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US Base Pheasey Estate

The American Army did`nt allow white and black soldiers in the same regiment until many years after WW2, so there were all white and all black regiments, the Pheasey camp would be an all white regiment. Len.
 
The history of Pheasey can be traced back to 1559 when Simon Veysie purchased from John Reddell a house and land on the southern side of Barr Beacon, known as Barr Lea. Simon Veysie gave his name to the area which was later became known as Pheasey Farm. The farm passed to the possession of John Scott, rector at Great Barr (1578-1622)who farmed the land and was also a sucessful lawyer. In 1648 the farm was given to Elizabeth Birch when she married Richard Scott. The area was renowned for its large flocks of black-faced sheep.
Pheasey Farm stayed with the Scott family until July 1921. It was to have been auctioned with other parts of the Great Barr estate but was withdrawn from the auction and sold to George Smith, who had been a tenant farmer since 1902.
In 1934 the area became part of the newly created Aldridge Urban District Council.
In 1935 George Smith sold Pheasey Farm (some 303 acres) to First National Housing Trust to build houses for the growing population of Birmingham. They planned to build 4,225 houses to be let almost entirely to people from Birmingham. However planning permission was refused with Aldridge UDC claiming it was a very beautiful place with undulating land with belts of woodland, and suggested 150 acres were left open and a far lower density of building. The decision went to appeal and and the decision to refuse planning permission overturned. However Aldridge UDC did purchase 68 acres which they intended to keep as open space. The first sod was ceremonially cut on the 13th July 1937 by the Minister of Health, Sir Kingsley Wood.
The outbreak of war in 1939 stopped development after about 1700 houses had been built. The creation of the Community Centre in Collingwood Drive was also stopped and the Community Association took over the large Pheasey Farm barn as an assembly hall, the Old Barn continuing for many years until it was demolished in the early 1960's. Other farm buildings were also used as offices and workshops.
Part of the estate was requisitioned and in 1942 the first group of American solders of the US 10th Replacement Sub-Depot moved in. They remained until June 1945.
In April 1942 a temporary Infant school was opened for the many children on the estate who had previously been transported to schools in Pelsall and Rushall. In 1946 the planned community centre in Collingwood Drive was taken over to use as a temporary Junior School. A new school was built in Raeburn Road and opened in September 1950 for juniors and infants, with the Collingwood Drive school becoming a senior school at the time. Doe Bank School was opened in 1964. More recently Meadow View JMI School was formed by the amalgamation of Doe Bank JMI School and Collingwood Primary School.
 


At the outbreak of World War II in 1939 part of the half-built housing estate at Pheasey Farms Estate in Great Barr was requisitioned by the British forces. In 1942 the first group of American solders of the US 10th Replacement Sub-Depot moved in.
 
MP standing outside the HQ, which was built as a community centre, later to be the Senior School,

and today as a Community Centre,

As a Senior School, which I attended, left there in 1959,

still return to give blood and use the Library
 
Very interesting Dave

I also attended Rushall and Pelsall schools during the war years and was an Air Force cadet at the Community Centre prior to 1949. It dissapoints me that the building was never used for it's original purpose. I used to attend dances and local concert party performances at the old barn.

Laurie
 
Laurie Built as a community Centre, taken over during the War, then as the Senior School, and now a Community Centre, my last old class room was a prefab on the play ground, demolished a few years ago, have a poor slide picture to post later Dave

A picture also of the Barn later
 
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Hi, I know this is an old thread but I was thrilled to find it as my dad has been telling me a lot about the army camp lately as I am busy researching my family tree.
He lived in the fish & chip shop opposite the camp, at the shops adjacent to the Deers Leap pub. He has some great tales to tell.
His mum (and dad) ran the chip shop, does anyone rememer them? My grandad was an ex Villa player. If you have any old photos of those shops I'd be so grateful...it's a double glazing shop now!
 
Just seen that I said I would post the pics of the Prefab classroom that was on the play ground, these cut from a video I took shortly before they demolished the classrooms :( in the second one the school hall on the left :)
 
About 20 years ago I was a decorator in Kingstanding and I was re-papering a house in the area. When I stripped off the old wallpaper there were paintings of sexy girls on the plaster, like the ones the Yanks painted on their aircraft. I wish I'd had the foresight to get a camera and take some photos.
 
Hi Rupert,

During the war I lived in Kings road the GIs used to walk passed our house to get to the Kingstanding pub and buses to take them into Birmingham.

Pheasey estate is still an ongoing place to live. Before the war 1938 we lived down Queslet Road, near the Old Horns pub. Then 1940 moved to Kings road.

Iris.:)
 
Hi Len,

I remember the white GIs walking on one side of the road and the Blacks on the other,during the war, they were the first black people I had seen. (Kings Rd)
Iris
 
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