• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

OLD BIRMINGHAM PHOTOS FROM STEVEBHx

Finally for tonight - I will let you take it over the 100 pages ! I feel I recognise the view but cannot recall where - Geber and Dunn does that help ? Nice selection of enamel signs on the right, and some cast railings too. Only a few vehicles but the silvery blue on on the right looks interesting. Gas light , three storey properties and an interesting building on the extreme right with arched doorway and window and a bit of green railing.

View attachment 157933
Looks like Ryland Street, Ladywood to me. St Barnabas Junior School on the extreme right (my school 65 yrs ago)
 
Hi Lyn and members
many thanks for the welcome and comments, I wanted to post a few pictures and then see the reaction - more than worth it.
I am happy for you to move, retitle and combine the posts in one place as you say I don't have to worry or more to the point get fed up and stop posting!.
A bit more background on the pictures - numbers in the top corner are a long lost reference - they used to draw on the picture to locate adverts, chinagraph- I have removed, felt are there forever - I will make a decision on the historic worth of the picture before I post with lines over them.
There are 70 corner shops which I have scanned, other subject areas are pubs, shops, cafes, city centre shops, garages and then we move into advert hoardings, walls ( with advert on them) and derelict industrial site.
I also have a large collection of slides, Mark Norton scanned these then put them on a disk with Geoff Thompsons slides so I will have to re scan so you get only mine
Thanks again for the welcome
Steve
This is great news Steve and well done for rescuing these valuable photos of Birmingham. Did you save them all did you say, or were some thrown away before you had chance to save them ?
 
Good evening Alf and Trevor,
thanks for the kind words and for bringing this thread back to the top.
At the time the transfer from building to building was taking place I thought I was the only person removing pictures, photos were 7x5, black and white and were stuck onto pages and placed in albums I went through peeling photos I thought were interesting off pages and removing them, the slides were held in a large cabinet with a light box on top and all held in plastic trays , the slides were glass covered with metal frames.
At the time I thought more images were disappearing than I was taking but didn't know who or how.
I was contacted by Mark Norton ( I cannot recall how) to use some of the images in his publications - this is where I found out the a colleague (Geoff Thompson) had also been removing mainly slides and in return for borrowing my slides he gave me a disk with his slides on, and it is his slides I posted.
In the course of these postings I have also been contacted by an ex colleague who informed me that someone else was also removing pictures so there are another selection of photos around.
To answer Trevors question, I removed a large number of pictures but many more may have been left unless someone else took them, I didn't think they were of interest !!
I have 100 plus slides still to scan but some have been posted and some of the slides are not of Birmingham.
I also know where the other pictures are but its hard to get in touch with some after 20 years just to pinch his pictures, try wording that conversation.
Hope that helps - anything else please ask
 
Good evening Alf and Trevor,
thanks for the kind words and for bringing this thread back to the top.
At the time the transfer from building to building was taking place I thought I was the only person removing pictures, photos were 7x5, black and white and were stuck onto pages and placed in albums I went through peeling photos I thought were interesting off pages and removing them, the slides were held in a large cabinet with a light box on top and all held in plastic trays , the slides were glass covered with metal frames.
At the time I thought more images were disappearing than I was taking but didn't know who or how.
I was contacted by Mark Norton ( I cannot recall how) to use some of the images in his publications - this is where I found out the a colleague (Geoff Thompson) had also been removing mainly slides and in return for borrowing my slides he gave me a disk with his slides on, and it is his slides I posted.
In the course of these postings I have also been contacted by an ex colleague who informed me that someone else was also removing pictures so there are another selection of photos around.
To answer Trevors question, I removed a large number of pictures but many more may have been left unless someone else took them, I didn't think they were of interest !!
I have 100 plus slides still to scan but some have been posted and some of the slides are not of Birmingham.
I also know where the other pictures are but its hard to get in touch with some after 20 years just to pinch his pictures, try wording that conversation.
Hope that helps - anything else please ask
What puzzles me is why there are so few images of Hay Mills, Yardley and Stratford Road Hall Green. Multiple copies were apparently made for Planning meetings, so why the gaps?
 
