• 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..

Hi AstonGrumpy This is a view of the area today taken from Google. There still is an island between Vicarage Road, left, and (I think) Chad Road (right) but since they made both these roads one way there is little need for one side of the island although the occassional car does use it.
View attachment 113421
Hi Dave
It's in about the right place but that's a modern island I would imagine. What I'm after is a photo taken before they made the Hagley Road a dual carriage way, which is many years ago. The position is shown on this old map.

Dave2
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0077.PNG
    IMG_0077.PNG
    254.9 KB · Views: 27
Hi Aston crumpy
I am very sorry to say and i have to agree with david that is not the island facing the ivvy bush
i can remember the old ivy bush itself and the pub included
because where the little side road was the place was called the ivy bush was a huge are of bushes and also
i have to beleive some one lived on that land as there was roman type tiles on the ground of this property
for what ever the reason or what type of property it was in its hey day
It also included an orchard of pear and apple trees by the dozens and we was only little nippers bored
and we got chased by a copper through there we all scattered the other kids was running
It was like a jungle i seen the copper so i scampered up to the top of the tree and he was standing below me
looking around every think went quiet and he went
on that little road near to the corner of hagley road was a buning clock for the bus
i cannot be sure of the bus number but it took you to yardley cementry yardley in those days
It was a little narrow road with a wall running along side the buses
you could have come out of that road to intercept the road coming up from harborne
with hagley road running across just like the map you see , but there was no traffic lights in those days
eventualy they put some up and stopped that side road and cancelled that bus services as well from there
it was across the road from the ivy bush
as you will see from today coming out of the city and turn left at that juction as you knew then
as been repopened and its an only one way which will take you down to the botanicle gardens
the open you put the island is diverting up to quinton which is further down the line on
the hagley road
 
An aerial view of the Hagley Rd dated 1920 with two maps which are dated 1892-1905.
Aerial View
1_HagleyRd1920.JPG
Area Map
2_HagleyRd1905.JPG
Enlarged Map section showing island.
HagleyMap2.JPG
 
Hi old mowhawk
Here is another old golden oldie for you of Hagley road before the tram ways
And an early picture of the plough and Harrow before becoming the hotel
Yet again an other one of the famous Hagley road junctions
 

Attachments

  • ScanImage002.jpg
    ScanImage002.jpg
    209.3 KB · Views: 116
  • ScanImage003.jpg
    ScanImage003.jpg
    147.2 KB · Views: 114
Thanks Alan (Astonian) The photo of the Plough and Harrow shows clearly the original building and the later extension. I did wonder when the extension was built.
 
Hi david
Avery old friend of mine worked there for years at the pub end as a bar tender before the hotel extension was added
he then was combind security for the whole complex o the plough and harrow
looking after the high society people whom came and stayed there and dined there
there was alot of show biz celebities used to stay there this is years before the albany hotel was built
also judge Arglie top circuit judge for the crimminal quarter sessions , how he always had a glass of milk every night
He used to tell me about the rich people carrying ons and there peformances
my mate was pat Malletts sadly he died quite afew years back now way back in the late eighties
before he died he left the plough and went to become the gaffer of the bear pub stratford road hall green
then he moved to the fox hollies fox hollie roads hall green after afew years there he left to a london brewery
a short stint there and he died best wishes Alan,, Astonian,,,,,
 
david i have seen a photo somewhere on the forum showing the lower level shops..pretty sure one the shops was an oyster bar..will try and hunt it down

lyn
 
yes thats the one mort:)...looks like daves photo shows the shops to the side of the church...the one showing the oyster rooms looks to be more to the front of the church

lyn
 
Weren't there catacombs under Christchurch? If so, does that mean the shops backed onto them? I don't think I would have liked to work there if that's the case.
 
In my book by Joseph McKenna, he says Baskerville was re-interred in those catacombs, after his coffin was found at Easy Hill. There was a total of 139 burials and 106 of them including Baskerville were re-interred at Warstone Lane Cemetery Catacombs. (Last burial 1893).
I always thought it was a strange place to sell oysters!!
rosie.
 
This photo is tagged 'Wychall Lane 1956' with a nice view of a Co-Operative Coal lorry. Looking on Google Earth etc I've not been able to determine the exact location because of the large changes since the 1950s, cannot see any trace of the houses in the pic.. It looks very rural but the large Triplex Glass Factory was not far away.
WychallLane1956.jpg
 
Last edited:
I think the Co-Op lorry is I believe a coal delivery lorry.
It looks like the van (Austin?) in the background is lettered Birmingham Mail - but I could be wrong. If it is a Mail vehicle then maybe that is the transport the photographer of the pic was using.
The Triplex Glass factory I gather is at Kings Norton.
 
Last edited:
I remember a similar coal lorry coming to deliver coal to the pre-fab in Court Lane. For some reason I was absolutely fascinated by the coalman as he emptied the sacks of coal into our ex-Anderson shelter coal house. I can still remember the smell. Mom was always telling me to keep out of his way and one day he put his foot on the step to write the pink divi slip and trod on my hand. My nail fell off later and I was very proud to tell everyone that the coalman did it! That picture really brought back memories.
 
My present dog makes little fuss when the coal delivery arrives, unlike the previous one who let us know quite effectively that bags of coal were being emptied into the bunker. :D
 
I'd forgotten about the smell too until you mentioned it Lady P and it just came back instantly! Even when our coal shed was empty (and after we had gas fires installed) it kept that smell. Our delivery lorry was open to the elements and I think had drop down sides. When coal was wet it smelt even more. Used to love to see the coal glossy and wet. Although got a lot of groans from my mum as it was more smokey if damp and took a lot of 'drawing' with the newspaper. Viv.
 
Back
Top