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Erdington

This is a long thread. Shall tease out the main themes and create new threads or transfer posts to relevant existing threads. Viv.
 
Tidying up this thread is a work in progress. Aiming to focus this thread on Erdington High Street and the Village Green. But still more to work on, chipping away at it little by little. Meanwhile, a former Erdington High Street favourite - Woolworths. Good to report that the building’s still there. Viv.

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Vivienne14 said:
Tidying up this thread is a work in progress. Aiming to focus this thread on Erdington High Street and the Village Green. But still more to work on, chipping away at it little by little. Meanwhile, a former Erdington High Street favourite - Woolworths. Good to report that the building’s still there. Viv.

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If I remember correctly, at one time the surface just by the vertical column became slippery when it rained.
 
I think your right, I recall it was a terrazzo floor, polished like glass it would have been like a ice ring.
 
Must have been treacherous in winter if it froze. I remember corners like that which were on a slope would catch the wind and any surface water would freeze. Seem to remember several 1930s shopping parades with steep corner slopes and the inevitable risks in winter. Viv.
 
The buildings to the left in this view have changed dramatically. I think some of the buildings to the right remain today. On the Streetview image next to the ice cream van are, I think, some of those earlier buildings. Viv.

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The passageway just to the left in the old photo in the previous post is, I think, probably where the entrance to Central Square shopping is now located. Viv.48A569B0-944B-4199-9535-6BF683E0C3F0.jpeg
 
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I’ve seen this 1900 photo taken from the Church tower many times before but it’s only just registered you can see (I think) the old Roebuck pub - the building with the smoke belching straight up from the chimney. Viv.

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I guess you can, if the sign on the end wall (visible) is correct. Curious that the smoke from domestic chimneys show it blowing away, whereas the pub chimney smoke is vertical. Maybe a large fire recently lit or a chimney fire in the making! :eek:
 
Shoothill have this image tagged 'The Parochial Rooms, Bell Lane, Erdington, Birmingham' but I have not yet found a Bell Lane in Erdington. The wall plaque reads 'Working Mens Club For Reading Recreation Supported By Voluntry Contributions'. The railings are decorated with artistic acorns.
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I can see a crest underneath the words Parish Church with the hint of an acorn in it. Perhaps the acorn decorations on the railings have some significance.
 
Pedrocut said:
Chilling stuff...

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In Kelly's for 1892 it lists Bell Lane, and also Orchard Road, Bell Lane.

Should really have said that this is in the list of streets and reads Bell Lane, High Street. It does not list Orphanage Road. It looks like Bell Lane changed to Orphanage Road some time after 1892.
 
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The hall may have been associated with All Saints' Church on George Road. There was a footpath from Broomhill Road to George Road past the church.
 
Pedrocut said:
According to Aston and Erdington Past and Present Facebook . It was the old Congregational Chapel opposite the present day Fire station. After closure was used as a police station, and later as Church Parochial Rooms.
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Erdington Congregation Chapel is shown below and was/is actually on Sutton Rd. It is still there but different use. Was there more than one Congregational Chapel in the area ?
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shoothill
 
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mikejee said:
There wasn't a tollhouse by the pub was there? The dog kennel could be that, especially if it was not meant to be accurate. By the black & white things I take it you mean 13 objects clustered to the right of the hotel. I think they must be lights. If you expand that part you can see some of the supports, and it was a painting, so no need to include all at that resolution. Theyseem to be surrounding a raised syand, so presumably were at the raised alighting point for when the coach arrived in darkness.

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Bit late Mike but I saw Paul Lines |(the artist) a while ago and he confirmed that they are the lights on the toll-bar.
 
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