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Aston Villa Schools

Vivienne14

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
While searching for other information about the formation of the early Aston Villa football club, I gathered together a few notes of the Aston Villa Schools. Decided to put the notes into a time line should they be of interest to others. All points are drawn from newspaper articles and adverts through the British Newspaper Archive. Copies of relevant articles or adverts are attached below. I shall add anything further to this thread if other information of interest is available.

Please note there is also a thread entitled Villa Cross which might be of interest here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/villa-cross.38366/page-3

Aston Villa School(s)

31/12/1832 Notice of sale of furniture at Aston Villa School, Birmingham. Aris’s Birmingham Gazette

29/8/1857 Residence in Lozells Lane, Handsworth for sale occupied by James Howse and known as Aston Villa School, two frontages; one to Lozells Lane, the other to Heathfield Road. Birmingham Journal

14/6/1866 Aston Villa School, Heathfield Road, Handsworth. Mr Smith giving notice of school move to larger and more convenient premises. Birmingham Daily Gazette

9/7/1870 Aston Villa School, Handsworth notice given that it has resumed, and continues to be conducted by Mr Smith Staffordshire Advertiser

24/7/1876 Aston Villa School was opened by the School Board, Miss Fisher headmistress, 198 pupils Aston Chronicle

8/5/1877 anniversary sermon preached at Aston Villa Wesleyan Sunday School, George Street Birmingham Daily Gazette

20/10/1877 Aston Board Inspector reported on Aston Villa School that the standard of work at the school is satisfactory. Birmingham and Aston Chronicle

3/3/1879 Aston School Board notice. Scholars of Aston Villa Boys School (corner of George Street, Lozells) gave an evening of entertainment and citations. Aston Chronicle

1/1/1881 Entertainment was given by Sunday school teachers. Proceeds were for the school rebuilding fund. Birmingham & Aston Chronicle

14/7/1888 concert given at Aston Villa Wesleyan Church, George Street, Lozells durning which a collection was made to support the building of the new schools adjoining the church and which were replacing the old schools which had become insufficient to meet growing needs. The new schools were to be ready in a few months. Birmingham and Aston Chronicle

29/12/1931 former schoolmaster (Mr Phillips age 90) of Aston Villa Wesleyan School shared his memories of the school and football team - see extract from Lancashire Evening Post
 

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Vivienne14 said:
While searching for other information about the formation of the early Aston Villa football club, I gathered together a few notes of the Aston Villa Schools. Decided to put the notes into a time line should they be of interest to others. All points are drawn from newspaper articles and adverts through the British Newspaper Archive. Copies of relevant articles or adverts are attached below. I shall add anything further to this thread if other information of interest is available.

Please note there is also a thread entitled Villa Cross which might be of interest here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/villa-cross.38366/page-3

Aston Villa School(s)

31/12/1832 Notice of sale of furniture at Aston Villa School, Birmingham. Aris’s Birmingham Gazette

29/8/1857 Residence in Lozells Lane, Handsworth for sale occupied by James Howse and known as Aston Villa School, two frontages; one to Lozells Lane, the other to Heathfield Road. Birmingham Journal

14/6/1866 Aston Villa School, Heathfield Road, Handsworth. Mr Smith giving notice of school move to larger and more convenient premises. Birmingham Daily Gazette

9/7/1870 Aston Villa School, Handsworth notice given that it has resumed, and continues to be conducted by Mr Smith Staffordshire Advertiser

24/7/1876 Aston Villa School was opened by the School Board, Miss Fisher headmistress, 198 pupils Aston Chronicle

8/5/1877 anniversary sermon preached at Aston Villa Wesleyan Sunday School, George Street Birmingham Daily Gazette

20/10/1877 Aston Board Inspector reported on Aston Villa School that the standard of work at the school is satisfactory. Birmingham and Aston Chronicle

3/3/1879 Aston School Board notice. Scholars of Aston Villa Boys School (corner of George Street, Lozells) gave an evening of entertainment and citations. Aston Chronicle

