I don't know wether anyone else see's this, but don't the modern photo's make the places seem more constricted less open than the older one's, and somehow the streets look shorter?
WE tend to forget that Corporation St ran past the Fire Station all the way to Aston Road North what I would like to know is the name of the pub on the corner of Staniforth St I remember it as The Ben Johnson but I think it had another name before that. Dek