoor Arena.

Page 04

A wedding at St Mark's Street Church in 1932. Gloria Whitehead collection.

THE BREW 'US BUGLE QUIZ - Questions about April - A2 Ledsam Street

Wcv WILL R£V\eV\Bê£ THêM... April Later this year the nation commemorates the centenary of the start of the First World War. Here w e continue our coverage of the war by looking at some of the local people and events from this month during 1914-1918. If you have details of anyone from Birmingham who was killed or served and survived WWI please get in touch.

Bjiowtx, 1*1*. .JoHN.llcsnt "Will» Rett., «»loin»».. , Force»).—tttjioriiit niiuiiijr; on April 21 lut, »nil w»i • j lj«: icon to tall »gplnit ihu barbed «'Irr., in tho { Duhuritn lin'»In'omuli™ l« Mr*. JilinlKtli | Baldwin, li« uiuibcr, at 101, -Moll .Si., UlUHJlt«tt St., •] Birmingham.

Douai». CHADJJI Bnowx, «jred 29, wa» killtA on Atiril 16. Ho h«d botn with the ««ne bttttrjr 7 yoir», .. .1 In Vruic« line» Aupuit, 19M. He w « wounded Iwlcc. Thr« other ImitJiir» h»»« eorsed line» AUK»»'.

1914 »It. KsNieT, who ht» been wounded three t-m*j, »»l'ia now in honilttl; PltlU.tr, who enltited in

Aufutt, 1914, and il now in S»lanlht; »nd Fjuxx, who * j.1 In t i e Trrritomlj, tnd wi» called u|i i t the coinmieicament of «.IT, and in now in l u l y . The fifth out, llnnun, who Joined th« R,A !'. in .lu.»-,r y , 111:9, la on)] 16. Thoj 111 • .1 ... 1.1 i In ir ]...i. :i.. tt SS, B)*waid .St , «pling Hill, Kirm.n.-h.i:..

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\AmUrs> of M Srown farviiiij from steward stwf ,n April m Lance Corporal or Corporal John Edwin Dury of Bellis Street was killed on 12 April 1918 and he is remembered on the Ploegstreert Memorial (known to the British as Plug Street). Private T Holder of St Vincent Street who is also on the Plug Street memorial died two days after John Dury.

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J. II. BALDWIN.

Second Lt Petchey Smart of Oliver Road was awarded the Military Cross in April 1918

Private John Henry Baldwin went missing in battle in April 1917 and his mother put this appeal in the local press.

Sadly, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission records show he died that month and he is remembered on the Doiran Memorial in Greece.

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THE BREW 'US BUGLE QUIZ - Questions about April - Q3 Which local theatre opened on Cumberland Street in April 1932?

Page 05

Ladifwood House and ife Occupante Chapter 14 • A l f r e d Ruioerif

by Mark Barrett At the end of Chapter 13 of my series about Ladywood House I made a reference to Alfred Rubery, who lived there in the 1850s, whose story, I said, was the stuff of a best seller.

He was: • • • •

Born in Ladywood Imprisoned in Alcatraz Tried for treason Defended by John Bright and • Pardoned by Abraham Lincoln

Alfred certainly packed more into his young life than most of us will experience in a lifetime. His American adventure in the 1860s is described below.

Alfred's arrival in America

Following the death of his father, Alfred's mother and older brother John, took over the running of the family business. Money was owed to them by an agent in New York so some time in 1861 John decided to send his brother Alfred, just 19 years old at the time, to New York, to recover what was due. Alfred had some limited success and remitted some monies to Birmingham but something turned his head and later in the following year he absconded. Or as it was put later, he "wandered off" to California.

America at that time was in a state of turmoil - the 4 year Civil War having started in April 1861. Alfred fell in with a man named Harpending, and they were obviously taken with each other. Harpending wrote later that Alfred was: "a young English gentleman of fortune & culture, with the roving disposition and love of adventure that was part of the make of high-strung Englishmen of his day."

