| AdminHistory | Before the Gravelly Hill workhouse was built by the Aston Union in 1868, no mention is made in the Board of Guardians' minutes of separate accommodation for pauper children, implying that they were housed with the adult inmates of the former workhouse. The Gravelly Hill site provided children's accommodation away from the adult inmates, but as in other workhouses, it is likely that it was difficult to entirely maintain the separation of adults and children. The Union formed a Boarding Out Committee in 1881 with the aim of fostering children in private homes, and children were also sent to Wolverhampton Union's Wednesfield Homes, but by the 1890s Aston Union was looking to build its own children's home.
Following protracted discussions with the Local Government Board over an appropriate site and the size of the intended homes, the Erdington Cottage Homes were constructed. They were opened in 1899 and initially consisted of 16 houses, the superintendent's house, the porter's lodge, and the chapel, which was used as a schoolroom by the youngest children before the school building was in use. Although 16 homes were built only eight were initially used, the others being brought into use over the next few years as demand increased.
Unlike the other cottage homes at Marston Green and Shenley Fields, older children in Erdington Cottage Homes usually attended local schools instead of being taught on the premises, although if places for them could not be found in local schools they were taught in the Cottage Homes School. Regulations were still in place, however, to try and isolate children from what were assumed to be the malign or unsettling influences of relatives and friends; for instance, visitors were allowed only once a month. In 1950 Featherstone Primary School, a new school attached to Erdington Cottage Homes, was opened to replace the school which had previously been managed by the homes.
By the 1950s the site included 19 houses, an administrative block, a chapel, an assembly hall, a hospital block, a laundry and a shoe repair shop. Attempts were also being made to make the houses feel more like homes. They were refurbished to make them more comfortable, and in 1949 were given names instead of numbers, becoming Sunnyside, Paxhall, Rosedale, The Haven, Braemar, Fairlawn, Birkdale, Glenedyth, Appledore, Ravenshurst, Trelawn, Windyridge, Derrydown, Beechcroft, Littledene, Springfield, Ferndown, The Lindens (the former infirmary), Southview (or South View) and Orchardside.
In 1966 the Cottage Homes, by now known as The Gardens, ended its centralised administrative system under a superintendent and matron and gave each cottage autonomy and responsibility in line with the individual homes elsewhere in the city. It was intended to begin a gradual closure of the Cottage Homes in the mid-1960s, but increasing numbers of children in care meant that the homes remained open. However, approaches to the provision of childcare made by local authorities continued to change through the 1970s and 1980s, and more emphasis was placed on fostering or, where fostering was not appropriate, small group homes. The Gardens was unsuitable for this model, and it had become increasingly outdated in terms of the facilities it offered. By the mid-1970s the site was unable to offer the level of accommodation and activities that were deemed necessary for children in care. The first house was closed in about 1980, and by 1984 the site was no longer in use as a residential home for children (with the exception of Southview, which was set apart from the other cottages, and remained in use as a children's home). It appears that some buildings were retained by the Council as offices, and a day centre was built on spare ground, but much of The Gardens site was taken over by Mercian Housing, a housing association, which converted the houses and chapel into flats.
Administration
Erdington Cottage Homes were originally administered by the Aston Poor Law Union, under the supervision of the Cottage Homes Committee. The Committee were responsible for appointing and dismissing staff, monitoring the running of the homes, inspecting the homes regularly, and reporting their findings to the Board of Guardians. (See Cottage Homes Committee minutes, GP/AS/2/4.)
Following the amalgamation of the Kings Norton, Birmingham and Aston Unions in 1912, Birmingham Union became responsible for three cottage homes sites at Shenley Fields, Erdington, and Marston Green. (See Children's Committee minutes, GP/B/2/6/6; Erdington Cottage Homes Sub-Committee minutes, GP/B/2/6/8.)
The Boards of Guardians were abolished by the Local Government Act 1929, and thereafter responsibility for the cottage homes passed to Birmingham County Council. Between 1930 and 1948 the responsibility for children in care belonged to the Education Committee, which set up sub-committees for the homes under its control, including the Cottage Homes and Residential Homes Sub-Committee, within which was the Erdington Homes Sectional Sub-Committee. (See Cottage Homes and Residential Homes Sub-Committee minutes including Erdington Homes Sectional Sub-Committee minutes, BCC 1/BH/5/5.)
The Children Act 1948 required local authorities to establish a Children's Committee and Children's Officer, and responsibility for children in care was passed to them. The Homes Sub-Committee was set up to oversee residential care, including the cottage homes. (See Homes Sub-Committee, later Homes and Nurseries Sub-Committee, later Homes Sub-Committee, later Homes and Hostels Sub-Committee, later Homes Sub-Committee minutes, BCC 1/CT/3.)
The Local Authority Social Services Act 1970 amalgamated councils' social work services, and responsibility for children's homes passed to the Social Services Committee and its Residential Homes Sub-Committee. (See Social Services Committee minutes, BCC 1/DJ/1; Residential Homes Sub-Committee minutes, BCC 1/DJ/4. After 1974, see the public Social Services Committee minutes in the Local Studies section.)
Erdington Cottage Homes School
A school was attached to Erdington Cottage Homes from a fairly early date. By 1933 children were transferred to the neighbouring junior school at the age of 7. During the 1930s the school was apparently known as The Drive School.
In 1950 Featherstone Primary School, a new school attached to Erdington Cottage Homes, was opened, replacing the school which had previously been managed by the homes. |