ANN STREET CITY CENTRE

[DavidGrain]

In the 1860s and 70 s Ann Street must have been an important commercial street. The Registrars Office and the Patent Office. There was an Emigration Office, particularly to New York and Canada. The branch office of the RSPCA (mentioned earlier by Mikejee) were also located there. Viv.

Source for all newspaper extracts: British Newspaper Archives.

Viv

Do you have any information about the location of Lloyds Bank at that time. A friend of mine has an old cheque drawn on Lloyds Bank Ann Street Birmingham and we were wondering if it was at the location next to Eden Place which became Lloyds Bank Colmore Row.

David

 

[mikejee]

Yes David. The 1876 P.O.directory lists Lloyds bank as next to Eden Place

 

[Vivienne14]

Yes David. The Lloyd’s High St branch relocated to Ann Street on 1/7/1871 and had frontages on to Ann St and Eden Place - Eden Place being, at the time, a new street. The entrance was on the corner of both Ann St and Eden Place. Fuller description of the building is below. Viv.



Source: British Newspaper Archive

 

[DavidGrain]

Many thanks Viv, I am passing that information on to my friend.

 

[Vivienne14]

Not a very good image, but I think this was the bank built in 1871. The building no longer exists. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

Somebody correct me if I’m wrong, but I think this replaced the original Ann Street Lloyd’s Building, and not so long ago.I think Eden Place is to the left, but it doesn’t seem to be marked on maps. Viv.

 

[mikejee]

Viv
What do you mean by not shown on maps? Certainly it does not seem to be named on Google maps, though you can "walk "down it on streetview. Bur maps up to at least 1966 do show it

 

[Vivienne14]

Yes. That’s what I meant Mike, not on Google maps. Thanks. Viv.

 

[sospiri]

Agreed, Viv, unindexed, you just get a gay bar of the same name in Sherlock Street, although, as Mike says, the name plate is clearly visible and Google need to get their act together. However, if my memory is correct, there used to be a Westminster Bank on that corner where Starbucks is, but although a sandstone colour, I can't remember all those round curves, but I am talking 1950s!

Maurice

 

[DavidGrain]

Agreed, Viv, unindexed, you just get a gay bar of the same name in Sherlock Street, although, as Mike says, the name plate is clearly visible and Google need to get their act together. However, if my memory is correct, there used to be a Westminster Bank on that corner where Starbucks is, but although a sandstone colour, I can't remember all those round curves, but I am talking 1950s!

Maurice

Maurice. Actually Westminster Bank was in the blank space on the map that Mikejee posted on the corner of Colmore Row and Newhall Street. It was then replaced by the NatWest Tower which during the past two years has also been demolished and replaced with another tower block. I have not been in the centre of Birmingham for over a year now so I am not sure of the current status of the new building whether it is finished or not.

2009 & Sept 2020

 

[carolina]

Would this show the original one?

 

[carolina]

Sorry I cant get rid of one of the pictures.

 

[DavidGrain]

I have managed to find a photo of the 1960s Lloyds Bank Colmore Row but do not yet have a date when this was demolished. You may need to click on the picture to see it properly.

 

[DavidGrain]

I have spoken to my friend who says that he does not remember when the current building was built as he was working for Lloyds Bank in an office they had in Brindley Place but he used to go to meetings around about 2000 in Colmore Row. He was the one who told me that the part of the building now used by Starbucks was intended to be the banking hall but they got a better offer from Starbucks.

 

[Vivienne14]

The good old RSPCA of 25 Ann Street in 1870 making sure cab horses are looked after in the heat - delivering healthy oat milk !
Viv.

Source: British Newspaper Archive

 

[mikejee]

Interesting. I had not realised that refrigeration (or refrigerated) was a term used then.

 

[Lady Penelope]

Crumbs Viv! I didn't realise that oat milk was going then - if only for horses. I thought it was something fairly modern. Just goes to show that there's nothing new ( I find it a bit thick in tea but OK on cereals - a bit like sterra). Wonder what the horses made of it?

Where was No. 25 do you think?

 

[MWS]

Mike posted a couple of pictures on post #141, the second of which he has labelled.

I'd very tentatively suggest that the photograph was taken from the end of the green arrow in the direction it's pointing (map from 1839)...

 

[mikejee]

Post 142 on this thread shows a long panorama drawing from 1870 with the RSPCA on the far right

 

[Vivienne14]

This Samuel Rostill Lines drawing is the view looking along Ann Street. It was the location of the Old Hay Market 21/6/1823. Christ Church spire can be seen in the distance.

Viv

 

[Vivienne14]

And looking the other way along Ann Street (from the top of Newhall (New Hall) Street). This time we can see St Phillips in Lines' sketch.

Viv

 

[BrummieGeoff]

Here's an 1867 photo from Henry Joseph Whitlock showing the whole of the building on the corner of Newhall Street and Ann Street/Colmore Row .... that is partially shown on the left edge in Lines' earlier sketch from Viv in Post #171.