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Birmingham Town Hall

If the George Dawson statue ended up in storage at Dollman Street, why was the Josiah Mason statue destroyed in the early '50s?



This one used to be in Chamberlain Square (or Chamberlain Place as it was once called), and was under a canopy to the right of the Chamberlain Memorial.

There's also this bust of Dawson in Dollman Street



Wonder if either of these will be restored to the city centre, or some other roundabout in the city?
 
Behind the statue is the main mill shaft of the California Watermill Bartley Green. A wooden speed-up gear with wooden teeth by the look of it. Still in remarkable shape.
 
I do wish these statues would stay put! Losing track now of who was where around the Town Hall and, like Ell says, what was the reasoning for some of the moves? I think I saw somewher that the Mason (seated) statue was badly dsintegrating, so it had to go. And a bronze bust was made.

Now here's another statue that's popped up at the rear of the Town Hall. It's in almost the same place as Mr Mason, perhaps a little nearer the fountain. But who is he? Photo looks about 1950s/60s. Viv.

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Hi Viv: Here is a link to the story about how the statue in Chamberlain Square eventually became just the bust of Josiah Mason. https://www.pmsa.org.uk/pmsa-database/5978/ Not sure about the full size statue that Elbrown mentioned. Sadly, Mr. George Noszlopy the author of several books on city sculpture including Birmingham
died a couple of years ago but there might be a mention of the full size statue in one of his books.
 
I lived in Bartley Green for a number of years and have never heard of the "California Water Mill"??, where was it exactly situate, and when was it dismantled??.
paul
 
Thanks Jennyann. Good to hear that Bloye cast the bronze bust of Mason. I wonder if he ever imagined that the bust would be regularly decorated? Viv.
 
Rupert
I have superimposed the 1916 map on the area, though it was a bit difficult as there were few of the roads there then, and some of those that were are now dual carriageways, but i get the view below, with the mill in red. this makes the mill just on mill lane at the end of the row of houses on the bend of mill lane, and by my reckoning you are looking at where it was at https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=mi...oid=vWkmMtNT8IG5uE0bfkC6aw&cbp=12,356.25,,0,0 .

california_mill_super_google_3.jpg
 
Yeah, amazing how well the old OS matches. and you can still see features. Looks like the fish pond is a little forrest now. The mill shaft has found it's way home in photo's. I'm not sure what the Brook is, it gets a little confusing around there...maybe Merrits or the one it run's into. Anyway getting away from the T.H.

Anyway scratch Merrits Brook...it was on Stonehouse Brook and named Connops Mill also. Don't know where the California name came from maybe there is another around there.
 
Vivienne14 said:
Now here's another statue that's popped up at the rear of the Town Hall. It's in almost the same place as Mr Mason, perhaps a little nearer the fountain. But who is he? Photo looks about 1950s/60s. Viv.

View attachment 84737
Click to expand...

Joseph Priestley



I would expect that James Watt and Joseph Priestley will have to move again when Paradise Circus is redeveloped in the next few years (when the 1969-1974 Central Library and Paradise Forum gets demolished).
 
I remember staring at this statue many times as a boy and always wondered who "Joseph Priestley" was, he looks like an 18th C Politician, but could have easely have been a grocer.
paul
 
A minister, and the inventor of soda water.



He had to leave Birmingham in 1791 after the Priestley Riots (2nd anniversary of the French Revolution)
 
Thanks Ell. The centenary of Priestley's death in 1904 was celebrated with an exhibition in the Town Hall, setting a pattern for future celebrations. Viv.
 
I briefly passed through Chamberlain Square this morning, and thinking how empty it was without those missing statues.
You can kind of imagine the two statues to the left of the Chamberlain Memorial and the two to the right. Although the configuration of the square has changed since those statues were removed.

No problem Viv.

A week ago there was eggs in the square (part of Big Egg Hunt). They are now in Liverpool.






 
Blimey, imagine having a Faberge that size! Worth a fortune. But wish they'd bring back the statues, they're part of the history of the Town Hall and the surrounding buildings. Viv.
 
Things certainly are changing, I for one, am sad to see the Birmingham of my childhood disappear under a cacophony of steel and glass.
paul
 
hi paul;
You are quite correct it as been changing for decades ; i do not know that if you seen the book i have just mentioniond
on recomending on the forum ; but you would definately agree what you are saying is true ;
the book is called IMAGES OF BIRMINGHAM; and its also points from the council house of hansom to the presents day one
and how the town hall in a glossy pic shows it in the 1887 when queen victoria visited birmingham and the council house and art gallery
had beeni illuminated for the occasion ; then it goes on from there its coverd every business of brum changeing from there up till todays every day life from born to deaths and the stret parys of hard times and the changeing of the structer of brum;
and by the time we have passed through this life of ourgenerationsit will be changed again to space age flying around ;
best wishes astonian
 
The Town Hall had a very innovative ventilation system when it was first built:

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1362240311.620502.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1362240322.372945.jpg

Are the holes in the ceiling in post #217 below part of this ventilation system? Viv
 
A modern day view showing the ceiling holes.
When I went to the Town Hall in the 1960s and 70s I always remember it without windows, but it now seems to have them. I think they may have been covered up for a very long time.Viv.

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hi guys ;
I bet its fanastic inside its one place i have never ever been inside may be one day i will get in and have a look
best wishes astonian;
 
Probably is fantastic. A family friend of mine is getting married here next weekend. Although I'm not invited. I'm sure the ones who are going will be impressed by their surroundings.
 
Two more views of the Town Hall, but this time from a higher vantage point. They give a better view of the structure above the plinth. Seem to remember once seeing a picture of people clustered around those pillars, can't have been too safe up there. The first view looks about late1950s/early 60s, the second's maybe around 1930sViv.

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And once you've gained access to the colonnade above the plinth (not sure how) you'd have a good view of some of the 40 Corinthian carved columns and the leaded windows (which I presume don't open) because you can also see some of the ventilation shafts which run all the way around the perimeter of the roof. (Ventilation image and those in post 216 from www. bpi.cam.ac.uk). Viv.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1362310579.640759.jpg
 
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