Tributes paid to proud Brummie Brian Harding

Apr 16 2009 by Christina Savvas, Birmingham Mail

Son Keith, 44, said: “We are absolutely devastated. He has left a hole in our lives which can never be filled.

“Dad was so passionate about Summer Lane.

“I have great childhood memories of when he used to take us there and show us where he lived and went to school.

“He was very popular and well-liked. The shop he set up didn’t really sell anything but people would pop by and look at old pictures and reminisce about the past, it was like a drop-in centre.

“He did it all himself, out of his own pocket. He only used to open three days but he really looked forward to it.”

After leaving Summer Lane School Brian worked as a telegraph boy before moving on to the post office.

He was then employed with other companies, including Fort Dunlop, before finishing his working life as a service engineer.

Historian and Birmingham Mail columnist Dr Carl Chinn, led tributes.

He said: “Brian was an outstanding poet. He brought to life all characters particularly those of his beloved Summer Lane – a working class heartland of Birmingham.

“His legacy will be his poetry and his work in bringing together pictures and memorabilia and it will be ongoing.”

Dozens of tributes have been posted on the Birmingham History Forum. One said: “Brian one was one of a kind.”

Brian will make a final visit to Summer Lane during his funeral procession on Friday.

This will be followed by a service at the Church of St Faith and St Lawrence, Harborne, and burial at Quinton Cemetery.