OLD AND NEW PHOTOGRAPHS

[SteveBhx]

We have now moved to Farm Street in November 1991, the concrete wall panels with the barbed wire across the top, and that single storey building with the windows bricked up and the large factory in the background

 

[SteveBhx]

I have noticed a trend in these pictures over time the older pictures were of pubs from every street corner going back years all open and all looking good - now it seems to be all the pubs are closing down, here is another one, this is the Lord Byron, again in Farm Street, all boarded up but with the name still visible, fine brickwork with nice shape under the eaves.

 

[SteveBhx]

We remain in the Farm Street area and the largest building in the area, Lucas. Lucas had many building around Birmingham and the sports ground too on the College Road , but this seems to be the largest with offices and drawing offices, and everything else - 6 floors with massive floor space.

 

[SteveBhx]

Still in Farm Street but unable to tell you much else, this is described as "Industrial building Farm Street" three storey, brick built industrial building with metal framed windows. Is it me or is that crossing light very tall?

 

[SteveBhx]

Again we are still in Farm Street and I managed to find this building, church on the left and parish building on the right - everything past the white building has gone - very much surprised to see that these are still there as everything else is now been removed for housing.

 

[SteveBhx]

we now move back to the Lucas Building and another general view showing the shear scale of the offices etc. picture taken on a Sunday looking at the lack of cars -it seems the building was built in many phases looking at the styles of windows, square on the corner , metal frames arched top down the side and the public front side seems to be different too. Have you worked out what our photographer drives - the white Cavalier can be seen in many images if you look.

 

[SteveBhx]

Last but not least Ross Ceramics on the corner of Farm Street and Villa Street, interesting building with three floors and a half timbered frontage at the top. nearly fell of my chair when I looked on streetview to see that it is still there as Farm Street Dental Practise with the timber work still there.

 

[Astoness]

Still in Farm Street but unable to tell you much else, this is described as "Industrial building Farm Street" three storey, brick built industrial building with metal framed windows. Is it me or is that crossing light very tall?

View attachment 224261

its part of the lucas factory steve..i think its burbury st on the right...these photos of farm st bring back so many memories to me...not least walking it when visiting our nan who lived in paddington st..we had moved to villa st then..i dont think i have seen these photos before

lyn

 

[brummy-lad]

Still in Farm Street but unable to tell you much else, this is described as "Industrial building Farm Street" three storey, brick built industrial building with metal framed windows. Is it me or is that crossing light very tall?

View attachment 224261

Hi Steve, I think this is the building on the corner of Burbury Street and Farm Street (opposite corner to the Lucas factory.

 

[SteveBhx]

We are now onto Roll 77 and this general view across to Snow Hill station showing the changes that have taken place and perhaps how the importance of Birmingham has grown commercially , this view is now covered with office blocks with it hard to see what is behind the site.

 

[SteveBhx]

We now move out for a tour around Erdington , first we stop off at the Golden Cross in Short Heath Road, very much of its time mock Tudor was all the thing, even going as far as the tall chimneys. Taken in the November of 1992 by the lack of leaves, rambling site which is no longer with us

 

[Astoness]

We now move out for a tour around Erdington , first we stop off at the Golden Cross in Short Heath Road, very much of its time mock Tudor was all the thing, even going as far as the tall chimneys. Taken in the November of 1992 by the lack of leaves, rambling site which is no longer with us


View attachment 224319

steve i think the golden cross was demolished a few years back to make way for an old peoples home

lyn

 

[SteveBhx]

Next up my papers say this is Orphange Road with the Labour club on the left, not sure if this is correct but as some much has changed round there I cannot pin point a landmark to confirm this. Its all going on though - Tile sign fading away, wonderful frontages to the shops and modern building off to the distance

EDIT: Found it now Pizza GoGo 11 Orphanage Road

 

[SteveBhx]

Again I am told this is Orphange Road - if it is it will take some of you back to how the road used to be like . As you can see the buildings were large, three storeys with attic rooms and a variety of buildings further away , some properties now boarded up and a variety of shapes and sizes further down the road.

