| Description | ARCHIVES DEPARTMENT, BIRMINGHAM REFERENCE LIBRARY
MS 1536 Records deposited by the Bournville Village Trust Selly Manor (Acc 90/75) Museum, Bournville, Birmingham. 19 July 1990.
Box 1
Proof copy of advertising leaflet for Dame Elizabeth Hall, n.d. [c 1950]
Bournville Village Council Annual Report for 1914 and Schedule of Prizes for 1915
Bournville Village Council Year Books 1920-27, 1929-31, 1933, 1935, 1937-38, 1940-41, 1949, 1950-51, 1955-58, 1960-63
Note on the experience of the Bournville Village Trust, submitted to the Sub-Committee on the appearance of local authority housing estates, 1947
Report by John H Barlow on the development of new housing areas on Town Planning lines, 1913 [Proc. Nat. Advisory T.P.Committee 1913]
Bournville Village Trust "Notes & Information" [Newsletter], 1 bdl nos. 89-117, 1950-52
Box 2
5 Charfeld Close: Exhibition House, 1946, correspondence and visitors' book
Circular letter to tenants about damp, condensation and dry rot, 1973
Blank notice to quit allotment, c. 1900
Notes of Geology of Bournville estate 1924
Blank notice of intention to erect outbuildings, n.d. [c.1910]
Correspondence and articles re experimental houses, Hay Green Lane, 1920
Why Pay Rent? brochure for Bournville and Edgehill estates, n.d, [c.1900]; advert for homes in Westholme Croft and Sellywood Road, n.d. [c.1970]
Correspondence and statistics about buildings, maintenance and repair costs, 1934-77
Advert for Bungalows and Maisonettes for Older People, 1947
"Roads, Footpaths Transport": miscellaneous items
Advertising brochure, rules, notes on costs and letter re dissolution of Residential Flats Ltd, St George's Court
Bournville Works' Housing Society Ltd; Scheme for selling Houses, 1920
Bournville Works Housing Society sample rent cards, 1947, 1959; schedule of registered rents, 1973, 1976; circular letter re rent collection
Forms of service for public thanksgiving services on Bournville Village Green, 1935-37
Rules and adverts concerning Bournville Model Yacht Club, 1933 - n.d. [c.1985]
Correspondence concerning yachting pool, 1932-33 1 bdl Photocopied notes on Cadbury family, 1968
Historical notes on Bournville, 1925-72 Bournville Village Trust, Typical Plans:, n.d. [c.1910]
Box 3
[D] Bournville Almshouse Trust returned cheques and receipts 1972-73
Bournville Almshouse Trust, list of gifts to residents 1974
[D] Bournville Almshouse Trust, trivial correspondence and papers concerning staffing, 1972-74 1 bdl
[D] B.A.T. invoices/bills 1972-73
Box 4
Correspondence and papers concerning gifts of land at Chadwich to National Trust, 1925, 1934; record of restoration work at Chadwich Manor, 1984, (with photographs)
S.P., Chadwich Estate, 1823 (fragile)
National Trust circular letters, 1938
Notes on visit to Shenley Farm, 1935
Schedule of undeveloped land, 1940
Report and valuation (with plan) on Forhill estate, Kings Norton, 1936
Correspondence and papers concerning presentation of Green Belt south and west of Birmingham, 1937
S.P., Weatheroak Hall estate, 1936, 1967
Reports concerning B.V.T. open spaces, 1919-27
Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Chadwich Estate Ltd, 1904
S.P., The Chadwich Estate, Belbroughton & Bromsgrove, 1912
Birmingham Civic Society, Recreation in the Lickey Hills, 1920
SP, The Lickey Hills Estate, 1918, with related reports and accounts, 1919-20
Box 5
Bournville Almshouse Trust accounts, 1972-80 with related notes, 1972-73
Notes concerning Bournville for RTPI AGM, 1972
Bournville Building Estate, lists of tenants, 1899-1900
Original prospectus For Bournville Building Estate, n.d. c.1898]
Obituaries for John H Barlow, 1924
Deed of Foundation of B.V.T., 1900, with related Opinion and papers
Correspondence and notes concerning staff hours, conditions of service, wages etc. c 1936-39; report on the Nursery Department 1927; correspondence about Walter Wright, 1989
Correspondence of George Cadbury, 1899-1916
Correspondence of Mrs George Cadbury, 1921
Letter to Edward Cadbury and George Cadbury junior 1920; letter from editor, Bournville Works Magazine, 1947
Rules of Cornfield Housing Society Ltd, 1965
Cornfield Housing Society annual reports 1969-73, accounts 1970-80 (incomplete)
Bournville Works Housing Society annual accounts, with a few reports, 1958-80
Bournville Estate Residents Handbook 1970; Information for the New Resident, 1954
Suggested rules of health, 1924 and other information for youths
Box 6
Bournville Village Trust reports and accounts, 1958-64, 1965-69 1970-75, 1975-81, 1987
Photocopy of Souvenir of The Ideal Village, Birmingham
Box 7
Maps of Bournville estate, 1950
Programmes and itineraries of tours of Bournville estate, 1934-79
[D] Letters concerning visits to Bournville, 1972-75
Notes and circular letters concerning rent collection, 1947-71, with 3 blank rent cards
[D] 1968 invalid's rent collections, collectors' carbons, 1968
Bournville Works Housing Society rules, 1919-82
Box 8
Correspondence, reports and papers concerning an application by the B.V.T. under Section 19, Leasehold Reform Act, 1969-72 1 bdl
Box 9
Cropping plans, 1938-67; reports of water analysis 1931-59
Box 10
Presscuttings, 1902-05
Box 11
Bournville Schools; presscuttings 1904-14
Box 12
Visits of the Press to Bournville, 24 September 1906: presscuttings
Box 13
Presscuttings, 1902-12 (mainly 1905-07)
Box 14
Presscuttings, 1913-16
Box 15
Reviews of Town Planning by G Cadbury, 1914--15: presscuttings
Box 16
Presscuttings, 1919-24
Pox 17
Presscuttings, 1923-34
Box 18
Bournville, Birmingham & General Housing presscuttings 1924-26
Box 19
Chadwich land: presscuttings 1925
Box 20
City Council presscuttings, 1930-39 (Mainly relating to Newcastle-Under-Lyme]
Box 21
Leeds Housing: presscuttings, 1934
Box 22
General presscuttings, 1940-41 Post-war presscuttings, 1944-51
Box 23
Bournville Almshouse Trust: bills & receipts; 1974-75 1 file
Bournville Almshouse Trust: correspondence etc. 1951-61 1 file
Landscape Treatment of Housing Estates in Birmingham, 1948 1 file
Specification of works and drawings for house in Shinfield Rd., 1 file
Reading, for P.S. Cadbury, 1924 1 file
Plans and specifications for cottages at Butlers Marston, 1926 1 file
Local Government Enquiry, Progress Report, 1952 1 file
Survey methods for Town & Country Planning, 1947 1 file
Specification for works to houses in Griffins Brook Lane, 1 file 1930
Termination of Rating Agreement for Almshouses, Mary Vale 1 file Road, 1954
Box 24
Water Supply Survey: summary of report for West Midland Area, 1950
Bournville Almshouse Trust: endowment houses; lettings Proposed Electricity Board Substation, plan and correspondence, 1961 1 file 'Plan of Bournville Works area, 1897 1 file Plan of Letchworth Estate, First Garden City, 1922 1 file Correspondence re: war damage at 12-18 Hawthorne Road, 1942 1 file Correspondence and estimates for work on Segbourne Cottages, 1 file Chadwick, 1968 Investigation of silverleaf disease on the Bournville Estate, 1 file 1958 Script of talk to accompany a film on the Growth of Bournville 1 file Estate, 1958 Script of talk to accompany a film on the Growth of Bournville 1 file in the 1960s. Notes on St Tazar's Church and St. David's Church, Shenley Copies of information panels and captions for exhibition in 1 Birmingham Libraries, 1981 Photographs, notices and correspondence about a memorial 1 file (group of trees) to Alderman Jack Wood (1897-1969) on the Lickey Hills, 1970 Proposed reservoir near Romsley, 1969-75 1 file Correspondence re road widening and motorway construction 1 file on the Chadwich Estate near Spring Pools, 1960 Sale Particulars for the estate of Fanny Jolly at West Heath 1 file & Hopwood, part of Groveley Estate, (1937); for Radford Farm, Alvechurch, (1967); for Watheroak Farm, Alvechurch, (1969); for Hillside Cottage, Forhill, (1958), and sale plan of Walton Farm, Stourbridge, (1938).
