IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Tower Street, BIRMINGHAM, B19 3RR

The Barrel PH is on the corner of Summer Lane and Tower Street.

Union offices in Summer Lane.

Summer Lane runs south from Aston through the Gunsmiths' Quarter into Snow Hill on the northern edge of Birmingham city centre. In this photo the twin spires of St Chad's, the Catholic cathedral by Snow Hill, can just be seen in the distance among the high rise blocks of central Birmingham. The building in the foreground at the top left of the photo was a pub, the Stag's Head; a montage of photos from its history can be seen in this YouTube video from the Birmingham History Forum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAicncubFU4 . Old Summer Lane was a densely-built up district of factories, workshops, pubs and houses. It had its own song, 'See the Palm Trees Swaying', the title an ironic reference to the street's summery name. After the second world war the city council redeveloped the area and renamed it Newtown. The housing was condemned as slums and demolished. The modern commercial buildings in this photo are representative of the street today between Snow Hill and the ring road. For more on Summer Lane see this article by Carl Chinn in the Birmingham Evening Mail 26th April 2008 reproduced here https://astonbrook-through-astonmanor.co.uk/summerlane/introduction.html .

The works in Brearley Street dates from 1840 and is Grade II Listed. Newey were hook and eye manufacturers. The building and courtyard behind is used by small engineering firms.

A group of 19th century factory buildings can be seen on this section of Brearley Street, rare survivals of the Summer Lane area of the Victorian era (for more on Summer Lane see here Image]). The central block has 'J C Newee. Patentee' inscribed on the parapet, with a royal coat of arms above. It is a listed building and dates from around 1840, according to the Historic England site https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1075719?section=official-list-entry . It appears to be in very poor condition. The Super Cafe & Restaurant in the more modern building to the right, with its sign in Amharic, is evidence of the Ethiopian and Eritrean communities that have settled in the Newtown area.

What seemed to be a largely disused factory. The words "JC Newey Patentee" appear over the handsome central block built c1840 (Image]). Extensive later additions. Grade II listed.

Hook and eye manufacturers. Sign on top of the factory in Brearley Street.

Part of the ground floor is used by a Carribean Hair Salon, Restaurant and Takeaway.

The cafe at the corner with William Street North looks like a former public house and is a rare survivor of old Summer Lane. We are looking north, with the centre of Birmingham behind us. For more on Summer Lane see Image