Holyhead Road

You are looking at my old territory now. There was also a bowling club green attached to the Alvis (long gone). Chain Gardens ran from the Holyhead Road alongside the Alvis, also passing the Working Men's Club. The Holyhead pub was a picture in its heyday, with beautiful rose gardens/beer garden at the rear and good solid wooden tables and benches. I think that was Lammas Road running behind the pub and then Batsford Road where I once lived. There was a row of shops this side of the pub where Morrisons was situated, also a hairdressers overlooking an ex-bomb site (waste ground when I was there). I believe that's Moseley Avenue the other side of the pub with Beaumont Crescent leading off.

Looking at maps, yes it was, Anne.

Yes Anne, that would be the start of the Chain Gardens, used it many times.

Yes, Dream, you are right about Moseley Avenue. The few shops included a newsagents where my grandad Kendall bought his newspaper and cigarettes!

Yes, Dreamtime, Lammas Road was just left of the corner. My mum's flat was just up there, there is also a church and a care home now. Was very young when we walked up the Chain Gardens to Spon End where grandad lived. We lived just off the top of Moseley Avenue in Poole Road.

The picture appears to be before Four Pounds Avenue was built, which I have now found was 1956.

Mick and Neil. Looking closer at the picture there seems to be no sign of Four Pounds Avenue which is straight opposite Moseley Avenue. Looking through the newspaper archives I found that although plans were being discussed in 1938 to build the road joining Holyhead Road and Allesley Old Road it was not eventually built until 1956. Four Pounds Avenue did exist but appears to be just a dirt track. So that does date the picture to pre-1956 (I was going to contradict you, Neil, when I looked at the newspapers last night and saw the plans to build it in 1938 but I got my head round it this morning!)

It might be earlier, owing to the elaborate telegraph posts. The newness of the concrete bollards around the pub is another indicator. What do you think? I think that's Moseley Ave going to the left. What about the Alvis war damage rebuilding? I can't see any. I'm fascinated. I can't see one post-war car in that picture. I wish a could get a closer look at the bicycle derailleur. That looks old. Possibly a Simplex from pre-war. It may have been a cycle touring party being photographed. Derailleur gears didn't last long, were usually only found on expensive, enthusiastic, touring bikes.

Can you deduce anything from the spires in the background? There is also a big crane in the background just to the left of the spires. Would that be rebuilding the city in the early 1950's?

Hi Anne, When was the Alvis plant moved from the city side to the north side of the railway? I know that the Alvis logo sign was on the bridge in 1952. It's not there in that picture. Another confusion is that at the start of the war, Alvis were making war stuff, so is that when the new building was built north of the railway? That would later the date.

The name Alvis is on the bridge - fairly certain it says "ALVIS CARS" - but no logo The cars suggest to me that the photo is pre-war.

It's not there yet, Philip but have noticed the Alvis sign on the bridge in a 1930's picture so possible it was moved during wartime. Also the white posts seem to have had metal railings attached at one time, removed during the war for the war effort?

Hi, I copied this advert from an old photo, which was lacking the logo. I applied the logo using art-fix. It's poignant that Anne, because I pondered why on earth such a dull advert at the time. That might have been the photo that I copied. Thank you.

Hi all, Making sure that I'm correct about where we are. Am I facing along Holyhead Rd towards our city, Four Pounds Ave to the right & Moseley Ave to the left?

You are correct Philip but Four Pounds Avenue would have been just a muddy lane then.