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Warley Woods Methodist Church (the original)

lpowell6

proper brummie kid
Hello everyone, I wonder if there is anyone out there that remembers the original Warley Woods Methodist Church in Bearwood, it used to be my local church and I have very fond memories of it, however I know very little about its history and would love to know when it was built and any other facts about it, I have tried various web sites but they keep forwarding me to the present church which was built recently, and I have no interest in that one. Also does anyone know when Galton Road , Park Road and Barlcay Road were built as I note that they are not on the 1903 map
 
I understand that the previous Warley Methodist Church was built on a gravel pit or some such loose earth and subsided.

Abbey Road School was built by Oldbury Council which means that it was built sometime before 1929 when that area was transfered to Smethwick I think all the roads betweem Wigorn Road and Warley Woods would have been built soon after the 1903 map
 
Thankyou for your reply, I was aware that the Church had suffered subsidence, the first time in the mid 1960's when it had some work done to stabalize it, and again a few years ago when it was demolished. The School was built in 1910 and I have an idea that Barclay Road, Galton Road and Park Road were built around the same time. I am mainly interested in the Church and would love to know exactly when it was built, I was a member of the Church for many years until I moved from the area, but never thought to find out the history of it at the time.
 
If the school was built in 1910 then you have got the answer to when those roads were built as work progressed up the hill. Abbey Road would have been older and the roads to the right as you come up the hill would have been earlier. Barclay Road would have had houses on both sides but a group of people got together to buy the land and preserve it as part of the woods so only the school got built that side.

I think to find out more you need to contact the minister at the church
 
thankyou for that information, it is slowly starting to come together, the daft part about it is that I lived in Galton Road until the late 70's, but of course at that time I was not interested in the history of the area, what a pity, it would probably have been easier to find out about it then
 
I can confirm that Park Rd. was built by 1911 as have a relative on the Census. Have you tried contacting the Archive at Smethwick Library?
rosie.
 
Thank you Rosie, have not tried the Archive at Smethwick yet, but will do. I had a look at the books available from the people at the Smethwick History Site, but nothing so far, will keep on trying.
 
1910 there were no real roads they were just ruts through the land.

Abbey Road is clearly shown as a road on the 1902 map and was part of the ancient highway from Birmingham to Rowley Regis. What the surface was like at that time we do not know. Welcome to the forum Sapper.
 
Okay here goes...1920 ABBEY ROAD...this is not a road?>>https://blackcountryhistory.org/collections/getrecord/GB146_PHS_1365/#
300_p0700.jpg
 
Welcome to the forum Sapper, as you will see, I have deleted a couple of posts, on this forum we aim to be respectful to other members at all times. Alberta.
 
David, Abbey Road was "widened and smoothed with pick and shovel" in 1926, as it wasn't suitable for cars and buses. The neighbouring roads were also being covered with tarmac. This is from"Oldbury Langley & Warley " by Terry Daniels.
However this doesn't answer the original post about the Church!
rosie.
 
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