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Black Country Museum

A couple of images showing something of the origin of the Black Country Living Museum. The first image show the site of museum before worked started in the early 70's. Just looking at the site and seeing how it is today it's easy to see just how much work was undertaken.

The second image shows the bridge the first construction in the BCLM in it's original location over the Birmingham canal in Wolverhampton.
 

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  • Black Country Museum late 70s[1].jpg
    Black Country Museum late 70s[1].jpg
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  • Dudley BCLM canal bridge on original location at Wolverhampton.jpg
    Dudley BCLM canal bridge on original location at Wolverhampton.jpg
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A massive project Phil. Just taking apart buildings to rebuild them is alone a challenging project. Have to admire all the people who've made it possible. I also admire the way the Museum has considered it's future (in terms of funding, raising income and expanding it's exhibits).

I visited it in the mid-80s and its come a very long way since then. It seems to me that they have a knack for making things work (and preparedness for simple hard graft). Viv.
 
Phil
I think that some work had been done by the time that first photograph was taken. I remember the site as being more unkempt when I took part in one of the early clearances of vegetation before I left Brum (though it was a long time ago). I'm pretty sure the second photograph is of the bridge in its present position at the BCLM. Dont have a similar photo, but here is one from the bridge and you can see the wall and the shed that are on the right of your photo

black country museum 197a.jpg
 
Just a heads-up to say that the Drama channel (Freeview 20) is showing a re-run of the WPC 56 series, set in 1950s Birmingham and largely filmed at the Black Country Museum. It starts tonight (16 June) at 9.00.
 
thanks ray i had seen it advertised and will be watching the re-runs...dont know why they didnt continue with this series...i for one loved it..:)

lyn
 
I watched the last series on the BBC, Astoness, which I enjoyed in HD. I don't know why the Beeb hasn't repeated the whole thing from the start. They do most other things!
 
It’s quite sad that Birmingham’s leaders still see its history as James Watt, William Shakespeare and the Staffordshire Hoard.


At least we know better on here.
 
mikejee said:
Phil
I think that some work had been done by the time that first photograph was taken. I remember the site as being more unkempt when I took part in one of the early clearances of vegetation before I left Brum (though it was a long time ago). I'm pretty sure the second photograph is of the bridge in its present position at the BCLM. Dont have a similar photo, but here is one from the bridge and you can see the wall and the shed that are on the right of your photo
Click to expand...

Mike I think you are correct, that's the trouble with this sort of photo, you are always tempted to go with the information the image is tagged with. This one is definitely in the BCLM whilst the bridge was being rebuilt.
Canal St Bridge.jpg
 
Haven't seen that before Phil. Yes that's definitely at BCLM. Doesn't it look different now !
 
Me too Lyn. The library looks good. And it's something we know the BCLM will do really well. Viv.
 
I wonder if they will have a coffee bar, you can't have a 1950 / 1960's town without a coffee bar for the teddy boys to hang out in.
 
Really wonderful news. I am a little surprised at mention of the Elephant and Castle pub. There may very likely be two, but I had understood that the elephant and castle (on the corner of Cannock & Stafford Roads in Wolves) was demolished overnight in one of those developers tricks to stop preservation.
 
mikejee said:
Really wonderful news. I am a little surprised at mention of the Elephant and Castle pub. There may very likely be two, but I had understood that the elephant and castle (on the corner of Cannock & Stafford Roads in Wolves) was demolished overnight in one of those developers tricks to stop preservation.
Click to expand...

A nice article from 2001 that tells it how it was!

IN MEMORIAM...THE ELEPHANT AND CASTLE, DEMOLISHED BY PEEL HOLDINGS PLC...

https://www.historywebsite.co.uk/lost/elephant/elephant.htm
 
Thanks Pedrocut, for confirming my thoughts. So cannot see how the pub can be reconstructed at the BCLM. Streetview shows the site from 2016 below. A few weeks ago, when I was passing, there seems to be a featureless warehouse going up now, confirming the article's conclusions

site of elephant & castle 2016.jpg
 
mikejee said:
Thanks Pedrocut, for confirming my thoughts. So cannot see how the pub can be reconstructed at the BCLM. Streetview shows the site from 2016 below. A few weeks ago, when I was passing, there seems to be a featureless warehouse going up now, confirming the article's conclusions

View attachment 115202
Click to expand...
It states that the Elephant & Castle will be "recreated" not reconstructed.
Dave A
 
hi mike might it be that the pub has been put into storage ready for construction at the BCM fingers crossed..:).

lyn
 
I missed that, but did see "when entire old buildings are transported brick-by-brick to find new life in a museum.", which is what the museum has done before. Will be interested to know how many will be treated in each of these two ways.
Lyn
I don't think there would have been a chance, as the article says. I remember going past on the saturday, and it was just a closed pub, and then went up again to Wolves (on I think it was the Wednesday after) a few days later and it was just an enormous pile of bricks.
 
well i didnt realise that the bcm had their own archives on site...once again well done to them for saving and preserving their historical buildings something they continue to do..cant wait for the next lot of buildings to be on show..once again i am going to one of their christmas evening events:)...all dates are now sold out but they still have tickets left for the christmas on the home front evening which is a new event..

https://www.bclm.co.uk/news/curators-blog-we-get-by-with-a-little-help-from-our-volunteers/824.htm
 
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Thanks Lyn. The Museum seems to be going from strength to strength. How lovely to be going to their Christmas event again. Viv
 
i cant think of a better place to go to get the true feeling and spirit of christmas viv i shall be going on the 16th dec which is great as its so close to christmas day...think they put on 5 nights last year each taking in at least 15000 visitors..it was rammed to the rafters...if they had 10 chippies it would not have been enough to cope with demand but there was plenty of other eating places including the womens institute..:) will try and get some photos this time

lyn
 
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And also the new Dudley Archives are next door (to the left of the museum looking at the main entrance). This, I understand, now also has a museum on the first floor
 
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