• 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

Highgate Street Factory & Square

B

barkleyplastics

Brummie babby
I am trying to research the factory oppsite the central mosque on Highgate street which goes all the way back to conybere street, I have a photo from the early sixties but have been told it was once a pearl button manufacturer, printing company and in the
early 1900's it was some sort of transport depot.
Anyone else shed any light on the history on this factory or highgate square, or the lower end of conybere street ( as in the second picture).

View attachment 68532
View attachment 68534
 
By the style of the building and bricks (1st photo) it,s 1950s build so there would have another building on that site. Dek
 
dek carr said:
By the style of the building and bricks (1st photo) it,s 1950s build so there would have another building on that site. Dek
Click to expand...

I think it's had a new frontage of about 25ft as inside it's still old with hidden arches where the original front was and some parts still has cobblestones etc.

There seems to be a large building on the old maps?
 
Assuming that the road has not been re-numbered, 120 Highgate Street the address used by Barkley Plastic,
in 1949,
118, Highgate Street,
Doris Lenton, Shopkeeper
Turley & Williams Ltd., Gas cooker mkrs
British Safety Stove Co.
in 1969
118/119 Hopkins & Bailey Ltd. printers
120/121 A.E.Clutterbuck Ltd. electric light fittings mfrs
120/121 Abrahams & Co. Ltd. electro plate mfrs

Charles Hufton in Conybere Street were bathroom furniture & fitting mfrs
Hope that helps.

Colin
 
Hi thanks for the info, is there a way of finding out for previous dates or are there any photos of highgate square before the shops?



Colin B said:
Assuming that the road has not been re-numbered, 120 Highgate Street the address used by Barkley Plastic,
in 1949,
118, Highgate Street,
Doris Lenton, Shopkeeper
Turley & Williams Ltd., Gas cooker mkrs
British Safety Stove Co.
in 1969
118/119 Hopkins & Bailey Ltd. printers
120/121 A.E.Clutterbuck Ltd. electric light fittings mfrs
120/121 Abrahams & Co. Ltd. electro plate mfrs

Charles Hufton in Conybere Street were bathroom furniture & fitting mfrs
Hope that helps.

Colin
Click to expand...
 
I'm a little confused the only Highgate Square I knew of was off the Moseley Rd where they built the old fire station between Belgrave Rd and Conybere St. Is that the Highate Square you mean?

Phil
 
Yes your right it was Horton square in Highgate and had a pub called the Ale Stake.



Phil said:
I'm a little confused the only Highgate Square I knew of was off the Moseley Rd where they built the old fire station between Belgrave Rd and Conybere St. Is that the Highate Square you mean?

Phil
Click to expand...
 
I would have remembered the area as simply Gooch St. Here are a few photos of that end of Gooch St it was the junction of Gooch St, Longmore St & Belgrave Rd. The photo with the tram sows the section later known as Horton Square.

Phil

37e8fb11.jpg


7bc9ac28.jpg


9e4b0e56.jpg


b61ccdb1.jpg
 
A couple of early photos of Highgate St in the early 60's for luck.

Phil

b7b5a4cf.jpg


3c85cdb8.jpg
 
The factory Charles Hufton I remember well, it was near the end of Conybere, St opposite Dymoke St and St Albans church, a few of my neighbours worked there, I have no idea what they done, there was a few houses after that, a bomb peck, the back of Woolworth,
the Triangle, and then you were on Gooch St, love the photo's Phil.
 
The building opposite the mosque in highgate street used to be abrahams.i worked there in early 60s packing silver plated and glass ornaments /and tableware the foreman was called johnny stevens he rode a motorbike and all the girls fancied him me included
 
Sandra my sister went out with him, small world, he was my brothers friend
 
Blimey liz it is a small world .she probably knew my brother then michael leake ..he worked there for years..what is your sisters name....
 
Worked for Abrahams 1966 and 1967 in the school holidays. Like other temps I was moved round the factory in a vain effort to find something i could do.

I welded balls onto the top of crewit pots in a line of girls all on piecework. I contantly burnt my fingers and never made the required rate although the girls, after they had made up their numbers often pushed a few into my bin but how they made a young lad pay for it! The thing I remeber most was the internal system in the factory that required you phoned the office everytime you finished a job or were short of work.

Eventually they found I could I could 'do dispatch', left me there for a week and then sent me to a huge floor of a railway warehouse over by the gasworks to sort out thousands of large cardboard boxes into coutries and clients. I worked over there on my own for a couple of months with one visit a week to check progress. Compared to the factory it was very quiet and almost sureal.
 
barkleyplastics said:
I am trying to research the factory oppsite the central mosque on Highgate street which goes all the way back to conybere street, I have a photo from the early sixties but have been told it was once a pearl button manufacturer, printing company and in the
early 1900's it was some sort of transport depot.
Anyone else shed any light on the history on this factory or highgate square, or the lower end of conybere street ( as in the second picture).

