Ah, bless!

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/oldBullRing.jpg

Inside New street station
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6a/Newstreetold.jpg
http://www.imagecross.com/images/1686chNewStreetStation[1].jpg

And also Bullring (I used to thing that the Bull was actually a turtle with a very very small head) :
http://www.imagecross.com/images/5805000DA69F-87DE-1F4C-A21D80BFB6FA0A61[1].jpg
http://www.imagecross.com/images/8776bullring[1].jpg
http://www.imagecross.com/images/8894OldBullRing_1024x768[1].jpg

Yew Tree Pub in Yardley (now demolished) :
http://www.imagecross.com/images/9455yewtree[1].jpg

Yardley church:
http://www.imagecross.com/images/5004yardley2[1].jpg

dont worry mate, wen i was a wee baby, i used the think the bull on the bull ring was a dinosaur (brontosaurous) but also that his head and neck had been shunk!

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/Media?MEDIA_ID=109586


the old library :fiddle:

Now that's brutal.

hang on a minute. it's just occurred to me that the new library is to the right in that picture. this means that they didnt have to demolish the old one before the new one was built. querstion: why didnt they keep the old library and use it for something else?

why? :weird:

and you see whats there now?! oh god. somebody must hang

I'm a little confused about the location and angle of the picture but I can see the new library on the right... Hmm.

right then

the old library was next to the new one and there you are looking down by where mcdonalds is towards HCT...u can see the sentinals.

however, at this point, the ring road was not constructed, and the old library had to be demolished to build the queensway tunnel entrance and the 4 line wide paradise circus!

Aaah, wow, alot has changed!

however, at this point, the ring road was not constructed, and the old library had to be demolished to build the queensway tunnel entrance and the 4 line wide paradise circus!
The entrance to the tunnel would have been on the far side of the library in that picture. Although they may have been forced to bring it down since tunneling under the building wouldn't have provided enough support to hold the weight above.
You can see the new/current library is built on a raised platform to provide the support needed for the road under (Paradise Circus) and the road beneath that (Queensway tunnel).
Either way, we lost the library not to get a new library but so we could have a concrete tunnel and an extra lane on Paradise Circus :bash:

and now 30 odd years later bham is being pedestrianised again. new street, high street, masshouse, even talk of broad street for buses and (ahem) trams only

(long time lurker)


some heartbreaking stuff. maybe someone should propose plans to rebuild these classy buildings all in one area.

when i cam e back from Paris, the first thing you notice (well excluding the graphiti) is the classy buildings. perhaps that's why Birmingham gets a bad rep sometimes for not holding on to it's heritage and instead building some of the worst buildings of all time

Anyone got any other old Bullring photos?

Post deleted as it was v. v. stoopid.

Good day all, this is my first post.

Brummy born & bred.

There are a couple of pubs still around that have some marvellous internal decor which may interest people.

The Rose Villa Tavern at The Clock on Warstone Lane in the Jewellery Quarter

The Waterloo at Cape Hill (just up from the old M&B Brewery Site)

Both have retained their tiled interiors (which I believe have a listed status) although the general appearance of the buildings may appear somewhat rundown.

Cracking site, nice to see a few others with a sense of regret at some of the horrendous re-development moves by Birmingham City Council in the past

Heres an interesting site I came across from National Archives.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/citizenship/brave_new_world/birmingham.htm

Also really cool picture of the Plan of Birmingham Inner Ring Road, 1946
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/citizenship/brave_new_world/docs/keyplan1.htm

It's probably been mentioned before but the book "Developing Birmingham 1889-1989" is a good one to check out. It's got plenty of those heartbreaking before and after pictures in it including this one of everyone's favourite the Big Top site. Bombed in the war...demolished...used as car park and then transformed into....

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d159/zigmonster/bigtopsite0001.jpg

and because i can't think of a suitable place to put it here's a picture of one of the designs for Victoria Square which never made it...

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d159/zigmonster/victoriasq.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d159/zigmonster/bigtopsite0001.jpg

Is that the Big top, looks a bit like that building I really hate on New Street?

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d159/zigmonster/victoriasq.jpg

Isn't that park where the TSB/Post Office building is?

^^Yes and yes.

