Hi Clive,
These particular properties were rented from Birmingham Corporation now Birmingham City Council.
Clearance of the back to backs had begun before the war with lots of people moving to Weoley Castle which was a large estate built I believe around 1933. There were others. Warstock, Yardley.
With the war intervening I assume that all this was shelved and I think to a point we were caught up in a time warp. 1950/51 seemed to be the next large phase of demolition. Adelaide Street contained some really nice properties other than back to backs. The back to backs were generally at the top of the street opposite to the Carpenters Arms Pub, My memories were of lots of lovely families that kept their houses like little palaces. How some of them brought up large families in these tiny back to backs I do not know. But I am talking about 1938-1951. It could well have been much worse in previous years. Generally speaking it was a nice street.
Sherlock Street was a much longer street and was virtually a main road from Pershore Road straight into the market area and City Slaughter House ending up near Bradford Street and Digbeth. Again there were lots of back to backs with "yards" behind the houses on the street.
Without looking at a census that would give me an idea where no 99 was either down by the markets or up nearer MacDonald Street/Wrentham Street. I am not sure whether your dad was making a move to better himself or vice versa. Times were very hard after 1st World War so my dad told me. Many families struggled. I would say that the back to backs were the cheaper option in Adelaide Street. I would say that other properties may have been more rents in that street. This of course is a personal opinion. But what I can say is that people did seem to move around quite a bit in my dad's day. In fact some would put their belongings on a cart and disappear with them to another house under the cover of darkness. "Moonlight Flit" it was called.
So housing must have been quite easy to come by. Your dad probably went to Rea St South School. which was off McDonald Street. Depending on what part of Sherlock Street he lived. If he spent a few years there he may have been moved out due to bombing, demolition and rehousing. I think most people were glad when they were pulled down !!!! It is a very sad area now !! with all those families gone the communities were destroyed. It is now mainly industrial.
Regards
Regards
