• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

ERDINGTON ALMSHOUSES/WORKHOUSE/HIGHCROFT HOSPITAL

Luckcocks Lane could be what is now Highcroft Road. In the Lane in 1876 there was a Mere Cottage, and on the 1880s map there is a Mere House.
On 1904 map Highcroft Road is labelled Union Road - presumably after Union Workhouse. It is Union Road on 1920 map but Highcroft Road by 1937 map - nothing online in between.
 
Last edited:
In 1844 a sensation at Erdington, when a man attempted to murder his daughter, Luckcocks Lane within a mile of Erdington. He struck her on the head and cut her throat. She was removed to the Queen's Head, and the man found in
Slade Road and taken to the Erdington lock-up. Overnight he strangled himself, and after the inquest it was said that the girl was out of danger.
 
Lyn - can't find a well but the map in #6 shows a "P" and this could indicate the site of a pump to raise water from the well into storage tanks. There is a description of something similar at the Birmingham Union Workhouse'
1612181378664.png
 
That seems to solve the well discussion.
The publication I cited in post 26 states the Lococks lane is now Reservoir Road
 
Lyn - can't find a well but the map in #6 shows a "P" and this could indicate the site of a pump to raise water from the well into storage tanks. There is a description of something similar at the Birmingham Union Workhouse'
View attachment 152467

great jan i did look at that but didnt connect it to a well...i wonder if it possible to pin point in today world the exact spot

lyn
 
Very tricky as I think that part of the building has long gone. I did check basement plans on 2003 conversion planning application but no well and, of course, only main building survives. Laptop off at minute will look later unless someone beats me to it.
 
Very tricky as I think that part of the building has long gone. I did check basement plans on 2003 conversion planning application but no well and, of course, only main building survives. Laptop off at minute will look later unless someone beats me to it.

thanks jan im a tad busy for the next couple of days so anything you find would be good

lyn
 
Right Lyn - using your favourite sliding blue button. The "p" is inside the building above the "m" of the word infirmary.
maps
 
Using Mike’s 1939 plan in post #26 it looks like “P” probably became part of Block C - see my yellow dot. Or it might have been a little bit lower than the dot.

So whatever it was it’s quite likely it would have been incorporated into that block (and so in a covered in area by that time ?). I notice there’s a very small oblong feature marked next to my yellow dot. Was this the “P” ? Or was it lower ?

The earlier map with “P” marked seems to have been maked with a black dot alongside a small building, and so at that time “P” was possibly outside. Be interesting to know what the small building to the left of “P” was. Might give a clue as to what “P” was.

Viv.D0CE3360-FD01-4253-B228-7C712D124AF8.jpeg
D1B5DE0F-36FD-4AF1-A942-29BF2C325339.jpeg
 
Last edited:
I expect the best we can do at the moment then Janice is note that whatever it was it was close to/inside/alongside Block C. Viv.
 
Last edited:
Roughly but think it might be a bit above the green as I think it was where the black walls are on that map - yes Lyn. As Viv says - probably best we can do for now.
 
Last edited:
Good Day, I am joining this thread more by coincidence as a very occasional visiting member. Highcroft Road replaced Union Road in 1932, at the time Birmingham City Council replaced the Poor Law Unions and started to rename the former workhouses as institutions , nursing homes, infirmaries etc. for which it took responsibility

Lockdown has given me time to bring back for sale, brand new copies of the book HIGHCROFT:FROM WORKHOUSE TO MODERN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE published in 2001. Edited by the late Mike Hinson and produced by a group of us, former colleagues at Highcroft its history is described in 72 pages ( A4 binding )and over 30 photos or illustrations. Price reduced to £5 plus £2.50 postage I would be happy to post a copy. Proceeds will continue to go to the Mental Health Trust charitable funds.
I will prepare a separate post with more detail and a picture. Sorry I don't have more detail about the 'P' which may have served as an external pump for the gardening teams.
Julian C.
also on [email protected]
 
The assumption that the Pump (P) represents a main water supply comes from the 1867 description. Water obtained from a deep well on the premises by means of rotary pumps. (Post 37)
 
I remember the water tower at Highcroft Hospital, it was in the vicinity of the laundry. The tank on the top was a Braithwaite tank, they were a sectional bolt together tank to the size you want.

There were quite a few of them around Birmingham, there was one on Goosemore Lane for the laundry too.

The hospital may have had their own well and pumped from that. Most certainly a hospital would need a reliable water supply. Around the time the workhouse was built, there may not have been a constant water supply in Birmingham.

The early water supplies were not constant and often only operated on certain days or over limited hours of the day. Therefore, lots of houses and factorise had a water storage tank in the roof or up a tower. This would allow the storage volume to build up and even out demand.

The problems with this intermittent supply were when the water was cut off there was a tendency for polluted ground water to be sucked into the water supply pipes. People were still useing cesspits, therefore constant water supplies eventually became the norm.

There were of course problems associated with water tanks in lofts too. Dead birds and rats often found their way into these tanks and could cause problems. This is actually the reason why mixer taps were not very common in the UK early on; they were seen as a possible source of mains water pollution.

Most older houses would have a single drinking water tap on the kitchen sink. The other cold-water taps being supplied by the cold-water header tank in the loft. This tank then fed the hot water cylinder too. Its why your parents would say don’t drink form the hot water taps.

I did a lot of work modifying water supplies to houses and multi-story blocks of flats around Birmingham.
 
In my post #33 the press cutting describes the site of the laundry, drying area etc. And it’s marked on the 1939 map as above Block D. Somewhere thereabouts is another potential location for a well/water source. Viv.
 
Luckcocks Lane could be what is now Highcroft Road. In the Lane in 1876 there was a Mere Cottage, and on the 1880s map there is a Mere House.
hi folks looking for any photos of mere house...many thanks

lyn
 
Back
Top