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Balsall Heath Police
- Thread starter ellbrown
- Start date
Old Boy
master brummie
Hi ellbrown,
Thanks a lot. What memories these photos brought back of my times spent at Edward Road Police Station when I was a serving police officer. It looks as though it is now closed as are many others. It was a sub station really. It seems large, especially in the first photo, but that is because it was a singlemens quarters.
Old Boy
Thanks a lot. What memories these photos brought back of my times spent at Edward Road Police Station when I was a serving police officer. It looks as though it is now closed as are many others. It was a sub station really. It seems large, especially in the first photo, but that is because it was a singlemens quarters.
Old Boy
paul stacey
master brummie
I remember this police station from the 50's, always looked imposing and somehow sinister to me.Paul
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
It was known as Edward Rd Police Station, I never heard it called Balsall Heath Station. When I was born my mother was living just around the corner in Vincent street. The yard to the right of the station was in those days a Council public works depot. I got a very good look inside the station and even the cells one Sunday morning when about eight of us lads were returning from Moseley Rd baths when suddenly about six policemen ran out of the station and herded us all into the station.
They locked us all in the cells and had us in a room one by one for questioning. After they had questioned us all about what we were doing the previous evening and we had all more or less proven where we were they released us all. Apparently it was the Sunday morning in 1964 that they had found a body in Cofton Park and I think they just wanted to show on their books that they had done their bit toward solving the crime. I can't think what made them think we looked like murderers and I don't think they would have got away with that sort of thing today.
Here's an early photo of the station and a photo of the PWD yard next door when it was being demolished in the 70's I suppose that would be.
They locked us all in the cells and had us in a room one by one for questioning. After they had questioned us all about what we were doing the previous evening and we had all more or less proven where we were they released us all. Apparently it was the Sunday morning in 1964 that they had found a body in Cofton Park and I think they just wanted to show on their books that they had done their bit toward solving the crime. I can't think what made them think we looked like murderers and I don't think they would have got away with that sort of thing today.
Here's an early photo of the station and a photo of the PWD yard next door when it was being demolished in the 70's I suppose that would be.
Attachments
This is another case where someone ( Roy Norton) has not checked his facts. The police station has been in the same place since at least 1876. However the street changed its numbering between 1899 and 1900 from continuous (1,2,3,4...) to odd numbers one side, even the other , whereby the police station , which previously was not numbered, but was between 156 and 167, became no 48
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
Mike
If my memory of the history of Balsall Heath serves me well, didn't Edward Rd, Lower Edwardes St & Edwardes St all become Edward Rd when a bridge was built over the Rea that joined them all up. If my memory serves me further there also used to be a police station at Speedwell Rd but I think that went when they built Belgrave Rd station.
If my memory of the history of Balsall Heath serves me well, didn't Edward Rd, Lower Edwardes St & Edwardes St all become Edward Rd when a bridge was built over the Rea that joined them all up. If my memory serves me further there also used to be a police station at Speedwell Rd but I think that went when they built Belgrave Rd station.
You are right Phil. did not know about Speedwell road as it would probably have been before I came to Birmingham, but the 1950 Kellys says it was in B division, while Edward Road was in E division. You are right about the roads joining up, though I will add, in case someone thinks I have a long beard and a scythe, that that would definitely have been before my time!
1876 is about right but then it was situated in Worcester. The police station had its own petty sessional court room (or all the prisoners would have had to go to Worcester)
the yard next to it was indeed a council yard, this also housed the fire engine, horse drawn, the fire men were in fact police officers. There was a large lamp outside lit by 9 gas mantles the lamp had the word POLICE on it and a large red lens showing where the fire engine was kept. The lamp is now in West Midlands Police Museum.
the yard next to it was indeed a council yard, this also housed the fire engine, horse drawn, the fire men were in fact police officers. There was a large lamp outside lit by 9 gas mantles the lamp had the word POLICE on it and a large red lens showing where the fire engine was kept. The lamp is now in West Midlands Police Museum.
