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Sutton Park History

  • Thread starter Thread starter O.C.
  • Start date Start date
Hello Jean, inside the Town Gate area, I got into some strife when as a young bloke smiled at the girfriend of a Teddy Boy. I think it was the wink afterwards that caused the main problem. Very unreasonable he was. My father used to tell me stories about The Peaky Blinders in Aston when he was a lad. They used to put razor blades in the peaks of their caps hence the name. One swipe, and it was curtains so to speak so its been going on forever. Nice story about the park though. Regards, David.

G G Jean said:
Went to the park today when we had cleared up in the garden. I did warn Pete before we went that it would be busy. Well it was packed solid at Banners Gate end and it was lovely to see all the families out in the sunshine. We decided to go to the Town Gate take the dog for a long walk then of course stop off at the Pub in the park for a drink and a bite to eat. We drove past the entrance to the pub towards where we go for a walk and there were blokes in BMW's with their roofs down and music so loud you must have heard it all over the park. They were passing smokes round and two got out with very large mastiff type dogs and were baiting them at one another. Then came along three cars with their music playing even louder if that is at all possible. They were white blokes I suppose you would call them skin heads. Then the two groups were mouthing off and we decided to take a quick exit. The one good thing was I saw three spotted woodpeckers on our way through the wooded area but the downside was I left the camera at home. In the end we stopped off at Farmer Johns just for a drink. Beautiful weather though. Jean.
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David I can't believe you would get up to any strife when you were young. I know what you are on about but honest nothing to what we saw the other day. Shall not be going there or rather that part of the park for a long time. Any more photo's you require say where and we will do our best. TTFN. Jean.
 
As usual an interesting thread. Lovely photo's David. I still can't believe my aunt used to train by swimming across Powell's Pool many times.

Michael's Dad who was born in Ashtead used to tell us about the peak a blinders and I don't think they were just around Aston.

The Sutton Park Town Gate always seems to have been a place for youngsters to hang out but there was never any trouble. It saddens me very much to read of Jean's experience.
 
Wendy I am hoping it was just the sun that brought them out but those in the cars were not teenagers but possibly in their forties. I guess they were just asking for someone to say something then cause agro. The only thing I saw a while back was a group of men sitting in a circle playing cards like they used to years ago in Aston park. It was lovely to see all those families with children on the playground area's. We just won't go past the Park pub next time. Oh my gosh that is going to be so difficult. Ha Ha. Jean.
 
The Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research walk from Brum to Sutton Park, some miles completed in Sutton Park, today,

Well done to all
 
Sir Ian Botham Theres a man who has walked the walk( in a figure of speaking) for the good of other people i would rather shake his hand that all the politicians in China .Dek
 
wonderful pics dave...thanks for posting them....

dek...couldnt agree with you more about sir ian.....hes a fine man and has done such a lot for charity over the years....

lyn
 
Lovely photo's Dave as has been said Ian Botham has done so much for charity with his walks. He did one a few years ago from North to South Wales. He had some girls walking with him collecting money. The girls got left behind we stopped to give a donation and gave them a lift so they could catch up with Ian!
 
Dave that is where I spent most of my lunch breaks when I worked at Wyndley. I wonder if my K.19 goose is still alive?. Jean.
 
Some family photos from the 1970's of Wyndley Pool. No Swans visible but the Geese were there. I used to drive through the ford, but probably not allowed these days. Some nice 1970's checked flares in the first photo.
1_Sutton_Park_Windley_Pool_1970s.jpg

Paddling by the sluice gate.
2_Sutton_Park_Windley_Pool_1970s.jpg

The ford by Wyndley Pool. In the 1970s one could drive through it.
3_Sutton_Park_Ford_Windley_Pool_1970_s.jpg

Powells Pool sailing in the 1970s
4_by Powells Pool 1970s.jpg
 
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oldMohawk said:
Some photos from the 1970's of Wyndley Pool. No Swans visible but the Geese were there. I used to drive through the ford, but probably not allowed these days.
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oldmohawk yes correct not able to drive through the ford, young ones love to ride and walk through it Dave
 
We had a stop over at Sutton Park today to eat our sandwiches after visiting Witton Cemetery. I wanted to clean and photograph a couple of family graves. The young bulls seem to have the right idea in this weather a cool off in Powell's Pool. I had forgotten how big it is and found it amazing that my Dad's sister trained here and swam the pool regularly.
 
Great place for a picnic Wendy. The animals look like they are keeping cool in the water. Thanks for posting.
 
My lovely old granny is buried at Witton Cemetary. She used to sing to us down the air raid shelter and stuff our faces with toffee apples as the bombs dropped. Thanks for awakening old memories. Also the park looks as I remember it. Kind regards, David.
 
Thanks Dave and Wendy for your photo's and a visit to the park is well overdue. David it is lovely to have memories like those. Dave M which way do you approach the donkey centre?. Jean.
 
I've only just discovered this lovely long thread (yet another BHF gem!). So far I've really enjoyed Cromwell's excellent introduction, explaining the British, Roman and Anglo-Saxon (or rather Angle) history of Sutton Park.

In 1959 my family moved to Sutton Coldfield, where we lived at 121 Darnick Road. This was at the bottom of the hill leading down from New Oscott, not far from Monmouth Drive, which ran along the boundary of the park. I attended Banners Gate Primary School (Chester Road?), which was presumably named after one of the park gates. There certainly was a gate nearby, as we used to walk from school into the park on nature study expeditions, which I remember to this day as wonderful adventures. Happy days indeed!

Thanks everyone for the history, pictures and commentary. I'm looking forward to reading through the thread in the coming days.

[Cromwell's account of the ancient kingdom of Mercia (which the Angles called Mierce - the people of the March or Borderlands) has made me think. There are many who believe that England (Angle Land) should be more autonomous within the UK. I have no argument with them: my home is 12,000 miles away! But when I see how Birmingham is relegated to "the provinces" by many Londoners and other "southerners", I wonder if there isn't a case for reviving the kingdom of Mercia! View attachment 52793]
 
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