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Coldicutt Bros carriages Station Street

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
These drawings from the Building News dated 10/4/1885 show the detail of the new premises in Station Street. The building was given the name Station Street Mews and appears to have a showroom and stables. Taking the horses to the stables on the first and second floors must have been hard work.

I expect this was an unusual building in its time. Perhaps ground space was a premium in Station Street, so instead of ground level stabling, horses were stabled above. Viv.

8536A239-F6DE-4DB9-84C1-5E7659A883CF.jpeg0C9BA876-6B83-496E-ACD7-E91469F0B983.jpegD1299169-79E1-4A77-83CB-45357BA9C97A.jpeg
 
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Remarkable! Did it eventually get built? If so, how quickly did it become a white elephant? How long did it survive as a building being used for this or other purposes? And I wonder how they powered the lift – electricity or rope/muscle…

Chris
 
I expect the building would be listed in directories as “Station Street Mews” - mews being the name used when referring to stabling. So if it’s listed somewhere as ‘mews’ Chris it must have been built. Maybe someone could check please. Viv.
 
1890 directory lists them but no indication of the type of premises
1630493835271.png

An interesting entry in the same directory but under the alphabetical section with a mews at Bristol Street
1630493963886.png
 
in the 1883 directory (before the article in post #1) they are only listed as undertakers in Digbeth, Heath Mill Lane and Deritend - so the carriage and stabling must have been a new venture.

The 1889 map does not show many buildngs between Market Hotel and General Elliott Hotel.
1630494645248.png
 
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Coldicutts did not seem to be there before the Station Mews was built. Previous adverts for them before 1886 list them as at Heath mill lane only.. and the 1884 Kellys does not mention them.

1884 Kellys station st.jpg

They were there till the 1908 Kellys, disappearing before the 1910 one. Adverts in the press describe them at Station Mews.

1908 Kellys station st.jpg1910 Kellys station st.jpg

There is a photo marked 1880s 1890s, which shows the edge of a building in about the right position (corresponding to the un-named building in the c1889 map) which could be the same as that on the plans and has cabs outside it. I think this must be the edge of the Station Mews, though whether it is definitely the same as the plans cannot be determined

6. Station Street, close up, train station -left c1880s.1890s.jpg
 
Sidetracking slightly:
Edward Coldicutt down on 1891 census is listed in 1881 as a horse keeper on Heath Mill Lane. His son George was listed as an undertaker.

George is listed on a register of Freemason members at Station Street and a "livery stable keeper" - dated about 1885
 
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Thanks Mike. I’m convinced it’s the same. I’ve matched up the architectural features from your photo with the plan. See aqua dots.

B4AD81B5-EF2F-4DFA-9394-55E76AD1FD28.jpeg

And thanks Janice. From the 1891 Census there must have been living accommodation on the premises too. It’s hard see on this bit of the plans but I think the accommodation was spread over 2 floors; first and second floor.

Also the building footprint is in line with the map you posted in post #5.

So I’m going to stick my neck out and say that the architect’s plans were realised ! Viv.

4C44E711-8C65-4FFC-AEF3-D9CCF3B47DE1.jpeg
 
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Some further studying of the buildings in Station Street and I suggest this was where Station Street Mews was built; next door to the later Jacey Cinema/News Theatre/ Tivoli/Electric Cinema. I did wonder if Station Street Mews was on the site of the cinema but think it was probably next door. Hard to tell as so much has changed.

So Wheatley’s Funeral Directors is where I believe Station Street Mews was most probably located. By the time of the photo (1960s/70s) the building was either much altered or might even been rebuilt.

27EC851A-637E-468E-9827-6006088A35EC.jpeg


Thiscearlier image show Wheatley’s building less altered and bears many similarities to the “Mews”. Viv.

EC2975D8-0A94-4EB3-B5B9-89A868ECA9DF.jpeg
 
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Wonderful thank you Janice! I added another photo to my last post which shows Wheatley’s building shows quite a few similarities with the Mews too. Viv.
 
I also wondered if it’s just a coincidence that the Coldicutt’s and Wheatley’s were both in the Undertakers business. Viv.
 
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