Gurdwara Baba Sang Ji, Smethwick
Introduction
The photograph on this page of Gurdwara Baba Sang Ji, Smethwick by A J Paxton as part of the Geograph project.
The Geograph project started in 2005 with the aim of publishing, organising and preserving representative images for every square kilometre of Great Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man.
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Gurdwara Baba Sang Ji, Smethwick
Image: © A J Paxton Taken: 15 Apr 2023
This gurdwara or Sikh temple occupies a prominent site, fronting onto St Paul's Road at the corner with St Alban's Road. The building was constructed in 1910 as the Empire Theatre to designs by the local firm of G Bowden & Son. It operated as a cinema from 1924 to 1957; see the Cinema Treasures site http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/34483 . After a period as a DIY store it became a gurdwara. Since 2005 the facade has been much altered, the classical detail has been removed and the dome and cupolas added. The lean-to shelters along the side are a relic of the days when the cinema-going public queued here for admission; see the Smethwick Town Centre Appraisal document at the Sandwell Council site https://www.sandwell.gov.uk/downloads/file/4061/smethwick_town_centre_character_appraisal . For more on Sikhs in Smethwick see Image
Images are licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0
Image Location
Latitude
52.498812
Longitude
-1.977713