• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Aston Park

  • Thread starter Thread starter mazbeth
  • Start date Start date
:angel: Great pic's once again Mr Dolly ... I Seemed to have missed the snow ones for some reason, glad to have found them now though
 
Glad to see the beds are planted out with spring flowers.:)

Thank you for the photo's Pete, you are a treasure.
 
look at them fabulous old bogs,years ago you thought they were old and rubbishy,hope they keep em.lovely flower beds in the park
 
lot of trees cut down,nice semi circle in front of hall(probably spoiled the foremans view),old misery wouldnt let me in,(didnt stop im sneaking off)more flower beds,still a great place to go and see
 
I can't beleive that foreman wouldn't let you in with your trusty camera! I mean you are our lifeline to whats happening!

Great pic's again Pete!
 
Thanks for the pictures of Aston Hall and Park. I spent quite a time yesterday reading the PDF file for the renovations that are ongoing at Aston Hall and Park. These included chapters on the funding for the project. Mostly the fact that the plans were delayed over at least three years due to the schmozzle with the Aston Pride funding challenges. It looks as though there were so many discussions about how to go about the whole project and the involvement of the local people and also what amenities visitors would require in order to have a good opinion of the place after a day spent there. It seems that many local people's opinions were not recorded by the surveys that were held and the emphasis for many that were surveyed...looks like a lot of men, requested all kinds of sports facilities be put in place in the park...cricket pitches for one.

Anyway, apart from the Hall, itself the Stable Range is being totally
renovated and will contain meeting roooms, toilet, a cafe. The PDF file
is an interesting read and has a lot of info in it. There is also some other info on Listed Heritage sites in Birmingham. The site is at
https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/Media...ENAME=Report - Aston Hall & Park 01.02.05.pdf
 
Aston park.,

:) Alf. I read somewhere you said you loved the smell of grass in the tent at Aston park. So did I. Going through my moms old magazines I came across one from 1938 in perfect condition entitled party in the park. The photo's inside are brilliant. When we've got rid of the virus or installed a new hard drive I will put them on the forum. They are ready and waiting on the computer. My sons going to try and fix it tonight. :D
 
As far as I know it is Harborne. I was about to ask whether anyone on the forum knew how the renovations are progressing and if there is a date for reopening the Hall?
 
I havent a clue Jenny Ann, I only knew about the renovations through the forum and as I've a few days off, I thought I'd like to go to the Hall as I've not been there since I was a kid. Still, patience is a virtue, I'll just have to wait till they've finished.

Thanks for coming back to me.

Harborne
 
Just looked on the website and it reopens summer 2009, I'm looking forward to going there myself.
 
When you go girls leave time for lunch in The Holte on the corner of Trinity Road and Aston Lane, a really good renovation and good food. You can park right next to it in the Villa car park.:)
 
I recall the statue which is so sadly vandalised and think it was The Pied Piper Of Hamlyn.
 
We were talking with workmen last week who were repairing Aston Hall, they said they should be out of there by April but some workmen might remain depending on what work there was still left to do. I guess we will have to keep watching the Brum Gov Websites and news programmes for further news of Aston Hall.

Wasn't the statue mentioned a figure of Pan? lol its funny how we remember things differently isnt it.

Im looking forward to visiting Aston Hall with a group from work once it re-opens.
 
Yes, Rod I remember that Pan was the statue "out back" of the hall. Last time I saw him someone had chucked a can of green paint over him! Thanks for the update sounds good. I was reading the thread and saw Di's post
about going to the Holte for lunch. It's on my list.
 
Jennyanne I have heard so many good reports about the Holte. I still can't bring myself to go back as I was born in Holte road and mom passed away a few years ago but I wish I could bring myself to. One day maybe. Give it a try when your visit Brum again. I have so many fond memories of Aston park and not so nice ones when I fell of the swings and almost knocked myself unconcious. Bye. Jean.
 
