Acocks Green History Society
ACOCKS GREEN HISTORY SOCIETY
Acocks Green History Society has made available substantial amounts of information on the history of Acocks Green and resources for the study of the history of Yardley. Links to these pages can be found below.
The society meets at 2.00pm for 2.15pm in the community room at Acocks Green Library on the second Wednesday in the month from September to May. A voluntary donation of £3 per meeting is requested to cover the cost of speakers and use of the room.
Contact us via email for further information: aghistsoc@hotmail.com.
To get and idea of why we exist and what we set out to achieve, go to this page. Here we also explain our use of Google Analytics user data to improve our site.
For more high quality information with photographs and maps, have a look at the late Bill Dargue's excellent site.
2024-25 programme
September 11th: Molly Murray - The little black dress, a talk suitable for males and females
October 9th: David and Pam Humphries - Second City executions
November 13th: Mike Byrne - The Swan and round about, part one
December 11th: Norman Bartlam - Broad Street
January 8th: Mike Byrne - The Swan and round about, part two
February 12th: Andy Munro - What a curry on!
March 12th: Ray Barrett - Killing me softly (fatal fashion)
April 9th: Peter Bates - The story of Woolworths
May 14th Peter Bates - Guided visit to Warstone Lane and Key Hill cemeteries (numbers limited)
The Secretary is available to give local history talks. Subjects are:
Acocks Green through the camera;
Acocks Green in World War Two;
Acocks Green from the 1940s to the 1970s
The trials of a Trail: how Acocks Green got its Heritage Trail
Misadventure, mayhem, murder and terrorism: tales from St Mary's, Acocks Green
Acocks Green Heritage Trail guided walks (one hour, 15 minutes with a coffee break; or two hours 15 minutes with a coffee break for more of the trail, donations requested)
Hall Green through the camera;
Hall Green - rural idyll;
Hall Green - the making of a suburb;
Hall Green from the 1950s to the 1960s;
The heart of Hall Green (School Road, Fox Hollies Road and Stratford Road triangle, also available as a guided walk of one hour, 15 minutes. Donations requested)
From the Bronze Age to POWs: a guided walk (approx. two hours) around the outskirts of Hall Green. Donations requested)
Triangle of Waters: a guided walk (under two hours) along Cole, Canal and brook in the Yardley wood area. Donations requested)
Moseley Bog through time;
Yardley Village and Blakesley Hall;
Hay Mills through the camera;
The Swan and round about (two talks);
Yardley Wood through the camera;
River, canal and flood in Kings Norton;
History of Lifford (in two parts: Rails, pennies and paper; and Patrick, powder and water);
Twenty miles around the boundaries of Yardley (in two parts: Yardley to Sparkbrook, the northern half; and Sparkbrook to Yardley, the southern half).
Paradise Street, Victoria Square and New Street
The Bull Ring
Fee: £40.00 Negotiable for small groups.
Equipment: Speaker can bring equipment, but it is helpful if the room can be darkened somewhat. Size of audience: 10 - 200.
Availability: Daytime and evenings.
Other information: For North Birmingham the speaker would require additional travelling expenses.
Please email us at aghistsoc@hotmail.com.
Acocks Green History Society: contents for Acocks Green
The heritage of local businesses
Acocks Green (general pages)
A short history
Recommended reading
Victorian Acocks Green
Acocks Green around 1903, by J.V. Tustin
Acocks Green village c. 1944, by Brian Wilkinson
Postcards, page one
1886-8 to 1937 25 inches to one mile maps and link to later maps
1905-1938 6 inches to one mile maps
Records of Acock families
List of locations for the name Acock etc.
Maps
Acocks Green Congregational church
Acocks Green Convent School
The Convent
The Larch's story
Photographs
School photos 1928, 1932, 1939 and 1946
Photographs from the 1920s
Photographs from the 1930s
Joan Hands
Footnote
Early days
After World War Two
Refurbishment 1994-5 and beyond
Section one
Introduction
Preface
"Methodists as they are term'd"
The first church
The present church to 1927
Section two
The present church from 1927 to 1986
The Memorial Windows
Ministers
Organists and choir
The Tin Tabernacle
The Junior Church
The Junior Missionary Association
Section three
Uniformed organisations
The Guild/Circle
The Ladies Sewing Meeting
The Women's Cheerful Hour
Recreation Clubs
Roll of Honour
Caretakers
Endpiece
Bibliography
Scanned lists and images
Subscribers to New Church Building Fund 1882
Names in the corridor of the Sunday School building
Church Trusts 1874 to 1976
Images
Acocks Green Olton and Solihull Journal
1911
1912
1913
1914
Acocks Green Recreation Ground
Alders and the Acocks Green Estate
The archaeology of Acocks Green
A bit about Botteville Road
The Watson family in Acocks Green
Built environment of Acocks Green
Introduction to the built environment of Acocks Green
Scheduled ancient monument
Statutorily listed buildings
Locally listed buildings
Other buildings of interest
Section one
Introduction – Goodbye Green Fields and Country Lanes
Getting Started
Buildings – Meeting the Changing Needs
Section two
The School Staff – Comings and Goings
A Broader Education – Talks, Festivals and Visits
Concerts and Performances – A Chance to Show Off
Section three
Christmas Celebrations
Royal Occasions – Visits and Celebration Holidays
Physical Activities – Athletics, P.T. and Games
Section four
Fund Raising – Helping Others and Supporting Ourselves
Medical Matters – The Doctor, The Dentist and the ‘Nit’ Nurse
Accidents and Misfortunes – Cuts, Bruises and Even Worse
Section five
Transgressions – Naughty, Naughty!!
