OCTOBER 2023 ISSUE 545 £2.00 + BH B12 AND KH B14. LOCAL AND VOCAL SINCE 1973 FEATURED STORIES: Stage2 Youth Theatre: Creating Future Talent / Great Neighbourhood: A Walk in Balsall Heath / Moseley B13 Magazine at 50: Thirteen Faces / Moseley Society History Group: Moseley School History / Moseley Munch: The Family Dinner MOSELEY B13 magazine
EDITOR Mark Baxter ([email protected]) GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ellie Mellor ([email protected]) THE TEAM Ian Cook, David Isgrove, Stephanie Silk, Maria Arroja Ferreira, Tipton, Martin Jeffers, Jobe Baker-Sullivan, Izzy Knowles, Jenny Gwynne, Craig Pullen CONTRIBUTORS Edwina Rees for Moseley Society History Group, Jobe Baker-Sullivan for Ceol Agency, Roz Laws, Joe Holyoak, Katerina Chamberlain BUSINESS MANAGER Martin Jeffers SOCIAL MEDIA Vacant TREASURER Leanne Holloway ([email protected]) PROOFREADER Pam Rutter DISTRIBUTION Izzy Knowles, Martin Jeffers BOARD David Isgrove (Chair), Stephanie Silk (Editorial) COVER IMAGE: Designed by Ellie Mellor, original image by Mitch Schofield MAIL Moseley Publishing House Ltd/Moseley B13 Magazine, ℅ Moseley Exchange, 149 - 153 Alcester Road, B13 8JP ONLINE facebook.com/ MoseleyB13Magazine twitter.com/MoseleyB13Mag instagram.com/moseleyb13mag LEGAL STUFF Moseley Publishing House Ltd is a non-profit voluntary run company based in England and Wales. Company No. 07786560. No part of this magazine is to be reproduced without express permission. All material is believed to be correct at the time of going to print OUTLETS Moseley Farmers’ Market (Moseley Village Green) / A & R News (320 Yardley Wood Road) / Drinksville (23 Woodbridge Road) / Greenhill Garage (89-91 Billesley Lane) / Indigo Foods (50-52 St Mary’s Row) / Maison Mayci (148 Alcester Road) / Moseley Post Office (149 Alcester Road) / Newslink (3 Alcester Road) / One Stop (117 Alcester Road) / Oxfam Books and Music (101 Alcester Road) / Palmyra (13 St Mary’s Row) / O.A.K Superstore (Ladypool Road) / 5 a Day fruit and veg stall (Moseley Village) / Moseley Exchange (147-153 Alcester Road) / Hungry Hob, (Swanshurst Lane) / Greenhill Galleries (Billesley Lane) / The Shires (Wake Green Rd) / Kitchen Garden Cafe (York Rd) 2023 PUBLICATION DATES November issue - copy deadline 16 October - on sale 28 October December issue - copy deadline 13 November - on sale 25 November CREDITS 02 MOSELEY B13 magazine
EDITOR'S LETTER 03 HIGHLIGHT EDITORIAL Welcome to the October edition with a bumper selection of autumnal features. What’s in the magazine? Well, we tread the boards and break a leg with a look at Stage2 Youth Theatre (pages 12-14). Stage2 is a Birmingham based theatre group which has been responsible for developing talented young actors who have gone on to appear in Doctor Who, Shaun of the Dead, Eastenders and The Crown. Joe Holyoak’s takes us and three judges from the Academy of Urbanism annual awards on a walk of Balsall Heath and highlights the rich and diverse culture and history of the area (16-17). We also have our next part of Moseley B13 Magazine at 50 with a return to the earlier years of the magazine in the shape of ‘Thirteen Faces’ (22-23), a long running feature which covered an eclectic selection of Moseleyites. We also cover the varied history of Moseley School over the last 100 years, courtesy of the Moseley Society History Group (26-28). Although Halloween is happening at the end of this month (see our spooky story on pages 30-31), the Newshound is still on the lookout for any supernatural local stories for a feature. If you have any stories of B12, B13 or B14 ghosts and ghouls, please email them to me at: [email protected]. The Moseley Owl and the mating rituals of foxes just off Wake Green Road have been keeping me awake at night as it is so your tales of the unexpected will only add to my sleep deprivation. I’d also like to say a big thank you to Maria who has been involved with the magazine for some years and has been running our social media accounts, but is now sadly leaving the role. Thanks for all the hard work, Maria -you will be missed. Don’t forget to light your pumpkin! See you in November. Mark Baxter 04 / NEWSHOUND A round-up of the local news 12 / STAGE2 YOUTH THEATRE A look at the unique Birmingham youth theatre 16 / GREAT NEIGHBOURHOOD: A WALK IN BALSALL HEATH Joe Holyoak documents a walk around Balsall Heath which is nominated for an Academy of Urbnaism award 19 / MOSELEY MUNCH: THE FAMILY DINNER Two seasonal recipes from The Salty Chilli 22 / MOSELEY B13 MAGAZINE AT 50: THIRTEEN FACES A look back at the popular Thirteen Faces feature that ran in the magazine 50 years ago 26 / MOSELEY SOCIETY HISTORY GROUP An article celebrating 100 years of Moseley School 30 / HALLOWEEN SPECIAL: THE GHOST CLEANER A spooky story for Halloween
NEWSHOUND 04 Words by Ian Cook Newshound is bought to you by Tipton, the B13 Newshound. Follow Tipton on Twitter @B13newshound, and Instagram @TiptonB13 NEWSHOUND CARTERS OF MOSELEY TO LEAVE 2C ST MARY’S ROW Carters, the Michelin-starred restaurant based at 2c St Mary’s Row, is to leave its Moseley premises and permanently relocate to a new site early next year. The Moseley premises at 2c St Mary’s Row have had a “to let” board outside with the words “under offer” pasted over since August (see picture), and Holly Jackson, from Carters, sent Newshound a brief email in early September explaining more. She said: “We are currently based in Evesham at our summer popup at Westlands UK until Saturday 4th November. We will be back in Birmingham, relocating to a new site after that. Further dates/details TBC soon.” Carters, which was launched by Brad Carter and Holly Jackson in 2010 temporarily moved from Moseley in July for the Summer