Just Outside Birmingham by Post Card.

[motorman-mike]

Over the years many folks just over Birminghams boundaries have looked to the City for work or shopping or to move in to. At the same time folks from the City have explored just over the boundaries for outings or visited relatives and many to live 'just outside Birmingham'. Here are some post cards that may revive a memory or two and show how places have changed when compared to today. First two show 1960's Solihull.

 

[Phil]

Mike.

Here's another, how many of you Rover workers past and present remember driving over this bridge on Dovehouse Lane. Its still there today I believe alongside the new one.

I'll have to look out some more snaps of Solihull, and the other outskirts of Birmingham.

Phil

 

[Phil]

Mike

Here's another view of Popular Rd.

Phil

 

[motorman-mike]

Staying in Solihull, this view can still be seen but Mell Square was brand new when this card came out.

 

[Stitcher]

Heres an old one of Robin Hood Lane.

 

[lencops]

Sratford-on-Avon Memorial Theatre circa 1907. Len.

 

[lencops]

The Hand Hotel, Llangollen. Len.

 

[Phil]

Well, when this was taken it was just outside Birmingham.

Sutton Coldfield Memorial Garden.

Phil

 

[lencops]

Aberysthwyth. Len.

 

[lencops]

Welshpool, circa?. Len.

 

[lencops]

pmc 1947, My guess 1937/8. Len.

 

[motorman-mike]

A contrast in churches both in design and use. St James' at Shirley remains a church but St Mary's at Wythall closed some years back to become office accomodation inside. At least it wasn't pulled down.

 

[BernardR]

I remember the campaign to save the church at Wythall. I seem to recall the CofE claimed it was unsafe and too costly to repair. Not sure if the developers found the same.

 

[motorman-mike]

When the Diocese got an estimate for work needed to save St Mary's the amount was considered far too much to save the church. Independent figures obtained by the Victorian Society showed mush less was really needed but the church was also considered to be too far from the people of the parish so was really not wanted anyway. The office developers found the building worth converting so it's condition must have been viably good enough to avoid demolition. A Wythall building that did not escape demolition was the White Swan pub at Drakes Cross. Pity, because for me at least, it's replacement is less attractive to look at.


https://www.phils-site.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/GALLERY2/pages/white-SWAN.htm

 

[motorman-mike]

Talking of pubs, the old Pack Horse at Hollywood has seen many reincarnations but stays much the same on the outside. Still miss the Atkinsons they origianally sold. At least one of Atkinsons original lamps remains on the left hand side of the frontage. (The one on the other end was put there by Mitchells and Butler).

 

[john knight]

Interesting to see the entrance to the smoke room at
the left, and now, what looks like a garage.

 

[motorman-mike]

Interesting to see the entrance to the smoke room at
the left, and now, what looks like a garage.

What looks like a garage was a double door entrance to replace the original front door and has itself been replaced now by a main entrance off the car park.
Mike

 

[Peter Walker]

Just caught up wigth this thread.What grieves me is the loss of the old chimneys. People are prepared to pay thousands of pounds to fuss about with reproduction door and window frames, but are scared to keep chimneys and especially chimney pots, which I used to think in Brum were the crown of every building.
Peter

 

[motorman-mike]

Spot the diffence in Kenilworth. Strangely the style of the newer post card on the right looks more dated than the older one to the left. How peaceful it looks around there.

 

[sylviasayers]

Nice photos of Kenilworth, but in my opinion for a historic old town like this they have completely spoilt it, the shopping area and the shopping square are so out of keeping for a town steeped in history - whatever were the planners thinking of when it was redeveloped in the 60s.

 

[Louis Dalby]

Over the years many folks just over Birminghams boundaries have looked to the City for work or shopping or to move in to. At the same time folks from the City have explored just over the boundaries for outings or visited relatives and many to live 'just outside Birmingham'. Here are some post cards that may revive a memory or two and show how places have changed when compared to today. First two show 1960's Solihull.

Like the Ford V8 Pilot on the right.

 

[motorman-mike]

Bromsgrove in the 60's.

 

[Lloyd]

Coventry in the 40s. Sorry, not quite as pleasant.

 

[motorman-mike]

Have to agree with you there Lloyd, so it's back to the future and tranquil Bromsgrove some 20 years later for me..

 

[motorman-mike]

There was nothing nicer for a summer day out in the 1960's than to catch the old 144 Midland Red through Bromsgrove and Worcester and end up on the Malvern Hills. Here is sunny Great Malvern with a local Red bus adding an extra splash of colour to the view.

 

[john70]

Hi. Mike. Nice photo,s of Bromsgrove and Malvern, brings back good memories on the 144. John70

 

[ragga]

Nice piccy of Great Malvern motor mike .
its just how i remember it when i first visited
Malvern and the hills back in 1969.

ragga .....

 

[motorman-mike]

Still in Great Malvern then up on the Terrace.

 

[Graham]

As a kid I used to cycle to Gloucester and back crossing the Malvern Hills, twice, at the 'British Camp'. Does anyone have (old) photos or can you tell me why it was so called?

Graham.

 

[Stitcher]

Graham, the story about British Camp is that it was an Iron Age Hill Fort. I did attend a few talks about but it was all a long time ago. There is extensive information about it and the rest of the Malvern Hills on google.