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North Western Arcade Windsor Arcade

G

George Wheeler

master brummie
Edit. A link to the Great Western Arcade is here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/great-western-arcade.13578/#post-98881

Edit. A link to City Arcade is here. Viv.
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...wick-passage-union-passage.45335/#post-551428


I do have a picture taken in 1953 looking down an arcade at Lewis's called the Windsor Arcade, this suggests that you are looking down from Bradford Passage.

These pictures are from Birmingham in the Fifties which also shows in 1954 the Great Western Arcade looking towards Snowhill Station station. Another 1959 photograph of Temple Row facing Lewis's with a clearly labeled Great Wester Arcade on the left but also indicating that the smaller Arcade on the right has been demolished.
 
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George, I am looking at my "Birmingham in the Fifties - Vol.1" but can't see the photos you mention. I am obviously looking in the wrong place. Can you tell me the page numbers please. Or do you have Volume 2?

Also I have located my Godfrey map dated 1912. It shows Great Western Arcade to Temple Row, and then more or less continuing from Temple Row to Corporation Street is Bradford Passage in a straight line - my map doesn't show a 'T' shape.
 
I have a 1912 map in a book which suggests an arcade through to Corporation Street. Page 36 of my book shows the Windsor Arcade 1953 with the Lewis's Bull Street window at the end and this appears on the map as two narrow lines at right angles to the main arcade, this would give you the T shaped arcade I suggested. It was 59 years ago that I was using this Arcade as a short cut to Lewis's from our workshop off Cherry Street. I shall plead brain damage and say no more on this matter.

Godfrey map mentions Bradford passage and then says "and here is the North Western Arcade" was this the one leading in to Bull Street? It list the Union Passage and the City Arcade, this Union Passage is shown as having a Midland Arcade
 
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The Great Western Arcade ran only from Snow Hill to Temple Row. The other bit to Corporation Street from Temple Row was/is North Western Arcade. Windsor Arcade was the T-Arcade from Bull Street to half-way up the North Western.
 
George What other shops does your 1953 page 36 photo show,apart from the Lewis's Bull Street at the other end?
 
In 1953,I would go through the North Western Arcade (if that is or was it's name) not sure really..... down to Corporation Street. I can remember the jewellers on the left hand side that was there for years and also the Irish Linen Shop that was there until the l980's at least.
 
Hello Richie,

This part of the arcade seems to be occupied by Rackhams, there is a balcony across at the Bull Street end with Rackhams name on. The left hand side is Rackhams, with a hanging sign saying florist but I can't read the small print on it. The light from the Bull Street end was shining in to the camera obscuring the rest of the detail.

A view of the front of the Windsor Arcade in 1955 viewed across from Lewis's shows Rackhams on the right and on two floors on the left is Evans and Mathews, ironmongery, cutlery . An Etams shoe shop is also part of the frontage

George
 
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Thanks George.

In which case while I've been searching for stuff on my own cinema and theatre websites, i've unearthed a gem on a little-expected domain for everyone regarding arcades,and the Windsor in particular.

Will endeavour to sort it out for later today.

Richie.
 
Jennyann, I think the shop you bought your towels from was Hardwicks. I bought quite a few things there in the 60s, they had a wonderful haberdashery department, selling stuff you struggle to buy these days!
 
I seem to remember another part of an arcade as mentioned by George, but it is in my dim, distant memory, so its good to hear about the Windsor Arcade, and that it was connected to the North Western Arcade. Like you, George it was many years ago that I used it - probably about 45 years!!!
I also wondered if my memory was playing tricks.

I am looking forward to seeing what you have unearthed today Richie.

Also Michael thanks for the Kellys information.

Judy
 
Great site Richie - I will go back again and again to it, plenty to look at here. Particularly liked the Windsor Arcade shots, with Werff on one side and I think it was probably the original smal Rackhams shop on the left. Thanks for posting this.

Judy
 
Thanks for RIBA website Richie....a picture is indeed worth a thousand words. It's a great site and I will go back and have a good look again.
So it is called the Windsor Arcade, the one in the photo. Is it still called that? This is the one going from Temple Row through to Corporation Street as I can see.
Judy, I remember the old Rackham's store on the corner of Bull Street and
Temple Row with the Dickensian era images in a wrap around frieze. I always looked out for them when my Mom took me shopping and we came home on the 5a bus .
 
Hi Charlie: It was indeed Hardwicks...what a great store. There doesn't seem to be many stores around these days with a haberdashery department such as they had. Seems like everything has gone into packages and are bought at the Pound stores.

We bought some great items at Hardwicks and my Mom loved shopping in there because you never knew what you might find.
 
I know there a are a few arcades missing from this map,but i thought it may be of interest.moss
 

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Not seen this one before. It's looking up North Western Arcade from Corporation Street towards Temple Street and the Great Western Arcade on the opposite side. Don't know date of drawing but must be around 1880/90. How lovely if it still looked like this, but sadly it effectively became a dull and drafty passageway. Viv.

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And looking the other way along North Western Arcade towards Corporation Street in 1896. Viv.

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And this is how I remember NW arcade. It's a 1961 photo looking up towards Temple Street from Corporation Street. Rackhams/House of Fraser to the left. Viv.

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An earlier view of the NW arcade. This must be looking up towards Tempoe Row. Sorry no date for the image. Wondering if it was shops or offices on the upper level/balcony ? Viv.

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Hi Viv
It is many years since I visited the North Western Arcade. I used the Victorian Restaurant whose main premises were on the first floor. This could only be reached by entering through the ground floor and climbing the stairs. As far as I am aware this was the case with all the premises in the arcade. Most of the premises had no public access to the upper floors. There was no public access to the balcony at all.
Old Boy
Vivienne14 said:
An earlier view of the NW arcade. This must be looking up towards Tempoe Row. Sorry no date for the image. Wondering if it was shops or offices on the upper level/balcony ? Viv.

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i got told that my great grandad william e grocott was killed in an accident in 1916 whilst building one of the arcades that no longer exists, can anyone shed any light on this?
 
isaac said:
i got told that my great grandad william e grocott was killed in an accident in 1916 whilst building one of the arcades that no longer exists, can anyone shed any light on this?
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Inquest reported in the Bham Mail, 12 Jul 1916, died on the 11th. He was working for W. Sharp of James Watt St.

Was cutting and fell due to an unsecured girder. Jury returned a verdict of accidental death.
 
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