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  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Aston Interactive Map

www.leroux.co.uk/aston

A couple of years ago I posted a link to an interactive map of Aston, the idea being that you would be able to 'take a walk' along various Aston Streets. I was never happy with this, my programming skills were very basic and each point had to be clicked to display the image.
Now, thanks to having plenty of time as a result of lockdowns, I have been able to improve the map so that on hovering over the blue spots the image is displayed. The image can be opened in a new window by clicking, if you wish to copy it.

Please test it out and let me know if you have any issues or suggestions. A few images are very poor quality but have been included because perhaps that is all we have (or will ever have).

I have been 'stunned' by the quality and content of many of the images used (virtually all off BHF), In particular my favourites are:
Avenue Road
Work on Hockley Brook, High Street
Colour image of Aston Cross looking up Park Lane (with Scrivens camera shop)

If it proves useful I will add more streets in the future, eventually I would like to cover Nechells and later the city centre (although that may be a bit ambitious).

The site may be displayed as 'not secure' but there is no personal data being collected and you don't have to enter any details to view the site.

Googling 'not secure' gives the following statement: 'The notification does not mean that the site is compromised or not functioning correctly'.
This is brilliant. Really loved looking at the photos. What a great idea.
 
This is brilliant. Really loved looking at the photos. What a great idea.
Fanatastic! My great grandparents lived in Frankfort St in1901 and I can now identify their house with these photos/map and the 1951 OS map where houses are numbered. Thank you!
 
Hi John, brilliant website.

I have just put you on my watch list. I'll be watching for any new updates especially any showing New Town Row near the canal going towards Birmingham City. My 3 x Great Grandparent lived at 10 & 11 New Town Row. Not yet covered by your map. Also any shots of Lucas at Great King Street. I worked there from the 70s to 1992.

Phil
 
Hi John, brilliant website.

I have just put you on my watch list. I'll be watching for any new updates especially any showing New Town Row near the canal going towards Birmingham City. My 3 x Great Grandparent lived at 10 & 11 New Town Row. Not yet covered by your map. Also any shots of Lucas at Great King Street. I worked there from the 70s to 1992.

Phil
Hi Phil, thanks for your post, much appreciated. I have been looking at ways of extending the map but quite difficult as each of the current images has specific coordinates and unfortunately these change if the map coverage is increased, I'm certain there is a way of doing it and do regret not covering more of Aston in the first place. I would like to extend it more to the city centre, west to cover the whole of Farm Street and further north towards Birchfield road. I would also like to create a map to cover Nechells and Saltley for which I have fond memories.
 
Hi Phil, thanks for your post, much appreciated. I have been looking at ways of extending the map but quite difficult as each of the current images has specific coordinates and unfortunately these change if the map coverage is increased, I'm certain there is a way of doing it and do regret not covering more of Aston in the first place. I would like to extend it more to the city centre, west to cover the whole of Farm Street and further north towards Birchfield road. I would also like to create a map to cover Nechells and Saltley for which I have fond memories.
Hi John, sounds like a lot of work to extend the map. A tag or link on the blue dots to a specific photo is the way to go, easier said than done I hear you say, either way it must be hard work. Look forward to when you extend to cover Hockley, where I was born. Keep up the good work.

Regards
Phil
 
Brummy-lad that's brilliant! The redevelopment of most of the area happened before I was a teenager so my memory of it isn't that good, but this really helps me get my bearings.
The only problem for me will be to try and not spend too much time on it! Thanks very much for this.
I think what you have done on creating this map is brilliant. It's a good template that could be adopted for use on many other local history sites.
I would really encourage you, if you can, to add photos to your Aston map as you discover them and (as you suggested) extend the range eastwards, over towards Nechells and Duddeston, and also northwards towards Aston Hall and Villa Park
 
I think what you have done on creating this map is brilliant. It's a good template that could be adopted for use on many other local history sites.
I would really encourage you, if you can, to add photos to your Aston map as you discover them and (as you suggested) extend the range eastwards, over towards Nechells and Duddeston, and also northwards towards Aston Hall and Villa Park
Thank-you for your post Steven, there are in the region of 500 images on the map now and it has been thoroughly interesting researching the locations. I was 7 or 8 when I moved from Aston to Washwood Heath so never saw the devastation of the redevelopment. I'm constantly updating my database with Aston images, in particular when I find clearer copies of images already used.
 
