Author Topic: Passages and Alleyways of Birmingham  (Read 183030 times)

Phil

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Passages and Alleyways of Birmingham
« on: December 01, 2009, 10:25:25 PM »
All over Birmingham there used to be Alleyways, Passages, and little Lanes. If you have any photos of these places upload them here so that we can all get a look at them. Because at the rate they are disappearing soon we will see them no longer.

My first ones are of The Gullet that used to be off Lichfield Street which before the Chamberlain slum clearance in the late 1800's used to be the end of Corporation St in the vicinity of the fire station.

This was a notorious area of Birmingham and you would not want to be walking around there on your own day or night. The clearance plan of the 1880’s was as much to get rid of the undesirables as it was to clear the slums.

The three photos of the gullet are one of each end and one of inside the Gullet itself. The narrow alleyway is the Gullet.

I thought I was brought up in a rough area.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Phil

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Re: Passages and Alleyways of Birmingham
« Reply #1 on: December 02, 2009, 10:29:16 AM »
Next on the list, Birmingham New Street Station. Until the station was remodelled in the early 60's there were two routes through the station one was Queens Drive which ran East to West and could be used by pedestrians or vehicles. The other was a walkway over the tracks and was on a North South orientation. This was for pedestrians only.

Entrance to Walkway off Stephenson St.
Walkway over tracks.
Queens Drive.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

jaykay

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Re: Passages and Alleyways of Birmingham
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2009, 12:01:11 PM »
Hi Phil,
New Street Station walkway took me back a bit, in the late fifties I used to do quite a few of the signs along there, in particular Barbers Teas, and Imperial Leather soap.
No digital cameras then and we only took photos when we went on holiday mores the pity, think what we would have now if we'd been more productive at taking photos.
I tell my grandkids take photos of anything and everything, because one day it won't be there.
Regards John1.

Phil

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Re: Passages and Alleyways of Birmingham
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2009, 12:15:20 PM »
John1

Sound advice, when I think of all the wonderful building I could have captured with my box brownie or Kodak Instamatic if I had only thought, but as you said the camera only came out at family celebrations or holiday. Film or developing was too expensive to waste on photos of buildings that were always going to be there.

My son can't understand why I collect photos or take so many in Birmingham. He knows the reasoning behind it but it just doesn't appeal to him. I have said "wait until you get a bit older and you start to see everything you was brought up with disappear you will".

But I think the youngsters today are so used to seeing change, that perhaps they won't feel the same way we do.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Phil

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Re: Passages and Alleyways of Birmingham
« Reply #4 on: December 04, 2009, 05:57:05 PM »
An often used shortcut for me in the 60's from the Locarno Ballroom in Hurst St to the Heartbeat Club attached to The Silver Blades & Bowling Alley in Pershore Street. Its Ladywell walk
.
Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

john2000

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Re: Passages and Alleyways of Birmingham
« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2009, 09:57:18 PM »
Phil... can/do you remember under the walkway over Queens drive, on the right ( as in the photo), there was a penny slot machine, where you could get your name printed out on a metal strip, cost a 1penny, ....J2... :coolsmiley:
Growing old is mandatory..........Growing up is optional

Phil

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Re: Passages and Alleyways of Birmingham
« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2009, 10:14:47 PM »
J2

I remember them well, they had them on the platforms as well. Always had to have one. I don't think it was the tag itself, it was more the attraction of using the machine to stamp them out. I do remember that once you had stamped a letter if you made a mistake you couldn't correct it. There must be thousands of them just lying around somewhere with the wrong names stamped on them.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Phil

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Re: Passages and Alleyways of Birmingham
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2009, 02:30:26 PM »
Moving out of the town centre for this one. Some of our members who used to live in Lozells will remember this passage. It used to run off Clifford St. It's Furnace Lane.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

john2000

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Re: Passages and Alleyways of Birmingham
« Reply #8 on: December 07, 2009, 03:15:58 PM »
OK, I'm sorry, but there was an ally called [censored] a bag ally, just off Varna Rd, ( at the back of some houses that where on the main Rd of Belgrave Rd,), .. the place used to stink, the people who I used to visit hated the place, and always used the front entrance when they came home, ...J2
Growing old is mandatory..........Growing up is optional

Phil

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Re: Passages and Alleyways of Birmingham
« Reply #9 on: December 07, 2009, 03:58:11 PM »
I don't remember that one J2!

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

roy one

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Re: Passages and Alleyways of Birmingham
« Reply #10 on: December 07, 2009, 04:32:54 PM »
hi Phil
            was there a place called needless ally it seems to ring a bell to me but i just can not place it Roy
each day is a blessing and I bless each day when it comes


 

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