Papers re: tours of woodlands on the agricultural estates (1975-6); Policy on trees growing on footpaths in Bournville; trees for roadside planting; trees in towns.
Box 25
Correspondence re: claims for war damages on BVT/COPEC properties, 1944-45
Correspondence, memos and plans for post-war housebuilding on Bournville estate, 1943
Bournville Works Housing Society, committee papers, 1944
Correspondence & schedules or repair work on 30 Linden Road; 55 Witherford Way and 88 Redditch Road, after bomb damage, 1945
Alterations to main estate office, Bournville Lane, 1945 1 file
Correspondence re architectural assistants, 1943-45 1 file
Alterations to Spinnyfield Cottage, Rednal, 1944 1 file
File of papers on housing developments and alterations to Bristol Rd Parkway, Shenley Fields and other areas of the estate, the Orlitt method of house construction etc; 1945 1 file
Papers re various small alterations to houses, 1945 1 file
Applications for motor sheds, greenhouses etc., 1937-53
Correspondence and papers from the Town Clerk, Newcastle under Lyme re: development, housing, training apprentices, hostels, appointment of Clerk of Works etc., 1944-45
Birmingham Parish Review: Submission by Selly Oak 1 Redevelopment Group for parish councils in Selly Oak Ward, 1981
Box 26
Transcript of part of the deed granting Chadwick Manor to Christ Church, Oxford by Henry VIII
Bournville Village Trust: a Ten Years Record, 1900-1910, with watercolour of a Bournville garden by Albert Nash, diary of events etc.
An analysis of Housing Association Tenants' locational requirements by D.J. Ivory, 1980
‘File of papers and articles on housing policy, development, history of BVT, gardens, COPEC, USSR, Trust bulletins, housing manuals etc., 1907-1980 Article by Elizabeth Cadbury, "How did the Garden grow'?", 1942
Publications
Bournville Village Trust (1930s)
Bournville Village Trust (1954)
Shenley Green, proposals for planting (1980s?)
Parklands, shared ownership housing: plans and particulars (?1980s)
Wyndham Gardens (?1980s)
Laurence Court, Northfield. Sale particulars (1983)
Weoley Hill United Reform Church by M.Glen & J. Bartlett (1983)
BVT Annual report, 1979
BVT. The Conversion of Older Houses (c1960) ,
The Carillon newsheet, no 6 (1986)
Good Houses: Weoley Hill Ltd (1940s)
Bournville Works Magazine, 1939 (George Cadbury)
Bournville Junior School magazines (1979, 1981)
Woodlands Housing Society Ltd., booklet
The Woodlands Estate: sale particulars
Memorandum & Articles of Agreement of Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust Ltd. (1906)
Broadcasting Employees Housing Association Ltd:
Policy paper I (1975)
HUD Aided Housing, Berkeley Housing Authority, California
Box 27
Rent books, 1952-4, 1961-2, 1963-4
Bournville Tenants Ltd. papers re rent increases 1954-1962
Bournville Tenants Ltd. garage rents, 1934-61
Bournville Tenants Ltd. papers re Leasehold sinking fund, 1932-40
Bournville Tenants Ltd. Invoices 1968
Bournville Tenants Ltd. Papers re. repairs and maintenance, employment of staff, 1958-70
Box 28
Papers re Village Hall, Woodlands Park Road, 1965-66
Bournville Tenants Ltd: Housing applications, waiting lists etc 1948-67
Bournville Tenants Ltd: Papers and plans re development of Hawthorne Road Recreation Ground, 1965-68
Bournville Tenants Ltd: Festival programmes, recreation grounds, 1921-37
Bournville Tenants Ltd. Damage to recreation grounds, 1957-63
Woodlands Housing Society. Rules, 1920
Woodlands Housing Society. Woodlands Estate, Northfield sale particulars
Redditch Friends Housing Association. Report & Accounts, 1973-80
Box 29
Books published by BVT:
When We Build Again (1941);
People & their Houses by John Grove (1960);
Social Mix by Sarkissian & Heine (1978) and The Tiverton Road Project by A.D. Thomas (1984)
English County: a planning survey of Herefordshire (1946)
Local Government & Central Control, a West Midland Group Study (1956)
Report on visit to certain housing schemes on the continent, 1932 (Holland, Germany)
Working class housing schemes in Hamburg, 1936 Garden City of Suresnes, France, 1936
Housing development at Hershey & U.S.A., 1937
Visit to Sweden, 1947.
Garden suburbs of Stockholm, modern housing development, architecture in Stockholm etc.
Sweden: Housing & Planning. Report by Tom Burns, 1947
Swedish Co-operative Housing: booklet, 1948
Photograhs of housing in Amsterdam, 1950
Survey of Housing in Birmingham, 1939
Reports on provision of housing, at home and abroad, 1923-50
Papers by Paul Cadbury, 1943 & 1950
Box 30
Papers re conversion and extension of Estate Office, Oak Tree Lane, with plans, information on materials, specifications, estimates etc. 1957-58
M5 motorway. Extension Lydiate Ash- Romsley, 1963
M5 motorway. Chadwich, Gravel workings, 1959-60
M5 motorway. Lydiate Ash - Ray Hall, 1960
M5 motorway. Chadwich. Approach roads, 1960
Box 31
'Misc. note on-tenancy and 3 tenants' cards,1936-7
Plan of Groveley, Forhill & Weatheroak estates, 1939
2 plans of South-Birmingham (0.S. 1913)
Photographs of historical maps of Birmingham
Papers re Selly Oak Park Extension, & plan (1919) and South Birmingham Town Planning Scheme (1918)
Booklets
Selly Oak Colleges (?1930s)
Bournville Village Trust: summaries of organisation; 1946, 1948, 1949
An Unemployment Relief Scheme: Proof copy 1932-3
Julian St John Cadbury (1926-50); memorial article, 1950
The Bournville Carillon (?1950)
Calthorpe Estate Redevelopment Proposals, 1958
West Midland Group on Post War Reconstruction & Planning, 1946
City of Birmingham Handbook, 1950 1 Birmingham, Britain's Second City: 1965
Birmingham, City of Change c.1962
Birmingham Centres:' Community Associations handbook, 1959
Design for Britain Series (1950s?)
