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Sutton Park

Post #1362 - According to my boss, Boldmere Girls School was in Cofield Road, off Boldmere Road. He went there but it had become a mixed school in later years.
 
Dave M - this would be about the time I last went to that fair. I actually thought the building it was in a worse condition that the picture shows. Strange how you memory plays tricks.
 
This is a 1930s Allday Ltd. map of Sutton Park. On the face of it, nothing too unusual about it especially as most of the features are unchanged to this day.

But what is of interest (well, to me anyway!) is the fact that it was owned during WW2 by a corporal in the local Home Guard who clearly used it as an aid when carrying out his duties in the Park. These would have included nightly patrols over four-and-a-half years, observation, the preparation of defensive positions and so on.

If anyone wants to have a closer look at it, and the mysterious marks which Corporal Rudge has added all over the map, I have uploaded a higher definition version, together with some comments, here.

Chris

SuttonParkMapw700.jpg
 
This is a 1930s Allday Ltd. map of Sutton Park. On the face of it, nothing too unusual about it especially as most of the features are unchanged to this day.

But what is of interest (well, to me anyway!) is the fact that it was owned during WW2 by a corporal in the local Home Guard who clearly used it as an aid when carrying out his duties in the Park. These would have included nightly patrols over four-and-a-half years, observation, the preparation of defensive positions and so on.

If anyone wants to have a closer look at it, and the mysterious marks which Corporal Rudge has added all over the map, I have uploaded a higher definition version, together with some comments, here.

Chris

View attachment 115899

Hi Chris,

Do you already have the pictures from the Birmingham Gazette of 7 July 1941...”Chutists in the Park?”

6th Warks exercise

All the best Pedro
 
Thanks for the reminder, Pedrocut, Yes, I do remember seeing it but can't now track it down. Could you point me in the right direction please?

Thanks.

Chris
 
Regarding the military connections with the park, 'britainfromabove' took a photo of the Powells Pool area dated 1946. Two pics below. (click them to make larger)

The full view shows a military camp top right and other interesting things are a fire engine with pipes going into the pool, a large herd of cows, and people. I can remember seeing the camp but cannot remember whether it was for the Army or for POWs. I certainly saw POWs in the park nearer the Streetly side but they were in tents.
all1.jpg
An enlarged view below of the camp showing personnel standing in line near the water tower. A fence along the road with a gateway top left.
camp.jpg
 
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I went to Sutton Park on Sunday 6th August 2017.

Mainly to find this Big Sleuth bear called Mother Bear (located near the Boldmere Gate)



Wyndley Pool seen from Wyndley Lane



Powell's Pool seen from Stonehouse Road near the Boldmere Gate



 
A Biringham Libraries image of a lane near Wyndley Pool, Sutton in 1892. Assume this lane ran alongside the park. Viv.

image.jpeg
 
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