Piracy Harpingden confided to Alfred that he planned to buy a boat named "the Chapman" and arm it - for the purpose of privateering under the flag of the Confederate States. Californian steamers, at that time, used to carry $2million in gold at every voyage, sailing twice a month, and the privateers intended to capture two of the steamers, take the gold and general cargoes and sink the vessels. They figured that they could capture the steamship Oregon and another of the steamers before word could be sent to the authorities, and then divide the spoils. It was a wild & desperate undertaking, but the conspirators were of an age that takes little stock of risks. Harpingden said later that when Alfred learned the details he became almost idiotic with delight. "Let me be your associate" he cried "and count me in to the limit."

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THE BREW 'US BUGLE QUIZ - Questions about April - A3 The Cresent, which still exists and is now on Sheepcote Street

The conspirators captured and tried for treason In fact the adventure was over virtually before it had begun. Their intended navigator had betrayed them to the authorities and on the day they set sail they found their way barred by the U.S. warship Cyanne. Before they knew it guns were trained on them and boatloads of officers and marines were heading in their direction.

The conspirators were apprehended and taken initially to the prison on Alcatraz Island.

Alfred knew he was in serious trouble but managed to keep his sense of humour. He wrote to his mother in Ladywood that "he had an objection to being hanged, but he did not care much for a term of imprisonment, his apartments at the gaol being the most comfortable he had occupied for some time past!" Fortuitously it was realised by the prosecutors that a charge of piracy would not stand up in court and they would instead be charged with treason.

This changed the maximum sentence from one of execution to imprisonment and a fine.

It took the jury just four minutes to bring in a verdict of guilty of high treason. The sentence was ten years' imprisonment and a fine of $10,000.

John Bright comes to Alfred's defence.

Back in Birmingham Alfred's fate was causing great consternation.

His widowed mother was a much esteemed woman in the town and none other than John Bright, the great orator and M.P. for Birmingham at the time, stepped in to plead for clemency for her son. By then Bright was a politician on the world stage and

known and respected in America.

He supported the cause of the North in the war, but he saw that Albert was just a misguided young man, and of previous good character, so he decided to appeal to the U.S. Government for leniency. The reply came back that nothing could be done whilst the court case was in process - but Bright's letter had got to a man who really was in a position to do something about it - President Abraham Lincoln.

The President's pardon.

When the case was over President Lincoln addressed Bright's petition and made the following proclamation: "Whereas one Rubery was convicted of engaging in, and giving aid and comfort to the existing rebellion against the Government of this Country, and sentenced to ten years imprisonment, and to pay a fine of ten thousand dollars; And whereas, the said Alfred Rubery is of the immature age of twenty years, and of highly respectable parentage; And whereas the said Alfred Rubery is a subject of Great Britain, and his pardon is desired

by John Bright, of England; Now, therefore, be it known that I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America, these and diverse other considerations me thereunto moving, and especially as a public mark of the esteem held by the United States of America and steady friendship of the said John Bright, do hereby grant a pardon to the said Alfred Rubery, the same to begin and take effect on the 20th day of January 1864, on condition that he leave the country within 30 days from and after that date."

The Aftermath Well the immediate aftermath was that Alfred was soon back in Birmingham and living with his mother at Ladywood House.

One of his first actions, amazingly, was to successfully sue the Birmingham Post for errors in their reporting of his trial.

Nearly 10 years later he met up again with Harpending and was loosely associated with a huge financial scandal which became known as the Great Diamond Hoax. It involved seeding an area of land in California with diamonds and then inviting speculators to invest in a mining operation. The illegality was uncovered almost immediately but it was said that if it had only run unchecked for a few weeks it could have been one of the biggest frauds in history. But that is a story for another day.

Alfred was again in litigious mood and this time sued the London Times for claiming that he had played an active part in the fraud.

Having won his action he took his damages and went to Australia.

And that is the last I have managed to find of this colourful Ladywood character.

THE BREW 'US BUGLE QUIZ - Questions about April - Q4 A bomb destroyed which theatre in April 1941?

Page 07

PICTURE SPECIAL TKo/ lM*tj vae/ neYQ/. April M84 Tkiv4tJ ^e^irs of d\<v\g*/ ort £roAJl SfvW -

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The rather more costly International Convention Centre replaced Birmingham's first major exhibition centre and meeting place known as Bingley Hall. This is the view from King Alfred's Place. The block of flats on Cambridge Street/Civic Close is the only recognisable feature that is on both photographs.

