Then & Now

[oldMohawk]

A view of Welford Road in Sutton Coldfield/Erdington, looks 1930s or 1940s. An ordinary road but five cars in the view so some people in the road were well off for those days.

The view today ... lots of trees have since grown.

 

[devonjim]

I know we have covered the Swan Hotel before, but this covers it in more detail, also we have the addition of the now defunct of the Swan Market on the other side of Coventry Road.

Nice to see four incarnations of "The Swan", for me the image I retain is the one with the trolley bus, but I do remember the tartan carpet in the next version.

 

[Phil]

devonjim

Perhaps this will also be familiar as well then, a little further back down Coventry road, but still not so recognisable

 

[devonjim]

Fingers crossed! I can see Red Hill Stores. So, looking east towards The Swan near Flora Rd.

 

[Phil]

Fingers crossed! I can see Red Hill Stores. So, looking east towards The Swan near Flora Rd.

With the Bulls Head on the junction of Waterloo Rd on the right, as you rightly say at the top of Red hill toward the Swan.

 

[devonjim]

So just up from the Adelphi?

 

[Phil]

As you say just a little way up the hill from the Adelphi.

 

[oldMohawk]

A.W.Gurden dairy products premises in Marroway Street Ladywood. The old c1913 photo is not very clear but features on it clearly match the up-to-date photo.

The building is still there with that double-door arch.

It appears to be the only wide arched opening in the street and may have been built for cart access to the rear. Looking at maps etc, there does not appear to be much space at the rear but maybe just enough for the horses and carts shown in the old pic.

 

[Phil]

The New Inns Great Lister street, from what looks like the 1940's up to the present day through various changes.

 

[Astoness]

thanks phil..i know which view i prefer

lyn

 

[Lady Penelope]

Phil, I looked at your pictures and heaved a great sigh. I don't think it's just nostalgia which makes us prefer the older buildings but many modern ones seemed to lack grace somehow. Or perhaps it's character that's lacking. All I know is that something is!

 

[Phil]

Lyn & Lady P,

I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments, how many beautiful buildings have we lost over the last 50 years or so only to have them replaced by boxes or outlandish architecture. These Georgian / Victorian houses on Ashted Row were demolished to make way for two blocks of maisonettes. Today they I hope they would be refurbished and refitted as apartments or some similar use.

 

[Radiorails]

If it is a crumb of comfort it can be said that Birmingham is not unique in the demolition of good handsome buildings. It seems to be plague for most of the UK. Fortunately some places have their heritage fixed firmly in their sights - York for one instance.

 

[sospiri]

Hardly comfort, Alan, but I know what you mean. Large square blocks that turn the area into a ghost town after 6:00pm - Manchester is another one. And I don't think the ugly trams that look more like trains help the general look of the place.

Maurice

 

[Phil]

This sign has been discussed many times previously on the forum, it's the Sign Services sign adjacent to the Cross Keys pub in the High Street at Erdington. It looks like it has now gone forever, well I certainly don't think they will be dressing it up this Christmas.

 

[oldMohawk]

Part of Selly Oak in 1920. The Exeter Rd junction with Heeley Rd at the bottom of the view. A number of chimney stacks, mainly from Elliotts Metals, make the place rather smoky. In the 1920's most housewives usually did the washing on the same day and the back gardens of Gleave Rd and Winnie Rd seem to confirm this.

The view below in 2015, the chimney stacks have gone so no smoke and Sainsburys visible on the Bristol Rd to the right. There is however one chimney stack in the left of the view near the Royal Mail building but it probably cannot emit visible smoke.

 

[Radiorails]

Elliott’s Metal Co., Ltd., 83 Colemore Road and at Selly Oak, Birmingham and at Pembury Copper Works, Barry Port, South Wales. Elliot’s Patent Sheathing & Metal Co, sales offices at 9&11 Irwell Street, Liverpool around 1873. Later taken over by Imperial Metal Industries (IMI).

https://www.oldcopper.org/makers/muntz_metal_co.php

Elliotts Metal Co


1931.Multipen Recorder.
Elliott's Metal Co, of Selly Oak Works, near Birmingham (1908)

of Kynoch Works, Witton, Birmingham (1937)

1853 Established as W. Elliott and Sons

1862 company incorporated as Elliots Patent Sheathing and Metal Co. Ltd.

