• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Birchfield Road Perry Barr

Astoness said:
judi it was greggs bargain bakery and was still there up until about 4 years ago...my dad used to jump the bus from newtown every week to shop there..the library has been gone for many years possibly 15 years and the land lain empty and overgrown ever since however work is now going on...really annoyed me to see that library destroyed but over the years i have got used to it...i think the shops either side of the train station will also go as the station is also getting a make over..

lyn
Click to expand...
I loved that library. I was about 8 or 9 when my mum took me to sign up so that I could take up to 4 library books out. I remember being given 4 beige coloured small cardboard wallets with my name on to enable me to borrow books. I remember the inside of the library almost step by step, from the outside, up the steps, through a hallway with a flagstone floor to a couple of swing doors. The centre part was was where the librarians worked and sorted the books, and stamped them in and out. I remember everything seemed a green emulsion colour, including large oil filled radiators. The childrens part was to the left hand side as you came in - I spent quite a few years there, before I had the pleasure of taking out grown up novels. The library had a smell of all of its' own. I spent many a happy hour there over a decade, from 1972-1983. I remember the library as a very happy place and I was always excited to go there. Lovely memories.
 
A busy post WW2 photo of car 17 heading north on Birchfield Road. The buildings in the background still exist (Nos 438/40/42) but where the tram is would now be part of the Perry Barr underpass. The former Birchfield Road tram depot is hidden by the bus in front of the tram, and although that building still exists it is now only accessible from its former rear entrance in Leslie Road. The sole pedestrian is crossing Willmore Road.

17 Birchfield Road, Perry Barr .jpg
 
Vivienne14 said:
A #31 (?) tram outside Birchfield Cinema and Library. You can see the old Barclays Bank (extreme left) on the corner of Aston Lane. Dated 1949. Viv

View attachment 174152
Click to expand...
Lloyd has mentioned that this was an enthusiastic special. The tram has been given a route number 3, but this was discontinued in 1939. An enthusiast joke I expect. The livery is post war.
Incidentally tram route 31 was from Edmund Street to Soho, it was abandoned also in 1939 and replaced by bus route B83.
 
Radiorails said:
Lloyd has mentioned that this was an enthusiastic special. The tram has been given a route number 3, but this was discontinued in 1939. An enthusiast joke I expect. The livery is post war.
Incidentally tram route 31 was from Edmund Street to Soho, it was abandoned also in 1939 and replaced by bus route B83.
Click to expand...
Numbers (and destinations) of already replaced routes still remained on the blinds although the particular displays were no longer used. The blinds were specific to individual depots, with only a few on all blinds such as Football Special, Rednal and doubtless a couple of others. Rednal because on bank holidays the Bristol Road service to the Lickeys was so intense that trams had to be borrowed from other depots (than Selly Oak) to operate the extras.
 
The destination board on the side of the passenger trailer seems to say 'Old Square' and 'Saltley' (which would explain the 'S'). Where do the tracks swinging to our left (under where the girls are standing) go? Is there a depot down there? I don't have my maps of that era handy to check.
 
The 3rd pic below shows that the tower was probably there in 1920
oldMohawk said:
A Tower in Perry Barr.
Three pictures of Birchfield Rd Perry Barr, the early pictures show a pointed tower on the building on the corner of Aston Lane. The tower was later removed from the building ? The Birchfield cinema which opened in 1913 can be seen in the lower right picture.

1900-1920
birchfield1.jpg


1905 ca.
PerryBarr1905.jpg


1920 ca.
Perry_Barr__1920.jpg
Click to expand...
 
The tower on a corner building in Perry Barr was corbelled but had lost it's pointed roof by the date the photo below was taken. I remember Perry Barr as it looks in the photo and the shop, but with no pointed roof I didn't notice there was a tower.
oldMohawk said:
The only image I know of which shows the shoe shop on the corner in Birchfield Road. I do not know the date but notice the pedestrian crossings are not zebra crossings and the cars would also probably help to date it. The image is not very clear but the name on the shop appears to be 'Englands'.
index.php
Click to expand...
 
It was England’s Shoe Shop. I don’t remember the shop itself but I do remember the X-ray machine in the shop when I got my feet measured there.

Now that it’s been mentioned, it looks obvious that at some time in the past there would have been something like a tower as the architecture looks odd/incomplete around the eaves on that corner.

