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Witton and District Allotments Limited

Hi Jean,

If would be funny if Denise's grandad's pigsty was roughly in the middle of the area under construction. We were observing the pigs one day when my "mucker" fell into the pigsty! I think he got a bit of a telling off when we got back to his mom!

Regards Pedro
 
I will e.mail Denise as she will be interested I am sure. I can just smell you from here. My uncle kept pigs too and the smell of the swill is unforgetable. Jean.
 
The link for the picture on the above post does not seem to work now, and so here is another link. Click on to enlarge.

On the right of the picture would be the M6 Motorway that cut straight through the Allotments. If I remember rightly above 4 houses in Brookvale Road were demolished, including the Stonemasons to make way for the motorway.

https://www.panoramio.com/photo/30676958

Regards Pedro
 
Hi Pedro
I remember sitting on the wall of the circular island with my packet of Smiths crips and bottle of Vimto, I've tried the modern day Vimto, it doesn't taste the same, but then I am a lot older ha ha - taste buds and all that.

Denise
 
If I remember correctly grandads allotment was at the end of the row of houses, the Ridgeway end. They used to live in the house at the entrance to the Barn, which was owned by the Barn.
Denise
 
Denise! Did your Granddad have two pigs, I can Vaguely remember visiting a sty about, 1968. With a couple of Uncles, My Granddad lived in Brookvale road,number 175. across the canal from the barn, for some reason? I did like the smell, found those pigs fasinating I did. Reg.
 
Hi Reg, My granddad used to have more than two pigs, he used to have a large boiler where he used to boil up the mix for them. I always looked forward to when he had a new lot of piglets, perhaps thats why I love pigs so much now.
Denise
 
Hi again Reg, I put a photo of granddad feeding his pigs on the previouse page, I have tried to check it but don't know what to do with the paper clip
Denise
 
Hi Denise,

Here is a picture from around 1982; North Park Road is on the left and could be considered an extension of the Ridgeway. The stone building in the bottom left was a pigsty, although I think by this time the pigs had gone. (Do you remember those pigs that escaped near Tamworth and were called “The Tamworth Two?).It was this pigsty into which my friend fell.

The buildings on the left of North Park Road are also built on what were the Allotments.

I may be able to find some earlier photos and keep you informed.

https://www.panoramio.com/photo/30780823

All the best, Peter
 
Hi Peter
Not too sure if it is the right part of the allotments, it was many years ago, but if you can look at the picture of granddad feeding the pigs you might recognise where abouts it was.
I do remember the Tamworth Two.
Denise
 
Hi Denise,

I cannot open the attachment, perhaps I am doing something wrong?

I would recognize your grandad I am sure, even though there would have been a big age difference. I remember the trilby hat! I was not involved in the Allotments but spent many hours in the Club, and I remember that we were never short of vegetables. The produce grown was excellent, but along came Spaghetti Junction and the fear of lead from the atmosphere!

I think that there were two brothers that had an enormous allotment and had huge greenhouse where they grew flowers. Maybe sold for the Graveyard close by? Clive Brothers comes to mind.

I will never forget an old friend who used win a lot of prizes when they had competitions and used to manage the snooker tables. I am sure many other people would remember a true character called Les Tidmarsh!

Best Wishes, Peter
 
Here is a picture, from around 1970, along Brookvale Road and alongside the entrance to The Barn Social and Witton Allotments. Before the M6 carved its way to Spaghetti and the biggest interchange of motorways in Europe was plonked right on top of us!

https://www.panoramio.com/photo/30901569

Best wishes, Peter
 
Hi Peter: Thanks for posting the photo of Brookvale Road. That large building on the right was the Stonemasons...Roddis & Nourse.
I remember looking at the gravestones lined up in front of their shop. Maraget Nourse went to the same school as I did.
 
Thanks for posting the photo looking down along Brookvale Road in the snow. Isn't the Yew Tree now closed? Not sure.
 
Hi jennyann,

I don't think the Yew Tree has closed as there is a Thread under Yew Tree Inn. I have put a link on that thread to the picture, and asked if the pub had recently changed name for a period

Best wishes Peter
 
Thanks Peter...perhaps it was the name change that made me think of the pub as closing.
 
