Dawson and Timmins, the co-founders of the Shakespeare Memorial Library

On the 28th February 2023, two blue plaques were unveiled at the Shakespeare Memorial Room, Level 9 of the Library of Birmingham. One of Samuel Timmins (it was placed in Elvetham Road, Edgbaston) and George Dawson (outside the room at the Skyline Viewpoint room). There is also an exhibition on from Everything to Everybody Shakespeare, for visitors to see.

The Heroic Age in Birmingham History

The Heroic Age in Birmingham History is part of the Everything to Everybody Project. It started on the 27th February and runs to the 12th April 2023. A collaboration between the Jewellery Quarter Research Trust and Everything to Everybody. They have worked together to explore the formation of Our Shakespeare Club and the people behind it. Free entry.

A quick look at this exhibition on Saturday 4th March 2023, was a lot of people in there, only really came up for the George Dawson blue plaque, which wasn't outside the room that day. There is images of Dawson, Timmins and Bunce on three of the walls up here. There was books in the glass display tables.

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A return visit to the Shakespeare Memorial Room on Thursday 16th March 2023, this time got the room to myself. Mission accomplished this time, as I got the George Dawson blue plaque, now on the wall outside of the room that he inspired. Probably best to see it during a weekday, compared to a Saturday (closed on Sunday's).

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Link to Everything to Everybody 

Birmingham City Council page on The Heroic Age in Birmingham

 

Samuel Timmins

Samuel 'Sam:' Timmins (1826-1902) lived at 18 Elvetham Road, Edgbaston. Also called Elvetham Lodge. Timmins was a co-founder of the Shakespeare Memorial Library. Timmins was a learned industrialist, lover of libraries and literature. The blue plaque from the Birmingham Civic Society was unveiled in the Shakespeare Memorial Room on the 28th February 2023, and was placed a few days later on his former home in Edgbaston. Seen on the 4th March 2023.

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George Dawson

On the 4th March 2023, the George Dawson blue plaque was not yet screwed to the wall outside of the Shakespeare Memorial Room, but the existing tablets, from the old Central Libraries, and the previous blue plaque up here for Marie Bethell Beauclerc were on the wall.

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I waited a couple of weeks for them to put the blue plaque up, and returned on the 16th March 2023. George Dawson (1821-1876) was a champion of the Civic Gospel, promoting responsible local government and education, arts and culture for all. He inspired the world's first great Shakespeare Library. Dawson bust has been up here on Level 9 in the Skyline Viewpoint room since it opened in September 2013, but the glass case for that and the other marble busts is a recent addition.

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Previous post on the Shakespeare Memorial Room

 

Photography by Elliott Brown

Victoria Square - Public Realm Works - March 2023 update

Since January 2023, most of Victoria Square has been closed for more repaving of the square. The Floozie fountain has been turned off. Mostly the area in front of the Council House to the River statue, and the area below the Youth statue. The bit near the Town Hall was done in previous years. In 2022 they returned the Iron: Man statue and Floozie in the Jacuzzi fountain repaired.

21st January 2022

The River and Youth statues in storage, while the fountain was repaired. It was back working in time for the Commonwealth Games that summer.

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10th February 2022

The Council House got a jet wash, while a spot in Victoria Square was being prepared for the return of the Iron: Man statue by Antony Gormley.

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28th February 2022

The Iron: Man is reinstated in a new position in Victoria Square, months before the Commonwealth Games, having been in storage for around five years.

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9th April 2022

Paving completed around the Queen Victoria statue.

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The River statue by Dhruva Mistry has been lowered back into it's basin. It was removed, back in September 2021, ahead of the repairs to the fountain.

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23rd April 2022

St George's Day with a massive flag on the Town Hall. Not long before the fountain was turned back on. The paving here looked tired after 30 years.

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11th June 2022

View from 103 Colmore Row, during Key to the City. The River and Youth fountains were back on. As you can see the paving around the fountain had yet to be done, this would have to wait until early 2023, due to events coming up, such as the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games that summer. It was at this time that the Queen Victoria statue was transformed by artist Hew Locke (Foreign Exchange).

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23rd July 2022

During the Commonwealth Games, local street artists painted over the old paving, as can be seen from 103 Colmore Row (during Key to the City).

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13th August 2022

After the end of the Commonwealth Games, Victoria Square was returned back to normal. This would not last long before PoliNations was installed here.