Signposts of Building Society Finance, A. Webb
2 An Old Countryside for New People, CEM Joan
4 Challenge to Youth, G. Seton
6 National Planning & .Redevelopment, H.P. Cart de la fontaine
7 Industrial Background of Housing, J. Harry Jones
8 Rating and Taxation in the housing scheme, F.C.R. Douglas
11 Cottages and Countrymen, F. Streeton Steed
12 Post-War Homes
14 Plan for the New. Architecture, W.R. Davidge
15 Castles in the Street, Ethel Mannin
18 Home, H.J. Massingham
19 Building Societies, Past, Present, Future, J.B. Leaver
Some Social Aspects of Pre-War Tenements, Post-War Flats,
Manchester Survey, 1932
Britain's Town & Country Pattern, Social Reconstruction Survey (c.1950)
Good Houses: Weoley Hill Ltd 1 BVT Leaflet, 1960
Garden Cities & Town Planning, 1925 (Bournville)
Bournville Village Festival, programme, 1988
The Conversion of Older Houses, BVT report
BVT 1900-1955
Byelaws, City of B'ham, for preventing misuse of water, 1965
Woodlands Housing Society Ltd
Consider her Palaces: the housing problem of lower paid 1 single women workers in London, 1936
West Midland Group on Post War reconstruction: control of 1 the use of land &.... problems of town planning, 1944
Weoley Hill Village, 1947
Richard Tapper Cadbury, 1768-1860 (1944)
The Bournville Carillon (c.1970)
BVT booklets
BVT Account of Planning and housing schemes in rural areas
Midland Council of Housing Associations, Information booklet, 1966
Two Aspects of Housing: Self build & bungalows for the handicapped
The War and the planning outlook
Fircroft College, annual reports, 1959-67
Overture to Planning
Selly Oak Colleges' Library
Bournville Tenants Ltd.
Bournville Works Housing Society
ACCESSION 1990/076 - TEMPORARY RECEIPT LIST
Box 32
Rules of the Bournville Tenants Ltd (1906)
Rules of the Bournville Tenants Ltd (1928)
Rules of the Bournville Tenants Ltd. (1969)
Amendments to Rules (1927, 1969) and particulars and 1 file correspondence about amendments (1927,1941)
Box 33
Presscuttings on Bournville (1969-1979)
Presscuttings on Birmingham Overspill (1969)
Correspondence on Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust (1960-68)
Box 34
Town Planning Education in West Midlands (1940-51)
Bournville Farm and Country Club Minutes (1948-55)
Visitors to Bournville (1952)
Notes on Post War Housing
Enquiries re development proposals (1947-50)
Correspondence with Miss G. Willson on house planning
General Correspondence on development (1938-44)
Alterations to 56 Witherford Way (1943-8)
Wolverhampton Borough Accounts (1939,1947)
Local Financial Statistics (Staffordshire) (1946-7)
Conference on Local Government report 1946
Local Government Reorganisation: memo to Minister of Housing (1954)
Agenda for Warwick standing Joint Cttee. (1938-46) 1 °Education Committee Reports, Warwick CC (1938-46)
Box 35
West Midlands Group on Post War Reconstruction and Planning 1 correspondence (1944-47)
Ministry of Town & Country Planning correspondence (1944-47) 1 Bilston Civic Survey, report and correspondence (1943-44)
Correspondence with Imperial Bureau of Pastures and Forage Crops (1944)
Notes on Agriculture in Hereford by J.L. Evans
Herefordshire Community Council, Correspondence (1943-44)
Correspondence files on agriculture, forestry, planning etc (1943-47)
Box 36
Ruskin Hall Management Committee, Accounts (1962-73)
Bournville Tenants Ltd: Rules, notices of meetings (1965-81)
Water Supplies in Forhill and Weatheroak; correspondence and plans (1944-46)
Country Park: Waseley, Holywell Farm (1970-71)
Chadwich Manor, tenancy, alterations (1954-68)
Footpath Trees: responsibility for upkeep (1946-63)
Footpath Signs and maps on Chadwich Estate (1958-68)
Tree Planting on Bournville Estate (1975-1977)
Beacon Lane Trees (1956-7)
Chadwich Woods (1956-77)
National Trust Forestry (general) 1957-76
Pollution: general' motorways; Wythall RAF station (1949-69)
Box 37
Weoley Hill Society Ltd. Rule Books, house 1 file particulars (1914-24)
Weoley Hill Society Ltd. Reports and Accounts (1915,1917)
Hay Green Housing Society Ltd. Rules (1950)
Experimental Houses at Hay Green lane (c1920)
Weoley Hill Village News (1983)
List of houses on Bournville Estate (1979)
Schedule of shops on Bournville Estate (1976)
Housing Returns (for construction) (1958-1963)
Housing Committee Report (1906)
'Estate Plans (1910-82) 1 file
Housing Density Study (1912-80) l file
Vandalism on the Bournville Estate 1 vol
BVT booklets and art work (1949-60) 1 file
Solar Energy: Berlin Seminar (1984) 1 file
Schools Conference Tour and visit by Bishop of Lichfield (1957) 1 file
Box 38
Bournville Tenants Ltd
Agenda Books (1959-70) 2 vols
News-sheets (1966-1970) 1 file
Management Committee reports (1928,1969,1981) 1 file
Membership of Committee (1941-70)
Recreation Ground Cttee Report (n.d.)
Sub-Cttee minutes (1970-71)
Report on the society (1953) and booklet (c1910)
Public meetings on estate management (1969-72)
Proxies for special general meeting (1968) 1
Box 39
Bournville Tenants Ltd
Sewers & Bathroom conversions in Kingsley Rd., Northfield Rd and Woodlands Park Rd. Plans and correspondence (1956-67)
Box 40
Loan stock certificates (1919-70)
Transfer certificates (1926-1970)
Box 41
Roadside Trees: plans and lists (1946)
Sand and Gravel Working in Worcestershire. Report (1954) 1 vol
Fruit trees on Bournville Estate: correspondence & photographs 1 file (1934-56)
Plans of the estate (?1950) 1 Gravel Working: Bank House Farm (1961-65)
Alterations to "Icknield", Weatheroak (1950-65)
Lea End House, Hopwood: sale particulars (1973?)
