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Summer Lane

The Shoothill site photos also reveal how the decline in housing conditions around the Summer Lane area were addressed by the Council. First we see the demolition of the back of #290 - #291 Summer Lane. Then the photo in the following post shows what could have been achieved - a reconditioned back-to-back row of houses at the back of #294 Summer Lane. But expect this option was unpopular with the Council as it wouldn't have satisfied the volume of demand for sanitary and healthy homes. Viv.
 

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A reconstructed row of houses at back #294 Summer Lane. V.
 

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Hello,
I am doing a new project as part of a wider piece of work detailed here https://crossroadsofsabbath.wordpress.com/
In short it is a local history walk from New Street, John Bright Street, Hill Street, across to Edmund Street, Livery Street, down the canal and onto
SUMMER LANE. Am particularly interested in The Barrel and Hatchett Street. Will continue to trawl through this thread but would appreciate any pointers to speed up my progress towards info on those tow specific locations. Cheers,
 
Hi Robb. I've just posted an image of Paul Braddon's painting of the Barrel on Snow Hill in case you haven't seen it. Its on the 'Artists who painted Birmingham landscapes' thread here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=28936&page=14&p=557849#post557849 I don't have a date but I know Paul Braddon's scenes like these were retrospective views.

And I've posted some images (from the Shoothill site) of the houses in Hatchett Street on the 'hatchet street pics' thread here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=36485&p=557851#post557851


Good luck with the research. Viv.
 
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robh said:
Hello,
I am doing a new project as part of a wider piece of work detailed here https://crossroadsofsabbath.wordpress.com/
In short it is a local history walk from New Street, John Bright Street, Hill Street, across to Edmund Street, Livery Street, down the canal and onto
SUMMER LANE. Am particularly interested in The Barrel and Hatchett Street. Will continue to trawl through this thread but would appreciate any pointers to speed up my progress towards info on those tow specific locations. Cheers,
Click to expand...

Rob have a look at John Ball's site who in the past has done something similar. https://www.jlb2011.co.uk/iob/index.htm
 
This building is on Summer Lane between Tower Street and Brearley Street. Is it an old chapel? There appears to be a date on the building but it's not quite legible. Possibly 1832? I've enlarged to date. Viv.
 

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I think its 1932 Viv. this would seem to be confirmed as the c1917 map does not show it, but the c1938 one does. The map is not clear if it is then part of the Birmingham settlement or the City Nursery
 
hi viv that building has been a mystery to me ive taken photos of it and the date is 1932 and i dont think it was a chapel ive been meaning to sort this one out for ages...the clue is in the symbol on the front of the building...i think it could have been a rotary club...

lyn
 
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viv ive just googled signs of the rotary club and yes that is what the building was...will try and get a closer look at it next time i am down that way..just wondering if it is still being used for anything...

lyn
 
The only Rotary Club I can find in 1940 Kelly's seems to be in Corporation Street (21 County Buildings).
Here are the lists in the same edition of Kelly's. Is it the Birmingham settlement which is still listed at 318?

Summer Lane 1.jpgSummer Lane 2.jpg
Janice
 
Hi Janice - perhaps then it was built by the Rotarians for the Settlement and not specifically for The Rotary Club use. And it does much charitable work so would be the sort of cause they'd support. The building also reminds me in style of other Settlement buildings

Great info Lyn, thanks. And thanks Mike too. I think the building (or it's predecessor) must have stood in a garden or had its own grounds. The entrance set within the wall looks like a later entrance. The boundary wall carries on all the way along to Tower Street. The railings are the same all along the wall (although these could well be a later addition as they look more modern in design - but the wall is definitely much older). And I think the entrance to the garden must have originally been on the corner or Tower Street/Sumner Lane, where one tall pillar is set into the wall. This, possibly original garden entrance, is now bricked up. There doesn't appear to be an appropriately sized entrance into the building itself which abuts onto the Summer Lane side, despite there being a later entrance cut into the wall. And the trees visible inside the wall are very mature, hence why I think the building was originally set in a garden and may have had access to larger grounds. Viv.
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1951 map showing that the entrance to the rotary club was via summer lane...also just noticed that the gig and gauge co marked out in tower st is where i used to work at universal gig and gauge and next to that was st georges rectory which if i am right is still there....

lyn
 

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Sorry but I am a bit confused - are we saying it was a rotary Club? (I am not sure which building is referred to.)

