• 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

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
 
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!!
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:
Back
Top