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Snow Hill (the Road)

No 28 Snow hill in 1920, the shop of Zissman Bros, maker of caps, with Myer Zissman on the left. There was also the premises Lazarus Zissman at no 82 Snow Hill, another cap maker. This part of the Zissman family moved to Birmingham in 1906 from Brick Lane in London, first to 52 Summer Row (my source states summer lane, but Kellys puts it as Summer Row) where Myer could be seen stitching caps in the window, but in 1920 to a better position in Snow Hill. In 1920s heir caps, flat topped with six pleats and a strap accross the front, were 1s.6d, but by 1930s they had risen to 2s11d. after WW2 caps went out of fashion and the firm went into shirts, collars, ties and in the 1950s introduced teddy boy styles to Birmingham.
(Info and photo from Birmingham Jewry, More Aspects 1740-1930; Ed Joey Josephs, pub 1984 by Birmingham Jewish History Group)

Zissman's caps snow hill 1920.jpgmap c 1937 showing 28 snow hill.jpg
 
Hard to believe today but Zizzman's would have been right in the hustle and bustle of things in that position opposite SH station, 3 pubs within spitting distance, the Post Office nearby and all the other shops along that stretch of road. Can see why they chose that position for their business. Surprised they specialised in caps, but then almost everyone would gave worn a cap in the 1920s. I think there are a couple of boaters in the window too, so probably not exclusively caps in the summertime.

Did they market the 'Zizzman' cap as their brand then ? Viv.
 
It does not make that clear Viv, though it does seem as if all their caps were the same style, though in 6 sizes
 
There must have been a few - brothers, sons? - in the Zissman (Zizzman) family as they had a few gentlemen's clothing stores in Birmingham. My father, when in his younger days, dealt with them.
 
Yes Alan. In the 1908 kellys the following were listed:
Zissman L. & M. cap makers, 206 High street, Deritend
Zissman Harris, cap maker, 89 Summer Hill road
Zissman Lazarus, cap maker, see L. & M. Zissman
Zissman Meyer, tailor, 52 Summer row
Zissman Myer, cap maker, see L. & M. Zissman
 
mikejee said:
Yes Alan. In the 1908 kellys the following were listed:
Zissman L. & M. cap makers, 206 High street, Deritend
Zissman Harris, cap maker, 89 Summer Hill road
Zissman Lazarus, cap maker, see L. & M. Zissman
Zissman Meyer, tailor, 52 Summer row
Zissman Myer, cap maker, see L. & M. Zissman
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Mike didn't they have a shop under the Priory Queensway as a gents outfitters in the 60's , I'm sure I bought a pair of maroon cords from there in 63/64
 
Williamstreeter said:
Mike didn't they have a shop under the Priory Queensway as a gents outfitters in the 60's , I'm sure I bought a pair of maroon cords from there in 63/64
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Do a search for Zissmans. There isn't a specific thread for them but there are many references to them in various threads.
 
From 1969 kellys:
Zissman Bros. "(Birmingham) Ltd. outfitters, 110 Alum Rock rd 8; 1/3 Martineau way 2 (Tel. 021-236 2595); Bull Street subway 4; 1113/1115 Warwick rd 27 (Acocks Green 0127) & 1a, Albert st 4
Zissman Moss Ltd.' outfitters, 536 Coventry rd 10; & 321 Stratford rd 11
Zissman's, outfitters, 421 Dudley rd 18
 
I've been asked a question concerning Harrison's Corner at Snow Hill and to be honest I haven't a clue. Does anybody know what happened to the penguin sign was it scrapped or was it saved when the building was demolished?

City Snow Hill Harrisons Corner 1960's.jpg
 
cant help with this one phil but i suspect the penguin sign was scrapped along with far more symbolic and important items that brum has lost..i think the only place it could be if it was saved is at dolman st but i would be amazed if it was there

lyn
 
1565610332325.png

This is a photo from Lyn (Astoness) in the Unseen photos of Birmingham thread. It is a good photo and shows a bus on the famous 29A route - heading for Hall Green and one of the 'bouncy' A40 or A70 Austin cars. The penguin sign was very visible especially from the forecourt of Edward Greys store. Too close to the crossroads and you did not always see the sign; sensible folk were on the lookout for traffic at the very busy juction. I suspect it was both too large an object and possibly to fragile for saving.
 
This is such a very familiar sight for me. Passed it every day on the bus on the way to work and back into town in the evening for a night out. I don’t remember the units next (right) to the Midland Bank ever being fully occupied - although I could be wrong, maybe they just looked unoccupied. Image must be late 1960s/70s. Viv.

86196C74-1684-412B-AF08-F523BFA0E90D.jpeg
 
great photo viv and one very familiar to me too...passed it many times on the way home from town...bit blurry and i cant quite make it out but is that the filibuster pub to the right of the bank..if memory serves me right at ground level but more to the right was fannys.....happy days spent in both pubs..

lyn
 
Vivienne14 said:
This is such a very familiar sight for me. Passed it every day on the bus on the way to work and back into town in the evening for a night out. I don’t remember the units next (right) to the Midland Bank ever being fully occupied - although I could be wrong, maybe they just looked unoccupied. Image must be late 1960s/70s. Viv.

View attachment 143863
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I am having a little difficulty orientating myself with this photo. This is mainly because I don't remember a Midland Bank in that area. I remember Lloyds Bank and the Post Office. Is that Priory Queensway going off to the right? I don't actually recognise the buildings. I know that the Kennedy memorial, or part of it, was moved to Digbeth but I think the railway mosaic was just destroyed.
Edit Sorry I was confusing St Chads Circus with Colmore Circus.
 
