Dave M
Pheasey Born Bumper
Yes right there lyn, this was March 2010 same sections
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Yes right there lyn, this was March 2010 same sections
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Wendy
Guest
I just despair of these low life apart from taking the lead it's the damage to such a beautiful iconic memorial. Have these people no contience...I know the answer to that ...
paul stacey
master brummie
I am like wendy just in despair at who or what these people are, they surely can't have ancestors who fought/died for our homeland, the early photo's remind me of a better time, a more friendly and helpful time, the car park is now tar mac'd and the views not so rural but the memories I have of barr beacon even when my car got stuck in the mud are magical it was the courting centre in the 60's.
paul
paul
leonardjob
Great Russell St
We have more police and specials and community support officers on the beat now than ever....what do they do??? I see them all walking round almost holding hands...why dont they set up surveillance. And they wonder why the courts wont punish those who swear at them. still theyve still got the motorist to persecute and collect some easy convictions.
Dave M
Pheasey Born Bumper
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Wendy
Guest
The photo was taken at Barr Beacon I don't have a date but Elsie and Mary are both 90 next year.
The girls in the photo are L-R Joan Simpson, Elsie Corbett, Mary Jesson, Muriel Geedon, Elma Jesson, Alice Green.
Just in case anyone recognises a relative.
Last edited by a moderator:
paul stacey
master brummie
wendy loved the photo looks early 30's, how lucky you are to still have Elsie and Mary.
paul
paul
Dave M
Pheasey Born Bumper
Sort out all your Change
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/propert...9;jsessionid=FBDD58441471DE1E381CF940C9195227
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/propert...9;jsessionid=FBDD58441471DE1E381CF940C9195227
Alan Tucker
master brummie
From my Great War Trail of the Birmingham area....
Barr Beacon. Colonel John Henry Wilkinson of Ashfurlong House, situated just north of the Tamworth Road between Bassetts Pole and Sutton Coldfield, bought Barr Beacon as a perpetual public memorial for the soldiers of the Staffordshire and Warwickshire regiments killed in the Great War. It was purchased from the Scott estate of Great Barr Hall. It was opened to the public on April 21 1919. Wilkinson was a wealthy philanthropist and had served in the Staffordshire Volunteer Infantry Brigade. He was born in Bradford in 1845. His father came to Handsworth with a business in Birmingham – Wilkinson and Riddell, wholesale merchants. He was educated at private schools in Birmingham, Lancashire and Lausanne.He joined his father’s business and joined the local company of Volunteers. He was promoted and became a Brigade Major in the Staffordshire Volunteer Infantry Brigade. In 1894 he was an alderman on Staffordshire County Council and helped to create a Petty Sessions and criminal courts in the Handsworth district. He was also a magistrate. At that date he lived at ‘Elm Wood’ on Hamstead Hill. The copper dome on Barr Beacon was erected in Wilkinson’s memory in 1933 at the same time as the war memorial was built. It is on a raised dais covered with a copper covered wooden dome supported by eight columns. Use is made of Portland stone.
Handsworth Magazine Vol 1. No 6. December 1894
Barr Beacon. Colonel John Henry Wilkinson of Ashfurlong House, situated just north of the Tamworth Road between Bassetts Pole and Sutton Coldfield, bought Barr Beacon as a perpetual public memorial for the soldiers of the Staffordshire and Warwickshire regiments killed in the Great War. It was purchased from the Scott estate of Great Barr Hall. It was opened to the public on April 21 1919. Wilkinson was a wealthy philanthropist and had served in the Staffordshire Volunteer Infantry Brigade. He was born in Bradford in 1845. His father came to Handsworth with a business in Birmingham – Wilkinson and Riddell, wholesale merchants. He was educated at private schools in Birmingham, Lancashire and Lausanne.He joined his father’s business and joined the local company of Volunteers. He was promoted and became a Brigade Major in the Staffordshire Volunteer Infantry Brigade. In 1894 he was an alderman on Staffordshire County Council and helped to create a Petty Sessions and criminal courts in the Handsworth district. He was also a magistrate. At that date he lived at ‘Elm Wood’ on Hamstead Hill. The copper dome on Barr Beacon was erected in Wilkinson’s memory in 1933 at the same time as the war memorial was built. It is on a raised dais covered with a copper covered wooden dome supported by eight columns. Use is made of Portland stone.
