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Passages, Alleyways Gulletts and Snickets of Old Brum

Dennis Williams

Dennis Williams

Gone but not forgotten
Dive in folks - I will start with my favourite Union Passage, off Union Street. This harboured my favourite watering hole The Cabin. After Tech we gathered for a swift one or two before getting the bus home....great big circular copper bar top. Huge. Any one else remember it? The sign on the lamp is just visible in Picture 4 on the left.


Union Passage 1864 &1895.jpgUnion Passage 1897 Cherry St.jpgUnion Passage 1907.jpgUnion Passage 1911.jpg

Reposted. These may now be in a different order...sorry but my memory, like my Bank balance, is fading...
 
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Wonderful idea for a thread Dennis.

I always thought Union was one of the most atmospheric passages - there is just something about the sweep of the shop window on the right of pic4.

Nice one of Cherry St too.
 
Not my idea though. Phil started one on another Forum. Got a brilliant response. Hope he doesn't mind forging one on here.
 
Dennis

I have no problem with it, I'll even repost some of the photos here if you want me to. They would probably look better on here due to the size restrictions on the other site.

Phil
 
Dennis,
No one could forget the Cabin with it's copper bar,a place of such character.
However, I could not remember where it was,thanks for that.
How about the corner cupboard,do you recall that one,off Bull St.?.
 
Ray

The Corner Cupboard was on the other side of Union Passage to Kunzle's in Union Street.

Phil
City Corner Cupboard Union Street[1].jpg
 
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A few more images of Union Passage as it cut its way through from New Street to Bull Street. One showing where it crossed Union St after the rebuilding of the Big Top Site. Another showing Symingtons at its junction with Bull St. One showing Evans outsize shop at its junction with Martinaeu St and another showing Hardy's bed shop.

Phil
 

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Thylacine

I have heard the word Snicket mentioned on many occasions, and there was once a very infamous Gullet off the end of Lichfield Street (Corporation St) that has been mentioned many times on this forum.

Phil

City Lichfield St The Gullet 1876.jpg
 
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Using the Washwood Heath tram a lot I often found myself walking along Union Passage to New Street. The older pictures are not recognizable to me also most of the newer ones...albeit they have the feel of the place. I don't remember there being so many shops there...maybe Goering changed the face of it some. Some maps indicate it as Warwick Passage from this intersection to New Street but I always considered it as Union right through.
 
Rupert

I've gone back to 1885 on maps and that far back it has always been Union Passage for the whole length. Warwick Passage did cut off Union Passage to Corporation St though, as can be seen on this 1950's map.

Phil

City High St Plan.JPG
 
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Phil said:
Dennis

As I told Jean I think turning this thread into a quiz would spoil your thread, and I think it has the possibility of attracting a lot of comments. We already have a thread for this type of quiz, namely the "Where is this?" thread. I will utilise that once I sort a subject out or someone suggests one. Jean has suggested garages, so if anybody else would care to suggest another.

Phil
Click to expand...

No problem Phil, I'll agree with anything you say. I am a total creep. And thanks for the map by the way, I am male so have no sense of direction (quote from Mrs W). Really useful for orientation.

Whilst on Union Passage and its environs, anyone remember the stamp shop enclosed? Bliss...View attachment 57451View attachment 57451and does anyone have any extra information about that fabulous REALLY old building?


Union St Stamp Shop.jpg
 
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A second Alley, just as well known a Union Passage is Needless Alley first recorded in 1731 it runs from Temple Row to New Street. Here are a few photos ranging from 1883 up to recent times.

Phil

City Needless Alley (2).JPG City Needless Alley 1883.jpg City Needless Alley[1].jpg City Needless Ally 1963.jpg
 
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Aidan

I was more interested in the bloke she is looking back at, I was wondering if he was hubby and they had just had a bit of a tiff and she had stormed off in front.

On a more serious side, I remember Needless Alley as a bit of a sombre place, but from the recent photo it looks like it has undergone a bit of a makeover.

Phil
 
Needless Alley...and there I was always thinking it was Needlers. I had thought that it was long gone...but not so. I don't believe that I was ever down that one but must have walked past it a time or two. Could be that I did not think it went right through and maybe there were trucks in there delivering.
 
Aidan

Other than it's close proximity to Temple Street both running from Temple Row to New Street I can't really say. I remember reading somewhere that the actual line of the alley was laid out by the edge of an ancient field. Perhaps The Cherry Orchard?

Phil
 
Aidan

No doubt where the name Shut Lane that ran from Moor St to Park St came from.

Phil

Bordesley Shut Lane.jpg
 
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Dennis, Needlers Alleway was always a favorit of mine. I have no photos unlesss Phil has a couple. Why it was called this is a mystery to me, but what an alleway!!
 
bobsummers said:
Dennis, Needlers Alleway was always a favorit of mine. I have no photos unlesss Phil has a couple. Why it was called this is a mystery to me, but what an alleway!!
Click to expand...


You read Aidan's enclosure by Phil Upton about the 'goings on' in Needless Alley? You may need to adjust your last sentence...tee hee...
 
Dennis
In 1855, there doesn't seem to be a Shaws Passage, but in Park St, by the side of the railway that side of the road there was at no 18 :
Shaw Henry, wrought nail, chain & rivet manufacturer, & wholesale ironmonger (Railwav bridge).
They are still there in 1899, which is about when the passage seems to have appeared in directories, but it is named on the 1890 map, so it must have been there before. Possibly before it was an internal firm.s passage, and rhus got the name
Mike​
 
posting the pic again in the hopes you can enlarge it...it was as i said a gullett that ran at the side of the law courts in corporation st..must say they look a most unsavoury bunch...
 
This is Colonnade Passage that ran from New Street to Stephenson St. To my mind another dismal alley, but I know the model shop half way down on the right brought a lot of joy to a lot of young lads and some not so young ones.

Phil
City Colonnade Passage 1960.JPG
 
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I don't think any of them can have been a desirable address - wonderful real life though Lyn.
 
Lyn
Your picture of the gullet can't be the new court in corporation st (its too bad a state ). It must be by the County court, which i reckon means that the gullet must lead of Newton st as shown in blue
Mike

possible_gullet_by_court_in_corp__st_on_map_1890.jpg
 
hi mike...reading the caption the gullett is no longer there it says....houses in a gullett....a notorious thoroufare running at the site of the modern queen elizebeth law courts...

lyn
 
This is a little map that I picked up somewhere on this forum I'm sure, and I'm sorry I can't recall who it was who posted it. It pinpoints the position of the Gullett.

Phil

City Street Plan The Gullet .jpg
 
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