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Rea Street

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
Not much left of this part of Rea Street these days. The whole of this view on the right-hand side has gone, so much so you now get a clear view of the gabled buildings (red dot) at Digbeth at the end of the road. The building was only just visible on the old photo. Surprisingly, the Anchor Inn to the left but out of view, still stands. Viv.

image.jpeg
 
That's the Connaught Square site. That will now be developed by Seven Capital. The ownership has changed a lot since the 2008 recession. Doubt that there would have been any graffiti or street art in the old photo Viv.
 
hi folks any ideas as to where this was taken...in the window it says wax figures cleaned and repaired...most unusual i thought..need to take a closer look for clues

lyn

Birmingham Magical Depot. (2).JPG
 
An interesting one Lyn. I don't know, but had a go at drawing out the sign and the writing on the window. There's the words "for ..... schools" in the window, but not sure about the rest. Does the name on the large sign underneath the pen writing say "Alex" or " Alen"? Viv.
image.jpeg
 
i thought it said alex viv also the for schools bit....note the man in doorway holding a wax head lol..creepy:D
 
The advertising banners on the ground floor seem to be for places of entertainment like "Palace" and "Empire". Would the wax heads be something to do with that - and perhaps wax models used in magic shows? Just guessing. Viv.
 
I see for parties and schools. However I could not find anything regarding The Birmingham Magical Depot. But that of course is a pen written comment so maybe we need a company name or street.
I am not forking out £90 to find out!! :eek:
 
Think it might have been around January 1914. If you look at the upper of the two posters on the right of the shop, to me it reads Palace, and below "Beauty (& the) Beast" The Bordesley Palace had a pantomime Beauty & the Beast at that time (see below). Also the lower poster mentions Lizette. In march 1914 the Lizette trio were at the Summer Hill picture house (below).

Birm Mail 24,3,1914.jpg birm mail.26.1.1914.jpg
 
Noting the Alexander on the poster on the upper wall, in Kellys 1912-1921 Douglas Alexander was a conjurer at 98 Rea St
 
thank you mike...so was that photo taken at rea st or is it just that the poster was an advert for the conjurer

lyn
 
The "Alexander" looks like it's on a permanently fixed board Lyn. So assume Mike's pinpointing Rea St suggests Douglas Alexander either had rooms there and/or had the shop too. Douglas may even have been on the photo.

If he had rooms, maybe that's where the Birmingham Magical Depot had meetings? Viv.
 
Hi MIKE
On the subject of those two bill boards ,the one on the left states summerhill picture house
do you think that years later it became the lyric picture house which was just along from the sandpitts and it was summhill
the old Lyric picture house when we was kids was known for the thre penny bit mattnee on the morning shows
as i said it was about 400 yards along from the sandpitts which was summer hill
But there again i,m thinking there was the picture house that bulpitts bought which was where the street sign says summer hill
It was also the start of summer hill nd down along to the sand pitts and just past there there was the kingedwarsd pub
on that junction wich was the start of paradise street and up into the city
Best wishes Alan,,, Astonian,,,
 
Excerpts from the British Magical Society which, as can be seen, was founded in Birmingham in 1905.

In 1905 Mr. F.E. Walker invited a few magically-minded friends to his home in Birmingham and The British Magical Society was born. The Society is generally considered to be the oldest continuous of its kind in the world. For fifty years "Freddie" Walker held the position of Secretary, steering the Society through two World wars.

A number of temporary headquarters were used in the beginning, but for over 50 years a permanent home was found at the Imperial Hotel, Temple Street, in the centre of Birmingham. The society then moved to The Friends Meeting House (The Quaker Society) in Bull Street, and eventually to the Birmingham and Midland Institute where it remained for many years. Currently the Society meets at The Selly Oak Ex-Servicemen's Club, Selly Hill Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 7DL

ADDENDUM:
I wonder, if by chance, that this might have been Mr. Walkers residence? The extract does state that he invited 'magically-minded friends' to his home. What we do not know is how long that arrangement lasted before a move to the first of the temporary headquarters mentioned.
This is all conjecture, of course, as the picture, whilst obviously an old one, does not necessarily refer to F.E.Walker (Freddie)

 
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hi folks any ideas as to where this was taken...in the window it says wax figures cleaned and repaired...most unusual i thought..need to take a closer look for clues

lyn

View attachment 115502
Just managed to get on the history site after many tries. I am very pleased to give some information regarding the above photo. After trying to trace my family tree for sometime I have now found out that my great grandad was Douglas Alexander of 98 Rea Street. He had marionettes was a Punch & Judy man and conjurer. I have a very old programme of his works giving references if his work at parties for the rich and famous. It is wonderful to find this photo as I seem to be finding more out day by day.
 
how wonderful maggie do you think your gt grandad is on that photo...would love to see the old programme if you could post it for us please and you are most welcome to save that photo

lyn:)
 
hi folks any ideas as to where this was taken...in the window it says wax figures cleaned and repaired...most unusual i thought..need to take a closer look for clues

lyn

View attachment 115502
A friend would like to add more information to 98 Rea St history. The home of Alexander Douglas. Finding it difficult to register and log on and to negotiate the website. This is my first post and have found it difficult too!
 
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