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Congreve Street

This has been pedestrian only probably since the building of the concrete library so I don't expect road traffic to use this again.
 
Thanks Ell & David,

I think I last went in the old library 2013 and didn't think to have a look at Congreve Street. Probably concentrating more on what I needed to get done and not really having time to wander away from that.

Maurice :cool:
 
I think some more squares are being planned by Paradise Birmingham. The Copthorne Hotel was supposed to get demolished in the next few years.

Congreve Passage was closed around 5 years ago.

In 2016 was barriers from Chamberlain Square near the Council House extension.

 
Not sure if this is in the correct thread. I can't place where it is. Looks like Baskerville House in the background.Anyone put me out of my misery!
Screenshot (297).png
 
It is the junction of Congreve st with Great Charles St. The laboratory suppliers in the building on the right is Griffin & George at no 157 Gt Charles St
 
King Edward VI High School for Girls was briefly down here in the Liberal Club building (built 1885). They moved in 1887. Land behind the Hen & Chickens Hotel was bought in 1892, and there new school opened there in 1896 (on New Street). Current site of the Odeon Cinema. The school moved to Edgbaston in 1940.

 
Congreve Street by an unknown artist. Can we date the painting from the names above the premises ? There are posters advertising the Daily Mail - the Birmingham Daily Mail ? This title was in circulation in the 1880s (if not before) into the early 1900s (presumably it would have become the Birmingham Mail?). Viv.4989A0C2-FE2C-49C8-AD2A-DEE1DAE578D6.jpeg
 
I wonder if it is artistic licence? I note the corner of the Town Hall and Christchurch in the painting, also a tea rooms? opposite the Town Hall. Nice picture anyway.
 
Below is a map showing Convgreve Passage (the red line with pointers at each end) pretty much as it is now.

When finished it will be pedestrian only.

For a number of years the council have been trying to make it easier for pedestrians to get from the city centre to the Jewelery Quarter but Great Charles Street presents something of a barrier (for years the council have been trying to get money off the government to lower Great Charles St to meet the tunnels at either end).

So a couple of years ago they created a pedestrian crossing over Great Charles St (shown by the green line with arrows at each end in the image below).

This will allow people walk from the city centre / Victoria Square area, along Congreve Passage, over the crossing, AND up to the Jewelery Quarter.

There is of course another crossing over Great Charles St at Newhall Street, plus a pedestrian bridge over Great Charles St near Church St / Ludgate Hill.

A lot of people don't realise another way to get to the Jewelery Quarter is to come out the REAR entrance of Snow Hill station that comes out a Livery Street. I think many people don't even realise there IS a rear exit at Snow Hill station as I am often the only person who uses it when I visit the area by train.

Congreve.JPG

Below, rear exit from Snow Hill station in Livery Street

Station.JPG
 
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Possibly not Alan. Went back a bit further. The 1868 directory gives Joseph Gosling, butcher, at 15 Congreve St, the site of which would later be part of the Council house.. At that time Slater & co, sewing machine manufacturers, were in Tennant St. The next directory I have (1972, Gosling has gone, and William Capsey is a butcher at no 15. Thomas Slater & Co, manufacturers of the "Little wonder sewing machines both sides alike.£3.3" just round the corner at 18,19 Edmund St. The exact years that this refers to are uncertain at this date - it could be 1 or 2 years earlier than publicatio. However it is possible that between the 1868 and 1872 directories, Slaters moved to congreve St but shortly after decamped to nearby Edmund st when they learned , possibly before the official 1871 announcement. that the council definitely were going to build offices on the site
 
Should have added that the Birmingham daily mail began in 1870, so, if it is not artistic licence, then it would be 1870-71. When a paper is started it would be expected thatb there would be a lot of posters posted displaying the product . Should add that the (London) Daily Mail was founded in 1890s. long after the council house was built, so could not be the paper displayed
 
That’s interesting Mike, thanks. So the painting could well have been a response to the Council House development - the realisation by the artist that this Birmingham view was about to significantly change. Thanks all. Viv.
 
This has brought to mind an earlier post of mine (post 19 at https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/street-views-of-birmingham-c-1870.41158/ ) of a view of Congreve st at around that time. A better resolved version is below

panoramic view birm 3 .  congreve  St_.jpg

Some of the names are different, but you will notice towards the left t, as in the painting.he lowish building with two tall chimneys that has a single storey building to the left (Slaters in painting) and a taller three storey building to the right,. To the left of that is Goslings, while to the right of the three storey building is a coffee merchants, which also fits with the painting
Note: you will have to sav ethe panorama and then look at it to see the details
 
Thanks Mike. That also answers a question I had about whether it was Ann Street behind the buildings to the right and running down the side of Christ Church. Ann Street is one of those old streets that I find can be confusing, as although some of Ann St became Colmore Row, some disappeared under the Council House - well as I understand it, hopefully correctly !

Viv.
 
That also answers a question I had about whether it was Ann Street behind the buildings to the right and running down the side of Christ Church.
Viv.
The castellated building to the right is the corner of Congreve Street and Ann Street. At one time this housed Allin's Cabinet of Curiosities, a typical commercial urban exhibition building in the pre-museum era.
 
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