I just came across your wonderful site. What a marvellous resource!

I myself grew up in North Birmingham, but my father was born and raised in Stour Street, Ladywood. We're researching our family history and I've been restoring several old family snapshots, several of which people we're currently unable to identify with confidence. I thought I'd offer a couple here in case anyone recognises some faces. The family names I'm particularly researching are SHELLEY, who lived at 34 and 36 Stour Street and GRIFFIN

Photograph 1

A faint pencil note on the back of this photo from the mid 1920's says "36 Stour St". The younger child is my great Aunt May Shelley, but the older child we're not certain of. My father thinks it might be Ivy Patrick, who was very close to the family but I've not been able to trace any record of her. 

Photograph 2

For interest I've also included this shot of my grandparents Albert and Beatrice Shelley (nee Griffin) with daughter May and son Ken, taken at 34 Stour Street in the early 1930's. The 2-seater bike was built by one of my grandfather's brothers who worked at Hercules Cycles.

Photograph 3

Almost certainly Stour Street around the 1920's, but we're not sure who the subjects are. 

My immediate Shelley family moved to Kingstanding in the late 1930's, but if anyone has information on the Shelley or the Griffin families I'd be very interested in hearing from them.

The oldest snapshot we have is of my great grandmother Ann Griffin (nee Hern), my father's maternal grandmother, probably snapped some time between 1875-1880.

I'm curious where the shot might have been taken, it looks like it might possibly be a pub in the background, unfortunately there's not much to go on and the original is very faded indeed, this is an enhanced version.

In 1881 the family residence was 95 Monument Road.

Many thanks, and congratulations on a tremendous website.

All the best

John  

The White Swan

Stour Street

1-15 Stour Street

Auto Set Ltd., Stour Street, 1959