Iconic buildings of Birmingham, some still with us some now gone.

Birmingham has had over the years many beautiful buildings. Some still remain some sadly are gone. Some were destroyed during the last war. Others were wantonly destroyed by planners.

If you have a photo of a building that you think was or is a credit to Birmingham then please post it here. Because you can be sure I will, and if you feel that you want to make a comment on a photo that has been posted, then please do so. Just because I like a building it doesn't mean that any one else has to. Everyone has their own opinion and taste.

Phil

Royal Birmingham Society of Artists.

This building housed the RBSA who were formed in 1821. The building was built by the architect Thomas Rickman in 1829 and the society was given royal status by Queen Victoria in 1868.

By the early part of the 20th century the building was demolished and rebuilt to fit in with the modern surroundings. By 2000 like everyone else the society was under economic pressure so they decided to sell out and move to a converted warehouse in St Paul's Square where they remain today.

Had this building remained it could have only enhanced Birmingham and would have been a pleasure to look at each day in passing for many thousands of people.

Phil

Birmingham Market Hall

Another building that was taken away from us, it was built in 1835 by the architect Charles Edge. In 1940 Herr Hitler decided to take it away from us, so he got some of his lads to drop an incendiary bomb on it.

This gutted the building leaving only a shell, which after being cleared out continued in use for a good few year minus the roof. In my estimation it could have easily been reconstructed, but of course it was in the way of the planners. So in 1960 it went the way of many other such buildings.

Phil

King Edwards Grammar School, New Street Birmingham.

The wonderful old building built in Gothic Style in 1835 by Barry (building) and Pugin (interior) replaced a previous school building built in 1734. By 1936 the school governors became worried that the school was a fire risk.(Was this so or was it the attraction of big money offered for the site?)

They started building a new school on the present site in Edgbaston. Which coincidently burned to the ground in a fire. But by 1940 the school had progressed enough to move in.Shortly after the site at New St was cleared.

Phil

I think this must qualify for this thread, The Woodman's Arms Public House, Easy Row.

January 1965 and about to be demolished

http://www.macearchive.org/Media.html?Title=8649

Voltman

Voltman

I have written about this pub on two other forums that I am a member. I can only repeat what I said there. In my opinion the demolition of this pub was disgrace and a crime against the people of Birmingham. This pub should have been saved by one means or another.

I have heard that most of the fittings were purchased by the owner of another Woodman out Bromsgrove way but he never got round to fitting them an they just rotted in a field. How much truth there is to that story I cannot say.

Phil

I can't believe that anyone would contemplate destroying all those painted tiles or the statuary on the front.

If it had all been removed and given to a museum, any museum, it would have all survived for future genarations.
It's a pity ATV didn't just carry it all away and use it as props. Or perhaps they did.

Phil, I take it that you have a copy of the book "Birmingham Pubs" by Keith Turner?

I did hear what happened to the tiles etc, but I'm afraid that time has dimmed my memory and I cant recall what it was.

Yes I do have Keith Turners book Birmingham pubs I also have Time Please by Andrew Maxim, Birmingham Pubs by Alan Crawfod, Central Birmingham Pubs books 1 & 2. Plus one or two others. I can recommend them all.

I have over 1500 images of Birmingham pubs. I'm sure thats more than there is in Birmingham today. What surprises me is that there are still some pubs I haven't got when asked.

Phil

Phil, bet you ain't got one of the Cromwell Arms.

John

As a matter of fact I have, I've got yours.

Phil

Does anyone have a picture of the Chestnut Tree, Sheldon, when it was a temporary building.
Or even one from the sixties come to that?

Voltman

This is the best I can do, this is what I was saying the other day. I have all these photos of pubs but people always seem to ask for ones I haven't got. Someone asked me for one of the Broadway at Bordesley Green the other day and I couldn't help them. You asked me for one of the Mackadown. You think that would be easy, but I haven't got it. Now the Chestnut Tree temporary building and I can't help again. If it was the Cabin I could help.

Phil

This is a very early picture of The Chestnut Tree. i would guess at around 1964-7

Thanks, Phil.

This one shows the "Outdoor" which I had forgotten about.
It was changed into an entrance lobby, in the early 80s I think.

The signs were probably different when I started drinking there as I found planning applications that approved new signs in the early 70s, but this is how it would have looked when i first saw it as a kid out on a bike ride, at the time it was an area I had never seen before. The rest of the building is exactly as I remember it from when I was 17.

SB got there long before I did and will have seen it change through the years.
I wonder if either of us have it in photographs that we don't realise we have?

Voltman

I have photo,s of the Nuts inside and out I will post as soon as I can. SB