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Grove Lane, Harborne

Astonian

gone but not forgotten
I wanted to know do you have any idea of grove lane. harborne in the early 1900s
Looking to see 61 grove lanestreet and what the house was likely to be if that's possible or at least where in harborne would it have been as my grand mother was brought up for a short while. I beleive she was 14 years old at the time her name was hinto [ bertha victoria ] and her father was walter Hinton
Alan ASTONIAN;;;;;;
 
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Dear Alan,

I have checked the Ordnance Survey maps of 1901, 1913, 1921, 1938, 1949 and 1958 none of which show any property in Grove Lane Harborne apart from The Grove (Thomas Attwood's house), and Harborne Hall itself.

It wasn't until the 1986 edition which shows properties constructed along the west side of Grove Lane facing Grove Park.
Google Street view shows them numbering from 61 to 97, however "walking" Street View's little man northwards up Grove Lane toward the junction with Old Church Road it lists everything on the west side as number 63.

Number 61 is an early 70's built detached house by the way

At the junction with Old Church Road is the entrance to Harborne Hall which has, until recent years, been used by Sisters of La Retraite since 1925, more recently as a training centre for Voluntary Services Overseas and most recently as an annex to Station Road School.

The visible building near the entrance has in the past had entrances in the wall along the northern part of Grove Lane which could have had the address number 61.

Many years ago (circa 1975) there were "cells" with iron gratings in the walls along this section facing out onto Grove Lane and the Nuns allowed young Irish students from nearby Newman College to stay there. They were then very simple rooms with a fixed bed, a chair and not a lot else.

61 Grove Lane.jpg

This culled from Street View which reminds me the gap between the buildings shown fenced used to be an entrance to the retreat during the mid 70's

Grove Lane is a short walk away from here so if you need a bit of "leg work" just ask.

A minor breakthrough since writing the above is that there appears to have been property on the west side of Grove Lane facing the entrance to The Grove House which was demolished in 1962.
The parcel of land appears to be part of the Wiggin estate and may have later passed into the Kenrick estate in the early part of the 20th century as it is briefly referred to in the deeds of our house.

Therefore the location of the land parcel and its position is broadly in alignment with where the present 61 is situated. If so then the houses on the present development would have deeds and records at the Land Registry which might also lead to the identity of original property.

I called in to the new Library of Birmingham to look at the map collection for the period 1882-1916 and the following is comparison of editions.

Map scraps.jpg

Ringed is a building which occupied much the same position as the present number 61 does today. This would coincide with the period when Harborne Hall was loaned by Walter Chamberlain to house refugees from Belgium between 1914-16. Between 1916-1918 it was used as a military hospital for soldiers sent back from France and during the period financed by W T Avery, the scale makers, would had long associations with Chamberlain.

From 1919-1924 it was leased to Montagu Lawson who ran the house as Harborne Hall Preparatory School with a small staff of graduate teachers and housekeepers before the business was wound up in 1926 before which the Sisters of Letraite had set up their Retreat in 1925.

The maps generally cover this period.


Regards,
 
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Exiting Grove Park in Harborne on Grove Lane saw the above buildings mentioned. The Lodge is on the corner of Old Church Road.



The Lodge







The middle building, it like a barn or stables?



Garage or shed?



Harborne Hall on Old Church Road.

 
Happy days in the 50s,walking up Grove Lane on route to St Peters school nearby. There was and still is a bank running parallel to the footpath in Grove Lane, used to think it was great to walk along the bank to and from school. Not much has changed along there in most recent years, the nunnery as I knew it was active them day's.
Great memories.
David Stamps
 
Happy days in the 50s,walking up Grove Lane on route to St Peters school nearby. There was and still is a bank running parallel to the footpath in Grove Lane, used to think it was great to walk along the bank to and from school. Not much has changed along there in most recent years, the nunnery as I knew it was active them day's.
Great memories.
David Stamps
 
I too walk along Grove Lane to St Peter’s School in the 50s from where I bed on the Hillyfields Estate.I remember when I first walked along it it was a muddy lane, It was in later years the road was done. There was a fence and wall all down the side of the lane where Grove Hall stood. Sadly both Grove Hall and the fence/ walls have gone. The Convent is now a Hotel.
 
I too walk along Grove Lane to St Peter’s School in the 50s from where I bed on the Hillyfields Estate.I remember when I first walked along it it was a muddy lane, It was in later years the road was done. There was a fence and wall all down the side of the lane where Grove Hall stood. Sadly both Grove Hall and the fence/ walls have gone. The Convent is now a Hotel.

