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SOLIHULL LOCAL HISTORY CIRCLEWelcome to www.solh.org.uk |
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SOLIHULL LOCAL HISTORY CIRCLEWelcome to www.solh.org.uk |
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| Welcome | Newsletter | Meetings | Visits | Links | Join Us |
| Ask Us | Publications | Photos | Archives | Committee |
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ARCHIVES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ INDEX to COMPLETED PROJECTS GENERAL Reference Jubilee Oak and New Jubilee Oak 2000 – 2002 EH/G10 History of Jubilee stone on corner of Station Road. Letters etc relating to LHC campaign to get Jubilee Oak replanted. Papers and photos relating to New Jubilee Oak in Malvern Park. Maiden’s Bower Estate EH/G17 Photocopy of plan and history from Birmingham Post 21 April 1936 Ridge and Furrow at Garretts Green Farm EH/G5 News Cuttings and photos of LHC efforts to save Ridge and Furrow field in Monkspath Hall Road, 2001 Solihull Cricket and Tennis Club EH/G13 History and photos Solihull Shops in 1935 EH/G15 A3 list with advertisments Suggested Place Names for Touchwood Development 2000 EH/G11 LHC proposals (never taken up) Sweet Chestnut Tree on corner of Severn Star Road & Lode Lane EH/G19 Notes from Tree Preservation Order No 625. Touchwood Hall Plaque in Manor House, 2005 EH/G6 Copy of plaque, with related correspondence and photo NOTABLE BUILDINGS Alderbrook Lodge (42 Bloosomfield Road) EH/NB10 Research by Allan Evans, September 2006 The Barley Mow, Poplar Road NC/NB23 Research with census records, map & photo by Ros Rafnson, Sept 2007 Barnfield, 92 Dovehouse Lane NC/NB17 Research with photo by Adam and Helen Pearce, October 2006 78 Broad Oaks Road NC/NB20 Research with maps & photo by Nigel Cameron, April 2008 36 – 44 Castle Lane, Olton NC/NB19 Research with photo by Adam and Helen Pearce, October 2006 Cora Lynn (1 Manor Road) NC/NB13 Research by Allan Evans, March 2007 Fowgay Hall EH/NB6 Research, letters, news cuttings and photos relating to efforts to save the Hall from demolition, 2005. Great Hytall, Lovelace Avenue RESTRICTED NC/NB14 Research with map& photos by Nigel Cameron, April 2007 Grove Avenue NC/NB24 Solihull MBC Conservation Area booklet, with history and maps Harborne House, High Street EH/NB1 Study by Trevor England, 1976. Newscuttings and photos of its restoration, 2001 High Street, Poplar Road and Warwick Road NC/NB22 Solihull MBC Conservation Area booklet, 1977 Hillfield Hall EH/NB5 Research, news cuttings and photos of LHC efforts to save the Hall from alteration, 2002. 121 – 131 Kineton Green Road, Olton NC/NB16 Research with photo by Adam and Helen Pearce, October 2006 45 – 69 Lyndon Road, Olton NC/NB23 Research with photo by Adam and Helen Pearce, October 2006 Malvern Hall, Soane Gatehouse and Brueton Avenue EH/G22 Solihull MBC Conservation Area booklet, plus maps and research on the Soane Gatehouse and Brueton Avenue windmill. Malvern Park Farm NC/NB21 Solihull MBC Conservation Area booklet, with history and maps Malvern Park Gates EH/G4 Request from Solihull MBC for research, and the result, 2003 Manor Cottage EH/NB8 Research by four LHC Members, maps and newscuttings, 2005 Old Council House, Poplar Road EH/NB3 Research 1998 by Edna Handley (one page A4) The Old Lock Up/Police Station. New Road EH/NB2 History, Structural Report, drawings, copy of Spot Listing Application (refused), photos and Sale Particulars. Pinfold Farm, Marsh Lane (previously in Hampton Lane) EH/NB11 Research by Edna Handley, May 2007 Ramsgate Cottages EH/G23 Cottages originally at rear of present MacDonalds in High Street Sandal’s Cottage, 1021 Warwick Road EH/NB7 Research, and photos, by Edna Handley, 2006 Stretton Cottage, 181 St Bernard’s Road, Olton NC/NB12 Research & photos by Adam and Helen Pearce, October 2006 The Cottage, 932 Warwick Road RESTRICTED EH/NB9 Research & photos by Edna Handley. Structural drawings by Trevor England, 2007 Ulleries Farm, 138 Lyndon Road, Olton NC/NB15 Research with maps and photos by Betty & Bob Smith, 2006 FAMILY PAPERS Cochrane Papers EH/G9 Papers of the late G.D.Cochrane presented to LHC and deposited in Warwick Record Office, June 2003 Couchman Deeds EH/NB4 Photocopy of Manor Estate deeds given to LHC and deposited in Warwick Record Office [Ref Z1010], 2001 Mansell & Mansell EH/G21 The designers of Tudor Grange. Article by Allan Evans (undated) The Steadman Aldis Family NC/F1 The Aldis Lamp family researched by Nigel Cameron, July 2003 PHOTOGRAPHS Co-Op Shops in 1968. EH/G1 Five photographic copies. Originals deposited in Solihull Library, July 2000 Launch of ‘Memories of Solihull Village’ on 10 May 2000 EH/18 & 24 Mounted photos and Album, including pictures of contributors. Solihull Festival 2003 EH/G3 Letter and photo of LHC Display at Solihull Library Various Photos 2004 EH/G8 Old WI Hall, Fircote Lodge, 10 Stonor Park Rd, 222 Blossomfield Rd LOCAL HISTORY CIRCLE Constitutions – 1994 and 2006 EH/G12 Programmes – 1994/5 and 2001/2, 2002/3 NC/G1 Programmes – 2003 to date EH/ G14
Our 21st Season opened with an outstanding illustrated talk. On 17 September Brian Draper explained The River Avon from Source to Severn. The river is 100 miles long, starting from Naseby (600ft high) where an 1822 pillar marks its source opposite The Fitzgerald Arms. After flowing past Welford (whose production of lime justified a spur off the Grand Union Canal) and Stanford Hall, it is joined by the Swift at Rugby and the Sowe at Stoneleigh. The Cistercians started building the abbey in 1155 and the Leighs have been there since the 1560s. After Barford (birthplace of Joseph Arch, the first Ag.Lab. to become an MP) and Hampton Lucy Church (built by the Rector, John Lucy, with his mother’s legacy of £9k in 1822), the river reaches Stratford – the limit of the Upper Avon Navigation whose restoration in 1973 allowed boats to complete the canal/River Severn triangle. Weston Church has a window depicting the salt barges, and another showing Scott’s Antarctic Expedition. The Bridge Inn at Cleeve Prior has not been beside a bridge since 1674. At Bredon the Rectory has Charles II and Cromwell on its roof ridge, and the Hill has Parson’s folly. Mr Parsons bought the hill to enable him to sit 1000ft up: on being told that it was only 961ft, he built a tower 39ft high. The Avon joins the Severn at Tewkesbury with its old Abbey and 350 other Listed buildings. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On 19 November Roy Palmer spoke on The Folklore of Warwickshire. He illustrated his talk by singing several folksongs unaccompanied. Some stories have facts behind them, but all develop their own momentum. Luddington and two manor housed chapels compete for where Shakespeare married, but none can produce evidence. He did go to Worcester to obtain the Special Licence. A doggerel about ‘his’ crabtree may date from the 17th century but was not written down until 1762, and the tree was grubbed up in 1824: Roy explained the references to the various villages. A new policeman in 1927 who heard screams in Digbeth was told by his serjeant that ‘they belong to a ghost: our duty is to catch thieves’. When Prince Rupert ravaged Birmingham in 1643, a Digbeth family were slaughtered and their 13 year old daughter screamed. Roy then sang The Armourer’s Widow dating from that time. When fleeing from the Battle of Worcester, Charles II was rebuked by an unknowing blacksmith: the place could have been Henley-in-Arden. He was dressed as a maidservant to Jane Lane, who is buried at Packington and whose family still receives an annuity.
