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Bingley Hall

Alf

Alf

Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Di I always went to the Circus at Bingley Hall Broad Street :clown: :clown: :clown: :elephant: :cheers:
 
Bingley Hall!!!!!! That brings back some memories..........

My Grandad took me to the circus there and I met Coco the Clown I hugged that memorory
for along time, he was such a kind man.I think it was Billy Smart's Circus?

Then, years later, I went to the Ideal Home Exibition there.
 
Birmingham's first ever cattle show was not held in Curzon hall were the Dog, Pigeon and Poultry shows were held but in a temporary building which was on the corner of Kent Street and Lower Essex St.
The site  chosen for Bingley Hall was where Charles Lloyd of the banking family once had his house.
Bingley Hall was built in 1850 and became home for various venues.
First photo  Birminghams Cattle Show
Second picture Prince of Wales at the Cattle show 1885
Third picture Bingley Hall Industrial trade show 1865
Forth Photo Motor Show 1906
 
I remember going to the circus at Bingley Hall several times. I think those were the only times I was there. Difficult to visualize a circus ring fitting in from those photo's but it must have done. Maybe the hall was modified later.
 
I remember the circuses there Rupert, you used to have a goody bag on each seat, I also remember going to the Boat Show there too. :smitten:
:flower: :cat:
 
I went to the Circus at Bingley hall too. There was an act as I remember called something like the STEEL JAW... I waited patiently as the different acts appeared waiting for this Automaton? so I thought? to appear and low and behold........... It was a man, not a machine, who balanced chairs on his chin, was I dissapointed or what. CoCo the Clown also appeared who I thought was very funny. It was our Cannings Xmas Treat held in January >:D I think they had alternate years at the Alex theatre Panto one year Circus the next?

Also went to the boys and girls exhibition at Bingley with my brothers, I usually came home with a Gyroscope, or a Pantograph drawing aid? A couple of times we went as a family to the Ideal Home Exhibition that was very exciting back then, technology was a bright promise, who would have thought we would have come so far and exceeded all those inventions shown to us back then at these shows?

Tony Bullimore the lone Yachtsman was once the owner of Bingley I understand, I think weve talked about that before. Didnt it burn down?
 
Rod, I went to the ideal home exhibition at Bingley Hall and one of the best DIY tools I ever bought was a Goscut which could cut formica cleanly without splitting it cut any shape in hardboard, Alum. and various other materials, I still use it today, great tool.I have a photo of Bingley Hall prior to demolition in 1984 which I will put up later, the pantograph we thought was the bee's knee's
 
Not sure of Bingley Hall's final demise but when you think of it there wasn't anywhere
else to hold such events in Birmingham back when. Those photos are great Cromwell especially the one of the car exhibition.....wouldn't it be great to be able to go back and walk around?...need a time machine for that one though.

Rod, we had a gyroscope from Bingley Hall for years laying around the house along with a few other "miracle" items of the day. I remember something for making cream which gathered dust but no one would throw it away. We used to come home with piles of pamphlets which we collected at every turn. I remember seeing Dr. Crock and his Crackpots perform there. Funny what you remember isn't it.
 
Hey do you remember those paint machines and bottles of paint you dribbled on a card, and the machine spun the card? I can still smell that stand with them on at Bingley............ Yes it is funny what you remember Jenny
 
I remember the exibition at Bingley Hall as well we lived down the road in King Edwards Rd
we used to go to the Ideal Home one
we used to get all the free samples and take them home
and used to eat as much as we could get, we was only kids always looking for grub
I remember we had a relation from Liverpool come a stay with us
has I said we was only young kids , but this Roy from Liverpool , he loved his marmite , by golly he was a glutten fo this marmite.on the way home he got taken short,as we only lived down the hill in
King Edwards Rd  he had to run all the way back to the house before us,
his mom went barmy at him for eating to much marmite
also I remember our Auntie Maud Smart coming ,from Whitehouse Street Aston and taking us to Bingley Hall and seeing Billy Smarts Circus .
as you say there was't anywhere else to hold these shows
but in the fortie's and fiftie's I used to go to quite a few show's in the big tents at Aston Park in the summer months.
doe's anybody recall the "Wall of Death" show's which started in the fairs , before they started in the circus ? .
I seen it quite alot at the great big Onion Fair, the Onion Fair exit was always surrounded by onions up and around the name of the fair and Father Christmas was always standing in the front gate ,with a sack
 and you got a six penny dip always a coloring book for every kid  cheap scate ;;i wonder who he was , wonder if he still about ? .
  Wasnt you ,was it Cromie , or may be Dennis ,?.
 
