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Pinfold Street

horsencart

master brummie
I was today in Pinfold St (enter at you own peril) and they have dug a service trench for the future development of the tram, as I passed one of the shops a brick Wall? caught my attention, in that it had that very old look about it, they other that I did not notice till I saw of the computer screen how poorly built the thing was, it does not go the full length of the shop and it starts about a foot (I do not do metric) below the pavement, any thoughts on what it was, my own thoughts are that it may have been a service entrance to pass goods and the like through , or was it for the night soil man? here are two photos see what you think,

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dofartshavelumps/19975514271/in/dateposted/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dofartshavelumps/19349326213/in/photostream/


This is from the shop next door

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dofartshavelumps/19976235061/in/dateposted/

P S The shop next door has a brick wall but appears to be concave, my first thoughts were that it may be drainage but I suspect it aint,
 
Given the recent Metro activity around Victoria Square and the finding of an old road surface, something tells me it might be worth having a little look at Pinfold Street.

Here's an image from 1890. Its been on the Forum somewhere before. But to me it's a strange street and often overlooked. The ground level premises at the top of the street (right) look like they're sunken below the hill at that point. Maybe there was once a short flight of steps down at that point. Or perhaps the premises were built to look like that.


Surprisingly, those buildings are still there today. Viv.

IMG_0097.JPG

IMG_0111.JPG
 
I've copied Stitcher's photo (post #2) of the other side of Pinfold Street to this thread as it's a good view up towards Victoria Square. But what is the first word of the sign "...... Church Schools" ? Is it Christ ? Viv
 
All the buildings on the left side of Pinfold Street in post #2 image have gone. Even the GPO building hadn't been built at the time of the photo. Viv.
 
Pinfold Street in 1865. The lower drawings show buildings which disappeared when the railway was built. Nice to see Christ Church Schools on the third drawing. Viv.

IMG_0153.JPG



IMG_0154.JPG
 
Viv
There is a section missing from the panorama. Here is a lower resolution view of the entire panorama

Pinfold%20St%20publi%26%23115.JPG
 
With the Centenary Square dig, I did assist with the history. That was a major site for uncovering the private canal basins and the Winfield Works. Pinfold Street is only a short section of road that formed a junction with others. In fact this junction became the top of New Street (80), Ann Street, Paradise Street and Pinfold Street. On the corner where this bit of road remained was No 1 Pinfold Street, the Coach & Horses
 
Looking at this old photo of The Coach & Horses, the top of Pinfold Street looks to be in a slightly different position back then to that of today.

City Pinfold St  Coach & Horses Stores.JPG
 
Presumably, the Coach & Horses is at the top of Pinfold Street in Stitcher's photo in post #2. I've traced back newspaper references to the C& H to the 1861, but to me the pub looks older. Did it have an earlier name ? Viv.
 
So I think this 1875 image must show the Coach & Horses/The Stores near the first cart on the right. Proprietor was Mr Hillman. It has 'The Stores' and Hillman on the building. Phil's photo in post #11 shows it connected to the Coach & Horses along that top part of Pinfold Street.

It must have been a large business, occupying a large part of that corner of Pinfold Street. It seems to have been referred to as "Joe's" and was very well known. I've seen The Stores on this corner alternatively referred to in the 1860s as being on Paradise Street.

Ironic that Corbett's Temperance Hotel was such a near neighbour. Viv

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Another photo of The Stores on the corner of Pinfold Street, this one is dated 1888 which I believe could have only been shortly before it was demolished in 1889 to make way for the new Central Post office.

City Pinfold St (2).jpg
 
Another two photos of Pinfold Street, one dating from the 50's and another looking up the street from Navigation Street in what looks to be the 1960's.

City Pinfold St .jpg City Navigation St - Pinfold St.jpg
 
I think it should be made clear that the Stores of Joseph Hillman was separate from the Coach & Horses. Both are listed in the 1884 Kellys separately with different owners. The Coach & Horses had disappeared from the 1888 Kellys, though Hillman's is still listed
 
That's odd Mike. As Phil's photo in #11 (far left) has a sign reading:

Coach & Horses
Stores
Hillman

To me that suggests they were all once connected although they might have been listed as separate businesses. Hillman must have sold the 'bar' by the 1880s.



Viv.
 
Can we tell from Phil's first photo in post #16 whether the top of Pinfold Street was raised on that side ? Viv.
 
Viv

I think it has always been pretty much the same on that side of street, well at least from the time we first had cameras that could record it. I've never seen any earlier drawings of Pinfold Street.

pinfold.JPG
 
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