Viv
 
Can anyone remember, 142 Birchfield Road, Perry Bar, where I was born in 1950 at selly oak Hospital. I've got maps but looking for more information on the house. We left about 56 and can remember sitting at the gate with my late sister and have no more information, I would appreciate any help
 
Last edited:
It looks a large house on the maps, I assume it was knocked down for the road widening. There are a couple of mentions in the newspapers - in 1940 a resident Harry Cotton was charged with stealing 3 diamond rings and, in 1942 it and its neighbouring properties appear to be up for sale at a reduced price after being damaged in a blast (war ?).

There are photos of Birchfield Road here but they seem to be further out of the city...

Birchfield Road Perry Barr

could any one out there please help me find out the history of my shop ? i run the hairdressers on birchfield road perry barr opposite one stop called indigo blue. a few days ago i was looking at old photos of perry barr and saw one of the row of shops which mine is in the middle. i couldn't...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
Big Gee said:
Before my time, but I think Viv's picture was taken from near the junction with Trinity Road, looking towards Perry Barr, and near Holy Trinity Church and its vicarage. There are still a couple of very substantial villas on that part of Birchfield Road.
This photo is from long before the flats opposite the Odeon were built. Anyway, that's guess! Nice pic, too.

Big Gee
Click to expand...
Big Gee, I think you are correct! I think a little closer to the Trinity Rd end.
 
MWS said:
It looks a large house on the maps, I assume it was knocked down for the road widening. There are a couple of mentions in the newspapers - in 1940 a resident Harry Cotton was charged with stealing 3 diamond rings and, in 1942 it and its neighbouring properties appear to be up for sale at a reduced price after being damaged in a blast (war ?).

There are photos of Birchfield Road here but they seem to be further out of the city...

Birchfield Road Perry Barr

could any one out there please help me find out the history of my shop ? i run the hairdressers on birchfield road perry barr opposite one stop called indigo blue. a few days ago i was looking at old photos of perry barr and saw one of the row of shops which mine is in the middle. i couldn't...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
Click to expand...
Thank you so much MWS, I will have to find out more as i was told nothing about what went on.
 
MWS said:
It looks a large house on the maps, I assume it was knocked down for the road widening. There are a couple of mentions in the newspapers - in 1940 a resident Harry Cotton was charged with stealing 3 diamond rings and, in 1942 it and its neighbouring properties appear to be up for sale at a reduced price after being damaged in a blast (war ?).

There are photos of Birchfield Road here but they seem to be further out of the city...

Birchfield Road Perry Barr

could any one out there please help me find out the history of my shop ? i run the hairdressers on birchfield road perry barr opposite one stop called indigo blue. a few days ago i was looking at old photos of perry barr and saw one of the row of shops which mine is in the middle. i couldn't...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
Click to expand...
Hello can anyone help me, What newspapers are the best to search for information about birmingham in the 40s and 50s please.
 
here is the link to the newspaper archives...you will need to subscribe but it is not expensive

Home | Search the archive | British Newspaper Archive

Whether you are a researcher, historian or you simply want to know more about Britain's history, take this fantastic opportunity to search The British Newspaper Archive - a vast treasure trove of historical newspapers from your own home.
www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
 
Astoness said:
here is the link to the newspaper archives...you will need to subscribe but it is not expensive
Click to expand...
I'm afraid I must disagree, Lyn. I was a subscriber, but at the costs (£12.99 a month, £27.99 for 3 months, or £86.04 for a year) I found it to be too expensive to renew.
 
Lloyd said:
I'm afraid I must disagree, Lyn. I was a subscriber, but at the costs (£12.99 a month, £27.99 for 3 months, or £86.04 for a year) I found it to be too expensive to renew.
Click to expand...
Hello every one, I been on Newspaper Archives all day. I found Harry Cotten but nothing else. has anyone got any idea what number 142 Birchfield road looked like or some property that looks the same so i can get a idea please.
 
have you looked at our main birchfield road thread there are loads of old photos on it but you will need to read from post 1 in case you miss any...cant say as any will show no 142 but at least you will get an idea of what the area was like back in the day...click on below link to take you to the thread...lyn

Birchfield Road Perry Barr

could any one out there please help me find out the history of my shop ? i run the hairdressers on birchfield road perry barr opposite one stop called indigo blue. a few days ago i was looking at old photos of perry barr and saw one of the row of shops which mine is in the middle. i couldn't...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top