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Pype Hayes Park

Some photos of the derelict Pype Hayes Hall. Saw it during an Xmas Day morning walk of the park.

All fenced off from the park.







Went a bit further along the path for a look at the back of the house.



Sad to see it like this. The council should restore it and all the other buildings on site, not leaving it to rot!
 
Well it has the appearance of something happening, but it appears to be in such a state that if they don't get a move on, it could crumble around them. Of course, the Council's Planning Department could be the people that are delaying things. I presume that by now plans must have been submitted if only for outline change of use?

Maurice
 
The last planning applications I could find for Pype Hayes Hall are dated 2014 and are for the demolition of an outbuilding and a WW2 air raid shelter.
 
sospiri said:
Well it has the appearance of something happening, but it appears to be in such a state that if they don't get a move on, it could crumble around them. Of course, the Council's Planning Department could be the people that are delaying things. I presume that by now plans must have been submitted if only for outline change of use?

Maurice
Click to expand...

Maurice have you seen my reply to post 31 ?
 
what a shame...yet another sad sight to add to the the growing list...given the location the building may have made a good hotel

lyn
 
WilliamStreeter,

Yes, I have, and the apparent lack of much happening is what worries me! It's going to need more than a few bods to do all the work in converting that big a site. I also worry about things like proper security, because it doesn't look very secure and someone opposed to it could seemingly easily torch it one night, and that could be a tragedy.

Maurice
 
There's a playground nearby.



The hall is Grade II listed. Not sure if the outbuildings are covered though.

Some other views I saw.







 
Went back to Pype Hayes Park, and saw the other side of the derelict Pype Hayes Hall.

First off the outbuildings.





This side of the hall from the garden (out of season so not much to see).



The main side facing Chester Road.







From the path to Chester Road.

 
Pype Hayes hall was sold at auction by the council a few years ago. When the council got into trouble from equal pay, which cost them about 700 million. It would not sell and had be entered at each auction until it sold. Not sure of the figure it sold for (Bigwoods auction house sold it, they have all previous auction results on their site if anyone wants to check, from memory it sold for around £300,000), but I know it was sold on a 120 year lease with conditions in the lease. One being the stable roofs had to be re-tiled, this work has been done.

Seems strange that nothing else has happened since.

The park gate house was sold at auction also. around £180,000 from memory. I think this is now lived in.
 
Last edited:
neil324 said:
Pype Hayes hall was sold at auction by the council a few years ago. When the council got into trouble from equal pay, which cost them about 700 million. It would not sell and had be entered at each auction until it sold. Not sure of the figure it sold for (Bigwoods auction house sold it, they have all previous auction results on their site if anyone wants to check, from memory it sold for around £300,000), but I know it was sold on a 120 year lease with conditions in the lease. One being the stable roofs had to be re-tiled, this work has been done.

Seems strange that nothing else has happened since.

The park gate house was sold at auction also. around £180,000 from memory. I think this is now lived in.
Click to expand...

Neil324 PHH was bought by an ex school mate of mine a few years ago , he was interviewed on tv and said he was turning it into a hotel his two sons seem to have taken over doing the work , as far as I'm aware it's still going to be a hotel
 
nickcc101 said:
My Brother in Law was a based at Pype Hayes and lived in one of the two cottages on the Chester road. His team also maintained the hanging baskets and roundabout displays in that area. He later moved to Perth in Scotland where he now owns his own business, nothing to do with his previous job though.
Click to expand...
Do you mean the cottages n the corner of Eachelhurst road? we live there !
 
Thanks Nick for coming back so quickly, if you do speak to Alan, will you pass on thanks for our lovely fabulous garden please? It's the light of my life (After grandaughter that is)tell him we joined the little one to the main one, and we love it. Felt as though we'd won a prize when we moved in, still do...
 
Alan visited last week, still living in Scotland. He always loved his gardening and had worked for the Parks department at Brookvale when I first met him after I started going out with his Sister in 1970. Alan had the extension built for his Mother to live in but after sometime decided that a change in location and job was the way to go. Glad you are happy there, the location certainly improved once the public toilets had been demolished.
 
We used to live in a prefab next to Pype Hayes park, what a great time I had playing with my friends and exploring the park. Its hard to believe now but at 5 years old we would wander all round the park and the only worry was getting home late or with wet feet when I would get a telling off !
 
