Some history on Lichfield in the county of Staffordshire

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Lichfield

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Photographs of Lichfield

A novelty postcard that was, I believe, issued in the 1920s. I guess if it had been published 70 years later the card would have featured characters from Teletubbies. These figures are a little Dutch or German in style. Anyway, I thought the postcard image entitled "Seeing The Sights At Lichfield" was an appropriate way to kick-off a collection of old images of the city that I have collected over the years....

This view of the Market Square is not that dissimilar to the novelty postcard. Between the trees one can see the premises of Joseph Frisby, a retail boot and shoe warehouse at No.37 Market Street. The business was expanded into No.35. This was one of a number of outlets the firm operated in the area. Joseph Frisby, who actually hailed from the hamlet of Frisby, lived in a rather grand residence on Knighton Park Road in Leicester. In 1904, roughly the year of this photograph, considerable excitement was generated when the shop exhibited a version of Cinderella's Glass Slipper, to which was attached a £500 prize. This extraordinary prize was offered by the Editor of "Golden Stories" to the lady of over 17 years of age who succeeded in fitting on the slipper. There was a proviso that if the slipper fitted a number of women, the money would be divided.² The building that housed the shoe shop, which in more recent times has been occupied by branches of Dorothy Perkins and Waterstone's, dates from the mid-18th century.

Two doors away from Frisby's was a coffee house run by Edwin and Frances Brown. The premises, No.41 Market Street, were called the Coffee Tavern in the 1880s. Next door at No.43 was the draper, Walter Barlow. A larger coffee establishment was sited at No.47. In 1901 this was kept by William and Sarah Davenhill, both of whom hailed from Stafford. They also offered accommodation. The sign above the first floor states that it was the Lichfield Coffee House, though a banner above the entrance was for the Lichfield Temperance Hotel. As a coffee house, and aimed to prevent people from spending all their time in pubs, the establishment was opened in 1880. The Lichfield Mercury described the building and facilities. The paper stated: "On the ground floor there is a bar fitted with an elegant pine-wood counter, adorned with mahogany columns, and upon which stand three electro-plated urns, containing tea, coffee, and cocoa. Gas is laid underneath these urns for the purpose of keeping the contents at boiling heat. Two massive pier glasses add considerably to the finish of the panelled walls. The furniture consists of a number of American birch chairs, and bronze stands with marble tops. To the left the entrance the smoke room is found, nicely furnished, and beyond, the womens' room, affording every accommodation for the wants of the fair sex. The rooms mentioned are free to customers' but passing upstairs the rules of membership are enforced. Here, provided for the use of subscribers, is a capital light and airy reading room, commanding delightful view of the grounds behind, and replete with arm chairs, spring settees, etc., for those inclined for a lounge. There is also a bagatelle room and smoke room." ³ The large premises on the corner of Dam Street, occupied by the silk mercer, family draper and funeral furnisher, David Henry Williams, will be discussed in another photograph below.

I have hazarded a guess of around 1930 for this image of the post-office in Bird Street. Certainly it is post-1925 because in that year the Daimler car was registered. The number plate is RF 1268, indicating that is was registered in Staffordshire.⁴ I doubt if the post-office splashed out on a Daimler and, coupled with the fact that the driver is wearing a white hat, I imagine that he was the chauffeur and opening the door for his employer to step out.

The site for this post-office was acquired from the Corporation at the turn of the 20th century, though construction did not commence until 1904. Featuring an ornamental façade with stone dressings, the attractive yet functional building was designed by Sir Henry Tanner, one of the principal surveyors connected with the department, and the work carried out under the supervision of Mr. W. Pott, one of the chief assistant surveyors. The main contractor was D. Roberts of Handsworth. The interior floor featured inlaid Mosaic work, undertaken by an Italian firm. The post-office was equipped with a pneumatic tube for conveying telegrams from the public office to the instrument room, in the Minster Pool House, formerly the residence of Dr. James Clarke, but converted into telegraph and telephone rooms. The move from the old post-office in Bore Street was undertaken in June 1905, under the direction of Henry Joseph Gillard, the Postmaster. Formerly the chief clerk at Devonport Post-Office, he was appointed in April 1904. He also controlled a dozen sub-offices in the surrounding district, including that of Whittington Barracks which, at that time, often had a population nearly as large as that of Lichfield. The move to this location was something of a homecoming because the post-office had been located in Bird Street in the early 19th century.⁵

Construction of a new post-office headquarters at Baker's Lane was started in September 1965. This marked the beginning of the end for this post-office in Bird Street which closed a couple of years later.

