birmingham 1969-73

[mikejee]

No 28 . Further up Vyse street, by the railway bridge, was the emergency stop. Nearby they advertised the “wonders” of the modern Newtown shopping centre. I don’t remember it being very nice, even then.
29. Rusty sign (weather and other things are very corroding to cast iron) warning of penalties for improper use.
21. The rail bridge, and 34-38 Vyse st
18.and 19. Close ups of nos 34-35. At one time previously it had been something called the Diamond club, but looks a bit derelict here. The edge of the Warwick jewellers is next door.

 

[mikejee]

Just three odds and sods.
22. Good view of showing a nice plaque and details on nos. 34-35
24. doors of 34-35
23. Very good reflection of the other side of the street in the windows of what was the Diamond club

mike

 

[mikejee]

Post 45 showed the steel outline of the future of the jewellery quarter in the background. the following three are taken a little later.
28. Shows view from Warstone lane looking towards Vyse st, with the Jewellery workshops nearly complete to the right.
29. Inside No 127 vyse st
30. Nos 125-127 vyse st.125-6 had been occupied by Samuel Hope Ltd, manuf. jewellers. they had been at 126 since at least 1876, though for much of that time they were described as wedding ring makers., Even earlier (1873) they were in Brearley st, but they seem to have not survived after finishing here.
32. Coloured view of about 87-94 Vyse st, already shown in B&W.
33. Nos 12-17 Vyse st .No 12, on the corner had Reliance fancy leather goods, who made watch straps, Morgan & boon, manufacturing silversmiths and R.Simkiss,die sinker morgan & Boon had been there since the 1930s, and before that were in Pitsford st. No 14 was Josiah Cox,die sinkers, who 30 years before were next door at no 12. !5 was CPS Jewellery and 16-18 was Kinsey Bros & Patrick Ltd, manufacturing jewellers who moved her from Albion st between 1900 and 1904, and started off described as gold ring makers. Again, they don’t seem to have survived the destruction of the jewellery quarter
Mike

 

[Mayfield]

25. and 26 Frank Clissold, stampers & piercers (no. 94 Vyse st) on the corner of Hockley St and Vyse st
31. Similar to no 25, but at different time, looking down Vyse St in colour
34. Opposite corner with Hockley st, showing the far end building of Hockley st (F.Russell,gem setter), and next to it, in Vyse st. no 98 Vyse st (nos 95 to 97 having disappeared) This has painted on the bricks “Lending library” with a handed arrow pointing to the right. There was a subscription library at the end of the 19th century at no 57, but that is on the opposite side of the road in the other direction. Next to this sign ,similarly it says “Beads rethreaded, straps fitted”.
30. Looking down Hockley st from Vyse st, but in colour.

Mike - photograph 26. Just down from Clissolds was a company called Lancasters. Next to them was a company called Rose's. I worked at Lancasters as an errend boy in the mid 60's. Five nights from 4:30 - 6-30 and Saturday morning for 16/6d. Mabz

 

[mikejee]

No 34. Hockley st, looking up towards Vyse st.
Mabz.
Was this Lancasters ? There is a sign by the door in shiny blue, but even on unreduced picture it would take a bit of manipulation to read it.
Mike

 

[mikejee]

Still with the jewellery quarter, for Ragga the following are the few I have of Warstone lane. Unfortunately they are not very good ones in most cases.

36. A well known scene. Corner Vyse st and Warstone lane. The bank here was first called the London and Midland Bank and appeared between 1892 and 1894. At first other firms also were listed at this address, so ,possibly the present building was not there at this time. The other businesses disappeared by 1895 , and it became known as just the Midland Bank between 1921 and 1933.
34 . 174-6 Warstone Lane . Here it is Peyton’s, bookbinders,printers & stationers. They had been in part of these buildings (no 175) for over 60 years with Marcus Daino , precious stone dealer occupying 174 for about 40 years till Peyton took over the whole area before 1940.
32 & 33. 178 – 177 Warstone Lane
30. Junction Warstone lane, Northampton st. west side
29.Junction Warstone lane and Northampton st.east side. The corner building , 1,Northampton st is occupied by Monty slackman, manufacturing jewellers and G.W.Fielder, described in the directory as gold machine chain makers. I didn’t realise any machine chains were made of gold, so maybe there was a comma missing. Fielders have been there for about 20 years, with other occupants over the years including a diamond merchant and platinum refiners. Back in 1880 the occupant was a Mrs Miriam Wertheimer. Dealer in cameos.

 

[liberty10]

Hi MIKEJEE; The photo's of the quarter are brilliant I lived in the place for 30 yrs
makes the heart pound. The pics of the Diamond Club Vyse St, it was also known
as The Bird Cage factory owned by the Morrall Brothers who went on to open
The Raindow Casino and other clubs in the town & Edgbaston keep it up god bless.

 

[mikejee]

A few more of the Warstone lane area.
27. Corner Warstone lane and Vittoria st. there had been a post office here since about 1879. Before that a chemist ,Frederick William Whiston had been was since at least 1855. It seems to have been an expansion of business, as he continued the chemists on the site, The post office being run by the Misses C . & R.M. Whiston . , who later also acted as a railway parcels office. This arrangement lastedtill 1912, after which the chemist ceased trading. The Misses Whiston are no longer mentioned after this either.
28. Other corner of Vittoria st. Hall’s Café. This had been a café , or coffee house, under different owners since just before 1880, almost 100 years. Before this it was a butchers. The building and adjoining buildings date from about 1850. the series of shops were called Northampton Parade
23. Nos 2 -3 Warstone lane, on the corner of Caroline st. Frank Joiner, though presumably not the same one, had been there since about 1887. At this point he is a stationers, though in earlier years he was a tobacconist, a somewhat unusual change of occupation.
24. Nos 4-6 Warstone Lane. Sheffield Smelting had only been on this site for about 25 years, it before being occupied by the smelting works of Lees & Saunders, who they presumably took over.
18. Back side of Sheffield Smelting round the corner in spencer st
mike

 

[mikejee]

To come back to the thread,
Picture No 28,
Another from Warstone lane, on the south side. To the immediate right is the Warstone lane post office on the corner of Vittoria st, previously mentioned. On the left is no 38 .It is still a shop (by Players no 6 fascia a general shop) run by Mrs Nelly Gardner, as it had been since about 1937. She took it over from Mr A.Frank Gardner, who had it originally as a fruiterers shop from before the first world war. In fact it seems to have been a fruiterer or greengrocer since at least 1855.
To the left of that is no 37 with the name William Edge over the door. Edge was a paper merchant, but the building also held a manufacturing jeweller , and has at times contained many trades, though for quite a time in the19th century it was a tailor and drapers. J.T.White at no 36 was a boot repairer, who had shared with various other trades since the late 1940s. No occupant seemed to stay for long and many trades used the address including, before the first war, Johnson & Flynn, saw piercers. Anyone know why they pierced saws? Somewhere in the row is no 33 . I think it is the right hand side of the white building, and at this time it was the home of The Girl’s Café. Whether it was where all the girls of the area concentrated or whether it was run by Mr. Girl (like “A boy named Sue”), I don’t know. Previously it Had been many things, including the home of a “hair manufacturer”. The impressive looking building with the white rimmed windows is no 29, built originally in 1870 for jeweller William Neale, still there and listed. To the left is nos 27-28. built as a gold refining and assaying works for Edward Day, and still occupied by their successors Edward Day & Baker, bullion dealers until 1977.
32. This is part of the west side of Vittoria St. at the very far left,with only two windows showing, is the School for Jewellers & Silversmiths.(nos 82-86). It has been at this site since being established in 1890, occupying what had been a goldsmith's factory, built in 1865. This in turn had been built on what had been the garden of 30 Frederick St, giving some idea of the size of the gardens of the houses originally occupying what is now the Jewellery quarter. Next to it is no 88-90, which, again, was probably built in the 1860s..for Ephraim Jacobs, wholesale jeweller, who moved there from Warstone Lane. The building was then numbered no 49 and was shared with Martin & Ludolph Lowenstein, another jeweller of jewish origin, which probably explains the star of david over the door (not visible on photograph).At the time pof the photograph it would have been occupied (partly) by jewellers E.W,Nichols,.As with the School of Jewellery, the building is still extant. To the left of this are buildings that were built after the OS map surveyed around the mid 1880s. This perhaps explians their peculiar numbering. Although the street is (mostly) odd one side, even the other, and OS maps give them numbers 92,96, & 98, in directories these are numbered 91, 91A & 92, in contradiction of that order.. they were occupied mainly by small jewellery firms firms. When the picture was taken the occupants of the first (91 or 92) would probably have been D, Evans & R Morrish, both gem setters, the second (91A or 96) Eric B. Milner, manufacturing jeweller and the last (92 or 96) Mayes & Warwic Lts,engineers of thread roll dies.
33. This is no 45 Frederick St, which is a converted house built about 1820 with large ground which in about 1880 were sold off and built on. The house became the factory for Robinson & McKewan , jewellers & silversmiths.
34. John Rossiter, Manufacturing jeweller. No 46 Frederick St was originally built c 1881 (presumably when the grounds of no 45 were sold off) for Arthur Johnson Smith, jeweller.
35. Cuttiss Ltd, TV maintenance then, but No 47 Frederick St was originally built in 1879 for D.L. Davis, manufacturing jewellers, but was later occupied by Richardson & Co ,silversmiths
Mike

