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Sparkhill Congregational Church

F

florence butler

master brummie
Great news for Sparkhill :) Work has just started on the derelict and badly vandalised Congregational Church in Sparkhill opposite Knowle Road, later to become the United Reformed Church. Sold by auction in March, the structure of the Grade 2 listed building is to be restored to it's original condition. The owners are planning a Community centre, a cafe and function rooms - welcoming all.

I'ts lovely to hear a bit of positive news. It made my day, despite the rain....Florence :)
 
Re: Derelict Church Restoration

Thanks for that excellent news, Florence. I spent my childhood at 215 Knowle Road and saw that church every day, though I never actually went inside it. At the end of the war, prefabs were built between the church and the River Cole, later to be replaced by the current permanent housing. As 20th Century churches go, it's quite a nice looking building and I'm sorry to hear that it has been vandalised.

Maurice :cool:
 
Re: Derelict Church Restoration

Hi Maurice...Passed the church today. The roofers have been replacing the damaged tiles with reclaimed ones by the look of it. The building is already starting to look more cared for...

All the best....Florence :)
 
Re: Derelict Church Restoration

Thanks for the news, Florence - I must make a point of trying to visit it when I am over in October.

Maurice :cool:
 
Re: Derelict Church Restoration

Couldn't resist posting this (courtesy of Google's "Little Man"). It certainly has plenty of architectural merit.

I also tried to peep over the top of Stratford Road bridge to see the waterfall, but the Google van obviously wasn't quite tall enough! :D

Maurice :cool:
 
Re: Derelict Church Restoration

I like the picture Maurice....Just back off holiday so I haven't seen the restoration progress for the past couple of weeks....I'll have a look when I next pass.

Florence :)
 
Re: Derelict Church Restoration

An update - The exterior of the building has now been renovated - roof, windows, brick and stonework. Also underground pipework completed. Not sure about the interior...Recently work has slowly been going on to clear the surrounding area and frontage of overgrowth and debris. It is now looking very nice and presentable. So good to a building being restored to it's former glory instead of being torn down. Pity it didn't happen to some of those in the city centre.

Florence
 
Re: Derelict Church Restoration

I have only just seen this thread. It is good news that it is being renovated instead of being demolished.
As you say - it is a shame more were not saved in this way.
Polly :)
 
Re: Derelict Church Restoration

A further update - The whole area around the church has now been landscaped. It's looking very welcoming. Many young trees have been planted - including several palms. Lawns have been laid plus a variety of fencing and paving along with exterior lighting. Worth a look if you are ever in the area!.....This is so uplifting to see after years of slow vandalism and dereliction taking hold. The metal site fencing is still in place as work progresses.

Florence
 
Re: Derelict Church Restoration

Thank you for the update Florence this is so good to hear. I was so upset when they demolished Christ Church in Sparkhill as it was where my grandparents married.
It's always heart warming to hear of old buildings being restored and used for good things. I wish them all the luck in the world with the project.
 
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That is good news Florence :) it sounds as if it is going to look lovely when it is finished. Thanks for letting us know :)
 
Things starting to happen now. There are posters up advertising their new restaurant - coming soon....MUGHAL & AZAM RESTAURANT.

Florence
 
thanks for the info on this our family was associated with this from its inception with my grandfather as organist and my father as church secretary.
 
Hi everybody. Does any one know how the former Sparkhill Congregational Church renovation is coming along? I used to go past it quite regularly, turning left out of Sarehole Road by the College Arms. Much earlier posts refer to attached photographs but I cannot open them (probably pre-hacked vintage). I visited the church about 5 years ago and it was in a very poor state. Thanks for any help. Dave
 
farmerdave said:
Hi everybody. Does any one know how the former Sparkhill Congregational Church renovation is coming along? I used to go past it quite regularly, turning left out of Sarehole Road by the College Arms. Much earlier posts refer to attached photographs but I cannot open them (probably pre-hacked vintage). I visited the church about 5 years ago and it was in a very poor state. Thanks for any help. Dave
Click to expand...

