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OLD BIRMINGHAM PHOTOS FROM STEVEBHx

SteveBhx said:
Glass windows down to knee level, with window sears!!
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Alpha Tower is a funny sort of shape. In plan, it’s rather like a boomerang. Like many modern high rise buildings, it has a strong central core for all the lifts and service risers. The floors are largely supported from the core.

I can’t say that I really noticed the sway - good job really!
 
As you have been good to allow me to indulge myself I thought I would go back to what you are waiting for !!

We have New John Street West and Great Russell Street, small child waiting to be crossed over the road and a greengrocers shop in the background, any reason why the shop looks new built ?
As always no year but for a change I can tell you the location. Love the house with the arch over the door and stonework over the windows and half nets over the windows.Test316 1.jpg
 
I am afraid this one is another hunt, pub on the right hand corner and not much else to go on - apologies for the state of the sky, nice selection of vehicles and the row of three storey house in the background are quite distinctive. A selection of street furniture - lamps bollards and posts.


Test320 1.jpg
 
I presume this is somewhere some of you know , Red House Inn - New John Street, a study in street furniture again, three colours of street lamps, a variety of styles, bollards, keep left sign, telegraph poles and a uniformed gent in the gateway. A bus stop sign attached to the lamppost to finish it off.

Test324 1.jpg
 
Last one to keep you going, another unknown location ( to me anyway ) I am sure you will not let me down !!

Small child with a lolly, car, van signs and a variety of buildings. Women with child and pram going down the road and a large black and white bollard by the lamp on the right .

Test325 1.jpg
 
SteveBhx said:
I am afraid this one is another hunt, pub on the right hand corner and not much else to go on - apologies for the state of the sky, nice selection of vehicles and the row of three storey house in the background are quite distinctive. A selection of street furniture - lamps bollards and posts.


View attachment 156918
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Just the sort of cars I like!

Austin A40 half ton van. There was a facelift about 1950 when the radiator grille became painted with less chrome, and the rear spats were deleted, but this van doesn’t have it, so it’s probably 1948/1950.
An Armstrong Siddeley, a Twelve Plus or Fourteen from 1936 to 1939, looking a bit well used, and finally, a Morris Eight from about 1936.
 
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SteveBhx said:
Last one to keep you going, another unknown location ( to me anyway ) I am sure you will not let me down !!

Small child with a lolly, car, van signs and a variety of buildings. Women with child and pram going down the road and a large black and white bollard by the lamp on the right .

View attachment 156920
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Rover P2, registered in Wolverhampton in 1936/7 and probably a 12hp.

A Commer van, I think, but not totally certain.

At a guess, since the “ten year test” for private cars came in in 1960, I would suggest that these pictures are late 1950s, before these old warriors met their Waterloo, or scrapyard. I have clear memories of helping dad at weekends back then to fettle a few cars through the test for his mates. Had they been horses, they would have been put out of their misery!
 
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SteveBhx said:
As you have been good to allow me to indulge myself I thought I would go back to what you are waiting for !!

We have New John Street West and Great Russell Street, small child waiting to be crossed over the road and a greengrocers shop in the background, any reason why the shop looks new built ?
As always no year but for a change I can tell you the location. Love the house with the arch over the door and stonework over the windows and half nets over the windows.View attachment 156917e
Click to expand...

SteveBhx said:
As you have been good to allow me to indulge myself I thought I would go back to what you are waiting for !!

We have New John Street West and Great Russell Street, small child waiting to be crossed over the road and a greengrocers shop in the background, any reason why the shop looks new built ?
As always no year but for a change I can tell you the location. Love the house with the arch over the door and stonework over the windows and half nets over the windows.View attachment 156917
Click to expand...
I like the shop window on left and the protruding ornate metalwork which may have housed a hanging sign? Posh cake or sweetshop?

Annie
 
Enel said:
Alpha Tower is a funny sort of shape. In plan, it’s rather like a boomerang. Like many modern high rise buildings, it has a strong central core for all the lifts and service risers. The floors are largely supported from the core.

I can’t say that I really noticed the sway - good job really!
Click to expand...
I worked on the 24th. I remember many birds-eye views of life going on below; the Queens visit when the City Council were frantically ‘greening up’ the area around the Central Library and the Town Hall, seeing the Royal HRH’s through the glass top car as it slowly made its way along Suffolk Street Queensway below, the making of Tiswas in Chamberlain Square and in the subways below; meeting celebs in the lift whose agents were in the building, catching the attention of The Jam staying in the Holliday Inn behind AT. Surprised we ever got any work done.

Yes the window sills were conveniently at seat level, but eventually became cluttered with files, old milk bottles with milk turning to curd, plants - I grew several avocado plants from avocado seed stones on there).

It was the first time I’d worked in a more modern open plan office. But eventually we all tried to get free-standing partitions to carve out own little spaces!