to a glasshouse at Westlands, its supplier of edible herbs, flowers, and plants, based near Evesham for a summer “pop-up”. This temporary arrangement is due to come to an end in November, after which Carters of Moseley will relocate to its new permanent location, which is yet to be named. At Westlands, Evesham, Carters is serving an £85 eight-course menu based around the area's "natural bounty" and an ethos of "ultra-British seasonality". An outdoor terrace has been created for the pop-up with the support of sparkling wine producer Gusbourne. Brad Carter said: "I'm buzzed to be cooking at Westlands UK, to see our idea come to fruition feels great. Westlands UK are committed to sustainability so our responsibility throughout summer is to support their ongoing mission of work - the menu sits at around 75% of produce grown in and around the dining space." Carters of Moseley has been awarded three-AA-rosettes and has held a Michelin star since 2015.
NEWSHOUND 05 MIB’S BLOOMING NEWS PLANS TO RETURN THE BOHEMIAN TO ALL-WEEK VENUE In our September 2023 edition (issue 544) on page 6 under the headline ‘Open Gardens 2023 – a blooming great success’, Newshound carried a news story which was prefaced by the statement: “Words by Ian Cook”. Newshound would like to acknowledge that the story was a mildly edited version of an article written by Kate Stocks, Chair of the Moseley in Bloom’s (MiB) Open Gardens Committee that had appeared in Moseley in Bloom’s own monthly publication ‘The Blooming News’. The Newshound story was written without Kate seeing or approving the content of the story prior to publication. Newshound offers sincere apologies to Kate and MiB for this. Words by Ian Cook Words by Ian Cook The Bohemian Bar & Kitchen, one of Moseley’s most popular weekend attractions, is looking for someone to turn it back into an all-week venue. Set in a busy prime location at the junction of Alcester Road and St Mary’s Row, The Bohemian is currently trading at weekends only, specialising in Caribbean cocktails, but brewers Greene King has plans to attract new age groups and rebuild the Bohemian’s week-day presence. Brewers Greene King says: “The bar has real potential to create a quirky street food offer to ensure the venue becomes an all-day venue which can transform throughout the week, with younger party seekers at the weekend and older age groups throughout the week looking for new experiences. “Greene King would be prepared to consider a transformational investment with the right new partner with a creative new vision for the Bohemian. Bruce Wakeling, Business Development Manager for Greene King says: “I am looking for an experienced operator that has the vision to maximise the exceptional location of the site, who we could potentially invest with to create a quirky offer that will excite the cosmopolitan customers of Moseley.” If you are interested in taking on the Bohemian then follow the link https:// tinyurl.com/mrx4r9ux
NEWSHOUND 06 A man has been convicted of stabbing to death a security guard who came to evict him from his Moseley flat due to unpaid rent. Chad Henderson attacked Nathan Burton, stabbing him four times in the chest at the address in Woodhurst Road, Moseley, on April 7, 2021. The 27-year-old victim, from Wolverhampton and father to a young daughter, was dragged back down the stairs by his colleagues but collapsed in the street. He died within hours after being taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. At Birmingham Crown Court 46-year-old Henderson was found guilty of murder following a trial. He was due to be sentenced as we went to press. Henderson, an American national, who refused to appear in court and was also unrepresented by legal counsel, rang officers to tell them what he had done after the attack saying he had acted in selfdefence. Henderson had arrived in the UK in July 2020 and lived in a number of flats before returning to a different property at Woodhurst Road. He got into thousands of pounds of rent debt but despite appeals by the landlady for him to pay the increasing amount he ignored it until she demanded he move out of the property. The landlady asked her son to hire a security firm to evict Henderson, with them attending in April 2021. When Mr Burton and his colleagues from the security firm arrived, they spotted Henderson in possession of a bottle and lighter giving the impression he was armed with a petrol bomb.Police officers were called and liaised with both parties and Mr Burton and his colleagues were told they required authority from a court to evict Henderson. They returned later that evening and went upstairs where Henderson had barricaded himself in by wedging a sofa at the top of the stairs. Henderson was waiting for Mr Burton, who was leading the group. Henderson leaned over the bannister and stabbed him four times in the chest saying: ‘Why are you here? Why are you doing that, you know you shouldn't be here’. His colleagues pulled Mr Burton down the stairs and into the street but he collapsed very quickly. Henderson called officers and told the operator ‘I defended myself’. He was arrested at the scene and interviewed multiple times, where he said he was putting in measures in place to stop a ‘home invasion’. The jury serving at Henderson’s trial found him guilty of murder and he now faces a lengthy prison sentence.Det Insp Words by Ian Cook MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER IN MOSELEY B&B EVICTION DISPUTE Images (L-R): Chad Henderson / Nathan Burton
