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| The corner of Congreve Street and Ann Street (looking up Ann Street), May 1867. Held at Birmingham Archive. |
This is probably the earliest photograph of Ann Street, taken in May 1867, and is an image of the site where the Council House was built between 1874 and 1879. Ann Street is now called Colmore Row.
As the photographer set up his equipment, seemingly a crowd gathered to have their likenesses captured for prosperity. The image captured James Watts' tobacconist shop, with advertising and the arched entrance to the court behind (probably court 6). The corner building was Bryan's pastry shop opened in about 1849, selling cakes, pies etc, and sweets, which can be seen in the window (see close-up below). This had been previously run as Suffield's chemist's shop and Allin's clothes shop and Cabinet of Curiosites. Bryan's Regency shop-front with Ionic columns is likely a remnant of the time when Suffield ran the shop in the 1820s. The lamp two doors up is attached to the Town Hall Tavern, called such because the Town Hall was situated just behind the photographer as he gazed up Ann Street with his camera. The rest of Ann Street fades into the distance.
These buildings were built between about 1745 and 1755. The one on the right, on the other side of Ann Street, was built in about 1825.
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| Advert for Bryan's shop, c. 1870s. Held at Birmingham Archive. |