Water Services, Forhill and Weatheroak (1954-77)
Reports on meetings re: new motorways and the spring pools - Rubery and Lydiate Ash - Spring Pool areas (1957-61)
Valuation of Grovely Farm, Hopwood (1966)
Improvement to water supplies at Chadwich (1962-65)
Notes on Farm Improvements (1973-79)
Farm Rents (1978)
"The Relationship between Trees and Buildings in Urban Areas"; 1 article and photographs (1959)
Chadwich Estate': photographs, various views (B&W 1950s?) 1 file
Chadwich Estate: views of A38 before and during construction 1 file
Chadwich Manor House: photographs 1 file
Fireplace at Chapel Green Farm 1 file Gate and bins at Minwor-th Greaves: photographs 1 file
"Damage done by children" photographs 1 file
Countryside Commission: access to open country (1970) National Trust agreement. List of forestry tools
Box 42
National Trust Land
Chadwich: Old Beacon Lane and Beacon Hill, covenant (1954)
Chapman's Hill Farm and Beacon Farm (1939)
Clent Hall & Walton Farm (1938)
Farley Cottage and Shut Mill, Clent (1956)
Malvern Hills (193-)
Pinstall, Bromsgrove (1930)
Randan Hill, Woodcote, Bromsgrove (1943)
Spinneyfields, North Bromsgrove (1937)
List of National Trust Covenants
Box 43
'Bournville Tenants Ltd: Scrapbook (1906-1953)
'Bournville housing scrapbook (1910-1921)
Site planning booklet; guide; lecture
Box 44
Welwyn Garden City (1908-1920) 1 file
Port Sunlight (1934-52); Employees handbook, guide 1 file
New Earswick (1923-37) site planning; guide; lecture booklet- 1 file
Garden Cities: general (1901-12) - 1 file Garden - type developments (1907-12) 1 file
West Midlands Group on Town & Country Planning (1948-451) - 1 file
Knutsford Exhibition (1946): Visitors' book, correspondence,- 1 file journals, photographs
Cuttings advertising Bournville properties (1928-54) 1 vol BVT annual booklets (1921-27)
Hampstead Garden Suburb booklet:` building regulations (1907)
'Various lectures on Bournville village (1904,1952,n.d.) 1 file
Box 45
Public Utility Societies (1919-26?) 1 file
Self Build Housing (1925-73) 1 file
Self Build Housing (1963-73) 1 file
Shenley Housing Society Ltd: Rules (1951) 1
Box 46
Bournville Tenants Ltd
Reports & Accounts 1908-13
Reports & Accounts 1914-19
Reports & Accounts 1920-29
Reports & Accounts 1930-39
Reports & Accounts 1940-47
Reports & Accounts 1948-58
Reports & Accounts 1959-69
Reports & Accounts 1970-80
Applications and licences for buildings and materials (1946-47)
Applications and licences for motor fuel (1940-47)
Box 47
Bournville Tenants Ltd
Cash Receipts, Analysis for Annual Returns (1930-69)
Cash Payments, Analysis for Annual Returns (1932-69) A
nnual Returns (1962-67) List of shareholders and loanstock etc
Box 48
Bournville Founder's Day Annual gathering: programmes (1928-40)
BVT 50th Anniversary (1951): programmes, exhibition notes L
BVT 75TH Anniversary (1975): programme, posters BVT Conservation Exhibition at Minworth Greaves (1971-2)
BVT Festivals/Events/Flower Shows: various programmes (190G-1986)
BVT seminar on housing and community development (1974)
BVT Visitors' Book for 75th Annual Exhibition (1975)
Box 49
Lists of tenders for construction of houses and public buildings in Bournville (1924-37)
BVT scrapbook (houses, roads, gardens etc) (1903-16) 1 vol
'BVT cuttings of Planning Cttee Minutes (1927-29) 1 vol
Minutes of Bournville Farm & Country Club (1948-50) 1 vol
Minutes of Baths & Playground Cttee (1897-1902) 1 vol
Box 50
Bournville Almshouse Trust
General Administration (1958-73) 1 file
Special Correspondence (1961-73) 1 file
Alterations to Trust deed (1947 + 74) 1 file
Engagements diary (1973) 1 vol
Lists of tenants (1968-75) and rents 1 file `List of tenants (1924-58) 1 vol
Deposit Account books (Lloyds bank) (1950-67)
Dilapidation Fund (B'ham Municipal Bank)(1941-58) 1 Account (1950-56) (B'ham Municipal Bank) 2
Ladies Committee Fund Day Book (1917-1972) 1 vol; Ladies Committee Receipt Book (1918-67); Bank Account book of Emmeline H Cadbury (1917-1965) - these 3 labelled "Eliza Beech Fund"
Box 51
Landscape Report (1948)
Landscape Correspondence (1948)
Motorways Landscaping and Tree Planting
Motorway Chadwich JanMarch 1960
Motorway Chadwich Apr-Jun 1960
Motorway Chadwich July-Sept 1960
Road work (Lydiate Ash-Rubery)
Box 52
National Trust
Chadwich Manor Estate: minutes and accounts (1946-58) 11 files
NT Covenanted Areas: deeds and plans (1939)
Randan Hill: reports and plans (1947-1971)
Land Agents reports, Accounts of Chadwich Manor Estate and misc. 1 reports (1958-77) and list of birds on Chadwich estate
Various articles and papers on: self help housing (1953); the 1 file value of gardens (1929); open spaces, green belt management (1946); Crawley New town (1956); appearance of housing estates; housing research (1934) housing and the family (1950); building one's own home (1954) co-partnership housing societies (1953); Shenley development (1950); rural housing (1929); recent BVT work (1934); re planning survey for Birmingham (1936)
Miscellaneous papers (staff, misc correspondence; lists of tenants etc.)
Condensation and maintenance (1960-67) 1 file
Yew Tree Farm Estate (1953); gardens 1 file
Solar Heating Project (1979) 1 file
Woodlands Orthopaedic hospital (1930) 1 file
Civic Award (1963)
Box 53
Surveys and drafts for People and their houses (1958-60) 1 file
Cuttings on Moundsley Hall 1 file
Preservation of rural cottages (1933-39) 1 file
Countryside Preservation exhibition (1939) 1 file
Maps of Greater Birmingham 4 Map of Worcestershire (1890) 1
Map of Weatheroak Estate 1 Map of BVT agricultural estates 1
Maps of Bournville Estate 2
Sale Particulars of Weatheroak Estate (1936) 1
Sale Particulars of Chadwich Rstate 1912 1
Sling Pool Tip and reinstated land (1943-74) 1
Rights of Way Act incl. plans (1932-50) 1
Water: Weatheroak and Forhill (1964-8) 1
Box 54
Plan and specification for Jordan Village (1927) 1
Plans and information for BVT visit to Hampstead 1
Garden Suburb (1912) 1 Visit to Telford (1972-3) 1
Press cuttings on Bournville: 1890s, 1900s, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, Undated
Cuttings of City of Birmingham overcrowding survey (1930)
Misc. cuttings 1 War damage relating to Warsaw: repair of buildings (1945)
Scripts of BBC radio programmes on housing (1942-7) 1
Box 55
Bournville Tenants Garages Construction (1960-61)
Royal Commission on Geographical Distribution of the Industrial Population: minutes of evidence (1937)
Various (1) (Parklands Owners Guide (Old plans, Chadwich (Weoley Hill Ltd (BVT Landscapes Management Policy (Bournville Lane development (1984) (Misc. articles on planning and gardens (Notebook of overseas visitors (n.d)
Difficulties and Defects of Planning legislation
Various (2) (Report on derelict land in the Black Country (1946) (Experimental Houses at Hay Green lane (photocopy) (W. Mids. Planning Group: list of records now at (B'ham Univ. and correspondence (1954-67) (Reviews of BVT (1956) (Letter about rent increase (1957) (Talk by Joyce Cadbury on Dame Elizabeth Cadbury (d.1951) (3 BVT pamphlets with alterations for next printing.
