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Ghost signs of Birmingham

Viv, I can't remember what it was but it wasn't an off-licence. These properties change hands so many times that I forget what was there. When I moved here in 1969 there were at least 4 grocery shops, a butchers, a chemists, a hairdressers and a haberdashers not to mention the Post Office. Now there's a florist, two hairdressers, a nail bar, some offices, a beauty shop, a pub, a barbers and a glass cutters. Not quite so useful. I'm pretty sure that the green door lead to the old bakery but it was gone before my time.
 
The “Gold Label” shop was also a mystery to me too. It caught my eye years ago as it always had the blinds shut and did not appear open for business.

It looks like its been converted to a dwelling now
 
It looks closed but the website suggests commercial sales not retail so perhaps it still operates. Still listed in current phone book with several numbers at that address.
 
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Penny - all the "titles" in the phone book are fishing tackle!! A search on google seems to show "Gold Label" is a recognised fishing brand. They are listed at Companies House - Terry Eustace seems to be the founder.
 

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Janice, we have a long standing fishing tackle shop not far away. I don't ever remember seeing 'Gold Label' open for business so it may have just been mail order.

Mike, sorry to disappoint you, with Christmas coming up, but it's a boxing shop called Box Clever run by (a very nice young man) named Wayne Elcock. I went in to talk to him when it first opened and had a nice chat. He was telling me about the resurgence of interest in boxing and boxing clubs.
 
An out of date sign above Perry Barr Station. Might even disappear before long as the station gets a makeover for the 2022 Games. Not a particularly attractive sign, and certainly not one to grab your attention, but one of its time I suppose. Looks almost temporary, like the signs on cinemas announcing this weeks films ! Viv.

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The Golden Cross on the corner of Lichfield Road and Rocky Lane (Aston). No longer a pub, but some tell-tale signs of its history remain, including the ‘cross’ design in several of the window glasses and a number of ornamental crosses in the gables. Surprising that this and the short row of buildings along Lichfield Road has survived whilst the surrounding area was decimated in the name of progress. Viv.

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viv i believe that it was a lovely pub inside and back in the day very popular for dancing....shame its closed but with very little housing close by now it did not really stand a chance

lyn
 
The ghost signs on the old buildings along that stretch Lyn give us a nice glimpse of how it once was. There’s the Golden Cross, the Bank and the public library (still in use ? Somehow doubt it as the letters are dropping off). There’s a later addition of York House in 1904. These are all signs of a once thriving community. Glad these are still there. But for how long ? Viv.

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yes viv they wont last much longer.... apart from the 3 pub buildings further down and the little line of old shops next to the brittania pub all of that long stretch of lichfield road is now pretty much obliterated..last time i was down that way the library was closed for good i reckon...not enough people there to use it..a very sad souless area to look at compered to how many of us remember it

lyn
 
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Ah, those were the days in the late 1950s, and you would quite often find me and many other Brum musicians upstairs in the Golden Cross on a Sunday evening, and for certain if Ronnie Scott and/or Tubby Hayes were playing. Good memories!

Maurice
 
Presumably this was once a pub on Moseley Road. Lovely beehive carving on two walls. (So was it called the Beehive ?). Viv,

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Presumably this was once a pub on Moseley Road. Lovely beehive carving on two walls. (So was it called the Beehive ?). Viv,
In the 1905 Kelly's 320 Moseley Road was a branch of Lloyds Bank. It was still that in 1940.
In 1899 it was a provision dealers. It appears as Lloyds Bank in 1955 phone book.
 
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Thanks Janice. So it was never a pub. The architecture doesn’t look much like a pub. Below explains the origin of the Lloyd Bank beehive. Don’t recall ever seeing these on their bank buildings anywhere else. Viv.

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