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Suffolk St

BordesleyExile

BordesleyExile

master brummie
Suffolk St has been rather neglected on the Forum, yet it is amongst Birmingham's earlier developments.
Capitalising on the canal side opportunities but with a spin that more houses were needed Sir Thomas, based in Suffolk, developed the area from 1766 onwards. The census records indicate that there were courts and it does appear that a proportion of dwellings were aimed at Birmingham's poorer workers. Affordable housing had a different meaning in those days. Pictures of Georgian Suffolk St are sadly all too rare, given the value of the area and continuing redevelopment.
Pye's plan 1766
Suffolk St Georgian buildings
Suffolk St looking to Easy Row Victorian buildings 1930s
 
Old Wharf, Suffolk St, has been well covered in https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4054. However the picture of Old Wharf provokes new insights. I had always thought that the iconic Old Wharf buildings comprised offices only & I had been unable to understand why my ggg grandfather had been listed at Old Wharf in 1841. The 1907 photo shows that gas pipes on the central building and the two outer wings were treated differently. The census records reveal that Old Wharf, presumably the wings, were occupied from 1841 to the late 19C, sometimes with people connected to the canal, sometimes not.
 
In order to help the discussion of Suffolk St , i thought it might help to show some changes and also give people some idea of the numbering. I have taken the 1890, 1902-11, and 1918-27 OS (!:2500) maps, twiddled them around , so they are running along the page, and put on some known numbered buildings (mainly pubs and corner buildings) in red , together with the position of a few courts in blue. I twisted the orientation so that it would be a long fairly narrow map and the file wouldn't be too large for the forum. They were still fairly large files, so i will post them separately, stafrting with the 1890 one . If anything arises that needs a rather wider area than that of these narrow maps, then i can easily post one for that area
Mike

suffolk_st_1890Annot.jpg
 
What I like about that picture Dek is the age range of the buildings. I am not sure, but the building in the middle on the far side of the road looks Georgian.
The maps are more than I hoped for, Mike. What a fascinating glimpse of the changes brought about in just a few decades. I am horrified that there was such a high density of housing in 1890 in such a small area. I suspected when I read the census that it was bad, but it takes a map of that calibre to convey just how ghastly it must have been to live in that part of Suffolk St. Old Wharf must have been difficult to occupy. I keep wondering where my ggg grandmother hung out the washing - the coal dust must have been pervasive.
What was Curzon Hall as shown in 1890, 1902 & 1918?
 
I love the juxtoposition of buildings from different periods in the picture that you posted, Dek. The building in the middle on the far side of the road looks Georgian, though i might be wrong. If it is from that period perhaps it was one of the originals.
The maps are even more than I hoped for, Mike. How gascinating to see how much the area was redevveloped within 21 years. When I read the census I thought that the housing density must be great, but even so I was unprepared for the extent that properties were packed in. It raises some moral questions, though not for the builders it seems. Thank you so much, Mike.
 
I believe it opened originally in 1865 for An exhibition Hall with a Dog Show but seems to have got converted to a Cinema at some point before 1900.

Can yopu recheck the link please cos I get an error
 
I reentered the link, Aidan, & it came up the same. It refers to OC's fairly brief thread on Curzon Hall, but there was no external shot so I continue to search. Thank you for the cinema poster depicting the cinema experience.
 
This is the Technical College which was first seen on the 1902 map. It was designed by Essex, Nicol & Goodman & built in 1893.
 
The Curzon Hall was situated at the top of Suffolk St and was erected in 1864 as an exhibition hall and was the home of the National Dog Show. It was named after George Nathaniel Curzon Viceroy of India 1899 1905.

Phil

CitySuffolkStCurzonHall.jpg
 
Well that picture is an interesting taster, Phil. I expected Curzon Hall to be rather grand. In the photo it is only the gate or door that fits that description. Thank you for sharing.
 
hi all..most interesting thread with great pics going on...i may have posted this one before but a long time ago..caption says....

horsefair..suffolk st and john bright st..a plan sheet used for the developement of the street...

lyn
 
Bordesley Exile

I have no doubt that Curzon Hall was a very grand place indeed, unfortunately this was the only photo that I have. I don't think there are many more about. Mind you thats a silly thing to say because now I have said it someone will produce an album full.

