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City Centre Photographs

And from that map Richie, I must say that I have never heard of the Waterloo Tavern...? Anyone got a photo Phil? I am sure it is probably shown in these Lower Priory photos (corner of Dalton St, half way up on the left in photo 3?), but maybe it wasn't a pub then...there appears to be a Shell Oil and RAC signage on the building? ? Fascinating area......Central Hall can also be seen...I think it's the Priory Tea and Coffee Company in photo 2? ...Used the Shalimar in my youth....nice for the times....


Lower Priory .jpg Lower Priory 1955.jpg Lower Priory.jpg Lower Prory 1960 Airial.jpg
 
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In the first picture in Dennis's series, the second building on the left was Smallwood's wine and spirit merchants. In the early 1950s, my dad would take me there with him before Christmas to buy a bottle of sherry - the only alcoholic drink ever kept in our house!
Smallwood's also features in the third picture (taken from my own 'Images of Birmingham' collection - see www.jlb2011.co.uk/iob/).
John Ball
 
In the first picture in Dennis's series, the second building on the left was Smallwood's wine and spirit merchants. In the early 1950s, my dad would take me there with him before Christmas to buy a bottle of sherry - the only alcoholic drink ever kept in our house!
Smallwood's also features in the third picture (taken from my own 'Images of Birmingham' collection - see www.jlb2011.co.uk/iob/).
John Ball


Sorry to be so rude JB. I should have realised it was one of yours by the quality, and acknowledged you! As you say, my dad also took me to Smallwoods for a bottle of Port or three...
 
Thanks Dennis for posting those lovely old photo's of the City Center.

Thanks GG, no problem. And another for your kind consideration...this was lifted from the Birmingham Mail's Nostalgia collection...and as you can see from the caption top right, it is reputed to be of Birmingham in the 1920s. Que? Is that St John's and Holy Trinity I can see...but the River and the Bridge??? Is it me?

Aerial Brum 1920s.jpg
 
The Post & Mail always did have a bit of a fantasy streak. But you do have to remember , Dennis, that , now that they are controlled by a big external conglomerate, there is probably no person in the building on the editorial side who actually has ever seen birmingham before about 2000, and probably no senior person in the organisation who has ever been to Birmingham
 
Dennis I may be wrong but that photo on post #1253 looks very much like Worcester to me - it shows the Cathedral in the distance, then before that St Andrews Church (nowadays only the spire remains and it is called the The Glovers Needle) and closest to the front the tower of All Saints Church.
 
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The Post & Mail always did have a bit of a fantasy streak. But you do have to remember , Dennis, that , now that they are controlled by a big external conglomerate, there is probably no person in the building on the editorial side who actually has ever seen birmingham before about 2000, and probably no senior person in the organisation who has ever been to Birmingham

Point taken mike... so I will keep calm and carry on... meanwhile - a few more to savour...

High St 1897.jpg High St 1903.jpg New St 1868 Cannon St.jpg Nelson Temple Row.jpg
 
In the first picture in Dennis's series, the second building on the left was Smallwood's wine and spirit merchants. In the early 1950s, my dad would take me there with him before Christmas to buy a bottle of sherry - the only alcoholic drink ever kept in our house!
Smallwood's also features in the third picture (taken from my own 'Images of Birmingham' collection - see www.jlb2011.co.uk/iob/).
John Ball

An absolutely smashing site John. Love it! And thanks for your wonderful photos. They're such familiar views to me that sometimes I expect myself and friends to turn up in one. Viv.
 
Dennis. Your extracts are also smashing too - no favouritism here! They certainly give readers a lot to mull over. Thanks. Viv.
 
Pollypops, that is Worcester, I remember abour 30 years ago sitting on opposite bank painting the Cathedral (on page 8 of my coppermine gallery). Eric
 
I think Polly may well be right and that would be Worcester County Cricket Club ground on the right I suspect. No barges ever that size on the Rea I think although there may have been row boats when Heathmill pool was in place. Still remarkably there are similarities between the places although the Birmingham location would be on a smaller scale. Great new picture.
 
