• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

St Paul's Square Hockley

Vivienne14

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
I've always thought what an interesting history St Paul's Square must have. But don't seem to be able to find too much about it. Can anyone point me to a thread on here please? Done a search but can't pinpoint anything specific. Thanks. Viv.
 
I don't think there is a thread about it Vivienne, so you have just started one.

The area around St Paul's Sq., originally part of the Colmores’ Newhall estate, was laid out in a grid pattern around 1778. (See 1778 Hanson map below).This was done to get to enable industrialists and merchants to get away from the rather overcrowded area nearer to the city. At the centre of the square was St Paul's chapel, later to become a church As it was originally a residential area for the affluent, around this time the square and the surrounding streets were mainly three storey brick townhouses with fairly large gardens. However by the 1820s these were being taken over by toymakers and other trades, and the gardens at the back filled with workshops. (see 1824 map below). Thus the more affluent residential area was again moved further out still, a process which seems to have occurred in other towns also. A picture of a remaining townhouse (no 3 St Pauls Sq ) is below

St Paul’s Chapel was designed by Roger Eykyn, and was consecrated in 1779. Originally it had no spire, because of lack of funds (see below). In 1816 it was suggested that a cast iron spire be put on the church, it being not long after the Coalbrookdale iron bridge had caused such interest. However money was found and a stone spire was erected in 1824
Because of the area, St Pauls chapel became the fashionable church for the successful industrialists, who largely lived nearby. Matthew Bolton held the £5 freehold for pew number 23. However, after 1840, when the wealthy industrialists had moved further out, the parish became a slum parish. In accordance with the times it was still well attended and attempted to educate its congregation. Richard Burgess (1867-88) is reported to have regularly held classes for his congregation which attracted 4,000 per week.
Mike

townhouseA1780no3Stpaulssq.jpg
stpaulsasfirstbuilt.jpg


map1824stpaulssqarea.jpg
areaaroundstpauls1778.jpg
 
Thanks Jennyann and Mike. To me there's a wealth of interest in this square. It's almost a mini snap shot of how Birmingham became industrialised and shows the effects it had over time on the place. I like the mix of the pretty Georgian and the industrial. Pity about the modern flats, but the Square does still seem to have many good examples of early Birmingham buildings. So it gets the thumbs up from me. Thank goodness the church was repaired, otherwise I expect the rest of the Square would have disappeared along with it. Hopefully it's future is secure. Many thanks to both of you for posting the info. Viv.
 
I agree about the flats Vivienne but thanks be to the Victorian Society and others when the City Fathers wanted to get rid of most of the square for modernisation
 
Thanks Viv. It's the only surviving Georgian square in Birmingham.

I believe Old Square was Georgian before they knocked all the town houses down for developments such as Corporation Street.
 
The church website has a lot of interesting history at https://www.saintpaulbrum.org/history.php . I wish every church made an effort to record its history like this. In particular I noted "R. B. Burges (who was Evangelical), did quite fantastic work in meeting the new social need. Burges and his four curates and two scripture readers, visited all the 16000 people in the parish four times a year- - and kept a record of it all!" I don't know how much he recorded, but i reckon there might be a lot of interesting information in his records for someone in Birmingham who could go through them
Mike
 
Many thanks Mike for the link. I've now worked through nearly all the archived documents on the site and they give some wonderful insights into the way the church came about, the people, etc. It would be a big bonus if there were other records that could be accessed. They make very interesting reading. I can now see why there's the industrial mission connection. It's interesting that St Paul's history shows it's learned to adapt well to the community it serves. And it's good that they're continuing the tradition by recording more modern history too in the story of the bells. Enjoyed looking in more detail at the Square through these records. Thanks for the pointer. Viv.
 
Back in 1958 I was a bobby working from Kenyon Street. The old hands spoke of a policeman being buried there at some time in the dim and distant past. Was told not to be too bothered in policing the buildings in the square as this was that bobbies beat. This was obviously something that had been passed down through the years by the bobbies who worked there and I know not who the bobby had been. Needless to say I poached his patch regularly and one night captured a tasty villain in doing so. So unlike how the old song "You can't trust a special like the old time cooper etc" is wrong as this old time bobby was lying down on the job.
Will.
 
Heard on the radio this morning that St Pauls Square is in the top 20 attractive streets in Britain. Will try to find link to pst.
Sue
 
A.Willoughby said:
Back in 1958 I was a bobby working from Kenyon Street. The old hands spoke of a policeman being buried there at some time in the dim and distant past. Was told not to be too bothered in policing the buildings in the square as this was that bobbies beat. This was obviously something that had been passed down through the years by the bobbies who worked there and I know not who the bobby had been. Needless to say I poached his patch regularly and one night captured a tasty villain in doing so. So unlike how the old song "You can't trust a special like the old time cooper etc" is wrong as this old time bobby was lying down on the job.
Click to expand...

