I was born and bred in ladywood in 1946 , one of 10 kids , we had free school dinners and daily mail boots ! our mother kept the house spotless , we always where fed well and had a very happy childhood , we didnt know we were poor because we were all in the same boat , perhaps we were made of sterner stuff in those days , and they were happy days
I was one of those urchins in the Ladywood slums (featured in B&W early in the video) Our street, Anderton St. Had a sign on the corner saying 1.700 children live in this St drive carefully' The houses were very cramped, the outside toilets unhygenic, wasn't unusual to find cockroaches in your pocket in the morning. But the neighbours were wonderful and the kids were well looked after When they tore the place down, that spirit died with it. I was never happier than living there
I dont like the new birmingham a lot of buildings they should have kept, they demolished they have taken away most of the character out of brum, its just not the same. Progress is ok as long as its in moderation and not an all out blitz..
My Aunt Mary used to live in a back to back in Balsall Heath ,I always remember visiting her as a kid and having to use the communal toilets with newspaper squares hung up by string on the wall , there was also a wash house where laundry was done, tough times tough people. My aunt was one of the toughest people I knew who I loved very much, my whole Brummie family were poor tough Hawkers I wish I could of met them ☺
I lived in a back to back house in a yard in ladywood in the late 1940s early 1950s. I just remember it as a wonderful time with no sense of depredation at all.
Excellent report. I arrived in Brum as a painfully shy 18-year-old student. I remember some areas such as Lozells, Nechells and Digbeth as being pretty awful, but when I returned for an FA Cup quarter-final in 1984 (Birmingham City 1, Watford 3, since you ask) the area around St Andrews was a lot, lot better. A documentary about West Bromwich Albion made in 1963 graphically displays how squalid it was for many people.
I lived in Lansdown House back in 1952/1972, and remember the park being built, we had our own play area in between the flats and the maisonettes, I also remember the back to back house's being demolished and the new house going up., I was luckily yes we had hot water, central heating, our own bathroom and toilet, but i didn't take it for granted as I had friends who lived in the back to backs
My sister and her husband and two kids lived in St Martins St Edgbaston/Ladywood and it was real back to back two up and a living room and very small kitchen down stairs. The place was damp no decent heating. Washing was done in a copper with a coal fire underneath. The toilets were across the courtyard and used by everyone, the toilets were flush but that was a bit of a luxury. There was a local shop just up the street and the local post office, which became a nightclub years later. The people who lived there were moved out when the area was demolished and found themselves living in places like Warstock, split up from all the other people in the community. Some of them were moved over to maisonettes on the other side of Broad Street opposite what was the Children's Hospital, and even these places were, and still are rough. Other families were moved to Nechells to live in places like Humber Tower, one bedroom, bathroom, living room and a really small kitchen. One memory I have is a summer in St Martins St, it was really hot and humid, and flying ants decided it would be a good time to swarm! They got everywhere, into cloths, eyes, mouths, up your nose, it was terrible, all us kids were out in the street and the courtyard stamping on them, batting them out of the air. Times have changed since then but it's one of the things you never forget.
We lived at 1 back of 54 Cato street, having previously lived in part of a house in Cardigan street, eventually we got a maisonette in Hodnet grove, in Highgate and finally my parent got a house in Gooch street.
Born in 16 Kellet rd Nechells in 1959 moved to College st Springhill a back to back , no bathroom or hot water and a toilet we shared with 2 other families. My kids laugh when I tell them the conditions we lived in , live in Windsor now don't go back very often. ...
two of my families lived in the back to back houses in Aston Cross and yes the toilets were outside pretty awful. but the quality of neighbourliness was terrific
I was raised in back to back house, along with my cousins. The toilet was shared by two families. No bathroom, metal bathtub stored in space under the stairs. Stone slab floor, first floor wooden but no plaster ceiling just painted joists and underside of floor boards. Coal fire, old sash windows. Miners strike my father and uncle would rob coal from nearby British Rail Yard sidings. This was in Yorkshire. yes I'm Pakistani born 1960's in Yorkshire, so I remember it well. Moved out of back to back in the 70's. So I can say, that was life and we made the best we could of such conditions.