The Brewmasters House, the old building that is in both photographs stood on what was known as St Peter's Place. The somewhat neglected i ,„"'— ' building, former home to the brewman of the malthouse, located behind it, from which the nearby Malthouse pub gets its name, was restored in time for the ICC opening.

All the area in front of it was dug out to enable people to enter the ICC from the canalside. The parking meters were not the only things that were removed, as hundreds of bodies from St Peter's Church burial ground were also dug out. We'll have an in depth feature on this in the next issue! Today because of the ICC it is not possible to stand in exactly the same spot as the 1984 photographer, this is the nearest you can get. :

Page 08

THE BREW 'US BUGLE QUIZ - Questions about April - A4 The Prince of Wales theatre on Broad Street, now site of Symphony Hall.

This old timber style building was much liked but it fell victim to the bulldozers in September 1986 and was replaced by the lorry entrance to the ICC and Symphony Hall. Stratford House, as it was called, was originally the Three Horse Shoes pub which became an antique centre.

Other antique and bric-a-brac shops lined the passage adjacent to it.

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The antiques shop was in the shadow of the malthouse warehouse used by the Crown pub. The brick feature in the bottom left corner was part of a bridge over the canal on which the Church of the Messiah was once located. This was church frequented by Joseph Chamberlain and demolished in 1978. The bridge was partly removed when Brindleyplace was built THE BREW 'US BUGLE QUIZ - Questions about April - Q5 Which factory on Rotton Park Street closed for the final time in April 2003?

Page 09

This Month in History... May 1 May 1896 From Minutes of Special General Meeting of the Birmingham Rowing Club: 'Resolved that the Club hold a regatta, to be held on Saturday, July 4th. Mr. B. J. Davenport was elected Regatta Hon. Secretary. It was estimated that the cost of the Regatta would be £85 but it was hoped that the prizes would be given by the President and others.' The Regatta Programme reveals that there were 22 races from 1.00 p.m. to 6.15 p.m., including 'Pole walking in fancy costume' and an 'Upset Canoe Race' by members of BRC, competitors to have t w o upsets and finish in canoe'.

The Course was three mile, involving a turn round a buoy.

2 May 1871 The Baths Committee, reported they had received an offer of a piece of land for a new swimming baths in Sheepcote Street 'containing 2, 548 square yards or thereabouts, at 20s per square yard, and that in the opinion of the Committee this site would be suitable for the erection of a baths thereon for the use of residents in Ladywood and the adjoining wards'. A later report stated: 'the estimated cost for the erection of the baths upon the site would be £10,000.' Eventually soil tests proved it was not a suitable site and Monument Road was later chosen as the location for the baths.

4 May 1891 The extension of Summerfield Park was discussed in council. A report noted the park was originally about 12 acres, a subsequent purchase raised it to 18 acres and an opportunity now existed to raise it again 34 acres 'by the acquisition of sixteen acres from the Gillott trustees, at the price of £550 per acre. Considering

After seeing the results- most questions answered correctly- a rather disappointed professor from Birmingham University and a member of the National Curriculum Working Party commented: 'There is a problem nationally with children's geographical knowledge, even though it wasn't revealed in these interviews, maybe children in Birmingham are rather more knowledgeable than those nationally', (or maybe were they were taught well at Ladywood School as I was their geography teacher at the time! - Ed ha!).

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viMtn caress on 61 the letting value of building land in the neighbourhood the price is very moderate; and there can be no doubt about the desirability of extending the park. The district is growing fast; a recreation ground of the present extent, though valuable, is inadequate even for present needs a still more so having regard to the future; and unless advantage is taken of this offer there will never again be an offer of an extension.'

8 May 1989 BBC Midlands Today illustrated a story about the proposal for a national curriculum by coming to test the geography knowledge of pupils at Ladywood School.

6 May 1767 The t o w n surveyor was ordered to: 'repair the road between the Five Ways and New Street Birmingham with all convenient speed in such a manner as Mr Sampson Lloyd, the elder, Mt Thomas Pemberton and Mr Samuel Bradburne shall direct.'

6 May 1960 The Birmingham Post reported: 'Friday shopping was much reduced through housewives staying at home t o watch the wedding of Princess Margaret on television.'

