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Hagley Road

Elizabeth Crawford's blog Woman and Her Sphere says that Edgbaston Assembly Rooms were used by the Women's Social and Political Union for suffrage meetings:
'By the end of October 1908 Gladice Keevil had opened a WSPU office in Birmingham at 14 Ethel Street, which was to act as the headquarters for the Midlands. Evening At Homes were held there at 7.30 on Tuesdays, presumably attracting women who were working during the day, while afternoon

Edgbaston Assembly Rooms
Edgbaston Assembly Rooms
meetings were held for the leisured at the Edgbaston Assembly Rooms. Working closely with Gladice Keevil at this time was Bertha Ryland, the daughter of Mrs Alice Ryland, of 19 Hermitage Road...'
 
The building would have played an important part in meetings and discussions about the Suffragette movement. I expect the authorities kept a close eye on it.

Gladice went on to be arrested along with Emmeline Pankhurst and Bertha slashed a painting in protest - presumably at Bham gallery as the plaque below is placed in the Round Room at the gallery.

Stokkie, shall copy your post to the Suffragette thread too. Viv.
 

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According to Martin Hampson's book "Images of England: Edgbaston", (3 photos - 1 of outside, 2 of interior - pp124/125), it was indeed on corner of Francis Road and Hagley Road. Opened in 1884. Says from 1937 they were used for the Warwickshire Masonic Temple too. It says the building was demolished in the late 1960s as a result of the Five Ways road / building redevelopment.
 
Comments about Windsor Terrace, have been moved to a dedicated thread. Link below. The entry to these Grade 2 listed houses in this terrace was alongside the Hagley Road buildings in post #63.

 
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OMG, walked many times up and down Hagley Road, in 50's and 60's, it certainly has changed, and not for the better in my opinion, I seem to remember it as a very middle class area!!!!
I really did not know it well, but that is exactly the way I remember it. Very middle class!
 
Kings Head, Hagley Road. The clock which once stood in front of the Kings Head, has in recent years been returned to the Hagley Road area (having served time in High Street Birmingham for a while - 1979 - 2015). But it is now returned across the road from the Kings Head - just behind the photographers position in the B&W photo - on Adkins Lane.

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I worked for Gibbs News Agents opposite the Kings Head in the 70’s when I was 14 and in the kiosk by the gents wc’s where the bus terminus was on the opposite side of the Bearwood Road. In the 6th form from 74-76 at Lordswood GTS we used the Continental Bar at the Kings Head as the unofficial 6th form common room.
 
An animated scheme outside the Assembly Rooms. Maybe the boy is selling baked products from the basket or perhaps helping with deliveries to the Assembly Rooms.

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My dad worked there n the fifties as week end doorman porter, met the famous Australian, Tennis star Rod Laver? he gave him some of his unused white tennis tops, which I wore for a few years. Any one remember the "Ivy Bush Pub"?
 
My dad worked there n the fifties as week end doorman porter, met the famous Australian, Tennis star Rod Laver? he gave him some of his unused white tennis tops, which I wore for a few years. Any one remember the "Ivy Bush Pub"?
The Ivy Bush joined the long list of Birmingham closed pubs this last August. It was a landmark in travelling to Ladywood down the Hagley Road. I guess Laver played at Edgbaston Tennis club near the Botanical Gardens. Drank at the Ivy Bush only a few times. In the mid 1990s there was a micro brewery where you could brew a small barrel. But this venture folded after a few years. Beer and curry was the last venture. Derek
 
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