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Old Birmingham Guides

Mayfield

Mayfield

Burbury Brummie
I am really happy to have obtained a couple of interesting maps/guides of Birmingham.

Wakelin's Street Guide of the City of Birmingham. Price 6d
A great little green(ish) booklet giving the location of every street and road together with postal district numbers

It doesn't give the year of publication but states that it is the 50th Year of issue?

Bartholomew's Pocket Atlas and Guide to Birmingham. Price 4s
Printed in 1949 this is a wonderful small hardback guide with an A-Z of Birmingham Streets/Roads in colour plus a map of the Central England Rail networks and the 'Local 'Environs' of Birmingham (Walsall, Wolverhampton etc)

Is there anyone out there that might know the date of the Wakelin Guide?

Keith
 
Keith you've started something. I have one of those guides and have been looking for it since you put your's on. We had a megga sort out of photo's and it took us two days. We saw it then and now I can't find it. It was priced at one shilling. If I find it I will put it on. Bye. Jean.:explode::explode:
 
Keith, I have a Wakelin's Street Guide too, mine must be younger than yours because it was 9d. but there is no date on it. I have found it very useful helping people on the site with their old address queries.
 
sylviasayers said:
Keith, I have a Wakelin's Street Guide too, mine must be younger than yours because it was 9d. but there is no date on it. I have found it very useful helping people on the site with their old address queries.
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Apparently Wakelin's were in Wheelers Street? I lived near to Wheelers Street but have no recollection of the company?

Keith
 
F.H Wakelin, Ltd 354 Wheeler St Birmingham 19 (this is 1945) advertisment on Lozells Church Service sheet

The phone number if you wish NORthern 0989 :)

Ray
 
My Wakelin is marked 9d No date but I know I purchased it in 1966 when I returned to Birmingham from Wales
 
Keith, I have a Wakelin's Street Guide very similar to yours except mine has now faded and the green has become a grey colour! I don't know the date (there is not one on the booklet) but would imagine I bought it when I started work as a temp in Birmingham around 1956/1958.

I also still have a Birmingham Transport & Street Guide dated 1963, costing 1/6d, and probably bought for the same purpose - travelling to different firms in and around Birmingham. I worked at all the big firms in the area - GEC, ICI, Dunlops, GKN, Wrights Ropes, MEB, Tube Industries, etc.

Judy
 
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On the inside of the front cover my guide states 50th Year of Issue?

I wonder what year it was first published?
 
The inside cover of mine says "A revised plan of the City Centre is included on pp. 64-65 showing the line the new inner ring road will take."

The back page says "After 75 years at 354 Wheeler Street the printing business of F.H Wakelin Ltd has been transferred to larger premises at Broadway Works, 328 Witton Road, Aston, Birmingham 6."
 
I know how frustrating that can be Jean. I didn't think I could find mine and then after looking in 4 boxes I found it :D
 
No stress Keith - I knew I had it somewhere, but you won't believe the amount of 'paper memorabilia' I keep. I am a hoarder and no mistake!
 
Keith I will do what I normally do wake up in the night and remember where it is. The annoying thing is that Peter did a copy of it and we can't find that one either. Between me you and the gate post when Pete was putting them away I think he slipped it in with the newer photo's. [Hope he doesn't read this]. Jean. All good fun eh.:shh::shh:
 
Gee Gee Jean said:
Keith I will do what I normally do wake up in the night and remember where it is. The annoying thing is that Peter did a copy of it and we can't find that one either. Between me you and the gate post when Pete was putting them away I think he slipped it in with the newer photo's. [Hope he doesn't read this]. Jean. All good fun eh.:shh::shh:
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It's a man thing, we are always right even when our wives know we are wrong?
 
Your not going to beleive it but I've found it. Just ten minutes ago. Well hope it was worth waiting for.:beam: Bye. Jean.
 
On the inside page it gives the address as 328 Witton road Aston birmingham 6 6PB. Jean. Can sleep at night now.:shh:
 
Wakelin Printers were used by my late wife and I to print some prospectus'. There was also a 'Wakelin Ward' on the same [Witton Road] premises who supplied off road motor bikes and parts as Roger Wakelin was a keen Trials rider along with Bunny Ward. Bunny was a bit of a dreamer whilst Roger tried to maintain some sort of financial control over the Motor Bike bit.
 
I've got a Bartholomew's Atlas & Guide to Brum dated 1954, and on the inside of the front cover is handwritten:

S/L R249 Wood
'D' Division
Canterbury Road
Birmingham City Police.

A real glimpse into the past.

Big Gee
 
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