Will. Think I would have steered clear of the place! Do you remember if it was all industrial buildings at that time? Or were there homes in the Square too at that time? Viv.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Viv
In 1955 there were 7 people on the electoral roll in the square (at nos 10, 34 and 55). At that time I think the qualification for inclusion would only be residence, so they must have lived there. No 10 was a shopkeeper, so they must have lived over the shop; 34 was the St Paul’s Club, so he would have been the stewards (if there is no female form as both were female); 55 is not listed in Kellys, so it was probably just a house
mike
 
hi guys
also what alot of people do not know that beneath the grounds of that church deep down and across from the old chaple
is a under ground tunnel to the church and there is inscriptions of writing on the walls which is on the way to the church and leading from the old chapel
which comes from the days in dark ages gone bye ; by the monks that lived there many years ago there used to be a big company across the rd next to the chapel side i just cannot recall the firms name at the moment but we had to go there one day back in the seventys to do some work and we was taken down this tunnell by a foreman at this companyat the time
and as we went down along this tunnel he showed us these writing and told us it was the monks doing when they lived there donkeys years ago about four years ago i did write on the forum
about this company and mentioned before about this tunnel and the writings on the walls by the era of the monks living inst pauls many years ago ;
best wishes astonian
 
It's a beautiful Church Maggs with the original enclosed seating we went a few years ago when it was decorated for a wedding with flowers at the end of every pew it looked lovely. The painted window is amazing especially when the sun shines.

My children often go to the 'square' to eat....very swish!!
 
We also visited it a few years ago Wendy, and it hadn't changed at all. I always thought it looked quite modern at the alter end, being so light. When I was a child it alway's reminded me of a wedding cake, as though it was iced.
 
mikejee said:
Viv
In 1955 there were 7 people on the electoral roll in the square (at nos 10, 34 and 55). At that time I think the qualification for inclusion would only be residence, so they must have lived there. No 10 was a shopkeeper, so they must have lived over the shop; 34 was the St Paul’s Club, so he would have been the stewards (if there is no female form as both were female); 55 is not listed in Kellys, so it was probably just a house
mike
Click to expand...


Thanks Mike. Looks like the Square was down to a very few residents by the 1950s. The St Paul's Club still seems to be there. A gentlemans club that only last year admitted women!! See links


https://www.birminghampost.net/birm...club-modernises-the-rule-book-65233-27540538/
https://www.stpaulsclub.co.uk/history
 
I think the kind people who rescued this square arrived in the knick of time. Thanks for the photos Ell. Surprised the PO Tower has survived. Viv.
 
St. Pauls. 1.jpg
The Square is clean and tidy but I remember how it used to be and it was always nice.
St. Pauls.2.jpg-----St. Pauls.3.jpg.
 
To the left of the front of the church there was in the late 1950's a wooden lean to hut against the church wall. In there could be found the 'park keeper' whose job was to keep the grounds safe etc. He was a portly short chap who, to my knowledge, opened up his hut in the morning and there he remained until he locked up in the evening. The interior was black and sooty from the the incessant fire he had lit in a pot boiler in there. There he sat in an old broken lounge chair with ash dropping, off his chain smoked cigarettes, onto the uniform waistcoat he wore.
Loved visitors to his den and would make one a sickly sweet tea served in a jam jar. Oh the things I 'endured' in my youth but as the saying goes on a cold winter's day it was any port in a storm. Can imagine that when he went to the park keepers cabin in the sky the powers that be pulled the shed down. Wonder what goodies they found that had laid untouched in its innards.
 
My first contact with St Pauls Square was when the RBSA (Royal Birmingham Society of Artists) moved from their location in New Street to Brooke St corner of St Pauls Square, many years ago now. They purchased some old 3 storey office block/work shop and spent £1 million converting into a modern Gallery complete with Cafe and shop, well worth a visit. I have sold many a painting there. Eric
 
img104.jpg

Here is another one of us walking down towards the church. I was surprised to see all those broken flag stones. Haven't looked at these pics for years.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Lovely photos Maggs!! My Gt. Grandmother was married there and I've never been inside, only round the grounds. Some relatives are buried there but no gravestones left.
rosie.
 
I should imagine broken flag stones due to constant car parking. Have painted this church many years ago for a couple who were married there. Also enjoyed strolling around it when attending meetings at the adjacent RBSA Gallery, a wonderful peaceful spot, although I have been informed someone was stabbed to death in the grounds in recent years. Eric
 
How sad rosie that there are no gravestones left. Next time I come to Brum, I must go and have another look around the church. The last time I did there was a Harry Potter thing going on there, so I didn't go in.

cookie, I never realized that cars parked on those flag stone, what a shame. It is a very peaceful place.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top