William Griffith & Sons Jewellers, Birmingham.
Those of you who know me will attest that it takes a lot for me to get my camera out. However, every now and then a site so sublime pops up as if from nowhere that even someone as hard-to-please as myself can't help but run around in awe snapping away.
The Vittoria Street facade. Better inside than out it has to be said!
~
We've had our eye on this place for several years now, although we've always referred to it as 'that Froggatt place' as it appears at first glance to be an extension of John Froggatt, another disused manufactory next door. We've never really put much effort in as the downstairs of Froggatt is used as offices for one of Birmingham's less savoury taxi firms, and the fearsome looking man behind the desk doesn't take kindly to people trying to creep into his building. However a couple of months back Speed spotted the building on rightmove, and it became apparent that the two factories are separate entities. More importantly though, even through out-of-focus photos that might as well have been taken with a calculator, one could see the building was so full of epic it was fit to burst.
The main entrance with it's tiled wall and Minton floor - customers and tradespeople would ascend the staircase to a small vestibule where they would be served through a hatch, while to the right a door leads into the workshop.
~
Getting in is both stressful and difficult. The problem with exploring in the Jewellery Quarter is that the majority of buildings only have a frontage - granted, there is usually a courtyard at the back but these tend to be totally enclosed. Fortunately for us, this one is located close to a street corner, meaning the rear of the courtyard backs on to the private car park of a separate building now used as offices - you can guess the rest but easy it certainly is not.
At the top of the stairs - the entrance to the offices and warehouse. Not a hint of modern to be seen!
~
History is sparse. From what I can gather, the company (which also went by the name of Walter G. Griffith) was incorporated in 1856 and was originally located on Northampton Street. The firm exhibited at the 1929 British Industries fair, described in the guide book as 'Manufacturers of Platinum and Gold Jewellery mounted with Diamonds and other Precious Stones. Specialities: Fine Diamond Rings, Earrings, Bracelets, Pendants, etc., also Signet Rings, Expanding Watch Bracelets, Links, Chains, etc.' Various items made by the firm have popped up for auction in recent years and it appears they also made silver wares (teapots, jugs etc). Griffith appears to have had a relative, Henry, whose Henry Griffith & Sons jewels also hailed from Birmingham between its founding in 1850 and its move in 1919/20 to Leamington. Closure looks to have taken place around 2011, and believe it or not it was still trading as William Griffith until then, but parts have surely been closed longer than this.
Jewellers workbenches - finding just one of these is enough to get excited about.
~
It's still fairly botty-clenching once you're inside. The first time I went with Speed was okay, but on my return with dweeb we ended up hid under the fly presses in the workshop while some Asian taxi drivers sparked up barely six feet away. After about half an hour I was tempted to ring and order a couple of taxis just to get them to fuck off.
I'll start with the offices:
The building can't be any later than Edwardian, and the fixtures and fittings are all stunningly original. As Griffith & Sons were located on Northampton Street until at least 1929, the works (and these offices) must have been built for a different firm.
It's so dated inside it hurts. Bakelite switches, brass fittings, a token enamel lampshade hanging between nicotine-stained glass partitions..
Ephemera:
Old old old
Moving upstairs to the top floor - this is where the finer and more technical jewellery making went on, and where componenets were assembled. There were also a number of what looked like electroplating machines knocking about. Located at the top to make the most of the daylight for the fiddlier work:
There would have been a fair few jewellers up here back in the day!
Toilet epic:
Note the leather apron still attached to this bench - any gold filings or waste would be caught in the apron and then melted down in the furnace at close of business.
And a metal version of the same - also note the gas taps on every bench that the blowtorches would be fed from:
Cont.
Those of you who know me will attest that it takes a lot for me to get my camera out. However, every now and then a site so sublime pops up as if from nowhere that even someone as hard-to-please as myself can't help but run around in awe snapping away.
The Vittoria Street facade. Better inside than out it has to be said!
~
We've had our eye on this place for several years now, although we've always referred to it as 'that Froggatt place' as it appears at first glance to be an extension of John Froggatt, another disused manufactory next door. We've never really put much effort in as the downstairs of Froggatt is used as offices for one of Birmingham's less savoury taxi firms, and the fearsome looking man behind the desk doesn't take kindly to people trying to creep into his building. However a couple of months back Speed spotted the building on rightmove, and it became apparent that the two factories are separate entities. More importantly though, even through out-of-focus photos that might as well have been taken with a calculator, one could see the building was so full of epic it was fit to burst.
The main entrance with it's tiled wall and Minton floor - customers and tradespeople would ascend the staircase to a small vestibule where they would be served through a hatch, while to the right a door leads into the workshop.
~
Getting in is both stressful and difficult. The problem with exploring in the Jewellery Quarter is that the majority of buildings only have a frontage - granted, there is usually a courtyard at the back but these tend to be totally enclosed. Fortunately for us, this one is located close to a street corner, meaning the rear of the courtyard backs on to the private car park of a separate building now used as offices - you can guess the rest but easy it certainly is not.
At the top of the stairs - the entrance to the offices and warehouse. Not a hint of modern to be seen!
~
History is sparse. From what I can gather, the company (which also went by the name of Walter G. Griffith) was incorporated in 1856 and was originally located on Northampton Street. The firm exhibited at the 1929 British Industries fair, described in the guide book as 'Manufacturers of Platinum and Gold Jewellery mounted with Diamonds and other Precious Stones. Specialities: Fine Diamond Rings, Earrings, Bracelets, Pendants, etc., also Signet Rings, Expanding Watch Bracelets, Links, Chains, etc.' Various items made by the firm have popped up for auction in recent years and it appears they also made silver wares (teapots, jugs etc). Griffith appears to have had a relative, Henry, whose Henry Griffith & Sons jewels also hailed from Birmingham between its founding in 1850 and its move in 1919/20 to Leamington. Closure looks to have taken place around 2011, and believe it or not it was still trading as William Griffith until then, but parts have surely been closed longer than this.
Jewellers workbenches - finding just one of these is enough to get excited about.
~
It's still fairly botty-clenching once you're inside. The first time I went with Speed was okay, but on my return with dweeb we ended up hid under the fly presses in the workshop while some Asian taxi drivers sparked up barely six feet away. After about half an hour I was tempted to ring and order a couple of taxis just to get them to fuck off.
I'll start with the offices:
The building can't be any later than Edwardian, and the fixtures and fittings are all stunningly original. As Griffith & Sons were located on Northampton Street until at least 1929, the works (and these offices) must have been built for a different firm.
It's so dated inside it hurts. Bakelite switches, brass fittings, a token enamel lampshade hanging between nicotine-stained glass partitions..
Ephemera:
Old old old
Moving upstairs to the top floor - this is where the finer and more technical jewellery making went on, and where componenets were assembled. There were also a number of what looked like electroplating machines knocking about. Located at the top to make the most of the daylight for the fiddlier work:
There would have been a fair few jewellers up here back in the day!
Toilet epic:
Note the leather apron still attached to this bench - any gold filings or waste would be caught in the apron and then melted down in the furnace at close of business.
And a metal version of the same - also note the gas taps on every bench that the blowtorches would be fed from:
Cont.
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