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Market Hall 1835 - 1963

Alf

Alf

Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
My Grand Father used to go there every Saturday evening in the early 30s just as the Traders were clearing up and my Mother used to say he found enough coppers to pay for his Pipe tabacco to last him the week. Mind you he only smoked in the evening.

My Mother used to go there the same time in later years and could usually pick up a cheap piece of meat for Sunday.
 
Sylvia Next to the old Woolworths was a market (Up the steps) Their was a large Bomb with a slot in the top for money is this what you mean
 
"Satan" the wartime bomb which collected funds for the Lord Mayors Charities
 
I remember "Satan".... Cromwell what an awful looking thing. I also put pennies into it. There were quite a few bombs at the seaside resorts used as fund raisers and those
exploding bombs that floated in the sea as well. .
 
Like lots of other kids, I used to sit on the bomb and eat Cockles from one of those little saucers that cost a tanner...
 
Rod I think we all looked at that Bomb in amazement like it was a rocket from outer space.I wonder why we was all fascinated by it?
 
Rod, I loved almost everything they served on those little saucers in the Market Hall....wasn't too keen on the whelks though. The bomb would have been a great place to sit on.
 
I recall the pet shop - I was given the task to return a puppy my cousin had bought there as my Dad refused to keep it. They did not want to know and I was told to take it to New Canal Street. Very difficult day for a 13(if that) year old .

The link is to the page of Virtual Brum showing the new Bull Ring (though the developers insist on spelling it Bullring.

Here is another link https://www.birminghamuk.com/bullring.htm
 
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The pet shop in the Bull Ring was in a temporary prefab type shop opposite the bombed Market Hall, its name was Pimms.
 
I thought it was in the bombed out market Hall Len - but yes a prefabricated building almost opposite the 'Bomb'.
 
Bernie D'Boult said:
I also recall the pet shop - I was given the task to return a puppy my cousin had bought there as my Dad refused to keep it. They did not want to know and I was told to take it to New Canal Street. Very difficult day for a 13(if that) year old .

The link is to the page of Virtual Brum showing the new Bull Ring (though the developers insist on spelling it Bullring.

Here is another link https://www.birminghamuk.com/bullring.htm
Click to expand...

What happened to the puppy?
 
does anyone remember the landmine that sat outside the market hall acting as a money box, for what I do not know, I think the andy carrier lady was more likely to be on woolworth steps as opposed to the market hall. And what about the policeman that took life in hand standing at the junction of moor st.-when it was icy those cobbles were deadly, and i've seen many a near miss.
 
john knight said:
yes I remember that one, but seem to recall a rather more round and fatter one painted red.
Click to expand...

John,
I am pretty sure what you are referring to was a sea mine with the spikes still on.
It did have a slot to put money in, if I had to guess I would say it was for the Seafarers Charity.
 
Hi all

Yes I remember the mine, it was the one pictured.

Then there was the big clock, and nearby the man who sold the crabs claws from his stall. Buy em, take em home and get the hammer out and break them, pull out the meat, delicious.

Chris
 
I remember the bomb a 2,000 pdr? painted red and its name "Satan" painted on it, the fins had been removedi, it did`nt explode when it was dropped it was defused and cleaned out by the Army bomb disposol squad.
 
This is a view of the Market Hall from Worcester Street not the High Street side so that the hill slope is correct. I always thought that the other side was the front but this side has a more flamboyant curved staircase and may have been intended as the main entrance.
 
I think the slope is correct from the Bull Ring side - St Martin's was at the bottom of the slope. I have a picture of the Market Hall in 1862, but cannot place my hands on it at the moment, (I am presuming I have not thrown it away), but I am sure it is very similar to this, slope and all. The Market Hall was built by architect Charles Edge, who finished the work on the Town Hall after Hansom went bust. The slope is still there, but seems much shorter these days, St Martin's in the dip at the bottom and the shops at the top of the hill.
 
What has happened to the original photo in #1 by Mike this was the one we were discussing not the one in #3 by Froth . Dek
 
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