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ANN STREET CITY CENTRE

Have found this very poor photo (not sure from where it came of the junction of Ann St with Newhall St. I also have the earlier discussed photo labelled with two houses. That would indicate that the building with the coat of arms is the RSPCA local offices (which would explain the coat of arms), and make the postered buildings nos 25 & 24.

Ann-Street-Newhall-Street-3.jpg AnnStreetwithmarkers-1.jpg
 
Just realised that the drawing of Ann st from around 1870 from another thread (https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...of-birmingham-c-1870.41158/page-2#post-563889), has not been included . Here it is , hopefully displayed larger than originally, so it can be appreciated better, with the comments describing the view.
panoramic view birmingham  2. Ann stA.jpg
The fifth panorama is of Ann St, in particular part of the frontage of Ann st that was demolished in the early 1870s to make way for the Council House, going from either 25 to 40 Ann St. The view seems to have been between about 1868 and 1872, as the firm of Joseph Jones, auctioneer at no 33 was listed in the 1872 directory, but not in the 1868 or 1873 directories.. By the time of the 1876 Post Office directory all these buildings had disappeared, to be replaced by the Municipal buildings..
At the far right of the picture is Eden Place, and next to it no 25-26 (listed as 25in some directories and 26 in others), occupied mainly by the RSPCA and the Anti-Contagious Diseases Society. The latter was not formed to act against smallpox and the like, but as a campaign organization against the Contagious Diseases Act, which, from 1864, enabled prostitutes in navy and army towns found to suffer from venereal diseaes to be confined in Lock hospitals, though, conveniently for the male politicians and lawmakers, made no such restriction on male clients. It was at one time suggested that it be extended all over the country, but thebefforts of the above society and its successors saw the Acts repealed in 1886 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contagious_Diseases_Acts) . A coat of arms is visible by the door, presumably that of the RSPCA at the time, though it does not resemble the present version..
Next door at 27 was Heptinstall & Lawledge, file manufacturers, who moved here in 1789 and remained until demolition for the municipal buildings. they are mentioned at
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=10608.
No 28, clearly numbered on the print, changed hands several times over the period, and could have been R Mann Paperhanging manufacturers, Jabez Wilson, bookseller or Henry Stern, glass merchant. similarly no 29 would have been John Tristram Caswell, hair worker, or Bowdidge & Norton, auctioneers.
No 30 was Adam & co, sewing machine agents, though G.H.Adam was also the registrar of births & deaths.
No 31 was either Suckling & Ormond, auctioneers, or James Cox , poulterer.
No 32 was confectioner Thomas Richards,
No 33 was Thomas Arnold Jones, auctioneer while 33½ , in court 5 behind the building, was James Hughes, french polisher.
No 34 was Miss Mary Jane James, milliner, who took over from auctioneer Earl James, presumably her father or husband, while 35 was either unoccupied or occupied by Henry Stern , glass sign writer.
The name over no 36 shows it to be George Gardner,fruiterer & tobacconist, while next door at 38, under the sign "Irish Porter Stores" was the Bell & Candlestick pub, run by Charles Godfrey.
Adam Smith ,chemist was at no 39, and at no 40 was iether David or Nathan cohen-Spiers (depending on date), pawnbroker, with brass balls displayed.
 
Great Mike. This gives us such a good account of that section of Ann Street. So difficult to imagine today. Seem to remember that not all of Ann Street became Colmore Row as the road was re-aligned when the Council House was built. Viv.
 
I am copying this image (posted by Stitcher on the Old adverts thread) to this thread as it shows premises of Adams & Beresford's music establishment in Ann Street in the 1700s. It's hard to imagine this building being on Ann Street, it being so large and grand. Viv.

image.jpeg
 
In the 1860s and 70 s Ann Street must have been an important commercial street. The Registrars Office and the Patent Office. There was an Emigration Office, particularly to New York and Canada. The branch office of the RSPCA (mentioned earlier by Mikejee) were also located there. Viv.

Source for all newspaper extracts: British Newspaper Archives.
 

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In the 1860s and 70 s Ann Street must have been an important commercial street. The Registrars Office and the Patent Office. There was an Emigration Office, particularly to New York and Canada. The branch office of the RSPCA (mentioned earlier by Mikejee) were also located there. Viv.

Source for all newspaper extracts: British Newspaper Archives.
Viv

Do you have any information about the location of Lloyds Bank at that time. A friend of mine has an old cheque drawn on Lloyds Bank Ann Street Birmingham and we were wondering if it was at the location next to Eden Place which became Lloyds Bank Colmore Row.

David
 
Yes David. The Lloyd’s High St branch relocated to Ann Street on 1/7/1871 and had frontages on to Ann St and Eden Place - Eden Place being, at the time, a new street. The entrance was on the corner of both Ann St and Eden Place. Fuller description of the building is below. Viv.


6A312C1D-4160-4F35-A8F5-35C608E2FC54.jpeg
Source: British Newspaper Archive
 
Not a very good image, but I think this was the bank built in 1871. The building no longer exists. Viv.

F6899029-A35A-4A32-8D31-35483BC8095A.jpeg
 
Somebody correct me if I’m wrong, but I think this replaced the original Ann Street Lloyd’s Building, and not so long ago.I think Eden Place is to the left, but it doesn’t seem to be marked on maps. Viv.
 

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Viv
What do you mean by not shown on maps? Certainly it does not seem to be named on Google maps, though you can "walk "down it on streetview. Bur maps up to at least 1966 do show it

map c1966 showing eden place.jpg
 
Agreed, Viv, unindexed, you just get a gay bar of the same name in Sherlock Street, although, as Mike says, the name plate is clearly visible and Google need to get their act together. However, if my memory is correct, there used to be a Westminster Bank on that corner where Starbucks is, but although a sandstone colour, I can't remember all those round curves, but I am talking 1950s!

Maurice :cool:
 
Agreed, Viv, unindexed, you just get a gay bar of the same name in Sherlock Street, although, as Mike says, the name plate is clearly visible and Google need to get their act together. However, if my memory is correct, there used to be a Westminster Bank on that corner where Starbucks is, but although a sandstone colour, I can't remember all those round curves, but I am talking 1950s!

Maurice :cool:
Maurice. Actually Westminster Bank was in the blank space on the map that Mikejee posted on the corner of Colmore Row and Newhall Street. It was then replaced by the NatWest Tower which during the past two years has also been demolished and replaced with another tower block. I have not been in the centre of Birmingham for over a year now so I am not sure of the current status of the new building whether it is finished or not.

2009 & Sept 2020
1618401014996.png1618401046228.png
 
I have managed to find a photo of the 1960s Lloyds Bank Colmore Row but do not yet have a date when this was demolished. You may need to click on the picture to see it properly.
 

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