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Soho Hill

Astoness

TRUE BRUMMIE MODERATOR
Staff member
hi all. heres a couple of pics myself and keith acton took on our trip out. this first building is dated 1826.
 
this is next to the 1st building with nearly a 100 difference in age. dated 1922. keith like this one in perticular for its art deco. hope you like them wales.
 
this is next to the 1st building with nearly a 100 difference in age. dated 1922. keith like this one in perticular for its art deco. hope you like them wales.

Thanks for posting these Lyn - these building are a stones throw from Soho House.

This was by far my favourite building. It embodies everything that I love about art deco architecture - the cubism art work showing geometric zig-zag lines is excellent.

The date of the building also coincides with the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun by Howard Carter & Lord Carnaervon in 1922, and this is evident with visual references to Egypt by means of the Sphinx type lions and the snakes. The art deco finish to this building is absolutely beautiful.

Treat yourselves and pay a visit - take a look at this building before it crumbles - it is a crying shame....

God I wish I could win the lottery - if I did, this building would be mine...

keith
 
Thanks for posting those photos Lyn - if they are on Soho Hill I must have passed by them thousands of times when I was young and living nearby in Soho Avenue, but I was never interested in such things then, so I never noticed them.

Which side of the road are they in relation to the Beehive Pub photo you posted(a sad picture!)?

Judy
 
keith. glad they came out ok. never say never about winning the lottery. jules you are right as youngsters we dont notice things like we do as we get older. always a pleasure to post pics if they bring back memories for folk. lyn
 
Thanks for posting those photos Lyn - if they are on Soho Hill I must have passed by them thousands of times when I was young and living nearby in Soho Avenue, but I was never interested in such things then, so I never noticed them.

Which side of the road are they in relation to the Beehive Pub photo you posted(a sad picture!)?

Judy

Judy, too right I walked past these properties thousands of times as a child and yound man but never took time to appreciate their beauty, or even notice them? These buildings are directly opposite Soho Avenue next to the Beehive.

My friend in the late 60's did his toolmaking apprenticeship at the factory just up from the Beehive, the company was called Dembro if I recall?


keith
 
Keith, when I lived in Handsworth (up until 1956) the factory next to the Beehive was Dennisons Watchcase Company.

Thank you for telling me the location of those buildings. I think I may recognise one of them. I think there was a building where the church held its social meetings, I remember going to rehearse a play for Sunday School in a very similar building. There was also a Telephone Exchange near to it.

Judy
 
Thanks for posting these pictures of what was once beautiful buildings. My first job was in Naden Road and I occasionally walked up Soho Hill. As has been said though when you are young you never notice these sorts of things. I can only hope that they are preserved for future generations to enjoy.
 
I know a man doing some serious research and has been looking for some considerable time for photos of Soho Hill before they demolisehd the houses and built the Hockley Flyover. There is a house in particular he wishes to be able to see, very near the corner of Richmond Road. The library does not have any, but if anyone knows a man (or woman) who does, please can they be persuaded to post them on here? Shortie
 
hi shortie...im pretty sure ive posted at least one old pic of soho hill..if you bear with me i will try and locate it....not sure if it was the richmond rd end though

lyn
 
Lyn, that would be wonderful, maybe the house in question might still be visible, even from the bottom of the hill? I shall wait patiently to see what you can find and then we will see. Shortie
 
hi shortie...no luck so far..i usually have a fairly good memory for pics...especially the ones i have posted..it maybe that the pic i am thinking of showing soho hill came under another thread title so i will keep searching....

lyn
 
hi shortie...well ive located the pic i was thinking about...it was under the cinema thread because it shows the the abc cinema on the left....taken before the flyover was built looking down the hill...im afraid it wont show your friends old house by richmond road but its a start...hope its of use..this pic was posted by richie....

lyn
 

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Lyn, thanks very much. Just a couple of hundred yardsup the hill would be marvellous! This is how I remember it, the walls on the right are from the houses that backed on to Claremont Road, the row of houses next to them would be where I am interested it. it's for a chap doing research on a gold and silver pen maker, and he has been looking since about 2002, to no avail. His book is already in print, but he is still looking for the house. The penmaker was John Sheldon who prior to living at Watt Place on Soho Hill, lived at 55 Gt Hampton Street, which is almost next door to the old Swallow Raincoat factory. It's now painted bright turquoise and is a recording studio. I won't comment on that except to mention taste, or lack of it! I shall forward this to him anyway, I am sure he will be pleased. Thanks again. Shortie
 
hi shortie...its often the way when we are seaching for a perticular house that one turns up thats just out of shot but i will keep searching for your friend...yes i know the place you are on about in gt hampton st and i too shall make no comment....

cheers

lyn
 
hi shortie...its often the way when we are seaching for a perticular house that one turns up thats just out of shot but i will keep searching for your friend...yes i know the place you are on about in gt hampton st and i too shall make no comment....

cheers

lyn
I too have been looking for this elusive photograph for some time, There is nothing in the main library archives. I came across a recently published book on Hockley that had a couple of photographs with the house just out of view. The photographs were taken by the PWD, presumably while the flyover was being built. Unfortunately these were the only ones that the author had. The house was No. 2 Watt Place and was opposit the Roebuck pub which is now boarded up. This photo would be the final piece in the jigsaw of John Sheldon.

Cheers
Malcolm
The Pen Room
 
Once that final piece of jigsaw is found our friend in Epsom will be very pleased. I was rather hoping that someone would have just the picture in their private collection - surely someone must have watched as those houses came down and decided to take a quick snap for posterity? I always was an optimist.................. Shortie
 
hi malcolm...do you have that hockley book and if so would you be able to scan and post the pics you mentioned please...shortie..dont give up yet...this is well posted on the forum but it took me almost 3 years to find a pic of the the vine inn...villa st..it was opposite were i lived...now this pub was not demolished until 1978 so one would have thought it would have been so easy to find a pic of...not so im afraid...then quite by chance i was talking last year to an old mate who lived just down from me in villa st and i asked if he had any pics of the vine...he hadnt but was almost sure his uncle had...anyhow he took a trip to see him a few days later and lo and behold the next thing i knew he was knocking me door with said pic....the pic was taken by the public works dept in 1958...needless to say this is one of my prized photos.....

lyn
 
OK, Lyn, won't give up. Like your story of The Vine, I am hoping that one pops up. I remember the houses there quite well, so someone must have surely taken a photo just before they came down. Shortie
 
shortie..i have always said that somewhere there is an image of most places...and quite often in private collections and we never know when they will crop up...i still have a lot of old brum newspapers to go through when i have the time so i will keep em peeled...

lyn
 
Thanks Lyn. No hurry, but it will be SO nice when we finally are able to pinpoint 2 Watt Place. Shortie
 
Lyn. Maggieuk has got the Hockley book as well, I know, because I gave it to her, funnily enough at the last Black Eagle meet up. She may be able to scan some pics in. I did scan in some pictures from it myself, but they may have been lost in the upgrade.

Terry
 
Hiya Lyn
Have had a go and scanned the pics ..sent them to you..they only show when the flyover was being built
 
thanks maggie...shortie im afraid it only shows where i would imagine the houses you are looking for would have been..the roebuck pub on the corner and richmond road to the left of the construction work...think you may have to click on the pic to enlarge it..


lyn
 

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