Stevens Printers.

[Genestracer]

Since 1845 up to the 1940's A printing works named "Stevens Printers" stood at the market end of Bromsgrove Street, almost opposite the end of Jamaica Row. It was Number 19 Bromsgrove street and sadly was demolished for the Chinese restaurant growth out of Hurst Street.
The business was in my family of "Stevens" all of those years. I have searched high and low for a picture of the establishment or for a letter heading or document bearing their title. Any memories , pictures or documents would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Phil]

Hi Genestracer,

Whilst looking for a photo for you I discovered that I was looking in the wrong place, number 19 Bromsgrove Street would have been demolished when they built The Silver Blades Rink in the 60's as it lay between Dean Street and Pershore Street. Sorry I was unable to locate a photo, but now that I have a better idea where the building in fact was I'll keep on looking. If I don't come back to you it means I wasn't successful

 

[Phil]

Hi Again

I'm afraid that this is the best I could find, it shows Bromsgrove Street from Pershore Street in 1957. From the attached map I'm assuming that the premises that you are after are the ones adjacent to the lamp post and Jaguar car. Or possibly the white fronted building next door.

 

[Radiorails]

A couple of observations regarding the photo, by Phil (post 3). In many places the trams tracks were simply covered with tarmac/tar after the trams were abandoned on that stretch of road. Expediency maybe? or was it because that particular stretch of road was to be part of the new road schemes that were being implemented and when they reached that particular section the tracks would be lifted?
I notice a policeman by the road closed sign. Was that, I wonder, a short term closure or part of demolition and road remodelling?

 

[Phil]

Incidentally this is the the same view some ten years or so later.

 

[Radiorails]

Picture in post 5 appears on the Silver Blades thread by the way.
I mentioned the road closure in my previous post so maybe that was when the demolition commenced for the road widening and the construction Silver Blades place.

 

[Phil]

As the first photo was taken c1957 and the Silver Blades opened c1965 it's seems to be a bit of a gap in between for those barriers to have a connection with any demolition in Pershore Street, but perhaps it might have had something to do with the re - organisation of Edgbaston Street, Station Street and Smallbrook Ringway in preparation for the rebuilding of the Bull Ring.

 

[Radiorails]

I bow to your local knowledge Phil. I never saw the place but some posters referred to the early 1960's so that is what caused me to make my suggestion. I did read the thread for an opening date but only saw reminiscences and quite a variety of dates.
I do remember the one in Springhill and recall reading about the serious fire there.

 

[Genestracer]

How good of you to look this up for me Phil. However the map is just a little too high and I think it shows Pershore Street at the junction with Upper Dean Street, the road with the dotted lines I am guessing is Ladywell Walk. Grandad's business was located at the junction with Pershore Street, between Pershore Street and Hurst Street. As a boy I remember a large frontage with wooden doors and the name "George Stevens" above them. Silver blades was built in Pershore Street and you are in the right era. The Printers was closed in the early 50's I guess as Grandad went to work for the Birmingham Mail after closure of his own business. Incidentally did anyone know that some of the old tram rails were removed and were used as roof rafters in the building of Caddick Road and Bowman Road, Great Barr. Thanks everyone for your interest.

 

[Astoness]

hello genestracer i lived in gt barr during the 70s and had friend who lived in bowman road but i did not know about the old tram rails being used a roof rafters..nice bit of info thank you...

lyn

 

[Genestracer]

hello genestracer i lived in gt barr during the 70s and had friend who lived in bowman road but i did not know about the old tram rails being used a roof rafters..nice bit of info thank you...

lyn

Thanks Lyn, I too was born in Great Barr in Sandy lane, My how that area has changed.

Paul (Genestracer)

 

[Radiorails]

I was very surprised to read that tram tracks were used in housebuilding as rafters. I looked at Google and find that the properties in those two roads seem to be municipal type semi detached properties. I cannot believe that steel rails were used in them. A look at the two photos below, one by the Central Fire Station the other somewhere, I believe, on the Bristol Road, shows how large and heavy these rails were. Besides their profiles might be inconvenient. Having been set into the ground, in some instances for a good while, I would suspect they would have needed some attention before re-use. I understand the early tram abandonments might well have had the track lifted but those abandoned prior to WW2 probably had to wait until the road improvements of the 1950's. In the meantime they were often simply filled with tar or tarmacked over. The final tracks were lifted sometime in the late 1950's. As far as the final removals were concerned The Iron & Steel Federation negotiated with the city to reclaim and remove some of the tracks. Some tracks were lifted by the city and purchased by the I&SF. This steel was of vital importance to the re-generation of the country after WW2 and moreover, assisting the balance of payments deficit because it was not imported.

