See Birmingham by Post Card

[ASTONITE]

and again

 

[Aidan]

Here's a more modern one (guess early-mid 1970s) of Five Ways, looking down Broad Street. I think it must have been taken from the Hospital (is it now the Swallow Hotel?). Things looked simpler & quieter in those days...

 

[motorman-mike]

Here's a more modern one (guess early-mid 1970s) of Five Ways, looking down Broad Street. I think it must have been taken from the Hospital (is it now the Swallow Hotel?). Things looked simpler & quieter in those days...(although appears to be an accident in progress on the right!)

Nice card Aidan, and definitely from some time after 1972 as the Midland Red bus appears to have the National Bus Company corporate fleetname style introduced in that year.
Mike

 

[Carolynn]

I would say the photo is taken from the T.I. Export House (Tube Investment) which was the building the Swallow Hotel occupied after T.I. moved out to Auchinleck House, Auchinleck Square.. If you worked at T.I. you were invited back to see how the hotel had been revamped.

 

[ragga]

I must say it myself Aidan , its a wonderful photo card better looked at on full screen
have you anymore like it ???
ragga .........

 

[Aidan]

Thanks Mike, Carolynn & Ragga for your comments. I don't think I have any similar cards, wish I did. I remember when I was given it, I stashed this away in my "Treasure box" as I thought it would be interesting to see it in the future. Sadly it seems to have started to deteriorate or react with something in there. It took a few goes on the scanner too as it is dot-printed and this was the best resolution I could get. Anyone have any idea when the big red-brick block went up on the left (now Tescos but think originally something to do with a holiday company)

 

[Carolynn]

Aidan, as you look at the picture the road opposite is Broad Street. Just before that on the left there is Ladywood Middleway where Tescos is which I would have thought was late 60s/early 70s. The hospital you mentioned I would think was the Childrens, now moved into the City which was opposite Tescos. From the picture you cannot see Tescos but the road is where the black car is approaching the roundabout with the white car at the side and the bus in front. The original Tescos was next to T I House on the Hagley Road.

 

[Aidan]

Actually Ragga I do have one other postcard, but think it is a repro of an old one, of Margaret Grove May-Day celebrations in 1910 - it available on this thread if of interest https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=30747&p=307725#post307725

 

[motorman-mike]

At odd times in this thread I have featured cards with BCT buses hand tinted in the wrong colours. Well, the dreaded postcard artist has struck again! Here is Corporation Street with red Corporation buses and in as late as the 1950's, dated by the yellow Standard Vanguard car in the foreground and the number only destination display on the nearest bus.




No replacement postcard available, but post left because of ensuing conversation

 

[mikejee]

Colour looks like one of the old Reading buses

 

[motorman-mike]

That might just be it Mike, the postcard artist came from Reading

 

[Richie]

View attachment 49727

Aidan, as you look at the picture the road opposite is Broad Street. Just before that on the left there is Ladywood Middleway where Tescos is which I would have thought was late 60s/early 70s. The hospital you mentioned I would think was the Childrens, now moved into the City which was opposite Tescos. From the picture you cannot see Tescos but the road is where the black car is approaching the roundabout with the white car at the side and the bus in front. The original Tescos was next to T I House on the Hagley Road.

Carolynn (and anyone). Here's a profile from a similar position taken a few years earlier (Educational, non-commercial purpose from the RIBA website) I'm interested in the older building on the left towards which the bus is approaching. Richie

 

[john knight]

Richie, here you are enlarged and enhanced, but I don't know anything about the building.

 

[Phil]

I think the building in question was on the corner of Francis Road and was the Edgbaston Assembly Rooms. Which housed among other things. A Congregational Church, The Children's Hospital nurses quarters,and The Provincial Grand Lodge of Warwickshire Masonic Temple.

Phil

 

[motorman-mike]

The postcard artist has been at work on this view of 1950's New Street but without any buses to get wrong. There is a feast of other vehicles to see here including an Armstrong Siddeley on the left there and a Ford Consul to the right.

 

[ragga]

This may be some interest to someone who lived in Clay La at some point .
ragga ............

 

[motorman-mike]

Another look at New Street during an earlier period. 1930's perhaps?

 

[ASTONITE]

Apologies if these have been on before, it's such a large thread to check!

 

[Astoness]

great pics astonite...i havnt seen either of them before...

lyn

 

[Aidan]

Astonite - really great pics, where did you get them and do they have a date? I would suggest also posting them on one of the early Bus Threads (eg Midland Red Early Days or similar) so that one of the experts there can identify the vehicles and suggest a date, it would be most interesting

 

[ASTONITE]

Hi Aidan, I was searching the web yesterday and came across this postcard site,unfortunately I logged off and can't remember what it was called , I've also tried my browsing history but it's been deleted. I am always aware that lots of photos have been put on before, I wish there was some way of checking. Over the years I have collected , from this site and many others, about 5000 pictures, so it's quite difficult to know . I'm sorry thers no date, Ill try and find the site again if possible.

 

[Dominic25]

Here are some postcards of Birmingham [published by C. Richter (Publishers) Ltd., London, N.W.6] I picked up at a sweet shop opposite Harborne Swimming Baths some time ago. Not sure of the year, but probably late 1930's early 1940's?. Thought you might like to see them...

 

[john knight]

Fantastic photos Dominic,some of the best I've seen.

 

[Charlie]

Lovely photos. Does anyone else, like me, have to think hard to picture where Easy Row was?
So much has changed.

 

[BernardR]

Nope it's Easy.

 

[Aidan]

I picked up at a sweet shop opposite Harborne Swimming Baths some time ago...

Nice pics & thanks for sharing. If I remember right there was a tiny little collectors shop opposite the Harborne Swimming Baths and adjacent to The Duke of York (sadly built over now) where I used to buy Stamps and Coins and "rare" books for my collection when I was a tiddler - is that the place you mean?

 

[motorman-mike]

A tram makes it's way from Edmund Street in to Congreve Street in this c.1920's view of Victoria Square. Possibly due to the camera angle, on her statue, Queen Victoria appears to be wearing trousers to which she would no doubt say "We are not amused"

 

[Elizabeth Redmond]

A tram makes it's way from Edmund Street in to Congreve Street in this c.1920's view of Victoria Square. Possibly due to the camera angle, on her statue, Queen Victoria appears to be wearing trousers to which she would no doubt say "We are not amused"

How beautiful those buildings look

 

[Dominic25]

No, that was a little lean-to type shop next door to the public lavatories. The one I mean was next to what was Victoria bakeries.

 

[Dominic25]

Here are some more post cards of Birmingham...