Birmingham of Yesterday
Reminiscences, observations and information about the history of Birmingham, its people and industry.
Birmingham Assay Office – Newhall Street
Opening in 1773 following the Hallmarking Act, the purpose of the Birmingham Assay Office was to validate the quality of the previous metal used and to hallmark the item to attest to this measure having been validated (the hallmark indicating the maker and date of item and the anchor symbol indicating the Birmingham Assay Office). With a [...]
Birmingham School of Art – Margaret Street
A striking and impressive structure, the Birmingham School of Art building in Margaret Street was commissioned in 1877 to house the then-independent School in a purpose built environment designed, with typical Gothic overtones, by John Henry Chamberlain (a contemporary of, but no relation to, celebrated Mayor Joseph Chamberlain).
During the 1970s the building became co-opted by [...]
The Futurist Cinema – John Bright Street
Work began in 1914 on the then to be named Majestic Theatre which opened some two years later in 1916 only to change its name to The Futurist Theatre some three years later in 1919. Always trying to be at the forefront of the cinematic medium, the Futurist was the first cinema in Birmingham to have curtains [...]
Birmingham Stock Exchange – Margaret Street
Due to Birmingham’s flurishing industry and growing reputation as a centre of commerce, a regional Birmingham Stock Exchange was setup in 1845 through the Birmingham Stock Exchange Association which met in a variety of venues in the City Centre before coming to rest in the building that is seen above in 1928, the year of [...]
Birmingham Museum of Science and Industry – Newhall Street
One of the single greatest losses to the heritage of Birmingham occurred in 1997 when Birmingham City Council closed the Museum of Science and Industry which occupied part of the former Elkington Silver Electroplating Works in Newhall Street and had operated since 1951.
The Museum was a fascinating Aladdin’s Cave of industrial heritage exhibits crammed into [...]
The Grapes – Hill Street/Lower Severn Street
A pub with a fairly inauspicious history was to be found on the corner of Hill Street and Lower Severn Street – a stones throw from the once nightclub Mecca of John Bright Street.
Whilst now a Select & Save store as seen above – this pub, built in 1966, provided my first taste of a rock [...]
Abigail’s Dining & Cabaret Nightclub – Hill Street / John Bright Street
On the back of the runaway successes of the Bermuda Club, Cedar Club, Barbarella’s and Rebecca’s – Birmingham nightclub pioneer Edward Fewtrell identified a niche in the market for an upmarket dining and cabaret club in the City catering for the more affluent residents of and visitors to Birmingham. He identified the run-down Savoy Hotel [...]
Rebecca’s Nightclub / Boogies Nightclub – John Bright Street
Opened by Edward Fewtrell in 1966 as Rebecca’s – named after his eldest daughter – the premises operated along similar lines to later opened Edward’s Number 7 and Edward’s Number 8 bar and nightclub which were housed in an adjacent building in opening in 1979. On the ground floor accessed from John Bright Street was Rebecca’s [...]
Edward’s Number 7 / Edward’s Number 8 Night Club – John Bright Street
Pre-Broad Street ‘Golden Mile’, John Bright Street was one of the places, if not THE place, to be for for a night out in Birmingham City Centre. Originally opening in 1979, Edward’s Number 7 bar and Edward’s Number 8 nightclub above it were the 7th and 8th clubs/bars to be opened by Birmingham club impresario [...]
Goldwyn’s Nightclub – Suffolk Place
Aimed at a slightly more upmarket crowd than Boogies and Edward’s nightclubs and bars just around the corner, with the opening of Goldwyn’s nightclub in 1989 – along with Paramount bar beneath it in 1988 – Edward Fewtrell aimed to tap-in to the theatre-going public (the Alexandra theatre being next door) and to present live [...]
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