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Handsworth Hall

Astoness

Astoness

TRUE BRUMMIE MODERATOR
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would anyone have any info on handsworth hall please...must say i had not heard of it until until spotted on this map

lyn

willets shops map.jpg
 
thanks for that info pedro...i dont think it could still be standing would love to see a photo or drawing of the hall
 
Interesting that Handsworth Hall doesn’t appear on some maps, and is not marked on the OS 6in of the 1880s. Joseph Grice (possibly gunmaker) died in 1834, and it passed to a Theophilius Richards Esq, and comes up to let in 1835.

In the 1840s it is in the hands of Samuel Kenrick, and the venue for the Handsworth and Lozells Hort Society exhibitions. Maybe you can get some idea from the advert from 1837...

CEB8B723-B043-49D7-8A93-BC16C4B3B98D.jpeg
 
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Hi Lyn, there were an awful lot of large properties through the years in Handsworth weren't there? I've looked at some of them but I hadn't heard of Handsworth Hall. I'll be very interested to hear what other people know about it.

The National Archives has one record mentioning a Joseph Grice of Handsworth Hall in 1832 and another in Birmingham Archives with Rev. Joseph Hill Grice who is now living in Upton-on-Severn to do with a land sale in 1854 Handsworth Hall Road. This concerns land fronting Handsworth Hall Road. So, it sounds as though the hall was there in 1832 but may have gone by 1854.

Not much to go on but I'll have a further look later on.
 
38159D56-455D-469D-A646-24D84D6946DA.jpeg The Hall still existed in 1887! The Handsworth Floral, Horticultural and Cottage Gardener’s Society held their Exhibition there by permission of Mrs Dodson. The Map doesn’t seem to help.

Edit....talking rubbish, the above refers to Handsworth Hall in Sheffield! But the map may be of interest
 
On the map posted by Lyn, Hansworth Hall has an OS symbol for site of Antiquity, and yet this does not appear on other maps.
 
The trail of Joseph Grice leads to more info on Handsworth Hall, via Birmingham Cathedral.

“Joseph Grice is possibly the most interesting of William Grice’s children who, because of his wealth was a force to be reckoned with in Birmingham and had dealings with people at the top of society....Handsworth Hall, the home of Joseph Grice, was described as having “a beautiful avenue of lime trees” and pictures remain of the now demolished house, which had originally belonged to the Gough family....Joseph’s sons both went to Eton and Oxford and then became curates; in his will Joseph makes a point of leaving them special Bibles, whilst his daughter gets a Life of Christ and the works of Samuel Johnson......After the death of Joseph Grice the house in Handsworth was sold to the Barrow family, and Elizabeth Grice went to live with her son William in Leamington Priors....”

https://birminghamcathedral.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/william-grice-the-gunmaker/

So pictures are available!
 
Here is the Hall on the 1839 Tithe map, being then owned by Joseph Grice and occupied by Samuel Kenrick.
Handsworth Hall .plot 607 tithe map 1839.jpg
 
That's all very interesting, I wasn't aware there was a Handsworth Hall in that area.
It would be great if a picture of it can be found.
 
mikejee said:
Here is the Hall on the 1839 Tithe map, being then owned by Joseph Grice and occupied by Samuel Kenrick.
View attachment 124615
Click to expand...

From the Tithe map it looks like Villa Road and Hampstead Road exist, and what became Radnor Road, opposite the Hall, led up to one of the Lodges for Heathfield Hall.

Perhaps more info can be gained from the enclosures?
 
Janice, I don't think this is the same one as an earlier post mentions 'antiquity' and this wasn't built until 1881 as a Theological College. I wonder if reference to it is in one of the Handsworth books?
 
Grice died at Handsworth Hall in 1833. So it was there at least at that time. Can't find any earlier references. The house was in 1833 in the county of Staffordshire. (And for ref not to be confused with the Handsworth Hall in Sheffield). Viv.
 
If Joseph's son is offering land for sale fronting Handsworth Hall Road it sounds as though this could be the plot left by the demolition of the house. Rev Joseph was a perpetual curate so he only received a stipend. The land is (if I remember my imperial measurements correctly) 2 acres, 3 rods and 26 perches. I have tried reading his father's will but it's quite long and there seem to be a lot of conditions. Perhaps he could only sell it after a certain date / death.
 
For the record...after Joseph Grice died in 1834...

"After the death of Joseph Grice the house in Handsworth was sold to the Barrow family, and Elizabeth Grice went to live with her son William in Leamington Priors; on the 1851 census he is described as “perpetual curate” and she as “accountant”. William’s wife, Henrietta Broughton, was the daughter of a clergyman who was also a Baronet, and she had the patriotic middle name of “Waterloo”. Although a clergyman, William eventually lived in great style with many servants in Sherbourne, Devon worked as a magistrate and died in 1885. His daughter Louisa married Captain Hutchison, who was the conservative M.P. for Aston Manor 1891-1900. Many of their family are commemorated in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd.

Joseph Hill Grice was a perpetual curate at Upton on Severn, interested in Free Masonry and The Templars (on which he wrote a book) and died before his mother in 1867. One has the impression that for the prime beneficiary of his father’s will, he chose to live fairly modestly and sold the family home. He never married and left no heirs. He appears to have known Gladstone, the future Prime Minister, and documents of the time show that he had to spend a lot of time looking after the family property, shares and inheritance."

https://birminghamcathedral.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/william-grice-the-gunmaker/
 
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There was, apparently, at the time of the people mentioned in this thread, when the eldest son inherited the property and title, if any, and the younger sons usually bought a Commission in the Army or an advowson for a Church (the established one) for their careers.
 
Joseph Barrows is listed, on the poll book/e roll, at Handsworth Hall in 1861. Also the census of that year.
 
what an interesting thread this is turning out to be folks...some great info....i will start asking around now to see if there are any photos or drawings of handsworth hall...although i think a drawing is the best we can hope for

lyn
 
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back again...unless ive missed some info was 1861 the last mention of the hall being there


lyn
 
Astoness said:
back again...unless ive missed some info was 1861 the last mention of the hall being there


lyn
Click to expand...

It was advertised To Let in 1863 by Joseph Barrows. I am struggling to find any further mention.

It seems puzzling that it should apppear on just one map that it was a site of antiquity.
 
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