 

[mikejee]

I should have added that the previous 5 pictures and the following two were taken in Summer 1973.
36. No 48 Frederick St was originally partly occupied by Joel Blankensee & Co, watchmakers for over 20 years, but taken over by a manufacturing jewellers, and had been used for a variety of purposes after that. I don’t believe it still stands.
37. Corner Frederick St and Albion St. the main building shown is no 52 Frederick St., then occupied by a metal spinners and brass showroom, but was originally occupied by jewellers and goldsmiths.
Mike

 

[Peter Walker]

Mikejee,
I was interested to see mention pf Blankensee's. My maternal grandpa worked for them in the difficult years around 1930 to 34, and lost a good job when he was only about 50, and when he found himself on the dole. For the next five years or so my grandparents lived mainly from letting rooms out in their tunnel-back terrace in Grasmere Road. He had his allotment which provided a lot of their food, but it was far from comfortable until the armaments industry got into step around 1938, and he soon found himself more than enough work, as well as keeping his allotment.
He was a proud man, and had several trophies from his early cycling days and awards from earlier employers. I remember a hand drawn caracature for Mr Nathan who was also in the watch and clock business. (They had a retail shop at the end of Corporation Street, near New Street).
Back to the Jewellery Quarter again, wouldn't it be nice to make a small party excursion round there some time. The JQ website has an excellent itinerary for a walk, and I think some of us could do a bit of homework first to make a really packed event. Two brilliant museums and a few pubs - what else could you wish for?
Peter

 

[mikejee]

Yes I agree Peter. I haven't been round there for many years. might have to leave a bit early though.
When your grandfather worked for them they had moved a little bit to 14-16 & 49 Frederick st & 19-35 Regen t Place., but seemd to have left watchmaking for jewellery and silversmith interests.
Mike

 

[maggs]

Lovely pics, I grew up at the in that area and the photo's bring back a lot of memories. I used to walk around there visiting all the jewellers with my step mother. She used to take the most precious gems and gold to different jewellers for various work to be done, and she carried it all in an old shopping bag. Gosh how times have changed.

Maggs.

 

[mikejee]

A diversion to Ladywood.
First (labelled 0) the corner of Wheeley’s road and Lee Bank Road. Dawsons, at 83-84 Wheeley’s road, seem to have left, but their signs still advertise them as locksmiths, mower salesmen and office furniture sellers. They had been here for just over 20 years, succeeding a combination of Peers the plumber and a tobacconists to keep Mrs Peers busy. Before that it was a grocers, and was renumbered in the 1870s from the original no 122 .
There follows (pic no 1) the row of houses in Lee Bank road adjoining the previous shot,
Going further over nos 4 and 5 show the corner of Alston St and Wood St, the first looking down wood St towards St Vincent St and the second slightly down Alston St. In the second of these St Johns church would be along to the right. The Ladywood Fish Shop is actually listed as 111 Alston St. It had only been a fish shop for a few years, before being a corner shop and for over fifty years an off-licence. but was soon to be demolished, with the rest of the street.
mike

 

[mikejee]

A bit further along Wood St was Rann St, named after the Rann family, who apparently were butchers and graziers. Nos 6, 7 and 9 show the corner of Rann and Wood st. At one time Rann St (like Alston st previously) cut across Wood st, but when these were taken both Rann and Alston street had been truncated. A slightly wider view of the corner is in Carl Chinns “Streets of Brum pt 4” , but that view was taken earlier, after demolition of the east side of Wood st, but before they had started the Ladywood Middleway.
No 8 adjoins the previous picture on wood st, and shows the houses between Rann st and St Vincent st.
No 10 is the corner of St Vincent st with Wood st., with the monument road baths in the background on the right. The last incarnation of the corner building (288 St Vincent St) was an off- licence , which it seems to have been continuously for at least 90 years.
mike