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8th October 2022

After PoliNations ended, this was the last time Victoria Square was fully opened, before the return of the Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market. Before that was Diwali on the Square in October. Work to resume renovating the square, only started up again at the end of December 2022.

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12th January 2023

A few weeks after the end of the last Frankfurt Christmas Market closed, most of Victoria Square was fenced off again for repaving works.

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22nd January 2023

The route past the Town Hall and Iron: Man statue is open from Victoria Square towards Chamberlain Square.

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Hoardings have gone back up again around the Council House, Council House Extension, Museum & Art Gallery again, the renovation and rewiring works will take until sometime in 2024.

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Near Starbucks, Colmore Row and Waterloo Street. Pedestrians can enter the path either side of this gate. It is the construction site entrance.

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A view to the Council House entrance. It will be closed until the renovation works here are completed by 2024.

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8th March 2023

From the bottom of Victoria Square, a view to the Council House through a gap in a gate. The lower paving looks almost complete.

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A view from Christchurch Passage, past one of the Sphinx guardian statues. Can't see much here other than the steps.

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During the week is workers on site, so didn't want to get my camera over the high fence, this is the path from Colmore Row / Waterloo Street, through the top of Victoria Square towards the Town Hall and Chamberlain Square.

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12th March 2023

From the top of Victoria Square, near the Council House. There is a gate and high fence, so bit hard to see what is going on up here.

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The 1993 paving has been removed and they are repaving from the Council House towards the top basin of the River and Youth fountain.

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The stone spheres / balls appears to have been removed. Is a lot of repaving needed here.

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Photography by Elliott Brown

Centro Regional Railways livery on 323221

Eventually the Cross City Line fleet of the awesome Class 323 EMUs will be replaced by the new Class 730 EMUs. In December 2022 West Midlands Railway 323221 was repainted in classic 1990s yellow and green livery of Centro | Regional Railways. BWA's Elliott first photographed it at University on 11/02/2023, then rode it from Birmingham New Street to Shenstone and back on 15/02/2023.

Centro Regional Railways 323221

West Midlands Railway repainted the Class 323 unit 323221 in the 1990s livery of lime green, yellow and white with Centro and Regional Railways logos at the Soho depot. It returned to service on the 19th December 2022.

Birmingham We Are contributor Elliott Brown first spotted it at Selly Oak near the Worcester & Birmingham Canal a day later (near Selly Oak Shopping Park on 20/12/2022), but was unable to get a photo of it.

Several other attempts to see it including a trip from Five Ways to Longbridge (and back to Kings Norton on 21/12/2022), then Birmingham New Street to Aston (and back from Duddeston on 01/01/2023), finally Bournville to Birmingham New Street one way (on 28/01/2023), didn't catch it.

 

Previous liveries over the years

London Midland 323221 at Aston Station during August 2012.

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London Midland 323221 at Witton Station during September 2012.

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London Midland 323221 at Bournville Station during January 2015.

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West Midlands Railway 323221 in London Midland livery, late December 2017, at Birmingham New Street Station. The franchise changed that month.

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West Midlands Railway 323221 at Chester Road Station during December 2018.

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West Midlands Railway 323221 at Selly Oak Station during August 2019.

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University Station - 11th February 2023

On this day I went to the Selly Oak Shopping Park and walked up the Worcester & Birmingham Canal to catch a train one way from University to Birmingham New Street. And I finally got 323221 arriving on a service to Redditch! It was quite awesome to see. The station here is still not complete. At the front that day was 323204.

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The platforms here feel extra long, but don't walk past the no pedestrians sign at the end.

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Sometime in the future you will be able to use both sides of the new station building, but it is still not open or complete.

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First full view of the back of 323221 in it's "new" Regional Railways livery.

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These units still had this livery into the Central Trains era, but was changed to a darker green, yellow and white livery under London Midland from 2007 to 2017.

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Eventually when West Midlands Railway took over in 2017, they got a orange and white livery. They are due to be replaced by the new Class 730 Aventra with orange and purple livery sometime in the future, by 2024.

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Video clip on Youtube here West Midlands Railway 323 at University.

 

Birmingham New Street Station - 15th February 2023

A few days later, I went to Birmingham New Street to get the train to Shenstone in Staffordshire, to see the Annatomix mural. And guess what, Centro Regional Railways 323221 showed up at platform 8! So I got on it and had a half hour ride to Shenstone. While there was 11am emergency alarms tests at the station, but departed a few minutes later.