Newsletter No 8 (April 2007) Welcome to our last newsletter of the season, which will also be my last, as I am retiring from the job of secretary, but certainly not from the Circle. I am pleased that the lectures have been so well supported this year, and I hope you will find the last two lectures as good. The details of these and of our summer outing to Alcester you will find below. We had another excellent dinner at the West Midlands Bridge Club and I am sure by next year, when all the building work is finished, the decor will also be an improvement on the plaster this year! The AGM business was soon settled and there is a list of the new committee below. Stan Boulter produced another quiz to entertain us, and keep our brains working, and we also had a raffle that raised £56 for our funds. It was a good evening. The New Committee:Hon. Director: Nigel Cameron Tel: 0121 705 4188 Hon. Deputy Director: Peter Handley Tel: 0121 704 9323 Hon Secretary: Laurence Ince Tel: 0121 706 0204 Hon Treasurer: Adam Pearce Tel: 0121 706 2345 Hon Membership and Minutes Secretary: Helen Pearce 103 Richmond Road, Olton, Solihull, B92 7RR Tel: 0121 706 2345 Outings Organizer: Joy Woodall Tel: 0121 705 2487 Website: Mateen Farooqui Tel: 0121 707 7431 Committee: Trevor England, Allan Evans Newsletter No.7 The Committee hope you have all
had an enjoyable summer and did not suffer too much in the exceptional
weather. We have a varied programme for the
coming season and hope that as many of you as possible will be able to join
us in the W.I. Hall on the third Monday evening of the month. Monday September 18th THE TREASURES OF BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY CAR PARKING: Please drive up
Union road as usual and Adam has kindly agreed to direct and instruct people
on where to go. We hope that there will still be spaces for disabled
directly behind the WI Hall. Newsletter No 5. We hope you have enjoyed the programme so far this year. The details of the last two meetings you can read about below. We are also planning an extra outing, as we are sure when we have heard all about the Avoncroft Museum this month, we shall want to visit.We plan to send out our sixth newsletter to members at the beginning of September. This will contain next year’s programme, which is in the planning stage at present, and remind you to put the third Monday evening of the month in your diary. We are always looking for new members; so do tell your friends about us.Those of you who were at the excellent AGM/Dinner will know that we now have a new Constitution. This does not differ much from the original, but copies can be obtained from Nigel Cameron (705 4188) if wished. The main change that you will notice is that we have added SOLIHULL to our title. The sub-title, Solihull Society of Arts, is not used in all circumstances so this makes it much clearer what we represent.REPORTS ON OUR MEETINGS Three members spoke at our Christmas meeting on 12 December, when delicious mince pies were served with free coffee/tea. Jean Cooper explained the History of the Birmingham Hippodrome. This opened in 1899, and since 1979 has been owned by the City Council. Many stars have appeared on its stage including the 16 year old Tony Hancock, Laurel & Hardy, whose visit in 1947 caused a riot. Stan Boulter told us how he became a Metallurgist. His father suggested he enter the world of plastics, but Evereds had no vacancy in their new department and took him on testing various metals with chemicals and examining corrosion. Stan was fascinated and never took up the later offered transfer to plastics. Barbara Tilford informed us that Pewter was first mentioned in 1450BC, used by the Romans, but only reintroduced into England in the 12th century. The worshipful Company of Pewterers controlled standards by touch marks. The tin plus copper/lead/zinc alloy was used for plates, tankards and other utensils across all strata of society up to the late 18th century when it declined due to competition from silver plate and crockery. Barbara’s father’s family, the McKenzies, were pewterers in Digbeth for over a century. In their heyday R & W McKenzie made 60,000 Moroccan teapots annually (for export). At this time there were 100 pewter companies in Birmingham; now there is only one. On 16 January Beryl Ellerslie gave us an illustrated talk on Temple Balsall. In 1118 King Baldwin I of Jerusalem gave the monks, who carried arms, the land on which Solomon’s Temple had once stood, and hence they became known as Knights Templars. In 1185 they were given land in Hampton Manor and built a church and other buildings for their headquarters. Acknowledging no authority but the Pope, their power was their undoing and they were ousted from England in 1312. The Knights Hospitallers took over Temple Balsall until the Dissolution, when it became part of Catherine Parr’s estate and later that of the Earls of Dudley. The Almshouses, for poor females, were founded in 1677, by one