 

[mikejee]

Mostly houses in this batch, so not much to say about them.
No 12 is in Vincent St ,the back of the Off licence at the corner with Wood St.
No 11 is looking down Vincent St from opposite the off licence towards Ladywood road
No 13 shows the houses between Wood st and Ladywood road
No 14. shows the St Vincent side of the junction with Ladywood road
No 15 Looking up Ladywood road from the junction towards Monument road

 

[mikejee]

No 16 . Junction of Rann St with Ladywood road.
No 17. Looking up Ladywood road towards monument Road, from rann road junction
No 18. Looking down Rann St from Ladywood road junction
Nos 19.&20. Ladywood Road Alston St .Monument Road junction. Thomas Furber, undertakers had been here since about 1886, and, after this place was demolished, moved, and are now at Harborne. Before becoming a funeral parlor it was a dyers. Thomas took a while to decide his vocation, and between 1862 and 1888 he was successively carpenter, haberdasher, print seller, builder & carpenter and finally funeral director. It’s possible that they aren’t all the same person, but none seem to co-exist in the directories, so I think they are the same.
mike

 

[mikejee]

No 21. This seems to be the delivery entrance to Furbers in Alston Street. Looking at the 1914 map, there was probably quite a large area available for hearses.
22. This looks a bit like an old style doctors surgery, and that is what it was from about 1936 to 1966, occupied by Mr (must remember that as he was a surgeon and not one of the hoi-polloi medics) Reginald Abrahams. Before that it was occupied by, among others, an artificial teeth maker and the Misses Fearn ,teachers of music.
3, 23 and 24. These are of Rann St,, the last being a shot from one direction looking down to a fish & chip shop at the end, the first in the other direction, and the middle one, a section of the houses.
Note added by member Jabaprawn :"pictures 23 and 24 i could be wrong.. rann st,. with rann st chippie at the bottom. walked past these houses on my way to school (oratory school,oliver road"
26. Monument road baths before their demolition.

 

[mikejee]

These are all pictures of the Oratory school in Hyde road before demolition of these buildings. Norman Bartlam (Ladywood Revisited) has a picture of these buildings taken around the same time, and states that the main buildings here (on the left) were erected in 1947. I presume he means the block on the far left, as I would certainly put the date of the block with the school name on as earlier than this. I would think the chapel-like building would date from the formation of the school in the 1850s. In no 29 the entrance near the “chapel” is clearly marked Girls. Bartlam states that the infants went in on the far left entrance.

Added by Humph3: "I attended the Oratory primary and secondary schools from 1956 to 1965. I thought I would add a little more information to the pictures for you if you don't mind.

Picture number one is in fact the Oratory Secondary school in Oliver Road and the car standing outside the entrance belonged to the sports teacher who used to drive it up to the Reservoir when we had to do cross country running around it. If you were lucky, one might have got a lift up in his car. Lucky for me, I did on several occasions in that very car, a Sunbeam Alpine..... His classroom was behind the three windows on the right of the building. The two windows to the left of the blue doors, was the headmaster's office, Mr. J.P. Barrett, who was a wonderful person.
The dark, large doors in the middle was the main entrance for the pupils to gain access and the four groundfloor windows to the left of those the science lab. To the very left of the picture, one can just see the low building which was the woodwork room. Great to see this picture. I had a wonderful time at that school.

The other four pictures are of the Oratory Primary and Infant School as you say. The nearest entrance is the infants and further down were a boys entrance, which wasn't used and the furthest entrance with the word 'girls' entered into the playground area by the hall which looked like a chapel."

 

[mikejee]

No 33 the last one showing a detail of the Oratory school.
27 shows the dispensary on Monument road
30 makes you realise what a desolation was left after the wrecking balls had finished their work. This shows a view from of Monument Road, around Hyde Road. looking towards the reservoir, with the chimney of what had once been The Ickiled Port Rolling & Wire Mills.later became the Winfield Rolling Mills, and by 1973 was the Hermetic Rubber Co.
34 and 35. More desolation. Pitsford road goods yard, that was, with Vyse st running across the top of the bridge.

