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Swanswell Rd/Gospel lane

Enrico said:
I moved to this area in 1962 as a teenager and used to take my dog for a walk over the undeveloped land where the Langley Hall estate was later built. It is definitely a 60‘s development. The Golf Course clubhouse was opposite the Gospel Oak pub before it was relocated to the other side of the golf course off, I think, Kineton Green Road. The fields from the former clubhouse running down towards what is now Gunns Way had the appearance of derelict farmland with surrounding hedges but no sign of recent cultivation. The abandoned remains of Gunns nursery greenhouses were there
near to where Gunns Way is now, and I particularly remember the hydraulic ram which was located in the brook running through the fields. I had never seen one before and it took some time to find out what it was.
Later on in 1967 when I was looking for my own house , the Langley Hall estate was largely complete and I eventually ended up in a smaller development off Kineton Green Road
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Thank you for such a fascinating post Enrico - you have painted a very vivid picture of the area that became my home for 17 years. The golf course that you describe is Robin Hood Golf Club - my Dad became a member there in 1967. I never knew that the clubhouse was originally located opposite the Gospel Oak pub. For as long as I can remember, it has always been in its current location which is accessed from St Bernards Road. You were close to say Kineton Green Road :) I had no idea about Gunns Nursery greenhouses which, of course, explains where Gunns Way got its name from. I would love to see a photograph of what that area once looked like, but I doubt one exists. I am very intrigued by your mention of a hydraulic ram. When we moved into Swanswell Road in February 1972, the land beyond our back garden was still, as you describe, wild fields - we used to love playing there. There was a brook running through that area - I wonder if it's the same one that you describe, although I don't recall a hydraulic ram. Your date of 1967 for the completion of the estate ties in well with my own recollections
 
PatHayward said:
We lived at number 22!
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What a small world! I imagine that expression is used a lot on this Forum. You say you bought your house around 1965... do you mind me asking how long you lived there? We lived at Number 48 from 1972 until my Dad finally moved out in 2012. I'm ashamed to admit that I don't think we knew you - of course, you may have moved before we arrived. I do recall the Lyons family that lived at Number 28 - one of the children was in the same school year as me
 
RaytheGrader said:
What a small world! I imagine that expression is used a lot on this Forum. You say you bought your house around 1965... do you mind me asking how long you lived there? We lived at Number 48 from 1972 until my Dad finally moved out in 2012. I'm ashamed to admit that I don't think we knew you - of course, you may have moved before we arrived. I do recall the Lyons family that lived at Number 28 - one of the children was in the same school year as me
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We lived there till around 1970 and two of my children went to Langley School and we frequently walked across the fields to school - the junior school was very well organised by Mr Montgomery - the headmaster .The fields at the rear of our house provided a wonderful playground for all the children and many of the silver birch trees in the fields often disappeared and were quickly replanted in many of the gardens - wonder if they are still there! Telephones were in very short supply in those days and we had to have a ‘party line’ which meant the other party could hear all your conversations causing frequent problems! Roads were unmade when we first moved in and front gardens were very basic. When my husband was digging our sloping garden he uncovered a large rock and spent many hours carving ‘22’ on the face of it- this was dug into the garden and remained there for several years! We had lovely friendly neighbours and many get- togethers and was a very happy time in our lives.
 
Thank you so much for sharing the 1952 map. It makes for fascinating viewing, trying to visualise the layout of the, yet to be built, estate within this framework. It's clear to see how some of the roads (e.g. Langley Hall Road and Brookfield Way) got their names. I am still curious as to why Swanswell Road was so named. This map also underscores the valuable information that Enrico shared in his post. You can see the Club House directly opposite the Gospel Oak - marked as PH (Public House). I am wondering if the Gunns Nursery greenhouses that he mentioned are those criss-cross boxes at the top of the map. I have annotated the map to show where I mean - perhaps the dashed line running between them became Gunns Way? I am also very interested to discuss/learn more about a house that used to be on St Bernards Road (set back from the road) - around the spot showing as Arden Vale on the map. Maybe that should form the basis of a new thread...
 

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Certaily in the 1940s (haven't had time to check later yet) the Gunn family ran a florist on Kineton green Road. They lived at 152 which is almost next door to Gunns Way. I wondered if they later owned the nurseries as well.
 
RaytheGrader said:
I am also very interested to discuss/learn more about a house that used to be on St Bernards Road (set back from the road) - around the spot showing as Arden Vale on the map. Maybe that should form the basis of a new thread...
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That house is indeed on St Bernard's Road, I think, as it seems to be opposite Olton Friary. If you want to know more then I suggest you start a new thread.
(Even though it is Solihull not Birmingham members might still like to investigate it.)

You might like to check this out (it is a link)
 
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PatHayward said:
We lived there till around 1970 and two of my children went to Langley School and we frequently walked across the fields to school - the junior school was very well organised by Mr Montgomery - the headmaster .The fields at the rear of our house provided a wonderful playground for all the children and many of the silver birch trees in the fields often disappeared and were quickly replanted in many of the gardens - wonder if they are still there! Telephones were in very short supply in those days and we had to have a ‘party line’ which meant the other party could hear all your conversations causing frequent problems! Roads were unmade when we first moved in and front gardens were very basic. When my husband was digging our sloping garden he uncovered a large rock and spent many hours carving ‘22’ on the face of it- this was dug into the garden and remained there for several years! We had lovely friendly neighbours and many get- togethers and was a very happy time in our lives.
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Many thanks for your reply Pat (I hope you don't mind me addressing you by your first name). So, it would seem that you had already left Number 22 before we moved in to Number 48. My sister & I both went to Langley Infants & Juniors - she starting in 1966, me in 1968 so we would have been there at the same time as your two children. The Headmistress of Langley Infants was Miss Cook. As you say, the Headmaster of Langley Juniors was Mr Montgomery (AP Montgomery as he used to sign our school reports). He was very strict and did indeed run a tight ship. I know the fields behind your house as I used to play football there - what seemed like all day, every day in the school holidays with the remaining silver birch trees serving as goal posts! I am sure I remember the large rock with your house number on it in the front garden - it made a nice change from all of the other houses whose numbers were invariably above the front door. Given how much longer I was in Swanswell Road after you left, you'll be pleased to know it was there for a good while!
 
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