ellbrown
ell brown on Flickr
The photo in post 56. O Bar is what it is now. Country Motors boarded up 30 years ago.
-
Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.
We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team -
HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
we are now using a backup solution
Convention Centre & Broad Street - historic photos
- Thread starter guilbert53
- Start date
The photo in post 56. O Bar is what it is now. Country Motors boarded up 30 years ago.
Bob Davis
Bob Davis
Bob Davis
Bob Davis
Rather than appreciate each post, just one big appreciate for an excellent set of pictures and history, in fifty years time they will become reference items and commented on as 'so that is how it used to look'. What you have done here is identical to what the cameramen of the early 1900s did when they published their postcards, because not every post card was a view, a lot recorded demolition and development, accidents, trips, occasions and ladies in big hats and chaps in bowlers and boaters and flat caps at fetes/galas. Thank you for a tip down memory lane that I was not witness to, having decamped to pastures new.
Bob Davis
Bob Davis
ellbrown
ell brown on Flickr
On Instagram now too! Brumpic has still not credited Guilbert!
guilbert53
master brummie
View 11 Picture 2. No date on this picture so can only guess 1987 or 1988.
Same view as picture 1 above, but now most of the buildings have gone, except the church (which is still there).
The tall building behind the church was also demolished later.
The area behind this view became Brindley Place of course.
View 11 Picture 2) Broad Street
Same view as picture 1 above, but now most of the buildings have gone, except the church (which is still there).
The tall building behind the church was also demolished later.
The area behind this view became Brindley Place of course.
View 11 Picture 2) Broad Street
Williamstreeter
master brummie
Not much left of that poor old street that I must have walked up and down thousands of times years ago , much more chipping away and I won't recognise this street at all . What's it all for," a drinkers paradise" big deal . Shame on you all Birmingham councillors past and present
well said john...been saying the same thing myself for years now..i know we must move on and i do like what has been done to our canals but is it really necessary to have so little regard and respect for so many of our fine buildings...wont get them back now so photos and our memories are all we are left with...
lyn
lyn
Williamstreeter
master brummie
well said john...been saying the same thing myself for years now..i know we must move on and i do like what has been done to our canals but is it really necessary to have so little regard and respect for so many of our fine buildings...wont get them back now so photos and our memories are all we are left with...
lyn
Very true Lyn so thanks for all the good work you and everybody else on BHF do
The tall building behind the church was Bush House, home of the Housing Department. It was quite an interesting building I recall.
guilbert53
master brummie
This is View 11, and the third (and last) photo of this "View 11" set.
This photo was taken in November 2010 when much of the work in the area had been long finished.
Brindley Place, which is behind all these buildings on Broad Street, has a number of modern office blocks bringing new companies and employment to the city, companies that certainly would not have come here if this area had not been redeveloped.
I think the council did a great job of redeveloping this area, which is now a thriving business and entertainment area, with the Convention Centre (ICC), the Symphony Hall, the National Indoor Arena, and the redeveloped canal area, all bringing visitors and tourists (and money) to the city.
When I moved here from London in 1980 the city was dying, the old Inner Ring Road (concrete collar) was restricting the growth of the city, keeping it inside that concrete collar, with companies unwilling to site themselves outside that Inner Ring Road.
Also all the business trade on the canals had stropped during the 1960s and 1970s, and many of the buildings alongside the canals were boarded up and unused.
Many of the small companies who had been part of the "City of a thousand trades" had closed down, leaving their buildings empty and decaying (you can still see many of them in Digbeth and the Jewellery Quarter). The city HAD to change or it would have died.
The council HAD to remove that Inner Ring Road (which they have mostly done), get rid of the pedestrian underpasses (which they have mostly done) and push the city centre out to the Outer Ring Road.
This redevelopment of the city goes on, with Eastside having been redevelopment in the last 10 years or so, and the next area to be redeveloped is Southside, on the huge site of the old Wholesale Market. This Southside area will totally change in the next 10 years or so.
I know some people don't like change, but every city has to have a reason to exist (Liverpool had its port, Sheffield its steel, Manchester its cotton mills and so on) but in many cases that reason to exist has gone. Birmingham had lost it use of canals, and many of its "Thousand trades" businesses had gone, it HAD to reinvent itself.
This redevelopment started in the 1980s and will go on for the next 20 or 30 years. Birmingham is now competing on a global stage for business. If the city does not attract new companies and businesses then they will go to France, or Holland or Slovakia, or even Korea or China.
It is either that, or if the city does not change it will die.
View 11 Picture 3) Broad Street in November 2010
This photo was taken in November 2010 when much of the work in the area had been long finished.
Brindley Place, which is behind all these buildings on Broad Street, has a number of modern office blocks bringing new companies and employment to the city, companies that certainly would not have come here if this area had not been redeveloped.
