• 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

Old street pics..

OM's (Phil) photo has an advert for shoes above one doorway, which might suggest a cobblers shop. It would be interesting to read the larger sign over the arch to the side entrance.
This could become another No.8 bus in Icknield Street search! :D
 
Shoothill have the image below from the library collection tagged as Willis Street and I have lightened the right side of the image to show the 'Tea & Coffee' shop. On the right side of the shop window I can see written vertically what appears to be '69-71 Barr St'. Under the full image I have put an enlargement of the writing.
WillisSt or Barr St.jpg
69-71BarrSt.jpg
Barr Street was and is in the Hockley area
 
Last edited:
The pattern of entrances and the apparent end of the row of buildings at the corner with Hockley St fits the photo being Barr St.. Also around 1900 no 65 is lsited as a shopkeeper, which usually means general provisions and this would fit with tea and coffee sign. No 63 on the edge of the photo wasa pearl button works
Sorry my choice of colour for numbers hasn't shown up too well

Barr St numbered.jpg
 
Shoothill have the image below from the library collection tagged as Willis Street.
WillisChildren.jpg

In view of the doubts about the location of the image in post #5456 I've enlarged some wall notices in this pic for possible location clues. Ashted Row has a 'White Lie' show on somewhere, there is an annual meeting at a local school but the corner of the bay window blocks the name and the left notice names a 'Karl Eddie' and A.G.Spry, but no apparent clues !
XNotices.jpg
 
Last edited:
An aerial view dated 1939 showing Barr St running across the centre left to right and Hockley St top to bottom across the centre. Just to the right of the junction is a building (marked) with a higher roof level which appears to match the street level pics of Barr St.
BarrSt1939.jpg
EPW062659 England 1939 ref 'britainfromabove'
 
A.G. Spry was an Australian comedian who specialised in monologues and producing revues. He appeared in Birmingham in 1906, 1911 and 1918, so the photograph is at any rate pre-1920.

EDIT:Karl Eddie, described as an entertainer, seemed have had his heyday about 1913.

Maurice
 
Last edited:
Mike,

They seem to have appeared at several Birmingham theatres including the Grand and the Alexandra. Spry did most of his work in London, but did several round the world tours as well.

Maurice
 
I have the image at #5464 in my collection as Willis Street Nechells and as the street with the mystery shop in Lozells is Wills Street it seems that Willis Street is not the location being sought. Besides there was no gradient on Willis Street that I can remember save for the part that was on the other side of Ashted Row and Great Brook Street that was behind the photographer on the photo I am posting here.

Nechells Willis St - Francis St .jpg
 
mizzyjo said:
Does anyone have a photograph of my mom's old school, Windsor Street? At the time she lived in Forster Street, I've traced her path to school!!
Click to expand...
There is this aerial view dated 1933 of a school in Windsor Street but it is on the corner of Forster Street and your mom would not have had to walk very far if this was the school she went to.
School close up identified from an old map
WindsorStSchool1933.jpg

A view of the area. I posted this pic in #5399 and it was a link to the 'Then and Now' thread.
Image_1933.jpg

Another view showing the full length of Forster Street.
ForsterStreet.jpg
If it is the school maybe someone will have a street level pic of it.
An up-to-date aerial view is in a post link below
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/then-now.44065/post-639941
oldmohawk ...:)
 
Last edited:
VE Day - 8th May 1945

Sir Hiltons Road, West Heath

Picture 1 - That's me on the far left with my decorated scooter. And my sister Pat sitting down.

Picture 3 - Taken in front of our house - no. 35

Still another 5 years or so until the end of rationing
 

Attachments

  • VE Day 01 - 8th May 1945.jpg
    VE Day 01 - 8th May 1945.jpg
    224.2 KB · Views: 126
  • VE Day 03.jpg
    VE Day 03.jpg
    179.8 KB · Views: 124
Morturn said:
What super photos. Just looking at your house in the background, was it council owned? Looks really smart and well maintained.
Click to expand...

Those houses were privately built in 1933. As far as I know they were all for rent when new. My parents were buying a nice semi-detached in Jubilee Avenue Redditch at the time but my dad was not comfortable with the mortgage and so, when he heard about these new houses for rent in West Heath, he just walked away from the house they were buying.

I believe the rent was about 8 shilling and, as it was controlled, it remained at that level for many years. However, later on, many people took up an option to buy their house.

None of the houses in the area suffered bomb damage during the war. However, my dad told me that an incendiary device did land on the front door step of one house down the road. We had an Anderson shelter in the back garden but we never used it as the concrete base always had several inches of water in it. After the war the metal parts were taken away but the concrete base remained buried under the soil. Often wonder if it is still there.

Looking at Sir Hiltons Road via Google Maps today I see that the parade of shops, which were half way up, have gone and that many of the houses have been subjected to cosmetic 'improvements' (latticed double glazing, porches over doors etc.). Also, most houses have a car sitting upon what was once their front garden. When I was young only one family in the whole street had a car - an Austin Mayfair as I recall.

Trevor
 
Barbara Billington said:
Lovely to look at these photos,I used to live in smethwick and worked at Birmid Foundry.
It was around the late 50s early 60s.
I was a core maker.
Is there anyone who worked there around this time,and any Photos please.
Click to expand...

Barbara, There is a separate Birmid thread that you might like to look at. I am having difficulty posting the link but if you type in Birmid in the Q box at the top right of the screen you will find it.

My great uncle Leslie James was a core maker at Birmid for his entire working life.
 
Last edited:
A Sparks said:
I wonder why the three storey house was built on the end of the terrace?
Click to expand...
may I offer another theory there was a need for more bedrooms as the family was a large one blessed with a fertile mother, across from my mothers grocery store on the corner of Edgewood Road and Heronswood Road in Rednal were 2 three story homes on each side of the street at the end of the row and the family's that lived there needed all three story's the Yardley's and the Philp's, I am sure these were council house's I remember the kids and the mothers but can not recall the father's poor guys may have been at work try to feed 9 kids a piece.
 
oldMohawk said:
778 Bristol Road Selly Oak next to the Westminster Bank saw some changes as can be seen in 3 pics.

Pic 1 shows it as a small hardware shop (behind the car) without a sign. Stan Guest's furniture shop next door was also going to be changed. The car number plate might help with a date.
View attachment 130263

Pic 2 shows it named 'The Bijoll' but it has closed and what did it sell? Stan Guest's shop has become very grand with large changes. The Westminster Bank has a pile of bricks outside, maybe internal changes.
View attachment 130264

Pic 3 and Matty's Radio have taken over 778 and are advertising rental TVs which can receive BBC 2 which launched in 1964.
View attachment 130265
Click to expand...
Westminster Bank ? can you imagine a bank looking like that today ? looks more your old uncle Bill's place he turned into a bank.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top