Yes, great memories for me. I lived in Poole Crescent until 1965 or thereabouts. At Peters school until 1958.Mr Lloyd was the then headmaster there. Mr Radford my last teacher. I recall the 'prefab' style class room's that ran alongside the avenue to Harborne Park Rd. Larry and Roger the twins lived near the hillyfields pub in Quinton Rd, they were my mates then. But Grove Lane was my favourite local spot, always popped into Kenricks Park, was a private little farm then with a small orchard. A pond was in there too full of newts etc. We got chased out by a grumpy old farmer!
Very occasionally I drive through that area, my grandparents are buried in St Peters cemetery. Elsie and Harold Smith. Well nearly in 2020 now, I'll never let these memories go.
 
Yes, great memories for me. I lived in Poole Crescent until 1965 or thereabouts. At Peters school until 1958.Mr Lloyd was the then headmaster there. Mr Radford my last teacher. I recall the 'prefab' style class room's that ran alongside the avenue to Harborne Park Rd. Larry and Roger the twins lived near the hillyfields pub in Quinton Rd, they were my mates then. But Grove Lane was my favourite local spot, always popped into Kenricks Park, was a private little farm then with a small orchard. A pond was in there too full of newts etc. We got chased out by a grumpy old farmer!
Very occasionally I drive through that area, my grandparents are buried in St Peters cemetery. Elsie and Harold Smith. Well nearly in 2020 now, I'll never let these memories go.
Yes, great memories for me. I lived in Poole Crescent until 1965 or thereabouts. At Peters school until 1958.Mr Lloyd was the then headmaster there. Mr Radford my last teacher. I recall the 'prefab' style class room's that ran alongside the avenue to Harborne Park Rd. Larry and Roger the twins lived near the hillyfields pub in Quinton Rd, they were my mates then. But Grove Lane was my favourite local spot, always popped into Kenricks Park, was a private little farm then with a small orchard. A pond was in there too full of newts etc. We got chased out by a grumpy old farmer!
Very occasionally I drive through that area, my grandparents are buried in St Peters cemetery. Elsie and Harold Smith. Well nearly in 2020 now, I'll never let these memories go.
 
I loved my time living around that area. I used to walk along the Bank on Grove Lane on my way home from St Peter’s School, I thought I was really brave as it seemed so high up. I have since walked down the lane and the bank isn’t very high but at the age of 5 suppose it was high up. I used to look through the cracks in the fence of the convent and saw a statue of Mary in a tree. I was at St Peter’s untill 1957. Mr Lloyd was head then too.
 
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I loved my time living around that area. I used to walk along the Bank on Grove Lane on my way home from St Peter’s School, I thought I was really brave as it seemed so high up. I have since walked down the lane and the bank isn’t very high but at the age of 5 suppose it was high up. I used to look through the cracks in the fence of the convent and saw a statue of Mary in a tree. I was at St Peter’s untill 1957. Mr Lloyd was head then too. Have you seen my St Peter’s Group on Facebook there are lots of photos on there.
[/QUOTE
Sorry I don't engage with Facebook, but I imagined your page is great.
My mother and her sisters attended At Peter's too, shows you the age of that school.
Some pupils from 50/60s are still around, sadly many have passed by.. I'm in middle 60s now my three sisters, Carol,June and Joyce are all former members of the school too. In the 90s the arched entrance to the graveyard opposite the school was demolished by a council truck, I took b/w photos of it,I still have them photos. The arch was repaired and re erected.
One of Birmingham's former chief constables is buried by the church along with two sons who died in WW2 aircraft incidents, Charles Raffter I think it is.
The orchard opposite Grove Lane was private land but mostly unfenced I seen to recall, Apple orchard mostly.
The conifer trees now in the part next to Grove Lane near St Peters were planted in the late 80s or early 90s, I seen the planting take place with small young trees, amazing how quickly the tree's have established over the year's!
I remember the newsagents in Grove Lane, the usual calling point to spend our sixpences pocket money.
Cadleigh garden's, still there, much unchanged also, there was a well kept rose garden there between the houses, not sure if it's maintained nowdays. I think it was council maintained.
So many memories of in and around Grove Lane.
Dave Stamps.








was demolished
 
I can print some after Xmas I thought think. I need to go through my collection, I have many local history photos but only them of the demolished arch in Grove Lane. I used do Street photos some time ago. I have others of harborne like Duke of York pub and the local street's when I was a bus driver through harborne. I'll sort them out for you in the next week or two ok.
 
I can print some after Xmas I thought think. I need to go through my collection, I have many local history photos but only them of the demolished arch in Grove Lane. I used do Street photos some time ago. I have others of harborne like Duke of York pub and the local street's when I was a bus driver through harborne. I'll sort them out for you in the next week or two ok.
Any old Harborne photos would be great. They would bring back happy memories.
 