I think the council did a great job of redeveloping this area, which is now a thriving business and entertainment area, with the Convention Centre (ICC), the Symphony Hall, the National Indoor Arena, and the redeveloped canal area, all bringing visitors and tourists (and money) to the city.
When I moved here from London in 1980 the city was dying, the old Inner Ring Road (concrete collar) was restricting the growth of the city, keeping it inside that concrete collar, with companies unwilling to site themselves outside that Inner Ring Road.
Also all the business trade on the canals had stropped during the 1960s and 1970s, and many of the buildings alongside the canals were boarded up and unused.
Many of the small companies who had been part of the "City of a thousand trades" had closed down, leaving their buildings empty and decaying (you can still see many of them in Digbeth and the Jewellery Quarter). The city HAD to change or it would have died.
The council HAD to remove that Inner Ring Road (which they have mostly done), get rid of the pedestrian underpasses (which they have mostly done) and push the city centre out to the Outer Ring Road.
This redevelopment of the city goes on, with Eastside having been redevelopment in the last 10 years or so, and the next area to be redeveloped is Southside, on the huge site of the old Wholesale Market. This Southside area will totally change in the next 10 years or so.
I know some people don't like change, but every city has to have a reason to exist (Liverpool had its port, Sheffield its steel, Manchester its cotton mills and so on) but in many cases that reason to exist has gone. Birmingham had lost it use of canals, and many of its "Thousand trades" businesses had gone, it HAD to reinvent itself.
This redevelopment started in the 1980s and will go on for the next 20 or 30 years. Birmingham is now competing on a global stage for business. If the city does not attract new companies and businesses then they will go to France, or Holland or Slovakia, or even Korea or China.
It is either that, or if the city does not change it will die.
View 11 Picture 3) Broad Street in November 2010
Williamstreeter
master brummie
Or Vice versa the drunken revellers getting over the bollards to the traffic , mind you it's probably been done already . Fyfe Robertson once said " Birmingham has made an idol out of the car , after building Spaghetti Junction , can the councils now be proud of making an idol out of the demon drink , All Hail to the Ale as Al Murray would say. I wonder how much they've moaned about alcohol abuse on Broad St , on the other hand they advocate drink awareness. Hypocrisy at it's greatest
guilbert53
master brummie
This is View 12, and three pictures in this set. Again, a view of Brindley Place (believe it or not).
This picture was taken in November 1986, as they were clearing the site.
I am standing on the other side of the canal, with the site of what would become the National Indoor Arena behind me.
I am facing Broad Street (the two tall buildings in the distance are on Broad Street), and the Sea Life Centre would probably be right in the centre of this picture.
Here is a small map showing where I am standing, and what direction I am pointing for the photo. Click on it to see it larger.
View 12 Picture 1) Brindley Place
This picture was taken in November 1986, as they were clearing the site.
I am standing on the other side of the canal, with the site of what would become the National Indoor Arena behind me.
I am facing Broad Street (the two tall buildings in the distance are on Broad Street), and the Sea Life Centre would probably be right in the centre of this picture.
Here is a small map showing where I am standing, and what direction I am pointing for the photo. Click on it to see it larger.
View 12 Picture 1) Brindley Place
guilbert53
master brummie
This is View 12, picture 2. Same view of Brindley Place as above.
No date on this pictures (1987 or 1988?). Terribly grainy picture, must be very cheap film on a dull day.
Site now mostly cleared. You can see the building that became the Ikon gallery in the distance in the centre.
You can also see the old Crescent Theatre on the right (single story building) before is was rebuilt in Sheepcote Street.
View 12 Picture 2) Brindley Place
No date on this pictures (1987 or 1988?). Terribly grainy picture, must be very cheap film on a dull day.
Site now mostly cleared. You can see the building that became the Ikon gallery in the distance in the centre.
You can also see the old Crescent Theatre on the right (single story building) before is was rebuilt in Sheepcote Street.
View 12 Picture 2) Brindley Place
guilbert53
master brummie
This photo was just a scan of the original photo that I got back from the developers.
To be honest I really need to scan it in from the original negative (I do have a scanner).
Trouble is I have a cupboard full of negatives and it would take me weeks to find these particular negatives.
I may look for them one day !
Williamstreeter
master brummie
One has to compliment the architects on the changing face of Birmingham four sides and a top WOW , rip the good stuff down and replace it with boxes
guilbert53
master brummie
This is View 12, and the third (and last) photo of this "View 12" set.
This photo was taken in November 2010 when much of the work in the area had been long finished.
View 12 Picture 3) Brindley Place
Sadly much of the view of Brindley Place in the photo above is obscured by the Sea Life Centre.
So here is a view from Google Maps showing the stunning development that is behind the Sea Life Centre.
The red arrow shows where I was standing for the photo above.
