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High Street Erdington

A problem is that High Street Erdington would not appear in the Birmingham Kelly’s until it became part of Birmingham in around 1910.

It seems most likely that it was behind the premises in High Street and accessed by a passageway, and just a few cottages. Although it may have been to insufficient to name on the OS 1880’s map the structures should be drawn.
 
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Astoness said:
according to the 1901 census george henry machin lived at no 165 high st erdington..occupation registrar of births marriages and deaths
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That's now 'Joe Richards' so a few doors down from Woolworths/B&M.
 

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Pedrocut said:
A problem is that High Street Erdington would not appear in the Birmingham Kelly’s until it became part of Birmingham in around 1910.

It seems most likely that it was behind the premises in High Street and accessed by a passageway, and just a few cottages. Although it may have been to insufficient to name on the OS 1880’s map the structures should be drawn.
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Yes I think it was probably along a passageway too Pedro. Could the entrance to ER have been adjacent to High Street and leading to the rear of High Street ? Hence why 'High Street' was added to Easy Row in its address.
 
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An aside, which could be pure coincidence and unrelated, but Benjamin Stone met up with the Rev Swindell in 1906. Not entirely sure, but its possble Stone and Swindell were tied up in discussions about some very old deeds. Transcript of the diary is below. Source: Library of Birmingham images.

Again, even if not connected, it's another snippet of Erdington history.
 

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Vivienne14 said:
An aside, which could be pure coincidence and unrelated, but Benjamin Stone met up with the Rev Swindell in 1906. Not entirely sure, but its possble Stone and Swindell were tied up in discussions about some very old deeds. Transcript of the diary is below. Source: Library of Birmingham images.

Again, even if not connected, it's another snippet of Erdington history.
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rev swindell rings a bell viv ...could be something to do with the postal workers plaque but thats another story :D
 
Using the maps posted by Pedro, Janice and Lyn, could this be Easy Row (red dots ?) This is effectively beneath the later Woolworths site. Is the blue dot the cottage ? Benjamin Stones' view shows structures to the left and right, with the cottage in the centre, so in theory it fits. Just an idea.
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I saw regarding little alley and was going to investigate more later today.
The only concern is Lyn saying she had seen a reference to 17 Easy Row. Is that alley long enough?
 
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Post 379 said 17 Easy Row Erdington so I have just checked.
Seeing the article I think the 17 is the age of the man not a house number but not clear.
1891 census lists
George Machin at Lindens. Then 2 back houses followed by a "hucksters shop".
Then 1 to 21 Easy Row. A butchers shop. Then a list of other High Street shops'.
All on High Street.
Will post in a bit when I put laptop on.
 
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For info. Machin was Surveyor of Highways, so it would explain why he was I'm possession of the tollgate board which he passed on Canon Swindell (re post #386). He must have owned the Easy Row house/soup kitchen.

Yet again, just mulling over the possibility of any connection he might have had to the Easy Row cottage
 

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pjmburns said:
Post 379 said 17 Easy Row Erdington so I have just checked.
Seeing the article I think the 17 is the age of the man not a house number but not clear.
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Yes agree, the article tells us about a labourer, James Taylor, age 17 who had his rabbits stolen (article of 26/7/1894). Still good to get to know a little about who lived in ER.
 
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mikejee said:
The 1881 census goes down Sutton Road to the Roebuck, then there is easy row. I presume it changes sides of the road.The itinerary on front page is not much help.
However the 1891 census goes down High St as below

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could someone check the census please to see how many properties there was on easy row..thanks

lyn
 
For ref and might help with look-ups, a few inhabitants of Easy Row, Erdington over time. Pity there aren't premises numbers:
August 1876 Mrs James of Easy Row Erdington involved in an accident
August 1878 Reference to a Mary Girdlestone, shopkeeper of Easy Row Erdington
September 1893 neighbours at loggerheads: Bridget Parkes and Peter Conlon, both of ER Erd. And a similar case bought by Julie Bampton of ER Erd against someone in Sheep Street Erd
January - July 1898 E Cartwright ER High Street Erd buys and sells wardrobes and general items
 
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Wow, a lot of property on Easy Row. We can safely say then that James Taylor wasn't 17 y/o !

Looking at maps it makes me wonder if the claimed Woolworths site is correct.
 
Looking at the 1891 census highlighted by Janice my interpretation would be that the census chap left High Street (No41) and accessed Easy Row via the passageway opposite the National School (Viv). Easy Row may refer to 21 separated dwellings behind the shops along the High Street from around the Acorn Inn to past the now Barnabas Road which did not exist at the time ?
 
Pedrocut said:
Looking at the 1891 census highlighted by in tge name interpretation would be that the census chap left High Street (No41) and accessed Easy Row via the passageway opposite the National School (Viv). Easy Row may refer to 21 separated dwellings behind the shops along the High Street from around the Acorn Inn to past the now Barnabas Road which did not exist at the time ?
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Just to check, I'm understanding this Pedro. Does that mean ER might have run along the length here then (blue dots), with more randomly spread buildings ? Must say, the buildings behind the High Street along that stretch were a bit higgledy piggledy. Not what you'd expect of a formal row of buildings. But if these were mostly 'ancient' buildings (i.e. early Erdington ones) I can see that would make sense.

Perhaps there's a clue in the name too "Easy Row" ? No idea what though !

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Vivienne14 said:
Just to check, I'm understanding this Pedro. Does that mean ER might have run along the length here then (blue dots), with more randomly spread buildings ? Must say, the buildings behind the High Street along that stretch were a bit higgledy piggledy. Not what you'd expect of a formal row of buildings. But if these were mostly 'ancient' buildings (i.e. early Erdington ones) I can see that would make sense.

Perhaps there's a clue in the name too "Easy Row" ? No idea what though !

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Also see map in post 412. Think you and I have reached the same conclusion Viv.
I was a bit worried about the wording on the original photo
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pjmburns said:
1913 map. I assume PH is the Roebuck. Could this ringed group of buildings be Easy Row? Running parallel to the High Street.
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Yes, Janice, we were posting at the same time. Your 1913 map is a better and clearer illustration of the buildings. Still quite a few of the buildings standing in 1913, but their days must have been numbered.The High Street seems to be the only point of access to the Row.

Woolworths was at 153-157 High Street, opening in 1930 and extended in 1935.
 
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The Birmingham Archives and Collections have a 1914 rate book which may reveal a bit more info. At this time it appears that the name Easy Row was disappearing and numbers being absorbed into High Street.
Woolworths was built around 1930.

More info later…
 
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