• 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

Steelhouse lane

  • Thread starter Thread starter Wendy
  • Start date Start date
Well I'd never in a million years have guessed you'd be able to play outdoor chess on the street above that big hole in the ground!! It's almost unrecognisable to me except for the glimpse in the distance of the lower parts of Steelhouse Lane. Although it looks like the 1960s structures to the right have remained. Thanks for posting Ell. Viv.
 
Vivienne14 said:
Yes Phil, seemed no real purpose for the 'hole'. Even the steps up to the Gaumont seemed temporary. If you walked through that subway in winter it was cold and characterless, more often than not with a howling gail blowing through it. I remember the China Garden (was that the name?) at the back of Lewis's in the subway - black painted interior, low level seating, real cheap food like curry and chips - but can't remember a pub. Viv.
Click to expand...
image.php
 
Wow Richie, I can feel the icy wind whistling through that underpass even today! Viv.
 
Vivienne14 said:
Well I'd never in a million years have guessed you'd be able to play outdoor chess on the street above that big hole in the ground!! It's almost unrecognisable to me except for the glimpse in the distance of the lower parts of Steelhouse Lane. Although it looks like the 1960s structures to the right have remained. Thanks for posting Ell. Viv.
Click to expand...


Think they completely dug it up in the early 2000s then filled it in. The new square was given a make over last year!

Gets quite busy at weekdays (esp lunchtimes) but quiet at weekends.


You can play chess here



But have only seen people eating their lunch at it!


Another view - but towards Colmore Row with new benches

 
A couple of views from the Shoothill collection of Galton House on Steelhouse Lane. Not sure where this was, but the second photo seems to show its opposite a pub (pub lamp to right?). Viv.

ImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1423498329.854824.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1423498343.311501.jpg
 
Thanks Mike. Thought the Galton's sounded familiar, but couldn't remember in what context or where the discussion was on the Forum. Nice snippet of history on that thread claiming the Lunar men met at the house. Viv.
 
Great photo Wendy. The Reliance Works (T. E & J Hill) next to the Queen's Head went into liquidation in 1952 according to the 30 December 1952 London Gazette. Viv.

ImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1423652123.746650.jpg
 
Spent many an early evening shivering in a bus queue in Steelhouse Lane on the way home from work, waiting for the 65 bus. remember the 64, 65, and 66 buses used to kick off from there on their way to Short Heath, Erdington and Pype Hayes.
 
I am sure those who used the 2, 78 and 79 route trams got a more frequent service. Anyway there was always a few trams ready or waiting to load in Steelhouse Lane, if I remember correctly.
 
bit of info here paul but i cant quite figure out if the steel houses mentioned were houses that were lived in or if its the name of where steel items were made...hopefully someone will know which but given that the name kettle is mentioned i think the later reason...


Up to c1700 most new building had been carried out between Edgbaston Street and New Street. After 1700, however, ambitious landowners began to lay out fashionable new estates on the fringes of the built-up area. Building began on former Priory land around St Philips Church which was built from 1711; and the Pemberton estate was laid out during the first two decades of the century with The Square, now Old Square, and surrounding streets consisting of high-quality Georgian houses for wealthy industrialists and gentlemen of independent means. In 1730 the Weaman estate was laid out around Whittall Street. But the new residential developments which were aimed at the increasing middle class and artisan class, were not immune from the proximity of industry the profits of which had caused them to spring into being in the first place: Kettle's Steel Houses had been built on the street named after them by 1731. Much of this district was soon to develop into the Gun Quarter with other central districts becoming increasingly packed with dark dense courts.
 
Last edited:
Kettle's steelhouses are shown on the 1731 map. It apparently referred to factories which refined Swedish steel in the 18th century, presumably owned by someone called Kettle

1057_a4b2.jpg
 
great thanks mike...i thought that would be the case...thanks also for the map..very useful...according to the streets of brum books i have steelhouse lane was formally known as white hall lane something i didnt know...

lyn
 
Last edited:
If I am in the wrong area, please forgive me and put me right. This is the first time I have been to this site. I have just started to try to trace my ancestors and the 1851 census shows my Great grandfather living at "Court, Steelhouse Lane" with his parents, several lodgers and a servant. From his marriage certificate in 1857 I can see that he and his bride were both living there then. His father is shown as a jeweller in 1851 and no occupation for his mother although in 1841 they are both shown as shopkeepers. I am trying to envisage what sort of a building it would have been and from what little I know of the family, I find it hard to believe that they would have been able to afford a dwelling large enough to house nine people, nor a servant. Apologies for the rambling question but if anyone can cast any light on this. I would be grateful.
 
