• 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

Lucas Great King Street memories

hi folks..if anyone come accross any photos of the properties in gt king st i would love to see them..

mike if you see this post topsy posted a great pic of the peoples chapel gks i wonder if you would know what number this was at...as you know i am looking for pics of no 140 which was my old docs surgery..

many thanks

lyn

Lyn, The 1st A Birmingham Boys' Brigade is part of the People's Chapel and there are lots of old photos on Flickr and some show parades in Great King Street and the houses behind. See https://www.flickr.com/photos/1staboysbrigade/6347643925/in/set-72157628010762361 for one of them from 1958. Rob
 
rob what fantastic photos you have led me to....thanks everso...

:encouragement:lyn
 
topsy i hope you dont mind me posting this one again..maybe a bit sharper..

lyn

img856.jpg
 
Not at all Lyn. That is much better. I think it is a lovely picture. The pictures of the King/Queen always remind me of a cameo.
 
topsy i think the building looks lovely all decked up...such an icon of the area...sad its not longer there...our dads security boxes were not there then though...had one at each end...

lyn
 
a view from gt king st in the 20s into the back yards and across the smoking chimneys of neighbouring houses..

pubandgtkingstpic013.jpg
 
over head shot of the lucas factory and surrounding streets...

Arial20Pic.jpg
 
Last edited:
for many years now ive had this image of going to the lucas christmas partys...i was sure that they were held in a building in farm st and by reading this book i have it does say that they were held in S block in farm st...here is a plan of the factory

planofgks001.jpg
 
hi jackie good to hear from you...i have borrowed 2 books about lucas and in one of them there is a pic of a young roy harrington taken in the 80s at the lucas training school....as soon as i saw it i could see the family likeness..roy is my dads uncles son who i have never met...i contacted roys brother as i have his email address and he confirmed that yes roy for many years was chef to the main board at joseph lucas gks....he is now chef to the law lords in birminghams central criminal court and plans to retire next year...it just goes to show that we never know how or when bits of our family history will come together...

lyn
 
Hi Lyn

It amazes me just how many familys have connections with Lucas, and just how many photos and bits and pieces are still out there

I had an email from a man in the USA asking me about a tool box he had bought from a sale it turned out to be an old Lucas shipping create

Its brilliant

Jackie
 
i know jackie...lucas as you know employed many thousands of folk...so far ive now got 3 members of my family who worked there...my aunt joyce was there for well over 30 years..dad was security and now another one pops up..amazing..will post anymore pics i think will be of interest...

lyn
 
IMGP3273.jpg
An old newspaper cutting,no date,no info,but it is Lucas's and I think it's Great King Street.(sorry about the quality)
 
great pic keegs...just compere it to my overhead pic...virtually nothing left...few tower blocks springing up..cant see harry lucas school either so it must have been taken when redevelopement of the area started...

lyn
 
Lyn, I am puzzled about the map. Where it says Car Park at Burbury Street - where is the school and wasn't there a sweatshop on the corner?
 
mike i concluded that the map was printed after harry lucas school was demolished..joseph lucas then used the ground as a car park..

lyn
 
hi

5 years in M2 see Map. I sat in Central Costs opposite the dreaded
Paternoster. They were literally Boxes that you stepped into to go
up or down.

Mike Jenks
 

Attachments

Changing the subject but still Lucas's.This picture shows, i think a retirement presentation in the toolroom at Gt King St in the 60s.
Just look how smart the toolmakers were in their collar and ties,not worn just for the day but a regular practice.Moss
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0010.jpg
    IMG_0010.jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 61
I have only just come across this site, what memories it brings back. I started as a trainee production engineer in 1955, spending 2 to 4 weeks in virtualy every department at GKS and ended up as a centre lathe turner in B3 until 1966. As you can imagine I met a lot of lovely people there and well remember the paternoster lifts, very scary until you got used to them. We had an interdepartmental darts league with games played during the dinner break, with finals night at the Trees in Wheeler St. Its heartbreaking to see the demolition pictures especially as I lived in Bridge St West very close to the factory, and of course, the house has gone as well. Dave.
 
hi dave i agree with you its heartbreaking stuff..plenty of bsw pics on the forum..i would normally say we are lucky to have those pics my brother took but in this instance i would much rather we still had the building..

lyn
 
Back
Top