Bombing aftermath

I can confirm that there were no Piquerez names anywhere in the census of 1921, not even Scotland.

This colourised image has just appeared on FB. I'm pretty sure it's Cross Cheaping looking North and the same area where that destroyed Bus was photographed (opposite the Owen's that was there then) - which we have images of earlier in this thread. You can see the same Bus Stop sign to Keresley -

Funny how the smallest clue can say so much.

Another new image to me (though obviously a photo of a photo) - a great though sad image looking up along the side of High St (Waters and The Bear visible), with what would be Martins Bank in the centre and the desolation of Pepper Lane all around - This must have been taken from the rear of a ruined Broadgate property?

I'd guess it was taken from the top of Burtons? Very early on as very little of the debris has been shifted. The photo suggests to me that the building on the corner was a brick clad timber frame.

Neil, This is a most extraordinary image, one I thought I'd never see, wherever did you find it? I don't know if it's my imagination but it could almost be a composite view though I can't see any obvious 'join' in the middle. The only possible place it could have been taken is the roof of Burton's, and judging by the angle from the far left of that building looking over Broadgate but why is there nothing of the roadway in the foreground? Very strange. There is just a suspicion of what looks like a girder in the bottom left corner, I wonder if it was originally a larger view that's been cropped at the base?

I think that you can't see the road because it is below the view. They've started pulling down standing bits of wall further into the block. You can see from the pictures below (click on pictures to expand at the IWM) that there were standing walls and they're pulling on ropes to bring them down. I think you might be right about it being a composite, you can see a colour change and a point on the upper walls at the back of Martin's bank. The left hand side might be from further over to the left. THE BLITZ, 1940 - 1941 Image: IWM (H 5597) BRITAIN AT WAR 1939-45 Image: IWM (H 5601) AIR RAID DAMAGE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 1939-1945 Image: IWM (H 5600)

Sorry guys I appear to have got that one wrong! The picture came from a chap on FB who found it in an auction. It was apparently taken on Friday 15th November the day after the blitz by Mr Edward Brimelow who was formerly the manger of Martins Bank. It is indeed taken from the Bank roof. He was know a 'Brim' by everyone and became general manager. He sadly passed away in April '84. You can see that end building in this one along with the bank - both 'ends' appear similar hence the initial confusion.

That caught me out too, Neil - I'd virtually convinced myself that we were looking at Martins Bank, rather than from it!

I even looked up a picture of the temporary shop they built in the gap, to look at the wall, after they'd removed the timbers Sometimes we can't see the wood for the... err bricks. No wonder we couldn't find the building on the left.

It does make you realise how lucky we were that the Martins Bank building surviv............................

https://picstory.co.uk/id/00101175 What I find strange is that although the ground floor of Burton's shop has been reduced to ash, on the first floor there appear to be tables in the Venetian Restaurant still set for meals!

I saw the picture on FB but couldn't tell where it was. How bad was Cross Cheaping and the Burges hit? I know about Owen Owen's, but the rest looks 'gone'.

I guess the same question as above goes for the third picture here. Cross Cheaping pretty much vanished.

Judging by what we can still see today - and nicely restored in many cases - the south "Broadgate" end of Cross Cheaping pretty much disappeared, while the closer you get to Bishop Street, including most of Burges, many of the buildings survived or were able to be returned to use again.