Kingstanding road today
Your memories of Kingstanding road.
Memories of Norma Bird
Funny how seeing Memories of Kingstanding title, it brought back so many thoughts of living there in childhood to my 20s. The Geman plane that dropped its bomb on a house in Hurlingham Road, hiding under stairs at school as the planes went over it, causing the building to shake with flying over it so low. The German POW’s repairing the Kingstanding Road by the Settlement and my mother making me walk past them very quickly so I would be unable to speak to them. The Barrage Balloon landing on a house in Dulwich Road and all us kids running there to see it. My dad did firewatching at his works all through the war so our mom had to make sure we were in the shelter on her own, it must have been a hell for her as she had 4 of us to cope with. My youngest brother at that time was born in 1941 so he had a Mickie Mouse gas mask, I hated my gas mask, it made me so hot and breathless, they were ghastly to wear. Who else remembers them like that? The winter of 1947 was bad in Kingstanding, you couldn’t stand up on the ice, and to add to this problem my grandma (a real Black Country woman) died on Christmas Eve and they couldn’t bury her because the ground was so frozen.
Voices of Kingstanding 
My father grew up on Kingstanding Road after the family moved from Ladywood in the 1930’s.
By: John on April 28, 2012
at 3:29 pm
I was born at 519 Kingstanding Road. Friends of mine were Margaret Breakwell, Diana Bridges. Friends of us all, 2 brothers & 1 sister, were David, Alan & Roy Bates. Next door, Nigel Rogers. Also, 2 midwives, Miss Francis & Miss Lindar. Would love to hear from any of my old friends.
By: Val Latham on March 18, 2013
at 4:48 pm
My dad, Graham Rogers, was born at 517 Kingstanding Rd. He is Nigel’s older brother and lives in Canada.
By: Jo Rogers on September 29, 2013
at 6:49 pm
Hi val I now live at 521 been here for 14 years sad to say people who used to live here passed away . Nice family at 523 the wheelers been there since they were built I know a little about area grew up here but only a young buck of 45
By: Andrew on April 18, 2014
at 8:29 am
I can recall the celebrations for Queen’s coronation, held at Grasmere Garden Centre. Close friend of Margaret Breakwell and I can remember her younger sister, Pauline. Also, the Bates family and Susan & Nine Perkins. Are you all still around? Would love to hear from you.
Val Latham (nee Surch).
By: Val Latham on February 27, 2015
at 5:30 pm
Hi Val
Did you ever know Frederick and Henry Rochelle who owned Rochelle Butchers . Frederick was married to Beulah Smith. Do you know anyone who keeps in touch with any of the Rochelle family?
By: Maxine Cook on April 18, 2017
at 12:10 pm
Dear Maxine I am Frederick and Beulah’s granddaughter.
By: Rochelle Evans on June 18, 2020
at 8:16 pm