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The Class 323's have a big gap between the platform if they are curved, so MIND THE GAP.

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The refurbished interior is unchanged from when West Midlands Railway did up the entire fleet from 2018 to 2021.

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My walk around the village of Shenstone gave me time to get back to the station and back on West Midlands Railway 323221 in Regional Railways Centro livery, and back to Birmingham New Street. Arriving at platform 12.

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Shenstone Station - 15th February 2023

Between Sutton Coldfield and Staffordshire as usual is all the fields, and after that Shenstone is the first station outside of the WMCA. Got off West Midlands Railway 323221 at Shenstone. It was a bit bright from this side as I exited the station. Couldn't initially saw the Annatomix. A half hour walk around the village, found three pubs, and several old churches.

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The station building at Shenstone probably dates to 1884 but isn't listed, sunlight to bright from this side, was better to see from the car park.

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Up the steps to Lynn Lane, for a half hour walk around Shenstone.

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After the walk, back to Shenstone Station. The Annatomix was in the bike store area on platform 2. This time 323221 was at the back, with 323207 at the front, still I decided to get on 323221 again for the half hour train ride back to Birmingham New Street from Shenstone.

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323207 passed under the Lynn Lane bridge.

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Six carriages on three car sets linked together. The WMR livery contrasts with the Centro Regional Railways livery behind.

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Yellow doors with the Centro logo, press the button to open the doors when it lights up.

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Photography by Elliott Brown

Guided tour of the Birmingham Back to Backs from the National Trust

Having pre-booked a guided tour of the Birmingham Back to Backs, we went to the National Trust property on Hurst Street and Inge Street in Southside on Friday 10th February 2023, for the 10:20am tour. Before starting there was an exhibition space to check out. The tour itself with a knowledgeable volunteer, took well over an hour and a half to get around the houses and the tailoring shop.

Back to Backs

It is best to book your tour in advance for the Back to Backs, as they are usually fully booked if you arrive without pre-booked tickets at the Visitor Centre (corner of Hurst Street and Inge Street).

National Trust members go free (they will scan your card in the Visitor Centre). Otherwise, tickets for adults are £7.50 and for children £3.75 (ground floor only). The full guided tour costs for £9.50 for adults and £4.75 for children.

 

Hurst Street

The Visitor Centre is at the corner of Hurst Street and Inge Street, while the former George Saunders tailoring shop you will see during the guided tour. To the far left is the second hand book shop. Upstairs on the 1st and 2nd floors are the special exhibition rooms.

 

 

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Here's the exterior of George Saunders Tailoring. The tailor was here on Hurst Street from 1974 to 2001. You will see more of that from the guided tour.

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Inge Street

The guided tour starts outside the three terraced houses on Inge Street. The tour guides take the group of about 10 people through the gate.

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Special exhibition

In 2023, the Back to Backs is the proud host of a special exhibition called From City of Empire to City of Diversity. This is on the floors above the second hand bookshop.

The exhibition tells the tale of Birmingham from City Status in 1889 to the present day, with people of South Asian and Caribbean heritage very much part of this exhibition. It is on the 1st and 2nd floors, accessed via the narrow spiral style staircases (with hand rails and grips to go up and down).

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Court 15 - inner courtyard

This is the only surviving courtyard in the block. Built after 1801, there used to be other courts of back to back houses down Hurst Street, Bromsgrove Street, Essex Street and Inge Street. The rest were demolished. Court 15 was restored after 2001, and opened as a museum by the National Trust in 2004.

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To the far left are three outdoor privies (toilets). The one on the left was just a hole with a bucket below. The second was a flushing toilet with long pull cord. 

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On this side is the Wash House, women would work hard all day washing and cleaning clothes and sheets etc, manually.  There was no plumbing or mod cons back in the 19th century.

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Outside is a bike, a child's wheelchair and what looks like a skateboard.

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Some rooms above had windows with views to the courtyard below. Here's the Wash Room again.

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Other groups were visiting Back to Backs at different times. This group were near the privies, so at the end of their guided tour.

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We were taken into three houses. The left was set up as the 1840's for the Levy's. Then the 1870's for the Oldfield's. Finally the 1930's with the Mitchell Brothers.

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There is a bicycle outside of one of the houses.

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Here's the 1840's house in the corner.

