Birchfield Road Perry Barr

[sophietherat]

Ah Yes, it's Switchgears factory i'm thinking of being there until fairly recently, I think i'm pretty much spot on, as I think the big building behind that one that my wobbly box is on top of, is the old Switchgears?? I could be totally wrong, but I remember what was there before looking pretty similar. Having said that, i'm only a baby, and would have only been about 13 when that awful NTI building went up.

 

[sophietherat]

Viv, Having had a good look at your photo and my aerial view, I'm certain it's the old Switchgear factory I'm thinking of being there until about 2003, judging by the pattern on the roof, and that fire escape, that's between the 2 buildings in the aerial view.

Edited to add this link: https://ahistoryoftufnol.org/companyhistory/index.html

"In the early part of the 1960s a major investment in research and development led to the introduction of a whole series of new types of TUFNOL laminate, based largely on cloth woven from glass fibres bonded into laminates with new types of resin such as epoxy and silicone. To process these, a completely new impregnation plant had to be installed, a major new investment."

Could the unit that in 2003 covered the site of those cottages be this Impregnation plant?? In which case, i'd take a guess that those houses weren't there for much longer after the photo in post #349 was taken.

 

[Charlie]

I think the school shown is Birchfield Road Boys, Viv. Canterbury Road School is further up (towards Aston) and is still standing.
My first job was at Bill Switchgear c1957.

 

[sophietherat]

Charlie, I presume you'd have been working at Switchgears at the time those cottages were there then!

I keep calling them cottages. They're actually quite big houses by the looks of them!

 

[Vivienne14]

I think the school shown is Birchfield Road Boys, Viv. Canterbury Road School is further up (towards Aston) and is still standing.
My first job was at Bill Switchgear c1957.

Oops thanks Charlie. Do you know if Bill Switchgear's was taken over by George Ellison/Tufnol? My dad worked for Ellison's and Bill S used to often pop up in conversations. I didn't think they were connected, but Geo Ellison's made switchgear too. And given their proximity, maybe they merged. But not sure. Can't find any reference to their connection. I remember passing Bill S's on the #11 bus down Aston Lane towards Erdington, but Ellison's/Tufnol's various buildings were further down at the junction with Wellhead Lane. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

Viv, that looks about right. When Indigo Blue was next door to where it is now, before that god awful NTI building was there (I think it was built in about 2004) there were some smaller factory units, which I guess were part of tufnols. I've got an aerial view from then, which shows Crown Avenue going on a little bit further.

Sophie, I think you can just see the Bill Switchgear buildings in this ad to the right of your aerial view. Looks pretty big. Viv.

 

[sophietherat]

Viv, I'm pretty sure a lot of the old buildings are still there, now in use as Tufnols. You can see a lot from the train!

Edited to add: Ignore me, I've had a look at google earth and they're definitely not there anymore. I think I'm thinking of further up!

 

[Vivienne14]

Hi Sophie. The arrangement of buildings behind the Birchfield Road shops is very confusing, so it's difficult to tell what's still there and what's not! I've been looking at the bricked up arch. Now I don't have a concrete answer, but looking at the Crown Avenue exit onto Birchfield Road, I think originally this exit was much narrower. Returning to the map

I think the building with the red (poorly drawn ! ) arrow, has been reduced or there's one less building. If you look at the roofline it seems incomplete.



So I'm assuming the archway was part of the single level structure attached to the back of the building. Maybe the arch was cut in for a doorway into the neighbouring single level structure after the building was removed and the Avenue width was increased. Just a theory, wonder if anyone can add to this. Viv.

 

[sophietherat]

1959

Viv, looking at this photo posted a couple of years ago, it looks like all of the end was Wilkins, so I presume as it was all one shop, they'd knocked through the yard too?

 

[Vivienne14]

That's interesting Sophie, the chimney stacks have gone So I think that section of the terrace most probably was reduced. Viv.

 

[sophietherat]

Funny about that Viv. ALL of our chimney stacks have gone! One of the first things I spotted when I moved into my flat was that most of the terraces along that side of Birchfield Road have no chimneys!

 

[Vivienne14]

Yep, just compared the older photo and Streetview. Looks like the terrace is missing one section next to the Avenue entrance. It doesn't look like WW2 bomb damage so it must have purposely been altered. I expect it was altered for vehicle access. Viv.

 

[sophietherat]

Crown Avenue must have been crazy narrow back then! Or that terrace was a really tiny one!

