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Birmingham Training college - Bristol Road, Westbourne Road

Lloyd

Lloyd

master brummie
Here is a photo of a tram on Bristol Road, route 71 (Rubery) located I'm fairly sure at the junction with Eastern Road. The tram is therefore heading towards town.
What are the buildings behind, on what would otherwise be the King Edward's school playing fields? They appear to be mostly of wooden planking construction and certainly aren't there now, so were they a wartime temporary structure or earlier - if so, what for?
The university clock tower stands ghost-like behind the building, confirming my location choice, but I am unable to date the photo beyond just before, or just after the second war - although the size of the trees suggests the earlier dates.
Over to you, experts!

Tram Bristol Rd.jpg
 
Hi Lloyd, I've looked at maps for the junction of Eastern Road (which fits with the clock as you mentioned) on the Old Maps site and from what I can see, in 1917/19/21 there was nothing there but in 1938 there were buildings there marked as a school. On a 1955 map it was marked as City Of Birmingham Training College..hope that helps

Edit...On Wikipedia it says the 71 route was abandoned 5th July 1952
 
Thanks lindyloo, yes it looks like a school doesn't it? I'd guess that the college days were for teacher training.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Edward's_School,_Birmingham says:
"By 1936 the old building on New Street had become a fire risk, and plans were made by the Governors and the then Headmaster, Edwin Thirlwall England, to move to a new site at Edgbaston Park Road/Bristol Road, in Edgbaston, along with the girls' school. Ironically, the temporary buildings erected on the new site in 1936 burnt down. The school was forced to move, if only for a short time, to the University of Birmingham's Great Hall and surrounding buildings until new temporary buildings could be erected. The move was complicated by the outbreak of the Second World War, and the subsequent evacuation of the pupils to Repton School for a short period. By 1940 enough of the new (permanent) buildings designed by Holland W. Hobbiss had been built for the school to begin lessons. The schools were finally completed around 1948."

Now, are these the 1936 buildings which burnt down, or their replacements? The number of staircases outside (escapes?) makes me suspect the latter.
 
You're welcome Lloyd..glad to have been able to help a bit.
Well spotted on the livery, at least that narrows down the time span
 
The buildings are identical to the school buildings of "Ilmington Road School" Weoley Castle, built in 1936 I believe. Gone now!!!
paul
 
Absolutely correct, American and Canadian service personnel were stationed in the wooden huts. After the war they were used for teacher training of returning servicemen.
I remember as a child, the Americans walking up Hubert Rd on their way to the dances at the Dell in Muntz Park.
 
Isn't there still an estate around Northfield/Longbridge way that's still constructed of Canadian type cabins? Seem to remember driving through it a few times when going between Northfield and Longbridge railway stations
 
brummie nick said:
My Wife who lived in Selly Oak at that time, thinks the building could have been used to house American soldiers in the 40's
Nick
Click to expand...

Roysteve said:
Absolutely correct, American and Canadian service personnel were stationed in the wooden huts. After the war they were used for teacher training of returning servicemen.
I remember as a child, the Americans walking up Hubert Rd on their way to the dances at the Dell in Muntz Park.
Click to expand...

First of all, thanks for this thread, which I realise was started a good number of years ago. The 6888th (Six Triple Eight) is a unit I've been researching. I know of no Canadian soldiers stationed in the former school buildings but I have been told about the dances in Muntz Park. I have a Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/Do-you-remember-the-Six-Triple-Eight-in-Birmingham-106494201082518/- and would be delighted to have memories posted there.116133920_140164841048787_456993542602339541_n.png
 
Steve Wright said:
That's great, thanks. It would be 'greater' to find one showing 6888th members. Maybe one day.
Click to expand...
The only other WW2 photo I know of dancing in Muntz Park is in link below but mostly ladies dancing.

Resource Details - Connecting Histories

Images, documents and views from the past for the area where you live, work or visit.
www.search.connectinghistories.org.uk
 
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This is one of those panoramic views so it's divided up into parts. It's labelled Birmingham Training College 1950. Does that mean Teacher Training College ?

Maybe someone recognises a person in the photo or are they themselves in it ? Many in the photo seem much older. Perhaps it's a mixture of College staff and students, and or mature students doing refreshers and additional courses.

Screenshot_20231025_195736_Chrome.jpg

Screenshot_20231025_195728_Chrome.jpg

Screenshot_20231025_195718_Chrome.jpg
 
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After the war there were training colleges (teaching definitely but there might have been other professions) for those leaving the forces who had missed out on college/University.
 
Agree Janet, certainly looks like Old Joe in the background. Thanks.
Pedro - so maybe the college was based at Bham Uni at the time of the photos (1950) then moved to temporary accommodation (KES Bristol Road), finally moving into purpose built accommodation (Westbourne Road) late 1950.
 

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I've since found these posts on the "Training College Bristol Road" thread. The huts are quite possibly that just visible in Janet's post. There's Old Joe in the background too. Viv

Screenshot_20231110_134657_Samsung Internet.jpgScreenshot_20231110_134704_Samsung Internet.jpgScreenshot_20231110_134741_Samsung Internet.jpg
 
Found a couple more mentions of the college from news papers March 1955, 1957 and 1960. Despite the 1955 news stating the college would be finished by 1956. It appears they were on Bristol Road still in 1957 and Westbourne road by 1960. So it looks like Viv's huts were correct
 

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Just a nice little memory prompted by this thread ...

Up to the age of 11 I was at St. Peter's School, Harborne, before going on to Lordswood in 1959 after the 11+.

Some time in what I believe was its last year - Sept '58 to July '59 - my class was taken to the Teachers Training College in Westbourne Road for a special treat to see "The Red Balloon" a short French film though with no dialogue just music, about a red balloon that follows a young boy around the streets of Paris.

Afterward a number of the teachers-in-training came and mingled with us and sat alongside - I think we might have had one each, lol - just to say hello and to talk about the film, ask if we liked it, what did we think about the story, was the music good, that kind of thing.

As realised when later remembered, it was of course a part of their training, probably relatively early-on, giving some practical experience of connecting with young children, holding their interest, making that interest a two-way thing, all the skills that they would have been encouraged to develop in their coursework thus far.

But at the time it was just a nice outing to watch a little film and afterward have some orange juice and a little snack whilst talking about it.

No doubt children from other schools/years were invited to go along too ... anyone on this forum perhaps?
 
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