Maybe some of the reclaimed steel was used in the houses in the form of lintels and windows, a frequent use in houses of that type at that time.

 

[Phil]

Genestracer,

Where do you get your location for the business from? I have just checked again and number 19 has always been in the place that I indicate on the map about 6 doors up from Dean Street between Dean Street & Pershore Street, I checked back as far as 1910 in the trade directories just to make sure that there wasn't a renumbering of the street during that time. In fact 1915 was the first time I was able to find a listing for W H Stevens Printer an number 19. In the 20's there was no listing a before that the premises was used for several different trades none of them being Printing. Are you sure that the business didn't move to larger premises after prospering, but after saying that I have been unable to find another "Stevens" on Bromsgrove Street.

 

[Astonian]

May be the reclaimed tracks was for the making of the high steel kerbs stones because before the intoduction of the brick kerbs which replaced the high steel kerbs they used in the early years my uncle bill smart was one of those corporatio workers whom removed them steel ones and replace the stone ones we have to day this would be in the forty early fiftys when replacinfor concrete bricks for the kerbs nd edging of the pavements across brum best wishes Alan Astonian;;;;

 

[Radiorails]

If the replacement of steel kerbs took place in the late forty's/early fifties that would be pretty much the same time as the tram tracks started to be lifted; the last ones to be lifted would have been the Bristol Road and Erdington/Short Heath/Pype Hayes routes. Steel was essential to the re-generation of the countries economy and would most unlikely be used for kerbs, rather the steel kerbs being more valuable as scrap and consequently replaced by concrete ones.

 

[Genestracer]

Genestracer,

Where do you get your location for the business from? I have just checked again and number 19 has always been in the place that I indicate on the map about 6 doors up from Dean Street between Dean Street & Pershore Street, I checked back as far as 1910 in the trade directories just to make sure that there wasn't a renumbering of the street during that time. In fact 1915 was the first time I was able to find a listing for W H Stevens Printer an number 19. In the 20's there was no listing a before that the premises was used for several different trades none of them being Printing. Are you sure that the business didn't move to larger premises after prospering, but after saying that I have been unable to find another "Stevens" on Bromsgrove Street.

Hi Phil, Just looked at your map again and its about right , sorry did not remember Dean Street at all. On the new google street maps you will see MinMin Noodle bar and Home Town China restaurant on the very spot that I recall as 19 Bromsgrove street. Now the details:- In 1864 my 2x grandad George Stevens lived and worked as a Printer at 19 Bromsgrove street. In 1882 he also had a smaller premises at 48 Aston Road, Gosta Green. After his death in 1886 his wife Ann Stevens took over until her death in 1900. If you see 1872,1880,1882,1888,1892 and 1904 Kelly's directory confirm this. Ann Stevens is shown in the 1904 even though she died in 1900! Ann handed over the business to her son Walter Henry Stevens born 1867 at 19 Bromsgrove Street! he died 1895. In Kellys Directory of 1912 WH Stevens is still listed and clearly states Established 1845. My own Grandfather another Walter Henry Stevens occupied 19 Bromsgrove Street until its closure to make way for redevelopment of the entire area c1940's. After closure he moved to the Birmingham mail and died in 1952. I was born in 1949 and was a child the last time I saw the frontage of the building before demolition.
Look forward to more debate and a clear picture.

 

[oldMohawk]

Just for interest here is an aerial view dated 1935.
Hurst Street on the left, the tower on the Hippodrome can be seen with a zoom.
Pershore Street from the centre top, Dean Street towards right and Jamaica Row right top corner.
Bromsgrove Street from bottom left towards top right.

Image from 'britainfromabove'

 

[Genestracer]

Just for interest here is an aerial view dated 1935.
Hurst Street on the left, the tower on the Hippodrome can be seen with a zoom.
Pershore Street from the centre top, Dean Street towards right and Jamaica Row right top corner.
Bromsgrove Street from bottom left towards top right.
View attachment 124500
Image from 'britainfromabove'

Thats a very good image, thanks for your interest.