Austin Village, Turves Green

[jukebox]

I would be surprised if this hasn’t been mentioned before but I’ve done a search and couldn’t find anything. However if I’ve repeated previous posts I apologise!

I’ve just read a book (see below) which included detail of an area of Turves Green originally known as Longbridge Estate, later Austin Village, where in 1917 Herbert Austin, who urgently needed extra accommodation for workers at his rapidly expanding car factory, set up two hundred prefabricated weatherboard bungalows, reminiscent perhaps of New England, imported from Bay City, Michigan. These were situated in Coney Green Drive, Central Avenue and Hawkesley Drive. Many of these still exist.

Credits: Book – Bournville by Jonathan Coe. This book follows four generations of a fictitious family covering some of the most famous events of the last 75 years and is an insight into the social change in that time. Well worth a read.
Photo – Hawkesley Drive from Google street view.

 

[superdad3]

The Austin village is a brilliant example of benevolent employers - in this case as mentioned Lord Austin. The Austin Village Preservation Society published a brilliant booklet in 2002 with some great photos and history. Have attached a couple. of early ones but no date.

 

[Astoness]

they look lovely...must admit i have not heard about them...thanks

lyn

 

[NOTSHARP]

I went to school at Turves Green, and lived locally. I was always impressed by these houses.
When I worked as an electrician with the the MEB in the late 60s, early 70's, I carried out work in one or two of them. Nice, easy access underneath was a bonus.



Steve.

 

[oldjoe]

Lived on Hawkesley drive for a couple of years in the late 70's,
modernish times, but still to me seemed a million miles away from Aston, so calm peaceful and was a joy to be there, loved walking down the local papershop of a Sunday morning, like a gentle country walk.

 

[NOTSHARP]

they look lovely...must admit i have not heard about them...thanks

lyn

It just came to me, that they were referred to as Canadian Bungalows, by many people, locally. I doubt that Bay City, Michigan, would have meant a lot to the folks from around there.




Steve.

 

[JonnyH]

My wife grew up there, we nearly bought the house she grew up in in the early nineties. If I remember correctly we could have got it for around £35k, they fetch around £150k ish these days.

I believe the estate is now a conservation/preservation area with guidelines on the colour you can paint the properties etc. I know for a while people used to buy the wooden houses, build a brick skin around them and then dismantle them from inside. Hopefully that has been stopped now.

I also worked on a brick/traditionally built house on the estate a couple of years ago. Apparently after a certain number of wooden buildings there are brick houses to act as a break in the event of fire.

They were only originally meant to have a life expectancy of around 40 - 50 years, the fact that 100 years later they are still going strong is testament to the fact thay were really rather well built. I have always heard them called canadian so was surprised to read they came from Michigan.

 

[Key Hill Brian]

I would be surprised if this hasn’t been mentioned before but I’ve done a search and couldn’t find anything. However if I’ve repeated previous posts I apologise!

I’ve just read a book (see below) which included detail of an area of Turves Green originally known as Longbridge Estate, later Austin Village, where in 1917 Herbert Austin, who urgently needed extra accommodation for workers at his rapidly expanding car factory, set up two hundred prefabricated weatherboard bungalows, reminiscent perhaps of New England, imported from Bay City, Michigan. These were situated in Coney Green Drive, Central Avenue and Hawkesley Drive. Many of these still exist.

Credits: Book – Bournville by Jonathan Coe. This book follows four generations of a fictitious family covering some of the most famous events of the last 75 years and is an insight into the social change in that time. Well worth a read.
Photo – Hawkesley Drive from Google street view.

View attachment 184939

Was up and down there for several years when my cousin lived in the adjacent flats - very nice - believe they were Canadian timber houses?