6 Silver Street, Tamworth

[RogFromBrum]

Thanks, it looks a good site.

I just found a photo of Silver Street in 1949 in the Francis Frith collection (http://www.francisfrith.com/tamworth/photos/#utmcsr=google.co.uk&utmcmd=referral&utmccn=google.co.uk). This clearly shows the offices of the Herald so number 6 will be opposite.

[cati]

Comparing the two photographs, it seems to me that the doorway just behind the young woman with the pale handbag on left hand side of the Frith photograph is the same doorway part of which is shown on the extreme left hand side of the Past Track photograph.

[RogFromBrum]

Yes, I think you're right!

Thanks, Roger

[cati]

I think this could be about as far as we're going to get, unless the Staffs Record Office hold any photos.

[RogFromBrum]

I agree, but this is still very significant progress! The house next to number 5 and nearer the camera doesn't look like a hairdressers with all those boxes outside so number 6 is probably the one a little further from the camera, just beyond the car. (In 1911 number 4 was a fruiterer and may still have been something similar in 1949 judging from the boxes.)

[cati]

I thought "Fruiterer" when I saw the photograph.

I can't see anything in the Staffordshire RO catalogue that helps us.

[Pinetree]

I have a copy of Tamworth Past and Present and there are a number of photographs of Silver Street comparing pre and post demolition views.

One in particular from 1950s shows Felton's Garden Shop (#4?), The Identical Fish and Chip Saloon - this is #5 as it is definitely the same building as the earlier photograph and the caption says it was formally the Wine and Spirits Vaults run by Oliver Boonham. Next is what is probably #6 B (Benny) Davis and Sons "umbrella hospital". The caption says Mr Davis was also a hairdresser!

There is also a lovely street view from 1911 that shows Silver Street beautifully decorated for celebration of the coronation of George V. This I guess would be very much how it looked when your mother was born (possibly minus the bunting!).

From the post demolition photographs it looks sadly as if these buildings have now all gone.

Pinetree

[RogFromBrum]

Hi Pinetree,

Thanks very much! Benjamin Davis of 6 Silver Street was my great uncle. He was primarily a hairdresser but I've seen adverts in the Tamworth Herald for umbrella repairs (who would think to repair an umbrella nowadays!?) and also fishing tackle.

I'll track down a copy of the book.

Cheers, Roger

[Guyana]

A little more Info. The building on the north corner of the junction of Silver St/Market St was the Peel hotel, now Wilko. The mock-Tudor building behind it which now houses hairdressers (not your gt-uncle I'm afraid) was the Tamworth Herald office. The whole of the property on the opposite side of Silver St was demolished in the '60s, and the property on Lichfield St also, including the White Horse pub, which stood on the corner. I remember the street from when I worked in Tam'uth in the '50s, and my wife, who was born in the town knew the people who ran the Fish & Chip shop. If you contact the Tamworth Herald, www.thisistamworth.co.uk Their historian, Kohn Harper may give you more info.