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Handsworth Park Victoria Park Handsworth

I am quite weak in my knowledge of the park from the 1920s to 1980s when I came to Handsworth.My experience was of the park from when I came to live in Handsworth in 1979 and the period I covered in my research which focused on events leading up to the opening of the first part of the park on 20 June 1888 and the second part on 30 March 1898. It was, I thought, a fascinating story because the park was so unpopular in many parts of Handsworth. Many didn't want its cost on their rates. Some feared it would encourage the "roughs" of Birmingham to invade an area which was meant to be a haven (Handsworth not its planned park) from the dirty teeming city to the south. If anyone wants a complementary digitised copy (unillustrated) of my account of the founding of Handsworth Park please e-mail me at: s.j.baddeley@bham.ac.uk
Oh and by the way I see the date of my history tour of the park has been announced as being on 18 June on BCC's web when it should be on the next Sunday - 25 June - from 1-3 from the Park Lodge.
Another thing. I am now involved with a new group called The Friends of St.Mary’s Churchyard
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Mary's_Church,_Handsworth>
which is focusing on the recovery of that part of the park. The URL points towards my Wikipedia entry on this fascinating part of the park.
Simon B
 
We have written our memories of the park on this forum Simon. Aston Park was, for many of us, our playground, Handsworth Park was a 'Trip'. The flower show held annually drew enormous crowds, and as a teenager in the 50's I never missed the Big Band Concert given by Ted heath and his band, at the end of the show. :)
 
Like you Di the flower show was a higlight of the year, as teenagers we spent every night at the fair. I still like candy flos and remember the smell of the onions cooking for the hot dogs. I have never been to a flower show, that to me meets the standard of the Handsworth show or English flower shows. Even Canada Blooms which is held in Toronto each year doesn't have the same standard of cut flower displays. We never missed the concerts either.
One of our favouite places to go on our bikes was Perry Hall Park, we would sit on the bridge by the playing fields over looking the railway lines doing train spotting. ::) ;D
 
Hi

Could anyone take a picture of handswworth park now that geographically matches this pre-pond picture so we can compare the scenes? The church tower should provide the focal point as here. It would make a great opening for a presentation. Simon
 
We were over that side of the city last night we ate at the Black Eagle great pub and food. We drove down the side of the park Hinstock Road? and the park is really looking good there was a cricket match going on and i think they have built a pavilion. We also drove down Grestone Avenue our family home was down there. It is my birthday on Sunday and the lasting memory i have is of the beautiful blossom trees down the Avenue during May, sadley some years ago they were all ripped out for what ever reason and now it is no where near as pretty oh if only the good things lasted for ever.
 
Handsworth Park was always special to me and my family as well. I have written stories about the Flower Show held there. It certainly was a "trip". I hold in my memory the walks around the area and the beautiful houses with long driveways, my first memories of
a gentler way of life following WW2. A friend of mine lived in Church Lane and it was always good to visit and relive my memories of the area.

I am so glad that the park is being refurbished because many people in Birmingham mentioned it as a place they would never dare to walk in these days. How sad. The photo above is very much liked by myself. I worked for a while in the Handsworth area many years ago and have been through it on the No. 11 Outer Circle bus in recent times.

I was lucky enough to grow up very close to Brookvale Park and Witton Lakes Park...
granted not like Handsworth Park but nevertheless very natural and Witton Lakes is very unchanged. Brookvale Park has had money spent on it and I think the City have done a wonderful job so far.
 
I also, have so many memoeries of Handworth Park.

It took five or ten minutes on the #70 bus to get there or often we would ride our bikes or walk..

Congratulations to the people that have spent so much time refurbishing the park, I just wish I lived close enough to visit.

Thanks to the folks who put the great photos on this site for those of us who can't get there. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Handsworth Park was our Wednesday afternoon cross country run from Handsworth Tech. Some of us did not like C. C. running so it was fags down one sock and matches down the other,slope off into the toilet block just inside the gate, wait for the returning class and join in at the back.
I never got caught,others did and suffered the gym slipper from the P.E. teacher.
 
