Book: Birmingham's Victorian & Edwardian Architects

[Pro Civitate]

Birmingham’s Victorian & Edwardian Architects Book Launches

8 Year project comes to fruition​

On Saturday 26th September, the Birmingham & West Midlands Group of The Victorian Society launches it’s new book “Birmingham’s Victorian & Edwardian Architects” at a day symposium, to be held in the old Banking Hall of Wragge & Co, 55 Colmore Row, Birmingham. The Banking Hall was designed by H. R. Yeoville Thomason who has a chapter dedicated to him in the book.

Wragge & Co have kindly made their premises available to the Society for this prestigious launch, which is by advance ticket only.

The Book has been edited by Dr Phillada Ballard and combines 26 essays on the leading practioners in Birmingham between the 1820’s and the First World War.

The book has been designed by Oblong Creative Ltd of Wetherby and is hardback running to 652 pages and 330 illustrations.

Whilst working on cases for the Society, it became apparent that Birmingham architecture was not considered very favourably by anyone in the London area. Birmingham also had good architects, especially towards the second half of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth, few of whom were known outside of the West Midlands.

It was Barbara Shackley who had the good idea to give some provenance to our buildings by finding out more about our architects and she has guided the project to fruition over the past 8 years. Sadly many building were lost in the past because nothing was known about them.

The book will retail at £41.00. However, as a special introductory offer the book can be obtained by sending a cheque for £35 made payable to “The Victorian Society” to:

Book Offer
The Victorian Society
Birmingham & West Midlands Group
54 Prospect Road
Birmingham
B13 9TD

[email protected] or 0121 449 5186

https://www.victorian-society-bham.org.uk/

 

[Wendy]

Sounds wonderful thanks for the information, Pro Civitate.

 

[Arkrite]

"Whilst working on cases for the Society, it became apparent that Birmingham architecture was not considered very favourably by anyone in the London area. Birmingham also had good architects, especially towards the second half of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth, few of whom were known outside of the West Midlands"

Aint that just typical ! If its north of the Watford Gap its not worth considering ,so it would appear to our southern cousins. A school of thought that still lives on.
I love looking at Victorian and Edwardian achitecture. Lets face it todays efforts are pretty boring,no style and all practicality. I know little of the men who designed and built them but just to look at the buildings they speak of the pride these men had in their efforts.
Probably the provincial towns and cities now hold many of the best examples considering the depradations of war and the developer. Manchester has some fine buildings and I was surprised how many were left in Reading. Sadly Birmingham has lost so many but it is a living city not a museum, it just needs to protect the best that is left and not ignore the commercial buildings where practicable.
As you may gather I am a big fan of the Victorians, they built for and had faith in the future.Places built in my life time seem to have a life of about ten years. That is how much we view our future and what a waste of rescources.
I wish the Society well in its efforts.

 

[mikejee]

Arkrite
While agreeing with your sentiments, I don't think i can agree with your comments of Reading . While very recently they have preserved the frontage of a number of buildings in Broad and Friar Streets, much is as much of a mess as many modern towns, and probably no better than Birmingham.
Mike

 

[Pro Civitate]

Fret not, but take heart from:

https://www.victorian-society-bham.org.uk/saved.htm

Unfortunately, the "lost" link would have far more listed, though all of these can be seen in the book.

 

[Wendy]

Wow, I had no idea these buildings were all saved by the Victorian Society. What a wonderful legacy to leave the city and it's people!

 

[Arkrite]

Hello MikeJee, I was in no way comparing Birmingham unfavourably with Reading. And you are correct in thinking I was writing about Broad St and Friar St. Retention of building frontages seems the preferred way these days.. I was just surprised leaving the Travelodge Central and passing alot of hideous concrete monsters e.g.Argos to find these interesting upper levels. I see they have made a pub out of their old railway station.I see A church in Reading has a Rood Screen saved from a Birmingham church by the Victorian Soc.

 

[mikejee]

Hi Arkrite
There is also noncoformist church turned into a waterstones also (pretty sympathetically i will admit), but in Friar st an old historic pub was bulldozed together with a cinema with much of the original interior in order to build the revolting (even more so than Argos) hotel boxes that now dominate the street. One interesting point about the "Broad St Mall" (where Argos is) that I was told (and have no reason to disbelieve) shows how "competent" modern architects are. If you have the misfortune to park in the car park above , the up and down ramps are the wrong way round, making it awkward to go "round and round" (as you do in car parks). This is apparently because the plans were taken from an American Mall and not altered to take into account that we drive on the other side of the road over here.
Best wishes
Mike

 

[Charlie]

Those buildings are some of the finest in Birmingham (in my opinion). Thank goodness for the Victorian Society!

 

[Pro Civitate]

Some that were lost though:

The Colonnade Hotel (corner of New St/Ethel St)
The Stork Hotel (Old Square)
The Grand Theatre (Corporation Street - just about in the middle of Priory Queensway these days)

The architect was one William Henry Ward (1844-1917), who also did the Great Western Arcade and what is now called Louisa Ryland House. His practice was at 29½ Paradise Street!

He is one of 26 architects featured in the book and was was responsible for designing no fewer than 36 business premises in Corporation Street, four theatres in the district, the two hotels shown, and a considerable number of other important buildings elsewhere in the city.

 

[sylviasayers]

Thanks for your posts Pro Civitas very interesting reading. Can I point out that the third picture states it is the Grand Hotel, it should be Grand Theatre as captioned.

 

[Pro Civitate]

Thanks Sylvia. Corrected.

 

[Pro Civitate]

Here's some relevant ephemera.

 

[Wendy]

It is so sad to see these magnificent buildings we no longer have,

 

[Pro Civitate]

The book will be reviewed by Dr Chris Upton in Friday's (9th October) Birmingham Post.