• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Old street pics..

devonjim said:
Enjoyed this series of postings on Camp Hill. Previously thought that KEGS had been built on a "green field" site. Quote from school records "In 1883 the school began its life in the just completed buildings on a pleasant site near the outskirts of B'ham" In fact the school was even then boxed in on two sides by the railway, built 1841.
Click to expand...
Going back a week when we were looking at Camp Hill. I just found this 1937 aerial shot which clearly shows it was never a pleasant site. Screenshot (2).jpg
 
Last edited:
devonjim said:
Going back a week when we were looking at Camp Hill. I just found this 1937 aerial shot which clearly shows it was never a pleasant site. View attachment 99853
Click to expand...

Hi Devonjim,

I was in Central Library not long ago looking at old records for the area I think you're talking about. I was interested in John Lowe, attorney, who lived there in the house called Ravenshurst. This house was there in 1748 and I found a wonderful plan of the estate complete with crest etc. showing the farm and buildings which surrounded it. It showed that it was, at that time, a green and pleasant area. I'm fascinated by the area around there and Digbeth and Deritend.

Bill Dargue also includes it on his wonderful website.

You proceed through Deritend, up Camp-hill, and when near the summit, there is on the right hand an ancient brick building, called the Ravenhurst, the residence of Mr. John Lowe, attorney, who is equally respectable in his profession, as the house is in appearance.
 
Camp Hill School, probably in the early 1950s. The Memorial Gates were in memory of boys who had died in WW1 and also, I believe, those who died in WW2. Dave.

P1020443 (2).JPG
 
They knew how to design buildings then. Alas there's very few today who call themselves architects that truly are. Boxmakers would be a better description!

Maurice
 
Here is one I came across, a photo of Northfield. It said in the
imagejpeg
 
Two postcards of Aston Cross. Difficult to imagine this today as the junction has completely changed. But where was the photographer standing? Rocky Lane? Aston Road North? Lichfield Road? Or has the clock been moved? Today, there's still a pub standing from the period (but now residential). But maybe the pub isn't in shot unless it's one of the buildings to the right in the postcards. Viv.

image.jpgimage.jpg
 
Last edited:
Because I haven't seen Aston Cross for some twenty years I remember it as your photographs.(minus trams!) ie Looking North from corner of Rocky Lane, looking down Lichfield Road, the road forking right towards Aston Station , library to the right, Ansell's was opposite beyond the clock, Park Road the left fork. Aston Road North behind the photographer.
 
Last edited:
Vivienne

This is the view today roughly from where the photographer was standing when the photographs were taken.
 

Attachments

  • aston cross.JPG
    aston cross.JPG
    118.4 KB · Views: 65
Mike it depends on which photo you are looking at, on the one photo the kerb of Rocky Lane outside the Golden Cross is on view, Though on the one I was using for comparison the "X" would be a little further up Lichfield road somewhere by the Library.
 
Viv
I'm not sure it has moved significantly. It was rebuilt though. I quote from an earlier discussion on the forum:
"The Old Aston Cross. The postcard is dated 29 Feb 1904. I think that this clock tower was built in 1854. The present clock tower was erected in 1891 built by George Smith & Co, cast at Sun Foundry, Glasgow. The architect was Arthur Edwards"
 
lf l remember rightly l haven't been" home" for a few years, the clock was moved to a roundabout at Lichfield rd Park Lane and Rocky lane, by the former Golden Cross, the clock was there in 2007 but wether its been moved since l don't know....Brenda
 
The clock used to be at the junction of Lichfield Road and Park Road but is now on the roundabout at the junction with Rocky Lane. The roundabout has been enlarged over the years.Aston Cross.jpg
I have gone about 100yards back from Phil's post on the previous page

This is my 1500th post on the Forum
 
Last edited:
This Eric Bottomley painting portrays Aston Cross in 1953 (according to the information on my print), clearly shows location of clock tower at that period. EricAston Cross 1951 painting.jpg
 
What a super painting that is cookie, even has "Old Brit", standing with his bike., I remember those days quite clearly still though quite young at the time. Paul
 
The Photographer in post 4461 would have stood in the middle of the road between Park Lane and Rocky Lane junction with Lichfield Road (Aston Cross), probably where the clock stands today, the clock it self has been moved from its original place of erection about 100 yards towards the city centre, cannot think at the moment what year it happened, could have been in the late 1970's or early 1980's, before the roundabout was built the junction between all three roads were controlled by traffic lights.
 
This picture was posted on facebook by Tom Burke the other day. It is a view of the Old Square I have'nt seen before, its usually a view looking from the other way.
 

Attachments

  • tom burke east bham past present.jpg
    tom burke east bham past present.jpg
    410.3 KB · Views: 116
hi terry it has been on here before...i posted it some years back now but it most likely got lost due to the forum hack so thanks for putting it back on here...i remember those shops so well and apparently they are more or less still in situ underground... just backfilled...

lyn
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top