What puzzles me is why there are so few images of Hay Mills, Yardley and Stratford Road Hall Green. Multiple copies were apparently made for Planning meetings, so why the gaps?
My theory is at that time the city was split into 5 areas planning wise and one team for adverts, all the corner shops and city centre pictures seem to have come from the advert team. A lot of slides and photos were from the regeneration team with these been the before shots. It may be the other areas we're missed or held by someone else
 
any idea of the area for this one steve...will have to check but i think there was more than one boulton road

lyn
This photo is Bolton Road, looking towards Golden Hillock Road with the number 28 bus going into Byron Road. The derelict shop on the corner was known as Vincents. I lived at 136 Byron Road.
 
Finally for tonight a test , an industrial cobbled street, but where ? Fine arched leaded windows and the building on the end on the right seems to have writing on the white band, in black and white it would be almost Dickensian. Over to you

View attachment 168111
One of my favourite memories of my life in Irving Street was Speaking Stile Walk.
We lived at the bottom of that incline, turn left cross Irving Street and there lived we for 10 years 1950-60.
Wright & Platt, The Unicorn. Memories or what.
I tried to task Carl Chinn some years back about Speaking Stile walk but he was well up on the subject and enthralled me with his answer.
Finally for tonight a test , an industrial cobbled street, but where ? Fine arched leaded windows and the building on the end on the right seems to have writing on the white band, in black and white it would be almost Dickensian. Over to you

View attachment 168111
 
I'm not convinced that Vintage House is the same as Vintage cottage.
The Mr Barton, in the 1910 reference is listed in the 1910 Kellys
View attachment 183432
By 1915 it is listed just as a private House occupied by the Misses Roberts.

View attachment 183431

By 1921 it is a school run by the Roberts

View attachment 183433

and after this it is not na,med such as 1932

View attachment 183435

In 1924 , as in 1932 the house is not named,. the Roberts are not listed her, though they seem to be listed as principals at a private school , called peculiarly a Church of England School in Olton
The Mr (George) Barton mentioned is my 3 x great grandfather, in most references I have the house is referred to as "The Vintage", including the 1881, 1891 and 1901 census. On the 1891 and 1901 census Vintage cottage is listed separately:
1891
1707502622227.png

1901
1707502709846.png

Also this newpaper article, if you want to know more about George and Charlotte Barton (nee Ryland)
 
The Mr (George) Barton mentioned is my 3 x great grandfather, in most references I have the house is referred to as "The Vintage", including the 1881, 1891 and 1901 census. On the 1891 and 1901 census Vintage cottage is listed separately:
1891
View attachment 188845

1901
View attachment 188846

Also this newpaper article, if you want to know more about George and Charlotte Barton (nee Ryland)
I know about their wedding anniversaries. I can't see the article
 
Click on the words "newspaper article" in the last sentence of the post.
thanks jan...doing that was not obvious to me either...i have just read the article and what a lovely way for mr and mrs barton to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary

lyn
 
Last edited:
Click on the words "newspaper article" in the last sentence of the post.
There was another one in 1902.
thanks jan...doing that was not obvious to me either...i have just read the article and what a lovely way for mr and mrs barton to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary

lyn
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20240209_204057_Samsung Internet.jpg
    Screenshot_20240209_204057_Samsung Internet.jpg
    377.9 KB · Views: 34
Bath Row 1979, altogether "Beer at homes means Davenport", nice selection of cars though not sure on the Allegro. Gone but not forgotten
Just fell on this thread. Davenport's on Bath Row. We lived round the corner on Irving Street. Iit was a local attraction to stand peering through those ground floor windows at the bottling production line. White coated women as I recall tending the process. Very clever of Davenport's to put the process on show and give us local kids something to gaze at. Easy pleased back then hey.
 
Lovely to see Crowthers here, allbeit the awnings covered with pigeon or starling droppings! I worked there 1971/2 but regular window cleaner visits kept it all clean and smart! The gold leaf sign writing on the windows was replaced during my time there as security alarms were fitted in the glass and damaged the original.
I wondered there were any archival photographs of us modelling the clothing as we did a session for the paper, we were cheaper than proper models!
I remember Olwynne, talked in the phone a lot. Also Vivienne, manager of Crowthers Manchester. She was great.
The brass fittings in the shop were lovely good quality and very strong! I remember the deliveries of stock ! Great excitement - we, the staff, used to spend our wages on it all! Brown crepe,lilac , leopard print… heaven!
We had our share of shop lifters, and our favourite PC was Bob? Snooks, I rang Steelhouse Lane if we had any trouble and he would come over and ‘apprehend’ our suspects who we had usually asked to ‘step into the staff room’ whilst waiting for Bob to arrive! Unbelievable lengths that were taken to pinch the clothes… I could write a book!
It’s a long time since I came onto this site. Very interesting to read about John Crowther. I think he had a daughter called Phoebe.
 
