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Granville Street Ladywood

Just taken a Streetview stroll along Granville Street to try to locate the 1891 Martin and Martin building (pic1) but it's obviously no longer there. I was surprised not to find any evidence of it as it was a very substantial building. In fact very little of the Victorian period seems to have survived along the street. But I was pleased to see one little gem from Georgian times; St Thomas's 1824 church, albeit now in a sorry state (pic 3). If only it hadn't been bombed in WW2. At least the Peace Garden has found a good home in the grounds of the church. Does anyone know if anything is planned for the church. Streetview shows it surrounded by 'keep out' type fencing, so I expect it's unsafe. Viv.
 

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Clarks Courtyard - 145 Granville Street - Victorian but don't know any details








Close to the Peace Garden.
 
What a lovely picture. Is this on the left as you go from Tesco Express (St Thomas's on your right) and before Ridley Street goes off to the right?
I think, though I'd have to check, that this is the building that I have the construction and plans for. If that's the case, it was owned by Heptinstall & Lawledge and later became Lambournes.
[I notice that I need to fix the link in the post above - I'll do that now, before I forget]

Update: fixed :)
 
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I'm pretty certain that it is the building I have the plans and building materials quote for. The numbering is slightly different from that in late 1800s, but I recognise the building as being the one that was pointed out to me when I first came to Birmingham in the 1970. Somewhere, I have a photo of part of the front of the building with the old business name on the letterbox. I can't post the plans etc for a few weeks (travelling) but I will add them in sometime soon.
 
Granville_St said:
Good Morning! How sad that all of those pictures have been lost.... I have just joined the site. I was particularly intersted in seeing any photos of Granville Street. I currently work in a building on Granville St and ww are trying to find out any information about the place, its use, history etc etc and any photos would be great!

I will probably start a thread and see what comes up; but in the meantime any info you guys have would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in anticipation! Mike :)
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Hello Mike just noticed this post , I remember Granville St as I lived in William St for about 14 yrs
 
Colin B said:
If the building is at 82 Granville Street,
in 1949 it is listed as

70-82 ...Donovan Electrical Co. electric control gear mfrs.

Not sure when they ceased manufacturing at Granville Street (still listed in Kellys 1969) but I saw a great many Donovan products in use, switch's, isolates and controls, over the years I worked in maintenance, should add it was mostly replacing them for more modern products.

Colin
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Donovan Elec moved into ERD Henrietta St about 1979/80 , they were sister companies ERD was originally Gothic Electrical , both companies were started off by by the Hughes family . Both outlets were electrical wholesalers , no shops , dealing with trade only . Henrietta St, became part of Edmundson Electrical in 1981 , they moved to West Bromwich in 1984 , now trading as Edmundson Electrical . I started with ERD in 1977 and spent 35yrs with them
 
Watsons of Broad Street bought a garage workshop and one car showroom in Granville Street back around 1958, the workshop was at the back up a passageway, I was the workshop foreman at the time.

There was a bookie (illegal) in the house on the corner of Tennant Street going away from the Broad Street end then the passage then the showroom, also in the passage the was the rear access to a company making car batteries which must have been in Tennant Street.

There was also a café and a pub in that row and a little further down lived my workmate's family the McMahons.
 
dek carr said:
Colin Donovan Electrical later moved to Albert Rd Stechford. Dek
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Dek Donovan Electrical Granville St merged with sister company ERD(formerly Gothic Electrical) in Henrietta St circa 1979/80 the manufacturing side in Stechford were always there , they were absorbed by Brookhirst Igranic in turn by Cutler Hammer Europa , then the Eaton group. I joined ERD 10th October 1977 I worked for them for nearly 36yrs , they moved from Henrietta St in 1984 out to West Bromwich
 
Eric Gibson said:
Watsons of Broad Street bought a garage workshop and one car showroom in Granville Street back around 1958, the workshop was at the back up a passageway, I was the workshop foreman at the time.

There was a bookie (illegal) in the house on the corner of Tennant Street going away from the Broad Street end then the passage then the showroom, also in the passage the was the rear access to a company making car batteries which must have been in Tennant Street.

