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US Base Pheasey Estate
- Thread starter Rupert
- Start date
Carolann Taylor
knowlegable brummie
Thank you so much Dave. Really interesting. I had forgotten these prefab classrooms - it's all valuable history of the area.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
I did a 'Then and Now' on the photo in post#18
When I was a young lad, the United States Army took over half the houses on the nearby Pheasey Estate. Us kids were not bothered, the soldiers use to give us sweets, chocolate, and chewing gum. We may have sometimes exceeded their 15mph speed limit on our bikes riding down the hill. The military policeman is standing in Romney Way outside houses they had taken over.
The 1930's style Trees Pub was just over the road.
Looking at a street view today one of the semi-detatched houses is missing, it has been demolished to give access to a patch of land.
One small new detached house has been built, see it behind the estate agent sign.
In this aerial view from the year 2000, the old house which the soldiers were standing outside was still there.
In today's aerial view several new houses have been built and Riven Rise has appeared.
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The building which was the Trees Pub is now named 'Buffet Island'.
Carolann Taylor
knowlegable brummie
Thanks so much Dave v interesting! I wonder why a house would have been demolished to access the land, seems an expensive thing to do to lose 2 houses.
Carolann Taylor
knowlegable brummie
...also Dave, I wonder what the brick built hut is opposite The Trees (Buffet Island!)? I was born and brought up round there and always thought it looked "military" in style and possibly built by the U.S Army as a store or billet of some sort. Almost next to the soldier in the photo at his post there on Romney Way, there's a brick built column painted white - which seem to be in other photos of soldiers on guard at Pheasey - one on Doe Bank Lane as well. I believe there is one still existing, now obscured by trees and undergrowth on the right as you enter Doe Bank Lane, from Queslett Rd. A Co-op dairy distribution site stood next to it at one time - then a petrol station. It was once the site of Messuage Farm on the old maps.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
I presume the building company bought the houses for access and made more money building and selling the houses in Riven Rise.
My memories of those days are a bit faded now, but I seem to remember that the land where Riven Rise now is was a fenced-off U.S. army area with huts and we used to look at them through a wire fence. For some reason one of the soldiers gave my now brother-in-law a clothes valet case with brushes and he still has it.
On the wartime aerial view below I have marked the army area pink, the Trees Pub green, and Romney Way blue.
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Eric Gibson
master brummie
Around that area there were part built houses left unfinished throughout the war, I wonder if it was some of those that were demolished.
Carolann Taylor
knowlegable brummie
Thank you Dave this is great. I always wondered (my fascination with the farm!) when Pheasey farmhouse itself was demolished. Do you or anyone else remember it? It's mentioned that the farmhouse and outbuildings were used by the army as offices etc. I do know that the old barn was used as a community centre for some time after the war and that the barn was demolished in the 60's.
Radiorails
master brummie
deleted to avoid offence.
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oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
This drawn map is on a facebook page 'U.S.Army Camps in the Midlands - WW2'. Unfortunately it is not very clear but whoever drew the map certainly knew the base. It shows that they regarded it as a military camp and not an housing estate. They would sometimes tolerate local kids wandering through the area but sometimes they would not ... 
Radiorails
master brummie
My wording was to avoid thread lock. As we are all tempted, on occasions, to reply to posts when maybe it was best left not commented.
Yes to your last comment.
Yes to your last comment.
Radiorails
master brummie
It was my post that I thought. if commented upon, might cause thread lock. Anyway it is now deleted to save further offence.
Steve Wright
proper brummie kid
I've just started a thread on the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion (Six Triple Eight) -https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...l-directory-battalion-six-triple-eight.52014/. I'm working to corroborate anecdotal evidence which mentions some of its members working at Pheasey. As a slight aside, and related to the baseball post above, here's a clipping from the Birmingham Mail 19 April 1945...
Gerry Cannell
master brummie
Can anyone tell me the date that the camp was closed, and the US soldiers left?
Carolann Taylor
knowlegable brummie
Hi Gerry, according to Fran & Martin Collins' book: "They also Serve Who Stand and Wait" (p154); on 9th June 1945 Pheasey Farm was closed as a sub-depot of the 10th Reinforcement Depot. On 10th June the remaining men of the 49th Reinforcement Battalion were alerted for departure. They left Pheasey Farm on 10th July 1945.