NEWSHOUND 07 Words by Ian Cook Birmingham City Council has issued an update on the next stage in the Moseley & Kings Heath & Places for People project which could soon see revised “traffic calming” measures in School Road and St Agnes Road. A first phase of the Places for People scheme was delivered in 2020 in the form of temporary measures, which were made permanent in April 2022, with the intention that a second phase would implement a revised area-wide scheme. The “Outline Business Case” for this second phase was approved by the council’s cabinet earlier this year and is now being progressed to the delivery stage. A specialist delivery team is now overseeing the completion of scheme designs and other points required to deliver the changes which include: The addition of a modal filter at the junction of Yardley Wood Road and St Agnes Road (in place of a proposed one-way ‘gyratory’ by St Agnes church) The introduction of a diagonal modal filter (south-west to northeast) at the junction of School Road / Greenend Road / Greenhill Road, instead of the existing modal filter on School Road (and in place of the proposed modal filters on School Road and Greenhill Road) Work is underway to complete design work, obtain internal approvals, advertise Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) including statutory consultation, and award construction contracts. Further details, including envisaged timescales, will be shared as available. The cash for this scheme comes from grants and income which is ring-fenced for sustainable travel and environmental improvements. This was committed by the council’s cabinet in January and due to the nature of the funding, it cannot be used to fund any wider financial pressures across the city council, so should not be affected by the council’s current financial problems. For full details of the Places for People in Moseley & Kings Heath look at the webpage: https://tinyurl.com/bdd37dxf Ade George, said: “This was a very tragic case. Nathan was a loving father who was much loved by his family. They have all been truly devastated by their loss and our thoughts go out to them at this time. Henderson was a man obsessed with his property rights and exercising and protecting what he believed to be those rights. He had decided he wouldn’t be resolved to move from the property, even if that cost was to the life of a person, which turned out to be Mr Burton. We are pleased the jury has come to a decision of guilty and that he will be spending many years behind bars.” Thanks to West Midlands Police. NEW “TRAFFIC CALMING” SET FOR SCHOOL RD AND ST AGNES RD
NEWSHOUND 08 Two chefs who built a reputation for their Malaysian food in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter have opened their own restaurant in Moseley. Lee Sa Tan and Fui Peng Chong have opened the doors to Lisa and Pann at 126 Billesley Lane. Serving dishes from their native Panang and from across South East Asia, the former schoolmates, whose nicknames are Lisa and Pann, say they are happy to be launching their own space after a period of renting the kitchen from the Pig and Tail on Albion Street in the Jewellery Quarter. The restaurant is situated where Melt served melted cheese dishes for a year before their hopes to extend opening hours to 11pm were squashed by the council. Lisa says that while she's 'worried' that the restaurant may not be able to serve dinner past the current 8pm closing time, the pair are glad to be welcoming customers back after closing down the food business in December 2021. Lisa and Pann started in 2017 when the two chefs ran a small café in Caroline Street in the Jewellery Quarter. They served English breakfast as well as traditional dishes and they will serve breakfast from 10am until midday before switching to a lunch and dinner menu which features plates like nasi goreng and chicken katsu. Lisa says that her mother is Thai and her father Chinese, so the menu features a range of dishes that incorporate many influences from across the continent. As Lisa and Pann grew up in Penang, the menu also has dishes from the Malaysian state including char koay teow, stir-fried flat noodles with homemade sauce, egg, prawns, chives and bean sprouts. Currently, opening hours are from 10am until 8pm on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Opening hours on a Sunday are midday until 5pm and the restaurant is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. At time of going to press the restaurant does not serve alcohol, though guests are able to bring their own. Lisa and Pann can be found at 126 Billesley Lane, Moseley, B13 9RD and reservations can be made by calling 07533 886 988. Words by Ian Cook NEW RESTAURANT ‘LISA AND PANN’ OPENS IN BILLESLEY LANE
09 WE ARE LOOKING FOR A NEW VOLUNTEER EDITOR & GRAPHIC DESIGNER EDITOR ROLE Date needed: Jan 2024 This role needs an individual able to commit to the production of 11 monthly magazines a year, with the week leading up to the printing deadline (usually the Monday/Tuesday before the Saturday of the Moseley Farmers’ Market) as a time for receiving/editing articles and working alongside our designer, proofreaders and team members. A passion for local matters, alongside creativity and the ability to help curate each issue with the input of our volunteer team and the community, is desirable. The role is also a fantastic opportunity to gain experience as an Editor/in journalism or simply to help give a voice to individuals and community projects in Moseley, Balsall Heath and Kings Heath. DESIGNER ROLE Date needed: Nov 2023 This role needs a creative individual to work with the editor each month to design the latest issue and the role can be completed working remotely at home.The post is voluntary and is a great way to gain experience in design, journalism and involvement with the local community. Email [email protected] to find out more about either role.