The Air Raid Shelter Saga – Keeping the Children Safe
Evacuation – From Birmingham to the Countryside and Back
Appendices
Appendix 1 Birmingham Educational Districts & School Lists
Appendix 2 New Pupils’ Previous Named Schools
Appendix 3 Sketch Map of the Local Roads Housing Dolphin Lane Pupils
Appendix 4 Memories – Dennis Simons
More images
The Ellard family and the old Tuck Shop, Warwick Road
The origins of Fox Hollies
The Walker era
Sale catalogue, Fox Hollies Hall
Housing between the wars
Fox Hollies since the war
Acocks Green Carnival
Fox Hollies Forum
Fox Hollies Special School
The work of Dave Swingle
The work of Elsie Carter
Hall Green Little Theatre
Ninestiles school
Childhood memories of Jean Mercer
The nineteenth century
The early twentieth century
Between the wars
Wartime
After 1945
The Bradley family
Memories of Eileen Staley née Bradley
Notable people of Acocks Green
Other histories of Acocks Green
Acocks Green, by C.J.G. Hudson, 1966
Acocks Green, by Joseph McKenna c. 1990
Introduction and conditions of use
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Acocks Green and all around, by John Morris Jones, 1973
Section one
Acocks Green and all around
Introduction
Bounds of the central Quarters
First settlement in Yardley
Tenchlee (Tenchley)
Travel through Yardley
Houses and families
Woods and commons
Section two
Waterpower
Early church history
Ownership
Georgian Yardley
The Warwick and Birmingham Canal
Industry
Yardley in 1847
Later churches
Section three
Education
Public transport
Later industry
Urbanisation to 1900
Yardley into Birmingham
Amenities
Housing
Post-war, today and tomorrow
Private schools in Acocks Green
Sacred Heart and Holy Souls church
Introduction to St. Mary's
The Earl of Egmont and Acocks Green
Creation of the District, 1867
Illuminated address to Revd F.T. Swinburn, 1889
Church history, 1932
St. Mary's Acocks Green: "Out of the ashes...", 1948
Extract from C.J.G. Hudson's booklet on Acocks Green, 1966
Images of St. Mary's church
Images from the 1930s
St Mary's Church of England School
The early years, 1874-1895
The Rose family, 1895-1927
The later years, 1927-1979
Images of St Mary's School
Lorraine Hanson, Olympic athlete
Introduction
From medieval to Georgian
The rest of the nineteenth century
Transport and housing changes from 1900 until now
Stone Hall introduction
1884 to 1973
1973 onwards
North side of the Warwick Road, Stockfield Road to Station Road
North side of the Warwick Road, Station Road to Lincoln Road
South side of the Warwick Road, opposite Stockfield Road to Westley Road
South side of the Warwick Road, Shirley Road to Olton Boulevard East
The Watson family in Acocks Green
World War One and Acocks Green
World War Two and Acocks Green
Acocks Green's vulnerability
Air Raid Precautions and civil defence
Anti-aircraft and barrage balloons
Bombing maps
Evacuation
Gas attack
High explosive bombs
Incendiary bombs
Killed and injured
Rover shadow factory at the Vineries
Strafing incidents
Austerity and saving resources
Dig for Victory
Food in wartime
Prisoners of war
Women in wartime
Extracts from the wartime diary of Frank Taylor Lockwood
Memories of a child's life in Tyseley, by Alexander Hook
Memories of Acocks Green school, by Alexander Hook
Memories of Acocks Green, by Arthur Cundall
The end of the war
Resources on the history of the Manor and Civil Parish of Yardley
Yardley Parish registers 1539 to 1676
1539 to 1580
1581 to 1620
1621 to 1676
The Tithe Map and Apportionment for Yardley 1843/7
Introduction
Tithe Map
Field numbers in order
Tithe Apportionment
Enclosure Award Map
Principal landowners, occupiers and tenant farmers
Yardley Vicarial Tithes 1821 to 1822
Lists from the 1847 Apportionment
Yardley: Victoria County History of Worcestershire, 1913
Occupation survey, 1841 Census of Yardley
Summary of the 1851 Census of Yardley
Directories of Yardley 1820 to 1896
One thousand years of Yardley souvenir brochure
What can be seen from Ackers Hill
The natural landscape
Watercourses
Early settlement and boundaries
Section two
The Manors
The Warwick canal
Railways
Industry
Section three
Urbanisation
Parks and open spaces
Churches and schools
The Ackers leisure park
Itinerary
Maps
The Boundaries of Yardley
Reasons for the study, the origins of Yardley and the Charter of 972
The mapping of Yardley boundaries
Section two
The boundaries of Yardley in 972
The boundaries of Yardley in 1609
The boundaries of Yardley 1843/7
The boundaries of Yardley in 1911
Section three