 

[Vivienne14]

There was once a yard at the back of the old Wilkin's Chemist so I'm wondering if better access by vehicles was needed to that yard for some reason. There's now a building over the yard and the bricked up arch joins the shop with this building. Not sure what this tells us! But it might be worth knowing the types of businesses (before Wilkins Chemists) occupying the shops, along that part of the terrace if anyone has any info. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

Had a bit more of a dig around re. the entrance to Crown Avenue. The section of the terrace which appears to have been removed is /was #363 Birchfield Road. In the 1950s/60s #363 had been a chemist (Weston's), a cycle dealer (Foyles) and another chemist (Wilkin's wholesale). So no striking clues there as to why #363 was removed. The building was still intact when the road system was significantly altered in the 1960s as this Digital Handsworth photo shows.



You can see Bill Switchgear just behind the crane hook in the photo. Bill Switchgear built their single level factory in the 1930s, which is behind the more modern multi-storey building in the photo. I'd guess the BS multi-storey building must be late 50s60s. I wonder, therefore, if the Avenue was widened to increase access to the modern BS building.

There's also a very large workshop built behind the former Wilkin's shops in the yard I mentioned in earlier post (the building joined by the bricked up archway to the back of the shops). Maybe this workshop was also part of BS?

Viv.

 

[sophietherat]

Nice work Viv! The large workshop behind Wilkins is still there! It's a garage now but the man who runs it (who may also be a little mad) tells me it's the same building that you can see in a lot of the old photos. I'll whack up a photo with an arrow when I'm back at the computer.

Another interesting fact, the flat next to mine has it's window bricked up in most of the 50s and 60s photos. When Indigo Blue was at 365, up until about 4 years ago, it was STILL boarded up! They used to have to go up and remove all the dead pigeons through a hatch, because there was no direct access up there! It had been completely untouched since it was bricked up!

 

[Charlie]

Oops thanks Charlie. Do you know if Bill Switchgear's was taken over by George Ellison/Tufnol? My dad worked for Ellison's and Bill S used to often pop up in conversations. I didn't think they were connected, but Geo Ellison's made switchgear too. And given their proximity, maybe they merged. But not sure. Can't find any reference to their connection. I remember passing Bill S's on the #11 bus down Aston Lane towards Erdington, but Ellison's/Tufnol's various buildings were further down at the junction with Wellhead Lane. Viv.

They were two completely separate companies Viv. I worked at BS (not a good abbreviation?) when Ron Bill was in charge there, so a family business. As far as I know, they didn't merge at all.
The cottages aren't the ones fronting (or WERE fronting) Aston Lane are they? I remember a row on the left-hand side going towards Witton, near a church I think. I haven't been down there for years. Mind .. my memory's like a sieve these days!

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks Charlie. That's confirmed it in my mind about Bill S's. On the cottages/houses, I'm pretty sure the ones in the Birchfield Rd School photo are the Crown Avenue ones because their entrances face the railway as marked on the map. If the houses in the photo were on Aston Lane, the backs of the houses would face the railway.

Just out of interest Charlie, did you ever use the Crown Avenue entrance on Birchfield Rd as a route through to Bill Switchgear's? Viv.

 

[oldMohawk]

Have mentioned before, I walked through Perry Barr for years and thought it was simply an opening to the back of the shops. Crown Avenue seems to be a very grand name for such a small road.

 

[Vivienne14]

Nice work Viv! The large workshop behind Wilkins is still there! It's a garage now but the man who runs it (who may also be a little mad) tells me it's the same building that you can see in a lot of the old photos. I'll whack up a photo with an arrow when I'm back at the computer.

Another interesting fact, the flat next to mine has it's window bricked up in most of the 50s and 60s photos. When Indigo Blue was at 365, up until about 4 years ago, it was STILL boarded up! They used to have to go up and remove all the dead pigeons through a hatch, because there was no direct access up there! It had been completely untouched since it was bricked up!

Hi Sophie look forward to the garage pic. Bricked up flats above shops aren't so common these days - too much potential income lost I suppose. Pigeon problem must have been horrendous!

Another feature of the row of terraced shops I find interesting is the former 'Crown' nearer Barclays Bank corner of Aston Lane. As you know, there have been several 'Crowns' and it gets confusing knowing which one people are referring to. The former Crown building on your side of the road is now broken up into shops, I think. There was an alleyway alongside the pub which must have come out somewhere near Crown Avenue. Will have to check it out on a map. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

Have mentioned before, I walked through Perry Barr for years and thought it was simply an opening to the back of the shops. Crown Avenue seems to be a very grand name for such a small road.

