OLD WEST BROMWICH PHOTOS

In 1911 my father lived as a boy, along with his parents and siblings at 185 Spon Lane. My grandfather, Ernest, was a butcher and I believe the family lived above the shop. I am interested to know is the shop still standing, what were the local schools that my father probably attended at that time. He was aged 5 in 1911. Any info or photos or a few pointers as to where I can find out more would be really appreciated.

Many thanks

John

It could have been Spon Lane School in Parliament Street half way down Spon Lane which your father may have attended

Hi John

Many moons ago, I attended evening classes  at a school in Spon Lane  but I can`t recall the exact name of the school. Of course. those were the days before Spon Lane was chopped in half   to make way for the construction of the Kelvin  Way dual- carriage -way.  

Hi,

it was opened in 1871 originally as Spon Lane Wesleyan Methodist School, later Spon Lane Board School  and eventually become Spon Land Secondary Modern which I attended in the 1960s many moons ago to me,  I have tried to find your butchers, but nothing yet, my mom was born virtually opposite the school a couple of doors from the Good shepherd Church, and there was a couple of shops in between them not sure what they would have been then?  I know one of them was a sweet shop when I was at school, and have a photo as one of he being a grocers in the early 1900s good luck in yur search.

Hi,

it was opened in 1871 originally as Spon Lane Wesleyan Methodist School, later Spon Lane Board School and eventually become Spon Land Secondary Modern which I attended in the 1960s many moons ago to me, I have tried to find your butchers, but nothing yet, my mom was born virtually opposite the school a couple of doors from the Good shepherd Church, and there was a couple of shops in between them not sure what they would have been then? I know one of them was a sweet shop when I was at school, and have a photo as one of he being a grocers in the early 1900s  Also Holy Trinity was one of the main junior schools and the Lyng school, but not too sure if the latter was around then? for around Spon Lane area.  good luck in your search.

what was your fathers surname John? i have a list of shops but still can't find that particular No!

yvonne at December 10, 2010 at 5:05 AM

Hi,

it was opened in 1871 originally as Spon Lane Wesleyan Methodist School, later Spon Lane Board School and eventually become Spon Land Secondary Modern which I attended in the 1960s many moons ago to me, I have tried to find your butchers, but nothing yet, my mom was born virtually opposite the school a couple of doors from the Good shepherd Church, and there was a couple of shops in between them not sure what they would have been then? I know one of them was a sweet shop when I was at school, and have a photo as one of he being a grocers in the early 1900s  Also Holy Trinity was one of the main junior schools and the Lyng school, but not too sure if the latter was around then? for around Spon Lane area.  good luck in your search.

Hi Yvonne

Thanks for the info. Our surname is OWEN and I believe it was my grandfather's own business so the shop was probably trading as J or E Owen, Master Butcher. Any info would be really appreciated.

If its any help the Anchor pub was number 160, opposite Sams Lane, so I'm guessing 185 would be by Francis street, there was a sweet shop/paper shop on the corner.

Mac

Hi there,

I know this is a bit late but I'm a relatively new member and have just come across these posts. I used to live in Arthur Street, up until the age of 12, which is just off Spon Lane. There was indeed a newsagents on the corner of Francis Street, right opposite the Flowerpot pub. If you were going in the direction towards Sams Lane you would go past the newsagents, then an alleyway which led to the back yards of the houses in Francis Street, then there was the butchers whose name I'm afraid I cannot recall. This butchers held particular memories for me as when I was 9 or ten years old I was knocked down by a car outside the Flowerpot colecting money for Guy Fawkes and was carried unconscious to the butchers to await an ambulance. Further up on both corners of Boulton Road there was a shop, both general stores, but I'm sure there was another butchers next to one of these shops right opposite Sams Lane although I may be wrong. The school in Spon Lane was the Secondary Modern which my elder sister attended, and I went to Holy Trinity Junior and Infants until 1965.

I remember the area very well.  I lived in Trinity Road till around 1965 and attended Holy Trinity school till 1967.  The shop on the corner of Bolton Road, the Trinity Road side was run by Howard and Betty Lowe, and Betty used to play the piano in our school assemblies.  I also attended the sunday school there and can remember every year, the sunday school anniversay walking around the streets, following the band, happy days.

yvonne at December 10, 2010 at 4:51 AM

Hi,

it was opened in 1871 originally as Spon Lane Wesleyan Methodist School, later Spon Lane Board School  and eventually become Spon Land Secondary Modern which I attended in the 1960s many moons ago to me,  I have tried to find your butchers, but nothing yet, my mom was born virtually opposite the school a couple of doors from the Good shepherd Church, and there was a couple of shops in between them not sure what they would have been then?  I know one of them was a sweet shop when I was at school, and have a photo as one of he being a grocers in the early 1900s good luck in yur search.

