THE SEARCH FOR A TABLE / PART I The search for a table instigated by Stryx of Birmingham & MFI of Flat Time Ho, London has led me to this. Research has led me to an archive in Manchester, through old documents to this new one. I have read. I have plotted a walk. From Stryx to the location of a place where tables once were built. The canal links us. Transports us. Two points on a network. Connected by our physical travelling between them. Follow these instructions. Read with your eyes and ears. Read with your hands. Follow me.
C.W.S. Furniture Catalogue CFC/1/2 (1939)
Step I > Exit from Stryx, Unit 13, Minerva Works, 158 Fazeley Street, Birmingham | Turn right down Fazeley Street towards the city centre Step II > At the bridge turn right onto Digbeth Branch Canal towpath | Continue along towpath to the right towards railway tunnel Step III > Continue along towpath (or other accessible route) through the grade II listed tunnel and past Ashtead Bottom Locks | Continue along canal towpath under the Curzon Street bridge and past several other locks Step IV > Come off towpath at Belmont Row exit onto Pitt Street | Turn left to junction with Belmont Row and turn right over bridge along Belmont Row
C.W.S. Bedstead Factory, Belmont Row, Birmingham
Step V > Continue along Belmont Row to the end of the road and the junction with Cardigan Street | On the right is the remnants of a building that was once the Co-operative Wholesale Society Furniture Division's Bedstead Factory | As well as producing bedsteads they also produced other furniture including tables
Document produced by Abigail Thomas for a one night only event in Birmingham, on Friday 21st June 2013. “How to Build a Table� - Stryx & MFI. Map image sourced from http://openrouteservice.org/ using http://www.openstreetmap.org/ : accessed on 18/06/13 @ 11.08am. C.W.S. Furniture Division information sourced from the National Co-operative Archive in Manchester using the Co-operative Wholesale Furniture Catalogues | Ref no. GB 1499 CFC Dates. 1938-1961 Extent. One Box, Three Items : accessed CFC/1/2 (1939) on 21/05/13 @ 13.00pm.