FEATURE 10 ARTS ALL OVER THE PLACE Words and imagery by Jobe Baker-Sullivan, Ceol Creatives Whilst it is disappointing news that Moseley Village and Kings Heath railway stations cannot open until the end of 2024, there is a silver lining for the artists that created the hoardings. Their art pieces will be up for another year. “At least the hoarding will be up for a longer time!” Says Cathy Crossley, head of the AAOTP (Arts All Over The Place) charity. "The hexagonal pictures on the hoarding were created by local people at the Moseley Hive during November 2022, at sessions run by AAOTP. If you do look closely you can see many individual ideas, some about connections but all the art created was welcome." AAOTP have been working for over a decade to improve mental health through the arts, namely craft, textiles and poetry. The group has really spread its wings across the city of Birmingham. "This year we have run sessions in Handsworth, Balsall Heath and Erdington". Currently the charity is preparing for its big five day festival in Erdington. There will be a large programme of activities on October 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10, using John Carey's Dance Centre in Central Square. Activities will commence celebrating National Poetry Day on October 5, as well as arts and crafts and a family fun day. October 10 is national mental health day, where the charity has booked band ADHD, featuring Steve Isen as the frontman, another Moseleyite. AAOTP are always on the hunt for more venues, more funding, more volunteers, and more opportunities to engage people in the Midlands in the arts, especially in “reducing stigma by holding as many events as possible in venues where anyone (including the general public) can join in”. A list of their aims, such as raising awareness of the creativity of people with mental health conditions, can be found on their website: artsallovertheplace.org.uk For more details about the activities that Arts All Over the Place is running, contact Cathy at: artsallovertheplace@yahoo. co.uk
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12 FEATURE What connects a Doctor Who companion, a harassed dad at the school gates and a survivor of a zombie apocalypse? They are all screen characters brought to life by former members of an inspiring Birmingham youth theatre. When Arthur Darvill won the prestigious Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for Oklahoma earlier this year, he made a point of mentioning the people who got him started. In his speech, he said: “I went to an amazing youth theatre in Birmingham called Stage2 and I have a lot to thank them for.” Stage2, whose Sunday sessions at Queensbridge School in Moseley are just the start of the fun, is where Arthur took the lead in Little Shop of Horrors before finding fame as the Doctor’s companion Rory Williams. He’s also appeared in Broadchurch and Legends of Tomorrow. Also on the list of Stage2 alumni are Paul Ready, who plays put-upon Kevin in Motherland and a spy in the Netflix film Heart of Stone and says: “If I hadn’t gone to Stage2 I wouldn’t be an actor today.” Kate Ashfield, star of zombie film Shaun of the Dead as well as Line of Duty and Sanditon, is another former member, along with EastEnders’ Lauren Crace and Yolanda Kettle from The Crown. Stage2’s unusual principal philosophy is that no-one is turned away. There are no auditions and no waiting list, so everyone from seven to 21 can join, including those with specific needs and challenges. There are no financial barriers either, with subsidies helping out families as the need arises. Stage2 was founded by Liz Light in 1988 as her second theatre company – she started the first aged just 16 with her school friends. Five years later, she saw an article in The Stage newspaper which enraged her. She set out to prove it wrong when she read “Birmingham is not the kind of city that can sustain a major youth theatre”. Kate Ashfield and Liz’s younger brother John were among the first recruits – John Light is best known now as jewel thief Hercule Flambeau in Father Brown. Based at the MAC, Stage2 grew quickly from 30 to 120 members and at its peak there were 250. A low point was when COVID reduced the membership to just 17. The company struggled with having only online interaction for a period and almost closed. But it has battled back and is growing again, with 100 members, an enthusiastic young artistic director and a new stable home. Since COVID it has staged three five-star and award-winning productions STAGE2 YOUTH THEATRE Words by Roz Laws
13 FEATURE Images: Talent of tomorrow: Stage2 performers
FEATURE 14 at the Crescent Theatre, including Lord of the Flies and Lighting the Way, on climate change. Members are writing the next one about identity. Liz ran it in her spare time for almost three decades, as well as working as a project manager for the Prince’s Trust. Now she’s taken a step back as company administrator, with 26-year-old Rosie Nisbet, a drama school graduate and performing arts lecturer who joined Stage2 at 12, as artistic director. Members can enter LAMDA exams in everything from musical theatre and mime to Shakespeare. They go on theatre outings, foreign exchanges and residential trips – to the Edinburgh Fringe last month – and take part in summer schools. They can learn sound and lighting skills and how to build sets and make costumes. Thanks to the Young Leaders Scheme, 13 youngsters help to run Stage2 with training in first aid, safeguarding, event management and social media. Liz’s and Rosie’s passion for Stage2 is infectious. Between them they have taught more than 5,000 children and are now seeing the children of former members, but they still know every child by name and how to support them. More than a third of members face special challenges, ranging from autism and eating disorders to hearing impairment and cerebral palsy. “I completely believe that kids need this,” says Liz. “We’re truly inclusive, including financially. I’m proud to say we’ve never turned anyone down. We openly advertise our subsidies because there shouldn’t be any embarrassment around asking for them, especially now with the cost-of-living crisis. “The subsidy fund of around £13,000 a year relies on fundraising and local and regional trusts. Depending on need, that doesn’t just cover tuition fees of £175 a term but also travel, exam entries, show tickets and so on. That makes us unique in the West Midlands. And it can be kept confidential, so the kid never needs to know they’re on a subsidy.” Khalid Daley was subsidised throughout his time at Stage2 and went on to join the West End cast of Hamilton. He says: “I wouldn’t be living my dream if it wasn’t for all the support Stage2 gave me when I was younger. This life was not an option for boys like me – except for with Stage2. It’s where I made friends, gained confidence and made incredible memories.” As well as acting, members have gone on to direct and produce, work in costumes and casting and become agents. Rosie says: “Even if they don’t want to perform – and we certainly don’t push them towards drama school – they pick up so many transferable skills, from confidence to reliability and being part of a team. We ask them to turn up, try hard and be nice.” Many members stay in contact, such as Adrian Richards, 32, who returned to take summer school workshops. He joined at 15 and was a memorable Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and has appeared in everything from Doctors to National Theatre plays. He says: “Stage2 was an eye-opener and gave me opportunities that I didn’t know existed. I made some really good friends, a Stage2 family with strong bonds. “I help out as my way of giving back and saying thank you. So much is (on) phones and online, post-Covid, and the arts have really suffered. It’s vital that youth theatres like Stage2 exist.” A new term starts on September 17. For more information, go to stage2.org or ring 07951 122932.
