Birmingham Medical School Premises, Snowhill - Brittle Street?

[SteveM]

I am researching for a book on a murder in Nuneaton in 1832, the perpetrator of which was tried, hanged and then sent for dissection in public (by William Sands Cox) at Birmingham Medical School at Snow Hill. The Cadbury Special Collection team at Birmingham University have advised me of the following:

The Snow Hill premises were located at the corner (practically coincident with the present portion of Great Charles Street) which led to Livery Street. The Birmingham School of Medicine was based here between 1829 and 1834.

I have found a very helpful post in the Birmingham History Forum (that perhaps indicates this may not be totally accurate) with some images of maps - so useful - thanks. I am after any information at all on the background to, location of etc. of this building. An image would be brilliant but the Cadbury Special Collection team are unaware of any in existence.

Grateful for any help and information.

SteveM - new member, first post.

 

[mikejee]

Steve
The date is what has made the doubt arise, as the school moved about a bit. It was founded in 1828 by Mr Cox ina backroom in Temple st, though this was used only for teaching, and at that time any practical work (which would presumably include dissection), was done in the General Hospital . However it did not astay there long, and in 1829 the school moved to Snow Hill, which was much larger , and presumably ( though I have seen no written statement of it) had facilities for dissection, though whether they would have been large enough for a "public" dissection I am not sure. If not then this would have been at the General Hospital. It was in 1834 that the school moved to Paradise St. this information is from "Birmingham Faces & Places, a magazine published in the 1890s. The fairly authoritative "History of Birmingham " by Briggs & gill also gives that date to the removal to Paradise St. So the question really is whether the Snow Hill address had the facilities for the public dissection.
I am not quite clear what the University team meant by their description of the position of the house when it talks of "practically coincident with the present portion of Gt Charles St" as Gt Charles St was there at that time. Possibly they mean that, because the road is much wider, the site is now actually in the middle of the street. Below is a map from 1829, showing the immediate area.

 

[SteveM]

Hi Mike

I was at the Library of Birmingham today continuing my research. I looked at the few maps of the time but none seemed as good as the one you posted. What is the reference for this map? Is there a jpeg version I could consider using in my book, perhaps with a little more of the area included? Any help with copyright information/permission (and costs if any) would be welcome.
There's one more map to follow up - it's Brunel's plan of the area prior to demolition in 1852 that's at Kew.
Apparently the surgeon (Sands Cox) made a personal loss of £600 on the sale of the building in Snow Hill (original cost was £1100) when they moved to Paradise Street.

 

[mikejee]

Hi Steve
the map shown is the map by Pigott Smith. It is in the Birmingham archives (National archives reference at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/rd/713f32f9-3e37-4675-9169-f47a7282619c ), but the version I showed part of was a modern reproduction from Old House Books (https://www.shirebooks.co.uk/store/Map-of-Birmingham,-1828_9781908402196 ). I cannot see that the archives version is covered by copyright, though the modern reproduction may claim it fro their modern version (dubiously in my opinion). I know of no reproduction of the map online other than sections reproduced for particular purposes
Mike

 

[Pedrocut]

Birmingham Journal October 1828, the opening of the School...