There was also a café and a pub in that row and a little further down lived my workmate's family the McMahons.
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Bee's Café with Bee the owner and Bert her employee she moved to Holloway Head and another café after Granville St , Mrs Neill kept the off licence she was in Stoke St originally those premises originally sold stuff to do with dressmaking etc . I remember the bookies I can't remember his name though I went in there a few times on errands , bloke who owned it although smart in appearance thinking back looked like a posh spiv I remember the battery place, they ended up leaving and Hunt bros Bobby and Ronnie swagmen for the fair bought it millions of bags of coconuts in the cellar I know I used to help them unload them and their bath was full of goldfish remember their two alsatians satan and devil Don't know what happened to the latter , but I used to take satan for a walk, dow the Hall of Memory and back. Good old days Eric
 
ellbrown said:
Seeing this thread yesterday, I decided to head over to Granville Street and get some external shots of it.

Is it still being used by Arts Council England?


82 Granville Street, Birmingham by ell brown, on Flickr


82 Granville Street, Birmingham by ell brown, on Flickr


82 Granville Street, Birmingham - Upper William Street by ell brown, on Flickr

Saw this brick sculpture in the car park. Took it over the wall


82 Granville Street, Birmingham - bird sculpture in car park by ell brown, on Flickr

A window with the no 82


82 Granville Street, Birmingham - window,no 82 and lettr box by ell brown, on Flickr
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Ell in the 14 years I lived in William St I did not know that Upper William St existed that part was a Cul de Sac , we used to call it the Wormole, those ground floor windows in that part of the building never existed when I lived there we used to play cricket etc down the Wormole , is the Upper a recent thing or was it always that
 
Williamstreeter said:
Dek Donovan Electrical Granville St merged with sister company ERD(formerly Gothic Electrical) in Henrietta St circa 1979/80 the manufacturing side in Stechford were always there , they were absorbed by Brookhirst Igranic in turn by Cutler Hammer Europa , then the Eaton group. I joined ERD 10th October 1977 I worked for them for nearly 36yrs , they moved from Henrietta St in 1984 out to West Bromwich
Click to expand...

I worked at Donovans at Northcote Rd (not Albert Rd) as an apprentice between 1971-74, - I'm pretty sure they were taken over by Thorn EMI & moved to Bedford at that time (74), as I chose redundancy rather than relocate as a teenager.
 
Roy Twing said:
I worked at Donovans at Northcote Rd (not Albert Rd) as an apprentice between 1971-74, - I'm pretty sure they were taken over by Thorn EMI & moved to Bedford at that time (74), as I chose redundancy rather than relocate as a teenager.
Click to expand...


They were Roy , late 70's Donovan moved from Granville St to it's sister company Gothic Electrical in Henrietta St , they traded as RED then until Edmundson Electrical bought them in 1981 . I worked for them from 1977 till 2013 moving from Henrietta St in 1984 to West Bromwich , then onto Wednesbury in 2013 . That's when I decided I'd had enough
 
Williamstreeter said:
They were Roy , late 70's Donovan moved from Granville St to it's sister company Gothic Electrical in Henrietta St , they traded as RED then until Edmundson Electrical bought them in 1981 . I worked for them from 1977 till 2013 moving from Henrietta St in 1984 to West Bromwich , then onto Wednesbury in 2013 . That's when I decided I'd had enough
Click to expand...
.
Forgot to say the manufacturing side were acquired by Brookhirst Igranic , then in turn by Cutler Hammer Europa , then lost forever in time in the vast Delta group
 
I'm trying to find a company named Iron Plates Work that my ancestor, George Owen worked from 1806-1860. Does anyone believe that it could be one of the places on the above maps?
 
The original terminus of the Birmingham West Suburban Railway (Birmingham to Kings Norton) was in Granville Street 1876-1885 until the Midland Railway acquired the line and extended it into New Street Station.
 