of the Dudley heiresses. The ladies were given a distinctive uniform, which has only recently been given up. Men are now also admitted, and the building has been modernised internally. The Church was restored in 1849. Harry & Penny Savill from Bristol came on 20 February to tell us about the Development of the Smoothing Iron. Many were made in the Black Country but, with the simple designs which were warmed in front of the fire, one could not control the heat, the handle became hot, and the base dirty. So hollow handles and ‘shoes’ were invented. There were many different sizes and types. Polishing irons had curved bottoms; those designed for billiard tables were rectangular and carried the table maker’s name, as did those used by hatters. New methods of heating irons were developed, e.g. Edna’s charcoal iron, and those powered by paraffin, gas or electricity. Travel irons were smaller, one model was heated by firelighters. The speakers exhibited all these with examples from their own extensive collection. Our Annual General Meeting for 2005/6 took place on 17 March. In her Director’s Report Edna said that the average attendance at meetings, for which Barbara had arranged excellent speakers, had been 42 out of a membership of 61. Joy had organised several interesting outings. The Touchwood Hall Plaque in the Manor House had been unveiled on 24 May, and the current state of our three projects was explained. Edna recorded the death of Barbara Shaw, who had contributed so much over many years. Her place on the committee had been taken by Mateen Farooqui, who has designed our impressive website. Adam gave his Treasurer’s Report, which was accepted unanimously, as was our new Constitution. All the present officers and committee were re-elected. The AGM was followed by an excellent dinner attended by 26 members. Unfortunately four members who had intended to come were taken ill. Nigel Cameron Newsletter No. 4 December 2005 We wish you all a Happy New Year and a very pleasant festive season. All those who were at our last meeting may now be looking at our Christmas traditions in a different way. Mairie MacDonald gave us a most interesting talk in November in which she told us of the Roman and Norse origins of some customs and how the various dates have come to be. It was made quite clear that we have always eaten, drunk and made merry at this time! May it long continue! There were some fascinating illustrations taken from old books and manuscripts that were often amusing. Now we are thinking of 2006 and you will find a reminder of the programme on this page. In particular please look at the menu for the Annual Dinner, which will be held after our AGM at the West Midland Bridge Club. I think everyone enjoyed last year’s meal and we want your support at our AGM so we hope you will all come again this year. Tickets will be available at the January and February meetings When Edna Handley finished editing her book “Memories of Solihull Village”, using recorded reminiscences of people who had lived here in the past, names were still being forwarded to her of those who would be willing to give an oral history. I offered to help out with the recordings, although I had never done anything like it before. I read a book on the subject, bought a small tape recorder and started in November 2000 with a Mr Oliver. The people I have interviewed were so thrilled that we were taking an interest in their former life style and welcomed me into their homes. One of the discoveries I made in this work was that it is better to meet the interviewee and get to know them before producing the equipment at a later date. I was able to give an idea of what was required and they had the interim period to reflect and order their thoughts. Some of the subjects had less to say about Solihull than others, but usually there was other interesting information to be had, such as Mrs Pitkeathly’s experiences of the WAAF in the area during World War 2. Some memories were personal, like the christening of two babies Elizabeth and Philip at the time of the Queen’s marriage, but others had wider repercussions like the demolition of central Solihull for the building of Mell Square. Over a period of six years I have gradually got together a collection of fifteen recollections of Solihull and the surrounding area from some older people with memories of former times. When Edna Handley finished editing her book “Memories of Solihull Village”, using recorded reminiscences of people who had lived here in the past, names were still being forwarded to her of those who would be willing to give an oral history. I offered to help out with the recordings, although I had never done anything like it before. All these were taped and then transcribed on to computer and printed out. Since then, Adam, our Treasurer, has put the recordings and transcripts on to CDs so that they can all be handed over to Solihull Library and the Warwick Record Office for preservation.
