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Baskerville House - Centenary Square

Baskerville House in Centenary Square currently has scaffolding on it!

You can see it with the Library of Birmingham and from the Library of Birmingham.
















Older photos of mine can be found here Baskerville House album on Flickr.
 
In 2009 before the library was built, you had your last chance to see the Flame of Hope



 
I like this photo because of the way the Colonnade archway frames Baskerville House. What puzzles me though is the hoarding still around BH, it seems to be not quite completed. Yet the description of the postcard claims it's 1954. I thought BH was completed much earlier than that. Viv.

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Vivienne14, would you know who holds the copyright for that pic, that really appeals to me for a painting, love the way it is framed by the arch and the figure with the small dog. As I do not charge for a painting I don't thick copyright matters but its only polite to ask permission. Eric
 
Hi Eric. It was produced by Jarrold & Sons. I don't know if they even exist now but will see if I can find out anything more. It was a postcard used in 1954 but I think the view is much older than that. Agree it would make a lovely view. Hadn't realised there were only two curved arches on the Colannade which were at either end. The ones in between were all straight edged. Viv.
 
Thanks Vivienne, Usually the painting will finish up with a member and as long as the member does not sell it I do not think any laws are being broken. It would be interesting to know date when pic was taken, pre or early post war I would guess. ?? Any way have downloaded pic and put it in my "possible painting" file. Eric
 
I wonder if anyone knows the date the buildings which are to the right of Baskerville House in the photo were demolished? Is it Easy Row? If someone can tell us when they were demolished we could roughly date this photo. It seems odd to me that the postcard was used in 1954, but Baskerville House looks unfinished. Viv.
 
Vivienne

The building of Baskerville House started in 1938, I couldn't say if they continued to build during the war as I do not have a completion date. The new Central Library was completed in 1974 so I would imagine your photo was taken sometime between 1945 and 1974 looking at the photo I would go for the earlier date.
 
baskerville-house-1939.jpg

This picture shows another phase of construction in 1939 (Birmingham Central Library, Warwickshire Photographic Survey"
According to "A Century of Birmingham"
In 1934, the City Council decided to erect a host of new municipal offices behind the Hall of Memory. Three years were to elapse before the approval was actually given. On 27 June 1938, the Lord Mayor, Councillor E R canning, laid the foundation stone. The photograph shows the near completion of the East Wing of the Civic Centre as it appears in July 1939. War and recession halted any further developments, so this was the only building constructed. In March 1961 it was renamed Baskerville House after the eighteenth-century printer who lived nearby"​
 
Leslam
that would seem to indicate that it would not have been completed till after the war. However last week , on the antique roadshow from Walthamstow town hall, it was stated that the building was started pre-war and construction varried on (including making the basement a bomb shelter) and it was opened in 1941 . this quite surprised me, as i would have though fripperies like a town hall would have been frozen so that people could concentrate on the war effort
 
Hi Phil,
The only one time I had the fortune of going into Baskerville House was way back in time when I came out of the forces
And went there for a security postion on the recomendation of an old friend whom came out of the forces just three months
Prior to me whom was also a local lad whom was already signed up and working there whom served in Hong Kong
After doing his service I was gob Smacked By What I Actually seen
Speak of the mono Lisa the murals on the walls from ceiling to the floor was breath taking they was beatiful I spoke about that building for years later
I then had to go across to the big House council house
But Baskerville House is some beauty inside and the out side exterior best wishes Astonian,,,Alan, merry Christmas ,,,
 
image.jpeg This picture shows another phase of construction in 1939 (Birmingham Central Library, Warwickshire Photographic Survey"
According to "A Century of Birmingham"
In 1934, the City Council decided to erect a host of new municipal offices behind the Hall of Memory. Three years were to elapse before the approval was actually given. On 27 June 1938, the Lord Mayor, Councillor E R canning, laid the foundation stone. The photograph shows the near completion of the East Wing of the Civic Centre as it appears in July 1939. War and recession halted any further developments, so this was the only building constructed. In March 1961 it was renamed Baskerville House after the eighteenth-century printer who lived nearby"​
[/QUOTE]

From Birmingham Mail August 1939
 
Hi pedrocut
Yes i have to agree with you Baskerville House is a great building and Beatifully Dezigned
If nobody as been inside the building i suggest they do because on entrance
The high walls are covered in murials beatiful scenery
I was Horridifyed to hear of the sell off of the building years ago
I had the experiece of seeing inside when i came out of the army and went for security job
As an old friend of mine got started there he was on civvy street before me
When he served in Hong Gong
Best wishes Alan,, Astonian,,,
 
I am sorry I cannot scan the picture but if you can look in Pevsner's Birmingham (edited by Andy Foster 2005) on page 144 there is a picture of how the Civic Centre was intended to look in 1941. It shows that Baskerville House is only half its intended size with a mirror image building intended for the place where the ICC is now and two small buildings in the same style further back from Broad Street between them. This is why, if you look back along the side of Baskerville House from the new library you see what is called a pavilion jutting out which was intended to be in the middle of the west side of the building. After the war there was not enough money to complete the Civic Centre and any way, Fascist Style Architecture (named after the Fasces, the symbol of authority of a Roman magistrate) had definitely fallen out of favour after the war for obvious reasons.
 
Is this the image you meant - found it on wikipedia.
Janice
 

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Thanks Janice. Picture taken from a different angle but of the same model. See what I mean looking at the building across the square and it shows that the present building is only half of the intended size. Three buildings at the back of the square not two as I thought
 
I think you mean this model. It was at the Museums Collection Centre when I took photos of it in 2012.



But I last saw it back at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery last year.

 
Clearing the way for the building of the Civic Centre in the 1930s. Is it me or has this area been one vast, ongoing building site for near on the last 100 years ! Viv.

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It could seem that way Vivienne especially to those just looking on. It is those who have had to endure and keep adjusting to road and bus route changes that have my sympathy. :eek:
 
Baskerville House is about 80 years old now.

Some new views with all the current redevelopments going on around it.

From Bridge Street. The site nearby is 5 Centenary Square (was 1 Arena Central - former site of the Register Office).



Heading onto Broad Street. Hoardings for the Centenary Square redevelopment. They had moved the temporary pedestrian crossing slightly to the left beyond the Hyatt Hotel.



From the Library of Birmingham Discovery Terrace. Paradise Birmingham is over to the right.



Up to the Secret Garden, and there is scaffolding on the roof. Paradise Birmingham - One and Two Chamberlain Square seen behind.

 
A 1961 photo of Baskerville House taken from a favourite spot for photographers. I've only been inside the building once as a very small child when we had to queue for ration books in WW2.
BaskervilleHouse1961.jpg
 
old Mohawk, that is how I remember it, perfect, why was it not left like that, a peaceful place to sit and relax - Now look at it! Eric
 
No money is raised by a grassed leaisure area in a city centre. Far more profitable to build and get rent/taxes etc. :rolleyes:
 
Yes, never mind what the ratepayers want. All we have now is Saint Phillips. Other city centres have green areas to relax in. London has Hyde Park, Regents Park, Green park plus numerous squares, a large green area behind Parliament etc... Eric. We are supposed to be the 2nd City. Eric
 
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Not only has there been the loss of central areas for relaxation it is quite noticeable, from the photos posted on BHF relating to the present re-developments, that most of the older, substantially constructed and architecturally pleasant buildings, are being overshadowed and hidden by modern, monolithic structures principally having an outward skin of glazing. Most seem bereft of any true artistic details.
 
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