Remembering Stephen Roberts

Stephen Roberts Photo The late Stephen Roberts (1958-2022) was born in Sutton Coldfield and educated at Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School before going on to study at Birmingham University.

He became well known as a Birmingham Historian and was the author of several books.

He was an excellent communicator and gave many talks on various topics of local history in and around the Sutton Coldfield area.

He was also an active member of numerous groups, including the Sutton Coldfield Local History Research Group.

One of the last projects he worked on was a weekly article for the Sutton Coldfield ‘Chronicle Week’, which began on the 29^th April 2021 and ended on the 5^th May 2022, shortly before his death.

Photo courtesy of Zoe Toft

This series of articles is reproduced here for the benefit of all.

Click here to read Stephen Roberts' Obituary in Local History News

Click the column headings to change the order of these articles.

Page 5 of 6

Title	Published Date	Hits
Sutton Parade Birth of a New School At the beginning of the 20th century there were four girls' elementary schools in Sutton Coldfield. There was, however, no secondary school. Older girls who wished to continue their schooling had to travel to Aston. For the next 30 years the tow... Published: 17th February 2022 Serendipity Remembering Stephen Roberts Read more …	17th February 2022	Hits: 959
The Crystal palace A Figure of Notoriety In summer 1868 the Royal Promenade Gardens were opened adjacent to the main gate of Sutton Park. Ten uncultivated acres were turned into gardens of great beauty: within a few years 20,000 rose bushes had been planted. There was an admission... Published: 24th February 2022 Serendipity Remembering Stephen Roberts Read more …	24th February 2022	Hits: 927
Sutton Park in the 19205 'Keep hands off park' 'Sutton is a funny place', a Birmingham journalist observed in 1933. 'The people are so touchy and, if you talk about the park, they at once sit up and take notice and then it is time for you to watch your step.' There was some truth in this rem... Published: 3rd March 2022 Serendipity Remembering Stephen Roberts Read more …	3rd March 2022	Hits: 828
Main gates in Sutton Park, 1920s Park Music Lifts Spirits Bands played regularly in the parks of Birmingham. Whether this practice should be extended to Sutton Park became a contentious issue in the early decades of the 20th century. Advocates of the idea believed the park was more than just a pla... Published: 10th March 2022 Serendipity Remembering Stephen Roberts Read more …	10th March 2022	Hits: 987
the Royal Oak Moving on from past Today, when we move house, a removal van pulls up, our furniture is loaded up and off it goes. It's a time-consuming business. In centuries past many of our predecessors in Sutton did it all in a different way. There wasn't a train of wagons loa... Published: 17th March 2022 Serendipity Remembering Stephen Roberts Read more …	17th March 2022	Hits: 861
A motor car in early 20th century Sutton Age of Car Motors On The automobile is very slowly making its way in England', it was reported in a local newspaper in 1899. At that time prices for 'a decent motor car' ranged from £110 to £150. The purchasers of cars were men with money in search of a new interest... Published: 24th March 2022 Serendipity Remembering Stephen Roberts Read more …	24th March 2022	Hits: 938
Home Guard Association PoW Camp Became an Attraction in the Park In 1944, as the Second World War drew to a close, a Prisoner of War camp was established in Sutton Park. It was intended to house the German soldiers captured after the D-Day landings. It was located near Longmoor Pool, and the prisoners liv... Published: 31st March 2022 Serendipity Remembering Stephen Roberts Read more …	31st March 2022	Hits: 1411
Holy Trinity churchyard c. 1880 Held in High Regard On Thursday, January 27, 1887, Robert Green, aged 58, became a resident of the churchyard of Holy Trinity. It was said that 'no man living within the radius of the parish (was) more widely known or more genuinely esteemed and beloved for upright... Published: 7th April 2022 Serendipity Remembering Stephen Roberts Read more …	7th April 2022	Hits: 812
Sam Timmins Sam's Bard Vision Led to New-library Chapter On April 23 - Shakespeare's birthday - a copy of the First Folio will be on display at Sutton Library. This is a major coup for the library and for FOLIO, who have - arranged the display as part of a breathtaking Shakespeare festival in Sutton. T... Published: 14th April 2022 Serendipity Remembering Stephen Roberts Read more …	14th April 2022	Hits: 787
The Top Swan, demolished 1904. Pub Endured Tragedy This is my fiftieth local history column for the newspaper. Later today I will mark the occasion by enjoying a glass of Manns Brown Ale. (Yes, really…) Manns' Brown Ale was first produced in 1902. Sadly for our predecessors this marginally sweet... Published: 21st April 2022 Serendipity Remembering Stephen Roberts Read more …	21st April 2022	Hits: 971