Hello! I've been searching the internet to find historical information about Beak Street but have drawn a blank! I have been really pleased, however, to find a photo of 26 Beak Street on this site, but wonder if anyone can give me a general overview of what the street was like in the 19th century. The Lynock family, in whom I'm interested, lived at No. 2 Ct 5 (1881), No.3 (1891) and 3 ?? 11 (1901). I'm presuming it was a very impoverished area. An old map would be lovey to see too, if at all possible! Any information, no matter how small, will be greatly appreciated. With many thanks.
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Beak Street - late !9th century
- Thread starter Fliss
- Start date
MWS
from Bham
Looking at the first couple dozen or so search results for Beak Street in the 1880s newspapers reveals 2 mentions of prostitution, an arrest for fracturing someone's skull, assaulting a police officer, a stabbing, a number of thefts, use of obscene language and a 6 year old resident wandering the streets unsupervised.
and todays view below although very different now of course...will see if i have any old photos
lyn
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lyn
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hi fliss how lucky are you....i have this photo showing court no 2 which also shows house no 3.4 and five as you stated the lynock family lived in house no 3 and 5 i would imagine house no 3 was on the left of this photo house 4 in the middle and house 5 on the right and yes conditions would not have been good at all....no date but could very well have been taken when the lynocks were living there..i do have a few more photos but a tad busy at the min i will put them on later on for you
lyn
Bill Dargue’s guide tells us:
Beak Street B1
Hinckley Street derives from Hinckley Field on this site in the Middle Ages; Hinckley in turn derives from Hink’s leage ie clearing. The Hinckley family were so-named by 1300. In the 19th century this became one of Birmingham’s worst slum areas and was known as The Inkleys. Later the Hinckley family home was The Beake at B17 Harborne/ Bearwood Willow Avenue/ Hickory Drive after which Beak Street is named. Beaks Farm/ The Beaks dates from after the enclosure of Rotton Park; it disappeared towards the end of the 19th century.
I’m not sure I fully understand the description, but it seems to suggest a poor area with a reputation. Viv.
Beak Street B1
Hinckley Street derives from Hinckley Field on this site in the Middle Ages; Hinckley in turn derives from Hink’s leage ie clearing. The Hinckley family were so-named by 1300. In the 19th century this became one of Birmingham’s worst slum areas and was known as The Inkleys. Later the Hinckley family home was The Beake at B17 Harborne/ Bearwood Willow Avenue/ Hickory Drive after which Beak Street is named. Beaks Farm/ The Beaks dates from after the enclosure of Rotton Park; it disappeared towards the end of the 19th century.
I’m not sure I fully understand the description, but it seems to suggest a poor area with a reputation. Viv.
I'm over-whelmed by the wonderful responses I've received, so let me extend a huge Thank You. You've certainly given me an idea of what life was like for the Lynock's; pretty grim! It'll be interesting to see what else I can find out about this particular family; they were certainly no angels by the sound of it!
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
Skin Hospital
Does any one remember the skin hospital being called The Skin And Lock i vaguely remember it being called that,if so for what reason. Also if my memory served well was in John Bright St :shocked: Mossy
birminghamhistory.co.uk
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
Birmingham Skin and Lock Hospital
I remember the Skin Hospital that I think was down by Alexandra theatre.Went there few times in early 1970s to take people home from outpatients dept.One of my relatives was patient there probably in the 1940s ,He always refered to it as the Skin and Lock hospital.Would think the Lock refered to...
birminghamhistory.co.uk
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
The Skin and Lock hospital was opened at Newhall Street in January 1881 on a temporary basis. In 1886 a site was
secured at the corner of John Bright St and Beak St.
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
“Lock hospitals were an invention of the British Empire. In the 1800s, they were used to confine women in English garrison towns who were thought to be engaged in sex work and to have venereal disease, under a series of Contagious Diseases Acts designed to protect the health of soldiers rather than the prisoner-patients.”
A Sparks
master brummie
Interesting - I saw the ...and Lock on the old map and wondered what it meant too.
The Birmingham Royal Ballet had an office in there in the 90's. I used to work at the old Ikon Gallery in John Bright Street opposite the hospital building and they let us use their basement room to do a big mail out so I have been inside.
I wish I'd taken the opportunity to have a good look round when I was there!
The Birmingham Royal Ballet had an office in there in the 90's. I used to work at the old Ikon Gallery in John Bright Street opposite the hospital building and they let us use their basement room to do a big mail out so I have been inside.
I wish I'd taken the opportunity to have a good look round when I was there!
fliss glad you liked the photo i posted would you like me to post the others i have of beak st
lyn
That would be brilliant, thank you!
here you are fliss...they will give you a good idea of what the housing in beak st looked like...if you hover over the photos they should tell you the court numbers etc i have also re posted the one that you are interested in so that they are all in one post
lyn
lyn
Thank you so much! Kindest regards, Fliss
Jim lynock
New Member
Hi
Just joined this site. My ancestors, lynocks, lived at 3 back of 11 Beak Street. I have tracked them back to Ireland, looks like they came here to escape the potatoe famine. Have some ancetral photographs if anyone is interested.
Jim lynock
New Member
My great great grandad and granmother james and sarah lived there she died 1912 and he 1914
Mrjasper
New Member
Hi my mum was a lynock related to Thomas Lynock and Florence Tucker, father James and Sarah Rodgers. I have been doing my family tree on ancestry. Dad told me a fair bit about the Lynocks when he started the tree years ago. James and brother Thomas born mid 1800s both had quite a few criminal records, as well as their father Thomas. In fact young Thomas is in the Police Gazette for Habitual Criminals. Dad said the Lynocks were in the newspaper mentioned during a riot in the 1880s. Some of the Lynocks were in the war too and brave so a mixed lot! I would love to see any old photos of the Lynocks if you have them.
Mrjasper
New Member
Is this street now the back to backs museum in Birmingham? I plan to visit as I live locally armed with my lynock census to see what info they have. If you comparing the photos here and on the museum site it looks similar. The bay windows would have been added later.
Attachments
hi mrjasper no not the same.... the back to back museum is quite some distance from where beak st is...there were thousands of houses in birmingham with the same or very similar design
lyn
