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Dib44, I think both of those pics have been on this site before, and have spent half an hour trying to find where - without success. The first one was taken probably in late 1940 after the first air raids which for a short time made the tram tracks to Carrs Lane and Albert Street impassable, so...

Re: Birmingham Co-op (Belmont Row) demolition photos The 1939 Kelly's Directory gives the following two names Birmingham Industrial Co-operative Society Ltd. (stables) Co-operative Wholesale Society Ltd. (bedstead manufacturers) I've not come across the BICS before, but the CWS was a...

Hallo Chris, I can't answer most of your questions, but I can fill in on two points. In my first post on this thread over four years ago I mentioned a Mr Richards, who ran a showroom which i've just checked in the 1939 Kelly's was owned by Conacher Sheffield & Co. Ltd. at 28 Islington Row. The...

Ray, You may need three things - census returns, directories and street maps for moreorless the same year to pinpoint the location you are searching for. House numbers in those days tended to change quite often, and I have heard that in those days, the numbers were just chalked on each building...

What is the problem? In 1839 Colmore Street was a quiet street running parallel with New Street, on the site of today's New Street station, roughly between the present Smith's shop by the concourse to Worcester Street, and it would have been cleared during the 1840s to build the original...

John, you are very talented. It would be wonderful if you could apply your creative skills to a new header panel and badge for the Forum under its new management. Could you think about it, please? Peter

The meatiest history I know is in fact two volumes written by Victor Skipp nearly 30 years ago. The first volume was entitled "A History of Greater Birmingham - down to 1830", first published in 1980 [ISBN 0 - 9506998 - 0 - 02] but often reprinted. The second was "The Making of Victorian...

Lovely work, John, That fiver is even more handsome than the Irish paper ones in the early 1990s, long before they didn't vote to change to Euros. The old Irish paper fiver was a beautiful thing to look at, dark red and white. And it was satisfying to spend of course. With one of your coins I...

Oh dear, I think we are getting confused between the canal reservoir and the public drinking water supply. The canal reservoir Like Dave Riley, I did not realise that the canal company had a pumping station for the canal reservoir – presumably installed by Thomas Telford as part of...

Millie. There's nothing to be scared of. We're all quite nice really. The cemetery is a very peaceful and beautiful place, and The Pen Room is very much alive and charming. Come on, give it a try. Peter

golightly and pedlarman, How I remember that area, where we used to go lunchtimes from Hawthorn Road Juniors in 1942/3. Certainly the red cliffs were very exciting to us 8 or 9-year olds. I certainly remember a fairground at the bottom of the cliff in 1948, over the Easter weekend. Below is a...

As a hardened tram buff I am quite fascinated by some of the recent contributions, especially about those two single-truck cars, which I don't recall reading about before. A number of questions arise, for example, did they have one motor or two? It would be wonderful if someone could unearth...

Here's a pic of the original building. Peter

Pembroke, Yes the 25 was a rush-hour only route from Highfield Road, Hall Green, to Finchley Road, Kingstanding via Hockley and Heathfield Road. But it had a very different route through the centre. In the early 40s the 29 route ran from Snow Hill down Steelhouse Lane, back along Corporation...

Dave M, The first bus route to run from Kingstanding Road to a point just short of Aldridge Road was the 28A, which as I recall started on Saturday 8 May 1948. It was a lovely sunny spring day I remember, and as a 14-year old I think I walked the new route out to the terminus, which was at the...

Lyn, Thanks for the message. Having checked now, I realise that it's the day for the AGM of the local Embroiderers' Group, so Barbara can't make it. But I will be able to join you, all things being well. Peter

It's only four days since someone suggested having a get-together for locals, which I am certainly interested in, although I have not lived there for over 50 years. Wouldn't it be a nice idea to arrange something if we could in the next few weeks, while Jennyann is over here before she returns...

Going back in recent history, the tracks through the tunnel to Snow Hill were closed, and trains formerly running through the tunnel were diverted to terminate at Moor Street in about 1970, and Snow Hill was closed completely by 1974. For 15 years the tunnel was derelict, until a plan to restore...

Morning Lyn, I can't say yet whether I/we can make your trip to Key Hill on 17 October. It's the day after Barbara's birthday, and we may have family staying with us. Also we both went to Key Hill for the official open day about 3 years ago, but Barbara hasn't been to the Pen Room, so I might be...

Sorry I have taken so long to reply. The book I mentioned was published by the Birmingham Transport Historical Group in October 1974. It contains 49 of the duplicated old double-sided foolscap-size pages of text, which were constantly being updated. There no pictures, and all the text was cut by...