John Townley
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jfredt.bsky.social
John Townley
@jfredt.bsky.social
52 followers 33 following 15 posts
Independent historian. 18th & early 19th century history. Birmingham, maps, steam power and anything else that takes me down a random rabbit hole.
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Reposted by John Townley
theironroom.bsky.social
#Circus #Christmas Salt and Saucy were part of a circus troupe resident at Bingley Hall between December 1950 - January 1951. Ref - New Accession #LibraryofBham
A page from a circus programme. Heading reads - Those famous elephants - Salt and Saucy. Text beneath this. Photo on the top right of an elephant with its keeper. Beneath this, two more photographs of elephants and their keepers.
December 11, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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ediparolev.bsky.social
December 11, 2025 at 9:39 PM
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theironroom.bsky.social
#OldCrown #PhotoFriday today is this 1890 photograph of the Old Crown Inn on Deritend High Street. The building is reputed to date back to c1368. Ref - WK/D1/190 #LibraryofBham @Brumpic
Photograph of a two storey medieval building with a timber exterior on the upper level. Other properties behind the building as the road inclines. Figures stood outside the building and at various points along the street. Activity on the far left of the photo with a archway halfway up the street.
December 12, 2025 at 8:01 AM
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wesmontgomery.bsky.social
November 28, 2025 at 5:57 AM
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theironroom.bsky.social
#BirminghamHistory we recently found this cartoon tucked away in a box. Note states it was purchased in 1792 at the sign of the Turk’s Head, Moor Street. Ref – Mixed/Miscellaneous prints and photo (ex ST/PR/5) #LibraryofBham
Title of the cartoon at the bottom is Thee Pay Six - Pence. A building on the far right with a male figure holding various notes with writing on them. He is looking towards a figure in the bottom centre pushing a barrow. Another figure on the far left riding a horse. In the left and mid background, two buildings with wording locating them at Saltley. The building on the far left looks like a stately home and the one in the back centre like a toll house.
November 27, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Reposted by John Townley
theironroom.bsky.social
#PhotoFriday this week is this photo of a public water fountain on Aston Road taken in 1987. Now a rarely seen feature of the urban landscape. Ref - MS 4557, 2013/098 (Box 6) #LibraryofBham @Brumpic
A photograph of a water fountain which is positioned in front of municipal public buildings. The fountain has a four cornered roof supported by columns. Ornate tiles adorn the walls of the fountain and a bench is on the left of the construct.
November 28, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Reposted by John Townley
justinepick.bsky.social
Looking forward to this #Birmingham #LocalHistory talk by fellow enthusiast @jfredt.bsky.social
📅Thurs 13 November
🕰️7:00-8:00pm
💻Online
Free and open to all just register to receive link
John Pigott Smith, Surveyor (1798-1861): Birmingham’s Answer to Bazalgette
John Townley explores the career of civil engineer John Pigott Smith, a man of many parts and Birmingham’s answer to Sir Joseph Bazalgette.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
October 25, 2025 at 11:15 AM
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theironroom.bsky.social
#Erdington This late 1960s, early 1970s poster created by the Erdington and District Inter - Racial Council promoting cultural and ethnic coexistence. Ref - BCC 18/8/1/2 (2000/129) #LibraryofBham
A poster - title is Good Neighbours in Erdington. A photograph of a row of young children of different ethnicities dipping their feet in a pool of water. The children are looking up at the camera.
October 30, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Reposted by John Townley
theironroom.bsky.social
#BirminghamHistory Don’t forget to Join us for the annual Chris Upton Memorial Lecture on Monday 3rd November, 5.30pm - tinyurl.com/UptonBaskerville Ref: MS 897,Volume II, Image 218 #LibraryofBham @typetweets.bsky.social #BaskervilleSoc
A drawing of a skeleton.