Hi paul
just read your thread regarding the edward rd police station and how you thought inposing it looked
well you may or not may know of the new one being built in perry barr birmingham some time in this forth coming new year
2016 and they say money is tight for street patrols they have already commenced the building of such nick
willl it be called holford nick or station its a big grey building, is this gonna replace steel house lane
i watch alot of these american police programes and i see there patrols where they take them to a type simular block
building with holding cells and bail office type desked or sent direct to jail
could this be the start of the american style police stations ,
i guess we will have to wait and see alan,,astonian,,,
just read your thread regarding the edward rd police station and how you thought inposing it looked
well you may or not may know of the new one being built in perry barr birmingham some time in this forth coming new year
2016 and they say money is tight for street patrols they have already commenced the building of such nick
willl it be called holford nick or station its a big grey building, is this gonna replace steel house lane
i watch alot of these american police programes and i see there patrols where they take them to a type simular block
building with holding cells and bail office type desked or sent direct to jail
could this be the start of the american style police stations ,
i guess we will have to wait and see alan,,astonian,,,
paul stacey
master brummie
If remember correctly Alan, "Steel House Lane", Lock Up was a huge place with a deep shaft reaching into the bowls of the earth which was reached by a spiral ramp with cells lining its walls. Would be hard to replace I recon, though with the, " modern gentle, politically correct Police Service", and the (liberal bleeding heart left wing Judiciary), giving out shorter and shorter sentences even for murder, perhaps they wont be needed. Paul
Hi steve r
many thanks for coming back to me on this one ,firstly i never knew it had been publicised before other wise
i would not have bothered to have posted itbecause we do not get news down here down in worc as where thats where i live
the only way i found out was from my brother whom lives in grt barr and works down there other wise i wouldnt have known
about it and because i had to come to brum to collect a special delivery for my bussines and it was urgently required by
a customer which i had to import from america and go and pay the import tax on it
as it had been stuck in custom for a dammed week and i had to go to holford drive and i was surprized to see the old allotments
still standing there as i had a plot on there in 1958 but any way i rang our kid and he told me of his bussiness down there
and passes it every day and he told me on the phone about it and as it looks like freshly building i did not know whether or not
if people had known about itand i thought it might have been under wraps still not to worry
i have seen the transport division at park lane aston cross and on that land my great fathers had it years ao
and my own emediate grand father namel ernest jelf owned that land and the propertys on it
as it stretch right back of the shops and a pub on the aston road north as from the park lane entrance
it was one chipie shop and the bed and breakfast for transoort drivers and a coffee shop and up behind there was a two tere provisions
ware house full of provisins for all there coffee shops around brum and at the very bottom of that drive was a one up and down house
and an office and a large work sho andgarage for there repairs which was deolished in 1970 he died 1969 astonian,,,
many thanks for coming back to me on this one ,firstly i never knew it had been publicised before other wise
i would not have bothered to have posted itbecause we do not get news down here down in worc as where thats where i live
the only way i found out was from my brother whom lives in grt barr and works down there other wise i wouldnt have known
about it and because i had to come to brum to collect a special delivery for my bussines and it was urgently required by
a customer which i had to import from america and go and pay the import tax on it
as it had been stuck in custom for a dammed week and i had to go to holford drive and i was surprized to see the old allotments
still standing there as i had a plot on there in 1958 but any way i rang our kid and he told me of his bussiness down there
and passes it every day and he told me on the phone about it and as it looks like freshly building i did not know whether or not
if people had known about itand i thought it might have been under wraps still not to worry
i have seen the transport division at park lane aston cross and on that land my great fathers had it years ao
and my own emediate grand father namel ernest jelf owned that land and the propertys on it
as it stretch right back of the shops and a pub on the aston road north as from the park lane entrance
it was one chipie shop and the bed and breakfast for transoort drivers and a coffee shop and up behind there was a two tere provisions
ware house full of provisins for all there coffee shops around brum and at the very bottom of that drive was a one up and down house
and an office and a large work sho andgarage for there repairs which was deolished in 1970 he died 1969 astonian,,,
Saltley Police station was on George Arthur Road, Saltley. I can't find any evidence of it today. Perhaps it was at the junction with Alum Rock Road? There are be were buildings at that end of the road. Or it might have been nearer the St Saviours Road end where there's currently an empty site. These two smart policemen are supposed to be posing at the Station. Viv.