Box 56
Memorandum and Articles of Association of Chadwich Estate Ltd (1904)
Bournville Works Housing Society Ltd: Accounts (1962,1975-77) 1 file
Cornfield Housing Society Ltd. Accounts (1975-1976, 1978, 1979) 1 file
Bournville Almshouse Trust Accounts (1972 1974 1976, 1979) 1 file
Redditch Friends Housing Assoc. Ltd. Accounts (1975,1977,1979) 1 file
Birmingham Corporation Bill 1922 Minutes of evidence (repair of working class houses)
City of B'ham, Quinton, Harborne and Edgbaston Town Planning Scheme:- schedule (1913)
Minute concerning housing and population in St Stephen's Ward (1921) Town Planning Committee: memo on Quinton Scheme (1911)
Estates Cttee; special report on Quinton estate (1921)
Draft Bill, clauses etc to improve central areas of Birmingham (1921, 1922,1945)
Report of house building Sub. Cttee (C of B) 1924
Misc: Co-partnership Tenants Ltd, London; BVT selection criteria for tenants (1978)' Posters re: "Damage to Trees"; Applicants' choice of house types; article from The Builder on working class flats in Birmingham; (competition); newscuttings (1949); sale particulars and plan of the Manor house, Northfield (1867); Wythall inquiry, notes (1962); "The architect and housing by the speculative builder", by C.B. Parkes from The Builder (1934); BVT Wayleave payments (1960-65); loan stock of Coventry Garden Suburbs; Public Utility Societies and self build associations in Bournville (1969)
Correspondence on exterior T.V. aerials (1964-5) 1 file
Box 57
Bournville Village Trust, Visitors' Book (1901-51)
Vol of almshouse accounts (1923-1954)
Plans and elevations of houses in Bryony Rd, Swarthmore Rd etc., Selly oak. (n.d.)
Box 58
"Newscuttings on death of George Cadbury (1922)
Modernisation of pre war housing on Bournville estate: article, plans, specification (1969)
Modernisation of inter war housing: plans and photocopy of article by Allan Budden (1965).
Calendar of C.L. Holding and Sons with photographs of Bournville Houses (1960)
Plans of houses before and after conversion drawn by BVT Architects' Dept., and arrangements for car parking and garages in Shenley Fields (n.d.)
Box 59
Pamphlets [mostly] published by BVT
Weoley Hill Estate Ltd. Good Houses, How to buy your own house on Weoley Hill Estate, Weoley Hill Village etc. 1922-1947
Bournville Village Trust: 1900-1955 2 vols 4 BV Council Year Book (1960-63) 3 ,,,Bournville Estate Residents' Handbook (1970)
BVT Solar Energy Projects (1981)
BVT Residents handbook (?1980) 1
BVT Residents Handbook (?1985) 2
BVT [Explanatory booklet] (1929) 3
BVT [Explanatory booklet with map] 1915 1
BVT [Explanatory booklet and tour round B'ville] 1905? 1
BVT [Explanatory booklet with map] 1949 1
BVT [Explanatory booklet with map] 1960 1
BVT Annual Report and Accounts 1981 1
BVT: Account of planning and housing schemes in suburban and 1 rural areas (1938?)
BVT [Explanatory booklet] (1976) 2 -
BVT [Explanatory booklet] (1974) 3
BVT [Explanatory booklet] (1954) 3
BVT [Explanatory booklet] (1960) 3
The Conversion of Older houses: a Report by BVT (?1959) 3
Rules of the Bournville Works Housing Society Ltd (1976) 2
BVT Builds for a new neighbourhood: the story of the Shenley 3 Estate (1959)
Prograrane for Bournville Village Festival (1988) 1
Reconditioning slum properties: an account of work carried out by BVT Architects for COPEC (c.1940)
Information for The New Resident .(1954) 1
Bournville Works Housing Society Ltd (1967) 1
Bournville Village Trust. Visit of National Federation of 1 Housing Societies (1959)
An Unemployment Relief Scheme: experiment by BVT (1932-33) 2
The Social Mix: The Bournville experience by Wendy Sarkissian 1 vol & Warwick Heine(1978)
Royal visit to Bournville, 1919. Special BWM issue 1 vol Bournville Trail: spring festival 1979
Bournville Works Magazine (June 1939): Preserving the Countryside
The Church of St Tazar, Birmingham :history (1968)
Memorandum with respect to the Provision and Arrangement of Houses 1 for the Working Classes (1913)
Bournville (1924)
Bournville Works Magazine: Nov 1919, Jan 1921, July 1938, July 1939, May 1949, Aug 1955
Elizabeth Mary Cadbury (1858-1951) Memorial number 2 George Cadbury (1939-1922) Memorial number
East Kilbride Development Corporation (1960)
East Kilbride for Industry (1961)
Teachers notes to accompany the film "History around you: the
Road", (1980) and "The Village" (1980) of each The Bournville Carillon (c.1935)
Bournville Village Gardens (c1905) Bournville Tenants Ltd (c1910) 3 Selly Manor and Minworth Greaves (c1935) 2 Selly Manor and Minworth Greaves (c1960)
Selly Manor and Minworth Greaves (c1970) 2 Sixty Years of Planning: the Bournville Experiment (1950s)
The Bournville Carillon n.d. 3 The Bournville Carillon c.1950
The Bournville Carillon c.1970
BVT The Story of Bournville (1983)
International Solar Energy Society: Conference Programme (1982)
Le Trust du Village de Bournville (1907)
The Factory in a Garden (c1910)
The Factory in a Garden (c1920)
Fabrik in Garden (c1910)
The Herb Garden and Guide to Selly Malinor (c1980)
The Dame Elizabeth Hall (c1940)
The Bournville Story (c1950)
St Lazar's Church: pamphlet in Serbo-Croat
Small Map of Bournville (c1920)
Small map of Bournville (c1920)
Birmingham Post Commemorative Supplement on the 75th Anniversary of BVT (1975)
Cost and performance of solar water heating system (1981)
Route for visit of Duke of Edinburgh's Conference (1956) to Bournville
Artwork for cover of Ninety Years On (1985)
Box 60
Reduced copies of ancient plans of Birmingham and Vicinity 2 vols (1882 and 1884)
Plans and plot schedule for Garden City Estate, Letchworth (1906)
Capital and rentals required for 161 post war dwellings on
Shenley Court Farm Estate (1958-1964)
Sale Particulars for properties in Chadwich, the Lickeys, Rubery and Northfield (1905)
ACCESSION 1992/018 - TEMPORARY RECEIPT LIST
Box 60
Title deeds for land at Wast Hills and elsewhere in Alvechurch Deeds for land purchased by Sir Henry Wiggin
Box 61
/1 1787 - 1859 Deeds for Kemp's Place and other land in Alvechurch purchased from Walton's Trustees
/2 1859 - 1861 Deeds for Lea End Farm, purchased from Walton's Trustees
/3 1861 Deeds for land at Lea End, Alvechurch purchased from Mr Williams
/4 1647 - 1862 Deeds and papers for Yew Tree Hall estate, Alvechurch purchased from Edwin Greves
/5 1845 - 1864 Deeds and papers for land at Kemp's Place purchased from Thomas White's Trustees
/6 1867 Deeds for land at Lea End, Alvechurch purchased from Edward Moore
/7 1869 Deed for Modills Hill, Forhill purchased from Richard Parkes
/8 1825 - 1896 Deeds and papers for land at Forhill Hill, Weatheroak purchased from William Potter
/9 1856 - 1881 Deeds for land at Forhill and Alvechurch purchased from William Jones
/10 1872 - 1882 Deeds for land at Forhill purchased from A.G. and B. Whitehouse
/11 1882 Deed for land on Forhill Road purchased from R. Mynors
/12 1896, Sale particulars for land at Forhill 2 1934
Box 62
Deeds for land purchased by Sir Henry Wigqin
/1 1797 - 1863 Deeds for Kemp's place and other lands in Alvechurch purchased from Thomas White's Trustees
/2 1766- 1856 Deeds and papers for land at Forhill and in the parish of Alvechurch purchased from William Jones 29
Box 63
Deeds for land purchased by Walter W. Wigqin
/1 1871- Deeds and papers for land at Forhill, purchased 8 1913 from the Whitehouse family
/2 1783- Deeds and papers for Lea End House estate, 23 1888 purchased from Frederick Moore
Box 64
Deeds for land at Kemp's Place, Lea End,
/1 1707 - 1859 Emble Croft etc in the parish of Alvechurch
/2 1844 - 1895 Deeds and papers for land at Forhill Farm and parts of Alvechurch parish
PHOTOGRAPHIC NEGATIVES
Box 65
1930s Glass plate negatives by E.H. & H.E. Fletcher, F 3871-5879
Box 66
1930s Glass plate negatives by E.H. and H.E. Fletcher, F5880-6310 AND Glass plate negatives of Newcastle under Lyme, Z1859-Z2000
Box 67
1920s - 1930s Sheet Film negatives, FP/8 to H
Box 68
1939 - 1981 Sheet Film negatives, FP/K to V. FP/L & HA
Box 69
1926 - 1952 Copy negatives CN/HP/1-23 AND glass plate negatives by Roy Dixon
Box 70
1910 - 1915 Plate glass negatives by J.H. Drinkwater
Box 71
1930s Full 12 x 10 in. glass plate negatives by E.H. and H.E. Fletcher: F 1770, 2053-6, 2057-61, 2063, 3457, 3609-11, 3888, 3922, 4177, 4863
various Full 12 x 10 in. glass plate negatives of early maps of Birmingham, 1-9
c.1940 Glass plates and sheet film negatives of 1 box Schreiner's drawings of town planning ideas for city reconstruction
1937— Glass plate negatives, 4* x 3* in., of 19 Green Belt views, Forhill, Weatheroak etc.
