High Street Erdington

[Vivienne14]

Correction to my post #391. Apologies, but The Lindens was at #163-#165 and this (see Streetview) would have been the position (today Betfred). It seems to have Victorian features above the shop. It, along with many other properties, was owned by the Machin family.

Below is an auction notice of all their properties, and it includes 20 two storey Easy Row cottages numbered #115- #153 (this refers to High Street numbering), We're given the measurements of the total frontage (nearly 70 yards and area of 4,720 square yards). This lot takes some working through, but we might find some more useful pointers.

It doesn't say specifically if the 'ancient' cottage was owned by the Machins, or that it was included in the numbering of #115-#153, but there's a good chance it was owned by them given that George H Machin took possession of the tollgate board found in the old cottage. As church warden he then passed it on to Canon Swindell.

Source: British Newspaper Archive

 

[Astoness]

Correction to my post #391. Apologies, but The Lindens was at #163-#165 and this (see Streetview) would have been the position (today Betfred). It seems to have Victorian features above the shop. It, along with many other properties, was owned by the Machin family.

Below is an auction notice of all their properties, and it includes 20 two storey Easy Row cottages numbered #115- #153 (it refers to High Street numbering), We're given the measurements of the total frontage (nearly 70 yards and area of 4,720 square yards). This lot takes some working through, but we might find some more useful pointers.

It doesn't say specifically if the 'ancient' cottage is owned by the Machins, but chances are it is I suspect.

Source: British Newspaper Archive View attachment 215605

i thought it was viv but was not sure enough to say so...thanks for the correction

lyn

 

[Vivienne14]

Could it be Canon Swindell outside the old cottage? Can't be sure but a possibility.

 

[Vivienne14]

A couple of other bits and bobs I've found out. George Machin was a Director of the First Aston, Handsworth, and Erdington Model Building Society in 1897.

The Machin family had a small brick making business. In 1890, G H Machin (named as brick maker) owned the Six Ways Tea Warehouse, Erdington for which he acquired a licence.

I think he also served on the local council.

So on the face of it, Machin was very involved in the local community. But as a businessman, he also had a vested interest in building projects and the financing of them

 

[Vivienne14]

I think this (blue dot) was #163 - #165 High Street and named The Lindens. If so, it means Woolworths was built over the passageway to the right of the Lindens.

Barnabas Road was built directly alongside the line of the NE edge of this building (red dot). So this building position would have been covered over when Woolworths built it's store. Therefore, was this structure (red dot) the old 'ancient' cottage in Benjamin Stone's 1890s photo ?

The only other alternative for the old cottage position would be the building just to the south (yellow dot) where the land was also built over for the Woolworth store.

If you use Lyn's mapping tool link in post #382, you'll see what I'm trying to explain- hopefully!