1866 took over the business of Charles Green, original inventor and patentee of solid-drawn tubes.

1874 Elliott's Patent Sheathing and Metal Co was voluntarily wound up; the business of the company was transferred to a new company Elliott's Metal Co[1] The company was registered on 11 December. [2]. Incorporated as a Limited Company.

1914 Manufacturers of copper and brass plates etc. Specialities: copper and brass plates, sheets, tubes, rods and wire for all purposes and condenser plates and tubes of all alloys; also yellow metal in all forms. Specialise in hot working brass tubes and plates in any mixture, "Calido" brand. [3]

1916 acquired Hughes Stubbs Metal Co. Ltd.

1918 Acquired William Cooper and Goode[4]

1925 Amalgamated with Muntz's Metal Co

1928 acquired by ICI Metals Ltd.

1930 ICI acquired full control of Elliotts Metal Co[5]

1937 Non-ferrous metal manufacturers. [6]
Taken from Graces Guide

 

[oldMohawk]

Another smoky view of Selly Oak in 1920, the hospital on the left and Raddlebarn Rd crossing the railway and canal in the lower part of the view.

The view below in 2015, some hospital buildings have changed but some have not.

 

[Smudger]

1962 & 2005 Bull str. & Dale End

 

[Phil]

Smudger

Taken from a little further back along the High Street, through the years.

 

[Smudger]

Navigation Street 1952 & 2005

I went to the swimming bath`s the other day and got shouted at for peeing in the pool.
In fact, they shouted so loud I nearly fell in.

 

[oldMohawk]

Hay Hall over the years ....
A 1935 aerial view of Hay Hall on Redfern Road opposite James Road.

A 1939 aerial view below showing that the building (offices?) on Redfern Road has been extended and new factory buildings built very close to Hay Hall.

Today's view below shows that the factory buildings put up close to Hay Hall have, for some reason, been demolished.

A view below from the opposite direction shows that the building extension added between 1935 and 1939 blends well with original building.

images from 'britainfromabove' and 'Google Earth'.

 

[Smudger]

Mary Street in Balsall Heath. I had cause to drive down here when taking pictures for the book and I was delighted to see those unusual balconies still in place.

The popularity of smoking in the 1950's in made clear by all the signs on the corner shop - Player's, Will's "Gold Flake" and "Three Castles" and Capstan.

Victoria got in touch to say that the shop next to the corner shop was run by a lady called Zelda. Then Maria was kind enough to provide this amusing story about another resident of the street:
"There used to be an Egyptian Dr called Dr Dearey, he had a very strange set up, what ever the ailment he always gave you an injection, my father like most of his patients would tip him and he took it. The larger the amount the better consultant you got to see if you needed to be reffered to the hospital for anything.

I always remember he had a skull on his desk with a cigarette hanging from his mouth and a plaque which read Poor old Fred died in bed. I kid you not, it was quite a scary thing for a child to look at. I'm sure he died in the 70s and his son took over the surgery. Not sure if he is still running it now though"
Photo by D J Norton, words by his son.

 

[Smudger]

In November 1964, the 'Evening Mail and Despatch' published a four-page pull-out entitled 'The New Birmingham'. If anything summed up the dramatic changes that were taking place in the city at that time, it was the centre spread detailing 100 projects that were either planned, in progress or had been completed. The accompanying map illustrated the dramatic changes clearly.

 

[oldMohawk]

View attachment 116885
Mary Street in Balsall Heath. I had cause to drive down here when taking pictures for the book and I was delighted to see those unusual balconies still in place.

The balconies are still there and apparently in use today. The large grey building behind the houses has gone.

 

[Phil]

Smudger a couple more then & now images of Mary Street. The first is a little further up Mary Street at the junction of George Street. The second a little way downhill at the Edward road crossroads.

 

[sospiri]

Phil,

I particularly like the first pair of pictures and it's amazing that that corner has survived relatively unchanged, even the sash windows, though the building has had quite a lot of work done on it.

Maurice

 

[Astoness]

very weird to see hay hall smack bang in the middle of an industrial estate...does anyone know if the hall has ever been used over the years..

lyn

 

[Morturn]

When I photographed it the other day it look like its used as offices. It seems well maintained.

 

[Astoness]

thanks mort...good to know that

lyn