Old street pics..

[Big Gee]

I Googled 'The Bell & Lion Perry Barr' and came up with nowt. The strange thing is, the more I look at that photo, the more I have the feeling that I've seen that building before.....but given my recent performance, it's more than likely that I'm just ever so slightly mistaken.

If it's definitely Perry Barr, then it ain't The Bell at Walstead Road. No way is that Perry Barr. The other difficulty is that Perry Barr isn't/wasn't a postal district. No-one had their address as Such-and-such Road, Perry Barr. It would've been Witton, Birchfield, Handsworth, etc. For example, although I would tell anyone who asked that I lived in 'Perry Barr', in fact my GPO postal address was The Broadway, Handsworth, Birmingham 20. Or am I complicating matters?

Whoever solves this one can be considered a real, genuine Brummie!

G

 

[Big Gee]

I've just blown that photo up as much as possible, and I think rather than "Bell & Lion" it says "Bell Inn". I can't make out the word(s) underneath, though. Again, on reflection, has anyone ever heard of any other pub called "Bell & Lion"? Not one of your traditional public-house names, is it? Although not impossible, of course.

G

 

[BernardR]

I agree with Big Gee as to the name. Title shown below is courtesy of the web site shown below.

Yes, I'd be interested to know where the Bell and Lion was, I imagine it must have gone years ago.

Thanks again for the photos Phil. I was born in a house on the Walsall Road between Perry Avenue and Rocky Lane. My parents had their wedding reception at the Tennis Courts.

Check this site and keep scrolling down. Title - The old Bell Inn, Birmingham Road at the Walsall Borough boundary. Once a stopping place for coaches and later the terminus for Walsall Corporation trams.

 

[Big Gee]

I think you've got it, Bernie. And a very interesting site, too. But Perry Barr it certainly isn't. More like Great Barr.

G

 

[BernardR]

I think as Phil says the notation can often be adrift particularly added some time down the line.

 

[Phil]

Yes I'm now pretty certain that it's the Bell Inn as well, it's the same pub in both photos. This is another I have found.

 

[Big Gee]

Problem solved, I think Phil! And it's still a very nice pub, if a little crowded most nights. My stepson lives just down the road, and often uses it.

G

 

[Pete Ex Pat]

My grand uncle married a women off yew tree estate thatis how I remember itp

 

[Phil]

Right making a start at Bordesley High St lets make a trip along the Coventry Rd. Our first leg runs from the High St to the Watery Lane - Sandy Lane junction and takes in The Bordesley Palace, Bordesley - Coventry Rd junction, Bordesley Station, Bowyer St & the Dolphin public house.

 

[Phil]

Moving up the Coventry Rd now we come to a couple of views of the Watery Lane - Coventry Rd junction and a few of Kingston Hill.

 

[Phil]

Some more views of Kingston Hill up to the junction with Cattell Rd, taking in the kingston Cinema and the Bus/tram depot.

 

[keegs]

Phil,thanks so much for posting these latest photo's.I lived in the area until 1967 and both sides of my family lived there going back to my great,great grandparents times.It has been a real trip down memory lane.
Keegs.

 

[Phil]

keegs

much, much more to come yet, give a day for the rest to see and digest the ones that have been posted then I will do from Cattell Rd to Muntz St

 

[Vivienne14]

I was so chuffed this afternoon to find the view in Phil's post #898 (2nd photo) looking along Birchfield Rd towards Trinity Church is still to be seen! Here are the two for comparison. It's so refreshing to see these buildings intact. However the view from the houses seems less attractive these days as they look onto the flyover. Viv.

 

[A Sparks]

Yes Viv, I was surprised to see that those houses are still standing!
I used to go to ballet and tap classes at a dance school which was in one of them - lovely big Victorian rooms.

 

[Big Gee]

We drove into Brum last night (for the Jazz Festival) and I made a point of driving along that part of Birchfield Road. The houses don't have much of a view from the front, but they all appear to be occupied and well-maintained, which is good. The vicarage is still there, and a beautiful house it is too. Miss Marple would've loved it! Huge back gardens, as well, if you like that sort of thing.

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks for the update BigGee. I'm surprised the houses, church etc survived the development of the flyover. If I remember this correctly there was a system of traffic lights underneath the flyover, so doubtless developers would have welcomed the use of the area occupied by the houses. Maybe the residents dug their heels in? If so, good for them !!! Viv.

 

[BordesleyExile]

Love the photos & the way you are organising them, Phil. This is quite the memory lane.

 

[Pete Ex Pat]

Hi Phil, in post # 940 would you know what was going on in photo #4 looks like some sort of march or protest ???

Regards Pete ..

 

[A Sparks]

I agree with Big Gee as to the name. Title shown below is courtesy of the web site shown below.

Check this site and keep scrolling down. Title - The old Bell Inn, Birmingham Road at the Walsall Borough boundary. Once a stopping place for coaches and later the terminus for Walsall Corporation trams.

Sorry, I have only just seen your reply!

Thanks for the information, the Bell must have been somewhere near where I once went for a few horseriding lessons, a place a few bus stops past the Scott Arms on the Birmingham Road.

 

[Big Gee]

Thanks for the update BigGee. I'm surprised the houses, church etc survived the development of the flyover. If I remember this correctly there was a system of traffic lights underneath the flyover, so doubtless developers would have welcomed the use of the area occupied by the houses. Maybe the residents dug their heels in? If so, good for them !!! Viv.

Yep, there are lights under the flyover (and a right pain they are, too). I wonder if those surviving villas are Church Of England property, as they've survived and seem to be looked after very well. I believe it's quite difficult to serve a successful compulsory-purchase order on the Church Of England.

G

 

[Phil]

Hi Phil, in post # 940 would you know what was going on in photo #4 looks like some sort of march or protest ???

Regards Pete ..

Pete it was in 1960 and it was The Indian Workers Association heading toward Deritend for a mass union demonstration.

 

[Phil]

We will continue on up from Cattell Road to Muntz Street there are quite a few photos of this section. So I'll add them over a couple of days.

 

[Phil]

The next five of this section of road

 

[Phil]

And five more

 

[Phil]

To continue along Coventry Road from Cattell Rd to Muntz Street

 

[Phil]

The next batch of five

 

[Phil]

And five more

 

[Phil]

The final four of this location.

 

[carolina]

Phil well done again.