Address plaques and nameplates for Terraces, Villas, Places etc

[Dinger]

I was wrong.

I found a later map showing the outline of the alleyways. The covered entrances only lead to the back of the gardens of the houses facing the street, so Inglewood Place, Frederick Place, Herbert Place and Oakfield Place refer to the blocks of 8 houses facing the street (the 4 red arrows on the map). The three alleyways on the eastern end of the street (blue arrows) lead to terraces of houses that are still there.

1. Bradgate Place
2. Milicent Place and Florence Place
3. Blenheim Place and Brunswick Place
4. Inglewood Place
5. Frederick place
6. Herbert Place
7. Oakfield place

With that established, I can now see that the plaque on Number 153 Ombersley Road actually says "Brunswick Place" which matches with the plaque on No 155 on the other side of the alleyway which says "Blenheim Place". - So these do not indicate the names of those houses, but rather the name of the terrace of houses down the alleyway on that side.

 

[Vivienne14]

That's helpful Dinger. Thanks.

If I uhderstand this, we need the old maps to be clear what exactly the passageways with plaques above are referring to.

 

[Dinger]

That's helpful Dinger. Thanks.

If I uhderstand this, we need the old maps to be clear what exactly the passageways with plaques above are referring to.

Exactly Viv. A plaque above an entryway can be the name of the yard or terrace of houses behind the houses facing the street, but it can also be the name of those houses facing the street if the entry just leads to the gardens at the back. Most houses needed a way for coal to be delivered to the coal-hole, usually at the back of houses (although a lot of terraces had a hatch to a basement coal-hole from the street). Houses built in the early 1800s would have needed a way for the soil-men to take away the stuff from the outside lavvy - But I'm guessing (Someone here put me right if I'm wrong), That by the time this area was developed in the 1890s there would have been a proper sewage system in place.

 

[Dinger]

Last Survivor...
The nearby Wilton Road is shown as being half-built on the 1888/89 OS map, with the eastern end built but the western end still being open ground. Taking a virtual stroll down the road you can see that many of the houses once had plaques but they have been removed - Only one remains - Over the entry between Nos 42 and 44 - Wilton Place. - On later maps, it can be seen to only serve the gardens of the two houses.

42-44 Wilton Road, Wilton Place

 

[Dinger]

Gladstone Road, Sparkbrook, - Metal plaques!

The 1888/89 OS map shows Gladstone Road to be partly built, with buildings along the East side of the road complete but a big gap in the middle of the building on the West side. So construction was probably ongoing when the OS map was drawn up which ties up with a date on a plaque on Numbers 28 & 30, Tintern Villas, which I read as 1888 (a bit indistinct)


Looking along the Road today there is a mixture of buildings, with some from the 40s, 50s or 60s that I presume replaced houses bomb-damaged during the war. What is very intriguing is a series of old houses close together that all appear to have had METAL plaques on them. Sadly only one of them is legible today - No 48 "Windermere" - Those on numbers 52, 58, 65 and 67 have been painted over while that on number 71 appears to have been left to rust away...

The sign on No 48, - looking vaguely like a railway sign.



An example of one of the ones painted over...



And the one left to rust...



Strangely, a house with a carved name plaque (Number 91 "Rosemary") adopts almost the same "template" as the metal ones...



Two other plaques on the road are 73-75 Richmond Villas and No 101 Beech Cottage.

The plaque on Richmond Villas is much deteriorated, this is the best screen grab I can get from archived Streetview data.


To summarise...

28-30 Gladstone Road, Tintern Villas, 1888
48 Gladstone Road, Windermere
73-75 Gladstone Road, Richmond Villas
91 Gladstone Road, Rosemary
101 Gladstone Road, Beech Cottage.

Looking at the OS map the entries of Numbers 28-30 and 73-75 led only into their back gardens.

 

[Dinger]

On the corner of Anderton Road and Fallows Road is this great survival.



149 Anderton Road (145 Fallows Road), Anderton Road Telegraph & Postoffice, 1895

The business currently occupying the building gives its address as 145 Fallows Road.

 

[Dinger]

Yardley Green Road

A cluster of plaques on Yardley Green Road near the "Clock" community centre (the old Sampson Pub?).

