General Chat

Have just read in today´s paper that the Council are considering changing the name of the Gun Quarter to St George & St Chad.
That will effectively wipe away 150+ years of history & most Brummies have ancestors who were involved in gunmaking in one form or another.
I understand that gunmaking is not politically acceptable these days, but neither is animal cruelty & they didn´t change the name of the Bull Ring to St Martin.

Leave our heritage alone, I say.

Marion

And, as they say, to everyone who lives there/knows Birmingham it will not change whatever they call it. Waste of money.

Suppose it will keep someone in a job making new street signs & altering maps.

First time I've posted I usually just read. I asked my mother if she knew The Gun Quarter and her reply was never heard of it. She was born in small Heath B'ham in 1919.

Love Jenny

At least they have given in & kept the library close to where it is now, rather than the original choice of site at the other side of the city centre.
I remember the original library that was demolished in the 60s (giving my age away here). It was a magnificent building & to be honest, i never really liked the present one. As I don´t live in Brum any more, I suppose it can´t affect me, but it´s so sad to see all the city´s heritage being slowly eroded.

JustGinnie - I remember that lady too !! So that is two of us showing our age.

Left Birmingham 10 years ago to live in Spain - going to the UK for a holiday soon - I just wonder if I will get my hubby to go round Birmingham city centre - if we would know it now. Used to love going up Broad Street and around the canal. Happy days.

Love Mary xx

Hi Mary & Ginnie.
Think you might be disappointed Mary. Broad St is very "yuppie" these days & I understand that Paradise Forum is being or has been demolished. It was still there when I last visited 4 years ago.
I lived just off Broad Street for 10 years until 2005 during which time it changed out of all recognition into an area of bars & clubs which kept open all night. The only advantage to living there was that I could walk to & from work in the city centre & central library & the archives were on the doorstep.
As Ginny says, the canal area is very nice & you can take canal boat trips which are interesting if you are wanting to know about the city´s industrial heritage (but not cheap)
Have lived in Spain now for 6 years & only go back when forced.

I think lots of changes are done by Jobsworths to comply with being Politically Correct" also to justify their overpaid and worthless jobs. Are they going to change the "Jewelry Quarter"? and it would be interesting to know what they will be calling the "Black Country Museum" **M**.

Quite agree Merlin.
They would have to change the name of the whole Black Country, not just the museum & I can´t see that going down very well with the residents. Many of my ancestors came from the are & were very proud of the fact.
As I said, they didn´t change the name of the Bull Ring. Presumably because it´s a money spinner.
They can just keep their hands off the Jewellery Quarter. They´ve already moved my g grandmother´s grave in Key Hill cemetery to make way for the Metro tram line to Wolverhampton.