22 Highfield Road, Edgbaston

[ellbrown]

The white stucco building at 22 Highfield Road, Edgbaston has been having a partial demolition around it for the last year or so.

It used to be used as offices (I think).

Think they removed a garage on the right, and two side doors to the back.

Here is is 2 years ago in February 2012



A sundial I saw back then

 

[ellbrown]

Here it is today with the partial demolition.

With Edgbaston Deli - 21 Highfield Road to the right.






This section has been removed.



They are obviously restoring the remaining house

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks Ell. Nice piece of reporting. Important that people like yourself record modern day changes as we've seen how useful this can be when tracing back the history of places. What a lovely house too. Viv.

 

[ellbrown]

Thanks Viv. I'm not sure what the plans for this property are, but I hope it is in character with the area. All white Georgian / Victorian villas. A conservation area I think.

 

[sylviasayers]

I used to work in Highfield Road, I think it was No.18 a firm of Consulting Engineers, Calthorpe Estate owned all the land round there and were very strict on what you were allowed to do, I remember when our offices required a new roof and we had to use Welsh slate on the stipulation of C.E. which was considerable more expensive than other slates. We often used to have peacocks land on the front portico and in the back garden, they came from the Botanical Gardens.

 

[Astonian]

Hi Sylvia
How are you keeping fine I hope.as I have not heard from you in a long time
On the subject of your old company you worked for and the ownership of the land and its restrictions to what you could door repair falling down masonry
Roofing and walls and etc you had to get the permission of the land owners whom incidently it is a place called calthorpes estates whom is or should I say an historic family and they own half of edbaston right across to the bristol red and pershore red some years back the bristol court had some of there frontage balcony falling down and needed repair but don parked whom was and problyis still is is the head of the tourist board in this country and he owns a lot of property's in wales
Son whom I know very well used to fly in by helicopter daily but never mind that he had the same problem he had to use a certain material to repair the masonry at the bristol court hotel as I said calthorpes own the property's and the lands from one end of edbaston to the other and all around that area
Then as you know you have cadburys whom own the other half of brum and on pershore road plot of the houses and the shops are owned by a lady of title
Just cannot think of her name at this precise time whom lives out of the British isles a lady called Audrey Knowles was her collector and care taker of the property's
For this titled lady I do know what particlur shops and the avenues she owns further down and bristol red end you have got the lord Austin estate
The man whom founded the Austin car works but calthorpes own virtuualy every think around brum that's why your company had to buy the werlsh slate
By the way sylv, I hope you are keeping your car battery topped up and with antifreeze best wishes Alan,, astonian

 

[sylviasayers]

Alan I hope you are feeling better, I have had a new battery fitted - so far no trouble. I never ceased to be amazed by your posts you seem to have worked or known almost every district of Birmingham.

 

[Astonian]

hi sylvia ;
nice to know you are well ; and your car is now ready for the severe winter yes i have been very fortuneately to meet all the criterareys and met
many people of this city in the high places and high postions with in this city even tthem of yeter years past and present councillor at the town hall
some4 are still serving within the town hall and lord mayors as well and i haveworked for them in many ways
i am a well travelled man and alot of expeinces even albert and his family i mix with and is inlaws i have been fortuneate to mix with the socity people
as i have stated to people i knew birmingham like the back of my and you would never lose me in brum and that was a fact but saying now its changed so you would probaly would now best wishes astonian;alan;

 

[ellbrown]

Can you stop going off topic please?

It is being done by Shaylor Group, and yes I believe they would have had to get permission from Calthorpe Estates and the Council to do these works!

Builders hard at work on the site today!

 

[Astoness]

I used to work in Highfield Road, I think it was No.18 a firm of Consulting Engineers, Calthorpe Estate owned all the land round there and were very strict on what you were allowed to do, I remember when our offices required a new roof and we had to use Welsh slate on the stipulation of C.E. which was considerable more expensive than other slates. We often used to have peacocks land on the front portico and in the back garden, they came from the Botanical Gardens.

hi sylv glad you are doing ok and how lovely to have been able to see those peacocks when you worked in highfield road...dont forget our easter meet up in april...we would love to see you if you can make it...

lyn x

 

[B16girl]

I used to work in Highfield Road, I think it was No.18 a firm of Consulting Engineers, Calthorpe Estate owned all the land round there and were very strict on what you were allowed to do, I remember when our offices required a new roof and we had to use Welsh slate on the stipulation of C.E. which was considerable more expensive than other slates. We often used to have peacocks land on the front portico and in the back garden, they came from the Botanical Gardens.

Yes think it used to be the offices of a consulting Engineer ( can’t remember the name though,) I went to school down the road i think most of that bit of Edgbaston is a conservation area