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This is the alleyway we came into at the beginning of the tour from Inge Street. They lock the gate now, but it never used to be locked back in the day.

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Wash Room

The Wash Room or laundry room is accessed from the inner courtyard. There is so much manual equipment and tools here to wash and dry your clothes and women would be doing this all day long. There is also shoe polish and a basic iron for ironing clothes.

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House 1 - 1840's Levy's

The first house you enter from the inner courtyard is on the far left. It is set up as an 1840's home of the Levy's, who were Jewish. The dining table is set up with bread and wine with candles on the table. Although the candle sticks would normally be close together. 

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The daughter had to share a room with her parents, but the boys had their room on the top floor. They got the beds through the window, as the staircase was way too narrow to carry beds up to the rooms. There was a potty under the bed.

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Here is the fireplace in the bedroom and a dressing table.

dndimg alt="1840's Levy's" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BBtB%201840s%20Levys%2010022023%20(3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Three beds are in the boys room on the 2nd floor. There was also unfurnished rooms on the top floor to show how bad a condition the property was before it was restored from 2001-4.

dndimg alt="1840's Levy's" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BBtB%201840s%20Levys%2010022023%20(4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

House 2 - 1870's The Oldfield's

30 years later, the middle house in the 1870's was the home of the Oldfield family.

There is a bedroom workstation for making clock hands during the day. They would put their own thing onto the attachment at the front.

dndimg alt="1870s Oldfields" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BBtB%201870s%20Oldfields%2010022023%20(4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

In one bedroom, a curtain divides the beds from the lodgers.

dndimg alt="1870s Oldfields" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BBtB%201870s%20Oldfields%2010022023%20(1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

There are some rabbit ornaments on the dressing table next to the light, with a hand mirror.

dndimg alt="1870s Oldfields" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BBtB%201870s%20Oldfields%2010022023%20(2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Downstairs, there is a kitchen table with basic food and a candle stick lit in the middle.

dndimg alt="1870s Oldfields" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BBtB%201870s%20Oldfields%2010022023%20(3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

House 3 - 1930's The Mitchell Brothers

No, not the Mitchell Brothers from Eastenders! In this case, the Mitchell Brothers were elderly men in their 60's or 70's living during the 1930's. The decade of three Kings (George V, Edward VIII and George VI) and the start of WW2.

dndimg alt="1930s Mitchells" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BBtB%201930s%20Mitchells%2010022023%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

On the window sill on the ground floor, there is a potted plant, some jugs, playing cards etc.

dndimg alt="1930s Mitchells" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BBtB%201930s%20Mitchells%2010022023%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

A Bakelite radio is on the ground floor with a mirror and other objects.

dndimg alt="1930s Mitchells" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BBtB%201930s%20Mitchells%2010022023%20(3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

There are items above a chest of drawers in one of the bedrooms. There are some books or notebooks plus a clock and candle sticks.

dndimg alt="1930s Mitchells" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BBtB%201930s%20Mitchells%2010022023%20(4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

1970's George Saunders Tailoring

George Saunders, from the West Indies, set up his tailoring business on Hurst Street in 1974. He stayed until he retired in 2001 (before the houses were restored). He mainly made suits for men. All of the contents are original as he left them.

dndimg alt="1970s Saunders" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BBtB%201970s%20G%20Saunders%2010022023%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Here is one of the machines for making or pressing buttons.

dndimg alt="1970s Saunders" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BBtB%201970s%20G%20Saunders%2010022023%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Here is a table with some magazines and a radio.

dndimg alt="1970s Saunders" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BBtB%201970s%20G%20Saunders%2010022023%20(3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Here is the ground floor shop, George's desk with phone, postcards etc.

dndimg alt="1970s Saunders" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BBtB%201970s%20G%20Saunders%2010022023%20(4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Photography by Elliott Brown

We hope you have enjoyed this post and tour of Back to Backs. 

The Construction of Snowhill Wharf - February 2023

Snowhill Wharf is complete and we have here a photographic review of the construction from 2019 to present.

There are 0ver 200 photos in Full Construction Photo Gallery for this site, there is a link to this in the article...

Showhill Wharf Full Construction Photo Gallery

Berkeley Group's Snow Hill Wharf is complete.

420 (1-3 bed) new homes, 24-hour concierge, gym, sauna, steam room, cinema and lounges galore.

Quality!

