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Villa Road Handsworth

Correct Radiorails - it was the No.5!
It was a long time ago that I used this tram which used to stop outside Mrs Payne's sweet shop at the top of Villa Road which was the terminus. I can remember running along the tram pushing the seat backs to face the other way for the return journey.
I remember pushing those seats!
 
Here’s a lovely snippet of Villa Road history. The middle building, according the Birmingham Archives, is thought to date back to 1815 and was quite possibly once a farmhouse. Incredibly it’s still there along with a few more old (Victorian) buildings to the left. Viv.
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The Oak Cottage photo must have been taken just before demolition. The cottage to the right is boarded up and the upper windows are broken. Can we find out anything about these cottages; Oak Cottage, it’s neighbour and Linden Cottage ? Residents names etc. There was an appeal for info on the Birmingham Archive site, but not sure how long ago that was made. Thanks. Viv.
 
This is #39 - #41 Villa Road so those cottages in the first photo of post #75 labelled Oak Cottage. #41a - Linden Cottage - must have been next to these (to the right or perhaps behind #41 on the end-right side). Interestingly, Linden Cottage has a side gate, so was this gate leading to an entry off Villa Road ? There seems to be another building behind #41. It must be on a map. The image is from Birmingham Archives dated January 1981. Viv.

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For comparison
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This is #39 - #41 Villa Road so those cottages in the first photo of post #75 labelled Oak Cottage. #41a - Linden Cottage - must have been next to these (to the right or perhaps behind #41 on the end-right side). Interestingly, Linden Cottage has a side gate, so was this gate leading to an entry off Villa Road ? There seems to be another building behind #41. It must be on a map. The image is from Birmingham Archives dated January 1981. Viv.

View attachment 171920


For comparison
View attachment 171921
Interesting, it appears to have a garage of carriage park on the left side.
 
These houses were built in the 1840s on land owned by Matthew Boulton’s grandson. They were #34 - #42. They were occupied by jewellery and gun craftsmen, attorneys and clerks.You can see from the old 1981 B&W photo what a sorry state they were in, but they were thankfully revived with a very impressive refurbishment in the 1990s. A lovely example of a stepped terrace. Viv.

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Source: Birmingham Library Archives

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