A comparison of the boundaries between 972 and 1962
Section four
Supplement: the boundaries in 1495
Map: boundaries in 972
Map: boundaries in 1609
Map: part of Beighton's Mapp 1725
Map: boundaries in 1847
Map: boundaries 1911 to 1966
The meaning of Yardley, and Yardley in the tenth century
The eleventh and twelfth centuries
The thirteenth and fourteenth centuries
The fifteenth and sixteenth centuries
The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
The nineteenth and twentieth centuries
The twenty-first century
The Cole Valley South by John Morris Jones (published 1989)
History of the Coventry Road Hay Mills
South side
North side
The River Cole to Shipway Road
The history of the Reynolds Tube Company, by K.H. Sprayson
Life expectancy in Yardley 1813 to 1842, and 1857 to 1886
Natural increase in population in Yardley 1539 to 1839
Yardley church wardens 1670 to 1773
Male adults in Church End Quarter, 1798
Poor Rate levies, Church End Quarter, 1745-1818
Yardley Land Tax Assessment 1787
Yardley Militia lists 1816 and 1831, analysis
Introduction
Overview
Foundation and ownership
Map: descriptive names
Map: geology and roads
Map: early settlement sites
Section two
Ancient roads
Communications
Map: communications
Map: Yardley about 1750
Section three
Antiquities
Watermills and windmills
Section four
Ecclesiastical history
Administration and local government
Map: Yardley Parish and Vestry prior to 1894
Map: Yardley village 1847 to 1904
Map: parishes in 1911
Map: Yardley schools in 1911
Preface
Relief and drainage, geology, and the natural landscape
First footers and Anglo-Saxon settlement
The manor of Yardley, the boundaries of Yardley, and the 'Manor' of Greet
Section two
Ancient roads, ancient buildings, and watermills
Turnpike roads, bridges, and administration
Section three
Public transport
Enclosures
Urbanisation, and amenities and services
Churches, schools, and commerce and industry
Section four
Between the Wars and since, and references
Maps
Geology, Natural vegetation, and relief and drainage
Early settlement, and Saxon beginnings
Boundaries, Domesday Yardley, and Moats and earthworks
Section two
Medieval times, and Ancient roads
Perambulations
Old houses, Local government, and Tudor to Georgian times
Families and houses
Georgian times
Section three
Bridges, Watermills, and the Stratford Canal
The Tithe Map
Churches, and Schools
Yardley Rural District
Section four
The City of Birmingham, and Urbanisation
Industry, Between the Wars, and Public transport
Swanshurst Quarter in 1979, and Short bibliography
Maps
The transport history of Yardley
Introduction
A transport history of Yardley, by P.L. Hardy
A history of the Birmingham and Warwick Canal 1792 to 1972, by John Morris Jones
A short survey of railways in the Manor of Yardley, by Anthony John Lambert
Brick and tile making in Yardley
Introduction
Billesley, Hall Green and Acocks Green
Greet and Tyseley
Hay Mills
South Yardley
Yardley village area
Blakesley Hall area
Stechford
Kents Moat
Directory listings
Urbanisation of Yardley (introduction)
The natural landscape
Ownership and administration
Yardley in medieval times (map)
Yardley at the end of the eighteenth century (map)
Section two
The early 19th century
The mid-nineteenth century
The Victorian half-century 1850-1900
Section three
The last years of independence
Development 1911-20
Two decades 1919-39
Section four
Yardley since the war
Urbanization maps
Surviving antiquities of Yardley (map, 1981)
The watermills of the Cole valley
Preface
Introduction
Provisional list of Cole valley watermills
Peterbrook, Dobbs, Crab, Kilcop and Forshaw Mills
Colebrook Priory and Old Mills
Trittiford Mill
Broomhall and Lady Mills
Sarehole Mill
Greet Mill
Possible mills in Greet and Tyseley, Medley's Mill
Hay Mills
Wash and Stechford Mills
Babbs, other Sheldon, Kingsford and Coleshill Mills
Sources
Introduction
The river Cole in Yardley, and its fords and bridges
Standing waters (millpools and fishponds) including Moseley Bog
Watercourses of Yardley
Water supply in Yardley
The waters of Yardley: settlement, communications and industry
Section one
Preface
Geology and natural vegetation
Relief and drainage
The foundation of Yardley
Boundaries
Old names
Old roads
Norman to medieval times
St. Edburgha's church
Section two
Owners of Yardley
Old buildings
Open fields
Tudor and Stuart times
The river Cole
Georgian times
Section three
The nineteenth century
Churches and schools
The twentieth century
Thirty-five years
Principal sources
Maps
Images of old Sparkhill and Tyseley