-
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
Bull Ring until 1920s
- Thread starter mikejee
- Start date
Richard Dye
master brummie
Great illustrations of a grand old city!
I think that makes sense MWS. The fashions and the carriages would fit that date. Looks before this view dated 1844. Viv.
"A May Morning Bull Ring. Birmingham" by Birmingham artist, William Mills. The date is 1888.
This is by Joseph Frank Pimm who lived and worked in Handsworth.
Not sure of the date of the Pimm work in the previous post, but he was born 1900 and died in the 1970s. He was a watercolour artist, etcher and printmaker. It may be outside the range of this thread in terms of date. If so, I shall move it to the correct thread.
Some of Pimm's other work is here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/threads/joseph-frank-pimm-artist.51938/
Some of Pimm's other work is here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/threads/joseph-frank-pimm-artist.51938/
Last edited:
Richard Dye
master brummie
I always loved walking up those steps as a child, mussels, welks, cockles et al!
Gerry Cannell
master brummie
The Bull Ring in 1948 photograph, makes me smile. I am 84, and look at the scene, busy, busy, buses and people and still everyone just got where they wanted to go, safely. Now, it HAS to be Pedestrianization everywhere......how did we all survive I wonder? I have to add, I loved it like that.
Richard Dye
master brummie
Ditto, ditto!
Radiorails
master brummie
The planners of towns and cities are men, who shop far less frequently, than women. The result has been a gradual decline in shops in pedestrianised areas.
Pedestrian areas are too relaxing as shoppers tend, on the whole, to enjoy the hustle and bustle of shopping. Hence the favoured, modern, out-of-town shopping areas with with their usually free car parking areas.
Generally out-of-town shopping is rather soul-less being a means to an end rather than a highly charged, adrenalin experience. Yes, it can be exhausting but non-the-less gives a worthwhile feeling.
Pedestrian areas are too relaxing as shoppers tend, on the whole, to enjoy the hustle and bustle of shopping. Hence the favoured, modern, out-of-town shopping areas with with their usually free car parking areas.
Generally out-of-town shopping is rather soul-less being a means to an end rather than a highly charged, adrenalin experience. Yes, it can be exhausting but non-the-less gives a worthwhile feeling.
There's no shortage of images of the old Bull Ring. Here's another dated 1906. I'm afraid I don't know who the artist was. The Bull Ring must have been a favourite topic, maybe partly because of its picturesque character and it's historic interest. So glad these views are available to us all, since it's been mostly swept away over time.
not sure if this is a new one..dated c 1896 near the corner with high street..nice photo...young man on left looking towards photographer..young lad carrying his wares on what looks like a large platter..now is that flower seller selling to the young man or is she wacking him with them 
i just think it looks comical
i just think it looks comicalRichard Dye
master brummie
I think it’s the latternot sure if this is a new one..dated c 1896 near the corner with high street..nice photo...young man on left looking towards photographer..young lad carrying his wares on what looks like a large platter..now is that flower seller selling to the young man or is she wacking him with them
View attachment 199205
Radiorails
master brummie
not much room for a 29A bus there Vivienne.
Richard Dye
master brummie
My bus of choice!not much room for a 29A bus there Vivienne.
Birmingham Nan
New Member
I think this was by local artist Samuel Lines, who did a lot of topographical views of Birmingham. He would likely have had some knowledge of the Bull Ring and could have sketched this from memory, or while it still looked like this. The Bull Ring was redeveloped at the start of the 19th century.
Richard Dye
master brummie
I wonder if there is a series of views, sketches or otherwise that would show the Bull Ring over the years, 200 hundred or so. It seems that the Forum has shown most of those years and then some.
By 1553 the Cornmarket, the Welsh Market and the English Market were all apparently separate places. Westley’s map of 1731 shows the corn market in the Bull Ring, with the shambles above it and the beast market in the High Street… The cheese market was moved to the Welsh Cross in 1768. A Monday cattle market, which was later. The Corn market was were the bullring market is now .
At the time when this whole area was cleared, a small metal ring was removed from the middle of the ground between the Shambles and St. Martin's church. Can’t seem to find out if this ring was saved to go to the history museum or not.
A guide to the various (and many) markets is here:
Attachments
Thank you for posting your photos Colroy. This thread is dedicated to the Bull Ring until 1920. I shall therefore, in due course, move your last two posts to the later Bull Ring thread here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/threads/bull-ring-1930s-1950s.47950/page-14