Memories Of Growing Up In Lea Hall

Hi all,

I thought this would a great place to find peoples stories of growing up in Lea Hall. Does anyone have information about Lea Hall, Birmingham to share? I'm really interested in the past of the area and its residents. Have any of the buildings been demolished from when you were a child? If so what what were they and did they have any sort of personal attachment to you? How have the shops changed over time? Have certain industries closed down resulting in loss of jobs? These are just some of the questions I have... any other stories you may have from your childhood, the area and its development over time will be really useful for a university project I am currently undertaking.

Thanks

Quote: kimranfarooq wrote in post #1

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Hi all,

I thought this would a great place to find peoples stories of growing up in Lea Hall. Does anyone have information about Lea Hall, Birmingham to share? I'm really interested in the past of the area and its residents. Have any of the buildings been demolished from when you were a child? If so what what were they and did they have any sort of personal attachment to you? How have the shops changed over time? Have certain industries closed down resulting in loss of jobs? These are just some of the questions I have... any other stories you may have from your childhood, the area and its development over time will be really useful for a university project I am currently undertaking.

Thanks

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Hi again, it's great to be receiving all this information into the past of Lea Hall.
I did come across an article about the closure of the Bus garage being closed whilst doing my research. It's a shame to see such an important amenity of the area being closed after being open for so many years.
I don't suppose you have any past photos of the area? I managed to find some online which I used when walking around Lea Hall. It was interesting comparing some of the streets to the images and seeing the differences.

No pictures of Lea Hall I am afraid I wouldn't have risked my camera around that area. Sorry

Don't forget the road bridge by the railway station was open for traffic until the late seventies.
The gate posts for the manor house "Lea Hall" were still visible on the village side of the tracks until very recently and possibly still are.

There was a temporary library on the land opposite the Royal British Legion Club in Kelynmead Road until about 1970.
It was removed and a row of houses were built on the land.
The Childrens Home behind these houses was built on waste land which had a concrete air raid shelter in one corner.

Quote: Voltman wrote in post #5

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Don't forget the road bridge by the railway station was open for traffic until the late seventies.
The gate posts for the manor house "Lea Hall" were still visible on the village side of the tracks until very recently and possibly still are.

There was a temporary library on the land opposite the Royal British Legion Club in Kelynmead Road until about 1970.
It was removed and a row of houses were built on the land.
The Childrens Home behind these houses was built on waste land which had a concrete air raid shelter in one corner.

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Hi all, thanks for all this insightful information into Lea Hall's past. Keep it coming! Thanks.

Quote: kimranfarooq wrote in post #7

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Hi all, thanks for all this insightful information into Lea Hall's past. Keep it coming! Thanks.

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You've been of great help Graham. It's always interesting and useful to know what people living in the surrounding areas think of Lea Hall.

Voltman, do you know much about the past industries in Lea Hall? I came across 'James Booth and Co', a company brass and copper manufacturing company established in the late 19th century in Kitt's Green. Did you ever work in any industries in the area or do you know anyone who did?
This next question is probably going to sound a bit odd but do you remember any sounds or smells from when you lived in Lea Hall such as the smell of the bakery as you went to work? I am looking into the 'soundscape' and 'smellscape' of Lea Hall.Thanks.

Kimran the business to which you refer changed to Alcan Booth, and later Alcan. This is still in operation. It was at one time the largest Aluminium smelting plant in Europe. One of it's main products was Aluminium plate used for the skin on aircraft.

I only know of Booths as an Aluminium plant, the takeover by Alcan, Aluminium of Canada, was when my dad left as he worked in the extruding division which was moving to Banbury. In the Sixties they did really fantastic children's parties at Christmas with a trip to a pantomime and then a party at Yardley Ex-Serviceman's Club, we all went home with a big bag of goodies.
The plate works stayed in Kitts Green and you knew about it when they dropped a large one as the crashing noise was heard for some distance.
a light aircraft once crashed into one of their roofs.

There wasn't any particular smells I was aware of except perhaps for the occasional smell of Jet A1, Paraffin, from the aircraft. They would also drown out all other sounds and we got used to just stopping mid conversation until the roar had passed over.

I knew the library was timber construction but I never saw it, even though I think I know what it looked like.
I may have seen a photo.

I was born in Handsworth, moved to Yardley then to Lea Hall then back to Yardley.
If I come up with anything of interest I will post it here although it will be random thoughts

It's interesting that the library was a kind of community centre. Was there ever an actual community centre built for the residents in the past?

Whilst visiting Lea Hall and speaking to the staff at 'The Pump', it was clear that Lea Hall is struggling to create a sense of community with its residents. I was just wondering if it has always been like this in Lea Hall - people not wanting to create a strong sense of community?

Are there any other industries/manufacturing companies in Lea Hall that you can think of which still remain now or have been closed?

I was also born in Handsworth and have lived here ever since.

Thanks for all the info

Kimran th Library and the community centre were in the same timber building. It was like a big shed covered in horizontal dark stained planks.

I'm trying to find demographic information on Lea Hall from the Birmingham City Council website but cannot find anything specific to Lea Hall. Is Lea Hall in Yardley or is it a separate area?