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BigTop

P

Peter Walker

gone but not forgotten
The bombing of 1941-2 devastated this large site, and until about 1950, the cleared site was used for circuses, fairs and the like.
I must have been to at least one circus there, but I especially remember a fair in about November 1945.
 
Thanks for that Peter, I remember going to the 'Big Top' to the circus in Town, but could never think where it was.:D
 
The Big Top was on the corner of High street and New street at one time it was an open space there is a photograph some where with a circus Big Top Tent erected with all the wagons around it will try and find it if postie don't beat me to it LOL
 
I CAN REMEMBER MY MOM& DAD TAKING ME TO AN EXIBITION OF WAR TIME ARMS ON THE BIG TOP SITE, ONE THING THAT HAS STAYED WITH ME WAS SITTING IN THE COCKPIT OF A DOWNED GERMAN HINKEL? O & ALSO A SPITFIRE IT MUST HAVE BEEN AROUND 1945/6
CAN ANY ONE PUT A DATE TO THAT? PLEASE
ASTON
 
John, were do you get all these great photos from you seem to have one for every topic.
Just great keep them comming
 
I can confirm the Bomb from the market hall in the Bull Ring was move to the Big Top site for some time.
I wonder what happend to it, I remember being given money to put into it, it seemed so big at the time had to be lifted up to put the money in the slot.
 
The big top tent saw many different types of events.I saw the Beggars Opera there and also the Halle Orchestra. The conductor-John Barbirolli-stopped conducting after a few bars of the overture and made them close the flaps of the tent! I think he thought the people outside had not paid to see him! But they could still hear his woderful orchestra.
 
Aston thanks for confirming that a defused bomb was on the Big Top site, sometimes you wonder whether your memory is playing tricks.
 
WHAT ARE THOSE BUILDINGS YONDER? WHERE M&S NOW IS, THE COOP, BEEHIVE? WHAT THE HEK HAPPENED TO 'EM?
 
The Coop has long gone replaced by The Pavilions which is a mall on two or three floors.
The Times Furniture building is now a huge bookstore called Waterstones, completely refurbished not too long ago and has six floors.I think the The Beehive was on Albert Street off Dale End and has been gone for years and years. Marks and Spencers still on the High Street.
 
it was not now though moved to top end of town next to the old post office building the iron man is standing next to it also. The Big Top was the open air ground so called because of the Big Top circus that used the site it was not a building
 
Right on John. Sad about the Post Office. I used to use that Post Office to mail lots of things over the years. It's not very convenient for offices in that area to have to go up to the old Main Post Office at the top of New Street. I used to mail the office mail in the Old Post Office when I worked on Paradise Street years ago.
 
John your photo shows what I was about to write
it was used as a large car park for quite a few years
 
That's a fascinating picture, but it is hard to sus out which way it is looking. You can see the hoarding for Willson's, which in the 1943 sold mantles (ladies', gents' or just gas?) from 74 High Street. I can only think that their premises were at the back of a long, narrow site off the High Street. I can only assume that the single-storey tents at the bottom of the pic backed on to the High Street. In that case New Street is top left.
Peter
 
It's taken from the Co-op in High ST The White building at the top is C and A and to its right the archway type feature is the entrance to a short arcade leading into Cannon St where our tourist office was till recently and where there was a well known hat shop. their car number was HAT 1
 
Could anyone confirm that there used to be a department store called the 'Grand Louvre' on the Big Top site before it was bombed?
 
Here is the Big Top with photo taken from High St to New Street 1944 the first circus to use the bombed site.

Edit. Unfortunately the photo is unavailable.
 
My Father was the ring master/master of ceromonies, at the big top in the 1940's. I have a photo of him somewhere in his ring masters uniform. Maybe someone remembers him?
 
Nice link Len thanks

DWK we would love to see a picture of your Dad the ringmaster!
 
good evening all
i have seen references to the big top site in various posts and i was wondering if anyone could tell me what and where it was and if possible a picture i have done a search but to no avail!
phil
 
philbee said:
good evening all
i have seen references to the big top site in various posts and i was wondering if anyone could tell me what and where it was and if possible a picture i have done a search but to no avail!
phil
Click to expand...

Hi Phil
The "Big Top" site was opposite the Odeon Picture House in New Street.
during the war the shops were hit by german bombs and had to be demolished. the ground was cleared and they put up a circus tent and all the affected stores set up shop inside.
Hence The Big Top

Jerry
 
To anyone old enough to be familiar with the Big Top site on New Street around 1943, please advise me where exactly the Big Top tent was situated.
I know it was opposite the Odeon, and I think it's Primark now, but I need the EXACT spot (more or less) where the Big Top tent was (not the other rides),
and I know this all sounds daft BUT I'm coming up to Birmingham soon from Greenwich to find where my parents first met on CHRISTMAS EVE 1943.
And the old romantic in me dug out the newspaper for that night and the film showing on the very same ODEON in New Street was, wait for it!.......
THEY MET IN THE DARK starring James Mason. But my parents never knew that.
Exact spot for the big Tent anybody?
 
John
Judging from the attached photo, I estimate that it was approx in the marked area on google earth below

big_top_new_st_1943.jpg



position_of_big_top.jpg
 
Thanks Mikejee and Carolina.
Now i need to pinpoint the marked area on your Google Earth map.
I've got to stand there and say:This was the spot where my parents first met!" (Daft I know)

Can anyone tell me what is below the blob on the map - I'm guessing that it might be in Union Passage?
If it still exists.

Come on! we're getting closer.....planning to come up Thursday from Euston.
Thanks all
GJ
 
GreenwichJohn. Big Top Tent was located on the corner bordered by High Street and New Street opposite the Odeon Cinema. willey
 
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