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Snow Hill (the Road)

I began my, ahem, theatrical career (purely amateur, luvvies) at the YMCA in Snow Hill. We used to do stuff like "An Inspector Calls", and if we got 30 people in an average audience we'd consider ourselves lucky. This was back in the late 1960's when it was still quite plush. The stage and backstage facilities were excellent, better than plenty of 'real' theatres I've performed at since. I'd always turn up early for rehearsals so I could have a pint in The Salutation across the road, another place that featured very large in my younger years....

Big Gee
 
There was a music shop on Snow hill that all the local players went to, Think they moved to a big building near New Street station. Use to take Sax lessons on the 3 or 4th floor there, Is this still there, may have been Caseys? John Crump Oldbrit in Parker. Co USA
 
oldbrit said:
There was a music shop on Snow hill that all the local players went to, Think they moved to a big building near New Street station. Use to take Sax lessons on the 3 or 4th floor there, Is this still there, may have been Caseys? John Crump Oldbrit in Parker. Co USA
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I think it was Yardleys I have not been that way for some time, the shop is still there I think but with a different name. Dek
 
Hello ellbrown this is not the shop I was thinking of it,s on the corner of Lionel St (to the left of your photo).Dek
 
Yes Dek I remember Yardleys, but only from my journeys back and forth on the #29 & #29a bus. From memory I think it was a very big shop. The only reason I remember the name is because it reminded me of the make-up company. I also remember the YMCA building near the bus stop. Didn't realise it had a stage etc. How interesting. Also remember that curved building across the road (formed a sort of triangular shape) but can't remember the name of the building or the name of the road that joined Constitution Hill. Viv.
 
Yes that's the place Ell! What a wonderful building. From memory this whole road had a lot of interesting buildings, often quite large places with several tiers. Have a vague memory of many businesses associated with tools and instruments perhaps? It always seemed a bit unclear to me in those days (60s/70s) as to what this road was all about. But must have been loads of history there of B'ham's industrial past. Viv.
 
dek carr said:
I think it was Yardleys I have not been that way for some time, the shop is still there I think but with a different name. Dek
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That was it, Spent many Saturdays looking at the Selmer saxs that I could NOT afford. Thanks John Crump OldBrit
 
If I remember right Yardleys was on the other side of the road and this building was the old Surfside Stop which was a coffee bar on the ground floor and basement with thhe 1st 2nd and 3rd floors being tthe Penthouse night club
 
Does anyone know if the B'ham & Fazeley canal in Ell's photos is where Honduras Wharf would have been? Good views of canal Ell which you wouldn't normally see. Thanks. Viv.
 
Thanks Viv. I saw all those birds on the barrier and took some shots (as well as the canal being frozen last winter).
 
I used to work on the corner of Lionel Street and Ludgate Hill, I passed Yardleys everyday, this pic bought back so many memories. Thanks for posting it Moss.
Lynne.
 
top of the morning to ya frothy
i don,nt know about a bomb hiting it it sure would if it did be better lf it did i am sure
constitution is a eye saw to brum i was that way myself afew months ago looking for property
its great for pigeon shooting ; there was hundreds nesting and cooing and bombing you with there mess
i just could not beleive what i was saying and surely those ware houses aint making money what are selling fancy goods
have a good day best wishes astonian
 
hard to imagine that snow hill once looked liked this...another of my favourites as there is so much going on...

img450.jpg
 
hi pete its looking towards constitution hill...just where the bus is turning is where the police headquarters of Lloyd house is now...i dont remembers it looking like this as by the time i was old enough to be walking into the city cente all the buildings on the right had been demolished to be replaced by the filibuster and fannys pubs etc..and if memory serves me right an army recruitment office..
lyn...
 
thanks lyn.i dont remember them shops.i only remember the station.the pic house.and the op side of the station was 2 shops.then open land belonging to st philips..
 
A picture which has brought back memories. When working in my last employment which was in Edmund Street, before I moved to Devon, I often caught the 29A BCT bus route at one of the stops seen at the right of the picture. I preferred to catch this route and transfer to another southbound route later in the journey, especially if it was poor weather, rather than walk across the city to Hall Green, Stratford or Solihull routes. It never bothered me walking distances in the quieter suburbs or countryside (well, there was a lot of countryside then once out of the city boundary). I rarely ventured north of here: the occasional trip to Dudley Zoo, Perry Barr speedway or once to Pheasey Estate/Kingstanding. The latter trip was to see what the other end of the 29A route looked like - rather like the Goons venturing to see if there was life north of the Thames.

Family and friends celebrations often entailed a long walk from the city boundary as the night service buses (NS37 in my case) ended at the city boundary. (maybe they go longer distances now). Those who have been around a while will recall the 6d. (2½ p.) flat fare. I wonder how much it is now?
 
radiorails.what road or street was in the photo.i would like to know. if i walked along bull st towards the gaumont cinema.were would it have been do you remember.
 
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