MY MEMORIES

I lived in Redcar Croft from the age of one, we moved in as soon as the estate was built around 1967.I believe that families were really well vetted unlike today where I feel its just becoming a dumping ground for bad council tenants, which is not fair on the good people who have always lived there .

As a young boy not knowing the history of the estate, I used to go past the finish post all the time to get to school and wonder what the hell it was, the council had put some seats around the post I thought it was some kind of sign telling the old folk that there was somewhere for them to sit close by, how silly but they are the kind of thoughts that we have when we are young.

As for the paddock area I thought that was some kind of race track, maybe one day I would get to see some go carts there it was always a puzzle to me.  I wonder what kids these days think of the paddock it's hardly recognizable now, I will upload a picture soon of the paddock and finish post .

Keith Sowerby

I actually lived on the Firs Estate, my family moved there in June 1965, just in time to see the last ever race, I was 7 at the time and my memories are quite vivid as we played on the racecourse very often, but we never ventured too far especially by the river, there was a rumour that there was crocodiles in there !!

Sadly, the motorway came 5 years later and things were never the same, I guess that somebody in the planning office in the Birmingham Council did very nicely, out of the deal in the 1950's. The racecourse was sold for peanuts in today's money, and the fact that the land was unsuitable for building anyway due to constant flooding.

I live in Worcester now, but my father still lives on the Bromford.

Thanks

Dennis Morgan
 

I have been looking on the internet and found your site about Bromford Bridge, I have always been interested in the history of the Bromford.  We moved there from Handsworth in late 1967 when I was twelve and lived in Arkle Croft, my mother still does, A lot of the Estate was still being built then we had no shops until the one on the corner of Reynoldstown road (Arkle Stores) opened about 1968 if you wanted bread etc you had to wait for the mobile shop to come round or you was sent down to Bromford Lane

Thanks

Hello Mike

I've just looked at your web site about the old Birmingham Racecourse and I
found it really interesting. I've been meaning to do some research myself
and couldn't believe my luck when I found this site. My big regret is that I
never got the chance to go racing there; however I do vaguely remember
seeing it from the train during a childhood visit to Birmingham. Since
moving to Minworth from Stratford eight years ago I've become more
interested in its history, and recently I managed to find an O.S. map of
Birmingham dated 1952 which shows the course. I compared this to the modern
map and visited the site to get a 'feel' for it. What I found interesting
(and I don't know whether it's deliberate or not) but between the M6
elevation and the road there is a strip of grass which would correspond to
the old back straight, and the council have put up an iron gate set in rails
and painted them white (this is obviously to allow the mowers access) but It
looks just like the racecourse running rail, and it didn't take much
imagination to envisage 'the field' galloping by. There may also be a bit of
the old perimeter wall remaining near the Bromford Bridge end (my dad told
me that it was surrounded by a wall) but I'm not sure. As I'm 48 years old I
remember it as a racecourse, and even had an old race card in my collection
as a young boy. It had been discarded by a bookie at Stratford races and I
used to collect cards from all over the country this way. Sadly I sold them
all for 2/6d in 1970! I also used to make a scrapbook from my dad's old
Sporting Chronicles, and had the course plan in one of them. You mention
that the last winner was ridden by Greville Starkey in June 1965. I've only
ever been interested in National Hunt racing, and the last winner over the
sticks was Penisola, ridden by Johnnie Haine in the Farewell Novice's Hurdle
(Div 2), held at an evening meeting on May 21st 1965, 'off' time being
9.03pm. It's a pity that the course had to go, as I'm sure it would be
really successful nowadays - with the motorway link making it easier to get
to (if it didn't cover the back straight!) and it must have been a sad day
when the gates were closed for the last time. Those were dark days for
racing with the loss of Manchester, Lincoln and Hurst Park at the same time,
and as I said I really regret never having enjoyed a days racing there.

Anyway, thanks for your brilliant website.

Regards
Morris Troughton-Hume


Hello Mike

It's Morris Troughton again. I've had time to fully study your web pages
and I was fascinated by the picture of the 'finishing post'. No post is
visible in the photo, so was the original winning post preserved, and has it
since rotted away or something? I'd love to know. Also I was pleased to
know that the parade ring had been saved. To an enthusiastic racegoer it's
unmistakable, and I must go along and take a look at it soon. A childhood
memory of mine is of my dad taking me and an uncle to see a defunct
racecourse. The stands are still etched on my memory and seemed to be
surrounded by trees. I've always thought that this was near where my uncle
lived (possibly Lewes), but now I'm begging to think that it could have been
Birmingham as trees are evident in the old photo of the stands. If I can get
hold of more pictures (from the 1960's preferably) then I would be able to
tell. Do you know if any local libraries have photos?
Talking of racecourse preservation, the grandstands, number board and
winning post (all well maintained) are still standing on the old Lincoln
Racecourse. The finishing straight has been turned into a road which I drove
along about two years ago, and apart from the running rails the whole area
was just left much as it was back in 1965. At least Bromford Bridge was
turned into something useful and didn't suffer the same fate as Lincoln -
What a waste!
 

Hi Mike

I was wondering if you would be able to help me. My name is Amanda and I am the Newsletter Editor for the Cheltenham and Three Counties Race club and I am writing an article on someone who used to go and watch the races at Bromford, is there any way that you could let me have a copy of the racecourse plan or copies of the photos you have on your website. If you are able to help me I would be very grateful and would of course forward to you a copy of the finished article which I hope will be of interest to people.

Many thanks for your help.

