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HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
we are now using a backup solution
Then and now pics of brum
- Thread starter Astoness
- Start date
![Breedon Cross 1906[1].jpg](/forum/data/attachments/27/27527-f24abd447516758e15f552f2f54c9d43.jpg)
![City Crooked Lane1886[1].jpg](/forum/data/attachments/27/27531-bce14e90789327506fe792d05bd3def3.jpg)
BordesleyExile
master brummie
Absolutely stonking, Lyn. Thank you & John H for sharing.
ellbrown
ell brown on Flickr
I've got several Then and Now books, including:
"Birmingham Then & Now" by Mark Norton, "Central Birmingham Through Time" by Eric Armstrong & Vernon Frost and "Birmingham Up Town Through Time" by Mac Joseph, Ted Rudge & John Houghton.
All three are very interesting. Most of the "Now" photos are from 2009 and 2010. The "Then" pictures are from up to and before the 1970s.
"Birmingham Then & Now" by Mark Norton, "Central Birmingham Through Time" by Eric Armstrong & Vernon Frost and "Birmingham Up Town Through Time" by Mac Joseph, Ted Rudge & John Houghton.
All three are very interesting. Most of the "Now" photos are from 2009 and 2010. The "Then" pictures are from up to and before the 1970s.
ell its very difficult to scan pics from a book and not easy to take pics of them with a camera and so i confess that the reason mine are so clear is because i cut them out and then scan them...i dont mind doing this as i save all the pics in a folder and of course i have files of them on my lap top which are backed up should i crash...i hasten to add i do not cut up books that have been lent to me..lol
lyn
lyn
ellbrown
ell brown on Flickr
It's easier to scan in pages from a newspaper than from a book! Are these books you've bought?
Some pictures might be on both pages (one might go over from one page over to the next one).
That 1975 photo of Hill Street says the Post Office on the right was due for demolition. Is that not Victoria Square House, which was saved by the Victorian Society? Although by the early 1990s it had a modern extension down the hill.
Seems odd that there used to be those Subway's and lowered areas in Old Square, as it is now all back to surface level. Much better in Old Square now.
Some pictures might be on both pages (one might go over from one page over to the next one).
That 1975 photo of Hill Street says the Post Office on the right was due for demolition. Is that not Victoria Square House, which was saved by the Victorian Society? Although by the early 1990s it had a modern extension down the hill.
Seems odd that there used to be those Subway's and lowered areas in Old Square, as it is now all back to surface level. Much better in Old Square now.
ellbrown
ell brown on Flickr
1975 Snow Hill looks different to now. In that area now is One Colmore Row. Behind that is the square in front of One Snowhill. Looks unrecognisable to the above photos now.
I keep getting the no 1 bus down Shaftmoor Lane. Keep thinking of taking photos around there, haven't got around to it yet. Is a pub down that way called The Shaftmoor. Also a former industrial site near the railway line (not to far from Spring Road Station). A car park goes over that line.
I keep getting the no 1 bus down Shaftmoor Lane. Keep thinking of taking photos around there, haven't got around to it yet. Is a pub down that way called The Shaftmoor. Also a former industrial site near the railway line (not to far from Spring Road Station). A car park goes over that line.
ell ive no idea if its victoria square house..you could well be right though.... i bet someone on here would know...most of the books that i cut the pics from are what has been given to me but there are also a few that i have bought myself...if a pic takes up both pages i would try to take the best shot of it with my camera but of course they never turn out as good as when i cut and scan...
ell the 1975 shot of snow hill is the one i remember the most..ive walked that way many times going into town..
ellbrown
ell brown on Flickr
This is the side from Victoria Square
General Post Office, Victoria Square by ell brown, on Flickr
And this is the view from Navigation Street (modern extension)
Victoria Square House - from Navigation Street by ell brown, on Flickr
There is this plaque on Hill Street
Victoria Square House - plaque on Hill Street by ell brown, on Flickr
ellbrown
ell brown on Flickr
That was before my time, so I can't remember the Snow Hill Station area before the new 1987 version was built.
