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crocodile works

T

Terry Court

proper brummie kid
Anybody got any info on the crocodile works newtown iv'e noticed it's slowly being demolished Ralph Martindale's name is on the outside of the building.
Also the fine old factory building by the traffic lights near to summer la near to the police station what was it used for?
 
hi terry...i think the building you are talking about is c brandauers.....type it in the search box and follow the links...there are many pics taken of the inside of the building...my parents live opposite so i get so see it often and i do wish something would be done soon before it falls down.....

astoness
 
Bradeurs and The Crocodile Works, Martindales are surely two different places? Martindales made hand tools, Brandeurs made pen knibs.
 
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just as a matter of interest? did Martindales do the little aluminium dust masks I used to where ?and is that where they were made? I used to pass by the corner regular and always wondered ? thanks
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quite right rod they are..but in terrys second part of his post he was asking about the fine old building on the corner of summer lane traffic lights...i think i was right in informing him that this would be c.brandeurs...pen nibs....

astoness
 
Sorry, I cant see all the posts Im using my old phone to look in tonight. The signal is rubbish here today, so the display isnt so good.

The Brandeur building is superb isnt it. Theres been so much destruction in the area.

Otherhalf, remember you had to warm the mouthpads up on those masks, they would then swell up a bit.

Somwhere on this forum Astoness is a series of postings all about Brandeurs, which might help. Some great pictures taken by some guy who was able to access the old buildings, its sad to see the place now.
 
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rod...i pass it a lot as mom and dad live opposite..unless you actually stand and admire it for a few mins especially from the back it cant be appreciated properly...i know for a fact it is now in a very dangerous state inside and i do hope some work will be done on it soon....


 
Otherhalf, remember you had to warm the mouthpads up on those masks, they would then swell up a bit.
LOL not alf Rod and although they were good to stop light dust I always used em and they left marks round me face.. and I always ended up tying the elastic up should have took pictures LOL
 
yes rod ive seen the pics the two guys took of the inside of the building...i think they were taken at least 4 years ago and i was so impressed with them i put them all on a disc...must have been at least 40 shots...

lyn
 
Thank goodness I have my net connect back lol.

The Martindales masks were uncomfortable, I used to get lots of fluff in my mouth when I was machining, vile. Our gaffer at Cago Plastics Burlington Street would not invest in ducting so we breathed in all manner of dust and rubbish.

Whats going to happen to Brandeurs ?
 
rod the last i heard they were gutting out the inside and turning them into apartments...yes more appartments...actually i will be visiting mom in the morning..think i will take my camera and get some piccies...i noticed the other day that a complete window is out on the new john st west side...now dont be thinking i will be climbing through it...lol..i will just aim me camera and hope for the best....will try and get some round the back...o well if i get arrested they wont have to drag me far as bridge st police station is near....

lyn
 
Hi, I know this thread is old now but i only just joined today and oddly, the reason I joined is that I was looking for info on Crocodile works!
The entire site is being developed my Midland Heart and Birmingham City Council as a £1m pound regeneration project, providing affordable homes of mixed tenure. There will be 168 new homes in total comprising 44 general needs housing, 68 rent to home buy, 41 intermediate rent and 15 for outright sale which will help toward funding the project. The Homes and Communities Agency and Urban Living – the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder for Birmingham and Sandwell has invested £11.9m in this project. Hope this helps.
 
G G Jean said:
Pete said it used to be called Leopold Lazarus and was an anodising compny. Jean.
Click to expand...

Not sure about the entire site Jean, but I know that Crocodile Works was once home to the Wolsely Sheep Shearing Machine Comany and later known as Wolseley Tool & Motor Co.

Suzanne
 
There's was nothing remaining but the building brick front on Alma St. the last time I looked and little left on Porchester. Down below the Brook still runs through though. Here is a couple of pictures that have been on here before but can't find them now right away. The sketch is of the immediate Porchester St. from the top of the furnace slag heap before Alma was there...at least that is my interpretation. Hockley Brook was open to the left then and what may have been a flood plain with no buildings leading off into the distance. Porchester runs up past the factory...Aston Furnace location... on the other side of the slag heap and in between the two...about 1830 ish.
 
Ralph Martindale are relocated in a nice new factory in Wednesfield and doing all right. My company still gets the occasiona order from them (felt for polishing machete blades).

I went for an interview at Leopold Lazarus, as lab technician. I took one look at the place and the chemicals they used and politely declined the job offer...anodising was a dangerous process in the bad old days.

Big Gee
 
for those interested in seeing more pics type in final plans for the crocodile works in the search box and go to that thread..

lyn
 
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