This inter-war photograph of Bore Street captured three of Lichfield's landmark buildings, the Guildhall, Donegal House and Lichfield House, the latter, a timber-framed structure, being better known to many as the Tudor Café. Beyond the Guildhall is the George IV public-house and a row of buildings known as Five Gables. The projecting clock, according to a wall plaque below, was "presented to the mayor, aldermen and citizens of the city of Lichfield by Mrs. M. A. Swinfen-Broun, of Swinfen Hall, on 5th November 1928." Her actual name was Laura. The M. A. were the initials of Lieut. Colonel Michael Alexander Swinfen-Broun who had written to the council stating that the locals possibly missed the old clock tower which had been removed to the edge of the city. Laura Swinfen-Broun died four years after the installation of the clock. The daughter of J. G. Eno, of Woodhall, Dulwich, she came to reside at Swinfen on her marriage in 1891. In her younger days she was a very keen sportswoman and was often seen riding a tandem. She was also an accomplished musician and a lover of music, being a talented performer on the harp, organ, and piano, while she also possessed a particularly good voice. She oversaw the gardens of Swinfen Hall, which were admired by hundreds of visitors.⁶

These buildings, complete with all the tall chimneys seen here, along with an adjoining chapel, have survived into the 21st century. The complex is known at the Hospital of St John Baptist without the Barrs, the latter meaning barriers, for its origins extend back to the 12th century when there were four gates of entry into the city. These 'barrs', or barriers, were closed at night so pilgrims to the shrine of Saint Chad, arriving late in the day, were accommodated by Augustinian Canons who made vows to provide food and shelter for travellers. Bishop William Smyth re-founded the priory as a hospital for aged men in the latter years of the 15th century. The buildings erected were to house "thirteen honest poor men upon whom the inconveniences of old age and poverty without any fault of their own, had fallen." ⁷ The almshouses are still in service. Indeed, new apartments have been built in recent years.

The date of this photograph has to be 1967 as the billboard notice on the wall is advertising two films released in that year. The main bill was "Accident," a screen adaptation by Harold Pinter based on the novel by Nicholas Mosley. Starring Dirk Bogarde, Stanley Baker and Jacqueline Sassard, the film was directed by Joseph Losey. Probably a supporting feature, the second film was "Just Like A Woman," a British comedy starring Wendy Craig and Francis Matthews. At this time the cinema was operated by Associated British Cinemas, the ABC chain taking over the building during World War 2. At least seven women are waiting for a bus, though the driver would not be able to pull up to the sign as two cars are parked in the bay - car parking has blighted the city for decades. I think the car in front is a Hillman Super Minx Estate. Trundling a pushchair, a woman to the left is window shopping in what looks like a store for lingerie and underwear. This, along with another retail outlet for cigarettes and confectionary formed part of the building. The two lock-up units served the same role when the cinema first opened in July 1932, though the shop on the left was officially called a boutique for millinery and fancy goods.

The wall above the billboard has a faint ghost sign for the Regal Café, a dining room created on the balcony floor. This was open to the general public as well as patrons of the cinema. Indeed, the Regal Café opened at 9.30 each morning and served luncheons to shoppers. The price of a three-course lunch in 1937 was 1s. 6d. which sounds like a bargain.

The Mayor of Lichfield, Alderman William Arthur Wood, officially opened the Regal Cinema on the afternoon of July 18th, 1932. The main film shown during the opening night was "The Old Man," a British a 1931 mystery film directed by Manning Haynes, starring Maisie Gay, Anne Grey and Lester Matthews. The supporting feature was "The Beggar Student," a 1931 British operetta clocking in at just over an hour in length. Directed by Victor Hanbury and John Harvel, the film starred Shirley Dale, Lance Fairfax and Jerry Verno.

Apart from the doors to the foyer, the modern building used no wood and was constructed with stone, brick, concrete and steel. The structure was billed as being relatively fireproof and, as a result, was reassuring for patrons. Erected by Messrs. T. Elvins of Birmingham, the architect of the Regal Cinema was Harold S. Scott. I believe that he was also a director of the Lichfield Cinema Limited. He became so wrapped up in the design of the building that he would not permit even the curtains or carpets to be installed except for those specially designed by himself. Imagine such attention to detail in a modern multiplex box!

