A photo of Villa Road, looking towards Heathfield and Lozells Road junction. But what are the items to the left of the photo ? Are they crates ? Viv
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What’s this in this Birmingham photo ?
- Thread starter Vivienne14
- Start date
My husband tells me that they are pigeon baskets,stacked up ready to be transported to other areas and opened for the birds to race home.
I questioned the timeline of the photo but he says that pigeons have been raced for hundreds of years.
His Dad bred and raced pigeons.
I questioned the timeline of the photo but he says that pigeons have been raced for hundreds of years.
His Dad bred and raced pigeons.
Well that’s the last thing I’d have imagined !! Amazing. Another little snippet to add to our Villa Road history. Thanks both.
I think they would have been in the position of the Swan pub, so that might fit with a group connected with the pub perhaps. Viv.
I think they would have been in the position of the Swan pub, so that might fit with a group connected with the pub perhaps. Viv.
I doo recall the railways would transport racing pigeons so they could be released several miles away from home.
Radiorails
master brummie
From memory I believe that some railways ran 'pigeon specials', which catered for the large, at the time, pigeon enthusiasts.
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
good thinking pedro considering that the area was known as aston villa and aston villa football club was formed just a few yards to the right
lyn
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
Mystery of vanishing racing pigeons as thousands disappear during flight
Some 9,000 birds were taking part in what would normally be a three-hour competition but more than half have yet to arrive at their destination
www.birminghammail.co.uk
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
That’s because there wasn’t one Lyn - complete fabrication on my part!!! Sorry folks, no Swan on Villa Road. Viv
For the record the image is dated between 1890 and 1910 by Birmingham Libraries Archives. Viv.
I think this gives the view from the other direction. Is it the same thing? This image looks about 1910ish. Viv.
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There was a cab proprietors house behind and to the right of the photographer in post #17. If the baskets were to be transported somewhere, that might explain why they were there (but of a long shot I know). According to Birmingham Archives, the cab office was supposed to be there until 1914. (Around the time of the photo below the Villa Cross Picture House was built over the cab Offices site (I think the Picture House was actually built a year or so before so the photo may have been wrongly dated). The cab office was at Villa Cross, where Heathfield joins Villa Road, so not 100% sure if it was officially Heathfield or Villa Road. Viv.
nice photo viv...also nice to just see wilkinsons on the right...they were there even in my day
lyn
These wicker baskets look to have dead birds on top of them?
pjmburns
master brummie
According to 1913 Kelly's the shops in the picture are
I am just wondering if the baskets were a delivery to the florist (or even a delivery to Wilkinson Bros).
Quite possibly Janice. Viv.
I think that now having seen the laundry on list of businesses.
Radiorails
master brummie
If the delivery was to Wilkinson, which I believe it was, then I suggest it was a crate of crockery. Pottery used to be crated in wire crates and packed in straw to avoid damage.