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Birmingham Town Hall

The two cuttings below, from the 21st and 23rd October in the Birmingham Daily Mail, show that it was a scheme to sell war bonds (a couple of weeks before the end of the war, which seems a bit incongruous), but there were apparently big guns on display in Victoria Square.

B__Daily_mail__23_10_1918_big_guns_bank.jpg


B__Daily_mail__21_10_1918_big_guns_bank.jpg
 
Thanks Mike. Very interesting cuttings. I'm surprised that such a massive amount of money was collected. Yes, the scheme does seem out of step with the war nearing the end. Think the money would have been used for redevelopment after the war. Viv.


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Viv
The Tank Bank seems to be a similar thing slightly earlier. Apparently , according to the report, part of which is below from the Dispatch of 29th December 1917, on the 31st a tank would arrive at hockley station and trundle through the town to Victoria Square, where the mayor would give a speech. shouldn't think it would do the street surface much good.

birm_dispatch_29_12_1917.jpg
 
Thanks Mike. Looks like a well thought out campaign, even down to the telephone number as Central 2.000.000, which I presume was the target figure. The Town Hall today is, I think, primarily used for entertainment, but it's interesting to see the other roles it's played in its long history. Viv.


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The Town hall, for emergent,,work shop of the world,, it was decided that Birmingham Town Hall should resemble a temple of ancient
Rome, Built in brick and clad in marble,
It opened to the public in 1834. Most people who passed through the doors were listeners, interested in music,speeches and even fiery
Oratory, In 1901 a future. British prime minister ,LLoyed George. had to be smuggled out of the hall disguised as an unusually
Short policeman, having upset some stroppy members. Of his audience
The fine organ in its reconstructed form its greater now than when Mendelssohn himself played upon it in1840
By the end of 1945 this stately and sturdy building had served as the city head post office. (InVictoria Square)
For fifty five years,
Its is interesting ,if fruitless, to speculate how many post cards of Birmingham scenes started there Journey here
Its on record that between 1842 and1914 some 600 plus photographic studios opened up in Birmingham,
NB every man jack of the passengers descending the open stair case of the buses wearing a hat
Best wishes to you all and I hope you all addear to your chosen new years resoulotions what ever you decide its gonna be ,
And the best of luck on that one does anybody like to say what they have made ? Alan,,,,,Astonian,,,'''
 
These were the artists who performed at the 1867 Birmingham Music Festival. And such a very elegant group. Viv.

image.jpeg
 
Afraid not Maurice. Wold be nice to be able to name some of the performers. Wonder if there were any press articles naming performers. We could probably 'deduce' who some of the people are. Viv.
 
I was going to ask the same as Maurice. Wondered if the people in the photo were named. My 2 x Gt Grandmother's brother, James Mackain, who was a Gun Finisher by day, also sang as a Chorister with various choral societies and sang regularly in concerts in Birmingham, in the 1860s. He also sang in the choir at the Church of the Messiah in Broad Street around the same time as this photo. I'd love to see a photo of him.

Judy
 
Viv/Judy,

Over the weekend I'll trawl the online newspapers and see what, if anything, I can find. This week I've been tied up with Oz & NZ research, mainly military, for a friend of my cousin, so haven't had much spare time.

Maurice
 
I think the lady seated front stage central could be the Swedish operatic soprano Christina Nilsson who sang at the 1867 Festival if that's any help.
 
I also think the chap seated middle rear could be conductor Sir Michael Andrew Angus Costa who was also in attendance.

This is a partial list of those involved and some of the works sung and played.

27-30 August 1867
Vocal: Mademoiselle Titiens, Madame Lemmens Sherrington, Madame Sainton-Dolby, Mr Sims Reeves, Mr Santley Mademoiselle Christine Nilsson, Madame Patey Whytock, Mr W.H. Cummings and Mr Weiss.

Instrumentalists: Arabella Goddard Piano. M Sainton Violin.

