Hello, I’m trying to find some old pictures of the houses on the Ridgeway Erdington but really struggling to find anything about the road. I know Perry Common houses were created between 1920 and 1924 by Birmingham city corporation. I’ve also seen a 1936/9 map showing houses built up to Gipsy Lane. Then heading towards college road was allotments. I’m living in a house on the Ridgeway and restoring it (including the old bedroom fireplaces) and would love to see what they looked like back in the day (the front doors and the windows) and more information like what year they was exactly built. If anyone could help me I would be eternally grateful.
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The Ridgeway, Erdington
- Thread starter Nasher22
- Start date
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
On some early maps "The Ridgeway" is just named as New Road, however the name was in use in 1928 when houses were built at least from around Farley Road to College Road. At this time occupiers were complaining about the bad footpaths compared to Farley Road and Brookvale Park Road, where there were owner. occupiers of non-parlour houses paying less rates.
Tenders for Tarmacadam surfacing of The Ridgeway from Gypsy Lane to College Road in 1931.
The 1938 OS Map shows houses built between Gypsy Lane and Brookvale Road.
Tenders for Tarmacadam surfacing of The Ridgeway from Gypsy Lane to College Road in 1931.
The 1938 OS Map shows houses built between Gypsy Lane and Brookvale Road.
This is the best I can do at the moment.
If I recall correctly the housing on The Ridgeway was some of the later builds and had a slightly more modern look than the standard three-sided bay window, five door kitchens of the houses around the Warren Farm Road area.
Windows were wood and divided into thirds without glazing bars. Lots of those houses had dormer style windows, which looked stylish, but were really just a way of saving brickwork. Hence all the bedroom ceilings were sloping.
The woodwork inside would have been stained brown, skirtings, picture rails, doors, frames and architraves. Buff distemper on the walls, lime wash on the ceiling.
Brown Bakelite electrical fittings in the main rooms. Three sockets, kitchen, living room and one at the top of the stairs. The later builds had a Triplex Range in the living room and a wash boiler in the kitchen
If I recall correctly the housing on The Ridgeway was some of the later builds and had a slightly more modern look than the standard three-sided bay window, five door kitchens of the houses around the Warren Farm Road area.
Windows were wood and divided into thirds without glazing bars. Lots of those houses had dormer style windows, which looked stylish, but were really just a way of saving brickwork. Hence all the bedroom ceilings were sloping.
The woodwork inside would have been stained brown, skirtings, picture rails, doors, frames and architraves. Buff distemper on the walls, lime wash on the ceiling.
Brown Bakelite electrical fittings in the main rooms. Three sockets, kitchen, living room and one at the top of the stairs. The later builds had a Triplex Range in the living room and a wash boiler in the kitchen
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
Are we looking over to Warren Road from The Ridgeway in the picture?
Looks so so different. It was only recently that I noticed the houses by the island are 3 storey. Looks so incredible. So true about the baker lite stuff. Dolly switches, door handles and I even unearthed rope wiring I love seeing pictures like this. Thank you.
We are indeed
Eric Gibson
master brummie
My grandparents lived in Farley Road, No 23 and I'm pretty sure some of the houses on the Ridgeway were of a similar style and date but I recall some were built with glazed white facing bricks, we used to call them the 'lavatory houses'.
Are they still there?
Are they still there?
They moved out when the high rise flats were built in Brookvale Park. My other aunt lived Ripley Grove.
Bob Davis
Bob Davis
I travelled the Ridgeway multiple times over the years, was always aware of Witton cemetery on one side and the housing estate on the other side with the three bus stops, one at the top (College Road) as you turned into it, one in the middle and if it did not have to stop, the bus could get up quite a speed along there and one at the bottom (Brookvale Road), but I always thought of it as Witton not Erdington, even though I knew that Brookvale Park was Erdington. You learn something everyday.
Bob
Bob
richardnicole
New Member
Looking for photos of the Witton, Ridgeway, and Gypsy Lane area where I grew up in the 50-60's any pics or info would be very much appreciated.
Eric Gibson
master brummie
I think my grandparents in Farley Road called it Perry Common..
I've just had a wander around there on google earth, not much has changed since we were kids, the trees are bigger and the front gardens have turned into car parks, two parked on granddads front garden but pretty much as I remember it in the 1940s.
I've just had a wander around there on google earth, not much has changed since we were kids, the trees are bigger and the front gardens have turned into car parks, two parked on granddads front garden but pretty much as I remember it in the 1940s.
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
Many pictures of Witton can be found on this Thread…
birminghamhistory.co.uk
Witton Square
Hi everyone, When i was younger most people refered to Witton circle as WITTON SQUARE. Does anyone remember it looking anything like a square? Moss.
birminghamhistory.co.uk
I had one Aunt and Uncle (Timmins) on The Ridgeway (photo above) and one Aunt and Uncle (Allen) in Ripley Grove.