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City Centre Photographs
- Thread starter bobsummers
- Start date
Magnificent picture of the BBC Broad Street, Dennis. As technically possible where would the location be nowadays? So many details there, but around 10 years before my childhood brain kicked in. The speculative gent in the upper window on the right-a detail worthy of Goya even.
paul stacey
master brummie
#1275/1,Looks like mid late fiftys, are they ford thames or austin vans in the photo.
paul
paul
Dennis Williams
Gone but not forgotten
B
BernardR
Guest
I think some are Morris Commercial 'E' Series but not sure of others. AT Gittins were still running a Morris 'E' Series (or 5CWT) when I worked for them in the late 1950s early 1960s.
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paul stacey
master brummie
That was a problem with this era type vans Bernie they all looked a like.
paul
paul
ellbrown
ell brown on Flickr
I was just down Edmund Street this morning in the rain, getting a photo of the Maddox House plaque, and also took a shot of the building.
Maddox House / former White Swan pub
With the building next door
Got this passage out of Pevsner Birmingham
W
Wendy
Guest
What a lovely building thanks for the photo..
Richie, from memory (my Dad used to deliver milk to the BBC and adjoining premises) I believe the alley behind the Post Office Telephones van, to the rear of 'Stocks' still exists. The building the Post Office van is parked outside now being the bar 'Walkabout'. In later years the alley also led to the 'Rum Runner' club.
Dennis Williams
Gone but not forgotten
Tremendous shots eli. Many thanks. Moving down to my end of Town now, I would like to post these of old Dale End if you don't mind.
I used to buy projectors and cameras galore from Cine Equipments for the University in the 70s...
But I couldn't possibly leave before mentioning a great old Pub down the bottom of Dale End.....words by Joe McKenna...
The Engine Inn at 45 Dale End was a low two-and-a-half storey house, its building materials reputedly came from the demolished Priory, around the corner in Bull Street. If true, this would suggest a construction date of around 1540. As to its name, an old print shows the Inn sign as what appears to be a pump, topped by a wheel. Underneath the picture is inscribed
I hope my engine will never fail
To draw my friends good beer and ale
In the Print John Richards is shown as its licensee, thus dating the picture to 1861-866. William Shaw was the first positively identified landlord of the engine Inn in 1785. In the Birmingham Gazette of July , he advertises that the house is “Newly fitted up at large expense…that in order to render it worthy of patronage, the whole business will be conducted on the genteelist and most liberal plan - good beds, and stabling. The most genuine liquors and the choicest accommodation of all kinds will be constantly provided.”
The Old Engine as it had become , situated near the corner of Masshouse Lane, was subject to alterations and updating by Architect William Wykes, during 1881, for licensee Thomas Stevens. During his stewardship the house became a noted Army recruitment house. This old place was was closed in 1917, and the place demolished and redeveloped soon after.
The end...circa 1917
I used to buy projectors and cameras galore from Cine Equipments for the University in the 70s...
But I couldn't possibly leave before mentioning a great old Pub down the bottom of Dale End.....words by Joe McKenna...
The Engine Inn at 45 Dale End was a low two-and-a-half storey house, its building materials reputedly came from the demolished Priory, around the corner in Bull Street. If true, this would suggest a construction date of around 1540. As to its name, an old print shows the Inn sign as what appears to be a pump, topped by a wheel. Underneath the picture is inscribed
I hope my engine will never fail
To draw my friends good beer and ale
In the Print John Richards is shown as its licensee, thus dating the picture to 1861-866. William Shaw was the first positively identified landlord of the engine Inn in 1785. In the Birmingham Gazette of July , he advertises that the house is “Newly fitted up at large expense…that in order to render it worthy of patronage, the whole business will be conducted on the genteelist and most liberal plan - good beds, and stabling. The most genuine liquors and the choicest accommodation of all kinds will be constantly provided.”
The Old Engine as it had become , situated near the corner of Masshouse Lane, was subject to alterations and updating by Architect William Wykes, during 1881, for licensee Thomas Stevens. During his stewardship the house became a noted Army recruitment house. This old place was was closed in 1917, and the place demolished and redeveloped soon after.
The end...circa 1917
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All great. New ones on here Dennis I think. How well I remember the one with the Alum Rock tram on it...just like that. The Wesh Market was there in olden times and the Lamb house on the corner of Crooked Lane. I think that Dale End was called Broad Street at one time (not to be confused with the latter day representation) and the road is deffinately wider there...maybe because of the space used for the market. Behind the Lamb House was a well; no doubt used to water the livestock...the drovers/farmers probably watering elsewhere. At the curve in the tram lines, leading to the terminus in Martineau St.,(gone) would have been the Welch Cross. Almost enough here to make a composite picture. If we were going 'down the Bull Ring' we would alight from the tram there and walk along High Street. Nothing hardly there now...just a pile of new c..p. Still I suppose the old stuff would have fallen down by now.
I think I will return to my pile now...snow that is.