Phil
 
Apparently, before the use of it by Mr jeffs as a cinema, Curzon Hall was also used for pre-cinema entertainments such as panoramas and magic lantern shows. At Christmas time a regular thing was Harry H. Hamilton’s Excursions, where a rolling display of painted cloths passed accroass a 20 x 12 ft screen, whilst a “cicierone” (the David attenborough or David Starkey of his time) described what was happening, and there was also music, lights and sound effects. Jeffs actually started out doing this sort of thing, so was already familiar with the Hall.
He saw the future of folm and joined The Thomas Edison Animated Photo co, and opened his first season of films at curzon Hall on 6th May 1901. His first program claimed to be footage of the army fighting the Boers, though there may be some doubts as toits authenticity. The hit of that years presentations was a fictional film “Attack on a china mission”, while “newsreel” footage of the return of the warwickshire Regt from Africa with the Lord mayors blessing was shown a week after the event. The peerformances lasted two hours and also featured the Edgbaston Brass band, a choir and a ventriloquist. Later epics shown were “Workpeople leaving factories” (Kynoch’s, Nettlefords and Tangye’s), and film from the top of a tram going down Bristol Road into town. The season ended on 13th July. Jeffs later set up on his own performances at the Curzon Hall , but competition menat his bankruptcy in March 1912. In WW1 Curzon Hall became Birmingham’s chief recruiting office.
This info all came from “Introducing Walter Jeffs", by Christopher Dingley in Aspects of Birmingham, pub 2001, Wharncliffe Books
Mike
 
mikejee said:
....... Later epics shown were “Workpeople leaving factories” (Kynoch’s, Nettlefords and Tangye’s), and film from the top of a tram going down Bristol Road into town. The season ended on 13th July. Jeffs later set up on his own performances at the Curzon Hall , but competition menat his bankruptcy in March 1912.....
Click to expand...

Great stuff coming out. That film from the front of a tram must of been at around the same time & idea as the 1906 SF version https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=30846 & great to see the development of moving panoramas into showing film
 
I've come across Curzon Hall recently I'm sure - I'll have a search through my papers etc.
 
Its really good to see you back on the forum, Lyn. Thank you for the Horsefar picture. I get the impression that some of the roads were more joined up than today.
Thank you for the info on Curzon Hall, Mike. Its great to know the places my family may have visied recreationaly. They only lived a short walk away, though no longer at Old Wharf.
I do hope that you can find that photo of Curzon Hall, Leslam. I simply cannot imagine the place & I cannot find a picture.
 
Here is another Map dated 1900 of this area, showing the buildings discussed. I had rellies in 1841-61 living in Summer Street, now a hole in the ground where the Station is, which runs parallel to Suffolk St for a while. It is present in BE's map in his Post No 1. I did put out a call for any information on this little backwater, but drew a blank. Anyway, to avoid the bailiffs, I also enclose these few shots of Pubs in Suffolk St. I have lived in Brum all my life, yet cannot remember the Bread & Roses shed. I hesitate to call it a Pub. I know. Snob. To pub historians like myself, it may not be generally known that The Old Red Lion Spirit Vaults was knocked down to make way for the building of the Technical (Queens) College in 1893. Not many people know that...

Lovely evocative and informative photos and texts lads and lasses. As per....you lot really do tug my strings with your innovative Threads (you are all on here!). A thousand thanks.
 
Loved the pics & the map, Dennis. The building locations on the map will come in particularly useful when we turn our attention to other city centre roads. Its great when the BHF team pulls together like this.
 
You betcha life Bordesley Exile. Just started a similar Thread on adjoining Navigation Street, all from viewing this cracking Thread. Yes. On Pubs, naturally...
 
I have just read that Curzon Hall later became The New Century Picture Theatre and during WW1 it was used as a recruiting office. It reopened in 1925 after extensive alterations as The West End Cinema & Ballroom.

Phil

CitySuffolkStTheWestEndCinema1957.jpg
 
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