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OLD BIRMINGHAM PHOTOS FROM STEVEBHx

still in 1980, 101 Oxhill Road, love the Textile Wholesalers selling car coats and rally jackets !! ( what happened to them). Trying to work out what happened to the roof - shape and pitch all looks wrong. Like the back of the terrace houses on the left also.

101 Oxhill Road 80.jpg
 
573 Warwick Road 1979, nice row of shops like the tired Permoglaze sign with its lamps, and Frank Oakley family grocer, not a High Street name in sight. Nice archwork above the sash windows, also notice that the shops are all slightly stepped down from each other.

573 Warwick Road 79 x.jpg
 
225 Holyhead Road in 1974, love the Co Op milk float parked on the corner, cannot imagine parking like that today. The cafe with its neon sign and the LV sticker in the window. Note also the ornamental work on the bays of some of the houses and the Ford Cortina estate outside the Cafe.

225 Holyhead Road 74.jpg
 
The last picture in 267 brought to mind a shop name I hadn't thought about in years. Reflected in the window is 'Swears & Wells'. When did they disappear?
 
527 - 529 Green Lane Bordesley 1973 taken around Easter judging by the eggs in the sweet shop window, love the neon sweet sign and all the jars in the window also. Note the cafe with its steamed up windows, prices in the window and the Olde and new shop with a special on parafin heaters by the sign in the window.527 529 Green Lane Bordesley 73.jpg
 
Lady P,

Swears & Wells were gobbled up by United Drapery Stores in the 1970s, which was acquired by Burton Group, which was acquired by Arcadia Group, the Philip Green chaos. Still in the process of being torn apart and bits of it being bidden for by speculators - but anyway, long since gone!

Maurice :cool:
 
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SteveBhx said:
still in 1980, 101 Oxhill Road, love the Textile Wholesalers selling car coats and rally jackets !! ( what happened to them). Trying to work out what happened to the roof - shape and pitch all looks wrong. Like the back of the terrace houses on the left also.

View attachment 153152
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Ghost sign on the corner of this shop - not sure when that dates from as it must have been
a grocers.
1613578118507.png
 
pjmburns said:
Ghost sign on the corner of this shop - not sure when that dates from as it must have been
a grocers.
View attachment 153169
Click to expand...
After some investigation - it was a grocer's in the 1930s and earlier - run by the Diaper family. When I closed in on the sign I thought it said "Draper". From the 40s onward it was a florists. There is a gap in the directories I can access so someone else may be able to find better information.
 
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Bit further along 203 Holyhead Road again 1974, another car parts shop with Fishers Garage next door, note the cars all over the pavement and car parts in front of the shop, next door seems to be a sweet shop with a walls Ice cream sign outside and if you look closley there is a Lyons Tea sign. If you look in the car part window you could also get your christmas gifts for motorists203 Holyhead Road - 74.jpg
 
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Next we have an "atmospheric " shot of 217 St Saviours Road in 1974. Smallwood Grocers, presume the pushchair is to carry the sack of potatoes home, note the supports under the eaves and the ridge tile. On the right is a Commer van , also note above the Smallwood is the outline of the old street nameplate.217 St Saviours Road - 74 x.jpg
 
Finally 95 Rookery Lane Handsworth 1975, which was a fine drapers shop, must be a sunny day as all the blinds are down. Large selection of nether garments in prime position and a wide selection of goods in all the others. can I point out the ghost sign for Harris ....., sure you can tell me the rest.


95 Rookery Lane Handsworth - 75 x.jpg
 
SteveBhx said:
Bit further along 203 Holyhead Road again 1974, another car parts shop with Fishers Garage next door, note the cars all over the pavement and car parts in front of the shop, next door seems to be a sweet shop with a walls Ice cream sign outside and if you look closley there is a Lyons Tea sign. If you look in the car part window you could also get your christmas gifts for motoristsView attachment 153197
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Still motor repairs at the side.
1613663815213.png
 
Just looking on street view for work and noticed that Sterling Solicitors 664 Coventry Road has a ghost sign sure you will tell me if this has been seen before (sorry had to remove photo had my work tabs on it :laughing:)
 
SteveBhx said:
Next we have an "atmospheric " shot of 217 St Saviours Road in 1974. Smallwood Grocers, presume the pushchair is to carry the sack of potatoes home, note the supports under the eaves and the ridge tile. On the right is a Commer van , also note above the Smallwood is the outline of the old street nameplate.View attachment 153198
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Smallwood's butchers shop was actually 147 Arden Road. St Saviours Road is the road facing the camera. The whol corner has changed.
1613664970421.png
 
SteveBhx said:
Finally 95 Rookery Lane Handsworth 1975, which was a fine drapers shop, must be a sunny day as all the blinds are down. Large selection of nether garments in prime position and a wide selection of goods in all the others. can I point out the ghost sign for Harris ....., sure you can tell me the rest.


View attachment 153200
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I can't find a Rookery Lane. John's food market is at 95 Rookery Road
1613668998920.png
 
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