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King Edward's School, New Street 1838 - 1936

My uncle, Cyril Sharp, taught there as a PE instructor when he came out of the army after WW1.
Janet H
 
Peter Walker commented in a parallel thread "City Centre Photo Album" about some images on a website page about the school. I quote:

It is especially interesting to see the architect's original design, but it does not shows the two? towers which had to be demolished in 1936.
I just wonder about the two smaller exterior photos which are side by side. The detailing and especially the parapets do not quite match the other views and drawings, even the demolition pictures. It rather looks to me as if the facework was of terra cotta rather than natural stone - perhaps the photos were of the General Hospital or the Law Courts.​

I know little about the history of this building apart from the fact that it was built in about 1838 and then demolished in 1936. But Peter's comments raise some interesting questions.

Even allowing for artist's or engraver's licence it does appear that the buildings photographed in the early 20th century were very different from those shown in the early engravings. The latter indicate a "stand-alone" building, with a central entrance and no towers. The photographs suggest the appearance of a number of later buildings, located to the left of the original when one faces it from New Street, and possibly to an extent behind. It looks therefore as though the original building was extended at some stage in the 19th century into a much larger complex. This included the creation of a new main entrance whose location in relation to the original building is quite clear. It also looks as though the towers, clearly regarded as a Birmingham landmark, were part of this later addition. All this would of course explain the change in building materials and the appearance of terracotta, as used in other contemporary major buildings.

Perhaps the existence of these newer, less highly regarded buildings might explain the abandon with which this site was later redeveloped and the way that the merits of the original building at its core were ignored.

Chris
 
I have now discovered the reason for the discrepancy amongst the images which Peter pointed out. As we suspected, the buildings to the left of the original and the towers are the result of an 1890s development when the Girls' School was erected on the adjacent Hen and Chickens Hotel site.

Some of the images on my website page showed the later development rather than Barry's original. I have tidied it up to reflect this additional information and also to include further interesting images, generously provided by forum members, showing the building in 1905 and the late 1920s.

Chris
 
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I have been given some additional interesting information about the invasion of girls into the hallowed, all-male surroundings of Barry's building. It is now included on the website page for which I gave the link in the previous post.

Chris
 
Hi Chris: Had a good look at your website re the Grammar School on New Street. The site is excellent and such an important piece of Birmingham history. Thanks for the research and hard work putting this together.
 
A couple of engravings to add to this thread (can't tell if these were on here before the hacking). Two nice views of the school (pre-Barry, gothic building) in New Street. The first is 1780 and the second is 1808. Viv.



Free_School_1780.jpg

Lloyds_Hotel___Hen___Chickens_1808.jpg
 
Thanks for those, Viv. They are great pictures. I don't recall seeing them before within this thread. Most of the images here were reproduced on my website page dealing with this subject and so I have not reinstated those of them which I posted originally.

Chris
 
I've looked at your web page Chris and it's incredibly interesting. Some excellent photos on there, especially of the interior. I took the liberty of posting the link to your page on the "Birmingham Exchange Buildings" thread, as we were discussing how that stretch of New St developed. Rupert raised some interesting points about the relationship to the Guild of the Holy Cross on there. Thanks. Viv.
 
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The Free School (pre-Charles Barry building) was obviously a very important and impressive building in 1731 as it actually appeared on Westley's map of that time - lower left on New Street. Viv.

New_Street_Westley_s_1731.JPG
 
I like this map, I have often meant to find out where The Froggary was! (Sorry I'm off topic).
Thanks Vivienne.
rosie.
 
img027~0.jpg
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Hello Chris, this picture is only slightly different to one you already have but as you can see I have posted it anyway. The information with it tells us that the photo is from 1934 which was a year before it moved to Edgbaston, and final demolition took place in 1937.
 
Thanks for that, Stitcher. Interesting. The bus could be the same one. The people have moved. I wonder if the two images (this one and the one on my website page) were in the same sequence, taken from a slightly different angle, a few moments apart.

Thanks also for the map, Vivienne. Should like to incorporate it on my page in due course, if you have no objection.

Chris
 
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Chris I'll dig out the proper title of the map for you - it's Westley's 1731, but will look up the full title and post it here. Viv.
 
Chris that map extract was from "The Plan of Birmingham Surveyed in the Year 1731 by W. Westley" Viv.
 
img457.jpg
This is from another angle and it says 1934, when this building was demolished the Paramount Cinema was built on part of the site. The Paramount opened in 1937 and after the war it was changed to The Odeon.
 
This link contains some short films about KE. 'New Street Remembered' has interviews with former 'Old Edwardians' and interior shots of the New Street school. The film was made for viewing with 3D glasses, but I watched it without and it seems ok. The David Blissett film is also worth watching. Viv.

https://www.oldeds.kes.org.uk/ns-film.html

And here's a nice view of the earlier KE school from the Blissett film. Sorry don't know the date.

560791fc-ba7a-9467.jpg
 
Some sketches by Samuel Lines Snr of views not usually seen. D686B15A-A002-46F6-9BC7-E1302A1D195B.jpeg
A sketch of the old schoolroom at the Free school by Samuel Lines Snr in 1820
4578CC65-F77D-4784-BCA3-B1AC1408E8AF.jpeg
Pencil drawing from the garden of King Edwards School by Samuel Lines Snr

CE5B4C3A-025B-46A8-8513-19D702350A51.jpeg
Drawing from the garden of King Edwards School by Samuel Lines Snr

Viv.
 
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