Compiled by Stephen Birch JONES GARAGE, HIGH STREET, ERDINGTON The firm of Messrs. Jones Brothers. (G. G. & H. G Jones) Motor Engineers, Six Ways, was first established over the other side of the road at 279, High Street, near Six Ways, as a cycle makers and engineers, in the days before the motor car found favour with the residents of Erdington. 279 High Street was a large shop which had a repair workshop where they built cycles and did repairs. As the business grew they acquired a small garage which could be accessed next door to the shop. In 1911 they acquired the land across the road in between the old forge and the Baptist Church. 1. ERDINGTON, SIX WAYS. 1898 Looking towards the Baptist Church on right hand corner of High Street. Viewed from Gravelly Hill North. Next door to the Baptist Church is an open space which led to fields where Spring Road was later built. Next is the original Forge and Blacksmith cottage of the village. 2. THE OLD FORGE & BLACKSMITH COTTAGE HIGH ST. 1895 Looking across High Street from Six Ways. An earlier view of the Forge and Cottage with its identical chimney pots at either end. To the right is the coal stores for the removal firm of Thomas Elliott, the removal business was situated across the road alittle further along the High Street. The Gate leads to the fields later to become Spring Road and Wood End. 3 .HIGH STREET 1906. Looking towards Six Ways. Gravelly Hill North in the background and Six Ways Baptist Church just in view back left. Also the original Village Library before the Carneige Library on the Village Green opened in 1907. The forge building can just be made out behind the post with the two street lanterns. 4. HIGH STREET 1910 Opposite view from the previous photograph. Looking from Six Ways. The Baptist Church can be seen on the right on the corner of Wood End Road. The site acquired by Jones Brothers just past the church. Across the road on the left 4 shops along is number 279 and next door a sign for the Garage. 5. HIGH STREET 1907 Looking North From Six Ways. A closer view of Jones Cycle Shop and Garage on the left. On the third shop frontal Jones Bros with the Garage sign next door above the entrance to the rear workshop. 6. HIGH STREET FROM SIX WAYS.1912 Looking from Six Ways during the great snow of winter 1912. This photograph shows both sides of the High Street and Jones Brothers old and new... You can just make out the sign of the Garage through the winter mist. On the right just next to the old forge is the sign for the new premises for Jones Garage Works (This image already in our archives and the history of the bad winter of 1912) In 1912 Jones Brothers built their new handsome premises adjoining the Six ways Baptist Church upon the land occupied by the old forge which, along with its cottage had become a landmark in Erdington. The shop at 279 across the road remained as their retail store, stocked with every requirement for the motorists. The new premises contained a fine show room, where a range of the various motor cars of the day were exhibited. A large garage capable of holding 150 cars, together with workshops equipped with every appliance for the repair of cars, vulcanizing, painting, and coach building. A newspaper aricle in the 1920s about the Jones brothers mentioned; Being practical men it is not surprising that they have a very large clientele. The premises are without doubt a credit to the district, and one of the best equipped garages around Birmingham. 7. JONES BROTHERS HIGH STREET 1919 The new handsome premises built between the Baptist Church on the right and the old forge cottage seen on the left in the background. An impressive arrangement of motor cars of the day can be seen through the large glass windows. The entrance to the Garage on the left of the building. 8. SIX WAYS, ERDINGTON. MAY 1939 Viewed from outside the old Queens Head public house, across the tram stop in the island and up the High Street. The Cross on top of the Baptist Church just above the tram on the right and Jones Garage next door. The chimneys of the blacksmith cottage just in view above the garage. The old forge shop now gone. 9. HIGH STREET, ERDINGTON. 1952 A coloured postcard looking up the High Street in 1952. The cottage, out of view behind Jones Garage with the wall and gate which were built after the old forge was pulled down in 1915. The Windows of the Garage are covered from the inside as the Jones Brothers have sold the premises which will become known as ABBEY GARAGE. 10. ABBEY GARAGE, ERDINGTON 1954 After over half a century which had seen many changes on the High Street, the Jones Brothers sold the business to another garage which had opened past the High Street on Sutton Road called Abbey Garage. Just like the Jones Brothers in the early days they kept their smaller premises for retail and these larger premises as a showroom and workshop. 11. SIX WAYS, ERDINGTON. 1955 Looking across Six Ways island toward the High Street from Gravelly Hill North in 1955. Six Ways Baptist Church on the right, Abbey Garage, and the old blacksmith cottage with its chimneys above the roof line of the garage. The steeple further up the High Street is The Methodist Church which stood on the corner of Newman Road & High Street. ( The story of the church with more images can be found in our archive). 12. HIGH STREET, ERDINGTON. 1954 A close up view of the Garage from Six Ways a year earlier in 1954. This view will be changed forever when The Baptist Church, The Garage building, The Blacksmith Cottage and the row of shops beyond including the Methodist Church are all demolished in 1960/61 to make way for the councils modernisation of the High Street. This included the opposite side of the High Street but not as far along as the right side. This decision changed the view of Six Ways and the High Street forever, also sweeping away part of 200 years from the history of Erdington. 13 & 14. SIX WAYS & HIGH STREET. ERDINGTON 2007 Viewed from the traffic Island in 2007. The site of the original Baptist Church on the right and the Garage. Today there is no mention of the Blacksmiths cottage which stood just past the traffic lights on the right. Also the Jones Bros Garage or their original shop on the left hand side of the street.
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 17:30:00 +0000
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