Assume it was named after the Crown Pub Phil - but don't know if it would be the Old Crown on the Barclays Bank side or the Crown Inn alongside the tollgate on the other side (The little Inn that was located in front of the big Crown & Cushion pub, then demolished when the C & C was built). I don't think the use of 'Avenue' to name a road was typical in victorian times, could be wrong though. Viv.

 

[oldMohawk]

Hi Viv, When Sophie first mentioned it, I thought how could I miss an 'avenue' in Perry Barr and was somewhat surprised. The nearest avenue I know near there is Cliveden Avenue. Another unusual road name in Perry Barr is 'The Broadway'.
Phil

 

[Vivienne14]

Three Crowns ...

Top (left - hand side) Old Crown & Cushion Inn
Middle ( right- hand side) Was it called the Old Crown?
Bottom, Old Crown & Cushion
And of course there's the most recent one replacing the bottom pic.



Viv.

 

[sophietherat]

Viv, the crown on our side of the road, which we always called the little crown (not sure if this was it's actual name!) does have an alleyway running alongside. It did come out at the back of crown avenue, but they're now building a couple of new student flats there. Something else I'll grab a photo of shortly! They're right at the back of the church.

 

[Astoness]

hi viv thanks for posting that pic of the little crown and cushion...(your 2nd pic) i did have that one but cant seem to find it..not sure if ive posted this one before but it really is unique as it shows both the first and second crown and cushion pub on the same photo...obvious that they built the 2nd one before demolishing the first one..i wont bother posting a pic of the one thats there now as its not really worth it..

 

[Vivienne14]

Hi Sophie and Lyn. Think using 'Little' is a good way to distinguish it. Brilliant photo Lyn. I remember you posting it before. Seems incredible that the two stood there together. Both buildings of their time. Here's the full copy of that little Crown, Lyn. Sophie, I think it was the tram terminus along by your terrace, someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Like Oldmohawk, must have travelled past Crown Avenue hundreds of times (on the 29 or 29a bus) and never thought there would once have been a little community behind the shops. I love the idea of Mr Cole's 'garden allotment/nursery once being at the end of the Avenue. a hint of Birchfield/Perry Barr's agricultural past. Viv.



P.S. just noticed the Bundy clock on the photo, so must have been the terminus.

 

[Charlie]

Never used Crown Avenue Viv. I used to cycle to work from Handsworth along Wellington Road and down Aston Lane. Once coming off same bike when making a left turn into Bill Switchgear .. trying to watch a braking lorry in front!
Wish I could remember those cottages though!!!!
Re: Birchfield/Perry Barr's agricultural past, there was Hirons nurseries along Livingstone/Havelock Road, there was a path through that led into Wellington Road, we called it The Gilly Gardens. It's been mentioned on the Forum before.

 

[oldMohawk]

P.S. just noticed the Bundy clock on the photo, so must have been the terminus.

Hi Viv - It was the terminus with the tram stopped in the middle of Birchfield Road and the conductor had to walk round to change the pole ready to go back to town. I like the bloke on the bike giving a clear right-turn hand-signal !
Phil

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks Phil. Looking again at the 'little' Crown photo, that was an Ansell's pub, but the Crown & Cushion Inn and the Old Crown & Cushion were both Atkinson's pubs. this seems to explain why there were pubs so very close together on opposite sides of the road. And of course both were very local breweries. The big Old Crown & Cushion was built as an inn/hotel with two ballrooms, very impressive considering it was in what was effectively still a village at the time. Even at that time, the through traffic at that junction must have been pretty significant when the big Crown was built to replace the Crown & Cushion Inn. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

Never used Crown Avenue Viv. I used to cycle to work from Handsworth along Wellington Road and down Aston Lane. Once coming off same bike when making a left turn into Bill Switchgear .. trying to watch a braking lorry in front!
Wish I could remember those cottages though!!!!
Re: Birchfield/Perry Barr's agricultural past, there was Hirons nurseries along Livingstone/Havelock Road, there was a path through that led into Wellington Road, we called it The Gilly Gardens. It's been mentioned on the Forum before.

Hi Charlie. No surprise you nearly came off your bike as I remember the traffic well around there, lots of commercial traffic to Bill S's and Ellison's along with all the buses. Brings it home what a bottleneck Birchfield/Perry Barr could be. No wonder they built the new road system in the 60s. Viv.