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16 Founded in 2006, the Academy of Urbanism is a national membership body that is “supporting people and organisations to deliver and sustain great towns and cities”. I planned the three-hour visit to show them places and to introduce people, while demonstrating the initiative and enterprise that exists in Balsall Heath. We started in Ladypool Road, rather quiet at 11.00am. I told the visitors about the Balsall Heath Neighbourhood Plan, the first to be made in Birmingham. We walked to St Paul’s Community Development Trust, where its CEO Lisa Martinali showed the visitors its urban farm, and told them about its school, its nursery and other enterprises. Habib Rahman described the current proposal for a Neighbourhood Council to represent the interests of the quarter. We moved on, past the location of what we hope will be the new Balsall Heath railway station, to the Al-Abbas Foundation in Clifton Road, where we met Mujtaba Virani next to a big model of the ambitious proposed mosque, school rooms and meeting rooms shortly to be built. Round the corner in Moseley Road, we met Mr Butcher of Butcher’s Transfers, transported from 1909 to us by the Balsall Heath Local History Society. The Society has its office in Mr Butcher’s house, now part of the Old Print Works enterprise. Over lunch in The Mix café in the building, Val Hart told us of the Society’s many activities, including its years of research into the 19th century Middlemore Homes. Hannah Greenwood described how the Old Print Works is now a thriving home to many craftspeople and artists. We crossed the street to Moseley Road Baths, where Simon Stirling, a trustee of the charity now managing the building, and Rachel Gillies, its Partnerships and Participation Officer, told us of the building’s history, the diverse community activities it now houses, and the £30m development project, including Balsall Heath Library next door, which will begin later this year. It will unavoidably necessitate the temporary closure of both buildings. We walked from the baths to John Christopher’s Zero Carbon House in Tindal Street. John told the judges about his pioneering house and, with Abbas Shah, about the Balsall Heath Retrofit project which they are engaged upon. Hundreds of local residents have signed up to a government-funded initiative to make their houses better insulated and to generate cheaper energy. It was quite an exhausting three hours. The winners of the Academy’s awards, including that for Great Neighbourhood, will be announced in November. We shall be there, hoping that our walk in the rain was all worthwhile. GREAT NEIGHBOURHOOD: A WALK IN BALSALL HEATH FEATURE On a rainy day in September, I took three visitors from the Academy of Urbanism for a walk across Balsall Heath. They were judges for the Academy’s annual awards programme. Balsall Heath is one of three places across the UK to have been shortlisted for one of the awards, that for Great Neighbourhood. Words by Joe Holyoak
17 FEATURE Images (L-R): Urban Farm at Malvern Street / The farm and the proposed location of Balsall Heath railway station Images (L-R): The Old Print Works, with Mt Butcher's house to the right/ MRB photo of Moseley Road Baths and Balsall Heath Library Image: Zero Carbon House
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19 THE FAMILY DINNER Words by Jenny Gwynne, The Salty Chilli A lot of the meals were the product of something that was clipped out of a women’s magazine and were intended for the fast-paced life of the modern-day Mom. But I think about the taste and feeling of it all with pure loving nostalgia. In Victorian times, family meals were held on special occasions. After the second world war many middle and upper class families didn’t have servants anymore and therefore the women had to take over the role of cook which was tedious and encouraged more group meals. In the US this concept came via the “dining room”. Europeans had a designated eating room and table in which to enjoy a meal and so the family dinner didn’t make its way to the USA until European settlers introduced it in the 18th century. Multiple studies show that not only is a family meal a way to relieve the stresses of the day, but it encourages healthier eating habits and better communication. In my family, we definitely don’t have time to eat family meals daily, but one thing is for certain, when we do - it needs to be quick, easy, economical and healthy. A lot of people’s childhood memories surround the dining table whether it’s a special holiday, a friend’s house or a random Tuesday – so it is lovely to make even more of an imprint by making it absolutely delicious. Here are two of my favourite quick go-to family dinners for you to enjoy. When I reflect on my school days, I often think of weekday family dinners that my mom would prepare. There was a veggie pasta bake, stir fries, slow cooker chilli and chicken broccoli casserole... MOSELEY MUNCH
MOSELEY MUNCH 20 Ingredients (serves 4): 6 chicken thighs Boiled basmati rice to serve For the sauce/marinade: 130g full fat Greek yoghurt 4 garlic cloves roughly chopped The equivalent in fresh ginger peeled and roughly chopped Small handful of coriander 1 tbsp garam masala 1 tbsp mild madras curry powder Juice of 1 lime 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ½ tsp flaky sea salt For the yoghurt: 250ml full fat Greek yoghurt 1 small garlic clove grated Juice of ¼ lemon Large pinch flaky sea salt For the fresh chilli oil (optional): 2 green chillis thinly sliced Large pinch flay sea salt 1 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil Method: Take the chicken thighs out of the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking. In a small food processor or blender blitz all the marinade ingredients until a smooth sauce is formed. Place the thighs skin side up in a large baking dish and slather the sauce all over them on both sides. Give the top of the chicken a little sprinkle of flaky salt. Preheat the oven to 150c. Place the thighs in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Rotate the dish and raise the heat to 200C for 20 minutes. Finally raise the heat to the highest setting and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes until the skin turns golden crisp. Remove the thighs and mix the sauce in the pan. Plate with basmati rice, a smattering of garlic yoghurt and drizzle with the excess sauce and fresh chilli oil. CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH BASMATI RICE; GARLIC YOGHURT AND FRESH CHILLI OIL This is a delicious, economical, quick and easy midweek meal that is a family staple. I like some spice, (but I have kids with a more sensitive palette) so I create a quick fresh chilli oil to drizzle on the side. All the components come together to truly sing.
