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They Were Caught In Our Old Street Pics...

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A free on line Edition of the Evening Mail is also available six days a week, from the app store or google play store.once you install, it updates every morning. I think its only for I pads and Android devices though. Michael.
 
I bought a Birmingham Mail in Steelhouse Lane on Sunday 23 January 1955 when a special edition was rushed out to report the Sutton Train Crash.
 
paul stacey said:
I remember my Dad and his Birmingham "Argus", pink at week ends. Paul
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The first post war issue of The Sports Argus (The Pink 'Un), was around 1947. At the time I was a 14 year old paperboy, working for Jellymans Newsagents in Stoney Lane, and near the corner of Stratford Road. Obviously the newspaper could not be printed until all the Saturday football results were in. Waiting for that first edition, the excitement was everywhere. The queue outside Jellymans reached around the corner onto the Stratford Road. The newspaper arrived, in a wrapped up bundle, delivered by a van driver. The queue became a bit of a crush, with no one wanting to miss out. I was lucky, because I had decided to work over, and help unpack the Sports Argus parcel. My edition was tucked away around the corner, in the shop. I took that first edition home, for my father.

Eddie
 
I understand that the Birmingham Mail offices on the corner of Steelhouse Lane are no more. Where is it now printed? And what about the Birmingham Post?
 
I remember my Dad and mom talking about the, "Sutton Train crash", and the terrible loss of life. 2 days before my 8th birthday.paul.
 
My family had a shop on Stoney Lane in the 50's & 60's, I remember The pink Sports Argus but I don't remember Jellymans Newsagents or maybe they'd gone before the 50's?
 
This lady wears high heels in 1970s Erdington High Street but they are not quite high enough to let her see something interesting over that wall so she stands on tiptoe in her high heels.
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From Keith Berry collection.
 
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Suggestion: She's watching a wedding group assembling at the church doors and with great regret hums to herself "it should've been me, oh no, it should've been me". Love the shoes - sling backs, kitten heel - these are still fashionable today. Remember handbags with those large clasps - if you caught your finger in it as you shut it, it could really hurt. She's wearing BIG gloves, not what I'd expect. Would have thought Dents leather gloves would've been more in keeping with this lady's style. A great photo. Viv.
 
Thanks for all that fashion information Viv. She is watching a wedding and probably thinking she should have been invited. Looking at that wall on 'streetview' shows it has been considerably reduced in height.
 
It is an interesting photo. Keith Berry must have been standing quite close to her to take the photo and usually someone having a peep at something would react. Maybe he knew her. I had a look at the church on Google Earth and it was a bit of a surprise. It had to be rebuilt after a serious fire in 2007.
 
She must have been standing on Erdington High Street side, not fall along the wall from Church St (you can see Church St buildings in the background). The gravestone alignments are right for that part of the churchyard and the wall is higher nearer Church Road. From there you'd have got a good (side on) view of people entering or exiting the church, maybe going through the lychgate on Church Road. That is if you could see over the wall. This is one church I took little notice of when I worked in Erdington, so I think in the 60s it must have been fairly obscured by trees/shrubs. Viv.
 
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Having a chat while they wait for the lock to fill up and there is another lock to get through in the distance. Nice flower boxes on top of the boat.
8AstonCanals08.jpg

From Keith Berry collection.
 
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Like the 1970s lady in Erdington in post#1748, this lady in 1960s Birchfield Road near Six Ways has not noticed the nearby photographer but her baby has. They are well wrapped up against the cold as they would need to be if the photo was taken in the winter of 1962/1963. It was the coldest longest winter in 200 years.
11Kids70s06.jpg

From the Keith Berry collection.
 
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Think she might be looking in a wool shop - can just about make out what I think is 'wools' on the shop sign. If it was a shop selling wool it most probably have sold baby clothes and underwear as these shops often did. Maybe she was considering knitting or buying the baby some new clothes. Viv.
 