Hi Peter
Great pictures of Brookvale Road, I will try and put the photo of granddad feeding his pigs on again and also if I can find it I have a photo of a presentation of prizes at the Barn. Since they have changed the site I don't seem to be able to attach photos. I'm very basic in my computer skills
All the best Denise
 
Hello Peter:

Many thanks for the photo of the derelict Witton Allotments, and also for the previous picture sent showing the Sand Pit. If you have any information pertaining to Mr. Victor Crawford, Secretary of the Witton and District Allotments Co. prior to WW II, I would be pleased to hear from you.

Thanks.

Barry
 
Barry Page said:
Hello Peter:

Many thanks for the photo of the derelict Witton Allotments, and also for the previous picture sent showing the Sand Pit. If you have any information pertaining to Mr. Victor Crawford, Secretary of the Witton and District Allotments Co. prior to WW II, I would be pleased to hear from you.

Thanks.

Barry
Click to expand...

Hi Barry,

Funnily enough I was just looking into the history of the Witton Allotments due to a related Thread…The Barn Social Club.

At present I noticed that they were not present on the 1913 OS map and not entered in Kelly’s Directory in 1921. However in 1932 they appear as Witton and District Allotments Association showing the Secretary as V T Crawford and he continues until the Sec was A F Day in 1937.

For the record the Sec in 1943 is Frank Burrows and back to A F Day in 1949.

I am not sure if the Association controlled other Allotments in the nearby area, such as Holford Road, but when my father bought one of the first houses to be built on the Allotment Land (Brookvale Road) in 1948 the area of the allotments was quite extensive. From the canal bridge it was bordered by the length of Brookvale Road down to Witton Hall, by Brookvale Park up the junction with ground owned by the GEC near the Magnet Club and along the canal back to the canal bridge.

At first the Houses paid ground rent to the Association, but later the freeholds were purchased. This leads me to believe that it was a private Association; huge amounts of land were subsequently sold for housing, I believe at great profit for the original shareholders.

I would appreciate if any has any info to the contrary.

Regards, Peter (not forgetting land sold for the M6 Motorway)
 
Last edited:
Hi Peter:

Thanks for the feedback and information on the various Witton and District Allotment Association Secretaries.

In regards to Victor Thomas Crawford, I am pretty sure he died during the first quarter of 1936. There is an entry for a death in the BMD records:

"Victor Thomas Crawford, age 52, March 1936, Birmingham, Vol. 6d, Page 95."

The age is correct since his birth certificate shows him born in 1884.

I don't know if the following images will transmit as I haven't attached images to messages before on this site. We'll try anyway.

Best regards.

Barry

,
 
HI BARRY ,i tryed to send you a email but it wouldnt work ,so im sending it here ,Mygranfather was THOMAS VICTOR CRAWFORD he was born in 1904 ,he was in the airforce ww2,and lefted for australia in 1949 with his wife EDITH maiden name RAE .with 4 small children on the ship ORONTES ,do you know or anyone else know my family ,i have more info and pics ,please send me a email [email protected] thanks
 
Hi Suzzie:

I don't know whether or not you received my reply sent to your Hotmail address - July 17th. If not, I'm sending it via the forum as follows:

Hello:
Many thanks for your message, which made it through OK to my private E-mail address. I appreciate you making contact and directing your enquiry to me for further clarification.

Although the name contains the same elements, you'll notice that my paternal step-grandfather is called Victor Thomas Crawford and not Thomas Victor Crawford.

Also, I am pretty sure Victor Thomas Crawford died during the first quarter of 1936. There is the following entry for a death in the BMD records:

"Victor Thomas Crawford, age 52, March 1936, Birmingham, Vol. 6d, Page 95."

The age is correct since his birth certificate shows him born in 1884 in Bromsgrove.

Of course, there still could be a connection if your grandfather had any family living in the Bromgrove area. I live in Canada so it isn't possible for me to visit any of the record offices, etc. I also have some photos that I can share if there are any connections. Perhaps you can check your information to see if we're possibly distantly related.

Kindest regards.
Barry

Please let me know if this message reaches you.

Thanks. - Barry
 
Hi Denise, I realise your message is from 2009 but have only recently started to research about Witton Allotments. My Grandad Arthur Walker (known as Mick) use to have an allotment and my father, Vic who is still alive at nearly 93, use to help Grandad on the allotment and remembers Tommy Pugh. I have now registered on the Birmingham History Forum and was interested in any photographs.
 
The photos that I posted on this thread have been lost, so I will try to dig them out again.
On this one the flats on the left hand side of North Park Road have already been built, but behind the houses of Brookvale Road the Allotments linger on..

CE12F5DE-D2F5-4EAE-AB0D-0427D458C911.jpeg
 
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