I will write more as soon as, but briefly we lived very close to the park. It was surrounded by prefabs, Tyburn Monarchs played baseball there. Terrible sloping footie pitches over the back, we used to get changed for matches in the barn type buildings next to the hall. Does anybody remember the Birmingham Parks fishing competitions? My big brother won it once but best I could manage was 3rd. I got a quid prize money though. Brilliant! As promised I will write more. For info my name is Graham Thorne and we lived at 103 Gunter Road. Happy days.
 
Here's another quick throwaway about the park. Anyone remember the pond? I had some long and happy hours around that pond. It even had various name parts, eg the Wall( full of lilly pads with the occasional jack pike laying in wait) and the Well( quite deep and great for perch).
As a youngster with my big brother Alan keeping a watchful eye, I walked across the pond whilst it was frozen over. The crazy things you do and tell your kids not to do. Anyway many, many years later there was murder enquiry going on involving the "Orphanage" (Pype Hayes Hall) as it was known as locally. My friend's twin sister worked there and kept me posted. That murder is a story in it's own right concerning some unbelievable coincidences to a murder committed many years or so earlier in incredibly similar circumstances. It is worthy of research believe me. Well, as a result of the current enquiry the police had drained the pond looking for evidence. For all the wrong and unfortunate reasons a great hole lay before me totally removing the mysteries of the deep and great Pype Hayes pond. Needless to say that I then walked across the pond whilst it was dry as I had many years earlier when it was frozen over. I just wish that opportunity had occured for better reasons.
Last note, I think I read a mention in the thread of the "Brook". Now that's a story for another day because I remember the "Brook" as the "Paddler" and in it's original natural form without the stone based sides. Another day, another memory. Catch up soon. GT
 
fascinating story about the murder graham...do you know about what year it happened i will try and find out something about it

lyn
 
Haven't got much time at sec' but will try to find out (remember). But here's a couple of snippets that do spring to mind but will need verification. Both "culprits" were both thought to be surnamed Thornton. Both "victims" worked at the Hall.
The young girl from our time was found lain down outside a prefab almost opposite Marshbrooke Road. I think I am right in saying that neither of the culprits were convicted truly due to lack of evidence. I think the earlier of the two culprits was one of the last people to remove his glove and fling it down when charged. You might remember this as the saying "Throwing down the gauntlet". Apparently that's how they used to lodge an appeal in those days. Incredible isn't it. The Tyburn House also gets mentioned in proceedings, I am not sure if he didn't do a bit of bragging in there. That's a bit of an appetizer for research don't you think?
punch in Thornton, Pype Hayes Hall and light the blue touchpaper. See how you go. Best wishes, GT
 
Was it this:
In May 1974 the body of Barbara Forrest, a child-care worker, was found in the grounds of Pype Hayes. After a long police investigation, Michael Thornton was identified as a suspect and interviewed by senior detectives. Thornton worked at the same children's home as Barbara and was eventually charged with her murder
www.birminghammail.co.uk

The chilling links between two brutal murders 160 years apart

Both women, aged 20, were killed returning from dances, their bodies left in the same spot.
www.birminghammail.co.uk www.birminghammail.co.uk
 
pjmburns said:
Was it this:
In May 1974 the body of Barbara Forrest, a child-care worker, was found in the grounds of Pype Hayes. After a long police investigation, Michael Thornton was identified as a suspect and interviewed by senior detectives. Thornton worked at the same children's home as Barbara and was eventually charged with her murder
www.birminghammail.co.uk

The chilling links between two brutal murders 160 years apart

Both women, aged 20, were killed returning from dances, their bodies left in the same spot.
www.birminghammail.co.uk www.birminghammail.co.uk
Click to expand...
Right on the button, that's the one. Seems horrible to be even posting about doesn't it. Good one for sourcing it. I think I'll stick to warmer memories from now on. Just shows though that nasty evillness can creep into the most innocent of places.
Anyone remember the circus coming to the park? I remember being fascinated by the size of the elephant poo left on the cycle path!!
The fair was also a regular at the park. That's where I had first encounter with the "Rota". Now that ride left your trousers well and truly hitched. Lol.
 
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