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Lightwoods Park, Bearwood

I had the opportunity to make a photographic record of the building and its interior last autumn immediately prior to it's return to Sandwell from Birmingham. I spent a whole day systematically photographing each room, from top to bottom recording its condition and noting any significant points. At the time the building was vacant. It is in poor condition both internally and externally and is in need of restoration, however as previously posted, demolition is not an option as it is a Grade 2 Listed building. I am looking forward to the restoration scheme that I hope will restore it to its former glory and have a useful purpose for the people.
 
Just by way of an update, I have just picked this up from Smethwick Local History Society

"Lightwoods Park
Sandwell MBC has set aside £1.25M for the restoration project with a further £80k p.a. being allocated for annual maintenance. Much needed refurbishment work has now begun on Lightwoods House and an enthusiastic 'Friends' group has been set up to help decide the future of the park and house. A highly successful event was held on 2nd May attended by around 10,000 people and this Society had a stall there selling our publications. Several members of this Society usually attend meetings of the 'Friends of Lightwoods Park' at which we try to ensure that local history is kept prominently on the agenda."

More details can be found here; https://www.smethwicklocalhistory.co.uk/#/news/4538063427
 
Last I saw passing by on the Hagley Road, think the scaffolding had come down, and it has a new fence / barrier around it.

Could you post some of those photos here kdharrison?
 
To clarify the pub names in the area. As was pointed out to me some years ago you could pub craw on "The Quinton 9" as we always called the bus as there was a pub at every stop. Starting from the New Talbot, you had the Kings Head, the Dog, the Cock & Magpies (now a Harvester), the Beech Tree (later the Bass House now the Amber Tavern) and after that there was a gap to the Holly Bush. The Dog and Cock & Magpies stops have now been merged.
 
Thanks for this lovely picture LLoyd, I have happy memories of Dad putting his remote control boat on there in the Summers of the 1950's. Unfortunately it has been made into a skateboard park now....not so pretty!!

It is sad to see also the pictures of the interior of the house, it has become very rundown since the open day a couple of years ago.

rosie
 
Thanks for this lovely picture LLoyd, I have happy memories of Dad putting his remote control boat on there in the Summers of the 1950's.
rosie

I have a not-so-happy memory of riding my bike down the steep path from the house, the brake failing and my riding straight into the lake! I was taken to the keeper's office (left hand door in this ell brown shot) to dry out in front of a roaring coal fire until my dad came with some dry clothes for me!
 
The children go down that steep path now and straight onto the skate/bikepark!! You have to have your wits about you when walking around there now!!

I use to paddle there but only with plastic sandals on because of the broken glass. One lad cut himself badly and Mum had to help him. I've still got a scar in the form of a dimple where I was pushing someone on the swings. I didn't duck as I walked away and got a black eye.
 
Thanks Ell for the pictures. Lightwoods House looking very good from the road at night as they are floodlighting it at present. Probably good for security
 
In the early 1950's we called it the "Sons of Rest". It was such a big treat to buy ice-cream there in the summer while Dad sailed his remote controlled boat which he made from plans. I paddled there too in the place where they are starting to build a new skatepark. The building was also used as a military hospital in WW1.

By the entrance there used to be all sorts of birds in an aviary.

Please go again when the blossom comes out, as you walk through the entrance it's so beautiful.


I think I can remember having ice creams from there, we lived nearby at one time, I always assoccoated the building with "clunky" wooden floors, wasnt there a cafe/tea room in the lower floor?
 
The cafe was to the left of the front door and had its own doorway since closed and converted to a window on the left hand corner. The Sons of Rest had their club room inside the front door to the right. I don't know what was upstairs in those days. The house was closed for many years and the Sons of Rest moved to a wooden hut round the side off Adkins Lane but that go burnt down. John Harman had the house for many years but they have now gone to the Jewellery Quarter.
 
Farrell. Lightwood Park..jpgFarrell, Lightwoods Park..jpg

These are a couple of pictures of my brother and sister in lightwoods park about 1952/3. What lovely memories of this park. This was where the family would spend a whole day together, dad worked 6 days a week, so it was great to have him with us. At this time we lived in Elizabeth Crescent, Warley . we left home with picnic, crossed the Norman road, and cut through Warley Woods and into lightwoods park. We would paddle in the pond and play on the swings, i hated the cobweb, which i flew off once. (no health and safety in those days). I wasn't keen on the umberella either. The days always seemed sunny and O so long. We would start off home again and pass the pub i think it was called the Abbey and have a glass of pop, great i can still taste it. We would get back home exhausted.
 
Lovely memories, this is about the same era when I used to play in it, up to about 1957. The pool was a health hazard though!
 
hi can recall lightoods park as well ; when we was little kids a gang of us twelve years old from ladywood ;used to go there on a sunday afternon
we would watch th posh kidswith there dads sailing these precious little boats sailing around the pond whils we was paddling ;
i surpose it was we never had one but what we did we got out of the pond after thee fathers started shouting to us get out of the way
so we got out alright then we would start throwing stones at the posh kids boats there parents would get ngry and shout abuse to us
across the water ; we shouted back to them then we would scarper ; but when i think back later in life how pathic we was ; but when you are young i do not think about things like that ; it was the case of being and mixing with the wrong crowd ;
but i will certainly that when i became an adult i crtainly brought my kids up respectfuly and prevented them for falling fowl like i did as a kid
they never got into any scrapes or fights and never used bad swear word ; and to this da they are still the same polite guys and well mannnord ;
and they do not do the pub and clubs scene or smoke nor dope ; work hard and save hard ;
best wishes astonian;;
 
Astonian, you made me laugh.......my Dad had a remote-control boat which he made from a kit, and we went to Lightwoods to sail it while I paddled!!! (About 1956 I guess).
No, we didn't have any stones thrown so that's OK, but Dad wouldn't have shouted at you, he would have prefererred to show you how it worked.
We certainly weren't posh though, Dad used to save threepenny-bits in a jar to pay for the batteries it needed, and we walked there and back with the boat on a converted push-chair to save money on bus fares.
My brother has still got it, but my little home-made yacht gave up along time ago!
The pond is a skate-park now, at least it's being used for something useful I suppose.
 
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