Sutton Coldfield Local History Research Group

This was an undergraduate project undertaken in 1977 which describes my earliest research in Sutton Park and the rest of Sutton Coldfield, and although some of it has been superseded by subsequent work it includes observations of some sites which are now obscured, inaccessible, altered or even destroyed.

This article recounts the foundation of Sutton Coldfield’s Permanent Library in 1850, which evolved from a Book Club established a hundred or so years earlier, and which developed into the Sutton Coldfield Institute in 1857, an organisation which arranged lectures and concerts for its members until it closed down in the early 20th century.   Appendices include the text of Rev Richard Williamson’s inaugural address in 1850, two subsequent lectures by Rev W.K. Riland Bedford entitled ‘Sutton Books and Sutton Authors’ and ‘The Luttrells of Four Oaks’, and the 1864 library catalogue.

Research published in Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society Transactions for 2016-2017, Volume 119.  Submitted by Mike Hodder.

Midland Lodge is a Victorian residential property situated within Sutton Park and owned by Birmingham City Council. It lies adjacent to the Midland Gate entrance to the Park which is at the western end of Midland Road. This private road, built by the Midland Railway Company in 1879, provided pedestrian access for their passengers to and from Sutton Park Station up-line platform to the new entrance gate into the Park. In the early years the Midland Railway provided ticket inspectors at the entrance to the Park.

For the first time we have a comprehensive study of the available information concerning this serious fire that devastated a large section of Streetly Wood and the surrounding heathland, probably some 800 acres. The research covers the social history of Sutton’s residents at the time of the fire, a summary of the weather conditions in 1868, a brief history of Sutton Coldfield Golf Club and its association with this part of the Park after the fire, the early history of Streetly and some conjectural thoughts on the extent of the damage to Streetly Wood.

Part 1: During the early summer of 1921, when Sutton Coldlfield, like the rest of the British Isles, experienced very hot weather. There had been very little rainfall for some time resulting in the ground being extremely dry and the heathland of Sutton Park being susceptible to random outbreaks of fire. The Borough Council's Park and Estates Committee initially took the view that the fires were started deliberately but later their attitude changed when they realised that the extent and frequency of the fires was largely due to natural causes. Outbreaks of fires in Sutton Park were first reported as occurring on 17th and 25th June.1921. Part 2: In complete contrast to the drought and subsequent widespread fires of 1921 described in Part 1, a sudden cloudburst occurred two years later on Saturday, July 14, 1923 producing excessive rainfall in Sutton Park. The Borough Council were once again faced with a natural disaster and its consequential effects.

An Archaeological Appreciation and Historical Notes to accompany a visit by Sutton Coldfield Local History Research Group Summer 1992.

Is this one of the oldest cottages in Reddicap Heath, Sutton Coldfield?  This brief history suggests it might be.

In April 2005, what initially appeared to be a simple hobby of collecting garden sprayers and spraying machines made in Birmingham has led me on a fascinating journey into the history of, and to some extent the people behind, these varied products.  My particular interest, however, is the Four Oaks Spraying Machine Company which was situated in the Mere Green area of Sutton Coldfield.  Hopefully this article will be of equal interest to you.

On a 33-acre site in the north of Sutton Park, a large anti-aircraft base was built to defend Birmingham against the threat of German bombing during the Second World War. The base held up to 200 personnel - initially manned by the regular army, but subsequently by the local Home Guard. After the war, the base housed homeless families - mainly ex-servicemen - until being demolished in the mid-fifties. Whilst in operation, knowledge of the site was kept secret, and after the war, existence of the site was forgotten. This is the story of Sutton Park’s anti-aircraft base and how it came to be rediscovered.