• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Granville Street Ladywood

Williamstreeter said:
Bee's Café with Bee the owner and Bert her employee she moved to Holloway Head and another café after Granville St , Mrs Neill kept the off licence she was in Stoke St originally those premises originally sold stuff to do with dressmaking etc . I remember the bookies I can't remember his name though I went in there a few times on errands , bloke who owned it although smart in appearance thinking back looked like a posh spiv I remember the battery place, they ended up leaving and Hunt bros Bobby and Ronnie swagmen for the fair bought it millions of bags of coconuts in the cellar I know I used to help them unload them and their bath was full of goldfish remember their two alsatians satan and devil Don't know what happened to the latter , but I used to take satan for a walk, dow the Hall of Memory and back. Good old days Eric
Click to expand...
 
Eric Gibson said:
I wonder if Angelique is still about, she was the daughter of my workmate Bill, only a baby last time I saw her, also worked with Bill's brother John and their mother who did the cleaning and car valeting at Watsons in Broad Street.
Click to expand...
I have replied on another quote, Angelique is no longer in the West Mids, she lives down south towards London. I am Karen, John's oldest daughter, Dad was a mechanic by trade, he worked at a few garages in his time and a well known car plant before moving to the Evening Mail as a mechanic for many many years then Fleet Controller. Kind regards Karen
 
I worked with your dad at Watsons and with Wally who was there when I started, I remember Doreen and I was about when they had Angelique, they had moved into a house in Nursery Road and were fixing it up.
I'm please to hear they're still about, I called in at the Mail workshops and met John there on one of my trips back to Brum but missed Wally he was on holiday I think, the last time I saw him he and Doreen came to visit my place in Clearwell but it was bank holiday and we were very busy so didn't have much time to spend with them.
 
Is the new building on the right of the top picture Granville House, former GPO offices now a Travel Lodge or similar
 
Wow, so it was an ornamental lights fittings factory, very illuminating!
Anyone know a name of the factory?
 
Penns said:
Thanks, any idea what was on that site before they built that eyesore
Click to expand...
I've done a little research following the street map posted by MWS. The ornamental light fittings factory was owned by F and C Osler in the 1800's. They were very much the creme de la creme of fancy glassmakers. They produced glass furniture as well as grandiose chandeliers (there's one on sale on the Mayfair Gallery website priced at £495,000.....stay away Delboy!) They also made a large pair of candelabra, ordered by Egypt’s ruler for the tomb of Prophet Mahomet in Mecca in 1847. In 1851 they were commissioned to make a 8.25 metre high crystal glass fountain for the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park.

In 1858, the company received another important order, but this time it wasn’t for a lighting fixture, but for tableware. F & C Osler provided tableware for the banquet held by Queen Victoria in the Great Dining Room of Aston Hall at the occasion of the mansion’s opening for the public. According to the company’s archives, the Queen was so highly impressed by the quality of glassware that she asked the company’s representative for permission to keep a champagne glass

In 1919 they acquired Faraday and Son Ltd (founded by Robert Faraday older brother of famous English scientist Michael Faraday so the company name changed to Ostler and Faraday Ltd. On the 9th April 1941 (same night The Prince of Wales Theatre on Broad St was destroyed) Screenshot 2023-01-20 191210.pngScreenshot 2023-01-20 195132.pngScreenshot 2023-01-20 205427.pngScreenshot 2023-01-20 210630.pngScreenshot 2023-01-20 211718.pngthere was a direct hit on the factory. Fortunately some of the machinery was salvageable, but it was 2 months before any production could take place and 6 months before it was fully re-established.

In 1960 along with William McGeoch & Co, an electrical accessories company, Osler & Faraday Ltd purchased the soon to be liquidated company, Veritys, who produced the well-known “Maxlume” industrial and commercial light fittings and used it as a subsidiary company. All stocks and work in progress was transferred to the Maxlume factory located in Aston, Birmingham. The venture failed and all existing trading ceased on 30 June 1965 after 158 years
 
Thank you, I thought Oslers but thought they were further down Broad Street. Oslers were also world famous for glass thrones. I belive Ive seen some Osler pieces in the Art Gallery & Museum.
 
I worked for Watsons at the place in the pictures with the Granville Street Garage signs, the signs and the rounded top doors weren't there at the time and I left in about 1958.
The battery company had it ventilation system output into the passage so it always smelled of warm acid.
A funny story from the time, the boss at the battery place told us he'd bought a new Renault Dauphine at a bargain price from a London dealer and popped it in to show it off, one of our mechanics said "I've seen that car before." "Can't have. I just collected it from London."" said the owner.
The mechanic pulled out a copy of Autocar magazine and sure enough the actual car in front of us was the one the trade press had been loaned to do their testing and write ups on.
 
ellbrown said:
Clarks Courtyard - 145 Granville Street - Victorian but don't know any details








Close to the Peace Garden.
Click to expand...
My dad ran the Church Army hostel in Granville Street back in the early/mid 70s. I was only young then but am pretty sure it was this building at 145 Granville Street. I can just about remember our flat and the courtyard with the hostel rooms above. My sister and I went to St Thomas’ school and I think Davenports brewery was still around then. We left Birmingham for a while but then moved back to Handsworth in 1977. It’s great to see the photos of Clark’s Courtyard and to know someone has looked/is looking after the building
 
PKingsley said:
My dad ran the Church Army hostel in Granville Street back in the early/mid 70s. I was only young then but am pretty sure it was this building at 145 Granville Street. I can just about remember our flat and the courtyard with the hostel rooms above. My sister and I went to St Thomas’ school and I think Davenports brewery was still around then. We left Birmingham for a while but then moved back to Handsworth in 1977. It’s great to see the photos of Clark’s Courtyard and to know someone has looked/is looking after the building
Click to expand...
From what I've been told about it it was pretty strict in the 60's , if boarders were not in by 11pm they didn't get in at all till the following day .
 
mikejee said:
Trude
1 back 43 Granville st is marked in red on this map from c1955
View attachment 127599
Click to expand...
Another gem of information I've been given is a certain gentleman known as a "lovable rogue " family lived at No 2 just prior to 43 . He was reputed to have ripped Ronnie Kray off with some money , he had his come uppance and survived . sad thing was he died in an Erdington nursing home a few years ago .
 
Penns said:
Thank you, I thought Oslers but thought they were further down Broad Street. Oslers were also world famous for glass thrones. I belive Ive seen some Osler pieces in the Art Gallery & Museum.
Click to expand...
Hi Penns. Been doing some research on Osler - there is a Directory saying that in 1854 Osler's factory was at 164-165 Broad Street, which is around where the 'The Exchange' (opposite new library) is today. Kelly's Directory of 1892 says that the factory has moved further out to 230 Broad Street which is on the corner of Granville Street. But I've also found that they opened a 'Glass House' in 1849 in Freeth Street: https://www.sellingantiques.co.uk/3...-hand-cut-crystal-wall-sconces-early-19th-ct/ . But there is very little reference to the Freeth Street branch. However, Freeth Street is very close to Osler Street / School and Clark Street (Thomas Clark was his brother and firm partner), so that makes some sense.
 
Roy Twing said:
I worked at Donovans at Northcote Rd (not Albert Rd) as an apprentice between 1971-74, - I'm pretty sure they were taken over by Thorn EMI & moved to Bedford at that time (74), as I chose redundancy rather than relocate as a teenager.
Click to expand...
I'm also pretty sure they were taken over by Thorn EMI. I worked at Donovans in Northcote Road between 1966-72. Happy days
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top