I think I will return to my pile now...snow that is.
Dennis Williams
Gone but not forgotten
Couple more Rupert, including the Tram Shelter mentioned in the other photo...
Wow Dennis, bostin. They use wizzard on the midwives. Never have seen that loading shelter before...before my time. What a super thing to have around now for something. No busses or trams there now but still they were talking about a tracked vehicle across town from Snow Hill. Yeah Victorian and built. Take a serious vandal to destroy one of those but I suspect they are around; some paid. Would be nice to replicate for the new line along Bull Street somewhere to tie in the more illustrious past.
There are quite a few pics from the 60s and earlier on here
https://www.friendsreunited.co.uk/b...6/Memory/09aecd19-93cf-4dbe-bab1-a00a0120215a
https://www.friendsreunited.co.uk/b...6/Memory/09aecd19-93cf-4dbe-bab1-a00a0120215a
DavidGrain
master brummie
Sorry to disagree with Dennis but I think the BBC in Broad Street was here. Just a few doorsd along from Bridge Street.
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horsencart
master brummie
Dennis Williams
Gone but not forgotten
It's not me you disagree with lads...I only posted it from the Mail....voila....just their photo looks a lot older than your photo David...I am too old for Legs 11 now, so GOK where it may or may not have been....
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Radiorails
master brummie
Reviewing the post made by Berniew, with particular reference to the 1960's, was quite rewarding for me. Having moved to live in Devon in 1954, as a teenager, the b&w pics of the City Centre reminded me of many of my favourite haunts and views. I have mentioned some of these places in other threads but I feel the need to repeat them here.
Temple Row: the model shop on the corner of Cherry Street. How many hours could have been spent drooling over the contents of the shop and its window displays.
Corporation Street: The Midland Educational shop. what an awesome collection of books and stationery. The limit here was constrained by the shallow depth of my schoolboys pocket.
Stephenson Place: this lead to New Street - TRAINS! as did Colmore Row to Snow Hill for the same reason.
Lancaster Place: The Fire Station, where else would be of interest? Maybe the seed of my 30 year service as a firefighter was sown here.
The Bull Ring; (yes, I believe someone with a D- in history has merged the words into one), this is where a wonderful time could be spent observing the hustle and bustle of a large market, the traders, shoppers and the sheer excitement of it all. I know money was tight for many then but even so I doubt if it held the grim frustrations that so many people seem to experience in modern superstores.
The Hippodrome: apparently in Hurst Street and not really City Centre I suppose. I never knew that was its location as I was always taken to the place. It still had its Moorish Tower and buskers who set the seal on a great evenings entertainment. There were some good side street tailors close by where one of my uncles used to take me for suits.
Finally, The Town Hall. I have always felt it to be one of the finest buildings in the United Kingdom. I hope the City Fathers and citizens share that view. I went to many concerts, mainly by the City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra but I am sure many others here will have enjoyed other productions.
There are other places that I remember with fondness but are outside the thread title. Whilst I love canals and rivers the BCN and inner city canals were out of bounds to me, so I did miss the wonder of the inner city navigations, I had to make do with the rural Stratford Canal and the Grand Union as it wandered through Warwickshire.
Temple Row: the model shop on the corner of Cherry Street. How many hours could have been spent drooling over the contents of the shop and its window displays.
Corporation Street: The Midland Educational shop. what an awesome collection of books and stationery. The limit here was constrained by the shallow depth of my schoolboys pocket.
Stephenson Place: this lead to New Street - TRAINS! as did Colmore Row to Snow Hill for the same reason.
Lancaster Place: The Fire Station, where else would be of interest? Maybe the seed of my 30 year service as a firefighter was sown here.
The Bull Ring; (yes, I believe someone with a D- in history has merged the words into one), this is where a wonderful time could be spent observing the hustle and bustle of a large market, the traders, shoppers and the sheer excitement of it all. I know money was tight for many then but even so I doubt if it held the grim frustrations that so many people seem to experience in modern superstores.
The Hippodrome: apparently in Hurst Street and not really City Centre I suppose. I never knew that was its location as I was always taken to the place. It still had its Moorish Tower and buskers who set the seal on a great evenings entertainment. There were some good side street tailors close by where one of my uncles used to take me for suits.
Finally, The Town Hall. I have always felt it to be one of the finest buildings in the United Kingdom. I hope the City Fathers and citizens share that view. I went to many concerts, mainly by the City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra but I am sure many others here will have enjoyed other productions.
There are other places that I remember with fondness but are outside the thread title. Whilst I love canals and rivers the BCN and inner city canals were out of bounds to me, so I did miss the wonder of the inner city navigations, I had to make do with the rural Stratford Canal and the Grand Union as it wandered through Warwickshire.
Excellent photo Bernie. Thought maybe this must be looking towards the Council House, or is it ?Love the four little girls watching the photographer. On top of one of the buildings it says Osbornes (I think) Time Tables. Wonder if that is meant to be the mathematical tables. Viv.
