Booths Farm

[Vivienne14]

An OS map from 1834 which I think shows Booth's Farm. On the map there's a farm labelled 'The Farm' (pink dot). Am I right in thinking this is Booth's Farm? And if so I wonder why it was simply called 'The Farm'. All the other Great Barr/Perry Barr farms have a specific name, but not this one. Maybe it didn't need a name as perhaps it was so old and so well known as belonging to the Gough's. Or maybe by 1834 the locals preferred to forget its past history. But that seems odd as two local roads were named after Booth. One to mull over. Viv.




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[Dave M]

Yes I believe The Farm (red dot) is the same as Booths Farm,,,

much later I lived on the land which was Pheasey Farm

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks Dave. I've also looked over your A-Z map in post #92 again and now have a strong feeling the farm remains are/were here:



Dave do you have a date for your A-Z map please? I think Phil's aerial shots in post #83 are also a few remains of the farm buildings. The farm was at one time quite substantial.

And here's a photo from the Friends of Queslett Nature Reserve Newsletter showing some of the remains in 2012. We could probably match up the houses in the background with Google maps. Looks like Caddick Road to me behind the remains.

Lyn your alleyway from Caddick Road to Booth's Lane looks like it would once have given access to Booth's Farm according to Dave's map. Viv.




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[Vivienne14]

Especially for Lyn for her forthcoming treasure hunt. I've studied Mike's map of c1903 and Dave's A-Z map and marked in red the approximate position of Caddick and Bowman Roads. I think the SE corner of Caddick Road is roughly where the remains are likely to be found. All a bit rough and ready, but might save you some time hunting them down (well that's assuming I've looked at it correctly, otherwise you're on your own!!)




And I've found a few general snippets below which all add to the picture.


'The Farm' (later named Booth's Farm) was:
*. fortified against unwanted guests
*. situated at the end of a long drive
*. equipped with a forge
*. able to access a tunnel leading from the Farm to
the Hare and Hounds in West Bromwich
*. close to a sand quarry

And there was a survey report about the site in 'Factual Data and Ground Model Report for Booths Lane October 2010'. The report would be just before the current housing development. It states: "Booth's Lane is to be relocated in the northern section of the site". This was probably the second change to Booth's Lane, as it's previously been mentioned that it was moved on another occasion for sand quarrying. Viv.

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[Astoness]

thank you viv..great extra info as well...will let you know if and when i locate it....wellies..spade..metal detector and compass at the ready lol...oh and camera..

lyn

 

[Dave M]

While out today visited Booth`s Lane, access to the site is from the Queslett Rd, go as far as you can on Booth`s Lane turn right at the end of the blocked part, then it`s on your left, booths lane for the main part is closed.

 

[Astoness]

thanks dave i shall be trying to get to it via the gully at the side of the shops bottom of booths farm road...crikey i could get myself arrested at this rate lol

lyn

 

[Dave M]

New houses very close, info board.

 

[Astoness]

thats great dave at least we now know that the remains of the farm is still there...shame it was demolished it would have made a great attraction...i am busy for the next few days so it will be sometime next week when i can get over that way...how far was that board from the remains dave were they visible to you..

 

[Vivienne14]

As you mentioned Lyn when you reach Caddick Road it looks like access is cut off there (but might have changed since Streetview photo. In any case the barriers look like they could be breached. You'll be tackling it in the true spirit of the arrest of William Booth! This part of the gully looks to me like the old track up to the farmhouse, it was quite a long approach to the farm. Be interesting to see if there's anything left along there too. Although I'm not suggesting you'll find a big neon sign saying "Booth's Farm this way" and a big pointy finger!! Viv.


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[Astoness]

oh lol viv i could well be the first bhf member to be arrested in the name of history...if this happens can you start a collection to bail me out ha ha..its all coming back to me now my friends used to drink in the bell pub corner of cramlington road and used the gully to get home to caddick road...ps well done viv i knew your red dot was right..

 

[Vivienne14]

New houses very close, info board.

Thanks Dave. Very interesting. The captions on the artefacts are blurred on my screen. Are they dated? Viv.


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[Dave M]

thats great dave at least we now know that the remains of the farm is still there...shame it was demolished it would have made a great attraction...i am busy for the next few days so it will be sometime next week when i can get over that way...how far was that board from the remains dave were they visible to you..

lyn the info board alongside the remains, whats left is visable

 

[Astoness]

thats great dave i just hope i can get to it from the end i know...trying to juggle things about so i maybe able to get there tomorrow...fingers crossed...

 

[Dave M]

Info larger

 

[Dave M]

​Booth`s Lane Sandy Lane end

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks Dave. Glad to see there's some of the farm still there and not built upon. Viv.


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[Dave M]

​Pics from 6th November 2014

 

[Dave M]

​Next few

 

[Dave M]

​Last few from the 6th Nov

 

[Barmybrummy]

Booths Farm Farmhouse is marked from my memory as a child. The footpath running up from Caddick road passed a field where horses grazed, then you passes various out buildings and the house sat behind these buildings. After the farmhouse was vacated by the last residents it stood empty for years. As children we were able to get inside, some of the rooms had the doors blocked off and you could see into these rooms only by looking down through holes in the upstairs floor. Walk on and you came out on Booths Lane. We used this route every Saturday to get to Kingstanding baths and to get to school at Great Barr Comp.

 

[Astoness]

thanks for those great memories barmybrummie...and thanks for those excellent photos dave...i still intend on having a look myself but will prob wait until the weather gets better..

cheers

lyn

 

[Vivienne14]

And thanks from me Dave and Barmeybrummy (aren't we all?!!). It's just occurred to me that if it hadn't been for the notoriety of Wm Booth, none of the farm would have been preserved. It would most likely now be underneath more houses. I doubt the farm itself as an interesting example in the area would have saved it from obliteration. Looking at the maps it's almost like its in the way and everything has been worked around it. Viv.

 

[Astonian]

Booths Lane, Great Barr

William Booth was a Notorious forger and minter of false coins,and on the 28 march 1812 the military attacked his fortifyed farm house in great Barr,
Hence Booth,s Farm Road when he was captured the authorities found £ 3 ,000 in good notes,200 Guineas in gold ,, £600 in counterfeit silver coins
And a large amount of notes,
He was sent for trial at Stratford Assizes, for years previously he had been tried at Warwick, for the murder of his brother, John,
But had been acquitted for lack of Evidence, this time he was not so fortunate, booth was executed publicly on 15 August 1815
But the hangman bungled the job and so the coiner had to be revived, and Hanged again two hours later
He was hurried at Hands worth old church and later moved thus Booth was tried twice and. Hanged twice and hurried twice

, Alan,,, Astonian,,,,,,,

 

[BernardR]

Re: Booths Lane, Great Barr

Stafford Assizes surely Alan?

 

[oldMohawk]

Re: Booths Lane, Great Barr

There is a newspaper article about it in link below
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=26903&p=427727#post427727

 

[carolina]

This must have been taken at the same time as Post No.29 by Topsyturvey

 

[Stitcher]

 

[Stitcher]

 

[Vivienne14]

A report published in 1966 of the 'fortress' at Booths Farm. Viv.