24 May 1940 Empire Day and school pupils across the city received certificates for taking part in Empire Day activities.

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THE BREW 'US BUGLE QUIZ - Q u e s t i o n s a b o u t A p r i l - A 5 PPG paints formerly Docker Bros.

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THE WAY WE WERE 60 Years ago

by Albert Trapp (chairman of the Ladywood History Group)

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'This great scene was taken just round the corner from where I lived, and although I later moved away I couldn't resist coming back and still live round the corner today.

In case you haven't guessed it shows the Parade as it was in days gone by, all a far cry from what it looks like today in the second picture. The main picture shows what it was like when I was a kid, sixty years ago in March 1954.

The main premises on the photo are that of N Genge, the tobacconists and the well known clothing shop Fosters Brothers.

I don't remember the tobacconist shop but I certainly recall visiting Foster Bros. In between them demolition work is taking place on Payne's and Fenton Bros. Two small survivors next to Foster's seem to be an ice cream shop and a lawn mower shop owned by A A Howes, the sign above the top window says it has been established over 100 years. It is difficult to see but at the opposite end of Foster's shop, where the telephone box is located, there is a post office. This can be seen on the other photograph which was taken a few months later in October 1954. This is a really great photo because it shows a policeman on point duty in front of the King Edward VI

I always enjoyed going into Foster Bros, because I would be lifted up on to the counter so I could put the money into the little device that took it swinging across the shop to the cashier! There was another near by outfitters near the Camden St corner that was called Jeff's but we almost always used Foster Bros.'

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Brothers FOSTER BROS. FACTFILE The Foster Bros set up their company in Pontefract in 1876, well that's not quite true because there was only one Foster, William Foster! Yes, that's right he set any up by himself there was no brother. Presumably he thought this gave the business a better standing in the community rather than being seen as a one-man band.

It is said he had two photos take of himself wearing different clothes and taken at. different angles which were displayed in his shops!

He moved to Birmingham in 1884 and the head office remained in Brum until 1967.

William visited his many branches using a pony and trap and he became an

accomplished international pony judge.

The Foster Bros shop on the Parade was one of the first to be opened by the company. This photo taken in 1890 is the oldest photograph in the company's archive.

During the First World War the Birmingham Battalions blue informs and khaki greatcoats, and nose bags for the French cavalry, were made by Foster Bros.

The official history book of the company states: 'Besides selling ready made garments there were also bespoke tailoring workrooms for all the branches which, until 1936, were housed in George St West behind the retail shop on the Parade.Output steadily grew until the figure of about 1,000 garments a week was reached by this department alone in 1930'.

By the outbreak of World War II Foster Bros had 146 branches, Foster Bros took over the Birmingham based children's clothes business Adams.

Foster Bros was later acquired by Sears, which owned a number of shoe companies, in about 1985 and the name disappeared from our streets.

THE BREW 'US BUGLE QUIZ - Questions a b o u t A p r i l - Q6 Ladywood's t r a m depot opened in April 1906, but w h e r e was it?

Th& Parade, October M9H

Page 11

'Ar ffoe kerio, taatf! Look rigH took le^r, took rigt^vf a^arn. \j alt ctear, gitick /i/varcC-v!'

That's what we were all told as youngsters and hopefully most, if not all of us, still adhere to those rules drilled into us by a squirrel! No I'm not going nuts ... road safety really was instilled into youngsters by a squirrel. Tufty the Squirrel to be precise.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents ROSPA website states: Tufty Fluffytail was born in 1953, as a creation of the late Elsie Mills MBE. Original stories for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents featured the squirrel and his friends to introduce clear and simple safety messages for children. Tufty was joined in his adventures by Minnie Mole and the naughty Willy Weasel along with Mrs Owl the teacher and Policeman Badger, who always popped up in the nick of time to save the children. In 1961, the Tufty Club was set up as a nationwide network of local groups.

At its peak there were 24,500 registered Tufty Clubs.

Locally Jim Hunt who hung up his tail, forty years ago in February 1974, delivered Tufty's message.

