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Horse Fair

I reckon my mother would have seen the horse's..she was born in Bromsgrove St and was living in Inge St by 1911..her mother had a fish dealers shop in either Essex St or Lowers Essex St...fascinating reading all the history on here..thanks for that.
 
In the interests of adding or re-instating lost info from this thread I'm adding a few images.

Derek you might like this 1911 photo from the Digital Ladywood site:

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1363363840.230810.jpg

This map (which is earlier than Phil's) might also be of interest. Again from the Digital Ladywood site. I've marked the start of the Horsefair - which on this map is named Brick Kiln Lane:

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1363363930.073797.jpg

Finally Hutton's explanation of the move of the horse fair from Edgbaston Street in the Bull Ring to Brick-kiln Lane (later re-named The Horsefair):

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1363364110.101258.jpg

Interesting that Brick-kiln Lane was 'the extreme part of the town'!
Viv.
 
And this is the David Cox painting which was attached to Aidan's post #8 (before the site images were hacked). The background buildings in Cox's painting are very insignificant, the focus being the business of the day. Viv.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1363364770.869533.jpg
 
Thanks Phil, Viv, very interesting information, as a young lad with the ACF, I would often go to Thorp Street Drill Hall/Barracks, for parades though Birmingham city centre, with the cadet bugle and drum band.
paul
 
In the interests of adding or re-instating lost info from this thread I'm adding a few images.

Derek you might like this 1911 photo from the Digital Ladywood site:

View attachment 85034

This map (which is earlier than Phil's) might also be of interest. Again from the Digital Ladywood site. I've marked the start of the Horsefair - which on this map is named Brick Kiln Lane:

View attachment 85035

Finally Hutton's explanation of the move of the horse fair from Edgbaston Street in the Bull Ring to Brick-kiln Lane (later re-named The Horsefair):

View attachment 85036

Interesting that Brick-kiln Lane was 'the extreme part of the town'!
Viv.

Many thanks Vivienne,there's so much going on in the first photo is'nt there..and I have always found black and white photo's have so much character.

I also like the painting,thats another one of my interests...thankyou.
 
This is a photo of the entire length of the Horse Fair, it's dated 1952, but I think it's later than that possibly the early 60's.
 

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I was wondering what it looked like before the area was developed Phil as I don't really remember it. As your map shows, quite a short street. Was also wondering if any of the older buildings remain but doubt any survived the re-development. Thanks for posting. Viv.
 
There used to be a Dry Salters,George Hull in Essex St,we used to buy Squirrel Hair artist brushes and Lining Fitches from there,that would have been in the late 70/80s,it was one of the last remaining shops of its kind and I believe they were bought out in the late 80s.
 
what a wealth of information derek, thanks for posting, seems strange that "the horsefair" was considered the outskirts of the town back then, great photo's too by the way, loved the painting Viv,
paul
 
Last saw the Horse Fair mural in January 2013. Think it could do with urgent repairs / restoration

Panoramic of recent shots

 
Good update on the mural Ell. Yes, looks like it could do with a bit of restoration. To me it almost echoes Hutton's description as being 'on the extreme part of town'. Places like this sometimes get overlooked and suffer a the lack of attention. And let's face it, the 1960s road development has become outdated. You do wonder if it might go the way of the JFK memorial on Snow Hill to make way for an improved infrastructure. Viv.
 
I can't see Holloway Circus being demolished. It was renovated in the late '90s with Chinese Quarter things.





But the Queensway tunnels are due to be done up this summer.


Most of the 1960s mistakes have already been demolished off the inner ring road (see Masshouse and St Chads).

Most of the subways have been filled in. We now have surface crossings instead with traffic lights.
 
Constructing the Horsefair mural. Looks like it was completed on site using pre-prepared panels. The individual panels look quite large that they're fixing to the wall, maybe a metre square? Not quite how I'd imagine a mosaic to be created. Viv.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1363391792.722395.jpg
 
great pic there viv...at a guess thats the old shadwell st houses in the background...

lyn
 
Hi Viv;
did they or not remove the jfk muriel some time ago many years back ? and put it some where else or stored in a shelving some where
Where they put archives ?.
so the panel they are re errecting or dismantling means they will take away the statues of the monument representing china town
and replace it into around the other side of smallbrook ring way ;at the top of hurst street around by the thearerter may be ; if they are filling in those sub ways which i recall that particular one was muggers paradise in the seventys and eightys and the big block of flats that over see the sub way was the building known for suicides whom used to jump from it ;
plus the fact of the roads are gonna be altered may be, after all that island always caused a bottle neck at anygiven time ;
and there again what about the under ground trams or is it the moa rail that will go on tracks in the futere planning they have thought about
up and around five ways and broad street they are moving faster now the planning deparment and thinking ahead ; as daft as i say
after listening to the debate on the old king edward the other night there main concertration is the city centre as i am sure its quite clear to see ;
China town as really taken of now it sure would be idealy put along the beging of china town or by there chinese casino;
best wishes Alan ; Astonian;;;
 
St Catherines school Windmill Street Ladtwood.jpgWndmill Street off Bristpl Street 1950s St Catherines scool
 

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