Featuring elements of art deco, the façade of the Regal Cinema was fairly restrained, quite typical for the period. The forecourt was illuminated by a large neon sign fixed near the crown of the building above the main cornice. The auditorium could seat 1,000 customers, with a further 400 seated in the balcony.⁸

The first manager of the Regal was Noel B. Taylor. However, perhaps because the cinema was leased to the County Cinemas chain, he was quickly succeeded by Joseph W. Phipps. His wife, Florence, was the manager of the Regal Café. The couple took over in December 1932. They remained until the autumn of 1935 when promoted to managers of the Ritz Cinema at Chelmsford in Essex, another part of the County Cinemas empire. The company brought in Joseph W. Burns, manager their Beacon Cinema at Smethwick. He and his wife, Letitia, moved into No.8 Lombard Street.⁹

When Star Cinemas took over the Regal Cinema in the late 1960s bingo formed part of the entertainment for some of the week. Inevitably, as with the trend across the region, bingo replaced the screening of films. In July 1974 the last roll of film to whizz through the projector was "The Big Boss," a martial arts action movie starring Bruce Lee.

In the late 1970s the former cinema was occupied by a branch of the Kwik Save supermarket chain. In the 21st century the building was empty for some years. In 2018 the site was redeveloped, though the original façade was retained.

The car trundling towards the camera is possibly a Talbot 10/23.

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Photographs of Lichfield

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Lichfield : Cathedral [2017]
© Photo taken by author on October 28th, 2017. DO NOT COPY

Lichfield : Cathedral Nave [2017]
© Photo taken by author on October 28th, 2017. DO NOT COPY

Lichfield : View from Cathedral [1994]
© Photo taken by author on July 2nd, 1994. DO NOT COPY

Lichfield : Statue of Captain Smith [2015]
© Photo taken by author on April 30th, 2015. DO NOT COPY

Lichfield : Free Library and Museum [2015]
© Photo taken by author on April 30th, 2015. DO NOT COPY

Lichfield : Statue of Erasmus Darwin [2015]
© Photo taken by author on April 30th, 2015. DO NOT COPY

Lichfield : Guildhall [2017]
© Photo taken by author on April 30th, 2015. DO NOT COPY

lichfield-methodist-church lichfield-stowe-pool-2011 lichfield-lombard-street-1709-brasserie lichfield-house-2017 lichfield-cathedral-rummer lichfield-stowe-house lichfield-donegal-house-2017 lichfield-serjeantson-fountain lichfield-saint-chads-church-lecturn lichfield-vicars-close-2017 lichfield-bird-street-undertaker lichfield-erasmus-darwin-house-garden lichfield-dam-street-garrick-coffee-shop lichfield-captain-smith-2015 lichfield-saint-chads-church-2011 lichfield-spark-cafe-2011

Lichfield : Multiview Postcard [c.1975]

Lichfield : Conduit Street [c.1906]

Lichfield : Greenhill [c.1905]

Lichfield : Garden of Remembrance [c.1970]

Lichfield : Bore Street [c.1975]

Lichfield : Market Place [c.1908]

Lichfield : Dr. Johnson's House [c.1966]

Related Newspaper Articles

"Private F. A. Parsons, "C" Company, Shropshire Light Infantry, was summoned at the instance of the landlord of the Turk's Head Inn, Sandford Street, for doing wilful damage to the complainant's property by breaking a pane of glass, on March 25th. The damage was estimated at 9s. William Lewis Cope, the landlord, stated that on the evening of Good Friday the defendant, with three comrades, was served at his house. The party commenced singing and dancing, and his wife told them she would not allow that. Witness went into the tap-room, and the youths left the house, the defendant slamming the door behind him, which caused the pane of glass to break. He was quite sure the defendant used more violence than was necessary, and seemed to be annoyed. Thirza Cope, wife of the licensee, said she served the party. When they were singing and dancing she told them she did not allow them to make a noise, as it was like a Sunday, and people were going to church. Ultimately she told them they would have to go. The door, which defendant slammed, was always standing open, and he went out in a temper. P.C. Maddox deposed to seeing defendant outside the house when he admitted banging the door. The defence of the defendant was that he did not shut the door, though "his foot might have caught it." Parsons was given a good character from his regiment, and a fine of 6d. was imposed, the costs being 12s. 6d., and the damage 9s."
"A Soldier's Temper"
Lichfield Mercury : April 15th 1910 Page 4

