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Brookvale Park & Witton Lakes

Thanks for the likes everyone. A few years later, probably late 40s when we were in Sparkhill, one of these door-to-door salesmen came to the door offering enlargements and tinting, and that framed & tinted enlargement hung in our living room for as long as I can remember, certainly until the mid-1960s when my mother moved to Dorset. Age tells on my memory and whether that picture moved with her I can't remember. I must ask my brother next time I speak to him.

Maurice
 
Talking of model yachts..

3C7340A7-CFD9-4B66-BE1B-6489560113E3.jpeg
Images #276 and #278 I think may be very early 60's maybe late 50's. There is now a concrete bank around the lower lake, that's always been there since I was a kid. I have a feeling that when they reinforced the banks of the lower lake, they also reduced the depth too. you can see the new bank in #277.

The lakes were drained about once a year or so. I have certainly seen them drained a couple of times. In the upper lake there was always a build up of silt to left of the incoming brook. It would interfere with the model yacht club activity's that my dad was a member of, so they would drain it and dig it out.

.
 
The club operated from an old 'Nissen Hut' type structure not far from the café and park keepers hut between the two pools
 
Not baseball, but the park did put on quite a lot of stuff in the 60's. Both sailing and radio control boats had a few big do's at the park.
 
#59 - Brookvale Park - Goldfish Pond - c1925
#59 - Brookvale Park - 1925.jpg

#60 - Brookvale Park - c1925
#60 - Brookvale Park - 1925.jpg

#61 - Brookvale Park - The Bridge
#61 - Brookvale Park.jpg

#62 - Brookvale Park
#62 - Brookvale Park.jpg
 
nice pics two..... i dont know this park very well but does anyone know if the bridge is still there

lyn
 
Yes Lyn, the bridge is still there. I have a weirmaraner needs plenty of walks most mornings it's Brookvale with husband and today it was Witton Lakes with me. Both parks are lovely the swans have had 4 signits.
 
What superb postcards these are, my gran used to live in Queens Road and at that time there was no building between the back of their house and the houses in George Road and there was a track at the back of the Queens Road houses with a back gate to each house, now I need someone's memory here was there an unofficial path from Queens Road, down the bank to George Road or would I have had to go the long way round. I can remember going down to the park, but darned if I can recall how I got there.

Bob
 
The lakes were the forerunner to the Elan Valley in supplying drinking water to Birmingham. Viv

From Birmingham Conservation Trust:

"This lake, along with the nearby Witton Lakes, were formed artificially in the 19th century as drinking water reservoirs for Birmingham. The lake is though fed from two natural brooks that rise from Kingstanding and Bleak Hill in Erdington. Once in the countryside, the area eventually fell victim to rapid urban sprawl and industrialisation, making the water no longer fit for drinking. Birmingham then turned to the Welsh Elan Valley for its water. Brookvale lake and surrounding land were then used as a recreational space for the public. During the early 20th century the lake was even used as an open air swimming pool people also enjoyed recreational boating"
 
Some really smashing pictures Two. I know the fashion is for more natural parks now but I do like this more formal style. I expect they had full time park keepers then but these features would soon disappear in this day and age wouldn't they?
 
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