Astonian, if it had have been me the price woudda bin half a crown
Here is a bit of nostalgia for ya a 50's Ad
Bottom Ad 1961
 
Thanks Cromwell
for that little bit of a snippit I went to see them when I was older  and took a couple of my younger brothers to see the chipper ;; circus  when they was little  couse dad had died mom was't to good on her legs Ihad taken our David, Roy. Phil. Tony, up to Bingley to see Chipperfield Circus
I guess our Aunt Maud  must have off got of lightly then when she paid for our Pauline . and me ,
and she took our sixpence pocket money off us
I always thought Billy Smarts Circus was more enteraining and a few more acts than chipper's
I actually went to Pat Smart's house a few  years ago  or should I say a bungolow to do some work for her it was a very nice bungolow  well designed,she lived up at Uplands Road Selly Park B'ham
she has since sold up and moved on
so looking at those prices we was half way up the stands
so she either paid the 8/6 or 10/6
if my memory serves me right  I think one of the lion tamers was attacked by one of the lions
I can also recall my mom told me of a lion escaping from somewhere and running down to Aston Cross and running down the Lichfield  Rd. and my dad had just come out of the Golden Cross Pub ,
those where days Crom .;
i don't know whether its a pity we cannot turn the clock back or what ;
or is todays life better ,,      Have a nice day Crom;;
 
Like all good things they come to an end and if ya was to go back you would be disappointed as ya memory plays a lot of tricks on ya. .......Remember...... but go back .......Never
But saying that Astonian.........I would not have changed a single day
Photo on the eve of demolition
 
hi crom,
 I  see what you mean, it was looking shabby grey and dim and falling down and around, it was a slum ,
did you not use the old tow -rope across the road for a coffee? . WE COULD'NT HAVE BROUGHT THE TOURIST COULD WE NOW , .
 
I SURE DO CROM ,
 DID'T ONE OF THEM HAVE A SUIT OF ARMOUR OUTSIDE THE SHOP I SURPOSE HE HAD ONE OR TWO DECENT THINGS FROM TIME TO TIME APART FROM THAT IT WAS PURE TAT , HA! THEN ONE OF THEM TRIED BRINGING  ANCESTRIAL FURNISHING , AND I GUESS IT WAS THAT OLD AND ROTTEN IT WOULD NEVER BURN
 
My memories of Bingley Hall is of The Dancing Waters, which dad and mom took us to at least twice

I wrote about it on another thread here

'The Dancing Waters' at Bingley Hall?
Must have been mid to late 60's as we were still kids. Dad loved it and took us twice.

was just Googling for info about the Dancing Waters there and found this
1886: "World's Fair at Bingley Hall which mentions an animal menagerie...
there's also something about the Onion Fair on the page.


https://www.dancingwaters.com/
Click to expand...

from https://forums.birminghamhistory.co.uk/index.php?topic=7133.0 entitled Wallis the Lion
 
Great memories about Bingley Hall and the circuses especially.  It was quite expensive even back then to attend if you were a family. I remember Aunts and Uncles coming up with the money for birthday's, etc so that we could go.  Here is the Guinness site all about the clocks and the animals they used in their ads.  I loved it. 
https://website.lineone.net/~tony344/history.htm
 
There was the lady with her hair all piled up on top, making waffles to advertise the waffle makers. I certainly remember Dr Crock and his Crackpots. It was a day out for me and a friend, then aged about 11.
Florence Kate.
 
Birmingham Home Exhibitions

I rused to visit with my big sister. I can't remember where these exhibitions were, but I DO remember the round packets of chewy Horlicks pastels and the round packets of Olvatine pastels. Especially the latter as I'd recently become an "Olvatinie" That in all honesty, is all I can remember about the exhibitions apart from being pulled along by hand from floor to floor by my sister.
These day I LOVE Home exhibitions.
Anne
 
My Mom and Dad used to go often. I remember the giroscopes ?spell> they came back with for my brothers..........oh drat! I can also remember some spinning plastic plates on canes..........I should have been a boy! They had all the fun.:D I have a waffle iron and a ladle for donughts that were Mom's I think came from Bingley Hall. I'll take a pick and post.
 
tedco1.jpg


I remember the Gyroscopes too Momma P and the Pantographs drawing devices?
 
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Oh thanks Rod, yes they had pantographs too. If I was very good I could have a go...............brothers!
 
Here are the Doughnut maker and waffle iron. I think these were bought from an exhibition at Bingley Hall. I remember Mom making dougnuts often they were the ringed ones.................lovely!
 
I was recently asking if anyone here in Canada knew whether you can still by waffle irons, I loved the ones we used to make. Waffles here are more like a cake, they were so light. :) Mo
 
Ring Road or Whatever

Does Bingley Hall still show exhibitions or has it had to make way for a ring road whatever? I can't think where it was exactly situated
Anne
 
Scroll back to the beginning of this post and you wil see a photo, It's gone now, but was on Broad street.
 
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