The Woolworth Building is at the top end of New Street next to the Piccadilly Arcade, like most Woolworths it is ablot on the landscape

^^I agree. I am thinking of all the stores I know and they are all blots on the landscape...

The Big Top is between High St and Corporation St. Isn't that the street where Pizza Hut is on the corner?

I thought Big Top was next to the Bullring on that corner where JJB Sports is?

The Big Top is between High St and Corporation St. Isn't that the street where Pizza Hut is on the corner?

My mistake...i got two great buildings mixed up! The book has a pic of the site in there somewhere, you'll just have to buy/borrow it!

From the fantastic photo by djnorton (http://www.photobydjnorton.com/InnerRingRoadWest.html) here is a shot towards baskerville house
http://www.photobydjnorton.com/EasyRow1000.jpg

and looking the other way towards Holloway C. Another gorgeous building gone the college of technology nearly where Orion is now?

http://www.photobydjnorton.com/SuffolkSt31000.jpg

The College of Technology is now a multi-storey car park.

I'm glad they chose a worthy replacement :bash:

^^ actually i rather think that's a wonderful piece of irony given how cars and citys were viewed when it must have been replaced in the 60s... multistory carparks a wave of the future in forward looking Birmingham relplaces tired old building NOT!

The Big top site, when it was used as a Vintage Motor car display, or something.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/bigtop72.jpg

Well, something's managed to survive over 600 years:

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41941000/jpg/_41941486_ladinthelane203.jpg

City's oldest house dated to 1400

Scientific tests have shown the oldest house in Birmingham dates back to the year 1400.
Analysis of the timber frames of the Lad in the Lane pub in Erdington have shown it was built in the spring at the end of the 14th-century.

A historian said the dating extended the medieval history of Birmingham.

It beats the date of the previously thought of oldest house in the city by 25 years - only some medieval churches are older.

Using dendrochronology - analysing ring patterns - on timbers in the oldest part of the house found a match to known patterns from 1400.

That makes the house 25 years older than the previous oldest, the New Shipton Barn in Sutton Coldfield, and 50 years older than the BBC Restoration prize-winning Old Grammar School in Kings Norton.

It is also almost 100 years older than the previously thought of oldest pub in the city, the Old Crown in Deritend...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/5224702.stm

Well, something's managed to survive over 600 years:

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41941000/jpg/_41941486_ladinthelane203.jpg



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/5224702.stm


wow, i passed that building everyday and never knew!

what up Bromford! (how i miss the place)

There are a lot of buildings hidden away which are actually hidden gems. We should start a thread called "Hidden gems" so you can post a photo, some info and where to find it. I know a couple, though they might not be so hidden.

I did a walk arround town last weekend with my camera which unfortunately was terminated rather early due to the batteries dieing but i started off with the New St, Corporation St areas as they are my favouritess and i was aware we'd had a really good photo thread http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=375825 which i felt had missed them out. This is the old parts of Birmingham so i thought i'd slip it in here...

There are simply some gourgous buildings in this area...

I started in Victoria Square...

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006027.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006028.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006032.jpg

The Iron Man statue and Queen Victoria

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006033.jpg

Now walking down New St

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006034.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006035.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006036.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006037.jpg

Junction of Corporation St and New St

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006040.jpg

Waterstones needs cleaning up a bit IMO

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006042.jpg

.. but i like the way the tourist information centre fits in here.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006043.jpg

We seem to be quite good at mixing old with new in renovations in Brum, this is the Burlington hotel.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006044.jpg

A Detour up Cannon St

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006046.jpg



And on to Corporation St
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006047.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006048.jpg

Rackhams (I refuse to call it HofF)

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006050.jpg

Formally Lewis' department store now the Square Peg pub with the longest bar in Brum - happy memories

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006051.jpg

The View down Corporation st towards the Old Square and law Courts

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006056.jpg

Rear of Square Peg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006060.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006063.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006064.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006065.jpg

Birmingham Magistrates Court - the famous Brum Terracotta

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006066.jpg

One with the New Post and Mail U/C behind

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006067.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006068.jpg

The former Methodist mission - Christadelphi Hall

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006070.jpg

West Midlands Fire Service HQ

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006072.jpg

The Childrens Hospital on Steelhouse lane
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006073.jpg


Unfortunately that's where my camera packed up so that's your lot. :)

Some great images there! Thanks! :D

Thanks for the photos.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006034.jpg

:drool:

Where did that come from? I have never really looked at this building before - it's beautiful :)

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006035.jpg

One of my favourite buildings of all time :happy:

Thanks for the fab pics Engels :cheers1:

I think that you might have missed it becasue it's opposit your favourite building Bio ;)

Another in need of a scub up IMO

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e228/chris_engels/latejuly2006072.jpg


Oh, that's where that statue is. Certainly wasn't there last time I went down there.

