Erdington History

[Brockie]

It looks as though the house building started before 1901 as there were only 8 houses at that time. By the 1911 census your relatives appear so they may have moved in when the property was fairly new.

Thanks, the Howell family who rented No 58 came from.Arundel. John Henry Howell was a military tailor there during the late 19th century wars, but there was less demand for elaborate uniforms after that and it seems the business failed. They moved to Birmingham round about 1901 so.must have been among the first tenants , he suffered with dementia and died shortly afterwards His daughter Edith Ann supported the family with dressmaking and tutoring local children - one was Alan Lyde, who became a local vicar. She was a Girl Guide leader in.the area. At the end of the war, 1918, Edith had saved up £300 to purchase the house. However, her companion Dora Hazel's brother Ralph purchased it for them and added it to the Annie Hazel Estate saying that 'they'd only get married' so could do without the responsibility. They stayed put, and never paid rent. The house was never modernised. They outlived all the Hazel siblings, Dora passing away in 1978 and Edith in 1985 at the age of 97.