When did you go to Handsworth Tech. Mike.

My husband went to Handsworth Tech, he also did C.C running but with Birchfield Harriers. :)
 
Hi - we're filming an hour special for the Gardeners' World television programme on the subject of 'parks'.

We're looking at featuring Handsworth Park and are looking for park users - do you have fond memories of Handsworth Park? Are you passionate about Handsworth Park?

If so, then please send your story including contact details to kelly.grant@bbc.co.uk
 
I lived in Putney Road Handsworth from 1941-1961 and have fond memories of Handsworth Park, fishing for tiddlers, climbing over the churchyard wall for free entry to the Flower Show (whoops!) watching Ted Heath, Dennis Lotis, Dickie Valentine etc on the bandstand. My mum worked in the restaurant in the park and my step-father worked in the greenhouse (specialising in orchids). Some of my teachers at St. Marys School used to call into the restaurant at lunchtimes - so mom always had an up-to-date report on my schooling (aaargh).
 
I went to the official opening of the refurbished Handsworth Park yesterday. I must say, it was way beyond my expectations. At the moment I'm uploading some photos to the Net and will post the URL as soon as I'm done. In the meanwhile, here's just one of the Parkie's house (specially for Di), and one of my 32 year old child riding a penny farthing...
 
... and just as another taster, here are a couple more. Note the boats back on the lake. I was told they will only be available for special events but that's better than nuttin' ain't it?
 
very nice picture,s oisin , it brought memoryies flooding back instantly especialy on the lake with the boats with the scenery especialy with the flowers in bloom and the hanging willows and the carming of the lake, thats where i done my courting on them boats and met my damsel whom i married , when i was working on the milk round for the old midlland counties dairyies thanks for the memorys , of nostolgia, have a nice day , astonia ,;;;;;;
 
Lovely - TY 4 the photos Oisin - I wish I'd had been able to get there for the opening It was such a lovely day too - Im glad they made it a good event, it looked like great fun
 
Great photos Oisin, I have looked at half on the web site will look at the rest late. I am going strawberry picking before it gets too hot.

Love the one of your daughter on the penny farthing.

Wish we could have been there on the 8th. Take care Mo :)
 
Thanks for the photos Oisin......they are super. I am so glad that the park has been restored and I will certainly visit it next year when I come to England again. I would like to know if anyone knows anything about the Park Keepers houses that were built around the same time and look very similar. The restored house in Handsworth Park is perfect. There is a similar house in Brookvale Park which is badly in need of restoration. Were they designed by the same architect?
 
Wonderful photo's paul. Thanks especially for the parkies house. I reckon when i get 5 I'm going to do a water colour, can i save it to me puter please. :)
 
!'ve just fired an email off to BBC Midlands Today complaining that the event didn't get a single word of coverage on their programme. Not that they were on their own. When I checked the council's own website on Saturday, there wasn't even a mention on there either. Were it a shooting, the media would be full of it. No such thing as good news, eh? :tickedoff:
 
I took another trip to the park today to see how things were after the excitement of the opening. I was particularly encouraged by the amount of families picnicking and enjoying the facilities. What truly amazed me was the number of east Europeans - hardly a word of English anywhere.
The greatest bonus was feeling secure. I only spotted a couple of drunks, one glue sniffer and not a single drug real being done.

On the downside, I was disappointed by the amount of litter which has accumulated in a week: bottles, cans take-away cartons and the obligatory blue plastic bags strewn on paths and in flower beds, feet away from litter bins. The other saddening aspect was the plaque commemorating the reopened, using the words that it was hoped it would bring pleasure to people for another 100 years, has been defaced in less than a week. I can only hope that this is not a symptom of what is to come.
 
That is dreadful Paul, both the garbage and the graffiti.

Are there lots of bins around or is that the problem? Here they employ students particularly for the summer months and garbage is collected every day, do they do that?

I remember the house was a cafe and I think the park staff worked from there, is that still there? It was by the tennis courts, it was always so nice over there.

I spent so much time in the park like so many of us in those days, no TV. I loved it. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
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