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Footage of 1940s Birmingham .....

Thanks for that, ragga. Fascinating stuff!

Unfortunately the soundtrack didn't work for me, even though it sounded as though there was something there in the background. The blurb says 1946 but it all looked a bit more like the very late 1930s to me. Perhaps I'm wrong. The period might be clear to a member who is expert in the length of ladies' skirts or the identity of bus types - or is eagle-eyed enough to spot a building in the footage which wasn't there after 1940/41.

Chris
 
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A very interesting footage. I believe the film was not shot all at the same time and is edited. This might account for placing a 'date' on it.

Some of the bus footage was certainly in the mid to late 1940's : wartime built buses went early in the 1950's. The empty streets certainly suggest the war period or mid '40's. The ladies of the Forum may well date the clothes quite accurately: I remember the new 'new look' (1947) coming in vogue. My step mother wore those clothes at the time.

I liked the rural scenes towards the film end: it was a mixture of Warwickshire vies and certainly not Birmingham. Anyway it was most enjoyable to watch.
 
If that was 1946 where were all the trams ? ! was 16 at that time working at Hercules Cycles Aston Cross and living with Nan at Queens Road, and was 'up town' every week on the 3x tram to the Gaumont, Odeon,,West End etc... so where are the trams, I think that film was a few years later when the trams had been replaced by buses. Eric My mistake checked the film again and spotted trams in Corperation St opposite Lewis's
 
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