h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Has anyone got memories of the old Birmingham, before the Bullring was redeveloped in the sixties. I remember the old market, the old market building with no roof bombed during the war. Buying a small plate of cockles for 6d old money. Seeing a man tied up in chains doing his escape act.

Being me, I don't remember this at all. But by coincidence, I was serving a man today, who had worked in the pub I was in whilst it was still offices in '41. He was talking about how the building was then, and little things about Birmingham of the time. How the building used to be a "gentleman's house" and then was converted to offices. About the fire watch that the members of staff used to mount on the roof at night, and how one of the buildings close by was destroyed, crushing some Irish workers who had been making the house sound. A lintel fell and crushed them.

The other person that he mentioned was a war vetaran who used to sell matches outside of the Midland Bank near Victoria Square. Apparently all the gentleman in the area used to buy their matches from him as a gesture of support.

What struck me was how both of you remembered the escape artist in the Bullring.