Hamstead Hall and Water Mill

[Charlie]

Not very good photographs I'm afraid, had to photograph them from a book of cuttings by Bernard A. Porter F.R.I.B.A., writing in the late 1930s/early 1940s:

....Building started on Hamstead Hall in 1775, instigated by George Birch, a descendant by marriage from the Wryley family, lords of the manor of Handsworth. The Hall was demolished in 1936
The original Manor House was situated near to the now dried-up mill pool at the bottom of Hamstead Hill. The remains of the foundations of this old house were brought to light during sewering operations in Sept. 1933. The probable date of these foundations was 1450-1500.
Concerning the original water mill- the structure demolished in June 1936 appears to have been a rebuilding of about the same time as the Hall (1776) or probably a little earlier.

 

[Astoness]

thanks for posting these pics charlie..a delight to see but sad that they are no longer here...

lyn

 

[glynis]

I live quite near there and have been wondering where Hamstead Hall would have been!! The estate I live on is where the colliery was, my grndad worked here for years before I was born!!

 

[Charlie]

I know that estate Glynis, and I watched it being built - my cousin lives not far away. Just think of the history you walk on every day!
I used to take a bottle of pop and some jam sandwiches up to the Colliery, and have a picnic wiv me mates. This would be about 1950.

 

[Charlie]

Dr. Plot, writing in 1685 says "At Hamstead there is a corn mill that pumps water up into a lofty house near it, whence all the offices of the hall (the Manor House) are served, the pump working as the mill-wheel goes to grind the corn, much after the same manner as at the water-house near the bridge at London".
and:
"The Wyrley's: from 1290, throughout the next four centuries, their name appears on records as being the chief family in Handsworth, and eventually, in the reign of Charles II (1680), Sir John Wyrley purchased the whole of the Manor from Richard Best, of Perry (who had bought it 21 years before from the Stamford family), and became full Lord of the Manor."

 

[sylvia]

Re: Hamstead Hall
My Gt.Grandfather Charles Kirkham leased Hamstead Hall from 1881 to1884. He opened the grounds as an entertainment garden. Attractions were boating, fishing, the hermits cave complete with hermit, clowns. a glee party, gymnasts and a huge whale carried on railway lorries placed end to end. There was also a lady with a glorious head of hair which she plaited and was so long that the plait was attached to a miniature lorry which she trailed after her as she walked. Charles didn't make the money he had hoped for and in 1884 gave up the lease. Information kindly supplied by the Handsworth Historical Society.

 

[Donp777]

I lived in Spouthouse lane then moved on to the Estate we called it the Geordie estate,i remember playing on the old slag heap before they flattened it for the estate, the old brick works was another play ground for us kids, happy days, the actual site of the colliery site was the bottom of spouthouse Lane, you would never think today that there was ever any coal mining there.

 

[izzy eckerslike]

Charlie


Hamstead mill is missing from & needs adding to the national mill database regardless of whether it still exists or not : UKMills - For all Wind and Water Mills of the UK

 

[Di.Poppitt]

I was born in Hamstead and my memories of it as it was in the 40's / 50's are of the miners walking home from the pit and calling in at the Beaufort for a quick pint before giing home.Wearing a suit jacket and a muffler tied round their neck and a cap on their heads - do you get the picture. I don't have any recollection of the Mill, it must have been somewhere near the cave and I never went near to it, my mom threatened me with a smacking if she found out I had been, and for once I listened. I love this old painting of the Mill, I can't recall who the painter was or where I found it, I just save it on my computer to look at when I am feeling a bit blue.

 

[Wendy]

Di what lovely memories of growing up in Hamstead. My brothers have memories of growing up in that area but I was only 18 months old when we moved to Four Oaks. The painting is lovely and brings such imagination of how the area would have been. Thanks for posting the painting it's lovely.