the shop over the road from spon lane sec school. was a friend of my mums. the lady was mollys grocers. i lived in dawes avenue i was leading choirgirl at the good shepherd church . my name was anna timmis . used to go to kendrick park to play . i left spon lane school 1967. 1968. do you know me.?  if not maybe you could help me trace them. oh by the way your grandads very proud of you and says to send you his love hes with you and knows its been tough but keep your chin up girl . he wore brylcreme spelt it wrong and hes laughing about it. got you a a child with ribbons in your hair xmas hes saying . drink more water you are feeling tired .not eating properly . more fruit and veg lol got to give you white roses for peace and pink for love ok xxxxxxxxxxxx  im 58 yrs old on 26th october .

looking for glyn morris /. john grainger./ shirley colley/lesley farmer/. alan spiers. / delores thomas/ kathy waller/ linda brookes / sandra harris/ anita saunders/ david and barbara steele . and any other friends im in the white top xxxxxxxxxxxx ps found david walker after 35 yrs i have spoken to david .

john at December 9, 2010 at 6:23 AM

In 1911 my father lived as a boy, along with his parents and siblings at 185 Spon Lane. My grandfather, Ernest, was a butcher and I believe the family lived above the shop. I am interested to know is the shop still standing, what were the local schools that my father probably attended at that time. He was aged 5 in 1911. Any info or photos or a few pointers as to where I can find out more would be really appreciated.

 

Many thanks

 

John

hi john. there was a butchers my mum used to buy her meat from half way up spon lane. . and he used to give me a noggin as he called it of black pudding. so she could buy her meat in peace lol. spon lane school. was probably the school your dad went to. what was your dads name ? mine was anna timmis . i am on face book under anna thomson . home . 01905731935. mob 07598916137. i hope this helps.  ANNA       

Bryn Mason at September 28, 2011 at 9:11 AM

Hi there,

I know this is a bit late but I'm a relatively new member and have just come across these posts. I used to live in Arthur Street, up until the age of 12, which is just off Spon Lane. There was indeed a newsagents on the corner of Francis Street, right opposite the Flowerpot pub. If you were going in the direction towards Sams Lane you would go past the newsagents, then an alleyway which led to the back yards of the houses in Francis Street, then there was the butchers whose name I'm afraid I cannot recall. This butchers held particular memories for me as when I was 9 or ten years old I was knocked down by a car outside the Flowerpot colecting money for Guy Fawkes and was carried unconscious to the butchers to await an ambulance. Further up on both corners of Boulton Road there was a shop, both general stores, but I'm sure there was another butchers next to one of these shops right opposite Sams Lane although I may be wrong. The school in Spon Lane was the Secondary Modern which my elder sister attended, and I went to Holy Trinity Junior and Infants until 1965.

Hi there,

The newsagents on the corner of Francis Street, right opposite the Flowerpot pub was run by  Mrs Smith, and my cousin Judy from elison street worked there for years.

I remember as a kid, my Dad used to do decorating on the side to earn a bit of extra cash, being asked by Mrs Smith to decorate her "back room" well the old man took the job on and when it come to stripping the old wall paper off there were 14 layers of old wallpaper....  He always used to moan about that job and how he worked his fry out to earn his money.....god bless his soul....

ps he also  went to spon lane school ( 1935-1941)  and told the tale of the headmaster who would pick boys at random, not because they had been naughty, and send them up west brom to fetch his new canes... when they got back he used to repay them by trying them out on the boy who had so kindly fetched thm....

Imagine that today !!

regards Paul Woodfield

Didn't realise that the newsagents was run by a Mrs Smith. When I was a kid a Mrs Smith owned the grocers at the top of Francis Street where it joined Arthur Street. At the back of the shop was a coalyard where we used to fetch our coal in barrows.

Been thinking about this over the weekend and realised I got it wrong. The shop at the top end of Francis Street I was on about was owned by a Mrs Lane and was just known as Lanes.

Linda at September 29, 2011 at 5:12 AM

I remember the area very well.  I lived in Trinity Road till around 1965 and attended Holy Trinity school till 1967.  The shop on the corner of Bolton Road, the Trinity Road side was run by Howard and Betty Lowe, and Betty used to play the piano in our school assemblies.  I also attended the sunday school there and can remember every year, the sunday school anniversay walking around the streets, following the band, happy days.

Hi Linda......the shop on the corner of Boulton was owned by my great grandmother Ada Priest, I think she had the shop till I was about 6yrs old, that would have been about 1960, she use to live in the house next door, it had a yellow door, can't remember the number......she and my great grandfather also used to own the cafe on the corner of Sams Lane, where the Vauxhall car showroom is now......does anyone remember this?

Susan Curtis (Dodd)