• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Erdington

Peter, this photo confirms your findings. I wonder if it was anything to do with the small chapel, now a Spiritualist church, in Edwards Road?

Thomas Cattell show in the picture died on the 9th March 1914.

In February 1957 still used as Congregational Church....April 1975 advertised for sale as former church.
 
I think, as mentioned before, that the Greek Orthodox church had taken the Sutton Road church. A few years ago we came back from town and they were outside the church late at night with an icon (I think) as it was around Easter. However, they observe the festival at a different time to us, this year it's a week later, the 28th April. They follow the Julian calendar.

That's a good map oM, I think the police station could still be the same building. The library and row of shops would have been built around 1912. Would the building in the photos have been built on the site of the original workhouse?

Peter, I found it interesting that the Congregationalist church pre-dated the parish church by around ten years. That may have spurred the C of E to build St Barnabas. They do have a habit of not liking other denominations getting in first!

It must have been very daunting to have to walk all the way to Aston Parish church for Sunday services - I wonder how many people made the effort? I expect they only made the journey for weddings, baptisms and burials.
 
I think, as mentioned before, that the Greek Orthodox church had taken the Sutton Road church. A few years ago we came back from town and they were outside the church late at night with an icon (I think) as it was around Easter. However, they observe the festival at a different time to us, this year it's a week later, the 28th April. They follow the Julian calendar.

That's a good map oM, I think the police station could still be the same building. The library and row of shops would have been built around 1912. Would the building in the photos have been built on the site of the original workhouse?

Peter, I found it interesting that the Congregationalist church pre-dated the parish church by around ten years. That may have spurred the C of E to build St Barnabas. They do have a habit of not liking other denominations getting in first!

It must have been very daunting to have to walk all the way to Aston Parish church for Sunday services - I wonder how many people made the effort? I expect they only made the journey for weddings, baptisms and burials.

There seems to have a surge of Chapel building in the mid 1800s, and as you say the established Church was not best pleased. Some sermons were not very Christian!
 
Any ideas what the structure is to the right ? Seems to have chimney pots, but nothing beneath ! Viv.

29E222F2-3F47-4D99-8415-2F89829C8B61.jpeg
 
Viv, perhaps the chimney pots belong to the cottage behind the structure. There is a gate and although I can't see the cottage I feel sure that there is one.
 
Ok, those windguard chimney pots cost a fortune and are quite fragile, most builders would put them up out of the way to store them
 
Shoothill have this image tagged 'The Parochial Rooms, Bell Lane, Erdington, Birmingham' but I have not yet found a Bell Lane in Erdington. The wall plaque reads 'Working Mens Club For Reading Recreation Supported By Voluntry Contributions'. The railings are decorated with artistic acorns.
View attachment 132651
Apparently Bell Lane became Orp
when i was 6 i was shopping with mom in erdington hight,st. i got lost.and was taken to the cop shop.
when mom come to get me i was sitting in the office chomping biscuits,and drinking tea.
Been there done that but found my own way home in Orphanage rd. I was dragged to the Police Station to show I was found, I was four.
 
So Erdington for me, my grand parents ( pops) got moved out of Nechalls Park Road and was relocated to Erdington on the Lyndhurst Estate on the top floor of one if those blocks of flats I think they where brand new,. but these where old folks getting moved to the 10th floor ?, What I do recall was the sign for the sign company painted on the wall of a guy on the ladder paintingi the sign as you climbed the hill past the church and the park ? A little help ?
 
Last edited:
There is a thread about the Lyndhurst Estate, built in the late fifty's. I lived there too in Fairbourne Tower, sixth floor. These tower blocks were the town planners dream, and the householders nightmare. Built under the guise of saving valuable land, the reality was they were cheep to build, at a cost of social isolation.

The guy on the ladder was the logo for the Sign Service. On the corner of Sutton Road and Station Road, adjacent to the Cross Keys Pub. It was there up until a couple of year back, then the company relocated. I did attempt to save it by geting Historic England to list it, unfortunately to no avail.
 
Morturn wow I am sure that's the block of flats my grand parents lived in Fairboure Tower their flat looked out over the estate as you came to the flats their block was on the left and their flat was top floor on the left my grand parents both died in the early 70s so it's been many years since I was that way, we lived in Rednal so it was all ways a special treat to go there, my grand mother made the best egg custard pie a 2 inch high slice would just stand straight up,. That sign must have been there for 50 years or more we would always kid about it wondering if this time when we got there weather it was Finnished yet, it's funny how the memorys come flooding back,. I remember how much the tunnels and the express way down to sketti junction made the trip so much easier, a trip to my grand parents was always special as my cousins were there when we went my pop has a brother and two sisters and that side of the family still lives that way
 
Quite possible it was the same block, it was the first one finished, even before any of the houses and maisonettes too. We were only there just under a year when mum got an exchange for a house.

I loved all the building site activity as a kids, we would go in the mess huts and talk to the builders. The site thunder boxes (toilets) were a disgrace, just a pit with a pieces of 3x2 across and newspaper on a nail.
 
So Erdington for me, my grand parents ( pops) got moved out of Nechalls Park Road and was relocated to Erdington on the Lyndhurst Estate on the top floor of one if those blocks of flats I think they where brand new,. but these where old folks getting moved to the 10th floor ?, What I do recall was the sign for the sign company painted on the wall of a guy on the ladder paintingi the sign as you claimed the hill past the church and the park ? A little help ?
This is the one, John.
 

Attachments

  • Erdington Sign Service_painter & model Geo Plant 1947.jpg
    Erdington Sign Service_painter & model Geo Plant 1947.jpg
    419 KB · Views: 44
Back
Top