Morning
27 August 1867: Mendelssohn, Elijah.
28 August 1867: W.S. Bennett, The Woman of Samaria. Composed expressly for the Festival. Handel, Judas Maccabeus.
29 August 1867: Handel, The Messiah.
30 August 1867, Town Hall: Gounod, Messe Solennelle; Handel, Israel in Egypt.

Evening
The first three evening performances were described as Miscellaneous Concerts, including the following works:

27 August 1867, Town Hall: Handel, Alexander’s Feast. Beethoven's Concerto in E Flat. Various songs/arias.
28 August 1867, Town Hall: J. Benedict, The Legend of St. Cecilia. Piano Concerto No 4 in F Minor by W S Bennett.
29 August 1867: John Francis Barnett, The Ancient Mariner. Composed expressly for the Festival. Various songs/arias.
30 August 1867: Mendelssohn, St. Paul.
 
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Again I think the person leaning against the piano has a chance of being the composer John Francis Barnett I know that his work The Ancient Mariner premiered at the 1867 festival so the odds are he was there.
 
I remember one scene in the 'Privilege' film which was shot in Hill Street (?). There was ticka tape or large confetti-like paper falling down into the street. Think Paul Jones was travelling down it (or maybe up it) in an open top vehicle. My friend and I made a special effort to go and see the film when it came out. But I think the real message of the film might have been lost on us. Viv.
 
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Phil thanks for the 1867 performer info. Amazed that so much can be uncovered from that photo. Think WS Bennet might have been female as the pieces performed by the person were The Woman of Samaria and The Legend of St Cecilia. Just a thought. Viv.
 
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Hi viv,
I recall the day of the filming of the filming of paul Jones ,I was just of one of a dozen people I say a dozen people
But in fact there was a possible 100 people, if you recall the top of hill street to your left hand there used to be a wall along that section facing the town hall in those days and we came across them filming him standing above the town hall building
On the frontage and there was crowds standing and watching him below and people looking up to him
He was shouting out his lines down to the people and the Camara was rolling pointing up to him he had is
Afkan shirt on with a medallion around his neck he was holding some think out
But any way the producers came over to us all behind the wall meaning the people and asked us to get close together
And come around on to the road side it was okay the roads was blocked off to buses and traffic
We all came around all hoping to be included in the film as the producer said we would all be included
My friends and myself got around sharply so hoping we would be included in it we was as good as centre price
Any way the producer said when he clapps the board he wanted the croud to shout loud upwards
He told us three time to be louder so the people shouting at the top of our voices if we wanted to be in the film
So we all did afterwards we stopped he said thanks to everybody and that was the end of it
Thinking we might be included we dashed back home all of us to tell our parents and friends
But any way we never did get to see this film to find out if we was there obvisiously we would be in a crowd scene
Was the film any good I will try and track it down, best wishes Alan,,, Astonian,,,
 
Thanks very much for that, Mike. 172 pages and just over 12 Mb so I suggest you download it whilst the link is still live and save it. It contains several short lists of names for those that like checking for possible ancestors.

Maurice
 
Probably, but I have known things to disappear from archive.org. Then in a week or two's time when your posting has got lost amongst all the other stuff that comes in on a daily basis, you haven't got to go hunting for it. Just a thought, and each to their own, but now that a terabyte of disk space is dirt cheap, I like to keep all my reference stuff on an external disk.

Maurice
 
I agree Maurice. I always download everything I think might be useful (including that book), but thought you knrew something I didn't about their links
 
image.jpeg A postcard of the Town Hall illuminated for the Coronation in 1937. But look at that tall column to the right. I seem to remember a discussion about a tall column near the Hall of Memory. Was this similar? Was it part of the Coronation illuminations then removed afterwards? Viv.
 
Cannot quite place which thread it was on, but, as I remember it, it was first erected in one place (presumably near the town hall) and then moved to near the hall of memory. Below is it at the hall of memory
 

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strange that both viv and mikes photos are both dated 1937...they must have moved in the same year always assuming that there was only one of them..i have been trying to work out what it depicts...

lyn
 
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