Back to Back house Birmingham - Chris Upton (Flog It)

This is similar to where I lived until Nov 1965, we were lucky it seemed as our yard was very long and not as closed in, plenty of room for a bonfire on Nov 5th. Also for playing footbal. There was a big wall at the end of the yard where we played British Bulldog 123, Simon Says and May I?

On one side of the yard was a wall over which was another yard. This court had been vacated for a while and we would jump on the metal dustbins and climb over and explore the empty homes. The doors all had warning signs telling of danger, which as kids we did understand but the attraction of exploring was too strong to resist. I can still recall the smell of the plaster on the walls, and recall the wallpaper being partly removed and strips of it hanging off in each dusky room. The wooden floorboards were mostly missing on the bedroom areas too.

Often we would be sitting around in the rooms and somebody would tell an imaginary story about the people who used to live there, which would always end up as a ghost story about a haunted house, at which point a noise would be heard and we would run for our lives and scramble back over the brick wall as fast as we could.

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[MrDaiseymay]

Great to see this, but just like when i first saw it mentioned on the BBC news in 2000, It was by accident that I found it. Back then,as a exiled Brummy, I wanted to visit, but neither the cities tourist board or the council new anything about it. Only when I joined the National Trust did I find out all about it in their book. I finally visited in 2008. The tour is guided only. as there is limited room, and very narrow spiralling staircases.The standard is excellent and well worth visiting.

[kevkonk]

@MrDaiseymay

Thank you for watching, I wondered if as I mentioned above you have been to the birminghamhistoryforum site, it has lots of photo's and information. Also the late Keith Berry site at pbase has some great pictures of early Brum, worth watching if you have not seen them.

[27john1]

Lived in these type of houses till 1962, tin baths hanging on walls,brew houses for the washing and was told to play down "our own end" if we made a noise........memories

[kevkonk]

@27john1

Thank you for your comments.

Have you also tried BirminghamHistoryForum?, great memories there...

[27john1]

We used to live in Hockley up until 1962 then we were rehoused, always remember the tin bath hanging outside in the entry,sharing the toilets with another family and the gas lights in the house also front door was always open to neighbours. Thanks for video took me way back.

[kevkonk]

@27john1

Sounds much the same as we had...

We were burgled once by some people who got in through the cellar and they locked us upstairs while we slept....

[Wendy370]

Ha Ha Kev I didn't realise you had uploaded the clip. It's great.x