The question by Dennis about Peck Lane...Yes Peck Lane vanished to all intents and purposes when the railway station was built and the opening seems to have become part of King Edwards latterly then, with a gate. However the curbs of the lane entrance remained for a while I seem to think from old pictures and photo's but it would have been a culdesac only. Remarkably the opening is still there for all to see and the King Edwards plaque is up on the corner store (should be Peck Lane also don't you think). Reduced to a service alley now and not carrying prisoners down to the slammer or stray animals down to the Penfold...but still open to the sky for anyone to see. GE street view does not go along there anymore. I corrected previous post about the Arcades. I miss-typed and had two Midland Arcades...I think one was the City Arcade but they intersected anyway. There was/is a great section on these features at one time.
 
The question by Dennis about Peck Lane...Yes Peck Lane vanished to all intents and purposes when the railway station was built and the opening seems to have become part of King Edwards latterly then, with a gate. However the curbs of the lane entrance remained for a while I seem to think from old pictures and photo's but it would have been a culdesac only. Remarkably the opening is still there for all to see and the King Edwards plaque is up on the corner store (should be Peck Lane also don't you think). Reduced to a service alley now and not carrying prisoners down to the slammer or stray animals down to the Penfold...but still open to the sky for anyone to see. GE street view does not go along there anymore. I corrected previous post about the Arcades. I miss-typed and had two Midland Arcades...I think one was the City Arcade but they intersected anyway. There was/is a great section on these features at one time.

Knew there would be an explanation Rupert. I totally agree about the Blue plaque for Peck Lane....and moving owards and up New Street a bit....I know these have been on before...but may have been deleted...so...my favourites of Ann Street in the 1880s..


Ann St  1867.jpg Ann Street  1873.jpg Ann Street Congreve Street 1860.jpg Ann Street Congreve Street 1870.jpg
 
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What a great bit of film. Thanks. The boys all looked remarkably fit and it would be hard to find enough similarly so to make the film today, maybe. Great sights of King Edwards.
 
Amazing. REAL policeman doing REAL jobs, looking like REAL policemen used to, and young boys, fit and healthy doing athletic DISCIPLINES...is it me? We have lost so much....
 
Really interesting photos Dennis. And the sketch of Ann Street with the information was great.

Judy
 
The color drawing of Ann Street is possibly more representative than photographs of the same. It adds color and photo's are only black and white which adds more drabness to everything. Ann Street looks like it is stuck in time and the Evil Empire is rising around it. THe first of this group is the back of Ann Street (ahead) but not from Congreve St....rather from the front of where the council house would be. Congreve would be on the other side of the buildings on the right. A stream would have run through there at one time to the Priory Pond and latterly (long ago) to drive the grindstone wheel of a factory there...somewhere...but right there probably.
 
And what an interesting slice of Brum's past featured in Poliakoff's "Dancing On The Edge" last night. Shot partly in the Grand Hotel, currently enjoying a 30 million pound refit by Horton's Estates. The Dance Band scenes were shot in the magnificent Grosvenor Ballroom, and the Hotel entrance shots were of the Council House Foyer! Ragley Hall stablesa also featured, as will the Black Country Museum later we are told...


Grand Hotel, Birmingham.jpg Grosvenor Room Grand Hotel.jpg
 
The Grand seems to have become a popular location for filming, that's so good to see. It obviously has a lot going for it, all helping to keep these places in the public eye and to make sure we do our best to look after them. Is the refurb now completed or is it still ongoing?

Dennis, the Christ Church drawing is excellent. Each time I look at it I have to remind myself that Victoria Square lies further back than the church site. I think you can just see one of the houses to the left of Christ Church which forms part of Waterloo Street perhaps? Wonder if this row of houses is still there. Seem to remember a row of georgian places along there.

In the 1825 Picture of Birmingham it tells us that Ann Street was lowered at one time. And to bring perhaps uniformity (or elegance?) the proprietor of this area insisted that all buildings should be of stone or faced with Roman cement. Here's the extract. Viv.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360066835.822320.jpg
 
Thanks for the info on "Dancing on the Edge" Dennis. I watched that last night and never realised it was filmed in this area (apart from the Severn Valley Railway). Will watch tonight with renewed interest!
 
Two more...from the Mail archives...a nice one of the old BBC HQ in Broad Street - now a Lap Dancing Club, plus a couple of Bars...and a stunning shot of the Council House as it is now...almost like a Lowry or Helen Bradbury painting.

Broad St BBC 1950.jpg Council House now.jpg
 
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