Mike

 

[mikejee]

Queens College was formed by W.Sands Cox in 1830. He took over an old chapel in Paradise St and, with the aid of others, set up a small medical school there. One of the “others” was Dr. S.W.Warnford, a wealthy clergyman, who, with large gifts, encouraged the addition of theology and other subjects. Eventually a charter was granted and gothic buildings designed by Drury & Bateman were built on the site. Eventually all but the theology department went to Masons College, which became the University of Birmingham. In later years the buildings housed a number of diocesan offices together with accountants, sporting associations, Scrutons the tailors and the Ikon Gallery, but the unorderly mass of buildings was demolished around 1972 to give the rather bland block that is there today. They did keep a part of the frontage as a token.
The following pictures show the demolition of what was by then called Queens College Chambers, taken from Swallow St , or in some cases beyond Swallow St. Finally there is a rather nice pattern of original cobbles in Swallow St, the sort that planners now spend many thousands in laying in our city centres, but which nowadays are often in quite soft brick which breaks and wears. If it does not break and wear, some “authority” will take great pleasure in digging them up at the slightest whim, often using unskilled labour to replace them, or just asphalting over the space.
Mike

 

[mikejee]

Second batch.

 

[mikejee]

Last the cobbles

 

[maggs]

The cobbles are just beginning to peep through the tarmac layed in Carver St. I will go and have a look if I get back there this year.

 

[mikejee]

On the edge of the city centre, on the corner of Cheapside and Rea St, was the Royal Oak. In View No 5 Bradford St is to the back of us and Cheapside runs across the picture. View no 23 is the back view of the pub. It looks like the position of the building necessitated very high chimneys to get a decent draught. There was a beer retailer here in 1855, a Mrs Sarah Kinman, who would have been 33 and whose wood-turner and beer seller husband Thomas had presumably died since the 1851 census, when they were just round the corner in Bradford St.. The style in the photograph shows that it was not the same building as then, and from 1855-1862 no 30 Cheapside is a beer seller and no 31 is a greengrocer, so presumably there are two separate buildings, and in the 1881 census there is a joint entry for trhe pub abd the next-door house . In 1880 George Swain was the licensee with his wife Jemima three children, a mother, mother in law and a brewer. By 1883 it was Thomas Swain licensee, but from 1884 to 1888 the licence was held by Joseph Garland, while George Swain, at the same address, is listed as a soda water maker. They have moved on by 1890 and the pub is finally named in Kellys in 1938 though it was named as the Royal Oak in the 1881 census.
View no 6 shows the adjacent buildings to the pub going out of town along Cheapside.
It is possible that here some of the earlier nineteenth century structure remains, but comparison of the maps for 1889 and c 1910 shows that much changed during this period and this is confirmed by the view no 24 looking across the back of the pub . The small building next to the pub (no 32) was wider in 1889 and behind the next three houses was a courtyard, court no 7. The small house seems always to have been a shop, earlier a greengrocers run by John Suckling, but the occupant later just described as shopkeeper.
The three houses next to it in the middle and late 19th century houses craftsman such as bootmakers, clockmakers and clock casement makers, but by the early 20th century are not usually listed, indicating that they are just dwelling places .
Finally the factory of Richard Ashton & Co does not look very ancient, but Richard was on part of this site , originally as a nail caster, then as a nail dealer, but seems to have taken over the whole site around 1882, and by 1884 is describing himself as a nailmaker. By 1912 the firm is a malleable ironfounder and by the time they disappear in about 1970 they are grey ironfounders.

 

[mikejee]

The four photographs here show the headquarters of George Mason, grocers, at 55-68 Bradford St. The first three are of the frontage and the last of the back entrance in Cheapside. Judging by the lack of other firms in the directory, it seems as if they occupied the whole block. George learnt the grocery trade in Newport, but then moved to West Bromwich and with the aid of a London firm opened the first George Mason shops in Wednesbury & Walsall, with headquarters in West Bromwich, later taking over one of the firms, Mason, Williams & Co he had previously worked for. The firm continually expanded and in 1922 the head office came to Bradford St. The building here suffered serious damage by bombing in the war, necessitating a temporary movement to Kings Heath. After George’s death in 1932 the firm was sold to what later became the International Stores, though still trading as a separate entity till 1975. Information courtesy of Brum & Brummies 2 by Carl Chinn
mike

 

[mikejee]

