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Erdington Reservoir And Pumping Station

  • Thread starter Thread starter jay
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jay

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Does anyone have or know where i can obtain any info..anything at all about the Pumping station at Erdington. My great grandfather used to live and be in charge there i am guessing about 1930s. His name was george burrows.

Jay
 
Sorry about the delay bit I've only just seen you query. The main pumping station in Erdington I believe was the one near Witton Lakes at Short Heath, which I think was used to pump water from the lakes up to the reservoir on on the top of Reservoir Road hill. After the Elan Valley water supply was opened in 1904-5, Witton Lakes ceased to be used for public water supply, but I imagine the pumps were still used to feed the Elan water to the reservoir at the top.
I've looked in the 1933 and 1939 directories - no mention, I'm afraid.
Peter
 
Hi Peter..thanks very much for the belated birthday greetings. I have often wondered
about the underground reservoir at the top of Reservoir Road in Erdington close to Highcroft Road. My cousin John used to play football on the grounds on top of it and
it was all screened off from the road. I have been unable to find any info about it on the Internet. Do you know anything about it please?

I know where the Pumping Station is or was at Short Heath. There was an MEB substation close by that my father used to visit to check the electrical power in the area.
 
Hallo again Jennyann,
I wish I knew more about the Erdington reservoir, but our public services seem to be poorly documented, unless you go to the Central Library and see what archives they have there. I'm doing a bit of that these days, but living over 100 miles away I can't do a lot.
It's strange that things like trains, trams and aircraft attract anoraks, as does wild life these days, and the fullest details are carefully recorded. Few people seem to give a thought to history of the gas, electricity, water and drainage services which are so much more important to them really.
Peter
 
Thanks anyway Peter. I have to say that I agree about the services, etc being under recorded. I was quite surprised when I started looking on the Internet for the
existence of the Reservoir which, of course, is actually just off Reservoir Road! I have been unable to find anything much. Like you say you would have to go and look at the B'ham Library to see if they can help. I realize even people who live in Brum can't spare the time to do a lot of research of such things and it is more difficult when you are far away.
 
Hi Jay,
Just joined the forum so it's all a bit new to me.
My Grand father George Burrows was the Engineer in charge of Short Heath Pump.
My Dad lived in the Water works house on the site at the corner of Bleak Hill and Perry Common Road.
His wife Annie Kyte. My Dad Frederick had three sisters and two brothers
Which line of the family are you? are you Allan and Lillian's child?
Get in touch: PM me please
 
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A few ideas about Short Heath Pump and Reservoir Rd.
The Pump, like others dotted around the city, Salford, Selly Park, Edgbaston etc are left overs from the original Birmingham water supply which, prior to the building of the Elan scheme provided water from bore holes (which is hard water like South Staffs!) The pumps, now all electrified, are kept there just in case something happens to the pipes from Mid- Wales. When the Elan scheme came into being reservoirs were put in at high points around the city to maintain the 'head' of pressure and to balance out demand. Water from Elan comes to Birmingham by Syphon, its not pumped. It comes in at Frankley for filtering and treatment. It is blended with water from the Severn at Trimpley. Birmingham uses over 80million gallons of water from Wales each day and if the Elan supply was disrupted the wells would be brought into action. Boy! would we notice the difference, and be short of water!
If you look in the corner of Witton lakes, near to Bleak Hill you will find the valves that control the Reservoir Rd tank.
There are several publication about B'ham's water supply from the 50's when the Claerwen dam was built. My Dad did some work towards that.
Peter.
 
Hi Pedrocut
At first I thought his was Brookvale Park, but it's further over isn't it? Or is it? Because otherwise most of the proposals do fit the Brookvale Park development. Perhaps it's part of the between-the-wars development around Bleak Hill? Ooh - I'm puzzled but I'm sure someone will sort me out!
 
There are a few more references in the correspondence columns, both for and against the scheme, but nothing after 1914. Perhaps the war put an end to the idea?
 
I think, as you said, the war put an end to it. the area is shown as largely empty on the c 1915 map
 

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thanks for the map mike...what is the name of the road..cant get my bearings as to where the res was...and what is there now...
 
When I met my exhusband in 1958 he and his Mom lived off Reservoir Road in Milverton Road just opposite Ilsley Road and their garden backed on to the reservoir.
It was a very elevated piece of land because the Reservoir was covered and grassed and mown regulary by the Waterworks men.
 
Aerial photo dated 1926 of the reservoir under construction. Lots of building materials stacked around the perimeter.
ErdRes1926.JPG
image from 'britainfromabove'
 
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Not entirely correct to say it was under construction, as it was there c 1890. Probably it was being covered over in the photograph
 

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mikejee said:
Not entirely correct to say it was under construction, as it was there c 1890. Probably it was being covered over in the photograph
Click to expand...
I suppose when the aerial photographer flew over in 1926 and saw all the building materials and workmen he would assume something was still being constructed as shown in pic 1 below.
Pic 1.
Pic1erdres.JPG
Nine years later in 1937 more photos were taken and one below showing part of the reservoir suggests it was now grassed over, some possible goal posts might be there as in pic 2 below.
Pic 2
Pic2reserd1937.JPG
images from 'britainfromabove'
 
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Tales from the Reservoir...