I was thinking of nipping down to Birmingham either tommorrow or next week, but I don't think there's any point taking a camera as the ones here and the ones on the 160 Pictures of Brum have covered everything!

i think cannon street has to be my favourite part of the city centre

biosonics fave building at the bottom of bennets hill -- i've never ever noticed that before - and nearly 40 years a brummy how embarrassing
it reminds me of somewhere exotic like cuba :weirdo:



must stop smoking these moroccan fags

Many of the buildings on Cannon St are only around 20 years old.
Who remembers Le Pub and Cagney's? Not forgetting the dingy 2 roomed Windsor.

^^ On the left of my pic the buildings with Toni and Guy you mean?

I'd never noticed this but the it looks like Dazza is right.. it's done really well cause the eye is taken to the outside of the curve and the old buildings while the reprodution fades in.

Cannon Street is one of my favs also. I always have to have a walk down there. Perfectly clean, feels like I'm somewhere else.

*bump*

http://www.photobydjnorton.com/Birmingham.html


http://www.photobydjnorton.com/

i think the biggest tragedy is seeing the Old Square being turned from

http://www.photobydjnorton.com/OldSquare.jpg

to

http://www.photobydjnorton.com/OldSquareNow.jpg


*stunned*

Cannon house looking onto Old Sq turned out nice didn't it but I'm still at a loss to understand why it has been renovated facing the Old sq and facing the old Lewis building yet not at all on it's North face looking onto the Wesleyan & P&M???

^^Different owner perhaps? That does surprise me.

Thanks for the bump TCP - Old Square used to look wonderful :cry:

Was it called Old Square in the olden days I wonder :?

The building with the dome, and the one on the corner with the tower, are probably some of the best examples of Victorian architecture I've seen. And looking at the cars and people in the pic, I think they survived the war, only to be knocked down by our wonderful city planners :puke: (the cars look to be 1960's...)

the 9th one down on the junction between corparation street and new street has really daunting building , its a hotel, meant to be one of the worst in the city, and looks as if it were built in the 30's, 40's or 50's and at night its quite scary..especially when you know its a shit hotel. Reminds me of an american hotel from the outskirts of new york or somethin lol

I had the misfortue to have to go inside the Britannia Hotel once. The best way I can describe what I saw is "shit"

I mean, look at the front of it. Dirty net curtains in the windows, stains down the front of the building, and you have to walk up a dodgy passageway which stinks of piss to get to the entrance.

If they turfed the retail units out of the ground floor, made a feature entrance on New St, cleaned the concrete, replaced the windows and blinds and replace the carpets inside and gave it a lick of paint it would look much better!

But, if we're talking about spending money on Hotels, I'd LOVE to see the Grand Hotel reopen. Beautiful building, and full of character, even with those pug ugly shopfronts stuck on the front.

Which reminds me, there seems to be more scaffolding appearing on her... Are they just shoring the facade up, or is it being redeveloped?

Was it called Old Square in the olden days I wonder :?

Looking over some old maps, yes it was called Old Square even back in 1800!

The building with the dome, and the one on the corner with the tower, are probably some of the best examples of Victorian architecture I've seen. And looking at the cars and people in the pic, I think they survived the war, only to be knocked down by our wonderful city planners :puke: (the cars look to be 1960's...)

The domed building was the Grand Theatre and it had undergone a variety of changes in it's history. What you see there is exactly what it looked like when it opened but it's usage and function had changed alot. First it was a theatre but it switched to cinema, casino and bingo hall. The building's layout made it economically weak and the only good thing about it was it's appearance. It's a shame it is lost now though. Forbidden Planet and the Tesco Express on the corner of Corporation Street and Priory Queensway is there now.

