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Great Western Arcade

Richie

Mr.Respectable
Richie, I have fond memories of the Great Western Arcade. As children for an occasional treat my Mom and Auntie would take us to a cafe in the arcade and we used to sit upstairson the balcony and have tea and cakes. The cakes had synthetic cream in them which I thought were fab as I had never tasted real cream, as it was not long after the end of the war. I wonder what this cafe was called?

Another memory of the arcades in Brum, but may not be the Great Western Arcade, was many years later in the 1960's, when I sometimes went to a bar - again upstairs - with a boy friend I was going out with at the time. Anyone know where this was or what it was called?
 
Edit. Unfortunately the images at the start of this thread have been lost.

Just to help things along. I put the back of the last one on as the address is rather interesting
 
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The mind boggles on reading the address.

Interestinig to see that what we knew as the Great Western Arcade was called the City Arcade in the early years of the Century.
 
This is an excellent thread and this website with photos just "blew me away".

I am sure we could get a list of businesses that were in the Great Western Arcade, for instance, and then make comments as we recognize ones that we are familiar with. That would make a pretty good thread.

https://www.greatwesternarcade.co.uk/
 
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Re Great Western Arcade....I found this article from the Birmingham Mail in March which announces a "reno" for the arcade. Hope it comes to pass.
£1m to make Great Western Arcade great again. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/1m-to-make-great-western-arcade-59655

Mar 7 2008 By Jon Griffin, Business Editor
889962CD-C241-89D5-80E1469C60D51823.jpg

BIRMINGHAM'S historic Great Western Arcade is in line for a 21st century facelift of up to £1 million, restoring it to its Victorian glory.
A major upgrade of the arcade units, which date back to 1876, is on the drawing board to help breathe new life into the shopping complex, which links Colmore Row with Temple Row.
The Great Western has suffered at the hands of the new Bullring and other city centre outlets, with shop units falling vacant as shoppers flock to more modern stores.
Managing agents King Sturge are now drawing up proposals for the Great Western's biggest facelift since the 1980s, taking advantage of the tens of thousands of people who walk through the arcade every week.
The property consultancy is working with clients Morley Fund Management and arcade owners Norwich Property Trust to plan a new dawn for the complex.
Initial work is already under way, with the centre's Temple Row facade being cleaned up ahead of a major facelift later in the year.
King Sturge said: "Our clients have plans to redevelop the arcade and return it to its former glory.
"Some of the shop windows have been changed and we aim to put back Victorian window frontages.
"The Great Western has a huge footfall - over 70,000 people a week -but until we can redevelop it I cannot see there being a great demand for retail in there.
"The Temple Row facade has already been cleaned up as the initial start of the refurbishment. It is already a very attractive arcade, and we think it can be more attractive, but it is going to be a major job to get it back to where it should be.
"It can be a thriving arcade again. The facilities are there, but we need to get the redevelopment in there to fill the empty units."
King Sturge will now liaise with Morley Fund Management and Birmingham City Council on detailed refurbishment proposals.
The arcade's last major overhaul in 1985 earned it a heritage award.
 
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My father told me that during war when he worked at Lewis's they would deal with incendiary bombs on the flat roof using a large shovel to scoop them up and throw them over the side of the building to burn out in the street below.

One night during a heavy raid Greys asked Lewis's for the loan of a man as they were short staffed. The story went that the man on loan was not familiar with the layout of Greys roof and was shoveling the incendiary bombs on to the roof of the arcade and may have had a hand in it's destruction.

I can't vouch for the accuracy of this story but it does feasible
 
HI GEORGE
I Enjoyed Your Story And Found It Very Intresting This Morning
On The Thread And It Was Amazing ,
Judy . I Was Very Intrigue By Your Thread About The Visit To The Cafe
In The Arcade, Just After The War , I,mAlsoVery Intrigue And Curious,
And Love To Find Out By Any one WhomMay Have Or Access To Find Out The Name Of That Establishment Of That Cafe , My Mother Refered To It
As A Resturant, During Or Before The War, Because She Told Us A Story Of The Family History Where Waitress,s Would Wear An Particular Uniform ,
Simular To Joe Lyons Resturants , Is It Possible For You To Remember What Year It Was You Was There As I Would Like To Probe Further Back In Time To My Mothers Back Ground , I Do Not Want To Suggest Or Mention Names At This Precise Time You Would Be A Gem If You Could Precisely Give Me A Year ,Incidently That Was A Great Romantic Story , Thanks
Have A Nice Dy , Best Wishes ASTONIAN ,;
 
Hi Astonian

I couldn't remember the name of the cafe, so I spoke to my sister, and she is pretty sure that it was Pattisons. It was a special treat to be allowed to sit on the balcony and have a 'cream' cake. I think there was a shop downstairs and a cafe upstairs. I think it would be around 1947/1948 but can't be sure.

