Re: Kunzell Cakes
Thanks a lot. You know we Brummies have lost a lot over the years but, of course, gained as well. It's great to remember the good things. Apart from being taken to Brum a lot by my Mother whilst growing up and then at age l2 going to school on Corporation Street and basically having a free run going around exploring the City Centre and Bullring on the lunch hours....I found the place fascinating. This was 1953 when I was at school in Brum and it was very different then. Corporation Street was not changed all the way from New Street to Lancaster Place. The famous shops Barrows, The Donn, C&A, etc. were all in place. The Cobden Hotel was a going concern. The Midland Education and, of course,the newer Rackham's was not built. The Exchange Building in Stephenson Place, which is now the ramp into New Street Station was still there as was The Queens Hotel and forecourt. My first job was at New Street Station starting Jan 1957.
All of the above was in place still, including the station walkway across the station leading to Market Street. I worked in the offices above Platform One where the London and Scottish trains left from and many actors and actresses who were performing in theatre
in Birmingham would arrive on this Platform. The trains themselves were amazing I remember, all gleaming and ready to go. The offices were next to the Queen's Hotel,
the lobby of which I often used to go into to watch was going on. There are so many stories from New Street Station at that time and it was quite exciting overall. I remember the Station Master, Mr. Smith wearing a top hat and tails plus a red rose in his lapel when the Queen Mother came for a visit to the station in 1958. We were allowed to go and watch as she arrived. All the white lines on the edges of the platforms were painted white and there wasn't a scrap of paper in sight.
It was a very unique time in Brum's history and I have always been glad I had the opportunity to bond with the City in those long ago days.