Saturday May 19 2012
Art & Literature Archive
Village Art & Literature
Birmingham’s lost buildings
Posted on June 16 2009 at 1:55:33 0 comments
A new book provides a nostalgic peek into the vanished heritage of the Second City.
Birmingham has undergone so many changes in recent years that it’s difficult to remember what some places used to look like - but a new book reminds us how some “facelifts” earlier in the city’s history led to the loss of many architectural gems.
Roy Thornton’s Lost Buildings of Birmingham is a largely pictorial guide to these vanished structures, accompanied by concise information on the dates of completion and demolition, the architects involved and the buildings’ uses.
Whether you are most familiar with the Birmingham of the mid-20th century or the Noughties makeover, it’s fascinating to peer at the black and white images and try to work out exactly where these buildings would have stood - of course, the ones that weren’t demolished until the 60s or 70s may be remembered by some readers, but for the younger generation the photos belong to another world.
The images of New Street, the original Reference Library and particularly the Bull Ring with its central Market Cross (built in 1702 to shelter market traders; demolished in 1748) are especially interesting as they couldn’t be more different from how those landmarks look today.
Other illustrations of note include the host of impressive-looking cinemas and theatres and some unique pubs and hotels, many of which seem to have been demolished in favour of ringroads, houses and supermarkets - not to mention the vanished churches, schools, hospitals and residential buildings.
Lost Buildings of Birmingham is a thoroughly researched and lovingly produced tribute to a bygone age, and a valuable record of the Second City’s architectural heritage which will appeal to historians and nostalgia fans alike.
These buildings may be long gone, but with this simple yet fascinating book, Roy Thornton has ensured that they are not forgotten.
Lost Buildings of Birmingham is published by The History Press Ltd and is available in good bookshops priced £14.99.
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