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Then & Now

Flower ladies have many mentions here, as far as I recall on the Bull Ring and Corporation Street threads. I also think a BHF Member is related to one of them.
 
Once upon a time there stood a busy little pub on the corner of Emily Street and Dymoke Street called the Emily Arms. One day the local Council decided it was time they did something about the number of back to back slum housing in the area. So in the mid 1930’s they started demolishing the houses in a five and a half acre area around the pub.



The flats were completed by 1939 and officially opened by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. It wasn’t long before it became evident that these flats were just further slums but on top of each other as opposed to back to back though the Emily Arms still remained a busy little house.



Within 50 years the Council decided that these flats just had to go, and because the Emily Arms got in the way of their new design it was decided to move it across the road to a new building which can be seen on the right-hand side of the “now” image. Unfortunately, new replacement pubs rarely have the same atmosphere as the ones they replace and after a few short years and the obligatory change of name (The Hideaway) for failing pubs it closed and became a community centre.

Highgate Emily Arms Dymoke Street.jpg
 
I have always been a big fan of social housing, but its problem is its driven by good intention and shaped by cost saving.

We all know what type of housing most people want, the typical semi, with three bedrooms and a reasonable garden. But cost always comes into it and ends up shaping what built.

Multi story block were sold to the people on the pretence of saving land, but in reality, it was cost. Most of the system build housing was driving by cost reduction.
 
In my opinion they have been trying to rid Highgate of its slum image since the 1930's and still haven't succeeded yet. The problem now is that it is a little island of housing in an industrialised area and I don't think it will improve until they make up their minds is it going to be a residential or commercial area.
 
Thanks again Phil, for the memories, many a time I had to stand with Mom in the Post Office opposite Farm Rd and the bank a few doors along where I had to take my money box to be opened.
The money box was an oval shape and I think the account was credited with a shilling as I was a pupil at Stratford Rd. Infant School. Having trouble with the banks name, think it was The Municipal, yes now sure it was!
 
Yes it was the municipal bank,had my first account there in the 1930s,as I was born in Long street,sparkbrook in 1931,and went to the same school as you,Christchurch school,on the corner of Long street,and Stratford rd,you would remember the coach company on the corner of Farmroad great pictures.
 
Our next little walkabout takes us for a quick jaunt around Hall Green, In this collection we have the junction of Lakey Lane and School Rd, Pradise Lane, Sarehole Mill, the junction of Stratford Rd and Cateswell Rd, the junction of Wake Green Rd and Gracewell Rd.
Many people will remember the dances held at Cateswell house,in the 1950s
 
There is a dedicated thread for Smith's Imperial Coaches, Birmingham
 
Four once Acocks Green public houses that have either been converted to Supermarkets or demolished and replaced with supermarkets.
1. The Red Lion Warwick Road now a Morrisons
2. The Dolphin Warwick Road now an Aldi and a Farm Foods
3. The Fox Hollies Fox Hollies Road now a Lidl
4. The Gospel Oak Gospel Lane now a Co-op

Acocks Green Warwick Road Red Lion.jpgAcocks Green Warwick Road Dolphin.jpgAcocks Green Fox Hollies Road Fox Hollies.jpgAcocks Green Gospel Lane Gospel Oak.jpg
 
Richard,

I entirely agree with you - it was the only Brum I knew, having left in 1961 when they were busily smashing it to bits to build ringways and, etc. My visits back didn't start until 1988, were few and far between, so the only bit of the new that I got to know was the old brutalist library!

Maurice :cool:
 
Richard,

I entirely agree with you - it was the only Brum I knew, having left in 1961 when they were busily smashing it to bits to build ringways and, etc. My visits back didn't start until 1988, were few and far between, so the only bit of the new that I got to know was the old brutalist library!

Maurice :cool:
Maurice, I left in 1962 its also what I knew...….....

We are planning to visit later in the fall, my wife (American) has never been to Brum so I am hoping to show her some history which I am very proud of and still follow. Hopefully we get there before its all gone!
 
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