Hi Jean: I can certainly understand the way you feel. It is really hard to go back to certain places in our lives. I hope that you will go back one day and see how Aston Hall has been fixed up and also visit the Holte. Last time I was around there with my son we walked over up to the main entrance
and around the back of the Hall and down on to Trinity Road the morning that the Trinity Stand at Aston Villa had an appointment with the wreckers ball. The park was in a sad state I have to say. The whole area has changed a lot over the years just as so many places have. When Aston Hall and the park renovations are completed I believe it will be even better than in the past few decades and with The Holte all done up after being a sad wreck for years it will be worth a visit or two.
 
Jenny and Aston John The statue of Pan I think had had it's head knocked off. It really is quited dreadful that this and other statues and monuments in our city have been vandalised in the ways they have.

G G Jean it really is worth going to have a look around Aston. It is very sad, the place just isn't what it was but I reckon you should still go. The Villa Ground to my mind has had a huge impact on the visual look of the area around Aston Park, I don't like whats been done, but I guess they have to accomodate a lot of people in the stands and adjacent buildings.

Its all called progress?
 
Glad the Holte is open and doing well.On my last visit to Aston Hall,we were early so needed somewhere for lunch,went in a pub they had no food,I was told they only sell drugs.The graffiti on the walls in the park wasn't very interesting either,couldn't read it, it was in Urdu.Very sad.
 
More memories.Who remembers the German P.O.Ws,in the "potato field" adjacent to Park Road,we made their lives hell,well,they started it.
The winter of 1947,sledging down the hill towards Villa Park,heady day's,our school U.T.S.had a burst boiler,and we couldn't go to school,so,we were there every day for weeks.
 
I'm trying to remember the 'potato field', but can't really manage it. I went to Aston Grammar from 1944 to 1950, and clearly remember the derelict air raid shelters in the park but fronting on to Park Road at the top of the park frontag. They were filled in in late 1945.
Did they grow spuds on that site for a year or two? It would have been a good way to get the ground back to order again, and crops were certainly grown on every possible patch at the time.
I also vividly remember that cold winter, with two or three weeks off school. After the snow we had the floods of course. We've discussed this on the site before somewhere. I certainly cycling down to the Walsall Road bridge on the first Monday evening after the change back to Summer time. The road was impassable, and traffic to Perry Barr was diverted via Church Lane and Aldridge Road. When I went to school next morning, BVrookvale Road was under water, and I seem to remnember the 5 and 11 buses were diverted along Electric Avenue, Aston Hall Road and Witton Lane.
Changing the subject, and back to the Holte Arms. I was thinking of walking over there after our visit next Saturday to the Barton's Arms. I've never been in the Holte, and would like to support any restoration venture. But it depends if the Villa are at home then If so, I'll put the Holte off for later.
Peter
 
the road always flooded - even after the dug the river bed out and built a wall. If you go on utube there is a video of a bus going through the floor water and passengers having to lift there feet up cus the bus was full of water. sorry can't remember the link :-(
 
Peter, happy to see your old school is still there,I think mine became hardcore for the Aston Expressway.
They still play rugby there as well,one of my grandsons played there last year.
 
Look at Dollyferret's photo's the one with the tunnel entrance,was the headquarters of the "Sons Of Rest".
 
the last time i visited aston park which was many years ago peter pan had been
vandelised badly lost an arm and his head , i thought what on earth are these parks dept doingdon,t they have park keepers any more , coswhen i was a little whipper snaper
i played around aston hall grounds and through out the park and the lawns was top
they was sacred crowns beleive me especialy for the bowlers and the gren peter pan was on youwould never have stuck a foot on a blade of that lawn especialy
when horis the parkie was on duty he was a bounty head hunter when it came to any one strolling over to peter pan and any of the crown lawns
horis was the old jailer at digbeth police station many many years ago when he retired from the police force and became the parkie i think they called them rangers in those days ; horis used to dash around aston hall on is green police issue bike made at hercules on aston cross with the old dynomo on the back wheel and steel rods for hand brakes by golly he was fast on that bike he caught evey little whipper snapper whom fancied dipping there feet into peter pan water font this would be in the fortyis and fifties horis later became parkie at the edgbaston ressa
best wishes astonian ,;;
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top