1/1/1881 Entertainment was given by Sunday school teachers. Proceeds were for the school rebuilding fund. Birmingham & Aston Chronicle

14/7/1888 concert given at Aston Villa Wesleyan Church, George Street, Lozells durning which a collection was made to support the building of the new schools adjoining the church and which were replacing the old schools which had become insufficient to meet growing needs. The new schools were to be ready in a few months. Birmingham and Aston Chronicle

29/12/1931 former schoolmaster (Mr Phillips age 90) of Aston Villa Wesleyan School shared his memories of the school and football team - see extract from Lancashire Evening Post
Click to expand...
One more snippet of information. Kelly's directory of 1845 for 'Birmingham, Warwickshire and part of Staffordshire' lists, under Heathfield Road, adjacent entries for a 'gent's boarding school' with the name Rev. D.N.Walton and a 'girls boarding school' with the names 'the misses Maria and Mary Ann' Rogers. These are the only entries of schools in Heathfield Road. They are also listed in the 1850 Kelly's directory.

However there are also entries for two boarding schools on 'Lozells': Hugh Macfarlane, 'gents boarding school' and Misses Saunders 'H & M boarding school' 'Misses Hannah & Mary' Saunders also appear in the 1850 Kelly's Directory. I'm not clear whether 'Lozells' refers to the current road, an area or something else.
 
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It looks as if Aston Villa was originally the name of a school. Presumably held in the building marked on Lyn's map.
 
Some time ago I saved the following, Im not sure where from:

ScreenHunter 1950.jpg

Plan of lands at Villa Cross, 1818 [DV 689/458128]One of the Tuesday Lunchtime Local History talks earlier this year was on the history of Aston Villa Football Club. At the end of the talk the question was raised as to the precise location of the villa which gave its name first to a district in Aston, and then to the Wesleyan Chapel whose members formed the football club. It was suggested that there was a map in existence which gave this information.

This was a challenge which I could not resist, despite being a supporter of the opposition. In the event the map proved relatively easy to find, simply by working my way through the various early 19th century maps of Aston to be found in Birmingham Archives & Heritage.

J.E. & C. Robins map of 1820 (above), clearly shows Aston Villa at the junction of the roads to Bristnall’s End and to Aston, known today as Villa Cross. It also shows that Aston Villa was actually in Handsworth!

Villa Cross Inn [WK/H5/133]The Handsworth rate book for April 1837 and the Handsworth Tithe Apportionment of 1843 both confirm that at those dates Aston Villa was owned, although not occupied, by Richard Blood, a factor from Birmingham. The occupant in 1837 was Charles Perry, whose daughters, Elizabeth and Emma were, according to Pigot’s Directory of Birmingham 1833, running the Aston Villa (Boarding) School based there. They had taken this over some time around 1832 from a John Skally who had moved his own school there from Caroline Street in July 1825. By 1849 however the house had become the Villa Cross Inn, which the rate books for 1866 show as still being owned by the Blood family.


Showell’s Dictionary of Birmingham (1883) and a report in the Handsworth Herald dated 21st June 1907 both confirm that the Villa Cross Inn was originally known as Aston Villa School. An early photograph of the Inn suggests that this could indeed have started out as an early 19th century villa type house suitable for a boarding school and so could well have been the original Aston Villa.##

From another correspondent
My father was a member of the Church at/by what is known as Villa Cross, around 1929/30. The story goes that the Football Club played and trained at a place called the Gillie (or Jilly) Fields a bit further down Heathfield Road towards Aston, before they started at Trinity Road (Villa Park). When they finished playing they always came back to get changed at the Church and had to cross the road at the Villa Cross. The Church team was an amateur team and what is now Aston Villa FC separated from the Church to play professionally. The Church team were still playing in the 1930’s although I have no further records from my father. Interested to hear if you have any more details of this time.
 
Apologies fpr late response but I have been away. Can you tell me where this about Rev Faraday/Aston Villa school appeared and what date - 1807 is that the date. Many thanks peterdeeley
 
More info on Rev W Faraday and Aston Villa…

1799…The Rev W Faraday may have been at 23 King Edwards Place. If this is near Newhall Street he may have left prior to 1804.
1805…Aston Villa is delightfully situated on a gentle eminence, about two miles north of Birmingham, nearly adjoining the Walsall Road.
1809…Sermon preached at the New Jerusalem Temple .
(The info from Aris’s Gazette)
 
(Afraid I'm not skilled with this system.) But would like to say thanks for the replies. Curious to know when Aston Villa was STILL a sxhool (as suggested by Faraday mention IF that was 1807.
 
Some additional information about the later school(s) is here :

Vivienne14

Post in thread 'Villa Road Handsworth'

I have raided the online newspapers for info about the school and this is what I found:


28/12/1853 Birmingham Journal records Mr Howse conducting Aston Villa School
26/2/1855 Mr Howse still running Aston Villa School

5/7/1856 Mr M Smith announces the opening of Aston Villa School
19/12/1857 Mr M Smith of Aston Villa School sold two magic lanterns and slides (Birmingham Journal)

26/9/1858 Mr M Smith announced the move of his school to larger and more convenient premises - within 10 minutes walk of Hockley and Soho Stations. It was described as a healthy location and would open on...
  • Appreciate
 
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As mentioned in Post 16 the Rev Faraday must have leased Aston Villa in 1804 for the purposes of a school.
It was described as a well-built dwelling house with 20 years of unexpired lease. 2 attics, 2 chambers, 2 parlours, 2 chambers, a large school room, with a room over , capable of 20 beds, a servants kitchen etc
 
Absolutely Pedro !!

A few points.

The Aston Villa site was still a school in 1832.

In 1857, there were frontages on both Lozells Lane and Heathfield Road, which confirmed for me an especially large premises/former house/villa.

By 1866, the school had moved. (Was it to George Street next to the Wesleyan Church ? )

Validation of Mr Smith's school in the attached 1858 notice was given by several reverend, suggesting its links/association with the school
Screenshot_20260216_204057_Samsung Internet.jpg
 
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BrumMack said:
One more snippet of information. Kelly's directory of 1845 for 'Birmingham, Warwickshire and part of Staffordshire' lists, under Heathfield Road, adjacent entries for a 'gent's boarding school' with the name Rev. D.N.Walton and a 'girls boarding school' with the names 'the misses Maria and Mary Ann' Rogers. These are the only entries of schools in Heathfield Road. They are also listed in the 1850 Kelly's directory.

However there are also entries for two boarding schools on 'Lozells': Hugh Macfarlane, 'gents boarding school' and Misses Saunders 'H & M boarding school' 'Misses Hannah & Mary' Saunders also appear in the 1850 Kelly's Directory. I'm not clear whether 'Lozells' refers to the current road, an area or something else.
Click to expand...
 
D o you know if there is any evidence (written, I suppose) of Aston Villa School before its first recorded apearance in Aris's B'ham Gazette on Monday 27th December 1802 advertising for pupils for ASTON VILLA, SCHOOL to start in January 1803? Showell's Dictionary says clearly that the premises were begun as a school. That would overtake the speculation that it was begun as a residence. Thanks
 
Following up on Pedro's post #14, this is the advert for the school in 1804. Aston Villa School was in the hands of John Lichfield Mayne. It mentions 're-opened'. So did he take it over as a school ?

Just the year before, he married Mary Talkington. J L Mayne's address is given as Aston Villa (but no mention of Aston Villa being a school - although there is probably no reason for it to be mentioned in a marriage announcement). Having said that, I vaguely remember seeing somewhere that the school was located in a wing/arm of the villa building, so perhaps it was separated off (although still being part of the building).

Anyone know the meaning of 'A.B' after J L Mayne's name in the marriage announcement ?