Gerry Cannell
master brummie
Thank you for this Carolann, now I know. It always fascinated me, to think that all those years ago, we would cadge gum at the sentry box, and today, people don't even know it was there. I guess if you look really hard, there would be signs of it all. Once again. Thanks. Gerry
Carolann Taylor
knowlegable brummie
Hi Gerry, quite - such a pity that there's very little evidence. Though on the corner of Doe Bank Lane and Queslett Road, there is (or recently was, within the farmland hedge) one of the brick built gate posts that held the barrier at the sentry post. You would enjoy the book I mentioned above, there is a picture of the Doe Bank sentry post in it. Also once it's accessible again, it's worth a look around Collingwood Centre, some lovely 30s original features in there, which was of course the base HQ. Myself, I am researching the actual Pheasey Farm itself. Do you remember the farmhouse or the barns at all? Apart from the couple already out there, it's very hard to find any pictures of the original farmyard!
Gerry Cannell
master brummie
Carolann, thank you. No I was a very young lad, and was only interested in the chewing gum and the hershey bars. Stay safe, and good luck with you research. Gerry.
Bill Groove
proper brummie kid
Ah yes! Pheasey Community Centre. Thanks for this. No doubt already pin pointed as to its location. But I'll tell you what I think I know - because I can !
It was located next to the Collingwood Drive School, playground entrance, on Hillingford Ave. We called it "The Old Barn". I think I am correct to say that to the right of the single doorway was a group of about 40 or so mainly corrugated asbestos constructed garages [little did they know!!¬] - going down the Hillingford hill. The OB was, part of the complex where Boots the landlords of Pheasey had their hq. As a kid me and my mates used to visit the yard where, for some reason, there was a museum of old charabancs and construction vehicles. We could jump in the cabs of the vehicles and play running bus services or delivering building stuff - we had vivid imaginations in the 50's
I used to park my Austin Somerset (4 door by the way) in one of the lock up garages. It really was good for the ego to rent a garage, even at 19 yrs of age (1966). Garages were paramount in those days as winter starting of cars left to the elements was touch and go - mainly not go! Of course rust was also inherent in car manufacture then! What seem ridiculous now is that I walked 10 mins from our house on Leighton Close - down Linton Road - right Collingwood -up to the school and onto the garage site. The winding drive of the site was, too say the least, a car spring road test. Originally, the houses on the left and right of Hillingford going down from Collingwood junction were not there (built in the '60's) so getting to The Old Barn area from the back of the house on Leighton took 2 minutes or so walk. These fields were a blue bell wood with a flatish surface at the Tynedale end ready made for 17 a side football. Leighton Close and Linton - and there could have been other roads involved - held Coronation Sports Day on this field. My Mum and Dad had a rare Marconi TV and opened up there back door for families to have a peek at the Coronation. as it happened!
I think somewhere on this site I saw a copy of a dance ticket for the Community Centre - if this is the case more than likely my Dad, who became Secretary or was it Chairman of The Community Centre used to get tickets printed by Mr Tector who had his printing works in a wooden factory along Aldridge Road - the one off Queslett Rd - probably near to where Farmer John pub is nowadays.
Another point, earlier Pheasey Gardeners Guild (part of the Community Centre projects) used to have a garage/shed on this site where they the very latest garden composts and plant growth encouraging substances - it used to smell. The 'shop' was open every Sunday morning - Feb to October and was a gathering point for discussion on flowers and veg development and growth. They used to have 2 Flower Shows, annually, originally at the Community Centre and then in the hall of the school. I should know, my Dad was the G.G.club Secretary in the 50's going into the 60's -Bill Marsden. I well knew this as my job on Show days was firstly to help Dad carry all the paperwork, rosettes and certificates to the Old Barn/school and then, employed for pop and sweets, sweep the exhibition arena every hour on the hour of the show!
Most of that was 55 to 67 years ago - I need a drink. good luck to all!!
Welcome Bill and thank you for your detailed memories of the area. A great addition to this thread.
Viv.
Viv.
Bill Groove
proper brummie kid
Looking at the video, as it swings left with a green area. On that site in the 50,s was a caravan cafe, run by an ex Corporation (BHam) bus driver. It was ideal for a rest for the 29a bus drivers at its terminus after the long route over to Yardley Wood area of the City. He later moved to the corner shop opposite to run a cafe with - new fangled food like burn your mouth roof sausage rolls ! I used collect the Argus for my Dad from Clares, next door throughout the football season delivered to the shop 6.15 pm come hell or high water!!
Radiorails
master brummie
Actually the 29A ran to Hall Green, Bill. As you point out it was a very long route. There was no catering facilities such as those at Pheasey.