dolman st stores photos taken by mark tooze

[Mark Tooze]

We are going to the Museums Collection Centre Open Day tomorrow and will try to get photos of some of the things that did not get into ThinkTank

 

[Mark Tooze]

A superb day at the Collections Centre yesterday - a big thanks to all of the wonderful staff on duty, many of whom I guess must be worried about their own futures due to the city's current financial mess. I really cannot recommend a visit to the collections center highly enough!
A few photos of some more unusual items on display - all taken in dim light as you could not use flash:-

Bacon Slicer


Fish and Chip Fryer


One Hell of a Mangle....


Hand Operated Tricycle for disabled ex-servicemen, 1921


Fire Engine Model


Decorators Cart

 

[Mark Tooze]

And some more:-

Rocking Horse and Dolls House



Model Steam Engine


Telephone Exchange


Frequency Meter


Candle Lantern

 

[Mark Tooze]

And some more:-


Latimer St street sign


Clocking In Machine


Stuffed Birds


Old Cash Registers


Early Projection Television


Penny Operated Automated Music Box

 

[Mark Tooze]

And some more:-


Magic Lantern


Chopper Bike


Kidney Dialysis Machine


School Bench


Washing Machine


Dentists Chair

 

[Mark Tooze]

Last lot for tonight:-


Steam Car Water Supply Box


Grandfather Clock Face





Ancient Egyptian Artifacts

 

[Mark Tooze]

Lets add a few more - these are small stuffed animals photographed through the grilles on the cabinets in the small items room:-

 

[Mark Tooze]

Matchbox Cars - how many of these did I go through as a kid?


Stuffed reptile (sorry do not know which one!)


Wurlitzer Juke Box


John The Baptist's head


Camera Exposure Meter

 

[Mark Tooze]

Into the Vehicle Hall now:-

Burrell Traction Engine


Concept model for proposed pre-war Broad Street development





Wonderful Old Cars - one even has a built in brolly and holder in lieu of a roof........

 

[Mark Tooze]

Some close up detail of various items in the vehicle hall:-


Salters Weighing Machine



Detail from Dustbin Cart


Motorbike Tax Disc - expired in 1928......




Detail on Dennis Fire Engine

 

[Mark Tooze]

Next the Cutaway Workshop model that used to be in the old Science Museum.



To get photos of the interiors required 1/2 second hand-held time exposures as light was so dim, but it was worth it as the detail is superb:-

 

[Mark Tooze]

A selection of old music boxes and barrel organs - the Wurlitzers of those days:-

 

[Tinpot]

Lets add a few more - these are small stuffed animals photographed through the grilles on the cabinets in the small items room:-
View attachment 184504
View attachment 184505
View attachment 184506
View attachment 184507
View attachment 184508

Stuffed animals ,birds and Egyptian mummies are my abiding memory of first visits to The Birmingham Museum as a child in the 1950’s. Not to everyone’s taste now. Even my own. But then the large collection on display was a marvel to me. I didn’t need flashing lights and over explanation. I just needed to look and enjoy finding my own way round the exhibits.

 

[Mark Tooze]

Some assorted items next:-


Sunbeam Bicycle


Cast Iron Bath


Zebu Skeleton


Cadburys Chocolate Wrappers 1980s


Fire Pump


This is a night watchman's clock. According to my wife's uncle, factories had these so that the night watchman had to turn his key at each one to prove he was doing his rounds at the correct time!!

 

[Mark Tooze]

Some more assorted items:-


Button Making Machine


Baked Potato Sellers Handcart


Bottle Cap Fitting Machine


Portable Fire Pump


Writing Desk


Flypress - this was a 2-man job used to shape metal shovels - hence the size!

 

[Mark Tooze]

And a few more:-


Ornamental Turning Lathe - this machine is a piece of art on its own!


Liquid Nitrogen Machine


Royal Coat Of Arms - Queen Victoria era


Lawnmower


Milk Bottle Filling Machine



And - for the person who thought they had every kitchen gadget known to mankind - a machine that not only slices your bread but butters it as well!!!

