Central Arcade Fore Street

[Vivienne14]

A little bit of arcade that has often intrigued me is the arcade that ran parallel to Fore Street. There was definitely an arcade there in the late 1800s. It shows up on an 1800s map somewhere. Will try and dig it out. But the entrance to this arcade is still visible on Corporation Street, close to the bottom end of Corpn St, near New Street (on the Fore Street side of the road). This arcade is usually overlooked when talking about Birmingham arcades. Maybe it wasn't very successful. It must have been a short and insignificant stretch compared with other arcades across the City. Don't know how much of the original arcade exits, but maybe it became part of the City Plaza (?) development. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

This, I think, was the arcade entrance I mentioned in my previous post. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

This, I think, was the arcade entrance I mentioned in my previous post. Viv.

View attachment 86845

This is the arcade shown on the 1890 OS map of Birmingham. It's a small arcade, parallel with Fore Street and leading from Corporation Street to Cannon Street. It seems completely detached from the arcade system on the other side of Corporation Street, i.e. that area bounded by Corporation Street and New Street (later to become the Big Top). Don't think I've ever seen a photo of the interior of this arcade. It must still be there behind the facade shown in the modern Streetview pic. Viv.

 

[Phil]

According to this map, it was called Central Arcade.

 

[Phil]

Further I would like to point out that member Dennis Williams mentions this arcade here, https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=33412 at post #11. According to his observations it became Yates Wine Lodge.

 

[Vivienne14]

Very interesting Phil, thanks for that link. I'm now thinking that we had a discussion on here somewhere about a restaurant along there (not Pattison's as that was on the corner of Fore Street, the restaurant was further down). So I expect that's what the planning application was for pre-Yates. But they must have kept the frontage from the old arcade. Viv.

 

[pollypops]

I found this in the Birmingham Daily Post 18th May 1881 - it gives a description of the planned Central Arcade.

 

[Vivienne14]

That's fantastic Polly! Such a great description. Although a smaller arcade than the GW Arcade etc. it sounds like an impressive interior. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

Very interesting Phil, thanks for that link. I'm now thinking that we had a discussion on here somewhere about a restaurant along there (not Pattison's as that was on the corner of Fore Street, the restaurant was further down). So I expect that's what the planning application was for pre-Yates. But they must have kept the frontage from the old arcade. Viv.

The canopy for he restaurant entrance on he old arcade facade can be seen on the left, just above the motor car, in the 1925 photo. The restaurant was called Fletcher's. Viv.

 

[Phil]

Vivienne, Fletchers Restaurant was situated at No's 19-21 Corporation Street, The City Arcade was at No 17 or at least between 15 & 19. Yates Wine Lodge did have a restaurant called the Central Restaurant before changing the whole premises over to a wine lodge. Here is a photo of City Arcade when it was still the Central Restaurant. Also a couple of really bad photos of the interior of Fletchers.

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks Phil. Fletcher's was discussed on another thread a little while ago https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=41727. So it's now clear that Fletcher's was next door, i.e. next door to the canopy/arcade on your Yates's photo. Mikejee posted a very graphic photo of the burnt out W H Smith/Fletchers building next door on there.

Now wondering who the person featured on the plaque in the Yates's/arcade photo is. Mr W H Smith? Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

Just noticed there is the word 'Library' above the ground floor windows of W.H.Smith. But I'm none the wiser as to who the person on the plaque is! Vv.

 

[jennyann]

Hi Viv: The person on the plaque could be William Walton Smith, founder of W.H. Smith. Looked him up on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W_H_Smith
From what can be seen from the photo of the plaque the hair style looks about right for that era. Someone else might know for sure. Also found out that W. H. Smith's
started a library service in 1860 which ended in 1961.https://www.whsmithplc.co.uk/about_whsmith/history_of_whsmith/

 

[brumgum]

Further I would like to point out that member Dennis Williams mentions this arcade here, https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=33412 at post #11. According to his observations it became Yates Wine Lodge.

I remember vaguely the interior of Yate's wine lodge and it was rather cavernous and i think sloped up towards the back, it was an odd type of interior and a bit rough in the seventies, fascinating that it seems to have begun it's life as an arcade.

 

[Vivienne14]

Hi Jennyann. Interesting history of WHS. Seem to have had a finger in many pies, including Waterstones. Think you could be right about that the plaque being of founder Henry Walton Smith. Viv.

 

[Phil]

Viv, as far as I understand it the heads on the plaques on the frontage of WH Smith were of great Authors and writers in history, such as Shakespeare. Somewhere on the forum there is a much better recent photo of all of the plaques. I remember seeing them a couple of years back.

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks Phil. Like the photo too, a proper bookshop. Would love to have had a rummage around there. There are also two bookcases at either end of the frontage on the ground floor. There's a very old bookshop down in Lewes, Nr Brighton that has bookshelves on the outside of the building. Maybe bookshops once displayed their wares in the same way as other traders did then. Viv.

 

[nebolland]

Now wondering who the person featured on the plaque in the Yates's/arcade photo is. Mr W H Smith? Viv.

Bit late with this, but it's Walter Scott. That and one of Shakespeare are now in Cannon Street, on the reconstructed entrance to Central Arcade which is now The Studio, I think.

 

[Pedrocut]

According to this map, it was called Central Arcade.

Can't see much of Central Arcade on this illustration from January 1888.