Author Topic: the shops of brum city center in the 50s  (Read 51635 times)

Phil

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #33 on: November 25, 2009, 06:22:47 PM »
Brian

One especially for you Burlington Passage, near to Hudsons Bookshop. Thought it might remind you of that breath of fresh air between departments.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

sandrac

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #34 on: November 25, 2009, 07:41:22 PM »
absoloutely adored lewis's at christmas the window displays were magical then queing up all those stairs so exciting
uncle holly in his green outfit and white gloves then joy of joys father christmas the only real one all the others were his helpers
only 4 weeks to go till his next visit!!
what do you mean when did you find out? find out what??

roy one

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #35 on: November 25, 2009, 08:49:57 PM »
there used to be a father Xmas in the bullring in the old woolys and one in the top fish market about a week before Xmas
all the barrow-boys would have there tilley lamps going and the shouting   six pound a bob handy handy carriers the cold wind blowing up the bullring and the starlings millions of them coming in to roost for the night the smell of the spudman and chestnuts xmas trees being sold by old queen vic it give you the feeling of xmas and the singers out side the church and there lamps on rods in a child's eyes is was magic
each day is a blessing and I bless each day when it comes

Phil

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #36 on: November 25, 2009, 09:28:45 PM »
Roy

It wasn't like that at all, you imagined it. It must have been those 8 pints of Mild you used to have at the Birmingham Arms or the 4 pints of scrumpy at the Greyhound.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

roy one

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #37 on: November 25, 2009, 09:40:28 PM »
yep phil could well be right but being about 7 i don!t think i could drink that much
each day is a blessing and I bless each day when it comes

9teen48

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #38 on: November 25, 2009, 09:52:54 PM »
Phil,

Thanks very much for the photograph of Burlington Passage - that's another one I've never seen before !  Fresh air between departments is certainly right - I notice that your picture is dated 1959.    I seem to recall in the mid-1960s that this part was closed in and the shopfronts were all modernised,  so does anyone know when that part of Burlington Passage was covered over ?  

In the picture you can see Hudsons on the right and part of the sign for the stamp collector shop, Margoschis, on the left.  So this looks like the part of the passage running from Lower Temple Street towards the Midland Hotel.

Brian  

Phil

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #39 on: November 25, 2009, 11:02:38 PM »
Brian

Was the passage covered over when the Macdonald Hotel group bought out the Burlington? They did a hell of a lot of remodelling and upgrading.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

9teen48

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #40 on: November 25, 2009, 11:21:07 PM »
Hi Phil,

I don't know when that happened, but I do remember that it was covered in between Lower Temple Street and the part which ran between Hudsons.  The part that ran from New Street was still open to the heavens, however about half way down towards Stephenson Street, that bit was also covered over.  I assume that it was all part of the work you described.

Here is another view from Lower Temple Street about the same time as your picture.  I'm trying to find a later shot.

Brian

Phil

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #41 on: November 27, 2009, 06:33:33 PM »
One last Arcade, another old colour postcard, This one is the City Arcade in all its Victorian splendour.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

9teen48

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #42 on: November 28, 2009, 08:54:30 PM »
Phil,

Thanks for the last arcade image.  For anyone like me who is fascinated by our city arcades, have a look at Bennyinkwell's photostream on Flickr at the link below. This features 67 images of old shopping arcades of Victorian Birmingham, including the location of the arcades superimposed on a current map of the city centre.  Fabulous collection.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64196730@N00/sets/72157612312529949/

Brian

9teen48

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #43 on: November 28, 2009, 10:27:25 PM »
There are two super images of Burlington Passage in a gallery of pictures by Keith Berry on pbase.com - one B&W from 1958 looking towards the Shakespeare Tavern in Lower Temple Street and one colour shot of the section from New Street looking towards Stephenson Street:
 
http://www.pbase.com/beppuu/old_bham&page=8

This collection also includes many images from all over Brum.

Brian





 

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