Re:#36
Are you sure it was a company? 1852 directory lists Iron Plate Workers - most seem to be individuals, although there are a few companies.
upload_2018-8-16_21-44-49.png
upload_2018-8-16_21-45-20.png
 
JessicaB923 said:
I'm trying to find a company named Iron Plates Work that my ancestor, George Owen worked from 1806-1860. Does anyone believe that it could be one of the places on the above maps?
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Hello Jessica I lived in William just off Granville St for fourteen years , I can't say I have ever heard that name mentioned but good luck with you search .
 
IRON PLATE WORKERS,

Allen James & Joseph, 99 Bradford st
Ash Henry, 1 Dale end Bissell James, 296 Bradford st
Higgins Joseph, 155 Dartmouth st
Lewis & Smith, 36 Hill st
Maudsley Fredk. 84 Great Charles st
Maullin James, 36 Summer row
Palmer Samuel, 4 Gosta Green
Read Silvester, Stone yard
Sumner & Son, 84 Smallbrook st
Tonks Samuel, 18 Jamiiica row
Wilden Iron and Tin Plate Co. 11 Whittall street

Hi Jessica,

Above is a list of iron plate working companies in Birmingham in 1840.
 
It says "engaged in the Iron Plate works" - this could suggest that was his trade and not a company.
 
Phil said:
IRON PLATE WORKERS,

Allen James & Joseph, 99 Bradford st
Ash Henry, 1 Dale end Bissell James, 296 Bradford st
Higgins Joseph, 155 Dartmouth st
Lewis & Smith, 36 Hill st
Maudsley Fredk. 84 Great Charles st
Maullin James, 36 Summer row
Palmer Samuel, 4 Gosta Green
Read Silvester, Stone yard
Sumner & Son, 84 Smallbrook st
Tonks Samuel, 18 Jamiiica row
Wilden Iron and Tin Plate Co. 11 Whittall street

Hi Jessica,

Above is a list of iron plate working companies in Birmingham in 1840.
Click to expand...
Thank you! Is there a way you could find any frying pan companies around Duddeston and Nechells, Aston in 1841? Looking for George Owen
 
I doubt if any firm specialised in frying pans. They were probably only a part of the range of products, which could range from fire irons to iron gates, and possibly even larger items
 
Vivienne14 said:
Just taken a Streetview stroll along Granville Street to try to locate the 1891 Martin and Martin building (pic1) but it's obviously no longer there. I was surprised not to find any evidence of it as it was a very substantial building. In fact very little of the Victorian period seems to have survived along the street. But I was pleased to see one little gem from Georgian times; St Thomas's 1824 church, albeit now in a sorry state (pic 3). If only it hadn't been bombed in WW2. At least the Peace Garden has found a good home in the grounds of the church. Does anyone know if anything is planned for the church. Streetview shows it surrounded by 'keep out' type fencing, so I expect it's unsafe. Viv.
Click to expand...

I am new to the Forum and it is great to see the entries for Granville Street. My family (The Fairs) have a long connection with this street as 4 generations of Fairs have lived here, from approx. 1911 to 1960, at 1 back of 43. My great grandmother Eliza Fair lived here with her younger children at the time of the 1911 census. I would love to see a map from that time. My grandparents Harry and Winifred Fair then lived at the house and had 5 sons, Jack, Harry, Len, Patrick and my father Thomas (Tom). Following the death of Winifred in 1955/56 my parents Tom and Eileen occupied the house and me and my siblings, until 1960. My siblings David and Karen Fair attended St Thomas's school. We then moved to the more "rural" area of Bartley Green. I understand that the back to backs in Granville St were demolished in approx. 1965.
 
Frying pans, within the scope of the posts here, might be found under the description skillets. It is also worth trying the descriptions of cast iron and wrought iron when searching.
 
Hi all I wonder if anyone can position where Ĺyons bakery stood in Granville street I worked there as a decorator in1954/55 at the tender age of 16 they had lots of women and girls doing the various baking jobs and I still blush to think of the tricks they played on me lt was on a corner I believe
Regards Acklam 19
 
Lyons bakery was at 134 Granville St, in red on the c1955 map

map c1955 showing Lyonms bakery 134 Granville St.jpg
 
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hi trude and welcome i am sure if mike spots your post he can provide you with a map showing where your family home was

lyn
 
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