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Is this in Birmingham?

R

RayJones4

proper brummie kid
I have had this circa 1912 postcard for some time & I feel the style of building is sometimes found in Birmingham, particularly in Ladywood. It appears to be a Roman Catholic procession, proceeding slightly downhill. The shop window in the middle appears to be that of C. Lee or Clee at No. 120. I cannot trace someone with those names as a shopkeeper anywhere. The corner shop in the background is almost identical to that of G. F. Andrews on Freeth Street but the location does not fit. Other corner shops are also very similar. Any help welcomed.procession052.jpg
 
The third banner is of the Rotary Club. With the exception of the first banner, all the others seem to have a similar inscription at the top and bottom. Viv.
 
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Pedrocut said:
There are Union Jacks on display. Would this be typical in a Roman Catholic procession ?
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As far as I can make out the Union Jacks are hanging from a bedroom window so not sure really (news of war poster in one shop). But the decipherable banners refer to St Catherine & St Cecilia.
 
Vivienne14 said:
The third banner is of the Rotary Club. With the exception of the first banner, all the others seem to have the same inscription at the top and bottom. Viv.
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I wondered if the separate banners were for several different churches. In which case if might be a diocesan or archdiocesan procession rather than parochial.
 
Vivienne14 said:
The third banner is of the Rotary Club. With the exception of the first banner, all the others seem to have the same inscription at the top and bottom. Viv.
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I doubt it is Rotary? The third banner say St ???? League & St Catherine so the wheel may refer to St Catherine (she was stretched on a wheel!).
 
I am not convinced that the Lee ij the window is the name of the shopkeeper, rather than an advertised product , but, if it is any jelp, here are all the Lees listed in the 1912 Kellys

Lees in 1912 Kellys.jpg
 
from the view we have it strikes me that whatever the parade is it could be an all girls thing....girls are all wearing sashes and carrying flowers maybe the celebration of holy communion...just a guess but certainly a typical looking birmingham street but again it could be anywhere

lyn
 
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If it is a Catholic procession with mainly girls then I suspect it is a May Procession - taking place in the month of Mary. I don't know if there would have been one round the streets of Birmingham but certainly most parishes held a procession where possible. At my church (in 50s and 60s) we processed round the considerable grounds - girls in white dresses and boys wore blue sashes. Flower petals would have been strewn and I see most of the girls are carrying flowers.
 
..
Sometime around 1674 the British flag became formally known as the 'Union Jack' when mounted on a warship and the ship was not in harbour. At the same time the British flag was referred to as the 'Union flag' on land.
 
Given that the Easter Rising took place in 1916, the religious tensions would have been high at the time. The route may well have been known, and the Union Jacks could be a show of allegiance.
 
Probably a pure coincidence but the lady and gentleman behind the wall on the left of the picture look a bit aggressive.
 
Pedrocut said:
Probably a pure coincidence but the lady and gentleman behind the wall on the left of the picture look a bit aggressive.
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to be honest pedro i can only see one smiling face...in my experience the people who had photos taken back then usually looked serious ......even the dog has turned his back :D
 
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pjmburns said:
Could it say "Legion of Mary" and St Catherine refers to the church on Bristol Road.
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‘St ?ane League’ I think. Could be Jane I guess. I wondered about a Bristol Road connection. This is a close-up.
 

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Astoness said:
from the view we have it strikes me that whatever the parade is it could be an all girls thing....girls are all wearing sashes and carrying flowers maybe the celebration of holy communion...just a guess but certainly a typical looking birmingham street but again it could be anywhere

lyn
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As someone involved in photography & postcards for over 30 years I have struggled to find this sort of urban environment anywhere else - similar yes but not so Brummie in all respects.
 
rotary club sign in summer lane ...not that i am suggesting the photo is taken there

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Pedrocut said:
Given that the Easter Rising took place in 1916, the religious tensions would have been high at the time. The route may well have been known, and the Union Jacks could be a show of allegiance.
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This could well be around 1916 & maybe there is some tension in this photo.
 
In 1914, in Preston there was to be the annual RC Whit Monday procession. The church informed that they would carry a statue of the Madonna and Child. This was opposed by Chief Constable, but the Mayor decided it should go ahead.

The procession at one point was subject to stones being thrown.
 
I am not sure about it being a Catholic procession. The minister is wearing a cope but he is not carrying anything, which Catholic priests frequently did in processions. This looks like it could turn into another No.8 bus thread. :D
 
1603640803470.png
I think this was the herald of the school of St. Catherine's,
If this relates then the area should be around the streets near the older church. It was demolished and replaced by a new church in the mid sixties. The second banner does seem similar.
 
Astoness said:
to be honest pedro i can only see :grinning:.in my experience the people who had photos taken back then usually looked serious ......even the dog has turned his back :D
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i thought that lyn.but did not like to say. they looked like they were chewing wasps. :grinning:
 
I found this picture from 1910, the girls' hats look similar.
Labelled:
1910 scarce postcard Church Parade by the Tabernacle in Regent Street BRISTOL
 

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All the hats are decorated with flowers. The collars on the men and boys look 1920s to me. The sashes worn by the girls are a unifying feature between the different groups with their specific banner. Do the sashes represent a cause or movement ? Do the flowers on the hats represent Easter ? Why aren’t there many boys in the line up? Do the girls represent purity? Viv.
 
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