The transcribing of the tape on to the computer is a
painstaking business and at first I was doing this in an exact manner from the
speech. One can also adjust slightly the conversation to make it more readable,
which I have done of late. Now I am working on my last tape, and having done a
dozen I hope shortly to deposit the discs, and hard copies of the histories, at
the Central Library and Warwick Record Office, for the possible enlightenment of
future generations. It has been very rewarding to meet such interesting and
lively people. Helen Pearce Solihull is mainly a
creation of the twentieth century with the centre formed from a
medieval core with a Victorian shell built around it. It is now
entering a twenty first century renewal with the gradual disappearance
of larger detached houses and their gardens which are being replaced by
apartments. The Local History Circle is attempting to make a
photographic record of properties which may be demolished for
redevelopment.
The photographs are taken on a digital camera, fed into a computer and stored on a CD. Thumb nail images are shown below, indexed by the roads. The high resolution images are stored on CD's. It is the intention of the Local History Circle to deposit copies of the CD and index with Solihull Library and Warwick Record Office. If you are aware of properties under threat of redevelopment which could be photographed, please contact our Project Coordinator Trevor England on 0121 705 1485. Roads photographed so far:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Visit to St Martin’s in the Bull Ring, Birmingham 13 members of the Local History Circle
attended, and were shown around by Liz Harris, the Church Facilities Manager.
She explained the mediaeval history of the church,
Over the centuries the church suffered various indignities, including being encased in red brick on the outside. In the late 19th Century it was restored by J.A. Chatwin, who assisted Pugin in building the Houses of Parliament. We were taken outside by Liz to look at the different stages of the building of the church including the external pulpit. It had been used to contest with the Methodists, who preached from the outside cross, just where the statue of Nelson now stands, though it was found that pealing the bells was more effective! Edna Handley remembered supporting Methodist preachers preaching from the same statue. The Church spire houses a peal of 16 bells (instead of the usual 8 or less), one of only three in the world. One full peal took 8 hours to ring, with the same bell-ringers having no breaks for tea, coffee or whatever. The inside of the church retains in places some of the old stones, a few showing traces of the white plasterwork which covered the inside. The restoration started in 1999 includes a new 4-tier font (pictured) and a prayer chapel.
