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Castle Bromwich

Best I could do, one from last Dec, and today

18thDecember2010Saturday1150.jpg

29thOctober2011Saturday052.jpg



 
I always assumed (maybe incorrectly) that the avenue of trees at the front of the house was the start of a route that led down to the River Cole and on to Stechford Hall (now a carvery) which was a grand house of the same era.
As for Pimple Hill, as a kid I used to ride my bike down the through the graveyard down the hill before gathering enough speed to get to the top of the hill.
I'd say only about 50% of it is standing now. Also read somewhere that when excavations were being made for the motorway, the results of the archaeology were not disclosed for some reason.
 
You are correct tayrich. The avenue of trees, conker trees I believe, went from the main gate of the Hall all the way across to what is now The Heathway. They are clearly shown on a 1886 map of Castle Bromwich. Although what is now Birmingham Road passed in front of the main gate the avenue would have made a grand entrance for horse drawn carriages to enter the Hall. The map shows another avenue of trees going to west of the Hall towards The Firs. Of course Bradford Road and Newport Road didn't exist in those days. The avenue of trees can be seen passing through the "B" of Bromwich on this link:-

https://www.francisfrith.com/castle...gle.co.uk&utmcmd=referral&utmccn=google.co.uk

The avenue of trees, what's left of Pimple Hill and other fine photos of Castle Bromwich can be seen in Jim Perkins' website on this link:-

https://www.btinternet.com/~jimperkins/page66.html

In his book "Castle Bromwich In Times Past" Colin Green has a photograph, c1962, of The Mound (Pimple Hill) before being largely destroyed by roadworks.
 
tayrich said:
I'd say only about 50% of it is standing now. Also read somewhere that when excavations were being made for the motorway, the results of the archaeology were not disclosed for some reason.
Click to expand...

Because it was so important it would have halted construction?
 
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I remember Pimple Hill in the early to mid 50's. We used to walk down what we called Leafy Lane (Birmingham Road) and on the left was Castle Bromwich Hall. We used to climb over the wall and get tadpoles from the ponds. When we visited Castle Bromwich Hall a few years ago, I was told that a lot of people had related this story. It is lovely to see it all restored now.
 
My wife and I bought our first house on mortgage in Wykham Road, Castle Bromwich Birmingham in 1954. It was brand new and built by a builder from Coleshill. It had Dining room/Lounge/Kitchen/3 Bedrooms/Bathroom/Garden front and back and room for a car on the drive.(if you could afford one) It cost £ 1,250-00 and our monthly mortgage was £6-11shillings. The deposit was £125-00. What is it worth today? A friend did the same and he now lives in Devon, and I have lived in Wales for 59 years. I was a Joiner then, could a joiner do the same now as easy as I did then ? GEFF
 
Good Afternoon Everyone

Bernard 67 Arnold some very beautiful young ladies used to live in Castle Bromwich. Do you remember the Castle Bromwich show held in the small field where you could also if coming from Birmingham turn left to get to the hall.
I was Best Man at a wedding in Castle Bromwich Old Church in 1960 for one of mates from school. Do you remember Rawlings Haulage Contractor, round the corner from the hall. What a great sight Horse and Carts of all sizes, they used to get a lot of wok cutting verges, sad day when they changed to lorries. The steep hill outside he Church was our Motor Bike test run, if you got up the hill the bike was running well. So much history around Castle Bromwich would be excellent to read a lot more. Just thought after the war we used to go behind the hall and play in the bomb craters.
Great memories of days gone bye.
Best wishes
Gerald...Garden Gerald.
 
Remember walking up from newport road when it was acountry lane and walking down lovers lane to play on Pimple Hill. Is it true that the very old road by the grave yard they buried bodys under it ? Or was that to frightn us kids. Then in the winter taking tobogans down hill in the field behind lady bradfords some lads used to go scrumping in her garden or play in the Maze i did not afraid of not coming out and getting caught O Happy days
 
Good Evening Everyone
I will never forget Pimple Hill. It was the rise and fall of Gerald. One Christmas Day many moons ago it snowed so on Boxing day four of us, two boys and two girls decided to climb Pimple Hill. It was very icy but boys like to show off in front of girls, so off we set very slowly. I started to get ahead and reached the top first. My arms raised in celebration.
I started to slip and went downwards going faster and faster. bouncing on my bottom as I went. When I came to a standstill and was able to gather my senses I looked up to see three people laughing at me. Moral to this story do not try to show off.
Do you remember crossing the road and walking up the golf course, we would do this to watch the horses on race days. Just over half way up a few of the fence boards were a little loose so we could move them sideways to get on the side of the course but if anyone saw us we had to go as quick as the horses to avoid being threatened with a big stick.
Great days. My Grandfather use to cut and collect the hay on Hodge Hill Common to feed the horse that pulled the cart to deliver cured fish and kippers.
Best wishes...Gerald...Garden Gerald.
 