View attachment 68532
View attachment 68534
Click to expand...
Photo’s of Turley and Williams,127/128 Highgate Street taken before the change in 1958 to Abrahams & Co Ltd.
barkleyplastics said:
I am trying to research the factory oppsite the central mosque on Highgate street which goes all the way back to conybere street, I have a photo from the early sixties but have been told it was once a pearl button manufacturer, printing company and in the
early 1900's it was some sort of transport depot.
Anyone else shed any light on the history on this factory or highgate square, or the lower end of conybere street ( as in the second picture).

View attachment 68532
View attachment 68534
Click to expand...
 
Photo’s of Turley and Williams,127/128 Highgate Street taken before the change in 1958 to Abrahams & Co Ltd.
 

Attachments

  • C9958B76-3E2C-472F-992C-B995AF5EAF27.jpeg
    C9958B76-3E2C-472F-992C-B995AF5EAF27.jpeg
    37.3 KB · Views: 22
Photo’s of Turley and Williams,127/128 Highgate Street taken before the change in 1958 to Abrahams & Co Ltd.
 

Attachments

  • DDAC6C44-5678-4F03-8CB7-D1D263E00F1E.jpeg
    DDAC6C44-5678-4F03-8CB7-D1D263E00F1E.jpeg
    471 KB · Views: 18
Last edited:
Photo’s of Turley and Williams,127/128 Highgate Street taken before the change in 1958 to Abrahams & Co Ltd.
 

Attachments

  • FF91A66D-721F-413D-8DD7-725F8831F5E6.jpeg
    FF91A66D-721F-413D-8DD7-725F8831F5E6.jpeg
    831.7 KB · Views: 13
Last edited:
barkleyplastics said:
I am trying to research the factory oppsite the central mosque on Highgate street which goes all the way back to conybere street, I have a photo from the early sixties but have been told it was once a pearl button manufacturer, printing company and in the
early 1900's it was some sort of transport depot.
Anyone else shed any light on the history on this factory or highgate square, or the lower end of conybere street ( as in the second picture).

View attachment 68532
View attachment 68534
Click to expand...
Photo’s of Turley and Williams,127/128 Highgate Street taken before the change in 1958 to Abrahams & Co Ltd.
RobertS said:
Worked for Abrahams 1966 and 1967 in the school holidays. Like other temps I was moved round the factory in a vain effort to find something i could do.

I welded balls onto the top of crewit pots in a line of girls all on piecework. I contantly burnt my fingers and never made the required rate although the girls, after they had made up their numbers often pushed a few into my bin but how they made a young lad pay for it! The thing I remeber most was the internal system in the factory that required you phoned the office everytime you finished a job or were short of work.

Eventually they found I could I could 'do dispatch', left me there for a week and then sent me to a huge floor of a railway warehouse over by the gasworks to sort out thousands of large cardboard boxes into coutries and clients. I worked over there on my own for a couple of months with one visit a week to check progress. Compared to the factory it was very quiet and almost sureal.
Click to expand...
 
Photo’s of Turley and Williams,127/128 Highgate Street taken before the change in 1958 to Abrahams & Co Ltd.F9DB8290-0B12-4A4F-A8B2-10E3C457B541.jpeg
 
Last edited:
A couple of Abraham cuttings which may be of interest and a slightly better overall Turley pic.
 

Attachments

  • 4DF61B67-D03C-419A-8C1B-0D47EE014092.jpeg
    4DF61B67-D03C-419A-8C1B-0D47EE014092.jpeg
    1.3 MB · Views: 22
  • 54686F20-4B2F-4C13-9BC2-D52EFF8A66AC.jpeg
    54686F20-4B2F-4C13-9BC2-D52EFF8A66AC.jpeg
    1.3 MB · Views: 22
  • 7F84C7A0-93D3-4DA7-BBBF-10BD6D428F13.jpeg
    7F84C7A0-93D3-4DA7-BBBF-10BD6D428F13.jpeg
    962.6 KB · Views: 22
I have’nt tried to pinch the Brummie babby tag.I must have pressed the wrong button as usual.
 
Oldun said:
I have’nt tried to pinch the Brummie babby tag.I must have pressed the wrong button as usual.
Click to expand...
hi oldun not sure i understand...far as i can see you have not done anything wrong? if you mean the signature words "proper brummie kid" under your avatar this automatically changes after members have made so many posts...you can of course go into your settings and change the signature title to whatever you like

lyn
 
Oldun said:
A couple of Abraham cuttings which may be of interest and a slightly better overall Turley pic.
Click to expand...
Very interesting cuttings about Abraham who seemed to have a management that positively invested in the future. Thanks Oldun
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top