Here is a selection of the over 200 photos of the construction of this project:

April 2019

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October 2019

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Construction of Snow Hill Wharf 1 - October 2019.jpg" />

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Construction of Snow Hill Wharf 4 - October 2019.jpg" />

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Construction of Snow Hill Wharf 6 - October 2019.jpg" />

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Construction of Snow Hill Wharf 7 - October 2019.jpg" />

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/IMG_20191021_092914.jpg" />

December 2019

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/The Construction of SHW - December 2019 (2).jpg" />

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/The Construction of SHW - December 2019 (11).jpg" />

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/The Construction of SHW - December 2019 (5).jpg" />

February 2020

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/The Construction of Snow Hill Wharf - Feb 2020 (1).jpg" />

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Macrh 2020

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Construction of Snow Hill Wharf - 6th March 2020 (1).jpg" />

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dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Construction of Snow Hill Wharf - 6th March 2020 (9).jpg" />

May 2020

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June 2020

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dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Construction of SHW - June 2020 (10).jpg" />

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July 2020

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Construction of SHW - July 21st 2020 (2).jpg" />

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dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Construction of SHW - July 21st 2020 (5).jpg" />

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dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Construction of SHW - July 21st 2020 (9).jpg" />

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Construction of SHW - July 21st 2020 (13).jpg" />

August 2020

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Snow Hill Wharf - August 1 2020 (2).jpg" />

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dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Snow Hill Wharf - August 1 2020 (10).jpg" />

December 2020

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/SHW Dec 8 (4).jpg" />

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/SHW Dec 8 (8).jpg" />

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dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/SHW Dec 8 (15).jpg" />

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/SHW Dec 8 (17).jpg" />

Photography above by Stephen Giles

 

February 2021

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dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/IMG_6519b_SHWF.jpg" />

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/IMG_6539b_SHWF.jpg" />

April 2021

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/IMG_4305b_SHWF.jpg" />

July 2021

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/IMG_2353b_SHWF.jpg" />

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/IMG_2470b_SHWF.jpg" />

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/IMG_2475b_SHWF.jpg" />

Photography by Daniel Sturley

 

October 2021

dndimg alt="" dndsrc="https://www.yourplaceyourspace.net/uploadedfiles/Snow%20Hill%20Wharf%20October%202021%20(2).jpg" />

dndimg alt="" dndsrc="https://www.yourplaceyourspace.net/uploadedfiles/DSC_0101.jpg" />

dndimg alt="" dndsrc="https://www.yourplaceyourspace.net/uploadedfiles/Snow%20Hill%20Wharf%20October%202021%20(1).jpg" />

dndimg alt="" dndsrc="https://www.yourplaceyourspace.net/uploadedfiles/Snow%20Hill%20Wharf%20October%202021%20(3).jpg" />

dndimg alt="" dndsrc="https://www.yourplaceyourspace.net/uploadedfiles/Snow%20Hill%20Wharf%20October%202021%20(4).jpg" />

dndimg alt="" dndsrc="https://www.yourplaceyourspace.net/uploadedfiles/Snow%20Hill%20Wharf%20October%202021%20(5).jpg" />

dndimg alt="" dndsrc="https://www.yourplaceyourspace.net/uploadedfiles/Snow%20Hill%20Wharf%20October%202021%20(6).jpg" />

dndimg alt="" dndsrc="https://www.yourplaceyourspace.net/uploadedfiles/Snow%20Hill%20Wharf%20October%202021%20(7).jpg" />

dndimg alt="" dndsrc="https://www.yourplaceyourspace.net/uploadedfiles/Snow%20Hill%20Wharf%20October%202021%20(8).jpg" />

Photography by Stephen Giles

 

September 2021

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/IMG_6160b_SHWF.jpg" />

November 2021

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/IMG_3372b_SHWF.jpg" />

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/IMG_3373b_SHWF.jpg" />

February 2022

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/IMG_0794b_3SHW.jpg" />

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/IMG_1674b_SHWF.jpg" />

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October 2022

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/IMG_0741b_SHW.jpg" />

Photography by Daniel Sturley

 

January 2023

dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/7EDB3896-DB77-48E0-B1CB-D165B2A7F020.jpeg" />

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dndimg align="middle" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/E4BE99F6-BC07-4DA8-9D35-ED84878909DE.jpeg" />

Photography by Jonathan Bostock

 

There are 0ver 200 photos in Full Construction Photo Gallery for this site:

Showhill Wharf Full Construction Photo Gallery