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Passages, Alleyways Gulletts and Snickets of Old Brum

What about the delightfully named Lovers Walk that ran from Lichfield Rd to Aston Hall Rd alongside the railway station & track at Aston.

Phil


Aston Lichfield Rd LoversWalk1[1].jpg
 
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We used to do the same thing. I loved the atmosphere in the shops, everyone in a good mood.Somehow, I don't think it would be the same these days.
Dennis Williams said:
In addition to Frothy's cracking picture in Post 90, here are a couple more, plus the back end in Stephenson Place today. I remember it was a special 'calling place' in the Midland Hotel Bar on Christmas Eve lunchtime when we finished work. Then into Town to buy Christmas prezzies for the Missus and kids with a few 'on board'. Marvellous memories.
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I agree with you. Birmingham had far too many lovely buildings - they had to go.
Dennis Williams said:
Just to finish off Colonnade Passage, it ran down the side of the Colonnade Hotel, which was at the junction of New Street and Ethel Street. The Hotel was obviously far too gothic and beautiful for the City PLanners so they knocked it down and built something really ugly instead. As you do. I also add a shot of the side of the Hotel before it was replaced, showing some fascinating shops. I think there was a Pub or Bar down there. Where the Pawnbrokers are now....opposite my favourite restaurant Chez Jules. OH NO IT ISN'T, these are nearby in Pinfold Street. Sorry, losing it today....
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Yes i remember the Colonnade Hotel i was an apprentice electrician on the building that replaced it 1961-2 it was also named the Colonnade although not of the same standard one of the earliest concrete blocks to go up in the town the shop front was taken by Woolworths. Dek
 
The second picture was posted 4 weeks ago by Dennis on another thread and it is indeed a stunning photo. That must be Nelsons Passage on the right behind his statue. I include the other photo here that Dennis posted of the same place from another angle and I thought that they may be contemporary but I don't seem to be able to reconcile the buildings at all although it must be the same place. Perhaps the second one of the young girls is a good bit later and the buildings had changed.

The remains of this passage (if there were any at that time) can be seen after Goering on the 'Bull Ring Pics' thread post 115 right at the bottom of the picture.
 
This may be a bit out of context, and it may have been mentioned before, but, is anyone familiar with a passage called 'the monkey run' I don't think that was it's official name. It was at Bromford Bridge by Drews Lane, opposite the BRS. I never went down there, co's my mum made me feel that it was probably not a good place for a 14yr old to go. I think it's still there, I always did want to take a look, but, was scared.
 
Fashionz said:
This may be a bit out of context, and it may have been mentioned before, but, is anyone familiar with a passage called 'the monkey run' I don't think that was it's official name. It was at Bromford Bridge by Drews Lane, opposite the BRS. I never went down there, co's my mum made me feel that it was probably not a good place for a 14yr old to go. I think it's still there, I always did want to take a look, but, was scared.
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As a Vauxhall and Duddeston boy i knew of the monkey run but never ventured that far out of my area even then as a young teenager on someone else,s patch could end up in fisticuffs. Dek
 
Rupert said:
The second picture was posted 4 weeks ago by Dennis on another thread and it is indeed a stunning photo. That must be Nelsons Passage on the right behind his statue. I include the other photo here that Dennis posted of the same place from another angle and I thought that they may be contemporary but I don't seem to be able to reconcile the buildings at all although it must be the same place. Perhaps the second one of the young girls is a good bit later and the buildings had changed.

The remains of this passage (if there were any at that time) can be seen after Goering on the 'Bull Ring Pics' thread post 115 right at the bottom of the picture.
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I think you may be right Rupert., it is 'higher' than Nelson's statue, as evident in the photo, and looks about spot on.

Bull Ring 1950s High st.jpg
 
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Dennis
Am not quite sure what you mean by the unnamed passsage in the top right of the map. Did you mean the top left. If you did then you were correct, as the map below shows. The main part of the passage was destroyed by the time of the c 1910 map to make moor st styation, but it is marked on the 1889 map
Mike

s_passage.JPG
 
This one has always puzzled me. An old pub of my youth, THE TALBOT in Digbeth High Street or Moat Row, depending which entrance you used. It is in a fairly wide looking passage, as you can see from the map, but it I can't recall that cut through ever having a name? Mike? The original Talbot pub occupied the site in 1785. Looks by architecture (well what's left of the bottom half after Hitler's bombers knocked out the top two floors in 1941) to be rebuilt in the mid 1800s. Closed in the 70s I think.

Talbot.jpg Talbot Inn Passage.jpg
 
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Dennis,

Was it not Upper Mill Lane and might it not have been the residue of a longer lane before the wholesale fruit market was built, this is only a guess. I do remember however that when the now Bull Ring Tavern further up the road opened first opened it was called the Talbot to replace the old pub.

Phil
 
You might well be right Phil. Westley's 1730 Map would look to put the Talbot (if that was the original name when it was first built 50 odd years later) very adjacent to Upper Mill Lane for sure. Maybe Mike will have a map to confirm it. Nice one.

Talbot Map Upper Mill Lane.jpg
 
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I do not remember the Talbot , but am a bit confused. Isn't the picture looking from digbeth ?.Yet the talbot on the map (& others) is shown with its main entrance in Moat row. Or is it taken from moat row, and I am all mixed. up. Anyway can't find a name for the alleyway.
Mike
 
Here is the Talbot in 1889. I am utterly confused as no map I can see shows the Talbot going through to digbeth. They all. including 1937 and 1952 , seem to show it just in Moat row. As I said I never knew it
Mike

Talbot_1889_with_alleyway_to_south_east.JPG
 
Sorry. Talbot not obvious in scan. Here is closeup of it and alleyway, in the centre of the block

1889_alleyway_by_talbot.JPG
 
I wonder if that's what my mum meant. We're from Saltley.
dek carr said:
As a Vauxhall and Duddeston boy i knew of the monkey run but never ventured that far out of my area even then as a young teenager on someone else,s patch could end up in fisticuffs. Dek
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Mike, we are obviously incorrect and the Talbot was not in Upper Mill street or its remains. The photo was from Digbeth, but the only entrance to the Bar was from Moat Lane. Sorry for the confusion.
 
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Mike

Obviously the opening was not Upper Mill Lane, I was only surmising as I said. The opening on to Digbeth must have been formed by our German friends.

Phil
 
Not Moat Row...Moat Lane. Moat Row runs at right angles at the bottom of Moat lane.

It looks like there was a company on the other side of Talbot Passage that was involved in steel, coffee, paper...you name it. I wonder what the building in the passage...with the circular windows was.
 
morning dennis...does it really or is it a leg pull....and is that an original sign...that wall looks old...lovely pic

lyn
 
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Well Dennis, that makes you Williams de Bermincham and your lordship is of course correct on this. If you have a notion to leap over the wall though, be sure to wear your wellies.
Is that the future Earl.
 
I think this may be one for the future. Obviously when the Bournville trust redeveloped the area, they must have decided to leave the old name. Max
 
oh splendid dennis....how great to have an original name plate....you will never see the likes of them again once they have all gone and im really chuffed that i can recognise a fairly old wall...lol

lyn
 
Has this one been mentioned, Paradise Place? There is'nt anything there, just used as a walkthrough at the rear of Birmingham Library.

Terry
 
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