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Then & Now

I am talking about the1940s 1950s There was a FLASH GORDON series that we could see each week at the cinema. along with the Pathe News, Google it? I think maybe it was "Space adventures of Flash Gordon" We loved it great fun to watch and imagine the future, that is now with us.
 
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I am aware of older Flash Gordon movies. George Lucas who made Star Wars could have made one had he had the rights. Unfortunately the 1980 version was not successful. Probably only see clips of the old ones, but not recently.
 
I tried to post a reply earlier but had a technical issue (crash). I wanted to say that the building in the picture is not the Sydenham it's the Argyle at the junction of John Bright St, John.
The other source of my information was the following post ....
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/pubs-of-the-past.34394/post-430960

The Argyle ... quite narrow ground floor windows with similar width windows above them.
City Argyle Suffolk St .jpg

The Sydenham ... wide ground floor windows with a narrow window above.
City Sydenham Hotel Edgbaston St.jpg

From my post
The Sydenham ... wide ground floor windows with a narrow window above.
oldsmallbrookSt.jpg

So at the moment I still think it is the Sydenham on the corner of Edgbaston Street in my post ... :)
 
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The building in my original post is in this 1949 aerial pic. I've highlighted it and it is on the corner of Edgbaston Street. It appears to still have it's turret but possibly lost it's dome.
Screenshot (498).jpg
 
This is a rant with a question, every photograph I see of Birmingham l see tower cranes, construction, streets tore up, I understand that progess never stops but in order for all that progress to happen a piece of Birmingham has to be demolished.
Will this wholesale destruction ever stop or at least slow down ?
I nevér dreamed I would see the Bullring go I no longer recognize my home town when I look on the net.
I have always felt that England was full of history and slow to change and I like that, but looking at some of the changes its hard to see my history
Gosh remember when the Rotunda got built seems tame by today's standards
 
This is a rant with a question, every photograph I see of Birmingham l see tower cranes, construction, streets tore up, I understand that progess never stops but in order for all that progress to happen a piece of Birmingham has to be demolished.
Will this wholesale destruction ever stop or at least slow down ?
I nevér dreamed I would see the Bullring go I no longer recognize my home town when I look on the net.
I have always felt that England was full of history and slow to change and I like that, but looking at some of the changes its hard to see my history
Gosh remember when the Rotunda got built seems tame by today's standards

Yes, I can remember the Rotunda being built . I did visit Birmingham when we came back for a visit in 2001, didnt recognise it even then but its something else now with all the construction from the photos, pretty sad isn't it?
 
oldMohawk what year was the old photo taken? I never remember it looking quite that nice in the 50's and early 60's,
Richard, I have no date for the pic but at a guess I would say early 1930s.
Here is an aerial view taken in 1935. The garden with it's path, benches, and nearby telephone box visible.
FiveWays1935.jpg
the image is from 'britainfromabove'

Apple maps view of the area now. I suppose there is a grassy space roughly in the same position but who would want to sit there.
IMG_1219.jpg
 
Richard, I have no date for the pic but at a guess I would say early 1930s.
Here is an aerial view taken in 1935. The garden with it's path, benches, and nearby telephone box visible.
View attachment 140020
the image is from 'britainfromabove'

Apple maps view of the area now. I suppose there is a grassy space roughly in the same position but who would want to sit there.
View attachment 140022


and the thing is OM who would want to try and get there to sit down the way the traffic is today...
 
This is a rant with a question, every photograph I see of Birmingham l see tower cranes, construction, streets tore up, I understand that progess never stops but in order for all that progress to happen a piece of Birmingham has to be demolished.
Will this wholesale destruction ever stop or at least slow down ?
I nevér dreamed I would see the Bullring go I no longer recognize my home town when I look on the net.
I have always felt that England was full of history and slow to change and I like that, but looking at some of the changes its hard to see my history
Gosh remember when the Rotunda got built seems tame by today's standards

hi rob i echo your sentiments...been saying for years now that birmingham as we knew it is almost finished....the powers that be will not be satisfied until they have robbed us of every scrap of visible history we had...to my mind that is fact

lyn
 
Hi oM, what's the big building where the bus is just passing please? Almost on Five Ways. I don't remember this area at all as the furthest we went up Broad Street was to the Collonades. No reason to go any further as we lived on the other side of town.
 
Hi oM, what's the big building where the bus is just passing please? Almost on Five Ways. I don't remember this area at all as the furthest we went up Broad Street was to the Collonades. No reason to go any further as we lived on the other side of town.
Hi lady P,
I think it is the King Edward VI Five Ways Grammar School but perhaps someone can confirm this
oldmohawk .. :)
 
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