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Sutton Park entrance fees

Certainly in operation from at least April 1865. And vehicles were still being charged in 1967. Looks like residents were exempt, but proposals to charge residents were under consideration. Viv.
 

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And no charges before September 1863. Viv.
 

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As I recall it stopped when Sutton was taken over by Birmingham some time in the early 70's. It was only a couple of pence entry, residents of Sutton Coldfield would get in for free. They were given a sticker for the car windscreen, a small logo with the year on.

For the old Sutton council, it must have been an incredibly inefficient thing to do. There were 4 or 5 gates that collected an entry free, all needing to be fully staffed including weekends. Some of the gate staff lived in a cottage by the gate too.
 
Many thanks, I remember it was 2p in old money, and you could buy a tiny little booklet with a fold out map of the park.
 
3d when we were kids in the 1940s although at times there was no one on the gate to collect it. (Banner's Gate.)
 
There was a proposed ban on all charges (and cars) in November 1973 - it was due to be implemented the following Aoril, so 1974. Viv.
 

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I do recall using the park as a short cut in my car occasionally
 
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Are you a time lord then Morturn? I'd like to be able to use the past as a short cut!
 
Mike I sense you’re practising for that stand-up comedy slot at the next meet-up ! Viv.
 
Did the park admission charges cease in 1974 when Sutton became part of Birmingham. I certainly don't remember paying anything after then only parking charges (I think).

Sutton Park Notice Admission Prices.jpg
 
I thought that you were only able to go a short distance into the park now before you came to a barrier across the road no matter what gate you entered by. It's been at least a couple of years since I visited the park, but there certainly were no short cuts across the park by road then. I tried to get to the Toby Restaurant via Banners Gate and I had to turn back and drive around the park to use the Town gate.
 
mikejee said:
Are you a time lord then Morturn? I'd like to be able to use the past as a short cut!
Click to expand...

I need to enguage warp.... err brain first

Phil said:
I thought that you were only able to go a short distance into the park now before you came to a barrier across the road no matter what gate you entered by. It's been at least a couple of years since I visited the park, but there certainly were no short cuts across the park by road then. I tried to get to the Toby Restaurant via Banners Gate and I had to turn back and drive around the park to use the Town gate.
Click to expand...

You could drive right through the park but they stopped that in the 70's
 
In the 1960's I lived very close to the Royal Oak Gate not far from the Parson & Clerk public house. All the gate houses used to have thatched roofs and the Park Keepers wore a green uniform with a peak cap Yes, every gate was manned and two or three extra staff used to ride around the park on bicycles.
Sutton residents could also collect wood which had fallen from the trees, at Christmas time Dad would remove the gas fire from the front room and I would collect pine branches and cones to burn- gave off a wonderful smell.This all changed in the 1970's. The Park Keepers went,the thatched roofs went and I felt the Park never fully recovered after the Scout Jamboree. Still have my wonderful memories though-couldn't take that away. Mike.
 
As far as I'm aware there is still a charge (£1, I believe) on Sundays, if you visit by car. When I was a nipper we'd just sneak in through a hole in the fence or hedge somewhere, and avoid the 3d charge.

G
 
The Town Gate before and after for Mike Bond, this was the gate I always used as it was handy to the railway station which was our means of transport from the Vauxhall & Duddeston station in the 1950's.

Town Gate (2).jpg
 
Mike Bond said:
In the 1960's I lived very close to the Royal Oak Gate not far from the Parson & Clerk public house. All the gate houses used to have thatched roofs and the Park Keepers wore a green uniform with a peak cap Yes, every gate was manned and two or three extra staff used to ride around the park on bicycles.
Sutton residents could also collect wood which had fallen from the trees, at Christmas time Dad would remove the gas fire from the front room and I would collect pine branches and cones to burn- gave off a wonderful smell.This all changed in the 1970's. The Park Keepers went,the thatched roofs went and I felt the Park never fully recovered after the Scout Jamboree. Still have my wonderful memories though-couldn't take that away. Mike.
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That brought a whole load of memories, the 'parkies' in their green uniforms and stiff peaked caps, those who rode around the park on their bikes. I was born and lived the first three years of my life in Sutton, but in 1939 we crossed the road into Birmingham but I did go to to Bishop Veseys in 1947, so if I was in School Uniform I did not need to pay anyway. But I have to admit we never did pay, just muttered resident as we strolled through the gates and watched the people coming in from Birmingham pay up quite happily 2d or 3d I think it was. Some of those 'parkies' were fierce old characters though, ex WW1 servicemen, the senior ones usually lived in the lodge next to the gate. I believe on the Four Oaks and Streetly side there were gateways for pedestrians with no controls or toll collectors. We used one when we were cross country running. Happy days.

Bob
 
Mike Bond said:
In the 1960's I lived very close to the Royal Oak Gate not far from the Parson & Clerk public house. All the gate houses used to have thatched roofs and the Park Keepers wore a green uniform with a peak cap Yes, every gate was manned and two or three extra staff used to ride around the park on bicycles.
Sutton residents could also collect wood which had fallen from the trees, at Christmas time Dad would remove the gas fire from the front room and I would collect pine branches and cones to burn- gave off a wonderful smell.This all changed in the 1970's. The Park Keepers went,the thatched roofs went and I felt the Park never fully recovered after the Scout Jamboree. Still have my wonderful memories though-couldn't take that away. Mike.
Click to expand...

Maybe one of the biggest changes for Sutton Park was the Great fire of 1976, when 50% of the heathland was destroyed...

https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20089/parks/405/sutton_park/5
 
Smashing story Viv. That was a typical relationship that the local residents had with their own gate keeper. Mike.
 
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