Hi Dave, you can get a view of the outside from googlearth street view which says it is July 2014
Bryan
 
Thanks for the contributions. It's certainly a big transformation from church to a restaurant, but at least the building has not been demolished. Dave
 
If we are talking about Christchurch Grantham Rd Sparkbrook then if you enter Christchurch in the searchbox you will find many mentions on the forum. The church was demolished sometime after being damaged in the Birmingham Tornado of 2005. I believe they have now built a NHS walk in centre on the site.
 
Some of the earlier posts refer to the Sparkhill Congregational Church as being in a poor state about 8-10 years ago but the photographs have disappeared (probably hacked). I did visit the outside of this church in February 2008 and took a few photos (see below). The side facing the river Cole was especially bad. As previous posts have stated, the church has now been restored and is an Indian restaurant. Dave.
bham2008 008.jpg bham2008 009.jpg bham2008 010.jpg bham2008 011.jpg
 
Thanks for the pics, Dave, some changes from when I used to live in Knowle Road in 1940s. That big patch of grass on the left of Colgreave Road was prefabs, opposite is the Tile Warehouse replacing the chemist on the corner, Cox's scrapyard on the opposite corner has been replaced by a now defunct House of Footwear, and just inside Solihull Road the Springfield Cinema has become the House of Furniture, and the Springfield Dance Hall has become Grand Occasions. I have still to see a photograph of the forerunner of the current bridge over the River Cole - one must exist somewhere.

Maurice
 
Thanks, Ell, and at least they have partly covered the collapsed roof, but I don't give a lot for its chances.

Maurice :cool:
 
I think at the time of the fire, I heard about bus diversions, so the 1, 1A and 6 would have had to go a different way at the time.

Hopefully they can repair it. Put sprinklers in or something.
 
Ell,

There wasn't a #6 bus in my day - 37 & 46 BCT routes plus several Midland Reds which had their own stops next to the 1 & 1A stop and, of course, the bundy clock! 31A & 29A went past, but of no use to me going to school.

Maurice :cool:
 
In the last couple of decades we have lost the 31 and 41 bus routes that used to go past here. Although a version of the 31 goes from Acocks Green to Solihull.

There used to be a 37 on the Warwick Road, but that is now the 4 and 4A (from Gospel Oak).

The 1 goes to Five Ways, the 1A to the QE Hospital.

All the old routes got renumbered by whichever bus company was in charge at the time.

Any plans to come back after lockdown ends?
 
My recollection is that the 32 and 37 went past the church and continued to Hall Green parade and beyond. The 1/1A and 31/31A went past the church and up Shaftmoor Lane to Acocks Green. I thought the 41 turned off at the Mermaid, from town, and went along the Warwick Road to Acocks Green.
 
The modern 41 went on the Stratford Road, then went down School Road, Hall Green around a weird route around Gospel Oak towards Solihull. They changed it the 41A and 41C in the 2000s (didn't last long), which only went to Solihull. The 41 stopped going beyond the College Arms to the City Centre. After it ceased to exist, the 6 became my main route.

The modern 37 left the Stratford Road at Warwick Road, but was renumbered to the 4 / 4A a few years ago.



 
Back in BCT dates it was the 44 to Acocks Green and 44A to Lincoln Road North. The 30 (initiated in 1928) was Olton but only went to the city boundary at Olton Boulevard East but was not a frequent service as far as I remember. The original 31 (1930) was an extension to Gospel Lane but was renumbered 31A and 32 (1936) when the route went around the loop of the estate - 31A via Shaftmoor Lane and 32 via Lakey Lane. 1962 saw the 31A renumbered 31. The PTE made some changes re destination blinds.
Route 41 from 1957 was a extension to the 45 which went to Turves Green.
The PTE and successors altered many routes and numbers. Many extensions beyond the city boundaries were now possible and incorporated former Midland Red routes.
 
Hi Ell,

I haven't left Crete since my last trip to the UK in 2014 and I stopped driving last year due to deteriorating eyesight. So I think it unlikely that I'll ever see the UK again as I am now 83. But I do like to see what has changed since I left Brum in 1961 and England in 2005, particularly in the areas I knew outside the centre of the city. Thanks for your photographs, they're a big help.

Maurice :cool:
 
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