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Report - - Ahronsberg Bros Jewellers and Goldsmiths - Birmingham - May 2016 | Industrial Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Ahronsberg Bros Jewellers and Goldsmiths - Birmingham - May 2016

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Speed

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It was only the other day i was thinking that the Jewellery Quarter seemed to be all said and done nowadays, then this turns up! The quarter has always been one of the UE hotspots of Birmingham, a formerly industrial area, narrowly saved from 1960s development and now part way through a 'regeneration process' that of course stalls and falters every time there is some kind of financial crisis leaving us with its current mix of upper market flats and ages old industry. If you're ever bored in the city i highly recommend just heading that direction and roaming the streets for a while. As this thread proves to never know what you might find!

This works had somehow flown under all of our radars in the past. I'm not sure why. I was out checking out another building just round the corner but that turned out to be a bit on the average side. I happened to take a little stroll afterwards and boom a door to epic swinging in the breeze!

wikimapia said:
The Century Buildings are a vacant factory, built around 1901, to a design by Hipkiss Stephens of Birmingham. It incorporated a dwelling of around 1794, and has some later 20th century alterations and additions. The building itself is Grade II listed.

The 1794 house is thought to have been built for the Oughton family, and was occupied from around 1810 by Henry Adcock, a jeweller, gilt toy maker and button and bead manufacturer. In 1901, the site was purchased by Messrs. Ahronsberg Brothers, jewellers, who converted the premises to a goldsmiths and jewellery factory.

In recent years, the building has stood empty, having only accommodated short term tenants before. Plans are now afoot to convert the buildings into 46 student flats.

Externally the building bares quite a few company names. The original Ahronsberg Bros is shown in the stone work and then several later companies are mentioned on various windows and plaques. It appears after Ahronsberg left it was split in as many as 4 different units but you would be hard pushed to notice now.

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Heading inside we find 1970s versions of the 'booths' that we saw last year at Frosts. Theres only two this time and with less stain glass but they are recognisably for the same purpose.

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The main 'shop' as it were. It would once have had an entrance on the corner of the building but this must have been removed when they remodeled in the 70s

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At the rear of the shop area a large walk in safe complete with wooden compartments
and lists of the various jewellery that was once inside

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The rest of the ground floor is quite bland. Very 70s, some locked rooms some offices. The buildings form a small courtyard and the arched basement now only contains modern toilets.

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Heading up the the next flor via a lovely spiral staircase that's typical of these Jewellery works

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Up here it's much more dated and we start to find the workshops complete with low hanging fruit, jewelers tools and old tat.

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A room where they would have done etching and possibly plating processes

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A jewelers bench

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More offices at the front of the building that had their own reception accessed by a separate staircase

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Here we see why the door was open.. The building has a tenant.

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host

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Sweet, i really love this type of report and look of the place is amazing..
 

John Albury

28DL Member
28DL Member
Up to the top floor now. Nice an light up here with very old decor. Probably been out of use a lot longer than the rest.

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All in all a great one to chance on. It has all the features you would expect from a Jewellery works really!​

Is this building still undeveloped as shown? If so is it possible to visit & take a look inside? My family were Ahronsberg.
Regards,
John Albury.
 

Speed

Got Epic Slow?
Regular User
It's is still empty but I'm afraid our way in is no longer there.

I'd be interested to hear what you know about the history of the company (if anything) tho.
 

John Albury

28DL Member
28DL Member
Ahronsberg Bros changed their family name in 1916 to Albury Bros. There were 3 brothers who were my great uncles. They produced mainly small items of silverware including finely decorated spoons & patented small stamp cases. Some gold items were also produced @ the Century buildings factory.
 

Calamity Jane

i see beauty in the unloved, places & things
Regular User
Top stuff. Really liked this. That spiral staircase is mint, love it. One day, I may find a stunner lol. :D
 

Nilsknox

28DL Member
28DL Member
Saw this building from outside the other day, still abandoned, although seems there are still people sleeping there judging from the window art! Lovely to see the inside via these photos and learn some of itself history, thanks all!

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