Screenshot_20260313_154307_Chrome.jpgScreenshot_20260313_154204_Chrome.jpg

Source: British Newspaper Archive
 
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This is an update on the Aston Villa Schools timeline drawing on contributions from members and expanding the timeline I originally posted on this thread

An emerging observation:

Aston Villa Inn/Tavern was in operation in 1849. So was the original Aston Villa divided into seperate parts by this time ? In 1851, there were 2 adjoining residences to the school, and by 1857, it had two frontages. (Note a schoolroom still existed in 1857. It was mentioned in property details). The frontage on Heathfield Road may have been the school entrance until the 1860s/70s before the school moved to its new location.



Aston Villa School Lozells Lane Heathfield Road

17/1/1803 John Lichfield Mayne opened Aston Villa School - acquired in 1802 (previously he was at his father's school, Barr Academy, Snail's Green Great Barr) By 1804, Aston Villa School accommodated 40 pupils

1805 - 1810 Rev Faraday had the school

18/2/1811 Auction of residence with lease residue of 14 years, convenient outbuildings and 3 acres of land adjoining. Aris’s Gazette

1825 - 1832 John Skally ran Aston Villa School

31/12/1832 Notice of sale of furniture at Aston Villa School, Birmingham. Aris’s Birmingham Gazette

1837 - 1843 Aston Villa was owned (but not occupied) by Richard Blood, a factor from Birmingham. (Source: Handsworth rate book April 1837 and Handsworth Tithe Apportionment 1843)

1837 occupant was Charles Perry, whose daughters, Elizabeth and Emma ran Aston Villa (Boarding) School. Pigot’s Directory of Birmingham 1833)

1843 school principal was Mr Macfarlane

1849 the house had become the Villa Cross Inn, owned by the Blood family

14/6/1851 There were residences adjoining the Aston School, Villa Road (one 3 bedroomed and one 4 bedroomed). Mr Blood was the agent.

1855 - 1865 James Howse was at Aston Villa (described as auctioneer in 1859, 1865)

29/8/1857 Residence (dwelling house, schoolroom, stabling and outbuildings) in Lozells Lane, Handsworth was for sale occupied by James Howse (advert says it was known as Aston Villa School), two frontages; one to Lozells Lane, the other to Heathfield Road. 75 years were unexpired on the lease. Birmingham Journal

1858 Validation was given of Mr Smith's school by several reverend, suggesting possible church links/association with the school

14/6/1866 Aston Villa School, Heathfield Road, Handsworth. Mr Smith gave notice of the school to move to larger and more convenient premises. Birmingham Daily Gazette

9/7/1870 Aston Villa School, Handsworth notice given that it has resumed, and continues to be conducted by Mr Smith Staffordshire Advertiser

School Board school 1876

24/7/1876 Aston Villa School was opened by the School Board, Miss Fisher headmistress, 198 pupils Aston Chronicle

8/5/1877 anniversary sermon preached at Aston Villa Wesleyan Sunday School, George Street Birmingham Daily Gazette

20/10/1877 Aston Board Inspector reported on Aston Villa School that the standard of work at the school is satisfactory. Birmingham and Aston Chronicle

3/3/1879 Aston School Board notice. Scholars of Aston Villa Boys School (corner of George Street, Lozells) gave an evening of entertainment and citations. Aston Chronicle

1/1/1881 Entertainment was given by Sunday school teachers. Proceeds were for the school rebuilding fund. Birmingham & Aston Chronicle

14/7/1888 concert given at Aston Villa Wesleyan Church, George Street, Lozells durning which a collection was made to support the building of the new schools adjoining the church and which were replacing the old schools which had become insufficient to meet growing needs. The new schools were to be ready in a few months. Birmingham and Aston Chronicle

29/12/1931 former schoolmaster (Mr Phillips age 90) of Aston Villa Wesleyan School shared his memories of the school and football team - see extract from Lancashire Evening Post
 
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