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Old street pics..

buddyboy said:
Hello fellow Brummies. I found this one of Shakespeare Inn. I have no further details. It was with some old photos that date around 1867, all around the Birmingham city centre. By chance there is a Shakespeare Inn near Colmore, so was wondering if this was the early version of what is there now. I Know its a slim chance with all the changes Birmingham has gone through, but any details would be appreciated THANK YOUView attachment 185178. Apologies if you get different sizes of photo!!
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This was on the thread in the group called 'Shakespeare tavern -Lower Temple Street' and give more info
 
Mark Yates is listed as a beer retailer at 2 Lower Temple St in the 1867 Kellys
I have another copy of the photo with watermark which states date c 1879
 
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I was surprised to see Ind Coope on a Birmingham pub so I did a bit of research and find that they had a number of pubs in Birmingham and they list the Shakespeare Inn, Great Colmore Street as owned in 1901. Are we sure that this photo is of the Lower Temple Street pub?
 
Actongrumpy said:
Hi David
Do you have any knowledge of an island just off the Hagley Road, in the middle of the junction of two roads opposite the Ivy Bush?
My father claimed that his father was the first taxi driver in Birmingham and that his ‘pitch’ was opposite the Ivy Bush. I found an old map that shows an area marked out for a cab stand in that position - no doubt for a horsedrawn cab. The story my father told was that his father parked his motor cab there but one day the council asked him to move because they needed to build a traffic island. He refused, saying he was there first, and they agreed a compromise. He parked at one end of the area while the council built half an island at the other end with a gap through it wide enough for a taxi. When that was completed, he moved his taxi in to it and the council built the other half behind him, again with a gap for his taxi. He continued to use this space as a cab stand for some years after but I don't know when it was demolished. I have searched for photographs of this island without any luck and the taxi archive records went up in smoke some years ago. I'm hoping someone has information about it.
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Played on that in the 60s.old derilict site.was told it was a hospital for infectious diseases?
 
Tinpot said:
I always knew the later building as Yardley Green Methodist chapel and attended Sunday School there in the late 50’s. I don’t know what date the replacement was built but I recollect there were 2 foundation stones, laid each side of the doorway, as can just about be seen in photo. We used to go down the side passage on the right of the building to another building at the back for Sunday School.
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This chuch has now been sold and has been demolished, sad really. I was Christened there in 1953, became a Church Member during the 1960s and also married there 1979.
Tinpot said:
I always knew the later building as Yardley Green Methodist chapel and attended Sunday School there in the late 50’s. I don’t know what date the replacement was built but I recollect there were 2 foundation stones, laid each side of the doorway, as can just about be seen in photo. We used to go down the side passage on the right of the building to another building at the back for Sunday School.
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mikejee said:
Not a particularly good one, of junction Kent St North and Devonshire St

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No. I think that’s Lees st with Devonshire st. Go up the hill and turn right, that’s Kent st north, there was a pub at the corner called the Alex I think. I lived on Kent St, 4 backa 16. From 67 -73. We used this hill for our bogeys and other hand made wheeled devices in the 60s and 70s. Great fun, lots of scrapes. We didn’t use that shop much if at all because there were 2 shops, one sweet and one grocery on Kent St. Amazing to think you couldn’t go more that 200yds without encountering a shop. Or pub!
 
Radiorails said:
It appears to be a Hansom cab and yes, it is fodder for the horse. I believe that taxis, until fairly recent times, were supposed to carry straw in the boot as the original law had not yet been rescinded.
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The 1831 London Hackney Carriage Act made it an offence for drivers to feed their horse unless it was from a bag of corn or with hay from their hands. The law was repealed in 1976.
 
Astoness said:
five ways edgbaston 1909...looks like a large bag of something on the back i was wondering if it could have been hay for the horse especially as there is snow on the ground

lyn

View attachment 195830
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Fabulous picture thank you, growing up I lived on Elvetham road, with Bell Barn road just at the bottom, so not far from Five Ways, I remember passing a large and long shop, with big windows, I think sold coats possible clothes, why it stands out is they had a huge bear in the window, definitely museum quality, I was often was found at the museum, or the old library, I was just fascinated with that bear, it still sticks in my mind. Still at school, St Thomas's, no Idea the name off the shop, but it did look upmarket. Happy days.
 
Country Road said:
Fabulous picture thank you, growing up I lived on Elvetham road, with Bell Barn road just at the bottom, so not far from Five Ways, I remember passing a large and long shop, with big windows, I think sold coats possible clothes, why it stands out is they had a huge bear in the window, definitely museum quality, I was often found at the museum, or the old library, I was just fascinated with that bear, it still sticks in my mind. Still at school, St Thomas's, no Idea the name off the shop, but it did look upmarket. Happy days.
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Country Road said:
Fabulous picture thank you, growing up I lived on Elvetham road, with Bell Barn road just at the bottom, so not far from Five Ways, I remember passing a large and long shop, with big windows, I think sold coats possible clothes, why it stands out is they had a huge bear in the window, definitely museum quality, I was often was found at the museum, or the old library, I was just fascinated with that bear, it still sticks in my mind. Still at school, St Thomas's, no Idea the name off the shop, but it did look upmarket. Happy days.
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I think Faulkes Furriers was at Five Ways. I seem to recall a bear in one window and a big cat (possibly a leopard) in another
 
The business was there in the 1940s. The business was still going in the 1980s. Doubt it carried on much longer as the use of animal skins declined.

Source: British Newspaper Archive
 

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The animal right people had a tremendous influence on this type of trade. They, it was thought - but no one was ever prosecuted - caused incendiary devices in stores selling animal related products. There was a large fire in the Debenhams store in Plymouth and this was attributed to be the cause. I know as I was there with a fire crew.
 
Vivienne14 said:
The business was there in the 1940s. The business was still going in the 1980s. Doubt it carried on much longer as the use of animal skins declined.

Source: British Newspaper Archive
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I had a friend about 60 years ago whose parents were furriers and I remember them saying what a large part of their business was remodeling or reselling furs. I thought this was strange but they said most who buy furs only wear them two or three times a year and are taken a very good care of primarily because of the expense to purchase in the first place.
 
Country Road said:
Fabulous picture thank you, growing up I lived on Elvetham road, with Bell Barn road just at the bottom, so not far from Five Ways, I remember passing a large and long shop, with big windows, I think sold coats possible clothes, why it stands out is they had a huge bear in the window, definitely museum quality, I was often was found at the museum, or the old library, I was just fascinated with that bear, it still sticks in my mind. Still at school, St Thomas's, no Idea the name off the shop, but it did look upmarket. Happy days.
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I also remember this shop,if I recall there was also a great toyshop nearby. My brothers and I spent many a time picking out the toys we hoped Father Christmas would bring.

Happy days,NoddKD.
 
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