 

[mikejee]

Next up my papers say this is Orphange Road with the Labour club on the left, not sure if this is correct but as some much has changed round there I cannot pin point a landmark to confirm this. Its all going on though - Tile sign fading away, wonderful frontages to the shops and modern building off to the distance
View attachment 224321

Here is a photo of the building on the left when it was the coop in Orphanage Road

 

[SteveBhx]

I now know where I am , High Street Erdington, same view although the shops are mainly food outlets now and a lot more busy, clad building on the corner with the flat roof with more traditional buildings further up the road.

 

[SteveBhx]

we now move a bit further round and come to the old Library building in Orphanage Road, close look shows it is and suppose still is the Free Library built in the early 1900's, fine building with plenty of glass to allow the light in to read from, cenral entrance with the the main rooms either side.
Interesting that it was built with a donation from Andrew Carnegie a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist, who made donations to allow the construction of libraries both here in the UK and in America.

 

[SteveBhx]

We are now on the corner of High Street and Mason Road although the view is down High Street, old name on the corner Midland Bank. Road layout has changed as from Mason Road the road now sweeps to the right and the rest is pedestrianized. Much the same view today just a few shop names have changed.

 

[SteveBhx]

We have the corner of Orphanage Road and High Street, interesting roof line with the long run down to Soccerama and the building to the right seems to be squeezed in as an after thought. All still there but the brickwork has been painted over.

 

[SteveBhx]

As I am looking through this file in order I have came across another Golden Cross picture - this time from the other direction, misty winters day and it took three attempts to get a picture without a car on it !!

 

[SteveBhx]

Just to show how fleeting some developments are this next few images are of Aston Church Business centre, looking modern but in the process of demolition, I suppose some things are not meant to last

 

[SteveBhx]

Here we have the last few bits off Roll 77 first up Washwood Heath Sidings No.1 , signal box on the edge of the sidings, almost timeless and there could be anything going by, steam or diesel powered loco's. Not sure if it is still there or its exact location either but timeless

 

[SteveBhx]

Now to the city centre and a location long gone just off Broad Street, when I was little we used to go to the Ideal Home exhibition at Bingley Hall, park on one of the side streets and walk, and it always fascinated me this building and its almost Dickensian look.
Stratford House, antique shop , and streets with old lamps and is that a church to the right?

 

[SteveBhx]

I will give you this one for free as I have no information for it , nice building, brickwork, metal framed windows and a few flourishes od carvings. Like the little cafe sign pointing down the side, seems to be all TO LET

 

[SteveBhx]

Last on this roll is a picture taken supposedly in Aston, we can see its an M & B pub, corner of ..... I seem to remember the image but there are alot like it , workman on the corner and someone with a barrow, Police man on the corner too

 

[SteveBhx]

Roll 78, this is more for me to keep track of where I am , first up we are in Livery Street, stonework says " Gothic Vaughton Works ", note how the building is on a slope as the gaps between the ground floor windows increase as you get closer. Not sure how the building works there seems to be a number of windows before the entrance but only one after it? Note the boarded up door on the property nearest us and the ornate work above that door.

 

[SteveBhx]

Next we move a bit further down the road, (previous building in the distance) fine building with entrance either end with the windows above, top floor windows have carving above and there is balustrading on the top too. Is the grill on the ground floor glass bricks to illuminate the basement?

 

[SteveBhx]

This is one of the many railway bridges under the approach to Snow Hill off Livery Street , this is Henrietta Street, girder style construction and note how the road dips down and climbs the other side , quite a few tracks in the old days making the reason for the width. All brick built image the number of bricks and how long to lay them all.

 

[SteveBhx]

We now turn around and look down Mary Ann Street , lots of factories and looking down towards St. Pauls Square, it now seems to have become an area of restaurants with some having been converted to food courts, although these are relatively modern buildings ( second one has a date of 1950) many of the old building remain.

 

[SteveBhx]

now we have a view of the other side of the road , Taylor and Challen Limited in large lettering at the top of the building, the rest of the building remains the same although some of the windows have been replaced. so pretty much unchanged in years.