20-22 Yardley Green Road, Landesborough Place, 1884
30-32 Yardley Green Road, Richmond Place. It has a date underneath but it's illegible 18.--
52 Yardley Green Road, G.H.T. 1876

 

[Dinger]

Runcorn Road - Metal plaques
On the O/S map of 1888/89, Runcorn Road in Balsall Heath is shown as an open plot of land surrounded by other housing, no doubt earmarked for building shortly afterwards. The builder filled the road with houses of uniform design and also the little Terraces of houses off "Avenues" at the back of them. Interestingly the builder gave each house a metal plaque, reminiscent of the ones over in Gladstone Road Sparkbrook, but smaller. Only a few are still legible, others are either painted over or left to rust and fall off. I see no point in recording the names of all of them, but here are some examples...

 

[Dinger]

Brighton Road, Balsall Heath

37 Brighton Road, Victoria Place, 1870
61 Brighton Road, Clifford House
62-63 Brighton Road Shepperton Villas

 

[Vivienne14]

Unusual example in post #96 Dinger.

Anyone know how these are fixed to the brick ?

 

[Vivienne14]

This one is above an alleyway next to 569 Washwood Heath Road, all created in brick and terracotta.

 

[Vivienne14]

In Erdington

Plaque not legible above #6 Trafalgar Road
Woodfield Cottages, 12 -14 Trafalgar Road
Trafalgar Cottages (1886) at 13 Trafalgar Road

 

[Morturn]

Unusual example in post #96 Dinger.

Anyone know how these are fixed to the brick ?

Viv looks to me like its built in

 

[Vivienne14]

We appear to have lost some postings as a result of the recent site crash. I'm reposting the Murdock Road list below.

26, Eustice Villas - above passageway
28, Gladys Villas - above passageway
32, Laburnum Villas - on lintel above passageway
34, Mayfield- above passageway
398, Primrose Villas 1881 - above passageway
39, Avon Villas - on lintel above passageway
43, Cyprus Villas - above passageway
45, Fern Villas - above passageway
48, Murdock Villas - above passageway
52, The Elms
53, Stoneleigh Villas 1880
56, The Larches - above passageway
59, Leamington Villas (1861 ?) - above passageway
60, The Lindens - above passageway
61, Sandown Villas - above passageway
67, Richmond Villas - above passageway
68, Lansdown Crescent
73, Buxton Villas - above passageway
77, Portman Villas - above passageway
80, Osborne Villas - above passageway
81, The Evergreens - above passageway
95, Drayton Villas 1885
102, Penrith Villas 1885 - above passageway
109, Towyn Villas - above passageway
112 Waverley Villas - above passageway
115, Nevin Villas - above passageway
117, Harborne Villas - above passageway
121, East View - above passageway
124, Rosedale Villas - on lintel above passageway
128, Linsdale - above passageway
140, Grove Villas - above passageway
144, Victoria Villas - above passageway
148, Hawthorn Villas
153, St Helliers Villas - above passageway

Hamstead Road, Handsworth
4, Himley Villas
8, Rose Villas - above passageway
64, Clarendon Place- above passageway

 

[Vivienne14]

These are new newly identified ones

Weston Road, Lozells
2, Clarendon House (at corner of 62 Hamstead Road)
8, Homerton House
10, Astley House
16, Noel House
18, Melvin House

Mayfield Road, Lozells
22, Broomfield (?) Villas- above passageway

Anglesey Street, Lozells
22, Cambridge Terrace - above passageway
73, Gaetho Place - on passageway lintel
77, Richmond Place- on passageway lintel
82, J. R. Place - on passageway lintel
83, Hawarden Place - on passageway lintel
88, Hill Place 1882 - on passageway lintel
90, Bangor Place - on passageway lintel
97, Bright Place - on passageway lintel
102, Bosworth Place 1875
110, Bedford Buildings 1875

Birchfield Road, Perry Barr
109, Arlington Villas 1877
113, Burlington Villas
117, Carlisle Villas 1877
121, Darlington Villas 1877
125, Earldom Villas 1877
129, Florence Villas 1877
133, Warwick Villas - above passageway
137, Leamington Villas - above passageway