1939 Glass plate negatives 4* x 3* in., of views for Green Belt Exhibition
c.1943 Negatives of slum and municipal housing, families etc by Bill Brandt
ACCESSION 1996/152 - TEMPORARY RECEIPT LIST
Financial records of Bournville Village Trust
1896 - 1900 Bournville Estate: Ledger No.1. Includes detailed payments for construction of houses in Linden Road, Elm Road, Laburnum Road, Mary Vale Road etc
1899 - 1905 Bournville Village Trust: Ledger no. 1 Includes records of building work for George Cadbury, George Cadbury Junior, Edward Cadbury, at the Manor House, Woodbrooke, Primrose Hill etc.
1905 - 1915 Bournville Village Trust: Private Ledger 1 vol.
1939 - 1977 Bournville Village Trust: General Ledger, end of year accounts
1940 - 1968 Bournville Village Trust: Private Ledger 1 vol.
1971 - 1981 Bournville Village Trust: Shareholders' register
1922 - 1962 Bournville Village Trust Building Department: Staff register [gives name, address, year of birth, trade, dates of employment and reasons for leaving]
1931 Bournville Village Trust: Estate Office receipt book, January - May 1931 1 vol.
ACCESSION 1996/034 (in Box 72 addnl)
Photograph and [Adult] School cookery lesson notes
ACCESSION 1996/177 - TEMPORARY RECEIPT LIST
Boxes 74 - 80 Deeds of Chadwich estate in King's Norton and Bromsgrove
Consists of a series of 16 bundles of deeds, leases and tenancy papers, all apparently original bundles, arranged as follows:
Bdl 1 Deeds, 1788-1806 (Box 74)
Bdl 2 Deeds, 1713-74 (Box 74)
Bdl 3 Deeds, 1774-1804 (Box 74)
Bdl 4 Deeds of land between Chapman's Hill and Chadwich, 1809-1923 (Box 75)
Bdl 5 Deeds, (1795)-1824 (Box 75)
Bdl 6 Deeds of land at Chadwich, 1606-1885 (Box 76)
Bdl 7 Deeds, 1824-1912 (Box 76)
BdI 8 Abstracts of title and sale particulars,1823, 1912 (Box 76)
Bdl 9 Deeds and plans, 1795-1904 (Box 77)
Bdl 10 Leases and tenancy papers, 1841-1934 (Box 77)
Bdl 11 Deeds, 1758-1811 (Box 77)
Bdl 12 Deeds, 1816-68 (Box 78)
Bdl 13 Tenancy papers, 1868-1934 (Box 78)
Bdl 14 Deeds, 1748-1934 (Box 78)
Bdl 15 Deeds of Chapman's Hill Farm 1759-1858 (Box 79) [1 bdl. now in 2 parts]
Bdl 16 Deeds, 1668-1812 (Box 80)
Box 80 [1838] -
Deeds of Coach and Horses, Weatheroak 1 bdl 1903 Cottage, Mill Fields, Brockhill House, no.11 Weatheroak Hill, and Dolphin Farm, Weatheroak Hill, Kings Norton (1657)-
Deeds of Yew Tree Farm, Northfield 1 bdl 1837
Box 81
1828 - 1867 Deeds of Middle Park Farm and 1867 Manor House estate, Northfield
1896 - 1898 999 year leases of lots on the Boumville estate, surrendered to George Cadbury before the formation of the Boumville Village Trust.
1792 Lease of part of Black Greves Farm, Kings Norton 1
(1835) - 1867 Osborne's Trust deeds of freehold interest in Griffin's Hill, Selly Oak
1834 - 1863 Osborne's Trust deeds of leasehold interest in Griffin's Hill, Selly Oak
Box 82
1933 - 1939 Weoley Hill Ltd: house building contracts, nos. 176-315
Boxes 83-84
1977- 1981 Planning applications 2 boxes
ACCESSION 1990/111 - TEMPORARY RECEIPT LIST
18th - 20th century Maps and plans of BVT estates, agricultural estates at Chadwich etc, and of Birmingham - 70 rolls
ACCESSION 2002/055 - TEMPORARY RECEIPT LIST
Minute Book of the Trustees' Meetings/ Quarterly Meeting Minutes
1 14 Jan 1901 — 17 Sept 1929
2 7 Jan 1930 — 15 Oct 1946
Minutes of the Committee
1 18 April 1901 — 14 Aug 1902 1 vol
2 12 Sept 1902 — 5 Nov 1903 1 vol
3 9 Dec 1903 — 4 April 1905 1 vol
4 2 May 1905 — 21 Nov 1966 1 vol
5 5 Dec 1906 — 6 Aug 1908 1 vol
6 27 Aug 1908 — 8 Feb 1911 1 vol
7 9 March 1911 —9 Nov 1915 1 vol
8 14 Dec 1915 21 Dec 1920 1 vol
9 25 Jan 1921 —28 March 1922 1 vol
10 25 April 1922 — 13 Dec 1927 1 vol
11 17 Jan 1928 —13 Dec 1932 1 vol
12 10 Jan 1933 —14 Dec 1937 1 vol
13 11 Jan 1938 —17 Dec 1946 1 vol
14 21 Jan 1947 — 21 Dec 1954 1 vol
15 18 Jan 1955 — 4 March 1963 1 vol
16 22 April 1963 — 22 Nov 1978 1 vol
Quarterly Reports — the management cttee appointed in 1901, met weekly and these quarterly reports were sent to the statutory meetings of the Trustees. Explanation of meeting structure is given at the beginning of vol 1.