Hi,

As a kid I loved the Norfolk/West End Stamp Co in Needless Alley.

Also not forgetting Margoschis in Burlington Arcade.

Kind regards
Dave
Hello Dave.
I was just sorting through some things of my late father's and found a set of First Day covers with the address of Margoschis on the front. They date back to Christmas 1967 and include covers of the Prince of Wales' investiture in July 1969, the late Queen's Silver Wedding in 1972 and Princess Anne's (first) wedding in 1973. My father was a great admirer of the Monarchy it seems!
My dad (Frank Clark) was the manager at UDT (which became part of TSB I think) in Temple Row for many years. Maybe he saw them in Margoschis' window in Burlington Arcade when he went out at lunchtime. I don't suppose they are worth anything much, but they are a nice bit of history to have.
 
Hello Dave.
I was just sorting through some things of my late father's and found a set of First Day covers with the address of Margoschis on the front. They date back to Christmas 1967 and include covers of the Prince of Wales' investiture in July 1969, the late Queen's Silver Wedding in 1972 and Princess Anne's (first) wedding in 1973. My father was a great admirer of the Monarchy it seems!
My dad (Frank Clark) was the manager at UDT (which became part of TSB I think) in Temple Row for many years. Maybe he saw them in Margoschis' window in Burlington Arcade when he went out at lunchtime. I don't suppose they are worth anything much, but they are a nice bit of history to have.
And welcome to the Forum Susan. A really good place, enjoy!
 
This thread is now unlocked.

Please continue to remebe rthat this forum is here to discuss the history of Birmingham, the people who have lived and worked here, and to gain a better understanding of Birmingham past.

It is not a platform for rants.

If you wish to have a rant, then there are other social media platforms like X or Face Book, use those.
 
Last edited:
Finally one of the colour ones for you , this is the Bell Tavern - few things to look out for, lorry on the right with Milk Churns, the ornate lamp to the right of that lorry and the Police telephone box. Note the old black and white traffic lights.
Again no year and the location was only because it says so on the building - better description please
thanks
EDIT See post #1,800 for location and map - thanks MikeJee

View attachment 157356
Is there any more information about the Bell Tavern. My Grandfather on my mothers side was the manager there in 1908. He was also licencee for the Robuck and Greyhound in Holloway Head. This was after managing the Prosada in Woverhampton around 1900. Any information/original photos about the Bell Tavern would be great.
 
Was that Nathanial Ash? He is listed in the 1908 Kellys. Should add that, at that time the Bell was just 37,39 James Watt St. No 60, Dale End was a separate pub, the Old Stone Cross Inn
 
Was that Nathanial Ash? He is listed in the 1908 Kellys. Should add that, at that time the Bell was just 37,39 James Watt St. No 60, Dale End was a separate pub, the Old Stone Cross Inn
Yes, thats correct, Nathaniel Ash. I have a copy from the Commercial and Professional Directory for 1908 that puts in the Bell Tavern, Dale End and James Watt Street. I'll try to attach you a copy.. John 1729848035578.png
 
Bit more modern than we are used to Broadway Tower Five ways - 1980, with Tesco supermarket underneath, nothing more to add.

View attachment 155563
Hi Steve,
I'm new to the Birmingham Forum and while scrolling through the many pictures, I spotted this one of the Broadway Towers and it brought back memories of working at Horizon.
Horizon started further up Broad Street many years earlier, moved to near Lee Longlands in the 70's then we moved into the Broadway building.
Happy days!!
Noreen
 
Can't get the same angle on streetview but instantly recognisable to me. The white pillar like structure is the edge of the bridge over the rover Cole by the College Arms pub. The vacant bit of land has been built on. Advert on the side of Druckers shop.
That brings back a lot of memories, remember my mom taking me into Druckers on a few occasions as a kid.
 
Back
Top