Hi Paul,
And yes, it is sad to see the last few Shops so representative of earlier bustling times fall into decline to
finally fall taking their slice of the famous "Icknield Street's" history with them.
There was *the best of times, the worst of times* as in most Major City's, the famous Mint banging out coins for all over the World, plenty of work in the area but our GGparents suffering early deaths, Arsenic, mercury, "mekel" platers, anodising
ooh,,where there's muck there's money but always a down-side as now other emerging industrial Countries experience.
Those last few buildings probably epitomise the halcyon days, the times when the busy people, the noisy factories might even have disturbed their sleeping neighbours in Key Hill & Warstone Lane, but sadly , progress ? has to eventuate.
The only "Icknield Street" survivors are the B,ham Icknield Male Voice Choir formed 114 years ago & still going strong
so there is a brighter "tail" to this singular City's tale.
ooops, John Y