The courts were enclosed groups of houses , almost always small. A typical court in Steelhouse lane is shown in the drawing below. They had names or numbers, though this was possibly left off in the census. If you could give us the name of your great grandfather so that i can find him on the census, i will try and palce the house on a map, which might give some more information


Steelhouse_Lane.jpg
 
Thank you for this. I must look up the Artisans' Dwelling Act! The title "Insanitary Houses" is certainly borne out by the drawing. Would the whole group of houses be regarded as one household for the purposes of the census? It doesn't look the sort of place that would have a 19 year old servant. I feel guilty about taking up your time, but if you wouldn't mind educating me a bit more, I really would appreciate it. As I said previously, I have only recently started this quest and I am still fumbling around. I have a transcript of the 1851 census. It shows great grandfather as Joseph Walker, born in 1828 and his parents as Wiiliam and Charlotte (nee Adams, I think) Walker. The 1841 census transcript that I have shows them living, with others, in John Street. One more observation, if I may: In both censuses (censi?) there is mention of a John Wilson, described in the latter census as "son in law" although there is no mention of a daughter and the only females other than Charlotte are the aforementioned servant and a seemingly unrelated 10 year old. There isn't even another female in 1841?
 
mike i have looked at the 51 census for the walker family mostly all including the lodgers in the gun trade..think i am right in saying that a lock filer is also to do with guns...you maybe able to find a map looks like they lived in court 13 no house number...SPGSOB as you say biddy is down as you say a servant but that does not always mean for the head of house..she could have been a servant for anyone...hope this helps but mike is the expert on maps..oh biddy connor born ireland and back in those days birmingham had an influx of irish coming over to settle in brum especially in the area of steelhouse lane..
..
all the best

lyn
 
Last edited:
Hi & welcome SPGSOB,

Best to post your 1841/51 censii (just the initial letters & numbers ) then Mikejee & others will assist you to
throw more light on your quest,
Best regards John Y
 
Court 13 between was between Whittall St and Russell St, and later became part of the site of the General hospital. The c 1889 map below shows where it was, though, from the appearance of the map, it is likely by 1889 it was no longer filled with houses but was just industrial

map_c1889_showing_wherecourt_13_would_have_been_in_1851.jpg
 
Joseph was baptised at St Philips, Birmingham on 31st October 1836. Joseph William son of William (Jeweller) and Charlotte Walker, Barr Street, Hockley, date of birth 7th October 1827.
 
Many thanks to everyone who have taken the trouble to help. I now know what the Artisans' Dwelling Act was about! Bewdley, thank you for the additional information about Joseph. I have a copy of his marriage certificate dated 26/10/1857, when he was 30, so that fits in. He appears to have died sometime between the 1881 and 1891 censuses as his wife is shown as a widow in 1891. I am very new to this and I haven't yet been able to go back further than 1841 with any certainty but I shall persevere...
 
The son-in-law mentioned could have been a stepson as this term was often used in those days to describe a son or in the case of a girl daughter-in-law being a child of an earlier marriage.
 
Thank you for this. In the 1841 census he was described as a juvenile but became a son in law according to the 1851 census. Perhaps he was adopted during the 1841-1851 period. He's not really all that relevant to my research but I was curious.
 
Hi John
I really am a complete novice at this. I have transcripts of the censi and the 1841 census has an archive reference of HO107, piece number 1143, book 3, folio 6 page 5. Corresponding data for 1851: HO107, 2057, no book no,,folio 377, page 11. Are these the right numbers? I apologise if I am asking really dumb questions and if I am wasting everyone's time, just ignore me! Many thanks
 
Hello.
I wonder if anyone can help me at all?
My 5x great grandmother Mary Catley (neé Smith) was listed as a shopkeeper at 73 Steelhouse Lane in 1850 (aged 79) and still in 1852 (aged 81).

I do not know anything about what type of shop she might have had. She was still there to a ripe old age! She died in 1853.

Would anyone one have any information about what type of shop she might have run?

Many thanks.
Becky.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top