High Street From Vesey Memorial Gardens

On the above map there is a railway tunnel here but probably
long filled in and now just Railway Road, known locally as blue brick lane

High Street in Victorian times

Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee Parade, High Street, Sutton Coldfield. 1897. There are a couple of buildings missing in this image which I expected to be there and what is that flag of?  It is flying from Vesey House. (image: David Wilcox).

contrast this today with what I was forced to detour around, traffic totally gridlocked in both directions, thats on a good day!

And from sooooooooooo long ago!! But after Victoria's Diamond Jubilee Year! Which was 1897

no, not a camera effect but reflection of sunlight
from an opposite window pane

Vesey House High Street.

The oldest remaining building in Sutton Coldfield

Not 'real' Police - Civilian Community Support Officers passing the Three Tuns. Our Police seem to have become civilianised - no real ones left

                               
Royal Hotel, High Street above, and right, the rear. In the background, the Town Hall

Clearly visible, an older stone built wall in this side view of a High Street Building

Interesting point. On the map, bottom, left of centre, shows 'latrines' and it is now the site of Subway sandwiches. As the High Street passes over the railway above, there is nothing but fields to Mere Green but now there is the Police Station & Courts, Sutton Coldfield College, Fire Station, Bishop Vesey Grammar School and hundreds of houses.

Map and information below provided by Sutton Coldfield Civic Society (Alan Green).

For centuries this was the nucleus of the small market town, lined with houses of the gentry. In the 18th C the frontage of many of the old houses were rebuilt in the Georgian style, and in the 19th C most properties were converted for use as commercial and business premises, a branch of Lloyds Bank opening at Number 24. Mill Street is also included in this description as it really forms a part of the High Street historically.

1. The old Swan Hotel: built as a private house in the mid 1700s and converted into the royal Hotel in 1895.

2. 2 separate houses were joined together to form The Three Tuns in the 18th C. Note the archway which originally gave access to the rear for carts.

3. No 1 High Street was a stone building dating back to 1624. The Georgian style front was added around 1700.

4. The old workhouse, built in 1739.

5. Original Town Hall built in 1856.

6. Gate Public House, positioned to be a entrance to Park Road before major road transformations took place.

7. Just off the map is the old Town School, now a baptist church.

8. Collection of cottages on Coleshill Street. All listed buildings.

9. 1,3,5 Coleshill Street make up the Old Rectory. It is here that the grooves of the archers can be seen. See link.

10. The Bank Building, locally listed, dates from 1900.

11. Just past the Three Tuns, on the opposite side, is a perfect example of a much older building being gentrified with a new frontage.

12. 48 High Street gives an idea of how the original High Street would have looked before the builders got going.

High Street looking back towards town, the other direction leads to Mere Green. The church, not to be outdone by the more impressive Trinity Church, is called Holy Trinity Church!

April 2009

Commercial businesses who occupied High Street around 1913 included the Birmingham Dairy Company; Blyth Son & Hughes, auctioneers; William Bromwich had three shops, Boot & Shoe retailer, Baker & Confectioner and Grocer; Thomas Cattell, Chemist; Howard Chavasse, Surgeon; Clive & Co, Electrical Engineers; Charles Corbett, Motor Engineer, Cornwell Bros, Coal Merchants; Charles Dain, Draper; Mary Duke, Costumier; Eddowes & Son, Solicitor; Sarah Ellis, Fancy Repository; Mrs Fletcher, Three Tuns;  Fowler & Bewlay, Auctioneers; John Gent, Accountant; Fanny German, Milliner; Holbeche & Addenbrooke, Solicitors; William Johnson, Tailor, William Jones, Chemist; Henry Walter Joyner, Hairdresser; Alfred Knill, London & Midland Bank Manager; Charles Morris, Royal Hotel; Thomas Nutt, Fruiterer & Grocer; Oliver Richardson, Lock & Watch Maker;  South Staffs Water Company; Sutton Coldfield Club; Sutton Laundry Limited; John Wood, Plumber & Glazer; YMCA 

The house now numbered 36 High Street is known as ‘Culls House’, a name which appears to date from the late 19th century when it was occupied by Mrs and Misses Cull. The house was possibly originally built as two stone houses in the late 16th or early 17th Century. It is thought that Anne Sacheverall ( died 1688) may have lived there. The property was much altered in the late 1700s . It has five bays on three floors with a parapet and has Grade 2 listing protection. The shop fronts date from about 1900.