Different Times

[Basil]

The walls of the Country Girl are hung with old photographs of the Selly Oak area covering most of the early 20th c.

I'd looked at this one often before and recognised the Oak Inn where I'd had pints as a stude.
I didn't remember the petrol station, but I loved the number of people who seemed to be employed to do 'standing around'

One thing I hadn't noticed before, however, was the sign that says "Anyone Served"
Wha? 
What on earth does that mean?
The picture was taken in 1957.   Could it, as I am thinking, mean, "We'll even serve Blacks, Irish and (oh, the horror) unaccompanied women"?

For our Selly Oak residents, here is the same view today.

[Butterfly]

It hasn't gained any atmosphere over the last 56 years, has it?

[Kim]

It hasn't gained any atmosphere over the last 56 years, has it?

To be fair, the streetview photo doesn't really do it justice.  That corner has some seriously atmospheric potholes to negotiate while being atmospherically pinched by merging traffic, while a pavement cyclist scatters bus stop users (who moments earlier would have been adding cigarette smoke to the atmosphere) into your path.

[Jaded]

Was it redeveloped by the Germans or the Council?

[Basil]

Was it redeveloped by the Germans or the Council?

I remember the pub still being there in the mid 70s.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Was it redeveloped by the Germans or the Council?

I remember the pub still being there in the mid 70s.

I hope you feel suitably ashamed of letting it go bust and have done your best to support local pubs ever since! 

[Basil]

I'm still amazed at the sign. (Which was the reason I posted the picture)
Was it really still valid in 1957? Good god, that's in my lifetime.
OK, I would only have been 8, but still pretty sobering.

[LEE]

The sign refers to Audaxers.

A lot of garages back then didn't like Audaxers sitting outside on their BBQ briquettes whilst drinking YAZZOO milkshakes.

[clarion]

Remember petrol rationing was in place in the first part of 1957.  The sign probably refers to that.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Maybe it meant anyone who stops here will get their windscreen wiped etc while we fill up their car for them. But I don't know. It's before my lifetime.  But I have read about a strike on buses in Bristol cos the bus co had an official policy of refusing to employ black conductors, in about 1972 - within my lifetime  - and apparently this was still legal. So, different times.

[Cudzoziemiec]

The sign refers to Audaxers.

A lot of garages back then didn't like Audaxers sitting outside on their BBQ briquettes whilst drinking YAZZOO milkshakes.

Ah - it was before H&S regs then.