Sutton Coldfield Local History Research Group

‘Bleak House’ is situated on the main Lichfield Road between Tamworth Road and Little Sutton Lane. The property has a rich history, being Georgian in origin. Well known Sutton names, associated with either the land or the house, were the Addyes and Hacket families, James Pipe, Thomas Hayward and Henry Butler. It has led a charmed life, as it once stood unoccupied for over 30 years and it barely survived demolition on numerous occasions, never more so than when it became the subject of a Compulsory Purchase Order when the Sutton Coldfield Town Centre Relief Road was being planned in the early 1970’s.

In early December 2022, I came across an interesting announcement. Bond Wolfe said they would shortly be offering a property for auction and they would be accepting bids commencing at just £1.00. Upon looking into the matter further I noticed, even more intriguingly, that it was one of Sutton’s famous Vesey stone houses which was involved.  This was presently lying empty and in a derelict condition. I knew, at this point in time, that I had to look into the situation in more detail and the result of my research is contained in this article. I do hope you will find this as interesting to read, as I did in compiling the narrative.

In examining the 1841 Census for unusual occupations in Sutton Coldfield, I noticed some entries that indicated canal based employment. From this small amount of information, I set out to discover what happened to some of the families who lived alongside the ‘Cut’ on the southern boundary of the Royal Town.

What is the connection between the following:- (a) An 18th century hovel (b) Eco-warriors (c) The building of the first toll road in Britain for 200 years? All these questions and more are answered, as research into a property named ‘Boundary Cottage’ was undertaken. It is hoped readers will find the journey of interest.

The research traces the various owners of the property from Edward Hill James, a prominent Wine & Spirit Merchant in Birmingham who had the house built between 1883 and 1884, via Millicent Mary Ryland of the well known Ryland Family, Henry Owen a successful Jewellery Manufacturer in the Jewellery Quarter, Alfred Roberts, Alfred Cheatle a partner in the architectural firm of Newton & Cheatle to finally Herbert Smith who was a Lord Mayor of Walsall.

May 2020 was the sunniest calendar month on record, so much so that Sutton Park’s grassland was distinctly yellow because of the lack of rain. Dr. Mike Hodder alerted the author to the emergence of parchmarks on the old Civil Defence Camp site at Powell’s Pool in Sutton Park. This has resulted in a history of the camp site from 1942 to 1958.

Anyone having an interest in local or family history is hugely indebted to the early Victorian and Edwardian photographers for the wealth of pictorial information they have left us. Images bring the past to life and make researching our families, local surroundings, architecture, churches and parks so much more interesting. Frederick Whitlock.

This article uses extensive research done by Roy Woodward-Clarke and his wife, Diane, following their purchase at a stamp auction of a letter written by Agnes Bracken to her mother in 1827. Such was their interest in this letter that it encouraged them to search for further details of the Bracken Family. They have kindly allowed me use of their written notes for this article. Other material was found in Sutton Coldfield Reference Library (references given herein), particularly in the 'Agnes Bracken' folder, also in Keith Jordan's Photographic Collection, the author's own local history collection, www.Ancestry.co.uk. and www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk. Agnes Bracken and Caroline Bracken's photos can be found in Sutton Library.

“Trees can assist us to understand the history of their environment and this is true of the American red oaks that were planted in Sutton Park in the late 19th century. The research also introduces us to the first two Foresters, an office first created in 1889 and the establishment of a tree nursery on the north-western edge of Upper Nut Hurst.”

In Knighton Road, Sutton Coldfield, this air raid shelter lies forlornly in someone's back garden, reminding us of a time when the country faced  loss of life.  How close that feels these days, as we struggle with the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic!