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Railway Hotel. corner of Curzon St & Howe St

mikejee

mikejee

Super Moderator
Staff member
Our member Trebor is interested in this pub:
I have been looking forever for a Pub that was on the corner of Howe Street and Curzon Street called The Railway, built about 1848, it was built as an Hotel for people using the Railway opposite, whenever I ask anywhere people direct me to the Railway pub on the corner of Cardigan Street and Curzon Street that was a magnet for bands in the seventies. The pub I am interested in was used by my grandparents, I lived in Howe Street and my grandparents in Curzon Street, any help would be appreciated.
 
I am going to try an experiment here .... I had a query for this public-house [see : https://www.midlandspubs.co.uk/genealogy/birmingham/index.html#Kings-Arms] and I went in search of a photograph for him. Now, for techie reasons the images on my website are published at 463 pixels. However, it would be nice to share larger images on the Birmingham History Forum for the pleasure of forum members. The majority of the images on my site have been paid for with hard-earned cash. I try to offer a unique visitor experience so guard my images carefully by overwriting them. This spoils the images a little but it is to prevent them appearing across the Internet when it was me that stumped up money for them. I have been known to pay up to £80 for a photographic treasure. Anyway, I am attaching a large photograph of the Railway Hotel which I recently acquired. As far as I know it is not available anywhere else on the Internet. Yes, it is overwritten, but at least forum members and visitors to the forum can derive some enjoyment from the image.
 

Attachments

  • Curzon Street - Railway Hotel [c.1935].jpg
    Curzon Street - Railway Hotel [c.1935].jpg
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totally understand the overwriting kieron...what a great photo thanks ever so for sharing it with us :) if you ever find one of the bath tavern brougham st you are a flipping legend lol....

lyn
 
Oh! The absolute joy of finding something you've been looking for for ages! Nothing quite like it Lyn. I remember my friend Mary Ellen in the USA sending me a picture of my Gt Uncle (she didn't know she'd sent it as she had forwarded me a link). That was due to this forum putting us in touch on another thread.

Kieron's site is brilliant and it's very kind of him to share his findings with us. Very much appreciated as is the help and generosity of the people on this site.
 
It was me that was looking for the photograph of that pub, I understood it to be called the Railway Hotel and was for the people arriving at the station opposite, I lived as a little girl in Howe Street and my grandparents lived in Curzon Street, I can picture it now with my Nan sitting in the snug with a glass of stout in her hand. I did contact Birmingham Library archives for information and photos, all they had was some written information not a photo, every time I have mentioned it anywhere people can only remember the Railway pub on the corner of Cardigan Street and Curzon Street where bands used to play. Thank you for the image, the side door I think is where the snug was.
 
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Previously, my only glimpse of the Railway Hotel was this view from 1932. Interesting [well, from a beer angle] the Ansell's wall-painted sign cannot be seen here. Also the "Wines and Spirits" signage above the corner entrance is not visible on the later photograph. The chimney in the background is that of the pumping station opposite Penn Street.
 

Attachments

  • Curzon Street near Howe Street [c.1932].jpg
    Curzon Street near Howe Street [c.1932].jpg
    500.5 KB · Views: 50
Most of my other images of Curzon Street are not that unique and dotted around the place. This one is perhaps not that interesting as it looks like, well, many other courts of inner Birmingham. However, a useful chalk mark states that this is 7 Court Curzon Street. Again, not that interesting unless your ancestors lived here in which case the image is elevated to the status of knicker-wetting excitement.
 

Attachments

  • Curzon Street 7 Court.jpg
    Curzon Street 7 Court.jpg
    614 KB · Views: 43
www.midlandspubs.co.uk said:
Most of my other images of Curzon Street are not that unique and dotted around the place. This one is perhaps not that interesting as it looks like, well, many other courts of inner Birmingham. However, a useful chalk mark states that this is 7 Court Curzon Street. Again, not that interesting unless your ancestors lived here in which case the image is elevated to the status of knicker-wetting excitement.
Click to expand...

have to admit to doing that on the odd occasion:eek::D brilliant photos of curzon st being posted on here..photos like this must be treasured..

lyn
 
Trebor said:
Here is a photo of Curzon Street, my grandparents lived just before where the little boy is.
Click to expand...
Wonderful pic Trebor - although narrow there are three floors. Did your grandparents have all three floors or was there sharing like in modern flats where the building is divided up?
 
www.midlandspubs.co.uk said:
Wonderful pic Trebor - although narrow there are three floors. Did your grandparents have all three floors or was there sharing like in modern flats where the building is divided up?
Click to expand...
As far as I know all the houses had one family in them, it was one room downstairs with a ‘scullery” at the top of the stairs to the cellar, one bedroom and one attic. I lived in Howe Street in a back to back that was identical, my parents had the bedroom and my brother and I shared the attic room.
 
Trebor said:
As far as I know all the houses had one family in them, it was one room downstairs with a ‘scullery” at the top of the stairs to the cellar, one bedroom and one attic. I lived in Howe Street in a back to back that was identical, my parents had the bedroom and my brother and I shared the attic room.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that, they look a bit bigger but your description helps with imagining inside. I was born in a 2-up, 2-down and spent my first four years there. I was too young to remember but apparently there wasn't room to swing a cat.
 
Dear All
I'm not quite sure how to contribute to the forum so I hope this is ok - I have just found this thread and great photos which I can't add to unfortunately. My great grandmother Ruth Macdonald had a tobacconists shop at 47 or 49 Curzon St c1895-1912, between Penn St & Howe St, tantalisingly just out of view of all the photos. I wonder if anyone has any memories of this shop reported by down the generations. Also by any chance photos of Cardigan St where my great grandfather met Ruth?
Many thanks Mike K
 
Welcome MikeEK - we all 'just have a go' when we first start so you've made a good beginning. Hope someone manages to find some information for you. I'm always amazed at what people unearth. Here's hoping!
 
MikeEK said:
Dear All
I'm not quite sure how to contribute to the forum so I hope this is ok - I have just found this thread and great photos which I can't add to unfortunately. My great grandmother Ruth Macdonald had a tobacconists shop at 47 or 49 Curzon St c1895-1912, between Penn St & Howe St, tantalisingly just out of view of all the photos. I wonder if anyone has any memories of this shop reported by down the generations. Also by any chance photos of Cardigan St where my great grandfather met Ruth?
Many thanks Mike K
Click to expand...
Mike when I lived in Howe Street and my grandparents in Curzon Street as children we used to play on what was called a bomb peck, that is houses that were bombed, that would have been I imagine where the tobacconists shop would have been.
 
MikeEK said:
Hi Trebor - you don't remember your grandparents house number I suppose? Mike
Click to expand...
Sorry I don’t, it was a back to back and they were on the front of Curzon Street, right hand side of an entry, about four doors down from George’s cafe.
 
this is my first reply i lived at 1/28 howe street ashted bham 4 until i left loxton street school in 1958 i can remember lots of people from all round the area the railway pub was not the same as in the picture like all the properties around the pub it was bomded the 2 top floors were taken of and a new roof was built i hope this gets through claypole
 
Trebor said:
Here is a photo of Curzon Street, my grandparents lived just before where the little boy is.
Click to expand...
i lived at 1/28 howe street until i was 15 in 1958 when i left loxton street do you remember the thunder bolt hitting the canal bridge about 1950-2 my mothers brother from belmont row marrieda lady from the yard behind your grandparants in curzon street
 
claypole said:
i lived at 1/28 howe street until i was 15 in 1958 when i left loxton street do you remember the thunder bolt hitting the canal bridge about 1950-2 my mothers brother from belmont row marrieda lady from the yard behind your grandparants in curzon street
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I also lived in Howe Street when I was little, we left there about 1952, I don’t remember the thunderbolt, but remember the murder by a neighbour that backed onto our house.
 
helloi hope i am replying ok your house was 2 /23 howe street i new lots of people all round the area and went to windsor street and loxton street are there any still out there
 
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hello claypole. Thank you for your contribution to this thread.

As a newcomer to our forum, you may not be aware that it is our policy on BHF to remove serious accusations about named persons This is to protect any named person, whether rightly or wrongly accused, their family and friends, and the good name of BHF. This is why your post has been edited.
 
claypole said:
helloi hope i am replying ok your house was 2 /23 howe street i new lots of people all round the area and went to windsor street and loxton street are there any still out there
Click to expand...
Our surname was Forrester and my grandparents name was Millichamp they lived in Curzon Street.
 
hello trebor i am afraid cannot remember you i do remember mr mrs challice living in no 2/23 howe street with 6 or 7 kids my surname is clayton i lived with my parents and 4 younger brothers in the next yard down from you i hope you are well and have good christmas
 
claypole said:
hello trebor i am afraid cannot remember you i do remember mr mrs challice living in no 2/23 howe street with 6 or 7 kids my surname is clayton i lived with my parents and 4 younger brothers in the next yard down from you i hope you are well and have good christmas
Click to expand...
HI Claypole. I lived in Gopsal Street until 1967. Is your name Brian and did you have a brother called Bryn and a mom called Winnie perhaps? I really hope it is you.
 
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