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Calthorpe Road

Vivienne14

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
What a joy to see Calthorpe Road buildings being maintained to a high standard. This beauty, Ashley House, dates back to the 1830s. Isn’t it refreshing to see it retains its original features and character, well at least externally ? I doubt the interior will have too many original features if it’s been used for office accommodation, but could be wrong on that.

Ashley House isn’t the only house in this style and age on Calthorpe Road. And they’re similarly well maintained. Viv.5349B412-5756-4E8D-86FC-E2122068A2DD.jpeg

ED49E8C9-B2BC-42A6-AF03-5CDBC8B29073.jpeg
 
For a mention of 38 Calthorpe Road see the Thread “Hiroshima”…

Pedrocut

Post in thread 'Hiroshima'

Apparently there is a blue plaque on the Poynting Physics Building at the university that commemorates their achievement.

The Spy that is mentioned at the fade out of the article was the Soviet Klaus spy Fuchs.
  • Appreciate
 
Vivienne14 said:
What a joy to see Calthorpe Road buildings being maintained to a high standard. This beauty, Ashley House, dates back to the 1830s. Isn’t it refreshing to see it retains its original features and character, well at least externally ? I doubt the interior will have too many original features if it’s been used for office accommodation, but could be wrong on that.

Ashley House isn’t the only house in this style and age on Calthorpe Road. And they’re similarly well maintained. Viv.View attachment 152182

View attachment 152181
Click to expand...
Viv I walked past this house many times in the 60's all the houses on this road and very attractive
 
38 Calthorpe Road was not only remarkable because of three key figures, Peieris, Frisch and Fuchs associated with the nuclear project, but also for Professor Charles Lapworth who was Professor of Geology at Mason College and later the University of Birmingham from 1881 to 1913. He lived at this address from sometime after 1901 until his death in 1920.

He was one of the most influential geologists of the Victorian and Edwardian period, and is best known for establishing the Ordovician Period as a distinct geological system.
 
Along with several other Grade II listed houses in Calthorpe Road, numbers 37 and 38 Calthorpe Road were originally designed as impressive domestic villas. Several are now in commercial hands.

Below is the Historic England listing for #37 and #38 Calthorpe Road:

CALTHORPE ROAD 1. 5104 Edgbaston B15 Nos 37 and 38 SP 0585 NW 39/30 II GV C1835 designed as one composition: a pair of semi-detached stucco 2-storey villas with attendant coachhouses. Each has 3 bay front articulated by giant Tuscan pilasters, coupled at centre making the division. The giant order supports entablature with projecting cornice and blockingcourse raised in panel over entrance bays. Glazing bar sash windows in architrave surrounds. C1860 canted pilastered bay windows added to inner bays of each front on ground floor. Pilastered doorways with panelled reveals, looped glazing pattern to rectangular fanlights. Single storey pedimented and pilastered coachhouses are linked by screen walls pieced by segmental arched side entrances, to the corner of each house.

Image from Historic England.Screenshot_20260614_132458_Chrome.jpg
 
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