I have been trying to find an old picture or sketch of the lower part of Lionel Street. The end from Livery? Street to Snow Hill. I saw a photo on this site of (I think) the other end, up by the Parade and wondered if the houses would've been the same. The property I'm interested in was, at that time, number 116 and was next door to a pub called the Golden Lion which was on the corner. It was built in the early 1800's, about the same time as Matthew Boulton's warehouse opposite. I know the warehouse was bombed in the war.
The only description I have found said that the road sloped badly from one side to the other. The house was probably demolished to make way for factories and workshops or the garden filled in with back-to-backs.
I wondered if anyone had seen a drawing in a book or something. Any help appreciated.
There seems a bit of a mystery here. Either no 116 and the golden lion moved at some time after the year you are interested in (which is very possible if you are talking about the very early 1800s), or your information is not wholly correct. From at least 1841 the Golden Lion (no 117) and No 116 were between ludgate hill and livery st, and not on a corner A map showing no 116 in c 1889 is below, but the numbering and position of the pub are certainly the same back to 1841
Thank you both for your input. You are perfectly right - I am confused and have been for some time! The information I have is for really early in the 19th Century, Thomas Geast, Surgeon is listed as living at 116 Lionel Street (previously he was in Snow Hill). I also have a will of a George Geast, living at the same address in 1814. I'm including a scan of Thomas Hanson's map of 1778 which shows the Colmore Development creeping towards St Paul's. This is from Paul Leslie Line's book Birmingham: A History in Maps.
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The mid-1800's map shows different buildings entirely and I think rather than building courts at the back they demolished these houses. I can't seem to see Ludgate Hill either, perhaps this came later?
Any thoughts on this part of Lionel Street would be much appreciated.