1 1901 — 1923 1 vol 2 1923 — 1940 1 vol
Reports, referred to in Minutes
1 11 Jan 1938 - 17 Dec 1946
2 21 Jan 1947 — 21 Dec 1954
3 18 Jan 1955 — 10 Feb 1958
4 24 March 1958 — 20 Jan 1964
Plans, referred to in minutes, with minute no.
1 10 Jan 1933 — 14 Dec 1937
2 14 Feb 1938 — 18 May 1954
3 5 June 1954 — 10 Feb 1958
4 March 1958 — Nov 1960
Press cuttings
1 6 Jan 1932 — 6 May 1963 1 vol
Jubilee Celebrations (BVT's 50th anniversary)
1 June 24 30 1951 1 vol
Bournville Schools Managers Cttee, Minute Books
1 26 Sept 1904 — 22 July 1907 1 vol
2 6 Sept 1907 — 25 July 1917 (named here as Kings Norton & Northfield UDC, Bournville School) lvol
3 27 Sept 1917 — 9 Feb 1926 1 vol
Minute Book (unnamed but appears to be Bournville Tenants Ltd)
1 1 Jan 1908 — 21 Dec 1908 1 vol
The National Trust : Chadwick Manor Estate, Minute Books
Cttee: Local July 1925 — Jan 1936 1 vol
Cttee: Exec Sept 1925 — Nov 1930 1 vol
Bournville Almshouses Trust
Copies of the Trust Deed 29 July 1899 1 vol
Minute Books
1 Trustees 18 Oct 1898 — 18 Nov 1919 1 vol
2 Trustees May 1920 — Nov 1945 volume also includes Mgt Committee for May 1920 — Nov 1945 1 vol
3 Cttee: Mgt 28 Aug 1899 — 3 Feb 1920 1 vol
Reports filed with Minutes
1 1 May 1920 — 26 April 1950 1 vol
2 18 May 1951 — 3 July 1962 1 vol
Attendance Register 1916 — 1974
Annual Meetings of Trustees 1946 — 1974
Cttee Ladies, papers 1920 —1970
Cttee Ladies visiting, (vol 2) 27 Oct 1954 — 30 April 1971
MS 1536 CB/26 A Picture Map of Bournville made in the year 1923 by Bernard Sleigh (black and white copy)
MS 1536 CB/27/1-8 Picture Map of Bournville made in the year 1923 by Bernard Sleigh (8 colour copies) |
| AdminHistory | BOURNVILLE VILLAGE TRUST ESTATE
In 1879, two Quaker brothers, George and Richard Cadbury, the makers of Fine chocolate and cocoa, decided to move their famous chocolate factory from the middle of Birmingham to the healthier environment of the countryside nearby. The Factory was founded by their father, John, in 1841, and set up in Bridge Street, Birmingham. George and Richard Cadbury decided to move as they had outgrown their old factory premises, and, particularly, because they wanted better working conditions for their employees and a constant supply of clean air and fresh water.
They selected an area known as Bournbrook, named after the stream that Flowed through the fields nearby. It was ideal for their purposes. They were in the country and yet only four miles from the City Centre. They not only had clean water from the River Bourn and unpolluted air, but also a railway line and canal as well as good Roads.
In early 1879, therefore, the first bricks were laid and by late summer of that year the factory was finished. The actual move from Bridge Street was finally completed in late September.
The factory was renamed Bournville. At that time, all good food was supposed to be French and, therefore, the brothers hoped that by adopting a French sounding name, their sales of chocolate would improve. It did, and today Bournville is not only a household name all over the world, but a name synonymous with a pioneering scheme in the voluntary housing story.
Like his father, George Cadbury was a man of strong beliefs and he possessed great foresight. He had, for many years, been concerned at the appalling living conditions, and the housing, or lack of it, that the poorer working-class people in the industrial cities had to endure. Many of the workforce at the factory often lived in complete squalor. He and his brother would make frequent visits with other Quakers into the slums, trying to do what they could to alleviate the conditions surrounding them. These visits had. a- lasting effect on George who vowed he would try and do something about the housing of these unfortunate people. He decided that the best way he could help was by creating a model village of well-built cottages, each with a large garden and plenty of fruit trees. This village should he light and spacious with open spaces for recreation and leisure. He hoped it would encourage people to leave the city and live in healthier, more pleasant surroundings, and so improve the quality of their lives. The move of the Factory in 1879 gave him the opportunity he was waiting for and whilst the factory was under construction he erected sixteen attractively sized cottages, providing accommodation far superior to the working-class housing in the cities. These cottages housed the key-workers of the factory.
A few years later, when the factory had become well established, George was able to devote more of his spare time towards fulfilling his dream - providing decent housing for what he described as the "labouring classes". Therefore, in the early 1890's he started to purchase land close to the Factory and embarked on his great experiment. By 1.895 he had acquired sufficient land to start building and had engaged an architect, Alexander Harvey, and in 1896 construction was under way.
The land was laid out as the "Bournville Building Estate" and brochures were produced extolling its advantages.
At first, he provided building plots for anyone who wished to purchase them on long lease to build houses. Later, he built houses to rent. These houses were mostly in the style of cottages, giving a great variety of size and design, each one having a garden of "not less than one-sixth of an acre" . Certain provisos were laid down when purchasing the plots. No house was to occupy more than a quarter of o the plot, no-one could purchase more than two plots (this to prevent speculation), and each property was to have no less than six Fruit trees planted to provide fresh fruit for the household. This reflected the ideal that every household should he self-sufficient to support their families by growing fresh fruit and vegetables in their gardens - these foods he regarded as a very important part of a Family's diet.
Although these houses were of different styles, they were all designed by Alexander Harvey. This reflected the ordered informality which was to become the distinctive feature of the village today, although planning restrictions have meant reducing the individual style of the buildings.
In order to prevent speculative builders moving in, and so that the village could expand later on and he safe from being over-developed, George decided to form a Trust. By doing this he would give up all his financial and other interests in the Estate and, instead, the affairs would he managed by twelve Trustees. Nine of them were, and still are, members of the Cadbury family and the others come from the City of Birmingham, the University of Birmingham and the Society of Friends.
A Deed of Foundation was drawn up and on the 14th December, 1900 the Bournville Village Trust was formed For the purpose of administering and developing his mode] village For the benefit of the residents as a whole, and to prevent any exploitation of the area by builders and property developers; something which was by then happening all around the village.
The major object of the Trust was:
"... the amelioration of the condition of the working class and labouring population in and around Birmingham and elsewhere in Great Britain by the provision of improved dwellings with gardens and open spares to be enjoyed therewith..."
His experiment succeeded and within five years there were nearly 315 houses built, some for long leases, 999 years, and others for weekly rent. These homes resulted in a random mixture of owner-occupiers and tenants, a trend which, today, still continues.
Unlike similar experiments and developments of the period, Bournville was not built solely for the workers at the Cadbury Brothers' factory. The Trust is not, nor has ever been, part of the firm of Cadbury, now called Cadbury-Scheweppes, and is independent in every way. The residents are from all walks of life, occupation and employment. Any links that do exist stem from the family ties and-from the fact that many employees live on the Estate.
The original village was grouped around the factory as this was the first land to be purchased by George Cadbury, and it was from this that the Estate spread. The first expansion was, like the original foundation, in the form of an experiment.