As it is now.
One Colmore Row by ell brown, on Flickr
and in the late 1990's with the subway and lowered area
Colmore Circus Queensway - 1999 - Snow Hill Station - One Colmore Row. by ell brown, on Flickr
paul stacey
master brummie
Thank you lyn, I found the whole series of then and now really fasinating, and loved the one of "Aston Village" that what has kept me so interested in the BHF for so long kep em comming.
paul
paul
Hi Lyn. Love these photos, especially these two of Union Street. Wasn't the 1870s view atmospheric. Straight out of a Dickens novel. I remember the 1970s view very well. You used to be able to get into a side entrance to C & A along there. Seems almost impossible that the 1870s view became the 1970s view. Great thanks Lyn.
Some great photos again Ell. So enjoy seeing your updates. The Victoria Square House is a new one fir me. Wasn't even built when I left B'ham. The GPO looks even better than I remember it too. It looks like it's been cleaned. Superb piece of architecture. I think maybe B'ham is learning to look after its buildings - well some of them maybe! Thanks for posting. Viv.
cookie273uk
master brummie
I loved the old Snow Hill station, still remember my Wife (my girl friend then) seeing me of from Platform 7 to go back to my RAF camp 1951/2. How they could destroy such a wonderful old building defies belief ! It really saddens me, typical Bham council vandalism. Eric
eric i think most of us on here are in full agreement with you....and if i could swear and get away with it on the forum i would..so i will just say they should hang their heads in shame....
lyn
Agree with Eric, yes vandalised. The 1970s photo says it all; empty and abandoned. It's even more striking when you compare it with the 1900s scene. Was such a busy, bustling area at that time. I wonder if anyone knows any of the buildings that can be seen (faintly) in the far distance (centre) of 1900s pic. Viv.
viv...its a very loose guess but i wonder if its mathew boultons soho manufactory...it looks to be on the right line....just a guess... thinking about it i think the pic is too late for it to be it
lyn
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ellbrown
ell brown on Flickr
They must have cleaned it up in the early 1990s, around the time that they re-landscaped Victoria Square. There's other old buildings around there that look much cleaner now.
Such as 130 Colmore Row - the former Alliance Assurance building.
Birmingham Carers Centre - 130 Colmore Row - formerly the Alliance Assurance by ell brown, on Flickr
and Waterloo House (built on the site of Christchurch)
Waterloo House from Victoria Square by ell brown, on Flickr
ellbrown
ell brown on Flickr
You might be interested to view this set on Flickr by loose_grip_99 Birmingham Stations.
Includes a lot of old photos of Snow Hill Station from the 1960s and mainly the 70s (before and after demolition).
villafanuk
New Member
Very interesting. It is tragic that in the name of progress Birmingham destroyed a large part of the character of the city. Irreplaceable, sad to see them continuing to do this at the Hagley Road retirement village!
ell, must disagree with you as Waterloo House sits alongside Christ Church Passage and the church was on the opposite side, where the 'Floosie' now resides! There were three buildings built on the site of Christ Church Central House with its main entrance on New Street, Winchester House with its main entrance on Colmore row and a third building[whose name escapes me at present] with its entrance on Waterloo Street. All three buildings were joined at the rear with wooden walkways. The Front elevation was known as 'Galloways Corner'. Bill.They must have cleaned it up in the early 1990s, around the time that they re-landscaped Victoria Square. There's other old buildings around there that look much cleaner now.
Such as 130 Colmore Row - the former Alliance Assurance building.
Birmingham Carers Centre - 130 Colmore Row - formerly the Alliance Assurance by ell brown, on Flickr
and Waterloo House (built on the site of Christchurch)
Waterloo House from Victoria Square by ell brown, on Flickr
