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Old street pics..

Eric Gibson said:
My bike route to work Potter's Hill to Villa Street, Potter's Hill, Barton's Bank then left into ?, on to Gerrard Street then fell off the map. :)
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Would it have been Barton's Bank into Whitehead Rd, across High St into Whitehead St? I've not seen the map but, hope Whitehead STREET isn't forgotten.
 
Banjo said:
Would it have been Barton's Bank into Whitehead Rd, across High St into Whitehead St? I've not seen the map but, hope Whitehead STREET isn't forgotten.
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Yes that would be correct, it's the other end of the trip that's off the map, from Gerrard Street to Villa Street.
 
Post 5290 is a splendid photo. Difficult to give an exact date. Tram tracks were laid there in 1904 and the 5 route was unusual in that it had lots of single track and passing loops. I gather the Lozells Picture House opened in 1911 so it is after that date, however the Luftwaaffe removed it in 1942.
The lorry suggests an early WW1 period - of course it is uncertain how old the lorry is - but given the sparse motor traffic - in fact not much moving at all, does hint at a WW1 period.
 
I notice how many women wore pinnies on these old pics, you rarely see that nowadays, the changing times I suppose, my Wife never wore one. Eric
 
Astoness said:
smashing memories as usual alan...i shall try and find that lollipop man for you..

judy i may have other pics of upper thomas st and clifton road st will post them for you when i find them..me files are a mess again lol
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Hi steve wheeldon here, went to upper Tomas st, school between 1963-66, use to live bottom of upper Tomas st ,in Phillip st. Would love to see more photos. Thank you
 
Smudger said:
I did a staff car drivers course driving bull nosed vanguards? Bloody awful car, twitchy steering & prone to oil leaks ( had to put a drip tray under the car at the end of the day). In Germany i drove fords, Zephyrs 4/6, & loved bombing down the Autobahn at over a ton. Not sure if you can do that on the Autobahn these day.:cool:

Be proud of our country, buy British.
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You can, some sections have no speed limit
 
The Bristol Road, Selly Oak, near the junction with Chapel Lane. No exact date but double yellow lines were introduced in 1960 so probably a year or two after then. The road sweeper was keeping the road tidy ... just one last shovelful to put in his bin.
BristolRd_SellyOak.jpg
shoothill
 
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oldMohawk said:
The Bristol Road, Selly Oak, near the junction with Chapel Lane. No exact date but double yellow lines were introduced in 1960 so probably a year or two after then. The road sweeper was keeping the road tidy ... just one last shovelful to put in his bin.
View attachment 130256
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Surprisingly very little litter compared to todays scruffy litter louts.
 
Phil,

Same with the one shown on the outside of the Springfield Cinema at it's opening, All In Vain. We know it is 1914, because we have other documentary evidence. Someone suggested it might have been a live show, but I was in there many times during the 1940s (when it was stacked full of sugar by the Ministry of Food!) and I doubt if the stage is as much as five feet deep.

Maurice

springfield_1.jpg
 
778 Bristol Road Selly Oak next to the Westminster Bank saw some changes as can be seen in 3 pics.

Pic 1 shows it as a small hardware shop (behind the car) without a sign. Stan Guest's furniture shop next door was also going to be changed. The car number plate might help with a date.
1BristolRd778.jpg

Pic 2 shows it named 'The Bijoll' but it has closed and what did it sell? Stan Guest's shop has become very grand with large changes. The Westminster Bank has a pile of bricks outside, maybe internal changes.
2BristolRd778.jpg

Pic 3 and Matty's Radio have taken over 778 and are advertising rental TVs which can receive BBC 2 which launched in 1964.
3BristolRd778.jpg
shoothill
 
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Dave,

Many thanks for the info. It would seem that the picture in post #5284 was taken around 1923 and not in the opening week from 25 April 1914. The operating company was formed in 1913 (see below). James Gibbons Parrott originally started acting under the name of Paul Parrott, in which he appeared in 75 silent comedies between 1921 & 1923. He then changed his name to Jimmie Parrott and also appeared with Laurel & Hardy. He later switched to producing under the name of James Parrott, but died in 1939 at the age of 41. Also Hal Roach didn't start making films until 1915.

Likewise the Springfield started to be known as the Springfield Cinema in 1939 and closed at the end of May 1940, reopening again as a cinema for a short period in the 1950s. In recent years it's been used by a furniture supplier.

Maurice

Springfield_1.jpg
 
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