Edit. Photo subsequently identifies as policemen in Balsall Heath.
Edit. Photo subsequently identifies as policemen in Balsall Heath.
Attachments
Thanks Mike. This must be the site then. Google photographed it at different time, once overgrown and now cleared. Might be about to be developed. Thought maybe the wall was the one in the policemen photo but it's built of brick not stone. Although there is a gateway set into the wall, and the PCs s are standing next to one on the old photo. Viv.
Attachments
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
Viv
A photo of the Station itself in 1900, if I remember my history correctly when they demolished the police station they built a public baths on the site in 1924, and I think those were demolished in the late 60's. The washing baths were built on Adderley Rd and the swimming baths at the rear were accessed from George Arthur Rd. The initial plan was to convert the old station, but these were abandoned when the council decided to build a swimming baths as well.
A photo of the Station itself in 1900, if I remember my history correctly when they demolished the police station they built a public baths on the site in 1924, and I think those were demolished in the late 60's. The washing baths were built on Adderley Rd and the swimming baths at the rear were accessed from George Arthur Rd. The initial plan was to convert the old station, but these were abandoned when the council decided to build a swimming baths as well.
Attachments
Thanks Phil. The vacant space that's there today looks much, much bigger than the police station so I think there was probably some sort of yard to the left in your photo, perhaps that's where the photo of the policemen in post #1 was taken. Building a swimming baths there would have made sense as its a very big plot. Viv.
Hi Phil and viv,
If that being the case of them building the baths which indeed they did when did they move to a building up the wash wood heath road
And converted a property some kind of house next to a builders merchant almost facing Aston church lane
Just before the railway bridge on wash wood heath road it later changed to a life bouys,and cadets club
Later became a bed and breakfast house with the old cafe just area yards from the corner facing
Aston brook street when we was young went into this dirty old cafe as it was feeling Hungary
We went in and ordered sausage and mash and peas
After waiting for some time of its arrival we was presented with plates with the food on
With chunks of the plate missing out of them we told her sorry we want our money back
At least she was fair we got our money back and never went near her again
I presume leaving was wood heath they built bloomsley street nechells
Have any of you guys can give me a date on wash wood heath and the nechells being built
Many thanks again Alan,, Astonian,,
If that being the case of them building the baths which indeed they did when did they move to a building up the wash wood heath road
And converted a property some kind of house next to a builders merchant almost facing Aston church lane
Just before the railway bridge on wash wood heath road it later changed to a life bouys,and cadets club
Later became a bed and breakfast house with the old cafe just area yards from the corner facing
Aston brook street when we was young went into this dirty old cafe as it was feeling Hungary
We went in and ordered sausage and mash and peas
After waiting for some time of its arrival we was presented with plates with the food on
With chunks of the plate missing out of them we told her sorry we want our money back
At least she was fair we got our money back and never went near her again
I presume leaving was wood heath they built bloomsley street nechells
Have any of you guys can give me a date on wash wood heath and the nechells being built
Many thanks again Alan,, Astonian,,
S
Stitcher
Guest
My copy of the image being discussed has the caption, "outside Edward Road Police Station, Balsall Heath. I have searched for an old image of the police Stn. to no avail.
I've had a look on Streetview as the Edward Road Police station still exists, but there's no evidence of a wall like that one in the background of the two PCs. Of course the wall could have been re-built. Don't think we really came to a firm conclusion on this thread about it being Saltley. We may never know for sure. Viv.
That's a good point. Think the spiked fence suggested it might be the station but it doesn't mean it is a police station.
As we've had two confirmations of the photo caption, I have changed the thread title. Thanks Janice and Stitcher. Viv.
As we've had two confirmations of the photo caption, I have changed the thread title. Thanks Janice and Stitcher. Viv.
Is it Balsall Heath ? If not shall move post. Viv.
Steve R
master brummie
Post 4 is interesting. Haven't seen that picture before. It looks to me tat the station also housed the fire appliance looking at the light on the post outside. we have one in the museum that has a protruding red lens (like in the pic) that illuminated when the firemen were out/in. I will see if I can get a picture
Steve R
Steve R