Ye Olde Birmingham of Yore

[mjmooney]

3 hours ago, John said:

Virgin Records on Corporation Street:

   

When the first Virgin megastore (as opposed to the first, small one, up by the law courts) opened, I went in and bought the first Little Feat album, which had just come out. The assistant must have been stoned or stupid, because he gave me massively too much change. Seeing as it was Virgin, I said nowt and kept it. Went to a small record shop (iirc somewhere off New Street?) and bought another couple of albums (one was an Allman Brothers compilation) with my windfall. 

Edited March 12, 2021 by mjmooney

[bickster]

1 hour ago, sidcow said:

When was Virgin Records in Corporation Street.  For the life of me I can't remember it being there. Were was it in relation to Wimpy? 

Long time ago because I remember it in Bull St in the late 70's, at least from 78 onwards

[John]

1 hour ago, sidcow said:

When was Virgin Records in Corporation Street.  For the life of me I can't remember it being there. Were was it in relation to Wimpy? 

It was opened in 1971 I think. It was on the same side of the road as the law courts and about midway between there and Harry Parkes shop. 

[Xela]

2 hours ago, rjw63 said:

I also used to frequent Andy Cash records, Erdington branch (just up from The Norton pub) from around 1986 - early 90's.

Bearded guy in the middle of this pic was an absolute legend. I'd go in with a list of obscure stuff one week, next week he'd have them all waiting.

I got all my music from Andy Cash when I was a kid. Would have been late 80's / early 90's. Used to live on Holly Lane, so my Mom used to walk me there and wait outside while I spent my pocket money inside! 

[mottaloo]

I remember a sports superstore opening at the corner of bull st and corporation st called World of Sport....it was declared (by the owners) as THE place to go for all your sporting needs....from football gear to horse saddles, it had it all. Their proud boast would be "we'll never have a sale !", i guess intimating that they would be so successful. 

A couple/three years later it went bust....after, erm....having a sale ! It was replaced by virgin's megastore soon after. 

I also remember Felini....a lifestyle furniture store owned by Frances Edmonds (the wife of cricketer Phil Edmonds). It was on the opposite side of the dual carriageway to the costermonger pub. Didn't last long either. I guess she was better at writing witty books about England cricket tours to the west indies.

[Risso]

On 11/03/2021 at 14:13, sidcow said:

Just to add insult to injury, the 1800s and 60s libraries are not on the same site, oh no, as can be seen from this photo

They wanted the old one open till the new one was built.  I hear you ask what was actually on the plot of the 60's library then? What ugly disgrace of a building did they tear down to build that then? Fear not, here is a picture of said monstrosity. 

 

It makes you weep Tom.

That's Mason Science College, knocked down in 1964.

[Risso]

Another of my grandad’s photos:

 

 

[bickster]

Anyone remember Old Square looking like this? I certainly do

[bickster]

And neaby was this place...

Which is definitely responsible for my first tastes of curried food, long before I had asian mates and the food I'd eat in their houses. I used to love going there with my parents for the food even aged 4 or 5. My Dad always liked it too because he picked up a taste for curry from his National Service years

[OutByEaster?]

I can smell Old Square in that first picture @bickster. For some reason the smell of that place has stuck in my mind - must have been the greengrocers!

 

[bickster]

1 minute ago, OutByEaster? said:

I can smell Old Square in that first picture @bickster. For some reason the smell of that place has stuck in my mind - must have been the greengrocers!

 

Yep, I think you're right but I can smell the piss in the underpass too

[sidcow]

1 hour ago, bickster said:

Anyone remember Old Square looking like this? I certainly do

Yes, I nearly posted this up earlier. 

When you think about it there is a lot of retail space gone from the. City over the years. 

There were quite a few underground shops underneath where the Tram turns from Bull Street into Corporation Street by The Square peg.  A lot of shops have closed around Priory Square, and the market there has all but disappeared. 

Again I wonder if those subterranean shops are still actually there like a sealed off underground ghost town, if they were all somehow filled in. 

Edited March 13, 2021 by sidcow

[bickster]

Then there was this celebration of the GWR and Snow Hill Station (The original one)

 

That was just buildozed in the redevelopment. I used to love those trains as a kid

[mjmooney]

1 hour ago, bickster said:

And neaby was this place...

Which is definitely responsible for my first tastes of curried food, long before I had asian mates and the food I'd eat in their houses. I used to love going there with my parents for the food even aged 4 or 5. My Dad always liked it too because he picked up a taste for curry from his National Service years

Never had a curry in there (well, I wouldn't, would I?), but I used to go in there and try the different teas out, (with lemon rather than milk). Thought I was dead sophisticated, I did. 

[mjmooney]

22 minutes ago, bickster said:

Then there was this celebration of the GWR and Snow Hill Station (The original one)

 

That was just buildozed in the redevelopment. I used to love those trains as a kid

That's tragic. 

[sidcow]

40 minutes ago, bickster said:

Then there was this celebration of the GWR and Snow Hill Station (The original one)

 

That was just buildozed in the redevelopment. I used to love those trains as a kid

Well Snow Hill Railway Station, that's another one isnt it. 

 

 

 

[bickster]

I have vague recollections of the old Snow Hill Station working, I even have a slight memory of getting off a train there but I'm not sure if that is a false memory

EDIT: I've just remembered that if my Granddad came up from Wales, he'd arrive in Snow Hill and I definitely have memories of us collecting him from there in the car.

[bickster]

38 minutes ago, mjmooney said:

Never had a curry in there (well, I wouldn't, would I?), but I used to go in there and try the different teas out, (with lemon rather than milk). Thought I was dead sophisticated, I did. 

It wasn't a full on curry that I ever had there because we always used to have salad from the salad bar, it was stuff like coronation chicken and cold curried rice with sultanas and stuff in. Nothing hot just spiced flavourings.

Talking of salad bars, that reminds me, wasn't there a Swedish / Scandinavian cafe / restaurant next door or nearby. I remember having the mind blowing at the time "Open Sandwiches" and I think its where I learned the words Smorgasbord and Gravad Lax

Both places, I only ever visited with my parents when I was small but I have distinct memories of both places and my mother's friends that we'd pre-arranged to meet in there

[sidcow]

38 minutes ago, bickster said:

Both places, I only ever visited with my parents when I was small but I have distinct memories of both places and my mother's friends that we'd pre-arranged to meet in there

Remember when you had no choice but to plan well in advance exactly when and where you were going to meet up, and the catastrophe that would ensue if you somehow couldn't make it.   HOW ON EARTH ARE WE GOING TO LET THEM KNOW!!!!??????? 

There were 2 official meeting places when I was a kid.  Outside McDonalds on the ramp or outside The Odeon on New Street. 

"McDonalds on the ramp" is something you would have to be a Brummie to know instantly where you are going, no further explanation needed. 

I might add that having worked at McDonalds High Street, anyone from McDonalds on the ramp is a word removed. 

Edited March 13, 2021 by sidcow

[bickster]

33 minutes ago, sidcow said:

"McDonalds on the ramp"

In fact my memory of the location of the Scandinavian Cafe was completely incorrect. It was called the Danish Food Centre and it was on the ramp. I found it by looking for something completely different