OLD AND NEW PHOTOGRAPHS

[mikejee]

I only remember entering the market from the Bull Ring but that was after 1950. Was there an entrance at both ends of the market originally?

Both those photos are from the Worcester St end. However the second one is post the bombing, as can be seen from there being no roof. . However some photos show that end wall missing (below), so at some time it must have been demolished before the eventual destruction of the building. Does anyone know when?

 

[lmr3103]

Roll 48 is the last of the current " processed images" I will have to go and crop and tidy a few more rolls but may process then post so there is not such a long wait - but don't worry we are not running out at a rough count there are another 70 rolls to process!! ( but expect a lot of duplicates and rubbish)
Talking of which half of Roll 48 is taken up with images like this, a page in an album propped up and a picture taken. These are all duplicated and have been posted and fortunately better and more cropped images were taken . Not sure why they were taken as later on this roll were picture from 1991 so why go back and retake images you have already done?

View attachment 206257

Steve, thank you for all the time you spend preparing these photos for the Forum. I love looking at them, and really appreciate the effort you make.

 

[Fashionz]

Next we move to Roll 10 - this is another roll with a shortage of images - the first half are photos from a calendar that has had pictures cut out - not very good the first real image is the corner of Adderley Street and Ash road and we have the Adderley Park pub, white brick building pretty original in layout although looking rather run down today but with many feature remaining

View attachment 197403

There's a tunnel from that pub, that goes under the road, across to my Aunty's house, No. 6 Ash Road, (No. 6 was knocked down to build a mosque). We were never allowed in the cellar as kids, but, we did one day sneak down there and found the locked entrance to the pub, a door with frosted glass engraved with a pub sign and on the floor a Johnny Walker statue, which was a bit ironic as my Aunty ran The Tempreance Society.

 

[SteveBhx]

Well that took a while but I have now finished some more rolls, actually it didn't take long but you know how it is when you put something down and don't pick it straight back up - suddenly 3 months have gone by.
To start we have the second half of roll 48 , not sure of the source of this image but the list says it is the Old Bull Ring in 1932 - perhaps a line drawing over a picture? The sky line also looks quite modern with the taller white buildings.

 

[SteveBhx]

Next up we have High Street Digbeth taken in 1930's, love chaos of Trams, trolley busses and other vehicles and if you look carefully you can see a cyclist crossing them all !!.

I have noticed that the building on the left has " SPQR" on the front - only recently having watch a Henry Coles program did I know it meant Small Profit Quick Return, but now I know it has much old origins.

 

[SteveBhx]

We now jump forward 40 years to the Wesleyan and General Building on Colmore Circus taken in December 1974. Long gone and replace with a much larger building, apologies for the quality - seemed to be a lot sharper when I looked at it - few things to comment on notice the car park in front of the back of the building imagine getting in and out of the car parking in that location. To the left is the Gaumont - and a bridge link between the two - is that right or am I looking at the view wrong?

 

[mikejee]

Next up we have High Street Digbeth taken in 1930's, love chaos of Trams, trolley busses and other vehicles and if you look carefully you can see a cyclist crossing them all !!.

I have noticed that the building on the left has " SPQR" on the front - only recently having watch a Henry Coles program did I know it meant Small Profit Quick Return, but now I know it has much old origins.

View attachment 211899

Here is a better reproduction dated 1934

 

[SteveBhx]

We now jump back to June 1959, and Steelhouse Lane - I have posted a similar image from this location but not the same I don't think - someone will tell me.
On the left hand corner we have Harrisons Opticians, with a massive sign in the middle of the building, and above that seems to be a large neon sign for Lambs Navy Rum. Again not too sharp - another picture of a picture then scanned off a negative. We can make out Society on the top of the building and a number of shops with blinds down - when was the last time you saw that let alone in the city Centre!

 

[SteveBhx]

Continuing the time travel we are now back in October 1949, George Fisher Hairdresser, who is on the corner of Great Hampton Row and New John Street West, note the Permanant Waving and specialist in Manicure and Chiropody - for Ladies and Gents of course.
Note the two children standing outside the entrance too

 

[SteveBhx]

Moving forward in time we have H. Knight pork butcher Ham and Bacon curer and Lard refiner - you don't see that these days. This is looking up Great Hampton Row from Tower Street taken in August 1961 with a selection of two and three storey buildings a lot have large entrance gates so I assume they are industrial / works . On the Butchers wall is an OMO sign which was launched in 1954

 

[SteveBhx]

Continuing on Roll 48 we have what is described as old shops and houses Great Hampton Row and St Georges Place Hockley. Not the best of quality, not much to add than noting the Gold Flake painted sign on the front of the buildino

 

[SteveBhx]

another poor quality picture, again more for history than the content of the photo given as Great hampton Row with the add on of one of the shops is 77 - 78 . Both of these were taken in 1961.

 

[Astoness]

hi steve i think there are better quality photos of the last 2 on the gt hampton row thread

lyn

 

[SteveBhx]

With a jump of 30 years we are now in 1991, and a view down Long Acre - it seems most of these picture from the 1990's were taken on a Sunday hence the lack of traffic. We have the Swan and Mitre off in the distance , railway terrace is the road to the right and not surprisingly the bridge crosses the railway line !!

 

[SteveBhx]

hi steve i think there are better quality photos of the last 2 on the gt hampton row thread

lyn

Thanks Lyn, always happy to be told of alternate images ( i was going to say "told my pictures were rubbish )

 

[SteveBhx]

This fine image is of the Great Western Goods Office in Pitsford Street, as can be seen the end wall is been reduced and I am afraid it disappeared altogether. The rail bridge to the right was also replaced with a wider modern structure to allow the four lanes of traffic. What a shame - it could have become any number of alterative uses and would have been there today - Google Travel Lodg Burton and have a view of the Midland Railway Grain Store to see what it could have become.

 

[SteveBhx]

Turning 180 degrees we see the Birmingham Mint on Icknield Street, seems to be taken from a very muddy central reservation just after the middle ring road was finished - this side was the original road and another set of lanes built the other side of the reservation

 

[SteveBhx]

Final picture on this roll and one that shows the affect of the Middle ring road - it was taken looking down Pitsford Street , at the bottom of the slope is a two lane road with the Goods building on the other side, this has now all been replaced with four lanes of traffic and a central reservation with the look of a race circuit judging by the speed the traffic goes on the roads.
It has an almost sleepy look - a Sunday picture - no cars and a time less image on the right of railway buildings - unfortunately nothing on the right remains all replaced with modern buildings

 

[Astoness]

thanks steve...dont think ive seen those last 3 before

lyn