Community Centre Hillingford Avenue Great Barr

[Vivienne14]

When large housing developments are built one of the necessary facilities for the new residents are community centres. These help foster a sense of being part of a new neighbourhood, help tackle problems like social isolation and help build the new community with a place to hold meetings, social events and provide a base for training. In the 1930s there was a desperate need for such facilities resulting from the massive housing development taking place. This wasn’t immediately met, and converting the barn on Hillingford Avenue must have been one community group’s answer to the problem.

Was this barn later replaced by the Collingwood Centre ? Viv.

 

[Dave M]

My old School, left 1959, in the last pic

 

[Dave M]

The Barn

 

[Vivienne14]

I wonder if we can place the barn on a map please ? Viv.

 

[mikejee]

The only building on the map that could be the barn that existed pre WW2 is one of the buildings of Pheasey Farm, and must be that named "club" and marked by red pointer on this map c 1960

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks Mike. So it must have been behind the school and Collingwood Centre. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

My estimation is that Constable Close was built on the site of the barn/1940s community centre. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

I was wondering if the barn/centre was used by the American forces stationed in Great Barr during WW2 ? Does anybody know ? Surely it would have been a local attraction during the War. Viv.

 

[Astoness]

could be mike...looks as though pheasey farm did take in a bit of hillingsford avenue...for those who do not already know move the blue dot on the map below to see what is there now

Georeferenced Maps viewer - Map images - National Library of Scotland

 

[Dave M]

The only building on the map that could be the barn that existed pre WW2 is one of the buildings of Pheasey Farm, and must be that named "club" and marked by red pointer on this map c 1960

View attachment 161869

The Red Dot is spot on, my old classroom at 11 o clock

 

[Vivienne14]

Thought this place rang a bell from somewhere. It’s mentioned in this thread post #61 onwards. Viv.

US Base Pheasey Estate

I remember a US base off the Coventry Road before Meridan,around Packington I think? We would ride our bikes there and ask the yanks "Got any gum chum" Wrigleys was what they gave us, use to rumage in the trash for knives forks spoons badges etc.Real friendly chaps John Crump, OldBrit now in...

birminghamhistory.co.uk

 

[Vivienne14]

Do you remember the barn Dave. It was probably still there into the 1970s (although that’s a guess based on the houses that were built there). Viv.

 

[Dave M]

Do you remember the barn Dave. It was probably still there into the 1970s (although that’s a guess based on the houses that were built there). Viv.

Yes remember the Barn