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The Bard of Avon celebrates his 450th birthday this month so he's old enough to have remembered when Villa last won the F A cup. To celebrate we have a few pictures to show what Shakespeare Road once looked like. Nothing to do with the real Shakey really but a great excuse to print some good pictures, presented As You Like It! What was your Midsummer Night's Dream as you lay in the attic looking up at the stars through the hole in the roof?

How many readers met their Romeo or Juliet on this street, perhaps we should be told! Or maybe you have A Winter's Tale to tell?

Please write in and let's hope All's Well That Ends Well as we don't want this to be Much Ado About Nothing.

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HERE COMES THE QUEEN...

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Royal visit of 25 years ago ...

A quarter of a century has elapsed since The Queen visited St Philips' Cathedral on Colmore Row to distribute the Royal Maundy Money.

Three pupils from Ladywood School were present at the event and made a film of the visit, which still exists today.

It was originally shown in school assemblies but now we have copied it from the original VHS tape onto a DVD and made it available to a wider audience.

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The members of the film crew were Lee Moult, Daniel Millward and Darran Burgwin.

The question is where are they now, all three will be probably in their late thirties....

Extracts of it can be viewied on the TNT website: www. tntnews.co.uk The pupils wrote about their visit for the school's award winning newspaper The Ladywood Bugle.

THE BREW 'US BUGLE QUIZ - Questions about April - Q7 Name Ladywood's first post war MP who was born in April 1900?

Page 13

DEATH OF ROY EDWARDS It is with great sadness that we have to report the passing of old Ladywood legend Roy Edwards. What Roy didn't know about his 'old end' around Marroway Street / Icknield Port Road wasn't worth knowing about!

Roy was always keen to share his memories and vast knowledge to the younger generation. Over the years he was probably the one person who had contributed more articles to this magazine than anyone else. He also gave many hours of his time to us when we were filming features about the olden days with the youngsters of TNT News... especially about trams and don't forget to mention the war!

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TNT The News Team, Ladywood's video/DVD news team produces reports about Ladywood's past and about present day community events. These stories can be views at www.tntnews.co.uk • Ten years ago an unloved block of flats was blown down in (what we assume) was a controlled explosion. The new Summerfield Police Station replaced the block known as Flint Tower on Icknield Port Road near the Dudley Road junction. See the block come tumbling down.

• You can see film of the modern day community clean up on St Mark's estate that is mentioned elsewhere in this issue.

• Read all about the Coffin Works, Birmingham's newest museum and tourist attraction that is to open on Fleet Street in the Jewellery Quarter. We've been filming progress at the redevelopment of the building which, amongst other things, was where the coffin furniture, (handles and name plates etc) was manufactured for coffins for the great and good including the Princess of Wales. The museum opens in September.

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• Sgt Albert Gill from Steward Street School is featured in our new World War I section.

Find out how he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

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• Find out how William McGregor of Aston Villa fame set up the football league

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• On a modern note find out what is going to be built to replace the former library and the area around Chamberlain Square.

If you are into twitter you can find TNT at @ TNT_Ladywood. We often post photos of Ladywood for people to look at.

At the time of writing TNT has had over 147,000 new 'hits' since we put a counter on the site May. Later this year TNT News will be expanded and broadcast on Birmingham's new TV station called City8. City8 will be available, free, to everyone who can receive freeview.

It will be broadcast on Freeview Channel 8, hence the title of the station!

TNT will have a show on Saturday mornings on the station. There will be a lot of publicity about City8 in the Summer months leading up to the on air date, in October. Remember you heard it here first. Hopefully you'll be saying: 'Did you see them kids on the tele, they're from Ladywood!'

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Page 14

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THE BREW 'US BUGLE QUIZ - Questions a b o u t A p r i l - A7 Victor Yates

THE BREW 'US BUGLE LETTERS PAGE up t o cXcÀQ- \Aj\\[r\ U ^ e Pctst!

Dear Norman As a retired submariner, I was very interested in your TNT news team's pitch at the recent 'local history day' about James Spettigue and 0 13.

I've asked my submarine chums about it and they have advised me of the following website. http://home.hccnet.nI/f.rienstra/Rienstra/013%20en.html This has been compiled by a relative of a Dutch submariner who went down with the boat. It has an English translation and contains seemingly everything about the vessel including a bit about the British team that was on board and why they were there • and a few personal details which I assume, in James's case, can only have come from the Spettigue family.