In 1906 a group of men joined together to form a Worker's Housing Co-Operative called Bournville Tenants' Limited. These men approached the Trust and leased the land on which to have houses built, and they then rented them from the Society. This Co-Operative was based on a similar but much earlier version in London, and was the fore-runner of many other Housing Societies, including twenty-eight in which the members of those Societies built their own homes (with help and advice from the Trust) and then bought them from the Society. In this way 39f1 houses were 'self built' on the Estate and it had provided 145 houses for rent.
In 1913 a new type of development was planned in a new area of the Estate. It was to be a model garden suburb, of the kind then being developed around London at that: time. Weoley Hill Limited, a Society for leasehold development of houses aimed at "white collar" workers, was formed in 1914. Work had just started _when War broke out in the same year. However, what work had been done was completed but any Further development was halted for the rest of the duration. In 1919 work recommenced and from then on it was completed quite quickly, (finishing just in time for World War II, in 1939!)
During the 1920's and 1930's there was a succession of developments in other parts of the Estate, with some houses for sale as well as those for rent. Some of these developments were through Co-Operatives or other types of Housing Societies, and there was some private development as well, all of which increased the size of the Estate.
During the period 1930-1931, the Trust carried out some experiments in different types of house construction. A number of houses were built and sited in such a way as to catch the maximum amount of sun through their windows. They were popular, cheap, economical homes for the poorer people of Birmingham during the economic depression of that time. They were nicknamed "Sunshine Homes" and are still in use today, proving just as popular.
In 1935 the Trust were among the twenty Housing Societies who grouped together and help found the National Federation of Housing Societies, in order to have a more influential voice in the Housing policies of the day.
With the end of World War II there were to be great changes on the Estate. The West Midlands was part of a major reconstruction area, included in which, of course, was the City of Birmingham. The City was expanded as a result of the increase in industry during the War years and to cope with this, more homes were needed. However, it was to be part of an overall development plan for Birmingham, not just a collection of-Housing Estates. As part of this plan, the Trust, in conjunction with the--City Housing Department, planned a brand new development and nearly 600 houses, with shops and churches, were built on the Estate in the area known as Shenley Fields. The whole scheme was called "The Shenley Neighbourhood Development Scheme", and development started in 1950 and finished in 1962.
During the 1960's and 1970's further development took place consisting of many special-need schemes for housing single people, the elderly, young children and the blind. During this time, outside contractors were sometimes used, hence the different style and design. In the late 1970's there was a major development in the Hole Farm and Priory area of the Estate, just south to the Bristol Road, behind the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital. 243 dwellings for rent were built and finally completed in 1980. 99 flats for single people were also completed, not long after, off Griffins Brook Lane.
Since its foundation in 1900, the Estate has expanded as George Cadbury had hoped. In the early days, in the ways already described, and later with a number of developments, some in conjunction with other outside organisations such as the City of Birmingham, other Housing Associations and since 1974, with the Housing Corporation.
Today, the twelve Trustees, nine of them direct descendents of George Cadbury or his brother, Richard Cadbury, continue to run the 1,000 acre Estate on a self-financing basis, providing the environment for its 23,000 residents according to the Founder's wishes, and managing 7,500 dwellings of many different types, including leased and freehold properties and rented accommodation. The rented accommodation comprises bungalows, maisonettes, flats and large and small houses. The majority of the housing stork has been designed for general family housing but a variety of special needs is catered for, particularly the elderly.
The Trust also manages some 760 properties on the Estate, which are owned by other groups and societies. Rents are collected, buildings repaired, in some cases, and complaints are dealt with by the Trust's Housing Department who act as Managing Agents on behalf of the landlord.
There are churches, schools and shops on the Estate to meet the needs or the residents, and the adjoining suburbs of the City provide a range of other services needed by the community.
Two areas of the Estate have been declared Conservation Areas, and there are a number of listed buildings, some of which are listed as being of special architectural or historical importance. Among these are two half-timbered buildings, Selly Manor and Minworth Greaves.
Selly Manor was due to be demolished in 1907 but instead was saved by George Cadbury who bought it, had it taken down from its original site in Bournbrook Road, Selly link, and carefully repaired and rebuilt in Bournville in 1912. It was opened to the public as a museum in 1917. Minworth Greaves was similarly saved and re-erected in Bournville after being brought from its original site on the Kingsbury Road at Minworth, on the north side of Birmingham. George Cadbury wanted these buildings for posterity. He wanted them to be a living reminder, to people, of the old Birmingham.
The Bournville Estate is well known for its parks and areas of open 'space, some of which have now been given over to the Local Authority to he managed. They reflect the desire of the Founder that about one-tenth of the Estate should always remain:
"...laid out and used as parks, recreation grounds and open spaces..."
The large sizes of the house gardens on the older parts of the Estate already mentioned, are also an important feature, the original aim being to restrict development on any one plot of land to no more than 25% of the whole. However, since 1945, it has not been possible to build to densities as low as this. Gardens have become smaller and now two, not six, fruit trees are the norm!
The social mix of residents has always been an important part of the Trust's planning policy, with the result that approximately half of the- houses on the- Estate are tenanted, with the remainder let on long lease, except where those have been converted to Freeholds under the Leasehold Reform Act of 1967.
The development of the community has also been an important part of the Trust's work. Over the years,--the Trustees have encouraged the growth of locally based Residents' Associations and Village Councils. Today, the Estate is divided into four areas, each of which has its own main Residents' Association or Village Council. 5
The oldest, Bournville Village Council, was set up in 1902, originally to serve the Old Village but since then, with the growth of the Estate, it has become responsible for all the Estate south of the Bristol Road. In 1923 the Weoley Hill Village Council was set up to cover the north side of the Estate and, today, is a very active organisation. When the Shenley area was developed in the 1960's, two other associations were set up; Shenley Court and Shenley Manor Residents' Associations. All these associations meet regularly to discuss matters of interest or concern to their residents and hold special events and festivals.
Tenants on the Estate now also have their own separate representation. They have their own Tenants' Associations and access to the Trustees through the Joint Consultative Committee.
The Trust has also supported the provision of community buildings on the Estate. There are over ten halls, and they are all used by a Nide variety of groups, clubs and voluntary organisations.
In addition to the Estate at Bournville, the Trust owns and/or manages, on behalf of the National Trust, approximately 2,800 acres of agricultural land, including woodland, just outside the south-west boundary of the City.
Over the years, the Trust has participated in research studies and published many works on the development of Bournville and on wider issues of housing policy, including land-use, town planning and environmental control. It has also pioneered work in the application of solar energy in housing. In 1982 the Trust successfully negotiated with Cadbury Schweppes and the City of Birmingham for the purchase of 65 acres of land-on the southern edge of the Estate, known as Rowheath, and built the largest solar village of its kind in Europe.
Although the Founder died in 1922, the drive and enthusiasm that helped to found the Trust has been carried-on by the family. The influence of his ideas on housing and planning has spread far beyond Bournville and the element of pioneering and experimentation has always been an important part of the Trust's work.
The wide remit given to the Trustees in the Deed of Foundation meant that, following the wishes of the Founder, the Trust engaged in almost continuous research into housing and related fields. The concept of social mix, the early developments of the Estate, the setting up of different societies, experimenting with building materials, and as a partner In the founding of the National Federation of Housing Societies to pioneer ways to further the cause of Housing Societies, were all part of this tradition of experimentation.
Today, the Trust is seeking new ways of offering its expertise, experience and help to the community at large, both at Bournville and elsewhere, in a variety of ways.
[Written circa 1987] |