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Where is This #205?

Phil

Phil

Gone, but not forgotten.
Where is this and what event was being celebrated?
 

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Unveiling a plaque to commemorate the visit of Queen Victoria and her mother to Aston Hall? The Queen - a young princess at the time - was on a tour of the country with her mother and they were the guests of James Watt Junior. Viv.


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They stayed at the Royal Hotel and later visited the manufactory of a Mr Thomason, jeweller silversmith etc at 29 Church st (see drawing below) and the duchess of Kent pulled a cord which started a press to strike a commemorative medal with the head of George 4th on one side and Queen Adelaide on the other side with wording commemmorating the visit of the duchess and princess to the city. I would guess the top of the plaque might be a reproduction of the medal?
 
All very good and interesting, but what does the photo commemorate consider this, half of the plaque has been blacked out by myself, why?
 
Because it gives the answer Phil.
th
 
Jean

what is behind the blacked out part of the plaque gives part of the answer, but not all of it. Time for a little clue, It concerns an event in 1959.
 
Was the plaque removed from somewhere else? Perhaps from Aston Hall to another venue? The background detail doesn't look like Aston Hall, looks more modern. If it was moved, have no idea why! Viv
 
Just had a thought. Maybe it was moved to the site of Styles Hotel (as mentioned in Mike's post #3) or maybe to the Council House? Viv


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Now we are beginning to get down to it, what do we know about the Hotel that Mike mentions?
 
The Royal Hotel was sited in Temple Row I believe, I don't know much about it but it had many famous guests including Queen Victoria, and I believe it was the venue for French residents in Birmingham, where it was the main venue in the UK for celebrating "Storming the Bastille". I don't know much else.
 
No nothing to do with Motorways, just think what was happening on Temple Row in 1959?
 
Phil said:
No nothing to do with Motorways, just think what was happening on Temple Row in 1959?
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they demolished all those fine georgian buildings and built rackhams phil....i think it was round about then...

lyn
 
Yes Lyn, and the Mayor opened it in 1960. Was the plaque put into Rackhams store? Don't remember seeing it in there but if it was in the restaurant, I never went in there. But I don't quite see the connection if it went into Rackhams. VivImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1394980553.649026.jpg
Blimey, the hospitality wasn't too hot, the Mayor had to cook his own lunch!
 
We are getting there slowly. so what happened to the Old Royal Hotel did it close down forever?
 
It has to be something to do with this as already mentioned by Mikejee. But I thought Dee's Royal Hotel wasn't on the site of Rackham's. Thought it was further along Temple Row, moving towards Cherryst.

So assuming Dee's Royal was where Rackham's /House of Fraser stood/stands, the picture is of the plaque being installed in Rackham's restaurant when it opened because it would have been roughly where the bedroom was in which Princess Victoria stayed. Viv.

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Now seem to remember seeing an old map of Temple Row with a passage (can't remember the passage name but it branched off Temple Row - near Bull St. end - and it had 'Hotel' marked near to it) Would this be where Dee's Royal Hotel was, i e now under House of Fraser? Viv.


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Betty Hopper said:
Thanks Viv,
Wrong chap. Thought it may be Alderman Boughton.
Betty
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Actually Betty you could be right, it depends when it was opened. Alderman Boughton was Mayor in 1960 too. Afraid I don't know the precise date the Mayor opened the store. Viv.
mynazype.jpg


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It was nothing to do with the Lord Mayor, though I don't doubt he put in an appearance that could be him in the photo for all I know. The Old Royal was on the corner of Bradford Passage and Temple Row and it was demolished when Rackham's was built, so what was the photo commemorating. I can't say any more without giving it away.
 
In 1955 Harrods took over Rackhams and in 1959 House of Fraser took over Harrods but it wasn't opened till 1960.
 
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