Imperial Arcade Dale End

[Vivienne14]

There's an arcade mentioned in Showell's Dictionary which I've never heard of: "The Imperial Arcade". This was in Dale End next to St. Peter's Church. It opened Christmas 1882, had 32 shops, offices above and a magnificent stained glass window looking towards St. Peter's. It had a clock with figures of the Earl of Warwick and his countess and the clock would strike the hours and quarters on musical bells.

Viv.

 

[Phil]

I see no one has mentioned the very ornate clock that once stood in the Market Hall affectionately known to some as Percy's clock for the reason set out below. The two photos attached are one in it's original position in the Imperial Arcade and another over the Market Hall offices in the Bull Ring.

The clock that stood above the old market offices in the Bull Ring until it was bombed on the night of 25/26 August 1940 was affectionately known as “Percy’s Clock”.

The clock was built in 1883 by W. Potts of Leeds and was originally placed in the Imperial Arcade in Dale End. The dial was 5ft across and had an area of 18 sq ft. the four animate figures represented the Earl of Warwick, his wife, a retainer and a Saracen. The two inner larger figures were seven and a half feet tall.

In 1936 Percy Shurmer insisted that the clock which had not worked for about 20 years was repaired and moved to the Market Hall. So it was repaired, and renovated and duly installed above the market offices.

As stated it was bombed out of existence some four years later. At the time Percy demanded that after the war a similar type clock in the German city of Munich should be taken to replace it saying “They knocked ours to bits, lets have theirs to square it up”.

 

[Pedrocut]

I have done a bit of work on the Architect of the Woodman, Henry Naden, he did a couple of building in and around Birmingham as follows:

Henry Naden was a Birmingham Architect based at 54, Livery Street, Birmingham. He was responsible for designing several buildings, including;

The Woodman pub which once stood on Easy Row, off Broad Street, instead of a painted sign it features a grand statue of a wood cutter over the main entrance. Its exterior was grand, and photographs show a very comfortable interior. Built in 1891-2, it was popular with councillors, nipping in after meetings at the Council House nearby and later on students from the School of Art. It was demolished in 1965, a victim of the city inner ring road, is was huge loss to the city.

The Imperial Arcade in Dale End, it has a single entrance, and the dates about 10 years after the Great Western Arcade was built.

Has anyone a picture of this?​

Athol Masonic Hall, 60 Severn Street, Birmingham banqueting hall. Decorated with Stars of David, was added for the Freemasons in 1871-2. The Torah Ark was retained by the Freemasons with only slight modifications. It's handsome, fluted Doric columns and classical entablature remain. The Master's Chair is placed in the former Torah Ark niche.

Has anyone a picture of this?​

Magdalene Chapel, Birmingham 1861-1863, Excepting 'side walls'. Naden responsible for initial plans; Holmes for plans for new chapel, 1863.

Ditto​

The adjoined east building at Sandfields Pumping Station as an additional space for the 190 horse power Cornish Beam engine.


A number of ther South Staffordshire Waterworks buildings....

An 1884 description of the arcade...

 

[Pedrocut]

Here from the Birmingham Gazette of 1932, as always the picture quality is not good.