Handsworth Magazine Vol 1. No 6. December 1894
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Wendy
Guest
Alan that is very interesting my brother lives a stones throw from Barr Beacon and also worked at Wilkinson and Riddell in the 60's. I have a book on the history of the company will sort it out for any more info. There is a thread here on Wilkinson and Riddell
https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=10668
https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=10668
hi alan ;
yes also my lovely old god mother lives at the barr beacons she lived up there all her life she is in her late eightys now and she as lost her eye sight with age ; my cousin goes to see her and reads all her correspondences for her and looks after her welfare she wouldknow all the firms of yesterday her husband was the postmaster for the post office up that neck of the woods in the fortis and fifties there name was hamilton
she was my dads sister she is the only remaining member of there family my dad died in fifty eight and is brother died in the war and the other one died in the eightys and just afew months ago old floss her sister my aunt died in october last year ; best wishes astonian
yes also my lovely old god mother lives at the barr beacons she lived up there all her life she is in her late eightys now and she as lost her eye sight with age ; my cousin goes to see her and reads all her correspondences for her and looks after her welfare she wouldknow all the firms of yesterday her husband was the postmaster for the post office up that neck of the woods in the fortis and fifties there name was hamilton
she was my dads sister she is the only remaining member of there family my dad died in fifty eight and is brother died in the war and the other one died in the eightys and just afew months ago old floss her sister my aunt died in october last year ; best wishes astonian
Alan Tucker
master brummie
Wendy - any extra bio on Colonel Wilkinson would be appreciated.
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
Don't now if this has been sited befor , but here is the entry for Barr Beacon in Showell's Dictionary of 1885...
A trial was made on the 10th of january 1856, as to how far light could be seen by the ignition of a beacon on the Malvern Hills. It was said to have been seen from Snowdon in Wales (105 miles), and at other parts of the country at lesser distances, though the gazers at Worcester saw it not. The lookout at Dudley Castle (26 miles) could have passed the signal on to Barr Beacon but it was not needed, as the malvern light was not only seen there, but still away at Bardon Hill, Leicestershire. Many people imagine that Barr Beacon is the highest spot in the Midland Counties, but the idea is erroneous, Turner's Hill near Lye Cross, Rowley Regis, which is 893ft above sea level, being considerably higher, while the Clee Hills reach an altitude of 1100ft.
All the best Peter
A trial was made on the 10th of january 1856, as to how far light could be seen by the ignition of a beacon on the Malvern Hills. It was said to have been seen from Snowdon in Wales (105 miles), and at other parts of the country at lesser distances, though the gazers at Worcester saw it not. The lookout at Dudley Castle (26 miles) could have passed the signal on to Barr Beacon but it was not needed, as the malvern light was not only seen there, but still away at Bardon Hill, Leicestershire. Many people imagine that Barr Beacon is the highest spot in the Midland Counties, but the idea is erroneous, Turner's Hill near Lye Cross, Rowley Regis, which is 893ft above sea level, being considerably higher, while the Clee Hills reach an altitude of 1100ft.
All the best Peter
A terrible shame.
Barr Beacon played an important role in my youth, a great place to go running away from public gaze (this was the 1970's before running was a hobby), it's where a girlfriend used to trek on horseback and we'd meet occasionally, when feeling the need to be solitary I'd go to the bandstand and relax and read the place names from the brass plaque. I may even used it as a place to drive girlfriends to to admire the lights of the Birmingham conurbation at night (better than any etchings!).