Birmingham Corporation purchased the water works under a Birmingham Corporation Water Act in 1875 and it was reported that "when Erdington Reservoir was completed half the present District can be served direct from Witton Well, Whitacre and Plant's Book."

In 1886 the Water Committee proposed that "the Erdington Reservoir to be covered with a roof, in accordance with the recommendation of the report....difficuly in maintaining the purity, for all practical purposes, was limited to the District commanded by Erdington Reservoir, and it was atributed to one cause viz the tendency of water to vegetate when collected in Reservoirs which had not been covered....the depth of Erdington Reservoir was so great that there would be a space of at least 8ft between the roof and the water and therefore it would be justified in adopting a corrugated-iron roof (cost)....curiously enough the well water when brought to light and exposed was the very first water to become discoloured."

In January of 1894 there was an extensive breakdown in the water supply in Birmingham...

"The area is divided into 4 levels...the low level supplied from the Erdington Reservoir embraces Gravelly Hill, Aston, Nechells, and the Valley of the Rea as far as Balsall Heath.
 
More tales from the Reservoir...

In November 1887 a private Walter Haylings, Grenadier Guards, walked into King's Cross police station in London and confessed to the accidentally killing of a young woman, before he entered the army, by pushing her into Erdington Reservoir. She was the daughter of his employer, and he left Birmingham without telling anyone. The London police communicated with Birmingham with a view to finding out whether a young woman had been found drowned in the Reservoir in 1878 was correct or not.

In July 1888 the same Walter Haylings was remanded on his own confession for the killing of a man around the 9th of April 1879 by pushing him into Erdington Reservoir. It was reported that Haylings had been brought up at a London police court some 18 months earlier in consequence of his having confessed to the murder the groom in the employ of Dr Hoare of Aston Road, whom he stated he pushed into Erdington Reservoir. Inquiries had proved that there was no foundation to the statement.

At first the police could not find anyone drowned there, but went back to February 1877 when the body of an umbrella mender was found in the Reservoir along with a bundle of umbrellas. Haylings was charged at Bow Street, on his own confession, with the murder of a man supposed to be named Arthur Mathison at Birmingham in November 1879. He was sent to Aston where he was charged with wilful murder. He pleaded not guilty and said he was drunk at the time of confession. It appears that the umbrella mender had been found in the Reservoir without any sign of injury, but he had been seen in the Erdington Arms having an argument with a young man.

In August at the Birmingham Assizes the Grand Jury threw out the bill against Haylings.
 
Peter John said:
Hi Jay,
Just joined the forum so it's all a bit new to me.
My Grand father George Burrows was the Engineer in charge of Short Heath Pump.
My Dad lived in the Water works house on the site at the corner of Bleak Hill and Perry Common Road.
His wife Annie Kyte. My Dad Frederick had three sisters and two brothers
Which line of the family are you? are you Allan and Lillian's child?
Get in touch: PM me please
Click to expand...
Hello. I have just joined the Group. I was intrigued by the entry about George Burrows as he is also my grand father! Your Dad must, I reckon be my Uncle Fred Burrows. I am Nell Burrows third son Brian. I live in Sutton Coldfield, and am now nearly 88 years young! If my surmises are correct I reckon we are cousins. Correct? Let me know.
 
hello pharmacien and welcome...peter john is now only a guest member so unless he re joins the forum he will not be able to reply to you...

lyn
 
Pharmacien said:
Hello. I have just joined the Group. I was intrigued by the entry about George Burrows as he is also my grand father! Your Dad must, I reckon be my Uncle Fred Burrows. I am Nell Burrows third son Brian. I live in Sutton Coldfield, and am now nearly 88 years young! If my surmises are correct I reckon we are cousins. Correct? Let me know.
Click to expand...
Please get in touch
 
Peter John said:
Hi Jay,
Just joined the forum so it's all a bit new to me.
My Grand father George Burrows was the Engineer in charge of Short Heath Pump.
My Dad lived in the Water works house on the site at the corner of Bleak Hill and Perry Common Road.
His wife Annie Kyte. My Dad Frederick had three sisters and two brothers
Which line of the family are you? are you Allan and Lillian's child?
Get in touch: PM me please
Click to expand...
Hi
I’ve loved reading about the history of this area and would love to know more. I have just purchased the house on the corner of Bleak Hill Road, hoping to make it into our family home.
 
Hi and welcome to Birmingham History Forum. Is the house that you have purchased the old superintendents house at the waterworks?
 
I’m planning to take a trip to the library this week and see if I can dig something up. But if anyone knows anything, would really appreciate if they can share.

Sometimes you never know. I learned the other day that the house I grew up in, once belonged to the first chairman of the Aston Villa football club!
 
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