 

[Mark Tooze]

More from the small stuffed animals section:-







Dog Skull



This is not a stuffed animal but an automaton on a music box:-


Incidentally, opposite the above items were cabinets containing ceramic dolls of all sizes and descriptions. Some of them would have frightened the hell out of Lucifer himself!

 

[Mark Tooze]

There were lots of models on display - here are a few of the best:-






SS Merchant Prince





This was I believe used as part of a matte shot in the film "Khartoum" - please correct me I am wrong!

 

[rosie]

Thank you for posting these amazing photos!! Some wonderul memories.
rosie.

 

[Mark Tooze]

Lyn and other moderators; a suggestion - if (council budget cuts permitting....) they do another open day the history forum ought to try to arrange some kind of display there - there is an open area where the food trucks are where we could put up a gazebo (or two) - great place to publicise the forum (it is on Heritage Day usually) - ideal for the next meet up too!! Plenty of room and admission is free! Aston Manor Transport Museum had a stall a few years ago.

 

[Pedrocut]

Last lot for tonight:-

View attachment 184497
Steam Car Water Supply Box

View attachment 184498
Grandfather Clock Face

View attachment 184499
View attachment 184500
View attachment 184501
View attachment 184502
Ancient Egyptian Artifacts

Good idea to take a picture, they may be returned to Egypt.

 

[Mark Tooze]

A few more photos: -



This is a pantograph-type engraving machine


Fairground Carousel Horse


Wind Tunnel Model




And some Edison Phonographs and Discs, including a photo of the great man himself!

 

[Mark Tooze]

A few more:-



Tin Plate Bike with original box


Matchbox "Models of Yesteryear"



Matchbox Fire Engine complete with box and original thrupenny catalogue



And two beautiful clocks

 

[Mark Tooze]

Some of the motorcycles on display:-



A Harley Davidson with sidecar - bet this is worth a few bob.........


Same for this Scott with sidecar dating from 1912


Detail on BSA Motorbike


Two "non-vintage" motorbikes!


And finally - an Aerial Pixie - a Brummie bike from 1965

 

[Mark Tooze]

Some bicycles:-


Penny Farthing


A "bone shaker"



This bicycle has solid iron wheels, a saddle ready to lacerate you and iron spikes sticking out either side to convince you not to fall off....



A tricycle with a rear passenger seat!


Railway Plate Layers Cycle


And to finish - a Gresham Flyer Tricycle

 

[Mark Tooze]

Finally some vintage IT equipment, similar items to which I used when I started in I.T. 43 years ago:-

Card Punch Machine



Magentic Tape Decks


Magnetic multi-sided disc drive


Teletype Console

And finally - not an IT device but a 1950's BBC wire tape recorder - this type of device was adapted to form one of the first video recording devices VERA, in 1954:-

 

[Mark Tooze]

One last photo - this is the sign from the Golden Eagle pub in Hill Street which is currently undergoing restoration:-

 

[Mark Tooze]

And some more:-

View attachment 184484
Latimer St street sign

View attachment 184485
Clocking In Machine

View attachment 184486
Stuffed Birds

View attachment 184487
Old Cash Registers

View attachment 184488
Early Projection Television

View attachment 184489
Penny Operated Automated Music Box

Here is a photo from Getty Images of a similar clocking in machine to that in picture #2 in use at the BSA Small Heath in 1917:-

 

[Astoness]

hi mark so sorry ive only just caught this thread...think i was away when you started posting the recent photos which are fantastic..i did not realise just how many items are held there...love the fish and chip art deco fryer although a bit large for my kitchen many thanks

lyn

 

[Richard Dye]

Here is a photo from Getty Images of a similar clocking in machine to that in picture #2 in use at the BSA Small Heath in 1917:-
View attachment 184895

The equipment at Brooke Tool in the older section looked like that in 1962 with not as many ladies. I am sure many other places as well.