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Colmore Row

  • Thread starter Thread starter Wendy
  • Start date Start date
Actually Colmore Row and the Cathedral grounds is a very green area.
 
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How peaceful is that scene, and how relaxed and at ease everyone seems to be.
The Cathedral grounds in 1960.
 
This 1896 Francis Firth photo of Colmore Row is one I've seen before. But what I hadn't realised was that it shows Christ Church on the right. Not a view of Christ Church that you normally see. You can see how very plain the Church architecture was, especially compared with the more elaborate victorian Council House. And it gives a good view of the georgian houses along Waterloo Street behind Christ Church which, surprisingly, I think, are still there. Viv

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Hi Viv, what wonderful photo, of an iconic place, "and time", in Birmingham's history, I am puzzled though, wether it is a snowy scene, or in bright summer sunshine. !!?
paul
 
Hi Paul. Well spotted, it's hard to tell isn't it? Looking at the road, it seems to have track marks and the trees don't have any leaves, so maybe it was a sunny winter's day. The track marks could be dirt I suppose, but I would have thought the road was made up by 1886, especially as it's a roadway leading to the Council House. Must be snow. Viv.
 
Thanks Guilbert. Am I right in thinking that nothing has been built on the site of Christ Church? Is it effectively open ground still, well I mean landscaped ? Seems a pity to have taken it down in the first place. Looking at this one and the earlier Francis Firth photo makes me think the 'snow' might have been a trick of the lens. Viv.
 
This is, I think, about 1930s/40s? A nice view down Colmore Row which includes not one, but TWO motorbikes with sidecars. Viv.ImageUploadedByTapatalk1369665752.302449.jpg
 
Thanks for that Paul. I wasn't too sure. And it's good to see the old Bluecoat School in the photo too. Viv.
 
Found another of the Bluecoat School, dated 1909. The footpath outside the school on Colmore Row looks much narrower than I remember. Wonder if when the school was demolished they built the replacement building (I remember it as the Halifax) a little further back. Lots of railings around the churchyard which seem to border each of the churchyard walkways. Viv.

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The darkest building on the left is the corner of Newhall Street. Much of that on the left moving towards the photographer has been swept away.

Surprised at how much building work is now going on at this end of Colmore Row. Viv.
 

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A few more Colmore Row, about the turn of the century / Edwardian.

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This one is labelled c1909 but is it later ?

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Certainly few motor vehicles in the first three pictures and shows the hansom cabs positioned where buses would be some years later. The final pic is later, bus shelters in place (no buses however) and looks rather like the early 1930's.
 
This drawing (sorry no date, but around when Ann Street disappeared ?) must have been made from about the Bennett's Hill junction. Viv.

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Carolina, That side of the street seems to have escaped development, whilst the other side has few early buildings. There's a modern building next to the Council House which has been fairly sympathetically (mentioned on another thread) so hope the new developments on that side of the road follow suit. Viv.
 
I notice the very top end of Colmore Row near Victoria Square is now named Waterloo Street on Streetview. Has this section in modern times, (i'e. outside the Council House), been re-named ? I thought Colmore Row reached right up to Victoria Square. Viv.
 
Vivienne14 said:
I notice the very top end of Colmore Row near Victoria Square is now named Waterloo Street on Streetview. Has this section in modern times, (i'e. outside the Council House), been re-named ? I thought Colmore Row reached right up to Victoria Square. Viv.
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Waterloo St comes off at right angles opposite the passage way alongside The Council House and turns 90 degrees down to the Churchyard - Didn't notice any street signage changes when up there last week
 
Ok Brian, didn't realise that little section from Eden Place before it takes a sharp turn was part of Waterloo Street. Always thought it was Colmore Row. Thanks. Viv.
 

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I was going to say that "I didn't think there is any way that that short length is Waterloo st. Victoria Square goes right up to the end of Waterloo St, and the short length to eden place is Colmore Row. Google is not always very good with street naming "
howeve rif you go to https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.4...4!1syoxtUnHukdNyEuS4BJ6Clg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 , then you will see that there is a sign saying Victoria Square on the wall at the edge of th ebuilding by Eden Place, so it must be Victoria Square up to there
 
And the Council House address is Victoria Square.

Another view looking alongside St Phillip's churchyard. Not sure of the date but maybe 1930s/40s ? A lot of railings still in place, but I've seen another image of the railings being removed about WW2. And the bollards are still there, presumably, these were also metal. Viv.


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The more I look at the old pictures the more I believe the old Birmingham was more interesting and comfortable to walk around. I know that todays volume of traffic would never fit onto the old roads but I really do feel that we have ruined, or allowed others to ruin our great city.
 
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