Berlin House

[Shortie]

Does anybody know what exactly Berlin House was? In the postcard album I inherited, there is a postcard to a lady whose address is Berlin House. Berlin House was on Corporation Street, on the same site as Lewis's (on the Alan Godfrey map of circa 1911). Was it a tenement block or what? I'm sure someone must know the answer.

Shortie

 

[lencops]

The Minories Building, formerly Lewis`s Department Store, was built above a road way, which still exists, also called The Minories. The road separated the buildings with Berlin House located to the east of it and was incorporated into the Corporation Street development as it was part of the slums. The Minories is now home to numerous small shops and the ground floor fronting Corporation Street is owned by The Square Peg, a popular bar. Len.

 

[horsencart]

Ican only find a Berlin Place it was near to 70 Frankfort St

Does anybody know what exactly Berlin House was? In the postcard album I inherited, there is a postcard to a lady whose address is Berlin House. Berlin House was on Corporation Street, on the same site as Lewis's (on the Alan Godfrey map of circa 1911). Was it a tenement block or what? I'm sure someone must know the answer.

Shortie

 

[Shortie]

Thanks Len, I know that, however, I was asking what Berlin House was. I come from Birmingham originally so know the building, but I had never heard of Berlin House until I saw the address on the postcard. I wanted to know what it was.

Shortie

 

[mikejee]

Although it is shown on the 1890 map, the name doesn't seem to be listed in the directories under that name
Mike

 

[Shortie]

Thanks Mike. It's shown on the 1913 one, too and the postcard I think was posted around 1916. I am now thinking that it may have been apartments of some kind, as they would not be in a directory would they? Very strange, this.

Shortie

 

[mikejee]

Have just purchesed from Oxfam an interesting looking book by Asa Briggs on the history of Lewis's. haven't read it yet, but it states that Lewis's bought up Jevons, Newbury's and "Mellor's Berlin Wool Warehouse". I'm not sure if it is exactly correct that they bought them directly, as the 1900 Kellys lists Jevons & Mellor , berlin wool and fancy repository, lacemen, hosiers, haberdasherers and fancy drapers. Apparently Berlin woolwork was a form of wool needlework on canvas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_wool_work ) . New to me, and this would indicate that Mellors were taken over by Jevons before Lewis's came on the scene, but I think that expains what Berlin Hiouse was
Mike

 

[Shortie]

This is indeed interesting, Mike. I know what Berlin work is, but had not liked it. However, I have also got a book which mentions Berlin House, and does give a bit of an explanation. I will have to have a good look when I have time. I have spent a lot of the time since 21 December, either visiting mother-in-law in hospital (she is 90) or doing things for her now she is home (and putting right what 'carers' are doing wrong if the truth is known). I have had little time for my own persuits, but will try and find time today. it's not important, but it was one of those things that had been niggling me for some time, as I have a postcard addressed to a lady at Berlin House. I am now of the opinion that she worked there, not lived there.
Shortie

 

[Shortie]

Well, I have found what I was looking for Mike, but I think all this does is explain what the building was used for originally. I quote:

"Berlin House was on the corner of Old Square and stretched back to the Minories. The 1882 application was made by Kirk and Jones and the shop premioses were occupied by Jeavons and Mellor, Hosier. The building was demolished in the early 1920's to allow for the erection of the first phase of the new building for Lewis's, which was built while the original store remained."

One presumes that after Jeavons and Mellor left, it became Berlin House.


Shortie

 

[Phil]

Shortie

It seems a rather big building to be limited for use by a firm of Hosiers. Jevons and Mellor are listed as owning all of the shops on the ground floor in Corporation St and Old Square up until 1913 at least in the editions of Kelly's that I have. Do you think it possible that some of the upper floors might have been apartments?

Phil

 

[Shortie]

Hi Phil, I guess it is possible, but remember hosiery was a huge business in England in those days - perhaps they made, not just sold. The lady who collected all the poscards in my collection was obviusly friends with the lady at Berlin House, that is why I thought they might be apartments myself originally. However, the postcard collector herself was a cook at Pattisons, and I have several postcards addressed to her at Pattisons, and also at Fletchers Cafe in Corporation Street, so I assumed it was addressed to a lady who worked at Berlin House rather than lived there (it just says Berlin House, no number). I guess we may never know for sure, but at least we know what Berlin House was, for several years!

 

[mikejee]

Out of interest here is a picture I don’t think I have seen before, of Lewis’s post new building on Corporation st side, but pre the building on the Newbury’s site.

 

[Susan J Hatton]

Re Berlin House: I think it may have been the hostel for the young ladies who were the shop assistants in the shop taken over by Lewis's. The 1911 census shows a housekeeper and shop assistants living there, employer described as a draper's shop. There were 22 rooms and about twenty or so residents. Bourne and Hollingsworth (of Oxford Street in London) had a similar well-appointed hostel for their lady shop assistants in Gower Street.

 

[BoilerD331]

Good day,
I joined your group after doing a Google search using the words "Berlin House." I am a collector of covers and just added this to my collection and was doing some research. Reading the threads, above, of others I was wondering if this cover shows that Berlin House existed years earlier? Sadly there is no distinct postmark but the stamps were first issued in 1864.

 

[Pedrocut]

There was a Berlin House at 50 Bull Street, Wholesale and Retail, Oct 1854

Also Berlin House at 30 Smallbrook Street Sep 1845

 

[Radiorails]

Many German names that were given to roads/streets, some buildings and names of people were changed around the time of the first and second world wars. For instance Hanover Street, in Dartmouth, became, in 1917, Anzac Street which honoured those soldiers from our former colonies who so bravely fought during WW1. Even the Royal Family had a name change.