Compiled by Stephen Birch The History of Blythe Lane & Mason Lane Erdington. Over the past year we have written much about how the roads we live or know today around Erdington have changed from smaller lanes or cart tracks even changing the name of the Lane or linking and extending the roads. Two Lanes we havent mentioned so far and were the largest change to the map of old Erdington Blythe Lane & Mason Lane now known as the top part of Holly Lane from the entrance from Sutton Road to the roundabout traffic island at Orphanage Road. We have mentioned before about the name change of what is now Orphanage Road. This was Bell Lane. Bell Lane started at the corner of The Village Green just past the Library and carried on all the way to Chester Road and then ending at the junction of Penns Lane where the old Erdington Boundary was formed. Bell Lane many around Erdington in the early 1800s was a narrow lane in which stood an old congregational chapel which stood just opposite to where the Fire Station is situated today. After the closure of the chapel it was used as a petty sessions house (Police Station), and later as Church Parochial rooms, together with some cottages. This area saw many changes, cottages demolished, the road widened and houses erected. A Skating rink was built in the playful days after World War 1 in the days of the boom of roller-skating. When this died down it was converted into a Picture House. Afterward the building was used as a manufacturers. 1. THE OLD CONGREGATIONAL CHAPEL in BELL LANE. Afterwards used as a Police Station and finally as Parish Church Parochial Rooms. The site was later used as Erdington Skating rink. Masons orphanage was built in 1869 by Josiah Mason, the Birmingham philanthropist who had made his fortune in pen nibs. The huge gothic building stood on what now is Goodison Gardens and the site of the Yenton Junior & Infant school Chester Road. Initially built to house more than 300 children, the orphanage closed in the 1960s and was sadly demolished later that year. Sir Josiah Mason, the founder of the Orphanage and Almshouses on Station Road and also of Mason College from which we now have Birmingham University, was born in Kidderminster in 1793. The son of poor parents, his success in life was down to his determination and shrewd business sense in industry and his fellowmen, and ability to turn the minor happenings of life to his advantage. Moving to Birmingham as a young man he became a maker of split-rings, a pen manufacturer of nickel. From a house in Lancaster Street in the City he came to Erdington, building Norwood House as a residence. This formed part of the estate with which he was able to build the orphanage. He died in 1881 and was buried in the grounds of the Orphanage. 2. JOSIAH MASON ORPHANAGE viewed from the air c1950. Looking from Grange Road towards Chester Road seen in the background. The traffic island at the Orphanage Road junction is also visible. Just past the Orphanage Building on the left you can make out the bottom of Silver Birch Road and across from that point today is Goodison Gardens. This photograph shows just how impressive the building was and the grounds and gardens surrounding it. The Football pitch in the background along Chester Road is now where the Yenton School stands today. 3. SIR JOSIAH MASON Norwood House could be accessed from Bell Lane Orphanage Road and Holly Lane from Sutton Road. The house became incorporated into St. Agnes School and later replaced as St. Edmund Campion School. The house no longer exists. 4. BELL LANE (ORPHANAGE ROAD) 1899 From the Benjamin Stone Collection. Viewed from one of the towers of the Orphanage looking down Bell Lane towards Holly Lane on the left. The large white building on the right near to Sutton Road is Norwood House now part of the grounds of St Edmund Campion School. The steeple of the Abbey Church of St. Thomas & Edmund of Canterbury with the village of Erdington in the background. The Orphanage grounds in the foreground today form part of Mason Cottages. 5. MAP OF ORPHANAGE ROAD 1913. The plans of the orphanage and grounds are bottom right. SilverBirch Road is mostly built apart from the allotments at the bottom and along Orphanage Road. Further along to the left is marked St Agnes Convent which was Norwood House. 6. ORPHANAGE ROAD 1913 showing Mason Lane before extension of Holly Lane . And Blythe Lane which ran from the orphanage road to Sutton Road, The Lane disappeared when Orchard Road was extended across Orphanage Road and up to Sutton Road. Blythe Lane (now closed) and Mason Lane which was formerly Harring Lane) now Holly Lane, were two pretty narrow lanes leading from Sutton Road to Bell Lane (Orphanage Road). 7. BLYTHE LANE on the left & MASON LANE on the right. Looking across Orphanage Road from Holly Lane 1910 8. BLYTHE LANE, ERDINGTON 1910. Looking from Sutton Road towards Orphanage Road. This part of the Lane became the entrance to Orchard Road from Sutton Road and no longer exists except as parts of some back gardens of Orchard Road and Holly Lane. Holly Lane originally ran from Tyburn Road finishing at Bell Lane where the traffic island is today. It contained but a few houses at the top near Bell Lane, and these large Victorian houses remain here today. Further down towards Tyburn were cottages and the old brickyard from where there was a rough walkway to Kingsbury Road. At the top of Holly Lane at Bell Lane there was a large house called Grove House, the home of Mr & Mrs Hopkins.opposite the Grove on the corner of Blythe & Mason Lane was Cottons Farm known in the 1700s as Box Tree Cottage. 9. COTTONS FARM, BELL LANE 1912. Looking toward Grove House on the corner of Holly Lane seen at the back in the middle of the photograph. The two large houses on the right still stand today near the corner of Orchard Road. Opposite on the left is Cottons Farm later known as Malthouse Farm. The Back of Grove House can be seen in the background of image 4 10. COTTONS FARM or BOX TREE COTTAGE BELL LANE, (ORPHANAGE ROAD) c1900 A close up view of the farm which stood on the corner of Blythe Lane & Orphanage Road and can also be seen on the map in image 6 11. BOX TREE COTTAGE BELL LANE c1890 A postcard view of an early photograph taken of Box Tree Cottage before it became part of the farm in the late 1800s 12. ROSE COTTAGE, HOLLY LANE A Mid 18th century farmhouse. It stood on a grassy island as Grange Lane met Holly Lane. The cottage was used as a nursery from 1833 for over 100 years 13. ORPHANAGE ROAD. Sadly this image was badly damaged and has been restored but with the previous images it becomes clear. Viewed from Orphanage Road with Holly Lane to the right . Grove House blocked by the trees in front. The continuation of Orphanage Road toward Chester Road and on the left the corner of Blythe Lane & Mason Lane ... Date unknown 14. ORPHANAGE ROAD 1900 A very early image of Orphanage Road looking toward Chester Road in the background. The two houses just in view on the left with the mock Tudor frontage are still standing today at the back entrance to St. Edmund Campion School. Across the road on the right is the entrance to Goodison Gardens today. Just passed the Lamp post on the left is the corner of Silverbirch Road. The tower of the orphanage and buildings in the background. 15. SILVERBIRCH ROAD 1912 Viewed halfway down from Sutton Road looking towards Orphanage Road and Josiah Mason Orphanage. Many of the large Victorian & Edwardian houses on this road are still the same today although a few more cars inhabit the road than seen here. 16. MASONS ORPHANAGE FROM SILVERBIRCH ROAD from the Benjamin Stone Library A continuation from the previous image, taken from the bottom of Silverbirch Road across Orphanage Road. The Allotments from the 1913 Map can be seen on the left. Bell Lane was renamed Orphanage Road after Josiah Masons death in June 1881 as a memorial to the man who built the beautiful building sadly destroyed in 1964.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 18:00:01 +0000
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