October 30, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Reposted by John Townley
theironroom.bsky.social
#CityOf1000Trades The Victoria Works was opened in 1840 and chiefly employed young women in the manufacturing of steel pen nibs, making Gillott an extremely wealthy man. Ref - New Illustrated Directory (1856), LF 06 #LibraryofBham
Illustration of a factory. Top of the page is the royal crest - lion on the left and unicorn on the right. Around it the following text - pen maker to the Queen, Joseph Gillott. Beneath this, an illustration of a rectangular shaped building with high walls looking out onto the street. A spacious courtyard in the interior. Several chimney stacks are dispersed around the building with smoke billowing. Vehicles in front of the building in the bottom foreground of the image. The text below this read - Victoria Works, Graham Street, Birmingham. 37 Gracechurch Street, London and 91 John Street, New York.
August 30, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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theironroom.bsky.social
#BehindTheScenes we’ve been busy repackaging all of the Indian Workers Association (MS 2141) and Avtar Jouhl (MS 2142) collections so materials are accessible more effectively and ultimately, better conserved #LibraryofBham #The_IWA
A series of folders tied with archival tape on a trolley. The middle folder is open displaying contents of papers – the top piece of paper is written in the script of a South Asian language. The folders have been taken from a box on a trolley. Behind the trolley is shelving housing boxes and volumes.
August 25, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Reposted by John Townley
theironroom.bsky.social
#MapOnATuesday this week highlights that even as far back as June 1937, plans were afoot for a one-way traffic scheme in the city centre. Ref -
BCC Plans to Accompany Agendas, 1935 – 37 L 34.3 #LibraryofBham
A plan - title in the top left corner is City of Birmingham, Plan of City Centre showing one way traffic scheme. Beneath this is a map of the city centre with a series of arrows indicating the proposed flow of the one-way traffic system. A scale at the very bottom of the plan. Details in the top right of the plan - Traffic Control Committee, Report to the Council, 8 June 1937.
August 26, 2025 at 6:00 AM
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theironroom.bsky.social
#PhotoFriday this week is this 1973 photo of the Unitarian Church of the Messiah, Broad Street built on arches over the canal. The church was demolished in 1978. Ref - WK/B11/5712 #LibraryofBham @Brumpic
A photograph looking down at a street view. The photograph is dominated by a building in the centre of the photograph which is a large Gothic style church. The building is surrounded by properties of different architectural periods. Tower blocks in the background. Traffic on the road in front of the church in the bottom of the photograph.
August 8, 2025 at 7:06 AM
Reposted by John Townley
theironroom.bsky.social
#CityOf1000Trades An illustration of John Rubery’s premises which stood on Charlotte Street. The business was listed as a maker of umbrellas, parasols and steel frames. Ref - New Illustrated Directory, LF 06 #LibraryofBham
A colour illustration of a factory. A border around the illustration. Legend at the top of the border reads John Rubery, Charlotte Street, Birmingham. In the immediate foreground, the frontage of the factory looking out on to the highway traversed by pedestrians and horse drawn carriages. Behind the frontage, a series of work yards - the largest is in the middle which is surrounded by out buildings. The courtyard on the left of this is part obscured by the size of the middle courtyard. The courtyard on the right is occupied by workers and a horse and cart. The background of the illustration is occupied by smoking chimney stacks and the outline of another factory in the far background.
August 9, 2025 at 9:07 AM
Reposted by John Townley
theironroom.bsky.social
#SundayShowcase highlights "Multicultural Britain - A People’s History" by Kieran Connell, detailing the nation's diverse evolution, including a chapter on 90s Balsall Heath. Ref: L 21.85 #LibraryofBham @kieranconnell.bsky.social @hurstpublishers.bsky.social
A book on a table. Front cover of the book is facing on. Title of the book about halfway down the page is Multicultural Britain – A People’s History. Beneath this is the author’s name – Kieran Connell. Illustration in the background shows a male figure in the bottom right wearing a turban - he has his hands gathered around his collar. A wall behind him with various posters on it - the poster at the top is in colour and is an advert for a soft drink - a young female figure wearing sunglasses is using a straw to drink from a can. To the left of the wall is a street scene. Behind the table on which the book rests is a bookcase.
