OLD WEST BROMWICH PHOTOS

MY DAD

Born in Glasgow on the 17th April 1930 and lived there until 1939 when he then went to live in Keady, Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh, working on the family farm with his brothers & sisters.

In 1952 he came to West Bromwich, living in various "digs" before settling in Union Street with his younger brother, Leo.

Dad was well known in the Irish community, visiting various haunts like the Anchor, The Sandwell and The Star & Garter where he was great friends with landlord Tom Breen and barman Frank, he was also great friends with 'wacker' from the Anchor and Walter from the Marksman, pubs he regulary visited with his future brother in law John Sheahan from Dudley Street.

Dad met Mom in The Sandwell and married at St Michaels in 1956 and moved their house in Vicarage Rd in 1958 and his local was now the Rampa.

They went on to have our sister in 1960 and me in 1962 and after a few jobs he settled with working at J.B.S Lees on the Oldbury road where he worked the rest of his working life before retiring in 1995.

Dad was a big man, honest and proud, worked hard and played hard, never having a day off work and I can still remember, as a kid, Dad coming home from work stinking of the factory and that very same smell was on the overcoat he used to put on our bed to keep us warm in the winter, no central heaing, just the coal fire and frost on the inside of the windows !

Dad enjoyed his retirement with Mom but it wasn't to last, Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in1997, overnight (and it was literaly overnight) she went from a loving Mom to a tormented woman who thought I was her brother and didn't know who Dad was....it was the only time ever I saw Dad cry, we lost Mom in December 1997.

Dad continued to plod on, enjoying his garden, going up the town, day in day out, going to St Michaels every Saturday night to chat to his old pals outside before mass, putting the World to right !

In January. at 2.15 in the morning, Dad woke up to find one of West Broms finest in his bedroom looking for stuff to take, Dad chased him down the stairs and the burgular fled out, taking 2 bananas, half a jar of coffee, and a watch, and it was the watch which done it, our late Mom gave it to him on their wedding day in 1956.

He didn't tell us until 2 days after, he was too proud to tell us that he failed to stop this scum taking the watch and I remember the Policeman taking me to one side and telling me to keep an eye on Dad because when the elderly go through something like this they tend to go downhill....No, he must be wrong, not my Dad, he was too big & strong, but how wrong was I

2 weeks later Dad went into hospital with heart failure and then it really was a slippery slope, our sister helped as much as she could (Or how much Dad would allow her !) and I had to cut his grass for him, I knew then that Dad was failing.

Thursday 30th June 2011, a normal Day, kids go to school after shouting at our Daughter to hurry up as usual, we went shopping and all was fine until 4.15pm when my sister phoned me up screaming down the phone telling me Dad had gone, she went to visit him and he was in his chair, the rest is history.

When his pockets were emptied we found reciepts for what he done that day, 10.30 he picked up his pension at Carters Green...10.45 put on a bet at Betfreds and 11.05 he went to Tescos to buy a bag of sugar, tea bags and 3 little triffles....he made it home, turned off his alarm, took his coat off, put his shopping on his chair, sat next to it and fell asleep, a fantastic way to go but what a shock for us.

As it happened, his bet came in so he went out on a winning bet !....I haven't cashed it in, I have kept it because it's his writing, something he wrote about an hour before he died....he even done the crossword in the sun before he went shopping !

It's testimony as to what a man he was, last Thursday he had a fantastic turnout for his funeral, and a great send off in the Jinglers after, but it was strange seeing all of Dads family & friends there but without dad physicaly being there.

Dads memory & mind was as sharp as a die, and I could fall back on his memories of West Brom in the 50s and 60s and he knew EVERY answer, but now he has gone and taken those fantastic memories with him and as I said, Dad was a proud man but not half as proud as I am to say he was my Dad

Sorry to hear the bad news mate

All those names and venues as well when it was safe to venture up the town, Tommy Breen and Frank at The Star and Wally at the Marksman ( I saw Wally not long ago in the Millfields )

You know I was trying to get in touch wilth Wally to tell him about Dad, I just couldn't find out where he was, if you see him mention it to him about Dad.

Wally served me my very first pint in the Marksman and Dad bought it, I worked a few doors up at Marsh & Baxters and life in West Brom was a lot different to what it is now Chris !

Wally lives on the Sandfield Estate I think back of the Stone Cross pub, I doubt i`ll see him for ages but I put money on it he drinks in the Cross. He was at the Mill because an Irish mate of his was keeping it at the time but he`s gone now.

I`ll tell him if I see him Paul.

My belated condolences Paul.  Just seen your post.  I know J.B & S. Lees well, where your Father worked, as my mother worked there for 25 years as secretary to both the MD and Finance Director.

verry sorry about your loss paul,never knew your dad but must have met him at some time,i used all the places that he did,except the marksman,got no idea where that is,i left bromwich in '72.,i also lost my mom to dementia,but it happens. keep your chin up mate,at least you knew them both..bill phillips

'72

Oh dear, so sorry Paul, what a sad story.

The Marksman Bill is on Carters Green opposite Gunns Lane, I am sure it was called something else years ago, cross guns/keys (?) or something like that and I am sure they executed a soldier (deserter) on that spot during the civil war, someone will know !

sorry paul, just dropped on this story, so sorry mate, puts things into perspective when you read something like that

the coat smelling of the factory on your bed and the frost on the inside of the windows brings it back, talk about the good old days, the young uns aye lived, cling onto those memories

A little of topic but did John Sheahan by any chance have a son (also John) born about 1959? I went to school with a John Sheahan who used to live near St Andrews.

Paul

Paul at October 11, 2011 at 4:33 PM

A little of topic but did John Sheahan by any chance have a son (also John) born about 1959? I went to school with a John Sheahan who used to live near St Andrews.

Paul

Yes Paul !,

John Sheahan (Junior) is my Cousin, they lived in Dudly Street

Paul

Nice story, reminds me of my Dad.