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Passages, Alleyways Gulletts and Snickets of Old Brum

Another fine picture to complement Post 370, Page 25 of Bath Street in the Snow Hill Gun Quarter. Carl Chinn attributes the name to "either baths which were formerly in Blews Street and which became a malthouse about 1826 (I never knew that and all my direct rellies lived there or thereabouts in the mid 1800s) which fed a stream going across Snow Hill to Water Street (hence the name ), and thence into the great pool on the Colmore Estate. He goes on to mention that BATH WALK in Balsall Heath was named after the private swimming baths of John Smith, established in 1846 in George Street and condemned and closed down by the local authority in 1878. These baths and their origins and location were discussed at length by Phil and mikejee on the Balsall Heath Thread a little while ago. I do not have a photo of Bath Walk ...yet...


Bath Street 1959.jpg
 
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GER22VAN said:
Are there any photographs of Fordrough Street of years ago ?
Sorry maybe it will not qualify for this thread.
Click to expand...

Well it would if we could possibly find a photo Gervan. I trust you mean (in olden days spelling) Foredrove Street, a little 'un between Wharf Street and Cross Street (later Severn St) near what is now Suffolk Street? Or might it be Fordrough Lane or Fordrough Avenue in Bordesley Green East near me?
 
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Another from the Gosta Green Jennens Row area, Lawrence Street, captured by Phyllis Nicklin and Keith Berry; plus others on the Sheep Street (from which it spurs) Thread. Sorry about the VERY rude graffiti words on the first pic..urgghhh...


LAWRENCE ST B.jpg Lawrence Street B.jpg Lawrence Street Ryder St 1958.jpg
 
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A puzzler this one, plus an excuse to show this cracking photo of the old Red Lion pub on the corner of CHURCH STREET and BREAD STREET (near Snow Hill/Livery Street area). I cannot find Bread Street on my maps, can anyone provide one please mike? There appears to be an interesting and stark contrast in customer numbers by social class. Artisans (L side) 14, Toffs in boaters (R side) 1.


Red Lion Church St 1886.jpg
 
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Interesting photo of the Red Lion Inn. I think Bread Street became Cornwall Street. But don't recognise the Inn. Viv.
 
Well this one might qualify, but probably not. An old favourite from the Bull Ring. It LOOKS like it might be in a passageway, but has it a name? The number is given by Victor Price in 'Bull Ring Remembered' as 8 and a half Spiceal Street (behind No 8). Landlord given when this was taken in 1890 as G.W. Ballard. It closed a few years later. A map would be good...and confirmation?


Pump Tavern Bull Ring .jpg
 
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The Red Lion Church St was replaced and rebuilt with another pub of the same name. It was later for some reason renamed The Old Royal and as far as I am aware it still stands today.

Phil
 
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Phil said:
The Red Lion Church St was replaced and rebuilt with another pub of the same name. It was later for some reason renamed The Old Royal and as far as I am aware it still stands today.

Phil
Click to expand...


Yes just had a look on street view. Old Royal's still there - although seems to be a lot of new development along the road. Viv.
 
Dennis.
The Fordrough Street I am thinking Of ran parallel to Suffolk Street., I was interested in any information around pre 1840's.
 
I think you saw this Fordrough Street (on the left of this map) on the Suffolk Street thread, and all I can add is that the name meant a riough or unmade passageway...all we need now is a photo... The first map shows the area 100 years earlier so you can see where it was cut. Thanks for your interest.


Paradise St map 1839.jpg
 
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I am posting these on here for pure glory. The Ratcliffe Place one is also on the Paradise Row thread, and the New Street, Cannon Street, Needless Alley (I know its pushing the envelope a bit) one is equally superb, and I've never seen them before. The Thomas Attwood statue in New Street alone needs a thread all by itself. Magical Brum from the past.... Father forgive me....


New St 1902.jpg Ratcliffe Place.jpg
 
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Excellent pictures, DW!

In the interests of accuracy, what is called a "horse-drawn tram" in the 1902 picture is actually a horse bus (the horse trams were long gone by then).
 
Thank you for clearing that up Peter, I hope Lloyd is nodding in agreement. I would be with dek and imagine they were Hansom cabs. Not too far away from Ratcliff Place and Church Street is another old long gone backstreet - LITTLE CHARLES STREET. Part of what was later to become Edmund Street. Both Edmund abd Charles were Christian names of the Colmore Family.


Little Charles Street.jpg
 
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This one is a little grimmer and where some of my Bevan rellies lived in 1881 at No 56 2Ct 1Hse. Not a great thought as they had the usual large clutch of kids (6). How did they cope? BAGOT STREET.


Bagot St Slums.jpg Bagot Street.jpg
 
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Most of the vehicles are hansoms (or perhaps hackney carriages), but the vehicle drawn by the pale horse in the New Street view is a bus (see below - very pixelated). I think that's the one referred to in the caption as a "horse-drawn tram" (marking Cannon Street).
 
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For you Gervan it always a pleasure. Your Gosta Green Thread is a treasure trove of photos and memories of some of these legendary backstreets...you can learn so much about our ancestors from this great Forum...
 
Gem Street, formerly New Thomas Street, named after Thomas “Harry” Gem, a Birmingham attorney, and secretary to the Trustees of The Bromsgrove and Birmingham Turnpike. In September 1792 he was elected secretary of the Bean Club, which still exists. It was founded after the Restoration of Charles II in 1688 as a loyalist drinking club where gentlemen, usually titled and exclusively Tory, from country districts could meet with important townsmen to their mutual advantage. Sound familiar? You may think this sounds like what is called to day the Houses of Parliament, but I couldn’t possibly comment….

Oh, and as one of his other talents, he invented Lawn Tennis. If you want to know more, then slip over to one of the best Threads on this Forum, Aidan’s History Of Lawn Tennis and marvel at how some Brummies gave us Ann Jones, Boris Becker and Wimbledon…
And he composed songs, and performed light comedy, was a major in the 1st Warwickshire (Birmingham) Rifles, and he was office of clerk to the Birmingham Magistrates... and clerk to the commissioners of taxes for the hundred of Hemlingford...apart from that he hardly did a gnats...

https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=31612&highlight=lawn+tennis

https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=31612&highlight=Thomas+Street

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham_Bean_Club


Gem St 1890.jpg
 
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What an interesting thread maybe we should start one on street names after reading recent posts I am amazed at where the names come from. Not what I first thought.
 
thats a great idea wend...and can i just say thank you dennis for starting this thread...wonderful information and brillient pics being posted by our members....

lyn
 
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