I worked for the Manpower Services Commission at the time (an executive arm of the Dept of Employment) and people were always impressed by the office. The fastest lifts in Europe, the views way out beyond Brum and the tea point facilities. The downside: it was
like working in no-mans land. A trek to the shops, Cambridge Arms or the Library. Not very close to anything for a lunchtime break. A bit of a shock as we’d moved to AT from Windsor House, above Rackhams. But we had a great sandwich delivery service.

After my 4 years there I moved to work in London on a brand new government initiative in a pokey little office in Covent Garden. What a difference ! I continued to travel to Brum regularly as I was given responsibility for West Midlands schools - allegedly because I “spoke the lingo” ! Viv.
 
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SteveBhx said:
As you have been good to allow me to indulge myself I thought I would go back to what you are waiting for !!

We have New John Street West and Great Russell Street, small child waiting to be crossed over the road and a greengrocers shop in the background, any reason why the shop looks new built ?
As always no year but for a change I can tell you the location. Love the house with the arch over the door and stonework over the windows and half nets over the windows.View attachment 156917
Click to expand...
In 1955 the shop on left I believe was 94 New John St West (pawnbrokers), and the shop opposite was 365 New John St West, (Harry Bates Greengrocers)
94 NJSW - 365 NJSW.png

Blue Marker shows where green grocers is now

94 NJSW - 365 NJSWnow.png
 
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SteveBhx said:
I am afraid this one is another hunt, pub on the right hand corner and not much else to go on - apologies for the state of the sky, nice selection of vehicles and the row of three storey house in the background are quite distinctive. A selection of street furniture - lamps bollards and posts.


View attachment 156918
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Three suggestions come to mind, for the row of three story houses, all in Lee Bank: Bell Barn Road, Cregoe Street, or Great Colmore Street.
 
ive 2 of those photos steve but no idea where the other 2 could be..hopefully someone will know

lyn
 
SteveBhx said:
I am afraid this one is another hunt, pub on the right hand corner and not much else to go on - apologies for the state of the sky, nice selection of vehicles and the row of three storey house in the background are quite distinctive. A selection of street furniture - lamps bollards and posts.


View attachment 156918
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The pub on the right is the Shakespearian Bar, on the corner of Great Colmore Street and Cregoe Street. Therefore, the row of houses must be on Latimer Street South
 
Absolutely
SteveBhx said:
I loved the ability to go walkabout supposedly to visit other departments and the openings on the end Stair cases which often had open doors!
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Absolutely Steve. We occupied the whole 24th floor and that meant we could go to any point on the floor and get spectacular views across Brum and beyond. Around the main open plan area, we had 4 small, separate offices at each end of the ‘boomerang’ which were at an angle so gave a sense of panning for a panoramic film. Pity I never thought to do that. I only ever took a few photos. Just didn’t really interest me at the time. Viv.
 
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SteveBhx said:
Last one to keep you going, another unknown location ( to me anyway ) I am sure you will not let me down !!

Small child with a lolly, car, van signs and a variety of buildings. Women with child and pram going down the road and a large black and white bollard by the lamp on the right .

View attachment 156920
Click to expand...
That looks like St Martins flats behind the old building and in the distance could be St Albans Church, John.
 
This is Soho Pool warehouse Princip Street in 1969, massive building with floors of "goods" everything you could want, car park at the rear next to the canal. Note the lettering at the front metal framed windows and the clock.
Caught fire some years ago - now replaced with some sort of Police office building .

Princip Street - 69.jpg
 
This the other side of Golden Hillock garage from some weeks ago still 1972, Amoco petrol station with quad stamps, plenty of bunting and the old petrol pumps. A variety of cars and the mini van for deliveries. see also the Wimbush Bakery sign on the gate post on the right.

Golden Hillock Service Station - 72.jpg
 
Here is the Osborne Hotel Hagley Road in 1972, rather imposing dark coloured building with a large van and a Jaguar on the forecourt. Romulus restaurant inside and a pair of white shoes waiting at the bus stop, also a waiting sign that seems to need a degree to understand.

Osborne Hotel Hagley Road - 72.jpg
 
next is 2-4 Watford Road in 1976, a selection of shops who's names are no longer there - when did you see a wallpaper shop outside a DIY store and International supermarket. Note that the newsagents have a sale with 25p off 200 cigarettes and a board to put your postcards with adverts on. Mention also for the Vauxhall Victor

2-4 Watford Road - 76.jpg
 
SteveBhx said:
This is Soho Pool warehouse Princip Street in 1969, massive building with floors of "goods" everything you could want, car park at the rear next to the canal. Note the lettering at the front metal framed windows and the clock.
Caught fire some years ago - now replaced with some sort of Police office building .

View attachment 156961
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cracking photo steve...again my neck o the woods again

lyn

lyn
 
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