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Then & Now

College Road near the junction with Aldridge Road in 1974. The Boar's Head pub can be seen in the distance on the right and beyond it the M6 motorway, built approximately 3 years before the date of this pic. An entrance to Lucas Sports Ground on the left and to the right the Esso petrol station is giving out 'Quad' stamps probably 'Greenshield'.
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The modern view shows that the petrol station has become a 'Car Valet Centre'. The Boar's Head and of course the M6 are still there but Lucas Sports is long gone.
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https://goo.gl/maps/7rAMWBccy3owBrR38

Lucas Sports became the Lucas Automotive Electronics manufacturing site I think at 44 College Road, Perry Barr B448DU, unless I'm in the wrong place, I joined that site in 1986 after leaving Great King Street.
 
I used to fairly regularly pass the Green Man, turn down Metchley Lane on my way to Worcester and Hereford from Broad Street.

One evening I followed an Austin A70, he had his left indicator stuck on, when he got part way down a youngster coming out of a gateway (the university I think) must have took it that he was indicating to turn in and pulled out in front of him.

There was of course an almighty crash, fortunately no one was badly hurt, the blame game then started so I went on my way and left them to it.
 
The Plough Inn Harborne High Street and the Green Man on the corner of Metchley Lane
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The Plough Inn is recognisable with the nearby post box still there but the Green Man in the old photo has been replaced by a larger Green Man.
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Sorry that should have been directed to Old Mohawk;
Do you know the year the Green Man was replaced? It was a beloved pub of my Grandad, and later my Dad and uncles.
Lynn.
 
Sorry that should have been directed to Old Mohawk;
Do you know the year the Green Man was replaced? It was a beloved pub of my Grandad, and later my Dad and uncles.
Lynn.
I didn't know but I've just had a look at an old Birmingham Mail article and it says 1938/1939.
A link below, scroll down the pics until you see the pub.
:)
 
I am not sure this is the place to ask this, if there is a better place please let me know.

Since I am now almost retired I am re doubling my effort to better understand the Industrial Revolution. I have (and continue) to study Brunel, Boulton, Murdoch, Watt, Trevethick etc., I constantly watch videos/movies on Amazon and get more enthused each time by how much I do not know. As a model I understand Soho Rd, Boulton Rd, Wattville Rd and how they go there, my question: Is there a history somewhere that shows or tells why Hockley, Aston , Birchfield, Handsworth and the other places we know so well; came to be?

Steelhouse Lane the gun & jewelry quarter most understand that but what came first the chicken or the egg. My goal is to try to understand the history of how and what made each section of Brum to develop!

Thank you in advance for your tolerance and understanding..........
 
Both jewellery and guns were originally dependent on a number of sub-contractors, the products of which were then either further processed orlater put together by yet another firm. It made sense for the firms to be close together, this even more so with gunmaking.
 
Well that is an interesting little project you have chosen to undertake. It should keep you busy for the next hundred years or so. A couple of things you may wish to think about are:


Birmingham developed a canal network for ease of materials in and goods out.

The combination of a local source of Limestone, iron ore and coal

Birmingham lifted the restrictions that were imposed by trade guilds


Do bear in mind that when researching history there is no subjective or definitive answer, which to me makes it so much more interesting.
 
Bill Dargue’s History of Birmingham places and Place names is a good start and reference

 
Well that is an interesting little project you have chosen to undertake. It should keep you busy for the next hundred years or so. A couple of things you may wish to think about are:


Birmingham developed a canal network for ease of materials in and goods out.

The combination of a local source of Limestone, iron ore and coal

Birmingham lifted the restrictions that were imposed by trade guilds


Do bear in mind that when researching history there is no subjective or definitive answer, which to me makes it so much more interesting.

Morturn, yes as I began to think about the project it developed “scope creep” However you have quickly given me an insight as to why the canals were built, unfortunately I am going to be a few years short of 100. My goal is to learn as much as possible about Brum and hopefully understand the WHY as well as the how being sure to recognize many of the findings will be somewhat subjective!
Thank you!
 
Bill Dargue’s History of Birmingham places and Place names is a good start and reference

Pedro, thank you............

I am still trying to digest Morts comments this is a great addition. thanks to you all I am going to have to organize myself better just to handle/process the information from you both.
 
My pleasure. Project creep or as you call it scope creep is actually good in terms of history. Once you free yourself of the constraints that academic history taught you it opens up a whole new way of seeing the past.

I always say that history propagates. You take a look into something and it opened up and takes you to all sorts of places. Enjoy.
 
My pleasure. Project creep or as you call it scope creep is actually good in terms of history. Once you free yourself of the constraints that academic history taught you it opens up a whole new way of seeing the past.

I always say that history propagates. You take a look into something and it opened up and takes you to all sorts of places. Enjoy.
Thank you, you are so right regarding the constraints taught be academic history!

I knew about canals (not the why) and coal but not the limestone and iron ore, now it really has begun to propagate!
 
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