Barrows Lane Manor House

[Brock]

I have been told that there used to be a big old manor house which once stood on the grounds that is now known as the Co-op sports grounds in Barrows Lane, Yardley.
Does anyone know anything about this old property please such as who used to live there & what the old property was like? I believe that it was either called The Croft or
The Poplars & I was told that the old white house sited in Lodge Drive used to be the old Lodge house for the estate so I imagine that it must have been a sizeable property & grounds.
Thank you.

 

[lindyloo]

Brock, here is a map from 1888 showing the Lodge and The Poplars (later The Croft)

 

[Phil]

This is a photo of Popular Croft, Barrows Lane taken in 1920

 

[pollypops]

Not sure if this is of any help but I found the following snippets of information from the Birmingham Daily Post
1871 - A report of Rev Cannon Glover being presented with a keepsake on the occasion of his retirement from the Principalship of Saltley College at a luncheon at the house of his Father in law Joseph Barrows Esq of the Poplars, Yardley (Is this where Barrows Lane came from?)
1881 - Correspondence to the editor - from William Glover, Hon Cannon of Worcester, The Poplars, Yardley
1881 - Mare for sale - apply Mr Goodwin, The Poplars Lodge, Yardley
1886 - Carriage horse for sale - apply J Goodwin, Bailiff, The Poplars Lodge
1891 - Sale of 12 fields of Mowing Grass on the Poplars Estate - upwards of 44 acres - Catalogues obtained of Mr Morse, the Poplars, Yardley

 

[pollypops]

A bit more about Joseph Barrows:
Joseph Barrows of the Poplars, Yardley in the County of Worcester died 19 July 1890.
1) Announcement of death 21 July 1890
2) Public notices 24 July 1890

 

[pollypops]

Birmingham Daily Post
1894 June- an advert for a housemaid at The Croft, Yardley Road, Acocks Green apply Hoskins (so it seems by now it may of changed its name?)

From The Era
1895 20th June -advert for the Birmingham Grand Theatre - Proprieter and manager Mr J W Turner, The Croft, Yardley, Worc's (General manager J Dennistoun)

1898 16th July - Dennistoun, Theatrical manager aged 39, died July 7 of cancer of the lungs at the Croft, Yardley.
1899 6th May -Mr John Pendleton Cowpe - professional name J C Carol - died of heart disease at the Croft Yardely, house of his brother in law Mr J W Turner. Carol was the manager of the Turner Opera Company and later the manager of the Grand Theatre Birmingham.

1900 28th April -article about Mr J W Turner operatic vocalist, proprietor of the Turner Opera Company and of the Birmingham Grand Theatre, lying ill at his residence, the Croft Yardley

I have found online that James William Turner married Emma Cowpe Pendleton and he died in 1913

 

[oldbrit]

Yardley in the new for once, Lived there 23 years and now I know all kind of info. Barrows Lane that's how IT got its name! I do remember the armoury on Barrows lane before the Cov rd went to some dances there in the 50s John Crump Parker, Co. USA

 

[lindyloo]

The information attached to a copy of the photo Phil posted at #4, which I have in "The Images of Yardley" book by Michael Byrne, says that Mrs V Boston lived at The Croft from 1916 to 1923 and that Charlbury Crescent, Welford Avenue and Cranfield Grove stand within the grounds of the house.
My hubby lived opposite the Lodge that went with The Croft, for some years.

 

[lindyloo]

The Electoral Roll for 1920 shows Bertram Llewellyn Boston and Violet Caroline Boston living at The Crofts.

 

[ItalianNonna]

This is a photo of Popular Croft, Barrows Lane taken in 1920

This is a photo of The Lodge in Lodge Drive

 

[mikejee]

ItalianNonna has sent three other photos of the lodge, which are below: