Your grandparents.

[albion68]

My mother's parents ran a newsagents in Bloomfield Road, Prince's End. My father's father was a foreman at an engineering works in Great Bridge; they built bridges and constructed the flyover on the A45 near Digbeth - can anyone remember the name of the company?

my old man worked there during ww11,manufacturing Bailey bridges and tanks.the hours was 6till 6 days then nights,he told me if you didn’t turn up they (whoever they was ) would come round your house to fetch you if you weren’t ill,he got payed very little.in 1960. he received £200 from the government for his war efforts

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Hi Epsom

I'm fairly certain the company in question was Braithwaites (Braithwaite and Co Engineers Ltd) They were a company that traded from 1927 until its demise in 1980. They manufactured mainly steel bridges. My uncle Bob (bobs ya uncle) worked there until he was made redundant. After closure I believe the premises were used as a foreign car importer. Here is a link

http://blackcountryhistory.org/colle...rd/GB146_BS-B/

That's the one. I used to live on Upper Church Lane [well some one had to!] There probably used to be more industry on Bloomfield road between the Barge and Barrel and the Gospel Oak than there is in the whole Black Country right now. Maybe there still is!

[Leicesterbaggie]

My paternal grandfather was a Welsh rugby international in the early 1900's. He played for Swansea and Coventry. Bit of a rogue as I understand. Done for illegal payments. An interesting point; when Swansea played the All Blacks he scored the only try of the game. However, Swansea lost by 4 pts. to 3 because in those days the drop goal counted 4 pts. and the try only 3.

[boingy]

My Grandparents raised me from 3 years old due to my mother and father divorcing due to my mothers schizophrenia. I was one of the first kids to be given custody to the father then subsequently my Grandparents because I was in the way. I am having therapy now finally to deal with the effects. Although I ran a support group for some years to help others with their emotional problems due to child abuse I never sorted myself out. That time is now. All I can say is if it wasn't for my Grandparents I am sure I would be in prison now. They held me together thankfully. My Grandad lost all his friends in France during the war and often told me his stories. I have nothing but respect for them. I have lost them all now. Lots of questions but cant get answers anymore.

[albion68]

That's the one. I used to live on Upper Church Lane [well some one had to!] There probably used to be more industry on Bloomfield road between the Barge and Barrel and the Gospel Oak than there is in the whole Black Country right now. Maybe there still is!

woods ,houses,houses,houses,very little industry in Tipton now mate.angle ring probably biggest employer now,same all over woods,swan village in West Bromwich,Phoenix steel virtually gone j.b.s.lees on the brink.but we struggle on.

[phild]

woods ,houses,houses,houses,very little industry in Tipton now mate.angle ring probably biggest employer now,same all over woods,swan village in West Bromwich,Phoenix steel virtually gone j.b.s.lees on the brink.but we struggle on.

Hi 68

I used to work at JB and S Lees back in the 80s. I was designated as a works clerk but most of my time was making tea for the mill supervisors and fetching them bacon sandwiches from the works can7een. It was a rather sh1te job. I followed in the tradition of my dad, mother and uncle who all worked there.

[WBA1955]

What a great thread Mick, some wonderful stories here. I will start with my Mom's side and my great nan who lived with us until i was 15 and virtually brought me up. She was born in Yorkshire in 1890, but she was orphaned at a young age and came to live with her uncle in Coseley. The family was very strict and religious, and at 13 she ran away to Canada and lived in British Colombia. She married there and my nan and Aunt were born there, my grandad was born in Temple St Bilston, one of of a family of 12, it was one of the roughest streets in the Black Country, one of his brothers died on the first day of the Somme aged 19, and was awarded a posthumous MM. He worked most of his life in a Foundry while nan was an housewife. My Paternal grandfather was a West Brom miner who worked at Sandwell colliery and was a big Albion fan. My paternal nan worked in a brickyard. Strange that all the occupations mentioned are virtually extinct today.

[Epsombaggie]

Thanks for all the reminiscences. My great memory of my grandfather's works is being taken there in the 50s and being lifted into the cab of a steam engine (yes they had a siding). This was before I had heard of a certain football team who were to give me so many ups but mainly downs for the next 60+ years

[albion68]

Hi 68

I used to work at JB and S Lees back in the 80s. I was designated as a works clerk but most of my time was making tea for the mill supervisors and fetching them bacon sandwiches from the works can7een. It was a rather sh1te job. I followed in the tradition of my dad, mother and uncle who all worked there.

me to phill,I never worked a JBS lees ,I left school at 15 on a Friday started work the following Tuesday.the old man got me the job next to we’re he worked in Hainge road tividale.so he could keep a eye on me so I turned up each day,remember like it was yesterday.first day apprentice toolmaker collage one day a week.clocked in foreman named Harold great man,showed me all the machines and so forth to do and not what to do, then this is the kettle tea every hour for about 15 men.never new men could moan so much,to weak to strong then there’s no sugar in this ,this ****in tays cold,fetching the sandwiches fags etc from the cafe,welcome to factory life.but you learnt so much in them first few months different world from shcool,growed up quick as well

[mickd1961]

What a great thread Mick, some wonderful stories here. I will start with my Mom's side and my great nan who lived with us until i was 15 and virtually brought me up. She was born in Yorkshire in 1890, but she was orphaned at a young age and came to live with her uncle in Coseley. The family was very strict and religious, and at 13 she ran away to Canada and lived in British Colombia. She married there and my nan and Aunt were born there, my grandad was born in Temple St Bilston, one of of a family of 12, it was one of the roughest streets in the Black Country, one of his brothers died on the first day of the Somme aged 19, and was awarded a posthumous MM. He worked most of his life in a Foundry while nan was an housewife. My Paternal grandfather was a West Brom miner who worked at Sandwell colliery and was a big Albion fan. My paternal nan worked in a brickyard. Strange that all the occupations mentioned are virtually extinct today.

I knew you couldn’t be all bad Des......some Yorkshire blood in those veins then 😆😎

My dad’s mum’s family were all miners from Coxhoe,County Durham and as tough as they come.

Working miles underground from the late 20’s until mid 70’s in seams three feet wide,lying on your back chipping coal away by hand.

Emphysema was the reward for most of them and how they lived with the claustrophobia I will never know.

Nan’s brother was mayor of Durham in 1978-79 ( Joseph Edward Wright BEM J.P. ) and he was also head of the local National Union of Miners so as you can imagine my background is very working class and extremely Left Wing.....I suspect I’d be a disappointment to a few of them if they were still around 🤭😆

He was a Justice Of The Peace but got caught three times the legal limit whilst p I s s e d on whisky which somewhat ended his public service!

My mum’s dad had an interesting life which started with him falling in a river as a six year old whilst living in Matlock Bath and he was saved by a one legged man who had to whisk off his peg leg before bravely diving in.

If not for that act of supreme bravery I wouldn’t exist.

Funny how our very existence relies on such random acts back in history.

Think about it logically,if your old man had had a w a n k the day before you were conceived you’d have ended up in a tissue down a toilet at best.