In Bradford St, opposite George Masons, on the corner of Birchall St, was the White Swan (view 10). There had been a beerhouse here (at least at 10 Birchall St) from before 1855, when the premises were run by Elias Forster, who was a beer retailer and brewer. Some time between 1900 and 1904 the name White Swan appears in the directories and also is recorded as being at both 10 Birchall St and 276 Bradford St. This makes me think that this was when the pub in the photograph was built. Also the shape and size is completely different on the 1910 map to the 1889 co one.
Near to the pub there is a modern building, Bradford house, and a smaller area between (view 11). In 1889 almost the whole of the block, apart from the pub and a few buildings around it, was a large factory, the Patent Enamel Co Ltd, who made enamel signs. Later it seems to have been reduced slightly in size and used to draw brass wire. By the time of the picture the site housed a number of firms.
On the opposite side of the road, at the junction with Rea St was the Birchfield Filtration Co (view 15) . Around 1900 a large part of the site was occupied by Thomas Harris, who made perambulators (giant buggies to our younger members)
Further along the street, adjoining Lower Sherlock St, was Central Body Repairs and the Mitre Garage (view 18). I’m not sure if the two were part of the same firm. The rather magnificent building occupied by Mitre, seen better in the second picture (view 19) , had been the home of The City & District Butchers’ Hide, Skin, Fat and Wool Co.Ltd since about 1895, but with the development of the markets had been adapted to other uses. Just to the right was the Birmingham Arms pub.

 

[mikejee]

One pub that is still with us (I hope) is the Anchor in Bradford St, an excellent history of it and the area is at their website https://www.anchorinndigbeth.co.uk/history.htm .
Here is a picture of the twentieth century pub (view 21), rather different from the 1901 picture on the website.
Further down Rea St, on the corner of Moseley St , was Bob’s Café (view 25), previously Bradley’s Café. In 1944 it was run by Mrs Alice Bradley, and described as coffee rooms, though I’m a bit dubious as to the availability of coffee in 1944.. Coffee rooms was how it had been described, under different owners, for 40 years, but previous to that it was occupied by a boot & shoe manufacturer. The original use around 1880, however seems to have been as refreshment rooms.
Next to the Café are two houses of which no information is available (view 26), though the Boulton family occupied no. 233, next to the café, for the first half of the 20th century, 234 having a number of different occupants.
The back, in Cheapside, of Harrison (Birmingham ) Ltd, manufacturer of small hardware (view 34), the sort of company which once might have been described as a typical Birmingham firm. Prior to the first war a number of firms occupied the site, including Joseph Fitter, who made the screws to fit on music stools to adjust height and similar things. Also there was George Baker Birch, brassfounder.
F.A,Weston, 26 Birchall St, in 1912 a repository for Marks and Spencers. The White Swan can just be seen in the distance on the right (view 9).

 

[ASTONITE]

Cracking photos Mike, I worked at Harrisons in the early 80s, just before it all changed completely, In that modern building just before the White Swan,the cast of 'Crossroads' did rehearsals, and they used to go for a drink in the pub afterwards, I met quite a few of the cast, thanks for the memories, much appreciated.

 

[mikejee]

On the corner of Moseley St and Birchall St was the Dog & Partridge View 31). A short history is at https://www.midlandspubs.co.uk/birmingham/birchallstreet.htm ,from which i gather it is now the rather unoriginal Market Tavern.
Two pictures of the buildings nos 213-216 Moseley street, next to the Dog (Views 28& 29). These, from their windows, are probably original . They have had a number of uses . Next to the pub, in 1872 was Francis Lucas, painter.. though presumably not the “Welsh primitive” painter who, it seems, spent most of his life in Montgomery. Fender makers, metal piercers and bolt manufacturers all worked here. Number 216, the end house, around 1870 was occupied by Henry Prince , a clock dial maker, while 215 was, for most of the time pre 1940 a coffee rooms, or around 1880 under Thomas Rock, a coffee tavern.
With only Birchall street separating it from the “Dog & Partridge” it is perhaps appropriate that 202-208 Moseley street is occupied by the PDSA salvage dept (View 30). This was only there frfom about the mid 1950s. The corner plot (no 201) from before 1868 to about 1908 was occupied by William Shammon, whip & harness makers, and for a time it was a millers, The Midland Flour Co, and also the home of the British Wheat Salts Co, who made baking chemicals, hence the remains of the painted advert on the wall. Most of the remainder seems to have been William Tonks, brassfounders from about 1868 to at least the 1970s. In later years it was known as the Star Works.
Picture looking down Rea St towards The Royal Oak, which can just be seen on the right.(View 22). The building possibly then empty, seems to have been The Admiralty Naval Ordnance Inspection, Radiological & Spectrographic Depts., whose main entrance was in Cheapside.