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Don't know if this is still there, but Lady Bradford's tree (of Castle Bromwich Hall) was going strong through to when Phyllis Nicklin photographed it in 1968. Hope it's still there. Viv.
image.jpeg image.jpeg
 
how awful that it was deemed a tree more important to preserve than the splendid (what looks like georgian) house that was once stood to the left of the tree...

lyn
 
Just remembered also, on a Sunday Morning walking from home (millinghton rd) with my dad and going to the old shop along from Church to buy fresh Bread (was the shop black and white called the Castle) it was rare back in the late 60´s 1 for a shop to be open and also fresh bread on a Sunday
 
Good Evening Everyone
The tree had a preservation order on it and the house did not. Castle Bromwich and Water Orton came under a lot of pressure 50 years ago from property developers who saw the potential to make a lot of money. They would apply for demolition orders and planning permissions on property they did not own. These people had no obligation to inform the property owners and neither did the councils. Some of them got through rendering the property of very little value.
This could have happened to the house in the picture. Someone at the council blew the whistle and thank god they did because our house was to be demolished and a new road constructed. Twenty new houses to be built in other peoples gardens. We all got together and confronted our councillor who had kept quiet and the boss at the council. They then decided to inform people and put notices in the local papers.
Castalla , you are spot on so have another house mark. The wedding I was best man at the bride was named Cynthia and lived in Millington Road. The reception was at the pub on the green.
Do you remember us kids going Bluebell picking at the back of the hall in a small wooded area. Girl and Boys we all did it. When we gave them to our Moms we got a big hug and kisses.
As youngsters the girls and boys all played together. Some of the boys were great at skipping and some girls could really hit a ball with the bat.
Pimple hill of course has a real place in history. It was the original Motte.
Best wishes
Gerald...Garden Gerald.
 
The Coach & Horses looks a welcoming pub. Nice painted pub sign above the entrance. Viv.
image.jpeg
 
Thanks Gerald, bit before my time referance collecting hay from Hodge Hill Common, i have asked this before but do you remember a Wood Merchants on the land now occupied by Hodge Hill court ¿ over the road from The Hunters ¿, i must of only been 8 or 10 years old when these flats were built. Also there were Police flats just up from Chipperfield Road next door to the old Dr Chitins surgery, but can´t remember ever a police station being in the area, in those days the nearest Police Station would of been Erdington, Acocks Green
 
Good Afternoon Everyone
Hello Castalla
Your reference is to The Estate Saw Mill and I remember it well, you could ask for a piece of wood any size and they would cut it for you and charge pennies. They did build some Police Flats and the officers were stationed at Steelhouse Lane. How they got to work for six o'clock in the morning I never understood. The nearest Police Station was quite some distance away, we were all so well behaved we did not need one.
Do you remember going to the back of were they built the Hunters Moon and about a mile away was an Army Depot.
Guarded night and day by armed soldiers. We would wander over there some evenings and have a chat with the soldiers.
In 1956 the B.I. Fair was held on Castle Bromwich airfield. the railway station was decorated with a mass of bunting.
The show was amazing, huge displays of many things to promote Britain.
Did you learn to drive on the airfield, I did like so many others, nothing fancy just simple driving.
If you went to Bromford Bridge The River Rea fell over a waterfall, when it hit the bottom it was the River Tame.
Lots more to chat about when I stir the old brain up.
Best wishes
Gerald...Garden Gerald.
 
Good Afternoon Everyone.
Yes a lot of very notable VIPs did visit the fair. I did not go down that road because I did not want anyone to think I was showing off.
I was one of the selected young people to meet Khrushchev. He looked at me and grunted. It was a lesson in how not to behave.
Best wishes
Gerald...Garden Gerald.
 
Thanks for the information Gerald, sadly i was not born until 1957 and my family moved to Cstle Brom in december 57, so can only remember things from the middle 60´s so don´t remmeber Army Barracks, and remember my dad showing me the racecourse from the end of Chipperfied road, where we would go down to to pick Blackberrys, also remmeber the narrow road over the River going towards Dunlops where on the Bridge were cut outs you stood in to leave the traffic pass you by
 
Re the above posts about the nearest police station. I moved to Shard End in 1958 when I was 11 years old, and I can remember a police station on the Chester Rd just by the entrance to Kingshurst. As far as I know that would make it the nearest to Hodge Hill, much closer than Erdington or Acocks Green. I don't know if Castle Bromwich had a police station even a small one. I have attached 2 pics of the former police station Chester Rd, now private property.
police (Medium).jpg police 2 (Medium).jpg
 
terryb18 said:
Re the above posts about the nearest police station. I moved to Shard End in 1958 when I was 11 years old, and I can remember a police station on the Chester Rd just by the entrance to Kingshurst. As far as I know that would make it the nearest to Hodge Hill, much closer than Erdington or Acocks Green. I don't know if Castle Bromwich had a police station even a small one. I have attached 2 pics of the former police station Chester Rd, now private property.
View attachment 107362 View attachment 107363
Click to expand...
Hi Terry,
The police station you refer to would have been in Warwickshire In any case, where you were housed as a police officer had no bearing on where you worked. If a house became available and you were in need or next in line you got it irrespective of where you worked.
Old Boy
 
Old Boy said:
Hi Terry,
The police station you refer to would have been in Warwickshire In any case, where you were housed as a police officer had no bearing on where you worked. If a house became available and you were in need or next in line you got it irrespective of where you worked.
Old Boy
Click to expand...

Wasn't Birmingham in Warwickshire at the time, and when they built Chelmsley Wood it was classed as Warwickshire, I know because I bought a house on there and that was the address. Wasn't Castle Bromwich also in Warwickshire? before everything became the West Midlands. Castle Bromwich comes under Solihull now I believe.
 
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