Fentham Road, Handsworth
1 Birchfield Villas
10, Richmond Villas - above passageway
16, Fern Villas - above passageway
20, Brighton Villas - above passageway
24, Steadman Villas - above passageway
27, Lizzett Villas- above passageway
33, Cameron Villas - above passageway
Numbers 38 through to 134 - numerous blank plaques which appear to have never been engraved
43, Ellesmere Villas - above passageway
125, Rose Villas 1877 - above passageway
143, Albert Villas - above passageway
196, Sir Harry's Villas
202, Thorn Villa

Holly Road, Handsworth
96, Brendon
100, Avondale
104, Oakhurst

Hatfield Road Handsworth
17, The Ferns - above passageway
19, The Hollies - above passageway

Tintern Road, Witton
6, Unity Villas - above passageway, ornate - see example posted below.
20, Norman Villas - above passageway, ornate
32, Saxondale Villas - above passageway, ornate
46, Unique Villas - above passageway, ornate
92, Victoria Villas
100, Ashby Villas

Wellhead Lane, Witton
126, Hereford (?) Villas
140, Fern Place
142, Holly Place
145, Ivy Place
These and other houses along this section of Wellhead Lane (from the Oscott Road junction to The Coppice) have now been demolished. I'm posting some images of these below as they no longer exist. A few houses of the same style remain nearest the old Kynochs/IMI entrance, they don't have plaques.

 

[mw0njm.]

Unusual example in post #96 Dinger.

Anyone know how these are fixed to the brick ?

a lot were built into the brickwork in the construction as with diaper bond brickwork

 

[Vivienne14]

In Gladstone Road, Sparkbrook we get a glimpse behind two plaques which have been removed.

First, at 91, Gladstone Road the plaque was removed and later replaced with "Rosemary". The rendering applied at some time after the plaque was originally fixed stands proud of the brickwork.

The second plaque at 50, Gladstone Road has gone entirely, probably removed to insert an air brick.,

 

[Vivienne14]

Working along Gladstone Road we have

30 Tintern Villas - above passageway. This appeared in a photo in the 1960s - see below
48, Windermere
73, Richmond Villas - above passageway
91, Rosemary - as per previous post
101, Beech Cottage

 

[Dinger]

Maybe a new contender for the oldest plaque so far.

Set back from the busy Lee Bank Middleway is Lee Crescent, with an almost surreal "Cathedral Close" vibe to it.

One of the elegant buildings has a plaque on it - Hard to read on Google Streetview - I've attached two screen grabs from different dates.

35-36 Lee Crescent

Win.......ford
Brown's
Building
1850

"Winingford" "Winhyford" ????

 

[Vivienne14]

Yes Dinger, that looks the oldest so far. Lovely row of houses. It's Wineyford Brown's Building, see Historic England note below. But they say the plaque is dated 1830 - even better (the buildings could even be earlier). What little gems those houses are ! A great find.

"LEE CRESCENT 1. 5104 Edgbaston B15 Nos 35 and 36 SP 0685 NW 41/4 II GV 2. Dated on panel "Wineyford Brown's Building, 1830". A pair of 3 storey tunnel back houses, part of an irregular terrace Nos 31 to 40. The pale red rather irregular brickwork may perhaps indicate an earlier C19 origin, the date plaque simply refering to ownership. One window each, blind centre, cambered arches, flush framed sashes with later glazing on ground floor, modern casements to upper floor. Blind arch passage entrance flanked by doorways, each with doorcase of panelled slightly pulvinated strips, entablature with shallow cornicehood".

 

[Dinger]

Ah ha! Found the building actually listed on the 1888/89 O/S map .

 

[Dinger]

Yes Dinger, that looks the oldest so far. Lovely row of houses. It's Wineyford Brown's Building, see Historic England note below. But they say the plaque is dated 1830 - even better (the buildings could even be earlier). What little gems those houses are ! A great find.