MOSELEY MUNCH 21 Ingredients (serves 4): For the meat: 500g fatty pork mince (or chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, crumbled tofu) 4 spring onions thinly sliced 4 garlic cloves grated The equivalent amount of ginger finely minced 1 tbsp light soy sauce plus ½ tbsp for later 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (only if you have it) 1 tbsp sesame oil plus more to drizzle later ½ tsp salt 1 tsp sugar Herbs such as basil, coriander or chive to serve (only if they are lying around) For the rice: 230g basmati rice 600ml water Large pinch sea salt Method: Whisk all of the ingredients together (minus the pork), then add the pork mixing well with your hands. Heat a wok on high and add the vegetable oil. Add the pork mixture and press it down flat undisturbed so it caramelises, allowing for any excess moisture to evaporate, then mix it cooking until everything is fragrant and done. Drizzle with the soy and a touch of sesame oil. Take off the heat and stir the soft herbs in. Plate with sticky rice and serve alongside sliced cucumber or steamed broccoli. Sources for this article were taken from Eater, Wikipedia & Stanford Press DUMPLING IN A BOWL – MINCE, GARLIC, GINGER, SCALLION & HERBS WITH STICKY RICE Any type of mince is a cheap quick and easy medium to work with but it’s sometimes difficult to think beyond the burger, meatball or spag bol – stir frying it in fragrant elements and topping with sauce allows you to create the most amazing rice bowl that is family friendly and takes a handful of minutes to make. Use any mince, Quorn or crumbled tofu.
22 MOSELEY B13 AT 50: THIRTEEN FACES MOSELEY B13 MAGAZINE AT 50 ‘Thirteen Faces’ was a long running birmingham 13 (as this magazine was titled in its first few decades) feature with each part looking at a different personality from the district.
23 MOSELEY B13 MAGAZINE AT 50 DEREK SALBERG The first issue (May 1973) Thirteen Faces feature came with the sub-heading ‘a monthly look at one of our neighbours’ and featured Derek Salberg, the managing director of Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre, and a resident of Chantry Road. The article included Mr Salberg’s regret at the changing face of Moseley and how he missed Pattisons (confectioners) and Shufflebothams (department store). He also mentioned the inconvenience of having roads with similar names: ‘... Hayfield, Mayfield and Highfield in the village. “We all seem to get each other’s post”’. DAVE COX Thirteen Faces for June 1980 featured the popular Dave Cox, butcher and chairman of the Moseley Festival committee at the time. The piece detailed Dave’s early life working in a butcher’s shop at 11-yearsold before he explained how he arrived in B13. “A friend of mine had a barrow selling fruit and vegetables in Moseley and he used to make eight hundred pounds in two days’ trading, so it seemed to me there was a good volume of trade to be had here. Moseley at the time was a bit run down, a lot of shops had closed and we felt there was a need for a good business drive, so we came here and are very happy we did.” The same volume of business at Dave’s butchers shop on Alcester Road led to his involvement in the Moseley Festival. “The last two or three years we have seen the street fair going on right outside our door. A lot of people came into the shop and we listened to what they had to say about it.” Dave pushed for events for the whole family and for the profits to go to Moseley charities. The article mentioned Dave’s close association with UB40 who were in the top ten of the charts at the time and were due to perform in the village on the Saturday of Moseley Festival 1980. JOHN HOWE In September of the same year, John Howe of Blenheim Stores on Billesley Lane was the Thirteen Faces star. Mr Howe was originally a resident of County Durham but had married his childhood sweetheart Muriel at St Mary’s Church in Moseley in 1942 (they had met as children in Durham but Muriel’s family then moved to Birmingham. Muriel went back to visit relatives over the years and would also see John, so hence the relationship survived and flourished). The couple settled in the North East of England but relocated to Moseley when John saw an advert in the Northern Echo to manage a small grocery shop in the very place they had married more than twenty years before. John and Muriel moved to the area on the very date of their wedding anniversary - August 8. Thirteen Faces was still going strong in the final year of the last century, with profiles on John Joubert (composer); Bruce Tanner (retired chairman of Horizon Travel); Marylane Barfield (President of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists): and Beryl Chempin (piano teacher). The feature provided a record of the eclectic lives and stories of Moseleyites and their valuable contributions to the area. Words by Mark Baxter Thirteen Faces extracts taken from the birmingham 13/Moseley B13 Magazine archive.
