Pheasey Estate

[Shortie]

I have received a letter today from an acquaintance in Birmingham, whose aunt has just gone into a home in Somerset. Her aunt, who seems to have recently been diagnosed with dementia, has told her that the house at Pheasey in which she lived (which she owned) was used by the American Army during the war. Does anyone know if there is any truth in this. Also the house was apparebntly built without a kitchen, which I find odd.

Apparently the aunt purchased the house about 1946 - so did the American Army own some of the houses? I always believed that Pheasey was Council owned. I am thinking that some of this information might have been a figment of the aunt's imagination, and my acquaintance would like to know if there is any truth in this. Can anyone help please?

 

[oldMohawk]

Hi Shortie - Have a look through the thread here it has some pics in it. I visited an Aunt on the Pheasey during those times.
oldmohawk

 

[oldMohawk]

The post here gives a good account about the Pheasey Estate

 

[Shortie]

Thank you Old Mohawk, that answers most of the questions. I shall print the history off for my acquaintance.

Excellent stuff

Shortie

 

[ColinB]

There's an interesting book about the estate and the American army
"They Also Serve Who Stand And Wait" by Fran & Martin Collins,
(A history of Pheasey Farms U.S. Army Replacement Depot, sub depot of the 10th Replacement Depot 1942/1945)
published by Brewin Books.

Colin

 

[Shortie]

Thanks Colin - I shall mention that to my correspondent and perhaps she will buy it. It will give her something to do, anyway!

 

[Astonian]

Hi shortie;
yes so did i myself had a auntie whom lived in the estate she lived half way down the hill from the bus termisus
when it was the number 29 bus from the city down through hockley brook and down oxill rd route
and there used to be a copper on point duty on the centre of hockley brook wearing his big white plastic mac
and gloves directing and controlling the traffic in those days he used to wear a badge on it [ christ knows what the badge was ]
but as a young nipper of about ten i used to walk from lichfield rd aston ; to hockley brook
and i used to follow the bus route to the theasey estate and many a times i got stopped by a police officier and asked where are you
son and does your mother know where you are i either said no or yes to him because it was a regular thing i done every sunday
morning ,thats if it was not raining of course and more often than not if he was a concerning copper he would get it reported to the station afrom his blue police box and get the station to go and inform my parents from victoria police station
my auntie was fairly comfortable with a posh house semi compared to our back to back slum house ; one up and one down .
With bugs and cockroaches all over the place and the sqealing pigs of thompsons behind the living room wall ;
auntie would always give me a dinner and pudding with them and my cousin whom was posh . I felt out of place at the dinner table
then my posh cousin roy wouldget his train set out ; and his cars at the end of the day she would take me up the rd and put me back on the twenty nine bus back to the brook and get the penny ride back on the eight to the as when reaching back at 5/92 lichfield rd mother would go barmy ;and said i have told you not to go there again but i always did ;
roy my posh cousin became an actor at the stratford thearter and i have not seen him in forty or fifty years since
i could have lived there myself on the estate had my auntie adopted me like she wanted to do so from my mother
but my mom said very sorry you cannot adopted him so i was brought up in the slums ;
still my uncle was a post master general; he was a nice guy and i had happy memories of the days of the estate of yester years
have a nice day best wioshes astonian

 

[Shortie]

Hi Astonian, I remember it was the No 29 bus to Pheasey. I am presuming my acquaintances aunt's memory of the houses having no kitchens is a figment of her imagination, which is what I thought anyway. I used to live in Great Barr myself, but Hamstead end, and although I know Collingwood Drive, I did not realise that was Pheasey. Again, a good story from you, always interesting to read. Shortie

 

[ColinB]

Also the house was apparebntly built without a kitchen, which I find odd.

Not sure if a scullery counts as a kitchen.
Taken from the book.

Colin

 

[Shortie]

Thanks Colin - this is, however, just about the same plan for each semi that was built between say 1930 and the 1960's, and I would imagine scullery is what the kitchen may have been called - perhaps there was a Triplex grate for cooking in the living room, like most Council Houses built from the 1920's onwayrds and the kitchen only used for the washing up and preparation, hence being called the scullery. I shall send this cutting to my correspondent and she can work it out for herself. Cheers Shortie

 

[Dave M]

Some of the properties was built four in a block such as Cotman Close, entry in the middle, access via the rear door, toilet on the right, coal house in front as you entered, left into the living room also used as the kitchen all in one, on the right looking towards the front there was a small storage area, front room hardly used at all.

 

[oldMohawk]

My memory of the Pheasey is that the houses were virtually the same as those on the Beeches Estate where I lived, and were owned by the strict First National Housing Trust.
They had two downstairs rooms, a frontroom not used much, and a backroom about 10ft square known as the 'kitchen' but really a room for cooking, eating, washing, and sitting. The backroom had a chimmney breast with open fire grate and oven, and to the left was a cupboard and drawers. On the other side of the fire grate was a gas cooker and in another corner a crock sink, and old gas boiler for the wash, and a clothes rack which could be lowered from the ceiling.
Next to the kitchen was a lavoratory, coal house, and a pantry.
When the housing trust sold the houses to the tenants, most people moved the toilet upstairs to the bathroom, a coal house was built outside, and the area converted into what would now be recognised as kitchen. The old 'kitchen' then became a normal living room.

It's funny how a thread brings up a memory, one that has suddenly come to me is of my sister, mom and me in the 'kitchen' on a rainy afternoon doing a jigsaw puzzle and singing along to a tune on the 'wireless' Pedro the Fisherman, which maybe dates it, but enough nostalgia for now.

 

[Shortie]

Thanks DaveM and OldMohawk, as I thought, similar to the Council built properties in Birmingham circa 1920/30 - very like the one I was born in, in fact. I think this completely answers my question.

Shortie

 

[Dashers]

I was born in Hillingford Avenue and went to school at Collingwood Drive School that is now some community type building. I remember well how the main hall still has the 'projector' room above the doors and was told that is where the US Solidiers watched their films. As far as I know it is still there today.

Paul

 

[Dave M]

I was born in Hillingford Avenue and went to school at Collingwood Drive School that is now some community type building. I remember well how the main hall still has the 'projector' room above the doors and was told that is where the US Solidiers watched their films. As far as I know it is still there today.

Paul

Paul yes still there, will have a look for any pics, what year did you leave the School 69 myself Dave

 

[Dave M]

Found some pics, outside and inside, looks like they have sealed up the holes to the projector room.

 

[Dave M]

Last few

 

[Dave M]

Pheasey Estate 13th January 1995

 

[oldMohawk]

Although not too clear, the old Asda which shared the building with 'Do-It-All' can be seen.

 

[Tentative46]

When were the houses in hillingford avenue built.
Where did all the bricks come from all down one side of road