Festive at Fanny’s. Don’t think I ever went in there, but was it a Victorian themed bar ? Think it was in the low level block in my post #253. From British Newspaper Archives. Viv.

D3BEC879-D1B6-485D-891A-4012A5D411D6.jpeg
 
mikejee said:
No 28 Snow hill in 1920, the shop of Zissman Bros, maker of caps, with Myer Zissman on the left. There was also the premises Lazarus Zissman at no 82 Snow Hill, another cap maker. This part of the Zissman family moved to Birmingham in 1906 from Brick Lane in London, first to 52 Summer Row (my source states summer lane, but Kellys puts it as Summer Row) where Myer could be seen stitching caps in the window, but in 1920 to a better position in Snow Hill. In 1920s heir caps, flat topped with six pleats and a strap accross the front, were 1s.6d, but by 1930s they had risen to 2s11d. after WW2 caps went out of fashion and the firm went into shirts, collars, ties and in the 1950s introduced teddy boy styles to Birmingham.
(Info and photo from Birmingham Jewry, More Aspects 1740-1930; Ed Joey Josephs, pub 1984 by Birmingham Jewish History Group)

View attachment 127911View attachment 127912
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I've just seen this photograph which jogged my memory of Zissmans menswear in Birmingham mentioned earlier in this thread, it is of a shop in Whitechapel taken in the early 70's. The spelling is different but they could have been relatives if the family were from Brick Lane originally.

RMC8.jpgc
 
Sparks,

It's actually quite a common Jewish surname and as there is a big Jewish population in London, it might or it might not be the same family! A bit like Bird in Birmingham - hundreds of them, though why I have no idea. :)

Maurice :cool:
 
That’s probably me and a colleague or two walking to the Filibuster for a quick lunchtime snifter. We worked in the office above, the main problem with which was trying to find somewhere to park our collection of oldish motors. Our manager had a thing about us drinking halves, not pints, so a certain element of the office bolshevists always tried to drink three halves in the time it normally took to drink one pint. Two things worked against this wheeze, firstly if he didn’t come for lunch we drank pints, secondly, it was Ansells.

One good thing about my final billet in Shropshire, the nearest pub to the office sold Pedigree.
 
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Johnfromstaffs said:
That’s probably me and a colleague or two walking to the Filibuster for a quick lunchtime snifter. We worked in the office above, the main problem with which was trying to find somewhere to park our collection of oldish motors. Our manager had a thing about us drinking halves, not pints, so a certain element of the office bolshevists always tried to drink three halves in the time it normally took to drink one pint. Two things worked against this wheeze, firstly if he didn’t come for lunch we drank pints, secondly, it was Ansells.

One good thing about my final billet in Shropshire, the nearest pub to the office sold Pedigree.
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Good old Marstons
 
Hello, in April 1984, I came to Birmingham as a young 18 year old: I had an interview at the old Polytechnic in Perry Barr and stayed overnight at the YMCA on Snow Hill. I suppose it is long gone now?. Was that on Constitution Hill? I remember venturing out that evening to find a shop to get snacks and seeing the street sign for Summer Lane. I had spent most of that afternoon getting hopelessly lost in the old city centre layout with its subways and 'circuses' that I did not want to wander too far from the YM! I was just from a much smaller place in Suffolk: the next morning I walked all the way to Perry Barr along Newtown Row and the A34, watching all the old blue and cream buses passing by. I did later live in Brum for nearly 10 years but still have fond memories of those couple of warm April days when I got lost in the big city.
 
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A Sparks said:
The old YMCA building is still there - it's still a hostel but they call it 'supported accommodation'

View attachment 157767
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Thanks for confirming, I remember the building to the right. I think it was £5 to stay overnight back in 1984! The guest house opposite the Polytechnic on the A34 was £12 and I only had £8. Sad to see the old campus at Perry Barr demolished. All the years I lived in the city, I never went over that side to see it when it was still there.
 
Susan 2095 said:
Thanks for confirming, I remember the building to the right. I think it was £5 to stay overnight back in 1984! The guest house opposite the Polytechnic on the A34 was £12 and I only had £8. Sad to see the old campus at Perry Barr demolished. All the years I lived in the city, I never went over that side to see it when it was still there.
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Welcome to the Forum Susan, a great place with super people!
ENJOY!
 
A Sparks said:
The old YMCA building is still there - it's still a hostel but they call it 'supported accommodation'

View attachment 157767
Click to expand...
I have recently been trying to obtains pics of past places I have lived, using Street View so am so grateful to find this site, having failed in tracing the YMCA. I had a year placement in Birmingham (on £16 a week) and was having problems finding somewhere to stay. Tourist information suggested here or Salvation Army until I got a more permanent address.

Think it cost around £9 for the week (Shows how long ago and a big chunk of my income) but 2 huge meals each day, before and after work did the business. I'd never considered tinned spaghetti in tomato sauce as a breakfast item before but has been a part of my weekly shop since.

On my first night I walked to the speedway at the old Perry Barr track (now the shopping centre) and ended the week at a disco somewhere near John Lewis. Managed to get a flat rental within the week, but still have fond memories of my week here.
 
Does anyone know anything about an artist J.Hollins?
I have a painting 'Clun Castle', the last steam passenger train to leave Snowhill station.
What date was this last steam train to leave Snowhill?

hollins.jpg
 
The Birmingham Post of 6 March 1967 reports that the previous night an air of gloom at Snow Hill, hundreds of rail enthusiasts crowded to see the last steam-hauled passenger trains enter the city. Two trains had taken Midlanders
to Birkenhead. Fans greeted Clun Castle.
 
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