Three pics.....
Crowds gathered in Victoria Square on Tuesday 10 May 1910 to hear a proclamation announcing the accession of King George V
GeorgeVproc.jpg

More crowds gathered round the corner in New Street.
GeorgeVproc1.jpg

We could think only people of those early years in the last century were prepared to go and stand in Victoria Square to hear a proclamation but in February 1952 there was possibly a larger crowd there to hear the proclamation of Elizabeth II as the new Queen.
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From https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...ictoria-square-colmore-row.35780/#post-445615
 
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paul stacey said:
Cracking shots Phil, so many people vast majority now gone, makes you wonder. Paul
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Hi Paul, I often wonder about that too. I was a teenager in those times and can remember the Coronation a year later in 1953, but I don't remember the Proclamation !
Phil
 
oldMohawk said:
Hi Paul, I often wonder about that too. I was a teenager in those times and can remember the Coronation a year later in 1953, but I don't remember the Proclamation !
Phil
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When would the proclamation have been held? I remember I was at school in an art lesson when the news came through of the death of the king. It is one, if not the only "great" event that I can remember where I was when it happened.
 
I must say of course I don't remember the "proclamation", I was small at the St Micheal's, Bartley Green Village school, infants class, I remember getting a mug with the Royal Cypher, and my sister got a gold coach. Paul
 
Looking again at those photos it seems amazing that so many people would gather to hear a proclamation read out. I somehow expected to see a large crowd in the earlier photo when people were more deferential to the royal family but was surprised to see the large crowd in the 1952 photo. I suspect there will not be many people there when the next proclamation becomes necessary.
 
oldMohawk said:
Looking again at those photos it seems amazing that so many people would gather to hear a proclamation read out. I somehow expected to see a large crowd in the earlier photo when people were more deferential to the royal family but was surprised to see the large crowd in the 1952 photo. I suspect there will not be many people there when the next proclamation becomes necessary.
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I agree Mohawk. Everyone will be able to see it on their photo-phone. Why bother to see the real thing, even (Note of cynicism there). As far as 1952 is concerned I would expect the multitudes not only in Birmingham were saying goodbye to the past and at the same time greeting the future; perhaps more concentrating on the years ahead than the relief of the VE and VJ celebrations. The Festival of Britain and its associated nationwide exhibitions a year earlier had warmed people up nicely to the 1950s as a decade to be reckoned with!
 
I am not sure that the British public was deferential to Queen Victoria. Like her or not, she was a huge part of their life. Having reigned for over 64 years, for the majority of the huge crowd shown in the photograph, she was the only monarch that they would have known.

Pretty much the same as our modern Queen.

I remember my Grand Father, and Grand Mother, both born in the 1860's, speaking about her with warmth.

Eddie.
 
#1764, As an Ex-member of the "Household Brigade", and a Royalist, I find your comments very sad Phil, but times change, and Charles may not be as popular as his mother.Paul
 
They formed up wearing their medals ready for a procession celebrating the Silver Jubilee of George V in 1935.
MilkStreetCorner1.JPG

The same place (almost) and the corner pub is still there but no trolley buses and wide open space the other side of the main road.
milkstreet2.JPG
 
The thing is today with hundreds of TV channels and 24 hours news we shall probably see the next such proclamation at St James's Palace as an item on the news and no one will go to hear it in person. It is perhaps only nerds like me who tuned in to hear the Royal proclamation dissolving parliament so that last year's general election could take place.
 
paul stacey said:
#1764, As an Ex-member of the "Household Brigade", and a Royalist, I find your comments very sad Phil, but times change, and Charles may not be as popular as his mother.Paul
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I don't know what I am, my family were not struck on the royals mum said the queen wouldn't stand up for her. I got more in to them when Diana was killed and my partner not having a Royal Family has always been interested in ours. What does Household Brigade mean Paul. Is this another topic?
 
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