Amanda
My name is Jim Charman and I can recall the Birmingham Races from the aspect of the British Red Cross, who looked after the first aid facilities. I was the ambulance driver who followed the horses around the track. Quite a number of jockeys who came off their horse were driven back by me to the enclosure, Gordon Richards for one. What always amazed and amused me was the number of Catholic Priests was in the queue for the Tote! As a part time ambulance driver I only attended Monday meetings as this was my half day, but it was always great fun.


Hello Mike,
Could you help us out, some people in the office seem to think there was a
pub called The Racecourse on Bromford Bridge on know this sounds logical
but I was born in Shard End some time ago and had friends who moved to
Bromford when first built but I cant recall it can you help.
Thanks
Dennis Green

Hi Mike

As a kid I spent my time growing up on the Bromford and my memories I cherish. After visiting your site the photos of the paddock made me remember the good times I spent playing there all those years ago.

I remember when the single stumps you show on your photos had two large white rails linking all of them together.

In 1975 at the age of 13 we would camp out in the middle turfed area without any problems and we were safe (don’t think it would be a good idea now).

The pavement at one point would slope away from the paddock as kids in the winter we would throw buckets of water down this slope it used to freeze and we would skid and slide to our hearts content.

The far end of your photo's show the 3 long steps or was it 4 cannot remember now but in the summer these steps became our tennis court and hours of fun was had.

Well Mike there is one more memory I have of the paddock which I’ve saved till last it was on the paddock where I met my wife bonfire night 1975 we dated and married had children and moved away. We still have relatives who live over looking the paddock and visit frequently. Everytime we return I always give the paddock a glance and remember those fun days.

 

John heath


Hiya Mike, could you do us a favour and advertise our event for us, if you want anything put on the event for you, just ask.

Best wishes

Eric


BLOOMSBURY LIBRARY OPEN DAY

Have you ever wanted to know what is being done in your area concerning Local History and the Archiving of Photographs and memories of where you and your Ancestors used to live; well, now you can find out for yourself.

On Saturday 2nd of April between 10am and 4pm, the societies are having an open day at Bloomsbury Library, Nechells Parkway, Birmingham. We are having the open day for two reasons: -

To give Local History groups/ Web groups/Authors of local interests/music etc, a chance to show people what they are doing and how to access the information that these Groups store in Archives, Web site’s and Books.

The Heartlands LHS will have their Archive photographs available.
The Reunion group with information on how to join their Register so that you can contact old friends/schools/Comrades etc.
The St Josephs School reunion group.
The Birmingham air raids association (BARRA).
The Shard End local history group.
Rod Birch with the Aston History Web site.
John Houghton with the Handsworth History Web site.
Brian Harding with his Summer Lane History Web site.
Smudge Smith with his “Hockley Brook” Books and Paintings.
George Fenton with his Birmingham memorabilia stall.
Fred Woodley with his Dulcimer music.
Mac Joseph with his Ladywood Books & his History Web site.
Ted Rudge with his book "Brumroaming" and his Winson Green & Brookfields History Web site.
The Web masters of the Birmingham Web ring will be on hand with the Library Computer to show people the sites on line and how to use them.
Tel: 0121 628 0350 for more details


Dear Mike - Happy memories! Found your web site by accident and as I was born in 1937 in Bromford Road, opposite the racecourse I remember it so well - the racecourse itself was taken over by the military in the 2nd World War and with barrage balloons hoisted over the course because it was so close to the Spitfire factory and Dunlops. I remember race meetings after the war and can remember seeing Lester Piggott in the early 1950's when he was a very young man, possibly only 16 or so. The family who lived at the racecourse and maintained it were called Stonebridge and I remember their son Trafford Stonebridge.

If you are interested I have many more memories of Bromford Racecourse and the immediate area. I lived in Bromford Road until 1961 and then moved to Bacon's End.
Regards, Jill Hilditch

Hi Mike,
I lived on Bromford Road and the corner of Ventnor Ave. when I was a
little nipper. I remember how bad the traffic was when the races were
running. Dad would sit on the front lawn in a deck chair and say, "Look
at all those barmy buggers!"

Thanks for the memory!
Pam B.
California

Hi Mike,
Back in the heady days of the late 50's early 60's I was a very new Birmingham City copper. One day I was asked if I wanted to do overtime at the Bromford races. I had a young family and said yes, of course. I had never placed a bet in my life, so when I went to the course and saw all the tipsters and touts I spent more time watching them than directing traffic. My memory is of an old and well known tipster known as 'the Shilling Shocker.' I had never seen him before this day, in 1960 or 61. He had an old overcoat which he threw on the floor, and into it he put folded pieces of paper which he sold for a shilling each. I couldn't at the time understand why people would buy these 'tips'.
When the racing had finished, and the 'shocker' was collecting his rewards from punters who had bought winning tips from him, he came over and put a piece of folded paper into my top uniform pocket, and said' here are son, I know you haven't got a lot of money, but put whatever you can on this one, its good.' I mumbled something about 'I don’t bet', but he had walked on, and I went home. On the paper he had written the name of a horse running at Cheltenham the following day - 'Dinner Jacket.'
I told my wife the story, and about my first ever day at a horse racing track.
The next day I checked the paper, and found that Dinner Jacket had romped home at a very good price. It didn’t change my mind about gambling, but I did look on the tipsters with a different view. I often saw the shilling shocker around town, and even saw him at the dog track later on; he always wore an old overcoat, and looked very down and out. On one occasion I gave him ten bob for a meal, and I have never forgotten him, although he must have dead for more than 25 years.

Regards
Keith Moore