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Spiceal Street & Edgbaston Street

Aidan

master brummie
I like seeing how places have developed over time.

I came across this engraving of Jerimiah Scudamore's shop at 1 Spiceal Street c1820, opposite St Martin's. The signage seems to indicate he did a bit of everything inc Gold & Silversmith, Locksmith, Surgical Instrument Maker, Ironmongery & Nailwarehouse. Jeremiah Scudamore entered his mark at the Birmingham Assay Office on the 22nd January 1823.
Lost image replaced
As far as I can work out, this blue monstrosity is the current day view https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=52...Y2jYckqge8RKAAT8LGEreQ&cbp=12,276.22,,2,-2.27 Can anyone fill in views of the area in the last 300 years please?
Jermiah Scudamore's shop. 1.spiceal st  c 1820.jpg
 
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Indeed - prime location & something for everyone!

I hope others on the forum might have an etching or photo of that corner as it changed over the years. Maybe some views of St Martin's will have captured it as well
 
Aidan, i have a photocopy of a book picture of that junction in 1938.Its a side-on view of the corner premises since the focus is intended to be Jamaica Row which was/is the continuation of Spiceal Street the other side of Edgbaston Street. There was a whole sequence of shoe shops running down from Woolworths to this point as captured by Phyllis nicklin's slides although not quite to the turn with Edgbaston Street itself. My photo has the name "Wholesale Shoe Warehouse" but unfortunately the image is so dark there's no way it can reproduce again.

The collection from which the original photograph comes from is held at Birmingham Central and called "The Warwickshire Survey".

The Googleview image is exactly right BTW.
 
Thanks for confirming that Richie and enticing clues that there are images out there. The search continues.....


In the early 1700s Mercer Street became Spicer Street, which was renamed Spiceal Street by the end of the century. The re-naming was due to the growing grocery and meat trade on the street which had begun to take over from the cloth trade. The Dog Inn was located in Spiceal Street in the late 1700s. In 1783 William Hutton described it:

"From the eminence upon which the High-street stands, proceeds a steep, and regular descent into Moor-street, Digbeth, down Spiceal-street… This descent is broken only by the church-yard."
 
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Here's Phyllis Nicklin's photograph (4of5) of the Bull Ring, Spiceal Street, taken one day before the last day of street trading, 12/09/59
lost photo replaced
spicealst1959.jpg
 
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And here's a near miss, being a photo of Edgbaston Street No 56, Robertson's Fine Arts premises....still on the case though. Love a challenge, love this sort of thread....cheers Lord Acton.
Lost photo replaced by same one
Edgbaston Street No 56, Robertson's Fine Arts.jpg
 
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I've just done a rummage through the index on the mini-video documentary site MACE ARCHIVE, and there are just two snips so far which show Spiceal Street at or near its junction with Edgbaston Street during the 1950's owing to its proximity to the church (opposite).

www.macearchive.org.uk/Media.html?Title=1877#

www.macearchive.org.uk/Media.html?Title=3355#
Links do not work
There may be others that show our location right on the dot, but they will be camouflaged under the subject title of any of the 3,000 or more clips on there.

(NB: With all of these MACE mini-videos, just click on the mini-screen itself to stop and start the film wherever you want).
 
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Not sure if you are all aware, but there is going to be a new Spiceal Street.

They are planning to build some new restaurants at the "back" of the BullRing (depending what you call the front), and this development is called Spiceal Street

Web site here (with a short video with a VERY BRIEF look at the history of the area)

https://www.spicealstreet.co.uk/
.
 
When I think of that street I immediarely think of Jamaica Row but I guess that you have to do this bit of road before you get to the Row...did anyway.
 
Getting nearer....I think.

Super Picture Dennis. Any idea of the date please? Glad to see there was a Brushmaker represented along there at some point.

The new development and that proposed is all very swish and modern (thanks Guilbert) but where is the character?
 
I've just done a rummage through the index on the mini-video documentary site MACE ARCHIVE, and there are just two snips so far which show Spiceal Street at or near its junction with Edgbaston Street during the 1950's owing to its proximity to the church (opposite).

www.macearchive.org.uk/Media.html?Title=1877#

www.macearchive.org.uk/Media.html?Title=3355#

There may be others that show our location right on the dot, but they will be camouflaged under the subject title of any of the 3,000 or more clips on there.

(NB: With all of these MACE mini-videos, just click on the mini-screen itself to stop and start the film wherever you want).

Really great finds Richie, thank you - video is so immersive, pity the shots of the street are but a few frames

Rupert - Those street names Spiceal St and Jamaica Row are great aren't they? Like something out of a Pirate's chest.....
 
Yes Aidan...Jamaica row was a favourite of my mom's. The rag market was down there on the left and she loved to go rumaging through the old used stuff. When dragged to the place...always involuntary because occasionally one would hear the dreaded words, 'you know that would fit you'...aaargh. And yet, I would really enjoy going around there now and doing exactly what my thrifty mom did back then...not with clothes maybe...but other great stuff. Funny the things you like when you get old..er. Come to think of it; I am older now than she was back then...aaargh again. Actually, with the popularity of the 'Antiques Road Show' I think many more people find these places great to be at now.
 
I remember Jamaica Row as a child, lots of barrows with fruit and veg, and the rag market of course, never thought I would see that little area again, these are great.
 
Getting nearer....I think.

Fantastic thread. Spiceal Street is an area I don't remember at all, so it's especially interesting to see. This is a lovely shot, lots going on in this one. Gives a real sense of activity. Good to see Hortons and Hedges were both "by appointment....." traders. The American Fresh Meat Co. must have been pretty confident that their prices wouldn't fluctuate much to have boldly painted prices above the shop. If it was nowadays they'd have been up and down that ladder with a paint pot almost every day. There's a dinky little Post Office squeezed between Hortons and Coopers too. What a great thriving street scene. I'd hazard a guess at a date of around 1900. Viv.
 
Thought this was an interesting scene of its time; a cartload of straw being weighed on the cart machine in Jamaica Row c.1890. Viv.

Image unfortunately lost
 
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The weighing machine (W.M. ) is shown on this 1889 map, and also the 1890 map. the next version available is 1905, by when it has gone due to the extension of Smithfield Market. This occurred in 1892 and 1903 and i don't know which of these resulted in its disappearence.
Mike


mapc1889jamaicarowweighingmachine.jpg
 
Yes agree BordesleyExile, very helpful map and background info Mike. Thanks. A busy area. In the photo you can just see "Bank" so that'll be the Bjrmingham & Midland Bank marked on your map. Lots of pubs too, typical of market areas. I've been trying to work out the name on the cover over the cart, but just can't make it out. Viv.
 
Hi my name is Agnes, i'm just starting to resreach my faimly tree. I known my grandfahter Daniel died in WWII in a house in Speaking Stile Walk, Edgbastion. However i cannot find Speaking Stile Walk on any of the maps old or new. And would love to find out more, I know this is not your thing. But was hoping you might know the Edgbastion area. And might know where Speaking Sitle Walk is or was. I would be so grateful for any help.
Thank you so much Agnes
 
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