August 3, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Reposted by John Townley
theironroom.bsky.social
#CityOf1000Trades - this trade card for Joseph Wright, needle and fishhook manufacturer at 32 Exeter Row, located on what is now the area surrounding Holloway Circus. Ref - MS 4834/830 #LibraryofBham
A trade card. Large decorative mantle in the middle of the illustration with a coat of arms on top of it, pillars on either side. Writing on the front of the mantle highlighting Joseph Wright, needle and fishhook manufacturer of 32 Exeter Row. A pile of fish arranged in front of the mantle. Around the mantle are examples of needles and fishhooks and boxes for carrying them in.
August 2, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Reposted by John Townley
theironroom.bsky.social
#PhotoFriday this week is this photograph of the Five Ways Inn on the corner of Ladywood Road and Broad Street photographed possibly in the 1950s. Ref - WK/B11/7725 #LibraryofBham @Brumpic
Photograph of a public house on the corner of two roads in the centre of the photo. Facia on the corner of the building reads Mitchells & Butlers - Good Honest Beer. A line of traffic in the bottom left of the photo with pedestrians about to cross the road. A row of shops on the far right of the photo with a large tree in front.
July 25, 2025 at 7:06 AM
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elaineamitchell.bsky.social
Two Midlands' history online resources to remain available whilst future hopefully secured. Revolutionary Players and History West Midlands.
July 23, 2025 at 11:50 AM
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maksympolyakov.bsky.social
🎯
sjblakemore.bsky.social Prof Sarah-Jayne Blakemore @sjblakemore.bsky.social · Jul 16
I was explaining to my Ukrainian colleague the phrase ‘There’s no such thing as a free lunch’. She told me the equivalent in Ukrainian is ‘The only free cheese is in the mousetrap’ - which is so much better
July 21, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Reposted by John Townley
theironroom.bsky.social
For today’s blog, theironroom.wordpress.com/2025/07/21/t... we explore the history of the #GreatWesternArcade - one of the last remaining arcades of predominately independent traders in the city centre. Image Ref - WK/B11/5117 #LibraryofBham @GWABirmingham
Great Western Arcade looking towards Colmore Row, Birmingham, c1955. A photo looking down on to a shopping arcade with many shoppers perusing the shop windows which are brimming with merchandise. Balconies run above the shops on either side of the arcade. Electric lights liberally dispersed across the arcade.
July 21, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Reposted by John Townley
theironroom.bsky.social
#MapOnATuesday of the Rotton Park Estate, c 1850. The #EdgbastonReservoir first known as the Rotton Park Reservoir was built by Thomas Telford in 1826. Ref - HRA Map Cabinet 2/3 #LibraryofBham
A map. The outline of a reservoir dominates the centre of the map. Around it, parcels of land identifying their purpose or ownership. A road named Reservoir Road linked to the reservoir in the bottom right of the map.
July 22, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Reposted by John Townley
theironroom.bsky.social
#PhotoFriday #BullRing This week we transport you back to 1892 to the company of the flower and ice cream sellers in the Bull Ring. Ref - Bull Ring 16 #LibraryofBham @Brumpic
Two female figures in the foreground wearing hats and the costume of late Victorian working class women. They are stooped over boxes and baskets of flowers, one lady is bent over from the waist holding a white sheet the lady behind her is crouched amid the baskets of flowers. Iron railings behind them surrounding a statue - only the base visible. On the right, an ice cream seller with portable stand. A crowd behind him.
July 18, 2025 at 7:06 AM
Reposted by John Townley
mrcwarwick.bsky.social
A hint of the impact of the Chartist leader can be seen in the records of the South Yorkshire Miners' Association, and the registration of Sheffield collier Feargus O'Connor Dale & his family into the union... 🧵
Extract from the Handsworth Woodhouse Lodge registration book of the South Yorkshire Miners' Association. It shows the entry for Feargus O'Connor Dale (born in 1846), his wife Louisa Dale, and their children Emma, Kate and Nelly.
July 18, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Reposted by John Townley
theironroom.bsky.social
Our new #HRAexhibition is on level 4 of the library. Focusing on the history of the Great Western Arcade: greatwesternarcade.co.uk Built over the Great Western Railway line cutting in the 1870s #LibrayofBham #GWABirmingham
An exhibition case in the foreground of the photograph containing books. Another case behind it. A bookcase behind the exhibition cases running across the top of the photo.
July 16, 2025 at 12:04 PM