Hi John - you are doing a great job!! Please feel free to add any of the images I am posting onto your map - recent posts include shops on corner of Newtown Row / St. Stephens Street, and shops on Lozells Road - both at the junction with Wheeler St and a bit further along to the west - both of which just creep onto the top edge of the map!
 
Also images of the Bartons arms taken from the site of the then demolished Aston Hippodrome
Thanks Mark, you have posted many images for me to add, plus the quality is superb. I also developed and printed b&w films in the 60s, 70s and 80s but unfortunately had moved to Cannock by then so no Brum pics. I still use an HP scanner from about 20 years ago but have to use an old pc running on windows XP, so I can appreciate the time involved in scanning your collection.
 
Hi I am reserching P  1966 LKS.jpegthe Lucas factory in Little King Street. Does anyone have other good photographs of the site please.
 
Hi this is taken from

Cycling 08 August 1891

 

Attachments

  • BL_0003393_18910808_068.pdf
    864 KB · Views: 18
18 images for William Street (Lozells) have been added to the map, you may find that the images do not immediately show when hovering over the blue spots this is because the numerous images are still loading in the background.

www.leroux.co.uk/aston
Hi
My Great Grand Mother lived at No 79. Can I keep a copy of this picture please for my family history?
 
I notice you posted about this in the thread mentioned below in 2018.
A further posts have been added since particularly maps and photographs.
I hope they help.
Hi I am reserching View attachment 178208the Lucas factory in Little King Street. Does anyone have other good photographs of the site please.
 
What a fantastic resource - I hadn't picked up on it before. My family all lived in the area turn of the century and I will turn to this for views. Thank you Brummy-Lad.
 
Hi would anyone know where Clifford Buildings were in Birmingham on the 1871 census and where Great Brook Street would be please.
Thanks
 
There would appear to be Cliofford buildings in New John St West and Brearly St West (from deaths in newspapers in the 1860s}, but they are not marked on the 1880s maps as such.
The map below from 1866 shows Great Brook St in red

map 1866 showing Great Brook st.jpg
 
  • Appreciate
Reactions: AMW
www.leroux.co.uk/aston

A couple of years ago I posted a link to an interactive map of Aston, the idea being that you would be able to 'take a walk' along various Aston Streets. I was never happy with this, my programming skills were very basic and each point had to be clicked to display the image.
Now, thanks to having plenty of time as a result of lockdowns, I have been able to improve the map so that on hovering over the blue spots the image is displayed. The image can be opened in a new window by clicking, if you wish to copy it.

Please test it out and let me know if you have any issues or suggestions. A few images are very poor quality but have been included because perhaps that is all we have (or will ever have).

I have been 'stunned' by the quality and content of many of the images used (virtually all off BHF), In particular my favourites are:
Avenue Road
Work on Hockley Brook, High Street
Colour image of Aston Cross looking up Park Lane (with Scrivens camera shop)

If it proves useful I will add more streets in the future, eventually I would like to cover Nechells and later the city centre (although that may be a bit ambitious).

The site may be displayed as 'not secure' but there is no personal data being collected and you don't have to enter any details to view the site.

Googling 'not secure' gives the following statement: 'The notification does not mean that the site is compromised or not functioning correctly'.
John. This is an excellent piece of work, quite inspired. I am looking for information and photographs of Great King Street and little king Street, do you have anything to help in a similar way ?? THANKS, appreciated
 
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