 

[stevethemorrisman]

I know this thread is about Hamstead Hall - but my mom and her family, along with several other families lived for a few years in a "Hamstead House"...I have recently seen a photo copy of a sketch and picture from a book about Victorian Hamstead, it looked quite magificent, almost a Georgian Mansion house. I believe part of the house was damaged when a bomb exploded nearby during WW2. Does anyone know the Vinal family or Hamstead House (as opposed to Hamstead Hall)

 

[Shortie]

Di, I think the painting is by John Joseph Hughes. I have commenced researching this man for my book as he is buried at Key Hill. He was married to another landscape painter and was also a Councillor for Handsworth. He lived in Villa Road.

I also lived just up from Hamstead - Claverdon Drive, off Stanton Road, which is between the Durham (or Geordie) Estate and the Hamstead Pub. I am now wondering if the Hamstead pub was a farmhouse originally or a hall? It's certainly of Georgian origin.

Shortie

 

[Di.Poppitt]

Hi Shortie, just caught up with your post. Thanks for the name of the painter, I can't believe I could have saved a painting without noting the artists name. I do have old Hamstead maps somewhere on my computer, I will try to find out about the Hamstead, we go there occasiionally for a family meet up. I don't think any of the family used it, they went to The Beaufort or The Maltshovell out on the Newton Road or The Scott Arms.

 

[Rupert]

This mill has been on here before and have looked at it a time or two...a fair size building but could never find much of a head of water...maybe 10 feet at most, but GEing elevations is not very accurate although the 1890 survey does not show much head either. It must have been a breast shot wheel I think at best. Stll in use a long time and gaining head around the Midlands usually required a lot of digging and long leats and fleams and weirs...perhaps they constructed a weir up stream. The dam bank would have to be higher though.

 

[Shortie]

Hi Di

I suspect the Hamstead was a farm house, but not sure - we used to go there before we were married and we have been there recently, too, en-route to mother in law's. My father in law used to regularly go to the Beaufort - he was in a choir and several used to meet up there on a Saturday night. I think I remember going a couple of times - we sat in the 'Coal Hole', but I don't remember much about it. Mother in law lives round the corner (literally) from the Garden Gate, I don't know why they did not meet there. We did go to the Malt Shovel, but I think only once, but the Newton, which is opposite (not called that now), we went a few times. Odd me naming all these pubs, my drinking is limited to a glass of wine on a Sunday with my lunch, and I never touched a drop until I was 43.

I intend to get out of the car and photograph the entrance to Handsworth Wood Station for you one day, but it will have to be when the traffic is quiet, I can't run like I used to be able to!

Shortie

 

[dek carr]

I never touched a drop until I was 43.
Shortie do you think this stopped your growth The Newton is now called the Ashbury Tavern his house is almost opposite although i don,t know much about him maybe someone will enlighten me on his history. Dek

 

[Pedrocut]

Hamstead Hall and Mill from OS Map of around 1886

 

[mikejee]

Here is a photo of Hamstead hall in 1937

 

[Richard Dye]

Here is a photo of Hamstead hall in 1937

View attachment 169386

Mike, as a point of reference, Hamsted Rd starting at Villa Rd where would Hamsted Hall be? I have looked at Pedro’s maps but cannot pin point.

 

[mikejee]

Here is a map of Hamstead c c1902, showing Hamstead Hall



On a Google view , its position would be where the red splodge is below

 

[Richard Dye]

Here is a map of Hamstead c c1902, showing Hamstead Hall

View attachment 169390

On a Google view , its position would be where the red splodge is below
View attachment 169391

Thank you! I can remember Beauchamp Ave & the River Tame

 

[Vivienne14]

A few newspaper snippets relating to the Hall going back to the 18th century. These emerged while looking at the Birch’s connection to the Lamp/Handsworth Tavern link here :

Lamp Tavern Handsworth

If there is a connection of Mary Birch (but of course more likely her husband James Birch) to Wyrley Birch this can be traced to Hamstead Hall - once the Manor House. Or is it just a coincidence ? Viv

birminghamhistory.co.uk

Source: British Newspaper Archive

 

[Vivienne14]

An image of the Hall and a couple of the Mill from the Library of Birmingham Archives.

Viv.



Source: Library of Birmingham