| Description | In 1935 Barrow and Geraldine Cadbury purchased a property at 218 Moseley Road, next to Moseley Road Friends Hall and Institute, and vested it in the 218 Moseley Road Trust. From the end of June 1935 the building was rented out for an initial period of 5 years to the Birmingham Union of Boys’ and Girls' Clubs, a children's charity which had been established in 1906 to provide activities for children living in the poorer areas of the city.
Staffed by volunteers, a number from Birmingham Old Wrekinian Association (Wrekin College's old boys association) , the Union provided Junior Clubs for the under 14s and Senior Clubs for 14-19 year olds. Boys’ activities took place on Monday, Tuesday and Friday nights and included physical training and agility work, boxing, running, football, handball, woodwork, swimming, cricket, athletics, billiards, table tennis, draughts and the opportunity to attend summer camps. Girls’ activities were on Wednesday and Thursday nights and included physical training, singing, drama, needle weaving, embroidery, painted woodwork and painting as well as summer camps. Occasional activities also took place at weekends. In 1936, attendance for January to March and September to December was 2523 for Junior Boys, 2070 Senior Boys and 1407 for Junior and Senior Girls. Attendance was not taken in the summer months as activities were held outside. From 1937 the club became known as the Wrekin Club.
In 1941 and 1942 under the Compensation (Defence) Act 1939, the building was obtained by Birmingham Corporation Estates Committee on behalf of the Education Committee to provide a 'British Restaurant' feeding centre and it was decided to suspend all Club activities on the premises. The British Restaurant remained in tenancy until 1951, leaving part of the building in a state of disrepair. In 1952 the Trust was merged with the Moseley Road Friends Hall and Institute Trust and the Trustees decided to have the building demolished. |