In and Around Birmingham

Birmingham Back to Backs - As viewed from Inge Street. Image Date: 23/11/2006

The Mailbox - This building was originally Birmingham’s main post/parcels sorting office and has an underground rail link (disused) with New Street Station 350 yards (320 metres) away. It is now home to shops, restaurants, bars, and BBC Birmingham. Image Date: 21/06/2005

The rear of The Mailbox with bars and restaurants canalside. Gas Street Basin is about 350 yards (320 metres) to the left of where I’m standing. Image Date: 09/08/2005

The old and the new. Gas Street Basin joins the Birmingham & Worcester canals in the centre of Birmingham. Built between 1750 – 1799, the basin was effectively cut into two sections by the 'Worcester Bar' (the walkway where this image was captured from); merchants would unload their boats on the one side of the Bar and load their goods onto another boat on the other side, this was because neither the Worcester & Birmingham Company or the Birmingham Canal Navigations Company wanted the other company to 'use their water'. In 1815 an act of Parliament seen the installation of a lock at the end of the 'Bar' (behind the wall at the end of the walkway), tolls were charged by both companies for the use of their canals. Image Date: 21/06/2005

Brindley Place - This image was taken from the bridge on Broad Street looking toward what was then the National Indoor Arena (the white building), now known as The Barclaycard Arena, Brindley Place is to the left, Symphony Hall and the International Convention Centre (ICC) to the right, with Gas Street Basin 75 yards (68 metres) approx behind me. Image Date: 08/06/2005

Similar to previous image, but from the left side of the bridge. Image Date: 09/08/2005

The Malthouse - In 1998 President Clinton attended the G8 summit at the International Conventions Centre (ICC), during his stay he took time out to have lunch here. The building to the left at the time of this photo being taken was called the National Indoor Arena (NIA) - it is now called the Barclaycard Arena. Image Date: 08/06/2005

The Olde Crown - The oldest Pub/Inn in Birmingham? The front of the building shows the number 1368, some believe that this is when it was built, however some historians say that this style of architecture did not to appear until about 100 years later. The buildings with the pink, blue, and cream brickwork on the left is the Custard Factory. Image Date: 13/07/2005

Bird's Custard Factory - Alfred Bird 'Chemist and Druggist' (1811 – 1878), famous for introducing the world to egg free custard. His wife Elizabeth had intolerance to yeast, and an allergy to eggs, this inspired him to seek solutions to her situation. In 1837, using corn flour, colouring, and flavouring he achieved the blend he required to produce egg free custard; this solved the problem of his wife’s allergy and led him to market his product to the general public – Bird’s Custard. In 1843 he succeeded in producing an alternative to yeast by using a mixture of Sodium Bicarbonate and Potassium Bitartrate to provide the Carbon Dioxide needed to 'raise' bread dough. The mixture was marketed as 'Bird's Fermenting Powder', now known as 'Baking Powder'. The building, and the buildings behind are now shops, offices, eateries and bars, meeting rooms, studios (art, design, photographic, dance). This Panoramic image is the result of stitching 2 images together. Image Date: 04/10/2011

The Rotunda in the process of restoration - This image was captured from the office of Digbeth Trust on the 3rd floor of The Custard Factory. Image Date: 25/05/2006