Dennis Williams
Gone but not forgotten
I was doing a bit on The Old Square, mostly stolen from the an article in the Birmingham Faces and Places magazine of 1889, and the Winter Gardens poked it’s head round the door in a photo….and then another mystery developed….so, let me explain…..my interest started in these pics of The Old Square, and a bit of text about the Homeopathic Hospital site in the Old Square….the pic was of the old original Homeopathic Hospital building in old square…cornering Upper Priory…..and I dug out a few more to try and clarify it’s position further, and that’s when I noticed a magnificent turreted building (arrowed) in the background of one of them , which I presume looked to be in Corporation Street…maybe next to the Grand Theatre complex? First I thought it must be the old turreted Castle Pub….but this was, I thought, on the other side of the Road, and right at the end facing the Lancaster Place fire Station? If it’s not that, then why have I never seen or heard of such a great looking building anywhere in blogs or books before…..?? Answers on a postcard or here would be nice…..?? Pretty please….or tell me I’m going senile…I am, and won’t mind, honest…….?
Here’s the article:
Old Square 3rrd View
January and February last we gave views of two sides of the Old Square. We now publish a third, showing the Upper Priory. The white corner Homoeopathic Hospital, and was demolished in 1890, the present temporary Winter Gardens Pavilion being erected on its site. The houses to the left of the view are still standing:.
the first Homoeopathic Dispensary was opened in Great Charles Street. In May, 1847, the Dispensary was removed to No. 2, Upper Priory, the corner house in the Old Square demolished a few months ago to make room for the present temporary Winter Gardens Pavilion.
THIS is one of the best-remembered places of the past in Birmingham. Very few people will have forgotten the aspect of the Old Square before the Grand Theatre was built, and when the Stork Hotel stood on a different site from the present one. At that time Corporation Street did not cut through the Square, nor did the steam tram cars make it a terminus. The photograph we reproduce shows that side of the square where the Winter Gardens now stand—at least the temporary Gardens.
I rest my case……
Here’s the article:
Old Square 3rrd View
January and February last we gave views of two sides of the Old Square. We now publish a third, showing the Upper Priory. The white corner Homoeopathic Hospital, and was demolished in 1890, the present temporary Winter Gardens Pavilion being erected on its site. The houses to the left of the view are still standing:.
the first Homoeopathic Dispensary was opened in Great Charles Street. In May, 1847, the Dispensary was removed to No. 2, Upper Priory, the corner house in the Old Square demolished a few months ago to make room for the present temporary Winter Gardens Pavilion.
THIS is one of the best-remembered places of the past in Birmingham. Very few people will have forgotten the aspect of the Old Square before the Grand Theatre was built, and when the Stork Hotel stood on a different site from the present one. At that time Corporation Street did not cut through the Square, nor did the steam tram cars make it a terminus. The photograph we reproduce shows that side of the square where the Winter Gardens now stand—at least the temporary Gardens.
I rest my case……