Duddeston Manor Estate

[Vivienne14]

The three tower blocks shown on the modern day map below are located in a row (there were originally four - one block was demolished). These 12 storey blocks were the first to be built in the city after the second world war. Queens Tower was the first tower block of the group to be completed and was opened by Harold Macmillan in 1954. Originally, there were plans to build more, but these plans were downscaled. The brick buildings were heralded as the future by residents with their modern central heating and waste disposal system.

The three blocks have since that time been renovated. The balconies, for example, have been enclosed, and the original brickwork is no longer exposed.



1953


Phyllis Nicklin image taken mid 1953 labelled "Hyde Park Corner' Bloomsbury Street


Phyllis Nicklin image from July !953, taken from Saltley Road - Loxton Street School on the right.


1954

 

[Morturn]

Thanks Viv. I know there blocks quite well; I was the site QS when they were refurbished back in 1992. If I’m honest the refurbishment was not really well thought through. A lot of thee work we undertook was well cringeworthy when we looked at the overall design, usefulness, impact and cost.

Anyway they were very interesting bocks of flats, similar to those built at the Holt Estate by Salford bridge.

Each block was steel framed with brick cladding. Each of the four wings was to give each flat daylight on three sides. There were two staircase to for general access and six fire escape staircases plus two lifts.

If you look at the 1953 newspaper photo you can see how the design had a navy influence in nature, the top floor looking like a battleship bridge. Quite common with other social developments around the country as we celebrated our glorious navy.

The block on the corner of Nechells Parkway and Little Hall Road, Home Tower I think was the home of the coal fired district heating scheme and the Garchey System of wate disposal. I can tell more about this if anyone is interested.

 

[mw0njm.]

Duddeston Manor Estate

The Duddeston Manor Estate is part of the Nechells Green complex in the Nechells area of Aston, Birmingham. Together with the Cromwell Street Estate, Rupert Street Estate and Kellett Road Estate it made up the Nechells Green complex of 27 tower blocks and was part of the 67 council-owned tower...

ukhousing.fandom.com

 

[mw0njm.]

got me thinking. i remember Bloomsbury st crossing lister st and saltley rd and contiuing into the estate. on the corner of lister st bloosbury st was a small of row of prefabricated shops on in particular i remember was a sweet shop. and walking through the estate to get to duddeston mill rd shops


'Hyde Park Corner' Bloomsbury Street, in Duddeston. Vauxhall Photo taken 22nd July 1953.



The Duddeston Four are four 12 storey tower blocks that are part of the Duddeston Manor Estate in the Duddeston, Birmingham,



Famous for being the first four tower blocks to be built in the city after the second world war with first one Queens Tower, opened by Harold Macmillan in 1954.
These were due to be the footprint for all tower blocks in the city but due to the design and cost Birmingham City Council moved to other construction designs for future development. A coal-fired boiler was located in the basement of the towers and later modified to a gas boiler.


and a view of those three 12 storey towers from Nechells Parkway, Queens Tower, High Tower and Holme Tower, 1981


Photo by Prof. Miles Glendinning

 

[Vivienne14]

The Glendinning photo really shows how dominant the towers are in the landscape. There seems to have been a very conscious effort to green up the surrounding area.

The second "Hyde Park Corner" (Phyllis Nicklin image) has been reversed - it's the same as the one in post #1.

 

[mw0njm.]

The second "Hyde Park Corner" (Phyllis Nicklin image) has been reversed - it's the same as the one in post #1.

oky doko thanks i will del it viv

 

[mw0njm.]