Janice
 
The Rotary Club building must have been in the garden of the old Settlement building in this photo. The wall is the wall in the modern day pics and the one pillar is still standing today. We discussed the building here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=45706
The main big Settlement building in the photo dates to 1899. Viv.
 

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Janice I think the Rotary Club must have linked up somehow with the Settlement in order to build it's building within the walls of the Settlement. There were so many problems in the area, I expect the Settlement encouraged them to become involved. The link to the article in the book you posted is extremely interesting and says that the Settlement brought together agencies to tackle the local problems. Viv
 
OK the idea of it being linked to the settlement and in "their garden" makes sense. Not knowing the area very well I was a little unsure. Much clearer now.
Thanks
Janice
 
pjmburns said:
Hi Viv - I wondered that as well. It was hard to see on the map whether the Settlement was in the right place but seemed the most likely place.
Fascinating history of the Summer Lane Settlement here, including reference to a new mortuary! - https://books.google.co.uk/books?id...ingham settlement summer lane history&f=false

Janice
Click to expand...



Very informative account of the work of the Settlement Janice. Thanks for the link, enjoyed reading it. Several things struck me about the history; many Settlement projects could so easily have been housed in the Rotary building such as their recreation projects for youngsters, mother and child facilities, medical care centre, school for mothers, a library. The account even mentions a temperance pub (?). Most of these were set up before the 1932 date on the building, but that isn't to say that the building didn't in some way support these projects in later years.


Much of the Settlement's early work of tackling poverty and appalling living conditions is known about, but what's additionally is interesting is it's initial focus on support for women and children only. It wasn't until later that it supported men. And the inter -war years (including the Depression) would have put much more pressure on those services. All this expansion suggests a situation might have developed where demand for space outstripped that available in an extremely deprived area. So, if the Rotary building was built around 1932, it was most probably needed in addition to provide additional services to the large 1899 building.
 
I'd go as far as to say that the whole piece of land from Tower Street up to the Victoria Works on Lyn's map post # 575 was Settlement related and would have included the City nursery (or an earlier nursery). Their early work with mothers and children has certainly left it's stamp on Sumner Lane.


Janice mentioned the reference to the mortuary when posting the link to the book in post #574. The book describes one particular reason why there was a need for a mortuary. (I assume the mortuary mentioned earlier in this thread is that provided by the Settlement). As was common , coffins were placed in the deceased home, but there's mention that a family might sometimes use it as a table to eat their food off!!


I'm also now wondering where the temperance pub was? Viv.
 
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Phil said:
Lyn

I know the Gothic was also painted pink but I thought that was done at a later date to the H B Sale building this photo shows it with only the corner section of the building painted pink, but at one time the whole ground floor was pink. It was then later repainted all in the same red colour that the sides are painted here.
Click to expand...


A couple of interior views of the restaurant 'Syriana' occupying the lower level of the building. Think it's a new venture. Viv.
 

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Hello Lyn, nice to see map of settlement and surrounding area #575. I was living in Lower Tower St in 1951 and my friend lived at 1/313 Summer Lane which is shown. Dave
 
hi dave with all of the lane now gone i think the maps are nice to have especially when showing the individual houses....makes them seem more real....i asked mike to email me the map so its really thanks to him for that....

all the best dave

lyn
 
That's right Dave. I used to go to Sunday School as well. It is the 150th anniversary of the opening of the original chapel on Saturday. I am speaking there at 3:00. Left Bham years ago and currently living in Stapleford Notts. When did you go to Sunshine Corner? I went for years. Do you remember anyone's name Like Mountford, Eccles, Reid?
 
Trevor Williams said:
That's right Dave. I used to go to Sunday School as well. It is the 150th anniversary of the opening of the original chapel on Saturday. I am speaking there at 3:00. Left Bham years ago and currently living in Stapleford Notts. When did you go to Sunshine Corner? I went for years. Do you remember anyone's name Like Mountford, Eccles, Reid?
Click to expand...

I guess it was in the late 40's, early 50's. I don't recall any off those names. Are you saying that the chapel is still there?

Dave A
 
I remember all of those names. As far as I know the chapel is still there. When I went it was all wooden buildings. It was rebuilt properly in the mid to late 60s
 
A court in Summer Lane in the 1930s.

And does anyone have any if the lost photos on this thread please? Viv.
 

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viv that photo you have posted should already be on this thread unless its one we lost..very long thread is this but when i have time tonight i will see if any of mine need reposting...

lyn
 
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