"Ernest Simms and Alfred Simms, mineral water manufacturers, Church Street, were summoned by Inspector Jones of the R.S.P.C.A. for unlawfully illtreating a gelding, whilst working it in an unfit state. Defendants pleaded not guilty. Inspector Jones said that on March 4th, about 11.30 a.m., he saw Ernest Simms driving a black gelding pony, which was attached to a vehicle loaded with mineral water cases. The pony was very lame on both fore feet. On examination he found the animal in fair condition, but the disease from which it was suffering was uncurable. P.C. Smith corroborated the Inspector's evidence. Albert Simms explained that the horse was taken out because it had not been worked for some time. He did not know the horse had the disease of which the Inspector had spoken, or else it would not have been taken out. On promising to have the animal destroyed if it was found to be unfit to do any more work, or, if otherwise, worked but lightly, each defendant was only ordered to pay 7s. costs, the Mayor remarking that he did not believe there was any intentional cruelty."
"Unintentional Cruelty"
Lichfield Mercury : April 15th 1910 Page 4

"John Scott, circus proprietor, of 12, Charles Street, Hotwells, Bristol, was summoned for ill-treating two ponies on March 2nd. P.S. Smith said that on the evening of March 2nd he saw the defendant driving two small ponies, which were attached to a dray. The driver was beating the animals with the butt-end of a whip, and he could hear the thud blows on the ponies' backs 150 yards away. There was a continual showering of blows. When spoken to Scott said the ponies would not go. On examining one pony he found weals on its side. William Scott, who appeared for his brother, said he owned 33 horses, and he had never seen him ill-treat any of them. The Mayor described it as a very bad case, and a fine of £5 and 15s. costs was imposed."
"Circus Proprietor Fined"
Lichfield Mercury : April 15th 1910 Page 4

"Thomas Quinn, aged 23, Sandford Street, Lichfield, was summoned for assaulting William Walker, a painter, Burntwood, on March 2nd. The evidence of the complainant was that while he and some friends were standing with their bicycles in Market Street, defendant, without having received any provocation, hit him under the chin, and knocked his bicycle down. Defendant had previously challenged him to "come up a yard." A fine of 1s. and costs, 18s. 6d., was imposed."
"A Pugilistic Youth"
Lichfield Mercury : April 15th 1910 Page 4

"Christopher Lees and Samuel Murrell, privates in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, were each ordered to pay 9s. 6d. costs for riding their bicycles without lights in Lichfield on the evening of April 1st. P.S. Truswell and D.C. Eley proved the case."
"Riding Without Lights"
Lichfield Mercury : April 15th 1910 Page 4

"P.C. Parsons deposed to seeing John Smith, labourer, Rotten Row, Lichfield, drunk and disorderly on Greenhill on Saturday last, for which offence the defendant was fined ls. and costs."
"Drunk and Disorderly"
Lichfield Mercury : April 15th 1910 Page 4

References
1. 1901 England Census RG 13/3003 Folio 138 : Leicestershire > Leicester > Knighton St. Mary Magdalene > District 14, Page 35.
2. "£500 For Cinderallas" : Lichfield Mercury; December 16th, 1904, p.10.
3. "Opening Of The Lichfield Coffee House" : Lichfield Mercury; September 17th, 1880, p.5.
4. Detailed automobile notes kindly supplied by Johnfromstaffs to whom I am indebted for his generous help.
5. "Lichfield New Post-Office" : Lichfield Mercury; June 23rd, 1905, p.5.
6. "Lichfield Loses A Benefactress" : Lichfield Mercury; August 26th, 1932, p.4.
7. Upton, Chris [2001] "A History Of Lichfield" Chichester : Phillimore & Co. Ltd., p.22.
8. "Lichfield's New Prosperity Ventures : Super Cinema To Be Opened Next Week" : Lichfield Mercury; July 15th, 1932, p.5.
9. "Lichfield Cinema Manager's Promotion" : Lichfield Mercury; October 18th, 1935, p.105.