Liz Harris showed us the Guild Chapel surrounded by effigies of the de Bermingham family, including a 15th Century alabaster memorial to Sir John de Bermingham and one of Sir Fulk de Bermingham from the 14th Century. St Martins suffered a direct hit in an air raid during the 2nd World War, and so the Birmingham Air Raid Memorial Association has donated a Book of Remembrance of those killed in air raids which is kept in the chapel, under a copy of the famous picture of the bombing of the BSA works. The Choir has retained some of the past,
with the choir pews carved from old roof beams, complete with animals in the
decorated pew ends. Most of the stained glass in the church is of good quality, but post war. The exception is the stunning South Window, by Burne-Jones, with all the figures modeled either on his wife (the angels) or his mistress (the main panels), as Liz Harris explained to us. After a fascinating tour, with a wealth of information and insights into St Martins, we thanked Liz, and Allan Evans then took those that wished on a historical tour of the surrounding part of Birmingham. (Click on the photos to see the full size image) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Avoncroft Open Air Museum (25th May 06) Members on the visit made their own way to Avoncroft on the one day of sunshine for more than a week. After assembling we were directed to the windmill on the Southern boundary of the museum. It dates from the 19th Century, and came from Danzey Green. We were shown round by a volunteer, who first let us into the brick base to see how the top of the mill is supported, and then some of us went up the outside ladder to the first two floors of the mill, where he explained the operation of the mill. It only has two sails at present, and the Museum is hoping to get two more made to match. We then went to the Mission Church nearby. It’s an example of the large number of pre-fabricated wooden churches covered in corrugated iron made in the late 19th Century to cope with the needs for the growing population at the time. They were known as “Tin Churches”, and this one was in use for 90 years until the 1980s. Once again we had a very knowledgeable person talk to us about the church and its historical significance. There have been additions to the museum, for example the national collection of phone boxes including AA and RAC boxes, and even an old police box that could have doubled for Dr Who’s Tardis. After lunch we went our various ways, some on the road to Solihull, and some to explore the Museum further, on the whole, a most enjoyable day. Wellsbourne Mill This was a rare opportunity to experience and learn about the working life of the miller. Visitors were given a chance to take part in some of his work amidst the sound of the wooden water wheel. We marvelled as it powered the grindstone to produce flour just as it did a century ago. Other attractions included living willow bowers, a tree trail and pond walks. There is also a restored timber-framed barn where we enjoyed our tea. Look out for special events held here, particularly during the summer, including The Sealed Knot Living History Weekend and the Warwickshire Rural Show. Photographs of this visit are on the Photos page. TOUR OF THE OLD GRAMMAR SCHOOL AND SARACEN’S HEAD,KING’S NORTONThis tour followed an excellent talk by Heather Flack, a team vicar at King’s Norton Church, to the Local History Circle on 19th September. These two buildings won the recent BBC Restoration competition, so we had an opportunity to have a guided tour of the buildings before the restoration starts. On the morning of 26th October 21 members of the Circle gathered by the church on King’s Norton Green. Our guide explained the background to the entry to the ‘Restoration’ competition, and the final victory. A year further on there has been a lot of work on surveying the buildings (for the restoration) and also further historical investigation that is radically changing the understanding of both sites. Our guide had to change her talk from the previous weekend after hearing new information on the history of both sites. For example it is known that the first floor of the Grammar School dates from the 15th century, but sits on a newer stone ground floor. It was thought that the 1st floor sat on wooden stilts, but the continuing investigation shows that was not the case. And how did a 13th century wooden lancet window, that looks like it came from a church, come to be embedded in the first floor room?The use of the building as a Grammar School is not yet certain. However Thomas Hall, who was the School Master from 1619-1622 (as well as being the curate and vicar) housed his library there. This library now forms the basis of the 17th Century collection in the Birmingham Central Library. The Saracen’s Head is a handsome and extensive timbered building, originally a grand house, but with many other uses over the centuries – it has huge old oak beams that can best be appreciated ‘in person’.Both buildings are very run down at present, but their future is now secure with restoration starting next summer (with a fund currently of £3.5 million).Recently a post hole was found on one side of this building which has been dated from the 13th C, so when the 19th C addition to the Saracen’s Head is demolished, to be replaced by parish buildings and visitors’ facilities it is likely that the details of the buildings’ history will have to be changed again. Many of the members on the tour also went into the church which dates from the 13th and 14th centuries and is beautiful and notable in its own right. For anyone interested in seeing the buildings for themselves, there are guided tours for the general public on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 11am, 12 noon and 1 pm These will re-start in April probably for a couple of months before restoration starts.
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