Smethwick High Street has changed dramatically over the last century, but traces of its past are still there if you know where to look.
In Part 2 of this walk along Smethwick High Street, I continue from Coopers Lane towards Cape Hill, uncovering more of the buildings, businesses and stories that shaped this part of Smethwick.
The Red Cow
Starting at Coopers Lane, one of the first landmarks is the Red Cow, a name dating back to 1706.
Smethwick Council House and War Memorial
Further along stands Smethwick Council House, along with the story of an unexploded wartime bomb.
Nearby is Smethwick War Memorial.
Victoria Park and the Park Hotel
Victoria Park and Smethwick Heritage Centre come next, followed by the Park Hotel and the Sow and Pigs, and the story of what stood on this site more than 200 years ago.
Scribbans and the Windmill Shopping Centre
The Windmill Shopping Centre stands near the site of the huge Scribbans-Kemp bakery on Corbett Street, later associated with J. Lyons.
Close by is the Samson Lloyd building.
Where High Street Becomes Cape Hill
As High Street becomes Cape Hill, we visit the surviving Seven Stars, find the former Woolworths, and pass the former United Counties Bank, the former Dudley Arms and the Birmingham General Dispensary.
Cape Hill School brings back my own childhood memories.
The Lost Cape Hill Brewery
The walk finishes beside the site of the enormous Cape Hill Brewery, a story that deserves an episode of its own.
Watch the Full Story
In this episode, we complete the walk along High Street. This isn’t just about buildings. It’s about the workplaces, shops, pubs and familiar landmarks remembered by generations of people who lived and worked in Smethwick.
Part 1 began near St Paul’s Road and followed the street as far as Coopers Lane.
Do You Remember Smethwick High Street?
Perhaps you worked at Scribbans, shopped at Woolworths, drank in the Red Cow or Seven Stars, or remember the old Windmill Shopping Centre. I would particularly like to hear from you.
Old photographs, shop names and personal memories can all help preserve details of Smethwick’s history that might otherwise be lost.