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They Were Caught In Our Old Street Pics...

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At Court 2, St Jame's Place, a man with a camera suddenly appeared, chalked the address, and took a photo as they looked at him. People in the next court watched over the wall as did a women on the right. A close look (2nd pic) shows the upper windows of the nearest houses covered by mesh. It could be to stop bricks thrown at the windows or for some reason we'll never know. That large pillar of wood in the near wall looks odd, what could it have been ?
View attachment 117790
Mesh over window.
View attachment 117791

Like the two "hoodies" on the wall behind.
 
In the picture, I am wondering whether it is entirely accurate, or whether it is photo that has been scanned and included a small part of another next to it on the right. The partially plastered wall on the extreme far right does not look right to me, but looks as if it does not go with the photo. It also does not seem to fit with the plan of court 2 below.

map c 1889 court 2 St James Place .jpg
 
The pic below of houses 4, 5 and 6 in Court 2, St James's Place, shows the wall and that large pillar of wood. The map draftsman appears to have drawn the wall slightly out of position. The photographer has chalked the address (abbreviated) on the wooden pillar. The folks outside houses 4, 5 and 6 seem quite relaxed about being photographed.
St-James Place-456Crt2.jpg
from the Shoothill collection
 
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Thanks for clearing that up. shows the OS were not infallable, though I have found that on occasion before, with, for example numbering in a court (that is assuming the people living there remembered correctly)
 
Moving out of the courtyard to the houses on the street 12-17, St James' Place, the plaster rendering had survived better on front of the houses compared to the back, but look at the high wall where the bricks have dropped out. The folks of the area were probably wondering why the photographer seemed so interested in their houses and stood watching and now we look at them 100+ years later.
St_ James_Place.jpg
from the Shoothill collection
 
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The smartly dressed mother and daughter outside the telephone box in Ratcliffe Place reminds me of my younger days when I sometimes waited in a queues to use city centre telephone boxes. If I had been waiting at the one in the photo maybe I would have glanced at that classic building behind and also at the statue :)
RatcliffePlace.jpg
 
I may be one by myself, but I loved the Birmingham building before they cleaned them. I look back and think how the dirt and the grime was a legacy and a record of the heavy industrial past that Birmingham was so proud of.


All of those factory chimneys across the skyline, and the rows of terrace houses right alongside the big factory’s, Electric Avenue, Oxygen Street, the Gas works….


I’m getting all nostalgic now.
 
There are a few formerly well known shop names possible in this photo _ George? Baines for example and what about the pub? The Stag, The Hart, The Hind or whatever? Was that a billiard hall there as well? I was too young tot frequent those places but someone here must have spent some of their misspent youth in there! :D
 
Yes the Pub was the Roebuck! The Billiards I believe was above the shops, but much smaller than the one at Witton.

Not sure now that the Billiards was above shops. There are a few accounts of Billiard and Snooker matches being played at the Roebuck around 1914.

The Roebuck Hotel must have been an old pub, there is a mention as early as 1850.
 
There was a billiard Hall over the top of Burton Tailoring on the opposite side of the road. Was quite a nice are deco building as was the style of Burtons
 
The pub in the High Street was the Roebuck and was demolished. The New Roebuck was built a little further up the High Street I think because when I was walking down Barnabas Road the new one seemed to be opposite me. The old one wouldn't have been.
 
The pub in the High Street was the Roebuck and was demolished. The New Roebuck was built a little further up the High Street I think because when I was walking down Barnabas Road the new one seemed to be opposite me. The old one wouldn't have been.
What was the name of the pub on the corner of Chuch Road/Street/Lane opposite the Carlton Ballroom. We always limbered up in there before going down to the Palace for the Saturday Night dance, before we discovered the Carlton more bop less formal and you were allowed closer contact in the slower dances.
Bob
 
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