This photo was taken in November 2010 when much of the work in the area had been long finished.
View 12 Picture 3) Brindley Place
Sadly much of the view of Brindley Place in the photo above is obscured by the Sea Life Centre.
So here is a view from Google Maps showing the stunning development that is behind the Sea Life Centre.
The red arrow shows where I was standing for the photo above.
ade
master brummie
To true Lynwell said john...been saying the same thing myself for years now..i know we must move on and i do like what has been done to our canals but is it really necessary to have so little regard and respect for so many of our fine buildings...wont get them back now so photos and our memories are all we are left with...
lyn
I'm like you, we need our city looking nice and the canal work has been superb, but a lot of the work to streets and buildings is so final, your left with an area no where near resembling what it used to look like and all you have are pictures and memories it's very sad
ade
master brummie
Look at the state of that road repair on the junction
guilbert53
master brummie
This is View 13, Picture 1, and only three pictures in this set.
This time a view of Gas Street basin, looking towards Broad Street.
Here is a small map showing where I am standing, and what direction I am pointing for the photo. Click on it to see it larger.
This picture was taken in November 1986, and little evidence of any building work going on, just one small crane.
In the centre you can just see the top of the brewery behind the Crown pub (the brewery was later demoloished).
The buildings on the left are the BACK of those shown in View 10.
Nice to see what seems to be some working canal boats, the ones with the tarpaulin over most of the length of them.
View 13 Picture 1) Gas Street basin
This time a view of Gas Street basin, looking towards Broad Street.
Here is a small map showing where I am standing, and what direction I am pointing for the photo. Click on it to see it larger.
This picture was taken in November 1986, and little evidence of any building work going on, just one small crane.
In the centre you can just see the top of the brewery behind the Crown pub (the brewery was later demoloished).
The buildings on the left are the BACK of those shown in View 10.
Nice to see what seems to be some working canal boats, the ones with the tarpaulin over most of the length of them.
View 13 Picture 1) Gas Street basin
guilbert53
master brummie
This is View 13 picture 2. No date on this picture so maybe 1987 or 1988.
Lots of activity on the Convention Centre site shown by some large cranes.
Little change to the buildings in front, except part of the wall removed in the centre, allowing a small section of the Crown pub to be seen.
View 13 Picture 2) Gas Street basin
Lots of activity on the Convention Centre site shown by some large cranes.
Little change to the buildings in front, except part of the wall removed in the centre, allowing a small section of the Crown pub to be seen.
View 13 Picture 2) Gas Street basin
guilbert53
master brummie
This is View 13, and the third (and last) photo of this "View 13" set.
This photo was taken in November 2010 when much of the work in the area had been long finished.
You can just see the roof of the Convention Centre poking above the building at the back.
View 13 Picture 3) Gas Street basin
This photo was taken in November 2010 when much of the work in the area had been long finished.
You can just see the roof of the Convention Centre poking above the building at the back.
View 13 Picture 3) Gas Street basin
guilbert53
master brummie
This is View 14 Picture 1, and four pictures in this set.
This picture is taken with my BACK to Gas Street Basin, just as I am walking along the towpath OUT of the tunnel that goes under Broad Street. It is looking towards the site of the Convention Centre (on the right) and the National Indoor Arena (in the distance on the left).
Here is a small map showing where I am standing, and what direction I am pointing for the photo. Click on it to see it larger.
No date on this picture I am afraid, but they have started work on the ICC and the "power" building left of centre (behind the building with the boarded up windows) so I would say around 1988.
No work on the NIA as yet.
View 14 Picture 1) View towards ICC and NIA
This picture is taken with my BACK to Gas Street Basin, just as I am walking along the towpath OUT of the tunnel that goes under Broad Street. It is looking towards the site of the Convention Centre (on the right) and the National Indoor Arena (in the distance on the left).
Here is a small map showing where I am standing, and what direction I am pointing for the photo. Click on it to see it larger.
No date on this picture I am afraid, but they have started work on the ICC and the "power" building left of centre (behind the building with the boarded up windows) so I would say around 1988.
No work on the NIA as yet.
View 14 Picture 1) View towards ICC and NIA
guilbert53
master brummie
This is View 14 Picture 2. This is dated December 1989.
The "power" building is finished (behind the house with the windows), and the huge bulk of the ICC is taking shape on the right.
The house just left of centre has had the boarding on the windows removed and new windows installed by the look of it.
Looks like they may have started work on the NIA in the distance, but it is difficult to see.
View 14 Picture 2) View towards ICC and NIA
The "power" building is finished (behind the house with the windows), and the huge bulk of the ICC is taking shape on the right.
The house just left of centre has had the boarding on the windows removed and new windows installed by the look of it.
Looks like they may have started work on the NIA in the distance, but it is difficult to see.
View 14 Picture 2) View towards ICC and NIA