I think its what was there before which makes me sad. The Priory of St. Thomas dated back to the 13th Century was on site (hence the name Priory in everything in the area: Priory House, Priory Square, Priory Queensway) but this was dissolved under Henry VIII. Aparently it was described as a majestic peiece of architecture by travellers. It remained in ruins for about 200 years until a man called John Pemberton, I think, came along and redeveloped old square and built a lot of residential properties. He turned it into one of the most desirable areas of the city. Sadly this lost its appeal and alot of the site was turned into slums and backalleys. On the site of what is now Priory Square was 3 hotels and 7 pubs! All of these facing onto Corporation Street, Dale End or Bull Street. There was a nice church on Dale End actually. This was the church for the ward which I think was Saint Peters which made the church St Peter's Church. That was also described as being well kept and well designed though attendance dwindled during the 1800s. The Minories was originally a slum! Now that along with Berlin House which was a studio building which was at the point of collapse when it came to demolition was demolished and turned into Lewis's Department Store which is beautiful.

If anything, I see the development by Sir Frederick Gibbard as a bit of a blessing as without Priory Square and Priory Queensway, this area would have become so much more uglier. We might not see the developments like Martineau Galleries, Masshouse, City Park Gate etc as a result. It's just a shame that what he got built was so darned ugly.

A history lesson there :).

I had the misfortue to have to go inside the Britannia Hotel once. The best way I can describe what I saw is "shit"

I mean, look at the front of it. Dirty net curtains in the windows, stains down the front of the building, and you have to walk up a dodgy passageway which stinks of piss to get to the entrance.

If they turfed the retail units out of the ground floor, made a feature entrance on New St, cleaned the concrete, replaced the windows and blinds and replace the carpets inside and gave it a lick of paint it would look much better!

Well now that it's been named the 9th Worst Hotel in Britain, it should make them pull their act together and get fixing that up. I think the connection to Big Top doesn't help things really as the passageway leading to the entrance is so dark and dingy. Looking inside, it looks really nice and I remember as a child always tugging on my mom's arm asking if I could go in but she would just grumble and keep walking. I'm glad I havent experienced it now.

^^Britannia also took the accolade of worst hotel in that list. In Oldham or somewhere. Rumour has it you can hire rooms by the hour...

Erebus - thanks for the history! :cheers:

Masshouse got its name from a burnt-down church also :yes:

^^Ooh. It wouldn't happen to be Saint Bartholomews would it? Actually probably not. That's where Saint Bartholomews Row gets it's name from (the road infront of the nti in Eastside). Park Street Gardens was originally part of the church yard to that which became the main church yard in the city for a very short period when further burials at St Martins were banned due to the expansion of the markets restricting space.

I can see I'm on the verge of waffling on again so I'll stop here :).

Has anybody got pictures of what was planned for Centenary square - the whole civic scheme.

My uncle mentioned it yesterday and my dad was interested and wanted to see it an i thought id seen it knocking around on here before

^^ Posted on the Baskerville House thread by the very silent Cargohold:

The model, crap shots i admit but the best i could manage through the perspex casing.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c258/cargohold/Birmingham-Civic-Center.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c258/cargohold/Birmingham-Civic-Center-2.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c258/cargohold/Birmingham-Civic-Center-1.jpg

Note, where the column is, there was also a proposal for a 30-storey municipal block but it was rejected and dismissed as 'a bad joke'.

I saw some of the designs for the competition for what would go on where the Hall of Memory is now. I think Hall of Memory is the best choice but some were very majestic indeed.

Cheers for that.

Shame it wasnt all built, but we wouldnt have the ICC now would we

On the subject of old Birmingham, went past the back of the Grand on colmore row. Has quite an imposing and interesting red brick posterior to the front plus you can see what must be ballrooms with very big shandaliers.

Is there anyway for there to be photos of the hotel to be taken. Also, do we have any further news on listing or etc of the hotel as all has gone quiet regarding it.
Whatever happens I think for posterity and historical record the interior should be fully photographed.

bump.

Hey woodhousen - any chance we could have this merged with Old Birmingham pictures (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=468406)

Some great photos on here!

Nice photos, brum has certainly lost some great buildings along the way, shame!

if Centenaenenenery square looked like that twould be nice.

although it screams Communism/facist architecture somewhat.

Yeah very nice, shame it never happened, they could of put the ICC anywhere.