Spring Hill College At Moseley School

[pjmburns]

I am not sure if this thread is in the right place but I couldn't find one about the College although it gets a mention in some of the various threads about Moseley School.
Last Saturday I joined the Old Moseleians tour of the original buildings and this thread will contain some of the information and some photographs.
(If it is in the wrong place I am sure one of the mods will move it for me).

 

[pjmburns]

The story of Spring Hill College later to become Moseley Grammar begins with the Mansfield family. In particular Sarah Mansfield who became Sarah Glover. Her and her husband lived in the Manor House Hockley. Sarah’s husband, George, helped build the Ebenezer Chapel in Steelhouse Lane. George wanted to use his wealth for a worthwhile purpose – to this end he gave some land in trust to support a clergy training college for young men. After George's death Sara continued the idea and moved to a smaller house. The college began in the Manor House but outgrew the premises. Eventually land was purchased in Moseley - 22 acres for £2000. This was later to be the site of the building which is still there to this day. (U shaped building with 2 wings). It was designed by Joseph James (see photo with J J in the brickwork).

In 1886 the college moved to Oxford and became Mansfield College now part of Oxford University.

 

[pjmburns]

In 1892 the buildings became Pine Dell Hydropathic Institute and Moseley Botanical Gardens. Some of the land was used to build terraced housing in College Road. A central spur was added to house the baths. The venture lasted 8 years. Pine Dell closed but the family continued to live there. The baths were boarded over when the building became a school and the area became the Assembly Hall. The baths have now been incorporated in a learning centre at the school and only parts are visible - some tiles via a trap door in the drama studio and behind the shelves in the library

 

[pjmburns]

In 1914 the buildings were requisitioned to become training barracks for the 3rd Birmingham Battalion of the Royal Warwicks. A Pals regiment.

In 1921 it became a college training partially disabled ex-soldiers as teachers.

 

[pjmburns]

In 1923 it was converted to become Moseley Secondary School. Various works took place to convert the building to use as a school. In 1928, after the building of a new gym, the glass roof of the baths was dismantled and a new ceiling created for the Assembly Hall. The ceiling included work by William Bloye (see photos of some of the plasterwork). It is said the headmaster made Bloye removed some aspects of the anatomy of the figures on the ceiling so as not to excite the boys!

 

[pjmburns]

Spring Hill College is a listed building and, as such, cannot have much work outside. Interior work has been carried out to convert the rooms and the building now houses the 6th form as a far as I could tell. There are some original features (fireplaces, corbels and plasterwork) but otherwise it is difficult to spot original features. It did seem strange standing in an IT suite with the latest technology and seeing beautiful old ceilings and plasterwork.

 

[pjmburns]

In 1987 the Council proposed demolishing the crumbling buildings. There was a public outcry and but a Heritage Lottery Grant + European Development Funding meant it could be restored. It was reopened in 1998 and is became the VIth form area. The library boasts a spiders web of steel work which apparently holds the walls in.
There is a youtube video showing the framework here

 

[pjmburns]

The top of the tower is reached by a stone spiral staircase - 120 steps, although I was too busy making sure I didn’t fall to count them (no handrail – H&S eat your heart out). Well worth the climb for the views - except the trees meant I still could not quite see our house - just some houses in the road. All in all an interesting tour.

 

[sospiri]

Thanks for that report & the photographs, Janice. As I mentioned on another thread. there is probably very little inside the building that I would recognise from my six years there, 65+ years ago. I'm not even sure I would want to go on that tour if I was able, and really prefer to remember it as it was.

Maurice

 

[pjmburns]

Glad you liked the tour! There were certainly an awful lot of steps even before we got to the tower. I would imagine a lot of changes over the years.

 

[Astoness]

thanks also from me jan i have learned quite a lot from your postings and photos

lyn

 

[ellbrown]

A clear blue sky on Saturday, so tried to get some new Moseley School photos from the 1A bus on Shaftmoor Lane heading down the hill.