Just a quickie. I can't print photos off on my system. I can get the photos scanned at Max Speilman though. Ive about 5-6 I can get copied, but they're about £2 each to copy.
Can you scan or copy if I bring them to you some time after Xmas? I live in King's Norton so I'm fairly local to you.
Dave.
PS. I could try and take snaps on my phone and send them, but quality won't be to good perhaps?
 
Just a quickie. I can't print photos off on my system. I can get the photos scanned at Max Speilman though. Ive about 5-6 I can get copied, but they're about £2 each to copy.
Can you scan or copy if I bring them to you some time after Xmas? I live in King's Norton so I'm fairly local to you.
Dave.
PS. I could try and take snaps on my phone and send them, but quality won't be to good perhaps?
Try to do it on your phone first I do that a lot and they are quite good. It depends on what phone you have though.
 
Try to do it on your phone first I do that a lot and they are quite good. It depends on what phone you have though.
Yes. I'll try soon. I was serious amateur photographer once upon a time, I've never rated the best of phone images, very limited quality I've found. Speak again next or later this week.
 
Hi. I've not forgotten about the photos. I'm experiencing some rather serious personal issues at present. Sorry. I'll be in touch at some point.
 
Hi sorry to hear that. No worries just thought other people may also have some photos they would like to share. Take care David x
 
It's an age think and age consequences!
I'm looking through my old photos bit by bit.
I lost many more old photos about 10 years ago when my computer failed, I never backed them up unfortunately. I've got my Harborne photos though, and some Selly Oak too.
I'm trying to get more information on Selly Oak at moment but things have become harder to get now for some strange reason.
I used to take photos for a Selly Oak historion James Hyland, but Jim died suddenly in 2009. Jim was an encyclopedia of local knowledge, he really was.
I haven't been to Harborne much of late, I must go there soon possibly.
I used to live in Poole crescent as I've told you, the Roman history there is interesting, like Metchley Fort on the QE hospital site.
I have some out of print brochures of Metchley Fort, short but interesting.
I spent many many hours as a young boy playing on the fields where the new QE site is now, it was just open fields, no houses except those in Metchley Lane. The old reconstruction roman gatehouse posts are still there near the main entrance to the hospital, no one seems to interested nowadays, seems our history has been overlooked due to political correctness!!
Still one day people might wake up when it's to late and all is lost forever.
 
I was borne in Selly Oak and most of my family were. I was born in 6 Chapel Lane, my Dad was born at the bottom of Chapel Lane Opposite the Bus Garage and my Gran was born just down from the Oak cinima. My other grand parents and all my Aunts and uncles lived in Healy Rd. When I married I moved to Dawlish Rd. Mom, Dad my brother and sister worked at Cadbury. Dad worked at Elliott’s just after the war. My sister worked at the battery. Later we all moved to Harborne where I did. OST of my growing up.
 
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I was borne in Selly Oak and most of my family were. I was born in 6 Chapel Lane, my Dad was born at the bottom of Chapel Lane Opposite the Bus Garage and my Gran was born just down from the Oak cinima. My other grand parents and all my Aunts and uncles lived in Healy Rd. When I married I moved to Dawlish Rd. Mom, Dad my brother and sister worked at Cadbury. Dad worked at Elliott’s just after the war. My sister worked at the battery. Later we all moved to Harborne where I did. OST of my growing up. I have 4 Harborne Groups full of old photos. Are you on Facebook?.

hi brenda perhaps you would like to share some of your photos with us on here...thanks

lyn
 
....Good point, Lyn....and it's worth reminding any member looking at this thread that, in contrast with other platforms, any information and images posted in the Forum become readily Googleable. Ask any of the 476 visitors (i.e. non-members) who are looking at the Forum at this moment - most of them are probably here because Google has helped them find us.....

Chris
 
Photos I promised you.
Yes, great memories for me. I lived in Poole Crescent until 1965 or thereabouts. At Peters school until 1958.Mr Lloyd was the then headmaster there. Mr Radford my last teacher. I recall the 'prefab' style class room's that ran alongside the avenue to Harborne Park Rd. Larry and Roger the twins lived near the hillyfields pub in Quinton Rd, they were my mates then. But Grove Lane was my favourite local spot, always popped into Kenricks Park, was a private little farm then with a small orchard. A pond was in there too full of newts etc. We got chased out by a grumpy old farmer!
Very occasionally I drive through that area, my grandparents are buried in St Peters cemetery. Elsie and Harold Smith. Well nearly in 2020 now, I'll never let these memories go.
I just tried to upload the photos if St Peters school Church entrance as accidently damaged. Message says images to big to send.. I'm puzzled.
 
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