I was born and bred in ladywood in 1946 , one of 10 kids , we had free school dinners and daily mail boots ! our mother kept the house spotless , we always where fed well and had a very happy childhood , we didnt know we were poor because we were all in the same boat , perhaps we were made of sterner stuff in those days , and they were happy days
I was one of those urchins in the Ladywood slums (featured in B&W early in the video) Our street, Anderton St. Had a sign on the corner saying 1.700 children live in this St drive carefully' The houses were very cramped, the outside toilets unhygenic, wasn't unusual to find cockroaches in your pocket in the morning. But the neighbours were wonderful and the kids were well looked after When they tore the place down, that spirit died with it. I was never happier than living there
I dont like the new birmingham a lot of buildings they should have kept, they demolished they have taken away most of the character out of brum, its just not the same. Progress is ok as long as its in moderation and not an all out blitz..
My Aunt Mary used to live in a back to back in Balsall Heath ,I always remember visiting her as a kid and having to use the communal toilets with newspaper squares hung up by string on the wall , there was also a wash house where laundry was done, tough times tough people. My aunt was one of the toughest people I knew who I loved very much, my whole Brummie family were poor tough Hawkers I wish I could of met them ☺
The back to back houses were a part of the history and should have been retained as much as possible.
And now in 2022 people can’t afford to heat those wonderful new houses 🤷🏻♂️
Born in Loveday Street and raised in Lower Essex Street ....... A true and proper Brummie . 💪🏴
These areas are Gangster areas now...
I lived in Balsall Heath from 1962 to 1969, then we were moved out to Chelmsley Wood. I've been told I 'm a tough person, and I think that's why.
I lived in a back to back house in a yard in ladywood in the late 1940s early 1950s. I just remember it as a wonderful time with no sense of depredation at all.
Lived in a doss house on the Alcester Road, drank in The Bull in Moseley. Born in Small Heath now live on the Coventry Road.
Excellent report. I arrived in Brum as a painfully shy 18-year-old student. I remember some areas such as Lozells, Nechells and Digbeth as being pretty awful, but when I returned for an FA Cup quarter-final in 1984 (Birmingham City 1, Watford 3, since you ask) the area around St Andrews was a lot, lot better. A documentary about West Bromwich Albion made in 1963 graphically displays how squalid it was for many people.
I lived in Lansdown House back in 1952/1972, and remember the park being built, we had our own play area in between the flats and the maisonettes, I also remember the back to back house's being demolished and the new house going up., I was luckily yes we had hot water, central heating, our own bathroom and toilet, but i didn't take it for granted as I had friends who lived in the back to backs
This is great, thank you for sharing -
My sister and her husband and two kids lived in St Martins St Edgbaston/Ladywood and it was real back to back two up and a living room and very small kitchen down stairs. The place was damp no decent heating. Washing was done in a copper with a coal fire underneath. The toilets were across the courtyard and used by everyone, the toilets were flush but that was a bit of a luxury. There was a local shop just up the street and the local post office, which became a nightclub years later. The people who lived there were moved out when the area was demolished and found themselves living in places like Warstock, split up from all the other people in the community. Some of them were moved over to maisonettes on the other side of Broad Street opposite what was the Children's Hospital, and even these places were, and still are rough. Other families were moved to Nechells to live in places like Humber Tower, one bedroom, bathroom, living room and a really small kitchen. One memory I have is a summer in St Martins St, it was really hot and humid, and flying ants decided it would be a good time to swarm! They got everywhere, into cloths, eyes, mouths, up your nose, it was terrible, all us kids were out in the street and the courtyard stamping on them, batting them out of the air. Times have changed since then but it's one of the things you never forget.
Born and bred last over years when my parents came in 1960s 👌
We lived at 1 back of 54 Cato street, having previously lived in part of a house in Cardigan street, eventually we got a maisonette in Hodnet grove, in Highgate and finally my parent got a house in Gooch street.
Born in 16 Kellet rd Nechells in 1959 moved to College st Springhill a back to back , no bathroom or hot water and a toilet we shared with 2 other families. My kids laugh when I tell them the conditions we lived in , live in Windsor now don't go back very often. ...
two of my families lived in the back to back houses in Aston Cross and yes the toilets were outside pretty awful. but the quality of neighbourliness was terrific
I was raised in back to back house, along with my cousins. The toilet was shared by two families. No bathroom, metal bathtub stored in space under the stairs. Stone slab floor, first floor wooden but no plaster ceiling just painted joists and underside of floor boards. Coal fire, old sash windows. Miners strike my father and uncle would rob coal from nearby British Rail Yard sidings. This was in Yorkshire. yes I'm Pakistani born 1960's in Yorkshire, so I remember it well. Moved out of back to back in the 70's. So I can say, that was life and we made the best we could of such conditions.