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Courtyards and yards of brum

oldMohawk said:
Two aerial views dated 1935 and not looking so grim on a sunny day. Count the houses back from the bend (ref the map) and possibly identify Court 2 Number 60.
View attachment 167277 View attachment 167278

Another lower res view dated 1921 shows the street and how densely packed the housing was in the area. The arrow points from Ryland Street.
View attachment 167279
images source 'britainfromabove' website
Click to expand...
Just spotted these pics. Fabulous, really gives me an idea of how the buildings were situated. And gives a sense of the character of the area.
 
I must say, the pictures are well done, and the last shows the terrible crowding, in those days of the back to backs had deprivation of course. I remember the other side of the coin though, from the late 50's early 60's , where the community's were moved , and women and men crying at the loss of their very close knit communities, which were never found again. !!
 
I was born in a back-to-back in Deritend, 12 back of 56 Skinner Lane and baptised in St Martin's in the Bullring. When I was still quite young we moved to a house in Selly Oak which was terraced and had an outside toilet next to the coal shed, but it seemed like a palace compared to the place we left and the homes where my aunts, uncles and cousins were still living in the city centre. I think the biggest difference was that in Selly Oak we actually had a garden and nearby there were parks and green spaces where I could play.

For many years I worked with my father in the Evans and Kitchen garage in Hurst Street, so I have many memories of that whole area. For most of my adult life I've lived in France, mainly teaching. Some years ago a colleague organised a trip to England for our pupils with a visit to Birmingham as part of their study of the Industrial Revolution. She asked me to accompany the group including a tour of the National Trust back-to-backs on the corner of Hurst St and Inge St. I must admit I was very apprehensive as I didn't know how I would react. It was a quite overwhelming and moving experience which brought back so many vivid impressions of my childhood, adolescence and early adult life lived in that area. Above all it confirmed my deep and abiding love for my family and for those communities, now gone, who faced the daily challenges of a life lived in such a physically grim environment, with a simple dignity and resilience.
 
To Mikejee
Thousand thanks to you sir. Have been researching my Griffin family from Aston for 40 years.
My great grandfather was born in a court off Long Acre and was living in 1881 with his wife and
family in No 2 10 Court off Vicarage Road. Thats all I knew about where he lived and blow me down if I didnt
find this brilliant site and unbelieveably found this map of yours with 10 Court marked. Brilliant. Thank you.
Just off now to see if I can find a map showing the courts off Long acre
Stuart
 
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