Author Topic: Old streets in Birmingham  (Read 19213 times)

stickman

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Old streets in Birmingham
« on: June 08, 2012, 02:53:57 PM »
I went to look at Millenium Point last week to find  out the Birmingham Music Network.  When I'd finished, I went for a wonder round.  On my travels I passed by two streets that I'd like to know about.  These are - Freeman Street and Patternoster Row, both lead off Park Street.  Does anyone have any info?

Phil

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Re: Old streets in Birmingham
« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2012, 03:57:33 PM »
I think Freeman Street dates back to the 1700's and was called after a local landowner. Paternoster Row is a different matter as it can have several meanings. The Lords Prayer, a type of lift system. I think it is also something to do with printing possibly a type of font or similar. Now as Paternoster Row originally ran up the side of a printing works there may be a connection.
 
Of course I'm not saying that either of these explanations are fact, they are merely what I surmise.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

mikejee

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Re: Old streets in Birmingham
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2012, 06:40:09 PM »
The Paternoster Row name actually seems to appear around 1876. It is not listed previously in directories, even in the lists of small terraces etc at the beginning of the directories. The only listed occupant then is Cund Bros.lithographers & printers, which will be the Moor St printing works which is shown on hte 1890 map as running down the south side of the Row. The Row came out between 31 and 35 Moor St. the following were nearby;
Court 6 Moor St (between 20 & 21) Osborn Wm. lithographic printer
( No number but around 32 ) White & Pike, printers & account hook makers, White & Pike's Railway Guide, White & Pike, publisher
35 & 36 Evans & Adlard, paper makers
39 Shipway Geo.& John Henry, printers
In addition there is a Paternoster row in London which is (or was) the centre of  the publishing, stationers and bookselling trades, so it would seem thta the na,e has an association with printing and this is probably the reason for that name

Phil

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Re: Old streets in Birmingham
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2012, 07:09:11 PM »
Mike
 
As I said there is something at the back of my mind that links Paternoster with printing could it be some sort of a printing press or something?
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

stickman

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Re: Old streets in Birmingham
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2012, 07:18:23 PM »
Ah, interesting Mike jee- I hope they don't disappear due to redevelopment of that area.  I shall go and explore a bit more.  Yes Phil, I read in one of Carl Chinns books that Freeman Street was named after a landowner. 

I would also like to know about the history of a building at the end of Banbury Street 

Phil

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Re: Old streets in Birmingham
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2012, 07:33:19 PM »
stickman,
 
This should tell you all you want to know,
 
http://www.gunproof.com/
 
Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

stickman

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Re: Old streets in Birmingham
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2012, 10:01:32 PM »
Thanks a lot, that's great.

stickman

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Re: Old streets in Birmingham
« Reply #7 on: June 09, 2012, 04:29:14 PM »
I am now looking on Google Earth at Montague Street as there is a railway viaduct there that was never used.  Crazy idea time - The Birmingham Promenade.  Clear all the bushes and weeds, pave it over and put in a few benches and a water feature :D fantastic, a place to go to get away from it all

trapio

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Re: Old streets in Birmingham
« Reply #8 on: June 10, 2012, 01:08:19 AM »
Elf & Safety'll knock it on the head -  as all 19th century designs are for demolition if no blue plaque, or not ''listed''.  ''can't be safe up there - nobody's ever bin up there ya know - and they woulda bin if it wuz orite, so you tell me, and then yal see a thing or two'' ;D
Integrity is non negotiable

planetmalc

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Re: Old streets in Birmingham
« Reply #9 on: June 10, 2012, 03:14:07 PM »
I am now looking on Google Earth at Montague Street as there is a railway viaduct there that was never used.  Crazy idea time - The Birmingham Promenade.  Clear all the bushes and weeds, pave it over and put in a few benches and a water feature :D fantastic, a place to go to get away from it all
 
 
I walked/trespassed the full length of the first section of the Duddeston Viaduct (between Bordesley Station and the Mill Lane/Liverpool Street junction) back in the mid-70s, and it offers good views across much of Birmingham, though the local area is not exactly scenic.    Thanks to an over-enthusiastic contractor (Doyle?) the remainder (which was listed) was accidentally demolished, leaving just 2 short sections near to Great Barr Street/Montague Street.   
 
I like your Promenade idea, but realistically it wouldn't be long before the undesriables moved in and turned a pleasant amenity into some kind of hell-hole, they always do.    This is a city that's taken the easy way out and expensively got rid of useful things like underpasses because of all the mugging that was taking place in them, rather than have them policed properly.    Look what happened to the Manzoni Gardens: they let that go to pot and it was taken over by beggars and alcoholics.     The Harborne Walkway (the former rail line between Summerfield Park and the old Harborne Station) is now strewn with glass & rubble and hazardous to use.    What used to be a pleasant walk along the cut near to Fazeley Street has now become a queers' paradise, with innocents having to run the gauntlet through the crowds of importuning homosexuals who seem to be inside the long dark tunnels 24/7.     
 
Your Promenade would be safe as long as it was flavour-of-the-month, but once it wasn't and the trouble started, the Council would just wash their hands of it.   >:(         
There's no B/S on Planet Malc.

Phil

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Re: Old streets in Birmingham
« Reply #10 on: June 10, 2012, 03:45:20 PM »
I read somewhere some time ago that this idea was proposed before but nothing ever came of it. This viaduct houses quite a few businesses in its arches, so it is of some use.
 
Some time back we were offered quite a piece of it by British Rail in Stanier House as a yard and depot with access through the old cattle market delivery spur on Upper Trinity Street. We had a look and turned it down, it was too out of the way and vulnerable to vandals and thieves.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.


 

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