• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Street furniture

Although it was the 1950s, they made the the street lights interesting with fluted decorative posts even if they were using vertical fluorescent type light tubes ... I remember them and at the time thought they looked modern and neat! One of the old 'corner protection' bollards still there by the street light on the Temple Row corner. forum image link only visible if logged in ... second time I've made this pic show where it isn't
index.php
 
Last edited:
Well there a memory mnemonic, I had almost forgotten about those lamps, quite unusual.
 
The lamps look quite featureless from a distance but close-up they have an attractive fluted pole and some nicely cast (?) details below the shade. Viv.
 
A view of Old Square c1900 showing a large three arm street lamp and another lamp on a decorative arch near the underground conveniences. The large lamp might be the one mentioned in post#544. The Newbury's building with turrets topped by cupolas makes a nice back scene.
OldSquare_1900.jpg
 
I don't think there are many of these around but near us we have a row of 3 or 4.
Sorry every time I use my phone camerang pictures upload sideways - and I followed Viv's I instructions as well.
 

Attachments

  • 20180311_122813.jpg
    20180311_122813.jpg
    936.8 KB · Views: 38
Last edited:
I think we ought to start a club for wonky pictures Janice - I can guarantee that whatever I do the picture will always come out at a different angle.
 
If you carry out a small edit of the photo in the phone and save it, the photo will then upload right way up. The edit can be a slight change of brightness or a slight crop. I've just confirmed this with my iPhone and tablet in a forum edit of one of my posts. The edit in the phone changes the 'exif' info contained in the jpg file.
 
I spotted these railings in Marsh Lane, Erdington some time ago but have only just go round to photographing them. I presume they were for the proposed tramway which I believe never materialised.
 

Attachments

  • 20180527_123609 (2).jpg
    20180527_123609 (2).jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 35
  • 20180527_123644 (2).jpg
    20180527_123644 (2).jpg
    2.5 MB · Views: 34
This is the maker's mark for the last post. Wouldn't upload until I'd re-sized it.
 

Attachments

  • 20180527_123746 (2).jpg
    20180527_123746 (2).jpg
    395.3 KB · Views: 34
“Press button B please caller”


The last working K type public phone box in the City Center (Temple Row West) has now been Decommissioned, it was working till recently but all of its Gubbins have been taken out and the door is locked shut, you can of course still find a working K type in the suburbs, and there are public telephone boxes still in the city (good luck finding one) but no K types,
https://flic.kr/p/26SQjbJ
 
what a great idea alan and all for charity as well...i find it amazing what these old red phone boxes are being turned into..would love one in my back garden:D

lyn
 
Lyn, judging by the apparent demand for these items I think you would have to be prepared to loose an arm and a leg to get one. :D
 
thanks bill i remember seeing that clip its amazing what such a small space can be used for and a noval way to ensure the great british phone box does not disappear forever:)

alan i think i best start saving for one now then:D

lyn
 
This late 1950s/early 1960s (?) view shows quite a number of concrete planters in Chamberlain Square. I remember many of these around Town, but I think they've all mostly disappeared now. In themselves they weren't particularly attractive, but when filled with flowers they added vibrant splashes of colour to City Centre streets.

In this photo we also have a kiosk. However, can't make out what that was for. Not sure if it's a newspaper vendor or for some other purpose. Viv.

IMG_0350.JPG
 
didnt the square look lovely then....the man on the right looks like he is reading a newspaper so maybe it was an up market newspaper kiosk...just a guess though

lyn
 
It seems very quiet for 12:30pm in the middle of the day. Could it possibly be a Sunday? I don't remember the kiosk, unless it was post-January 1961, and it looks to be covered with posters for events. The Parks Dept had an excellent staff for servicing these planters and the flower beds in parks and traffic islands. Perhaps the city centre looks so bare these days because they are missing.

Maurice
 
I can remember seeing kiosks of that peculiar shape and am sure they were for newspapers plus sweets and odds and ends. Not sure about cigarettes as I never smoked. They were quite common and think the shape was to do with them being prefabricated and erected in a certain way.
 
I think they might have just been for advertising. The shape meaning more posters than on a normal two sided board. I vaguely remember them. Although also seem to recall some larger ones sold newspapers as well.
 
The tram shelter at the Rubery teminus in June 1952. I suppose it was a rather extravagant design and the new bus shelter (top right) shows the trend for future shelters. The Rubery tram service was replaced by buses later in 1952
Tram759RuberyTerminus.jpg
from the DJ Norton collection.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top