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Holly Lane Erdington

Sparkhill Boy

Sparkhill Boy

master brummie
I would really like to know if Holly Cottages still exist in Holly Lane, Erdington. Looking on Google mapping showsa U shaped block of smaller properties at the northern end of the lane. I would appreciate it if someone nearby could check it out for me and if possible get a pic or two. Thanks.
 
Hi SB
If you could be more specific about the location in holly lane you are referring to, either a google earth picture or a map etc, I would be only to willing to take some photographs for you, I only live around the corner from there, The cottages certainly wouldn't exist today.

PS we are talking about holly lane in Erdington I presume.
Brian
 
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Of course it's in Erdington! I must get used to reading thread titles properly, I'll put it down to age.

Brian
 
Thank you Brian, that would be much appreciated.
The area that I'm looking at is halfway between Woodacre Rd and Greswolde Drive. The houses look smaller than the rest and are set back with long gardens in the front.
I'm hoping they will be Holly Cottages.
Fingers crossed.

Many Thanks, Graham
 
hi all
any one from erdington remember the ex-polish service mans club, (the dom polski) in gravely hill I think, from 50s 60s, my dad who was at monte cassino with british army was often invited there and I went with him had some great times.
regards
paul stacey
 
Hi again Sparkhill Boy, I know exactly were you mean, will take some photographs asap, if I can't do them today it will have to be friday, as i'm tied up (not literaly) for the next two day's, with hospital appoinment, etc.

Brian
 
Hi SB, these are the pictures I promised, They are some of the oldest houses in the area, unfortunately I don't think they are as old as you would like them to be, and I have never heard them referred to as "Holly Lane cottages". I could not get any higher than this so as to give a better perspective of the layout.
 
I used to live in holly lane for a while, and was always led to believe that these houses were used by dunlop workers familys, perhaps someone else knows better.
 
Hi Maur, I think the Dunlop houses you refer to are the ones in Pype Hayes road, near the junction with chester road. They are the only Boswell houses left standing on the Pype Hayes estate, most of those are now boarded up and will be demolished when the last two or three occupiers move out.

Brian
 
dunlop houses were in Kingsbury road down to the Tyburn rd worked on them for years as a plumber
robb128
 
May be the only way to establish whether Holly Cottages exist as an address, is to look in the local electoral roll. It will be listed under its own name, perhaps as part of Holly Lane.
Next problem is finding the electoral roll for that area. They used to be held in local libraries, but I'm not sure now.

Thanks for your input Rob128 and Maur.
 
I visited Holly Lane to have a look around a few weeks ago. Met lots of nice people in my search. There is a house on the left hand side going up the hill towards the top call Holly Cottage. Sadly not the one I'm looking for, but having spoken with the owner it had a fantastic history. Used to be lived in by a Mayor of Birmingham at some point.
Also heard that there used to be a row of cottages in the entrance to Ricketts Farm. I have yet to contact the a Mr Ricketts the son of the original farmer to see if he has more details.
The search contiues!
 
When I worked at Atkinsons Brewery in the 1950s - Ricketts used to collect the grain after brewing was complete, it came down in a chute onto the lorries. We were driving behind a Ricketts lorry only the other day, but it was a building firm, and I wondered if it had any connection to the other Ricketts.
 
Yes it is the same family. I have yet to contact the grandson of the original Ricketts (the farmer) to establish the cottages.
 
Sparkhill Boy said:
Yes it is the same family. I have yet to contact the grandson of the original Ricketts (the farmer) to establish the cottages.
Click to expand...

Hi Sparkhill, I'm sure it's the same Ricketts family that run a haulage business with about 6 or 7 tipper lorries, so should be easy to contact, I think they still operate out of Erdington, I don't know if you have seen this picture of Rose Cottage before, it was demolished around about the seventies to make way for new housing.

Brian
 
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Thanks for the pic Brian, I think this is the entrance to the Ricketts farm area. I understand that there may have been a small row of cottages, probably for workers inside the gateway. Will be writing to the Ricketts family soon.
Graham
 
My Sister owned a shop in Holly Lane opposite the entrance to Knocks Brick works, circa early 1970`s. Len.
 
I had an uncle that married a Joan Woollaston from Holly Lane and I can just remember that her house had a long front garden and it was on the opposite side of the road from the brick works, my uncle also worked for a time at the brick works, his name was Ken Millichamp.

trebor
 
Unfortunately the photos referred to in this post are no longer available.

The 'then' pictures are taken from old postcards, the 'now' pictures taken from Google Streetview.
The older of the pictures is thought to date from the 1930's.

Ian.
 
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The 'then' pictures are taken from old postcards, the 'now' pictures taken from Google Streetview.
The older of the picture dates from the 1908.

Ian.
 
Does anyone have any memories/pictures of NOCK'S BRICK WORKS, Holly Lane.
I worked there for a couple of years along side three of my brothers.
We have the surname DARBY.
 
Austin K2 said:
Does anyone have any memories/pictures of NOCK'S BRICK WORKS, Holly Lane.
I worked there for a couple of years along side three of my brothers.
We have the surname DARBY.
Click to expand...

I remember playing there as a lad. It frightens me just to think of what I got up to. It's a wonder I'm still alive to tell the story:cower:
 
Yes been over Nock's brick works as a lad; absolutely enormous clay pit with a couple of ponds at the bottom.

There was a conveyor belt coming up out of the clay pit, over a building which had coal in it, the guy inside said they put some coal in the clay to make the bricks fire better.

There were a couple of steam engines that drove the brick making machinery, firstly these gigantic steel rollers which the clay dropped through, then a mill which extruded the clay. a few guys would used wire to cut the clay up into brick sizes.

There were millions of bricks all drying out on the hot floors, an amazing place.

Does anyone have any photos?
 
Remember to wall that use to go around the place made of all the differant types of bricks they made there

Sent from my HTC Wildfire
 
The Holly Lane area holds many fond memories for me because of football. Used to play school games in Grange Rd against Yenton school, also against Paget and Gunter Rd not too far away from there, then later on at The Delta and at Dunlop. A lovely suburban area in those days, bet it's changed a bit since then.
 
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