Judy
 
In 1905 map by Godfrey it was shown as the Great Western Arcade, they mention a City Arcade but I cannot locate it. Was there not a smaller arcade that ran from Bradford Passage in to Bull Street? there was something there when I was working at Walker Brothers in Temple Row in 1948
 
HI JUDE
MANY THANKS FOR YOUR VERY QUICK RESPONCE
AS IT As Made My Day , There Is A Family Connection To My Mother
And The Jigzaw Is Falling Into Place Brilliant Of You
 
Glad to have been of help Astonian. Do you think that Pattisons was the name of the cafe/restaurant?

George - I seem to remember another stretch of arcade in the area you mention as well, but can't be sure. I always thought that the Great Western Arcade and City Arcade were two separate arcades. On Michael Ingram's postcards, the view that splits into two areas looks like the City Arcade that I remember.
 
Hi Jude
Yes It Was The City Arcade And It Was The Resturant
Also Godfrey Had One On The Aston Rd North Along FromThe Aston Cross
I Think Postie Did Put One Along Time Ago ,
If You Can Bear With Me On This I Will Be Back Shortly On This ,
Great News Thanks Again Jude ASTONIAN ,;;
 
I worked in the first shop, The Great Western Arcade on the right hand side for about six months, it was known as the Wheld/ Weald Furriers, Furs for the rich and famous there was a policeman that went by the name of Ray that used to call in for a coffee he was great fun. and opposite i think was an electrical shop and Jeromes the photographers was in the centre also a cake shop and a china shop...Cat
 
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There was more than one arcade, the smaller arcade that I thought was the City Arcade was T shaped, it certainly went from Bradford Passage to Bull Street and I thought joined up with Corporation Street as well. I do have though a picture taken in 1953 where you a looking down an arcade at Lewis's called the Windsor Arcade, this suggests that you are looking down from Bradford Passage.

These pictures are from Birmingham in the Fifties which also shows in 1954 the Great Western Arcade looking towards Snowhill Station station. Another 1959 photograph of Temple Row facing Lewis's with a clearly labeled Great Wester Arcade on the left but also indicating that the smaller Arcade on the right has been demolished.
 
George, I am looking at my "Birmingham in the Fifties - Vol.1" but can't see the photos you mention. I am obviously looking in the wrong place. Can you tell me the page numbers please. Or do you have Volume 2?

Also I have located my Godfrey map dated 1912. It shows Great Western Arcade to Temple Row, and then more or less continuing from Temple Row to Corporation Street is Bradford Passage in a straight line - my map doesn't show a 'T' shape.
 
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The Great Western Arcade ran only from Snow Hill to Temple Row. The other bit to Corporation Street from Temple Row was/is North Western Arcade. Windsor Arcade was the T-Arcade from Bull Street to half-way up the North Western.
 
George What other shops does your 1953 page 36 photo show,apart from the Lewis's Bull Street at the other end?
 
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Thanks for posting those lists Mike. My recollection of the Great Western
Arcade would be from l953 when I used to pass through there on my way to school at Corporation Street and Martineau Streets. I can definitely remember Ashmore's shoe shop which was there it seems in 1903. They had a very unusual shop front and they were close to where the Kardomah would be later on.

I also remember that Maynards had a sweet shop in there at that time
and I often used to go in for some wine gums if I had any money. I can remember a household linens shop just up from Ashmore's where I bought two bath towels before I went to Canada in 1963. They last for years and years. Can't remember the name of the shop though.

I would then cross over Temple Row and go through the North Western Arcade ( if that is or was it's name) not sure really..... down to Corporation Street. I can remember the jewellers on the left hand side that was there for years and also the Irish Linen Shop that was there until the l980's at least.
 
Hello Richie

The book I have also lists the 78 cinemas in Birmingham in the fifties. I have now found another photograph dated 1959 showing the Temple Row entrance to the Great Western Arcade and the area on the right that has been demolished for the new Rackhams. You have a clear view of Lewis's and the far side of Corporation Street so I assume the Windsor Arcade has gone. If you give me an email address I will scan all the relevant pages for you.

George
 
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