• 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

Chamberlain Square Place

I agree Curly. Queen's College was demolished except for it's Grade 2 listed frontage as you mention. The building in it's present form retains the name Queen's College Chambers at 38 Paradise Street. Now condos and offices. The building was pretty old and decrepit back when I worked there. The lift was ancient. The stairs were marble
with a lot of wrought iron railings and the whole lift was encased in wrought iron. I don't think much had been done to the interior since 1904.

For more info on what is coming in Paradise Circus in the near future is a quick view of a recent pdf file by Birmingham Council. A lot more buildings are coming down!
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...i5UaXg&sig=AHIEtbQ9_Z16A8FnTYDLYPLQ9bA9JXi7EA
 
Last edited:
I am a newcomer to this site so apologies for joining a thread that is almost two years old. Some excellent pictures have been posted here.


I left Brum in 1970, so I have no idea what kind of furore there was, if any, when such fine buildings were flattened but I can kind of understand how it happened - which is in no way to condone it. It all but brings tears to the eye when seeing pictures of what was lost.


It may look a crazy thing to do today, but the development did have some merit. Chamberlain Square was transformed from a not entirely pleasant traffic thoroughfare into a very valuable and usuable civic space. It may have happened mid 70's but the mood of the time was perhaps still influenced by the 50's and 60's when it was very much 'if it's old it has to go, new has got to be good'. After all, who wanted the hassle of fresh fish when you could have proper fish fingers? People were amenable to a Birmingham that looked like Chicago rather than Heidelbug - according to artists impressions, anyways.


I look at the plans for the next Chamberlain Square and am horrified. Knock down the old libray by all means, but replace it with something to be proud of. I wonder if in 40 years time people will reflect on the way that, with barely a murmur of concern, so many ordinary buidlings were packed into the scheme and a key civic area was turned into the focal point of a series of wind tunnels and rendered all but useless.
 
The changes from 2010 to 2017.

Birmingham Central Library in 2010



Early demolition of the ex library from January 2016



February 2017 - you could see through to Centenary Square.



August 2017 - construction of 1 Chamberlain Square is well underway

 
The library is so awful it is almost comical. It is such a shock as you approach it.
There ought to be a vote as to which is the worst, Selfriges or the library.
 
The Library of Birmingham is much better than the old Birmingham Central Library (1974-2013). I've been inside of it loads of times. I think a lot of people love the Selfridges building.
 
Centenary Way from the Secret Garden at the Library of Birmingham.

April 2016 - demolition of the old library



November 2017 - you can see Chamberlain Square from up here, at least before 2 Chamberlain Square goes up!

 
Think that was where the George Dawson statue used to be under. Statue is in storage. That shorter spire, not sure what happened to it.

Statue of the 19th century preacher, lecturer and politician George Dawson under it's canopy near the Chamberlain Memorial Fountain in Chamberlain Square. Dawson came to Birmingham to preach in 1844, and his followers and friends united to build a chapel for him, 'the Church of the Saviour', which opened in 1847. The design of the statue was intended to show Dawson in the attitude of speaking at one of his lectures, and the canopy above featured the heads of Bunyan, Carlyle, Cromwell and Shakespeare, symbolising Religion, Letters, Governments and Poetry. The original statue by Thomas Woolner was unveiled in 1881, but was disliked because it was not a good likeness. A new statue was commissioned from F J Williamson, and Woolner's statue was moved around to several other locations in the city before ending up at it's present site behind the library.
Click to expand...

That was from a little book called Did you know? Birmingham a Miscellany. With photos from the Francis Frith collection. Their photo showed it in 1896.

https://www.francisfrith.com/birmin...the-chamberlain-memorial-fountain-1896_37279x
 
Didn't know that Ell, thanks. So the fountain was the Chamberlain memorial and the smaller memorial was for George Dawson. Expect the short spire was demolished (although I did wonder if was moved to a park - looks slightly reminiscent of something I've seen in a park photo). Viv.
 
Rummaging during the pandemic, I found this photo taken in Birmingham around 1964. I thought it was taken at St Phillips. However, looking at pictures on Google, I realize that it is not. It could have been St Chads...anyone?
Dave Abilly, cindy & me...jpg
 
not st chads...unusual for a church to have a fountain in front of it..are you sure its a church dave..

lyn
 
Astoness said:
not st chads...unusual for a church to have a fountain in front of it..are you sure its a church dave..

lyn
Click to expand...
No I'm not sure of anything, but it does look like a church, at least the section behind the fountain does. It is definitely in Brum.
Dave A
 
I thought the fountain bit looked like what was in the square at the bottom of the steps leading up to the library that was in paradise forum
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top