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Bull Ring until 1920s

I'm not sure that you actually see spiceal St there, but the short length of road leading to it. I think on this 1750 map the viewpoint is approximately where the blue arrow is, and the bit you can see in the centre is in purple. It doesn't seem to have a name that i can find

area_around_st_martins_1750_showing_viewpoint.jpg
 
Hi, I'm not sure how acurate the drawing will be, it is by Samuel Lines Senior, who would have remembered the original area (born 1778), but there is no date on the original so it could be from memory or earlier sketches. I will try and find out some more info on when the drawing was made. There were no names, that I know of, of the routes between the buildings, as it was a really makeshift area. It's great to see the drawing in context with the map.
 
Mike

I agree the drawing is at the bottom of The Shambles to the left of the Old Cross and of of Corn Cheaping at the bottom. Spiceal St (Spicer St) was to the right of the Old Cross as can be seem in these two drawings.
 

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The well pump in the picture post #444 is also shown in picture #452/2, outside the church gate...still remaining after the buildings were demolished.
 
The pump was nicknamed "Pratchetts Pump". This is an extract from Harry Howells Horton's "Birmingham: a poem" 1853

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Viv
 
The area was certainly changing from 20 years earlier.

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When the old houses were removed the church gates were permanently locked, cutting off a public walkway through the churchyard. The churchyard had become so full of bodies that the ground around it became coniderably more raised - an original, lower boundary wall had been unconvered. From "The portrait of Birmingham" 1825, here's a nice description of the activities in the triangular area which was cleared once the old houses were removed. Love the mention of the Beadle and his scales! Viv.

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What a load for that donkey!
Thank you Dennis, I didn't realise a cart could be piled so high!
rosie.
 
Dennis
The second photograph must have been taken between 1900 & 1903. The Midland parcels office was not listed there in the 1900 Kellys (though it could have been there at some time in that year), Edwin Eades and the Midland office were listed here in the 1903, Kellys, but Eades had changed to Clement & Toon, hardware dealers in the 1904 Kellys
 
Dennis
The second photograph must have been taken between 1900 & 1903. The Midland parcels office was not listed there in the 1900 Kellys (though it could have been there at some time in that year), Edwin Eades and the Midland office were listed here in the 1903, Kellys, but Eades had changed to Clement & Toon, hardware dealers in the 1904 Kellys

Thanks mike, and now can you confirm this caption ?clanger? Was there ever such a place as Moat ROAD? Fascinating shot though...loved the sign for a Whip maker...and what was that hole in the wall for? Altogether the buildings look a bit 'run down'...

Moat Road 1880s tram.jpg
 
As you no doubt know Dennis, this was Moat row. there probably was/ps a moat road somewhere, but not in birmingham
 
The previous photo shows a state of decrepitude of the buildings even then. I suppose they were a hundred years old likely still even we would remember a similar state up to the 1960s in some areas. One wonders what the infrastructure would have been like when new. Good new addition.
 
I wonder if any of moms rels worked at the whip makers, her moms family were renon whipmakers to the gentry and were Birmingham based from the 1890's, though I am not sure exactly where.
Sue
 
I love this painting of the Bull Ring. Old Market Hall to the right, St. Martin's straight head. I can almost smell the chestnuts roasting somewhere down there! To me this picture has great atmosphere. Don't know the date or artist, looks about 1920s maybe? Or possibly even later. Viv.

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What a wonderful, atmospheric painting Viv, makes you really want to be there does't it, makes my great old city seem so alive.
paul
 
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