LEE CRESCENT 1. 5104 Edgbaston B15 Nos 35 and 36 SP 0685 NW 41/4 II GV 2. Dated on panel "Wineyford Brown's Building, 1830". A pair of 3 storey tunnel back houses, part of an irregular terrace Nos 31 to 40. The pale red rather irregular brickwork may perhaps indicate an earlier C19 origin, the date plaque simply refering to ownership. One window each, blind centre, cambered arches, flush framed sashes with later glazing on ground floor, modern casements to upper floor. Blind arch passage entrance flanked by doorways, each with doorcase of panelled slightly pulvinated strips, entablature with shallow cornicehood.

Thanks Viv - I drove up Lee Bank Middleway yesterday and saw the group of buildings on the other side of the almost "Village Green" park in front of them - What a contrast to the high-rise flats on the other side of the dual carriageway!

So to complete our listing

35-36 Lee Crescent, Wineyford Brown's Building, 1830.

 

[Vivienne14]

Totally agree. I see Emmy (Emma) Bridgewater, surrealist artist, lived at #42 The Crescent - there's a blue plaque. The whole Cresent is a beautifully preserved row of houses.

 

[Vivienne14]

In Sparkbrook

Grantham Road, Sparkbrook
19, Barmouth Villas - above passageway
27, The Birches - above passageway
31, The Hawthorns - above passageway
53, Llanaber
55, Trevorris
59, Hughenden
61, The Laurels
65, Windcliffe

Walford Road, Sparkbrook
4, Glenhope
6, Dunedin

Golden Hillock Road, Sparkbrook
73, Fairview Villas

Warwick Road, Sparkbrook
91, Bourne Place - a blue sign (enamel ?)

Poplar Road, Sparkbrook
Rosary Villas - off Poplar Road
5, Stratford Place
33, Chestnut Villas
41, Hawthorn Villas
49, Mayfield Villas
57, Oakfield Villas

Dolobran Road, Sparkbrook
102, The Ferns - above passageway

Sampson Road, Sparkbrook
35, Hawthorn Villas
46, Oakland Villas
58, Clarissa Villas

Montgomery Street, Sparkbrook
65, Frederick Place 1876

Hickman Road, Sparkbrook
34, Beechurst - above passageway
36, Elmdon Villas- above passageway
42, Sunnyside
45, The Briars - above passageway
48, Alexandria Villas
50, Sycamore Villas - above passageway
54, Florence Villas- above passageway
58, Prospect Villas - above passageway

 

[mikejee]

Viv
I think you will find on Walford Road that Glenhope is 4 and Dunedin is 6. (MDs Delights is 2 according to Google)

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks again Mike, appreciate someone checking these.Shall edit post.

 

[mikejee]

Must admit I'm not checking all of them. just anything I have a query about while adding them to spreadsheet

 

[Vivienne14]

Some more

Pershore Road, Edgbaston
209, Painswick Place
213, Chesterfield Place
217, Park Villas
221, Park Place

Kyotts Lake Road, Sparkbrook
73, Florence Villas 187(9?) - above passageway

Stirling Road, Edgbaston
41, Stirling Villas - above passageway
93, Tavistock Villas 18(??) -above passageway

Carlyle Road, Edgbaston
23, Sambrooke Villa
25, Ross Villa
42, The Dingle - above passageway- unusual design (see image below)
58, plaque unamed, looks like a mini window

 

[Vivienne14]

List of roads where plaques have been found

This is a pdf list of all the roads so far explored for address plaques in this thread. I've drawn this up mainly to help avoid duplication, but it might prove useful for those researching locations too. As more are uncovered I shall update the pdf.

The list is in alphabetical order by name of roads. References to the post(s) in this thread where the road is mentioned are given alongside road names.

If I have missed anything or you spot an error, please flag it up and I shall amend the list. Thanks.

Edit. There is now a revised list in post #129

 

[Dinger]

List of roads where plaques have been found

This is a pdf list of all the roads so far explored for address plaques in this thread. I've drawn this up mainly to help avoid duplication, but it might prove useful for those researching locations too. As more are uncovered I shall update the pdf.

The list is in alphabetical order by name of roads. References to the post(s) in this thread where the road is mentioned are given alongside road names.

If I have missed anything or you spot an error, please flag it up and I shall amend the list. Thanks.

That's excellent Viv, Thanks.