24 FEATURE THE INCONVENIENCE OF PUBLIC TOILETING IN MOSELEY Words by Ian Cook The story of Moseley’s public toilets is a long one, and one with an unhappy ending, as anyone “caught short” locally will know. When I first came to Moseley some 40 years ago, there were some old Victorian toilets underground on the Village Green. These were conveniences in the sense that they were conveniently located in the middle of Moseley. That’s not to say these underground toilets were convenient in any other sense of the word. The steps down to them were steep and the toilets were not cleaned often enough. They had a bad smell literally as well as metaphorically, and if I recall correctly, seemed to be more attractive to pigeons than people (see picture). Unlike Balsall Heath’s open air ‘pissoir’ in Court Road there was no case for preserving them on historical grounds, so no preservation order was issued and the “Moseley bogs” as they were colloquially known were duly filled in back in 1991. The underground loos were briefly replaced by an above ground loo at the entrance to the Alcester Road car park, but, like the underground loos, the new above ground loo was also used for sex and drugs as well as occasionally for toileting. So eventually in 2005 this above ground loo was also demolished. The city council then came to an agreement with a private contractor J C Decaux to put an accessible “superloo” in the spot now occupied by the fruit and veg retailer 5 Daily, also close to the entrance to Alcester Road’s car park. This self-cleaning toilet stayed in place for around a decade and about five years ago was removed leaving Moseley without a public convenience for the first time in probably a century or longer. So, you may ask, does all this matter? Why do we need public toilets when local bars and cafes all have them?” Images above: Old Moseley Village toilets - courtesy of Moseley Society History Group
25 In response I would say that local government has been allowed rather shamefully to withdraw from offering what has been seen as a public service for the past century, leaving the provision of loos increasingly to the private sector. The situation is made worse by the fact that councils in the UK are not legally required to provide public loos so increasingly don’t. This leaves those of us who need to use loos urgently in considerable difficulty when leaving home. According to a 2019 report by the Royal Society for Public Health, imaginatively titled Taking the P***, one in five people said a lack of facilities in their neighbourhood meant they restrict outings from their homes, something I know only too well. As someone with a medical condition that leaves me reliant on urinary catheters, I need to find clean and accessible toilets when outside the house. It was therefore with some optimism that I saw the national Liberal Democrats have taken up this issue. In a press release published in August and headlined “Looless Britain: Number of public toilets falls by 14% in 5 years” the Lib Dems said: “The number of public toilets has fallen from 531 to 459 in 45 Councils according to a FOI (Freedom of Information) request from the Lib Dems, that is a 14% drop in just 5 years. If the trend continues, the number of public loos will more than halve by 2050.” The Liberal Democrats are calling for the government to set up a public toilet fund so that councils can provide safe facilities that meet the needs of local communities. So, will this have an impact on Moseley? Could we get a new public loo? Frankly, I hope we do. It’s something I support for all the obvious reasons as will one in five of the population who need a public loo. I just wish someone somewhere in government, either locally or nationally would listen to us, or perhaps they don’t simply because many of us can’t easily get out of the house and make our voices heard. Although the Lib Dems have started this conversation, it’s something I wish those of all political persuasions would engage in. After all, however we vote we all need to use the loo. FEATURE Images (L-R): Place of Moseley superloo/ Court Road pissoir in Balsall Heath
26 MOSELEY SCHOOL CELEBRATES 100 YEARS MOSELEY SOCIETY HSTORY GROUP FEATURE The site on which Moseley School stands has an interesting history. In 1842 twenty acres of Greet Common were purchased for the erection of a purpose built non-conformist theological college on the Wake Green Road, in what was then rural Worcestershire, some miles south of the town of Birmingham. Words by Edwina Rees The building of Spring Hill College commenced on 4th April 1854 but was not completed until September 1856. The college was formally opened on 23rd June 1857. The striking Gothic revival building was designed by the architect Joseph James and is particularly noted for its gargoyles. When the older academic institutions were opened up to non-conformists, a decision was made to move the college to Oxford. The transfer was completed in 1886 with the college being renamed ‘Mansfield’. The building and grounds lay abandoned for some time until in 1891 the trustees of Spring Hill College proposed the sale of the building and grounds for £10,000. The proposed sale caused much discussion about its future use. Ideas ranged from: its use as municipal offices; an elementary school for children from Greet and Sparkhill; and a very controversial plan to use it as a cemetery. The latter idea was eventually turned down on the grounds that it would reduce the rateable value of local houses and also that it was considered unfair to tax a rural population for the benefit of an urban population outside the jurisdiction of the Sanitary Authority. The site was eventually bought by William Ross, a builder, after two previous attempts to buy it failed. He took possession of the college and grounds in late 1891, reopening the site in 1892 as the Pine Dell Hydropathic Establishment and Moseley Botanical Gardens. This entailed the construction of a swimming bath (with highly decorative ceiling) and greenhouses. It soon became an important community hub, hosting a great variety of events, such as concerts, plays, and classes for local children. The establishment closed in 1900 as the popularity of hydrotherapy waned. The buildings became the private residence of William Ross and his family.
