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Corporation Street - City Centre

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Ian FOFB

Ian FOFB

Brummie yes ! Novice no !
The 'then' pictures are taken from old postcards, the 'now' pictures taken from Google Streetview.
The older of the pictures are thought to date from the 1940's and 1960's.

Ian.
 
This is Corporation Street crossing with High Street in 1890 and was originally built between 1878 and 1882 after the clearance of the slums
 
Carolina, this is an interesting shot of Stephenson Place. It has the look of a 'square' which has long gone. The buildings to the right are now, I think, the ramp up to New Street Station. I don't remember there being a statue there. Anyone know who that was? Viv.
 
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?
 
paul stacey said:
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?
Click to expand...

I had the same discussion with friends who are camera experts on a film enthusiasts site I provide a lot of the poster links for. Its very much the difference between colour and black and white shots (which i always prefer except regarding "colourful" items such as animals in their natural habitat, flowers, weather contrasts etc). Colour isn't as sharp enough to distinguish between shades and therefore colour blends in more making distances much more compact.
 
Thanks for the photo's Ian. I don't suppose you have one of the building on the corner of Fore Street and Corporation street?. Thanks. Jean.
 
glad it was'nt just me richie but I had noticed on others, although I have been away from brum for some 50yrs now, I do remember walking down broad street and it definatly was broad and very long to a 10yr old.
 
There may well be other reasons that make streets look more compressed or crowded now than in the past. Early photos may have been taken with shorter focal length lenses that would have had a wider field of vision, probably deliberatley used to give a greater aspect to the view.

Modern cameras usually have zoom lenses and often the photographer will use the zoom facility to compose the picture rather than step back zooming causes image compression or foreshoertening. Im not disputing your colour theory simple adding another explanation.
 
Re: Stephenson Place
Sorry this post is a bit late, but I remember the railed area in Stephenson Place being underground toilets in the 50's & 60's (quite smelly as well) I dont remember any statue
 
I had missed this thread, here are a few more photos of Corporation St through the years.

Phil

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Good photos Phil. I'm struggling to place photo 3. Does anyone know what replaced these buildings (assuming they're no longer there)? Viv.
 
Viv

Its the junction of Bull St & Corporation St, and you are looking across to where Rackhams would be built some few years later.

Phil
 
Viv

A few more photos of Corporation St concentrating on the same junction.

Phil

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Oh yes now I have it! I certainly recognise photos # 1 & 2. # 3 is an interesting view, again almost unrecognisable except for Lewis's in the distance. Now # 4 is very, very familiar - 3 shoe shops in a row! Lovely. Thank you. Viv.

Oops, sorry wishful thinking. ..... only 2 shoe shops now I've my specs on!
 
I found this thread very difficult to replace the images that were lost. The problem being that I don't describe them very well in the actual post and I have so many of the subject at hand. In future I will remedy that, but for now I have had to go with those that I think suit the thread best.

Phil
 
The fourth one on post 12 might well have had me in it. Must be early 50s and the tram lines out of Martieau St. had not been removed yet but the trams had gone by then of course. I crossed there every week day in both directions between Martineau and Cherry St....past the Dolcis at that time. Gosh...it's 61 years ago. Back then the 1st WW. seemed to be an age away and the pictures of mechanisms of war seemed to be laughably ancient...it was a scant 30 years before then. The mind experiences a foreshortening of time...if thats the right word...when looking back at these things. The streets were far more people friendly I think. At a more human level with the shop fronts and doorways and awnings.
 
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