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Digbeth Police Station 113 Digbeth

A

Astonian

gone but not forgotten
THE BUILDING OF DIGBETH POLICE STATION DIGBETH
THIS BUILDING WAS ERRECTED TO THE DEZIGN AND UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE BIRMINGHAM CITY ENGINEER AND SURVEYOR,
AND OCCUPIES A PROMMINENT POSTION AT THE CORNER OF DIGBETH AND ALLINSON STRET,
THE FRONTAGE TO DIGBETH IS FACED WITH PORTLAND STONE DRESSING AND THAT TO ALLINSON STREET WITH RUABON FACING BRICKS,
HAVING PORTLAND STONE DRESSING,
THE BUILDING WAS ERRECTED BY T. ELVINS and SONS BIRMINGHAM . THE FOUNDATION STONE WAS LAID BY MR COUNCILLOR A.D. BROOKS,
CHAIRMAN OF THE WATCH COMMITTEE ON 29 MAY 1911.
IT WAS THEN UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF BIRMINGHAM CITY POLICE ; A ; DIVISION AND IN THE 1939/44 WAR PERIOD DIVISIONAL
ORDERS WERE ISSUED BY CHIEF SUPERINTENDANT BEAMON HARRISON,.
BEST WISHES ASTONIAN;; ALAN;;
 
I had posted this pic of Digbeth Police Station in the 'Clocks' thread but it has gone. I was looking at the clock and admiring the fine building work by T.Elvins & Sons when I noticed a little lad sitting all alone on the street corner kerb. I bet his mom didn't know that he would be caught in one of the old street pics !
Digpolice.jpg
From Shoothill collection.
 
Today's view (well Jun 2024 streetview). Hard to get a view without lamposts, traffic lights or vehicles.
1758803761386.png
 
Before the police station, the site was occupied by a public house and cottages, beneath which were seven wells, at some point converted into sewers. Anyone know which pub was on the site ?

Screenshot_20260104_185850_Chrome.jpg
Source: British Newspaper Archive
 
Thanks Lyn. #109 is on the corner of Meriden Street (marked PH), so that must be the Castle and Falcon, which likely rules it out as being the former pub on the police station site.
 
Vivienne14 said:
Thanks Lyn. #109 is on the corner of Meriden Street (marked PH), so that must be the Castle and Falcon, which likely rules it out as being the former pub on the police station site.
Click to expand...
yes i had a feeling it was not the castle and falcon viv..i did know the name of it but it escapes me at the min..if no one has found out the name i will dig out my notes tomorrow as im sure i wrote it down years ago

lyn
 
And of course the Police Station being a large site covers not just #113, it must cover numbers up to about #117 (or thereabouts, not sure ?). So the pub might not have been at #113, (could have been #112, #114, #115, #116, or possibly #117 ? Guesswork as can't be sure of the numbering)
 
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A few snippets from newspapers:

1801 James Maund & Co 119 Digbeth, Birmingham general commission warehouse
1870 Mr Kendalls 119 Digbeth, Birmingham
1889 The Rose Inn - W T Green honorary secretary of Balsall Heath Alma football club

1865 Joseph Duggan, 115 Digbeth licensed beerseller, report of his wife (Caroline) killed by lightening which struck the premises, slight damage to the building
1865 Francis Powers (labourer) accused of assault was living at the Beehive beerhouse, Digbeth
1876 William Nicholls (labourer) lived at the Beehive Inn, Digbeth Birmingham
1872 Ann Carver Bee Hive, Digbeth fined for keeping her house open and trading during Sunday Divine Service
1882 William Bryan (fruiterer) was about to move to the Beehive Tavern

Screenshot_20260105_080845_Maps.jpg
 
I have created a separate thread about the Castle and Falcon at #109 Digbeth using old contributions in other threads - see link below. No longer a pub, but the building still exists at the corner of Meriden Street and Digbeth
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/threads/castle-and-falcon-inn-109-digbeth.62239.

And a new thread for the Rose Inn, 119 Digbeth, here :
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/threads/the-rose-inn-119-digbeth.62241

And a new thread about the Beehive Tavern, 115 Digbeth here:
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/threads/beehive-tavern-digbeth.62243
 
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