27 MOSELEY SOCIETY HSTORY GROUP FEATURE Image: 3rd Birmingham Pals Battallion, Spring Hill College Images (L-R): Spring Hill College / Pine Dell and Moseley Botanical Gardens entrance on the corner of Wake Green Road and College Road Images (L-R): The original staff appointed in 1923 / Moseley Grammar School Rugby Team 1926-27
28 MOSELEY SOCIETY HSTORY GROUP FEATURE With the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the college buildings, virtually empty by now, were commandeered by the War Office for military barracks. It became the HQ of 3rd Birmingham Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, the 3rd Birmingham Pals. The building also briefly housed an orphanage run by The Sisters of Nazareth, and was a temporary teacher training facility for returning war veterans in 1921. In 1923, the premises were acquired by Birmingham City Council. The old college became Moseley Secondary School, for boys only, with a selective entrance examination. The study bedrooms of the former college were merged in pairs to form classrooms, and the former hydropathic swimming bath was boarded over to serve as the school assembly hall (now the main library). An extension was built to house laboratories and further classrooms. Moseley Secondary School changed its name to Moseley Grammar School in 1939. Almost immediately, school life was completely disrupted by the Second World War, when the entire school population was evacuated. Normal schooling did not return until after the war In 1955, the City Council opened a new educational establishment, Moseley Secondary Modern School, a co-educational and non-selective school that fronted College Road, on what had previously been a playing field next to the grammar school. In 1974, after two years of uncertainty, Moseley Grammar School (the West Wing) and Moseley Modern School (the East Wing) were amalgamated into a single school. In 1972 the West Wing was listed as a building of Special Architectural and Historical Interest but after years of neglect and under-funding, the roof of the old library was declared unsafe in 1986. Consequently the entire building was closed and earmarked for demolition. This caused such an outcry that an organised campaign began to have the building restored. After being closed and shored up with scaffolding for more than a decade, with financial assistance from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Regional Development Fund, the West Wing was completely refurbished in 1998, and re-opened as the new home of the school sixth form. As part of the government's 'Building Schools for the Future' (BSF) strategy, in 2009 Moseley School received approval for a massive new rebuilding programme, involving the complete demolition of the East Wing. The £18m project was completed in 2013. Moseley School and Sixth Form is today a thriving co-educational, nondenominational secondary school with around 1,360 students. Long may it continue. For more information on the history of Moseley School visit the website: Moseleians Association at https:// moseleians.co.uk/ For more information on the history of Moseley School visit the website: https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moseley_School Or to contact the Moseley Society History Group please visit the website: https:// moseley-society.org.uk/contact-us-2/
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30 THE GHOST CLEANER HALLOWEEN SPECIAL Words by Katerina Chamberlain Once upon a time there was a suburb somewhere in an industrial and a highly populated area. There was nothing unusual or unique about the area but it was different to the ones attached next to it; greener, with wide pavements and big houses. The cleaner in question lived in a very quirky house. The tiles in the bedroom floor were half finished in a process of making a mosaic, the pictures on the wall represented an art gallery. Frida Khalo had a focal point looking down at you with long black hair, big brown eyes and a constant expression of pain. There was also a teddy in the living room sitting on the armchair with a cushion on his lap matching the throws and curtains. A small dog was also there on the bed, leaving a constant reminder on every surface of being the human’s best friend. The cleaner didn’t have a tag or a name when she would go to work. Some folk wouldn’t even notice her; they would just call her the cleaner. Just the usual: bedsheets, dusters, a dining room, stairs, kitchen, bathroom and a hoover. The process was always the same: scrub, clean and eliminate any trace of dirt or disorder from surfaces, furniture and work counters. Even though the work was thorough, there would be dirt that couldn’t be removed with just dusting and polishing. People's lives and secrets were on show throughout the properties, such as pictures of dead relatives on the mantelpiece and bedside tables; the marks of the wheelchair on the disabled man’s bathroom floor; sadness and longing displayed in clues here and there. The cleaner would sense those moments, imagining what the old lady’s husband would have been like on their wedding day or what happened to the young disabled man during his accident. Those secrets couldn’t be fixed with this kind of cleaning; the cleaning of the soul was a totally different process and it wasn’t a quick fix of applying bleach and water. That cleaning is a long process, bumpy at times but very rewarding to those who were able to see it through. On the other hand there were people who would notice the cleaner and be polite and kind. They were happy houses filled with memories and moments. Violins and music stands in the attic. Study rooms and wooden floors with varnish and polish. These folk were happy to acknowledge and pay their respect, and the duster would move faster in these premises. No secrets, no vibes, just happiness overflowing the reception rooms. When the hard day's work was at an end the cleaner would go home. There she had a name and somebody to paint for her and create anything she could imagine. Sometimes she would be a mermaid or a cat, a heroine with long curly hair or a
31 mythical creature. At night she would transform into the painter's muse and would walk about the streets resembling a married figure of Frida Khalo and a Greek Statue. Those moments she would hold her magic duster that would polish the streets and make the lights flicker up in the sky. Sometimes she would go to the graveyard and visit the old woman’s husband or she would play the violin in the music room of the happy house. An earthy figure that was there and not there at the same time. It was Halloween after all. Image: drobotdean on Freepik