Dowell's Retreat almshouses Bordesley

[Tuppenny Rice]

Two photos of Dowell's Retreat almshouses in Warner Street, Bordesley.

The first by William A Clark in 1932 is held by Birmingham Archive:

Dowell's retreat | Birmingham City Council

Online collections and galleries from the Library of Birmingham's archives

www.birmingham.gov.uk

I attach another which shows my great aunt Rose Emily Bennett (in white) standing next to her aunt Patience Ann Suffolk nee Jeffcott. Rose used to bring a hot lunch to Patience there in her school lunch break, and do errands for the old ladies. Rose was born in 1902, so the date of the photo would be about 1915. Patience Ann was born in 1878, in Stockingford, Nuneaton. I think Rose's mother, my great grandmother Sarah Ann Bennett nee Jeffcott also lived in Dowell's at the end of her life in the 1940s. If I find any more photos I will post them.

 

[Tuppenny Rice]

Link to some colour photos and a map from @SteveBhx Stevebh and @mikejee mikejee

OLD BIRMINGHAM PHOTOS FROM STEVEBHx

Market Hall corner of Jamaica Row and Moat Row, wholesale fish market nearest to the camera, fine ornamental windows , with metal window framing. Suited Gents with the barrow in the foreground, a nice GPO Morris van and a couple of nice mini vans. Yellow "No waiting " sign on the right and a...

birminghamhistory.co.uk

It looks like there were wash houses / toilets in the two corner yards at the back, you can see a glimpse of laundry drying. I'm quite surprised the garden was so wild.. an early wildlife garden! Does anyone know what the letters in the middle of the garden on the map stand for? Looks like WJP?

 

[Tuppenny Rice]

I forgot to mention, that Rose lived to 102, so I knew her for many years. Sarah Ann was 40 when Rose was born, so it's amazing to say that I knew someone whose mother was born in the 1860s. Here she is aged about 25, going by the fashion (dress with men's waistcoat influence, 'flower pot' hat). She was the daughter of a miner and grew up in Nuneaton.

 

[Vivienne14]

Some background about the retreat. Source: British Newspaper Archive.

 

[Tuppenny Rice]

Thankyou so much.
It still exists
dowellstrust.org.uk