This Web site is in memory of my late father
Stan Francis:
Born:10th September 1906 and SADLY died 14th May 1981:
Son of Laura Humpage(MAIDEN NAME)(died 1945) and John Francis, Gordon who was Stan's younger brother was brought home from the war to attend his mothers funeral-
John Francis, his father was the owner of a Silversmith factory/business in Hockley Birmingham where he made all manner of silver cake trays, trivets etc, this is where he met his second wife Edith an employee of John's, where they set up home in Alum Rock Road, Alum Rock, Birmingham where they owned a number of houses.-When living in Bearwood John was also a BOOKIE, known these days as a turf accountant. He used to stand on the island outside the KingsHead Hagley Road, whereby people would bring him their bets written on a scrap of paper, later he joined with Freddie Harris of Bearwood whereby they bought a shop and made it into a proper turf accountancy business. The shop was next door to the Corks Social Club on the Bearwood Road, Smethwick. John and his son Stan(my Dad) worked on the race courses using tic tac language whereby they took on bets from the public around the course...tic tac was a secret code using hands, parts of the hands with gestures like deaf sign language, between bookies and runners in the horse racing fraternity.
The favourite pub of the Francis's was the Talbot on the Hagley Road, just round the corner from Poplar Road where they lived originally with John's first wife which is now a shop, part of this house was sold off when he lived there to gain access to the Hagley Road to the famous Charles Cope motorcyclist, Isle of MANN TT champion who had a very large showroom and repair facility that looked out acrooss the road to The Kings Haed public house, in fact in the 1960's I worked for him as an improver mechanic when I was 18 years old. The 3 bothers were together a lot, they liked a pint and were always laughing and telling jokes. I remember the story of my Uncle Gordon saying which way now lads for the next pub as he drove from the Talbot in his his old Morris car up the Hagley Road, they said straight over the island Gord for the Dog Inn and then onto the Cock and Magpies, so Gord just slightly the worse for drink, drove straight 'over' the island....Hagley Road later became a dual carriageway.
Stan's brothers had children of their own Gord's wife was called Madge and they had two sons, Robert and Roger, Uncle Norman had a daughter Jean who was my Mom and Dad's bridesmaid and John the son who became an electrician soon after losing his eyesight.
My Dad and the family his wife Rose, children Alan, June and young Stanley(me the author) lived in Warley, in Harvest Road, just down from Warley Woods. All children attended Abbey Road School. Mom after having the kids(us) went back to part time work in shops serving at places like Woolworth's on the Bearwood Road, Lewis's in B'ham town centre and the Cadbury's works at Bournville. Dad worked at the Birmid as a foreman and was responsible for the casting of the engine block that powered the Land Speed Record holder the Thunderbolt in 1933 driven by Captain Eieston. In the 1930's in the depression, Dad lost his job(recession) and then worked for Alpro, in Spon Lane, West Bromwich for the rest of his working life, his brother also worked there, Gordon Francis after the war, Dad got him a job at Alpro and later who took over Dad's job of works manager when he retired, Whilst Dad was at Alpro in the 1930's, the Birmid asked for him to go back, but Dad being a very proud man indeed, said no to the offer, they aren't picking my brains to start over he said. His other brother Norman Francis also worked at the Birmid.
Dad liked sport, he also held down the groundsman job at the Birmid, whilst there he tried out the very first steel strung tennis racket(that never took off). He was an avid supporter of Aston Villa with a season ticket and took part actively in crown green bowling.
He played for the Kings Head, The Dog and The Cock and Magpies on the Hagley Road and was the first team captain at each one of these pubs and was well respected.
He also played for the Worcestershire County Bowling Association.
Dad played about twice in the week and always on a Saturday and took him on away games as far as Sutton Coldfield.
Other local pubs with bowling greens were The George at Warley, this is where the Cock and Magpies team ended up when the green was taken up for a car park at the Cock. The Pheasant Inn at Warley was another tricky green just as the Cock and Magpies was. Next was the Wernley on the Wolverhampton Road, another was The Holly Bush, Hagley Road, now called Jeffersons.
Never forgetting Lightwoods Park bowling team which had players equivelant to The Cock and Magpies, these two GIANTS were in fact the elete teams of an era. Trying to recall some names like Sam Heaselgrave an estate agent and great friend of my dad's, he died very early in life in his 40's, he'd played for the Albion Fottball Club in West Bromwich, his wife's name was Margarete who remarried to a man by the name of Ken, they lived in Knightlow Road, Harborne. Lightwoods is now disbanded and children now play football on both bowling greens, Lightwoods House has scaffolding around it, that was April 2011, this house was given to Birmingham Council by a Mr Chance many years ago, Many may remember Shakespear's Garden, well that's also gone. And the tennis courts/..Well that went 40 years ago in the 1970's era.
The taxi driver that got the bowlers around was also a bowler, his name was Nick Saranzcuk who died 1990 from bad circulation of the legs, he had both taken off and later died, nice guy and a very good player, sadly now gone, he lived by The Wernley Inn, in Castle Road West, his wife's name was Anne.
Many bowlers ended up at the Son's of Rest in Warley Park, in fact Dad won a cup just 4 months before he died at the age of 75 years from cancer.
God Bless you Dad hope you win the FINAL game?..we'll be there in the crowd one day cheering you on-But we are hanging onto Rose a little longer as she attained 101 years on 26th June 2010...Unfortunately Mom died 23rd September 2010, she had been living in a Care home in Clent and had fallen due to a zimmer frame not being available for her to walk with, she was taken to The Alexander Hospital in Redditch where she died 3 days later of a stomach haemorage..rest in peace Mom you were sure a very Unique person, loving wife to my Dad and loving mother to your children and grandchildren..you are MISSED!!!!
Florence Rose Francis
27th June 1909-23rd September 2010
Author:Stan Francis (Junior)