I also attach a short piece on 0 13 from Vice-Admiral Sir Arthur "Baldy" Hezlet's book British and Allied Submarine Operations in WW2.

What I've not been able to find out yet is anything about James's Royal Naval career prior to these events, other than his boxing prowess.

Whereas I don't make any claim that this is new information, I hope the news team will enjoy reading these two sources if they don't already know of them.

So indeed have I because it's not a part of submarine operations that I knew anything about and my thanks to them for making me aware of it.

Do please come back to me if anyone wants to ask anything more.

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Norman writes: This followed on from the recent articles about submariner Spettigue of Monument Road. Copies of the articles are Available on request.

Dear Norman, I am enquiring about something that happened in about November 1958 to my Mom, Frances Hughes who lived at 50 Freeth Street. Mrs Hughes disturbed a burglar breaking into her home. She gave chase up Icknield Port Road and caught him. Her picture was in the Despatch newspaper, and she was also on the BBC news. Mom received a police commendation from the chief of police for her courage. Any information would be appreciated Collette Beighton (daughter) Norman writes: Does anyone remember this incident, please get in touch if you do and we'll pass the message on to Collette. In the meantime here are a couple of pictures of Freeth Street.

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THE BREW 'US BUGLE QUIZ - Questions a b o u t A p r i l - Q8 In April 1913 HRH Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll visited Birmingham and laid the f o u n d a t i o n of which building near Five Ways?

Page 1 5

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THE WAY WE WON ... IN 1954 One of the greatest days in the history of West Midlands football occurred sixty years ago this month when West Bromwich Albion beat Preston North End 3-2 at Wembley to win the FA Cup Ronnie Allen opened the scoring but Preston soon equalised through Morrison. Preston then took the lead through Charlie Wayman. Allen equalised from the penalty spot before a late goal from Frank Griffin won the cup for the Baggies.

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THE WAY WE WON .. LAST MONTH EASTER EGGYSTRA THE WAY WE WAR: Ladywood's professional boxer, 100YEARS AGO...

Craig Cunningham, a former pupil at Oratory School, won his eighth consecutive professional fight at the Tower Ballroom last month.

Apparently the hardest part of the evening was fighting off his fan club led by the man in the picture, known as Uncle Eggy, a well-known eggspert and all round good egg, but that may be a yolk, albeit an eggstremely bad one. Craig says that after the eggsperience of fighting off 'Uncle Eggy' he is ready for, or indeed eggspecting, to get a crack at a title later this year. Good luck Craig.

This newspaper cutting appeared a century ago on 16 May 1914. It appears suffragettes set fire to the cricket pavilion used by the Oratory.

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Orator}, van Jr.'.i.iy.l b j fir«. A quantity of SuBragftle literature won found.

At lliriiiii.tcli.u» )o»t«ruay l.ilif u M il. li. II. ,i •'iilu,;. n. . wat i.::,-i:.iu»: «. Unrund with incitinf othnrv to commit cruue. In «pile <•( r«ilurrtU lui i|.j...iiii~- defendant pernintiHi in ilioutiug. Tb» information churned bar with wyinx at a public meeting. " 1 .mi i:iiiy da'. i ii. i :..-.; tu <;•' my utmost tu H M lu«, the •!. • IructAnu of properly, und 1 call upon • •»•'> ue-iubcr to help me to du thu.. <*ou»a to tin' •••..I I «ill MI«'» y - u ho« to do it." Aiturdtag to ""' j,ii.«i««.-iiliUii. it wa» f a r e d til* K-umtin vuuld pot bar tbrwiU into «iccatum.

Page 16

A great advert from Docker Bros.

Paint company produced in June 1956. It features the 1956 F A Cup final when Manchester City beat Birmingham City, (we may be sticking our neck out in saying that).Sadly Blues failed to follow in the victorious footsteps of near neighbours West Bromwich Albion.

(Is that last sentence necessarytypist. Just filling space- Editor!).

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THE BREW 'US BUGLE QUIZ - Questions about April - A8 The King Edward VII Memorial Hospital better known as The Children's Hospital

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