Number Eleven Bus journey: some answers
When I spent the day blogging from Birmingham’s Number Eleven bus route I asked some questions that I had intended to find answers for. Well, better late than never, I’ve done a bit of research and here are the results.
“Witton Road, under a railway bridge. Where am I now? I genuinely have no idea.”
Doh: Villa Park of course.
“Emerging from South Yardley. Big graveyard here, looks old. I wonder how old?”
According to Birmingham City Council, South Yardley Cemetary only dates back as far as 1883:
“In 1883 the 8 acre Yardley Cemetery was opened to relieve the churchyard of Yardley Parish Church.”
“Who was George Dixon?”
We passed an interesting complex containing three schools bearing the name of ‘George Dixon’. Originally called ‘George Dixon Schools’, they are now known as George Dixon Primary School, George Dixon Lower School, and George Dixon International School & Sixth Form Centre.
George Dixon was born in Yorkshire in 1820 and moved to Birmingham in 1838. He was elected Mayor in 1866 but resigned the following year in order to represent Birmingham in Parliament, with the goal of establishing a general education system.
George Dixon died in 1898. The schools date from 1906 and were named after him.
“‘Exelda Works’. Wonder what that was?”
Oops. I mis-spelt on the bus: it’s actually Excelda Works. It’s in Handsworth and, if my memory is correct, it looks like an old and disused factory or warehouse.
My limited research though leaves me confused. It seems that recently it has been used as a clothing warehouse (at least that’s what Google seems to think), but was originally the home of W H Collins. What they did is unclear: they seem to have registered a silvermaker’s mark in 1948, and it appears they may have been in the business of making retractable pencils. A bit more digging is needed on this one.
“Sign reads ‘Kestrel Powder Coating’. Is that a tasty, meaty topping? Or something else entirely?”
Something else entirely, of course.
Kestrel Powder Coating Ltd in Aston specialises in coating aluminium and steel. They provide ‘Quality powder coating of aluminium extrusion and pressed metal’. They also provide ‘friendly efficient service’ and ‘excellent powder availability’. Look out for their monthly special offers.
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PC George Dixon first appeared as a character in the the film the 1950 film the Blue Lamp, which was produced by Michael Balcon. Michael was a pupil at the George Dixon school in Birmingham.
Back in about 2002 I made a short film for the BC which included footage of recently found letters in the school archive with Sir Michael Balcon telling pupils that Dixon of Dock green was named after their school. He was a top Brummie – the first person to give Alfred Hitchcock a chance to direct.
Nick Booth