Boldmere
| Boldmere | |
|---|---|
 Boldmere Road | |
  Boldmere Location within theWest Midlands | |
| OS grid reference | SP109940 |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SUTTON COLDFIELD |
| Postcode district | B73 |
| Dialling code | 0121 |
| Police | West Midlands |
| Fire | West Midlands |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
Boldmereis a suburb and residential area ofSutton Coldfield,City of Birmingham,England. It is bordered byNew Oscott,Sutton Park,Wylde GreenandErdington,and is in thewardofSutton Vesey.[1]
History
[edit]Toponymy
[edit]"Boldmere" is acorruptionof the word "Baldmoor", coming from theMiddle Englishbald(meaning"a white patch") and theAnglo-Saxonmoor(meaning"boggy land"). Therefore, Boldmere literally means a "bald moor"; a treeless patch.Bald(meaning"bold") was also a personal name used by the Anglo-Saxons.[2]
Name history
[edit]At the time ofJohn Speed's 1610 atlasThe Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine,Boldmere was known as Cofield Wast.[3]The area was described as "an open, wild and windy expanse, covered with gorse".[4]
TheUnited Kingdom Census of 1841refers to the area as Baldmoor Lake, which was once a body of water south of the Chester Road. The lake has also been known as Bowen Pool, Baldmoor, and Bolemore Lake,[2]though no lake is shown on Speed's map of 1610 (nor on other later maps). The census did, however, list a dwelling on the Chester Road as "Lake House".[3]There is, however, a Lakehouse Road and Baldmoor Lake Road in the area.[5][6]
By 1856, the area had become known as The Coldfield, a name which lasted at least until the introduction of the railway.[7]
Expansion
[edit]On introduction of the 1825Inclosure Act,the area saw little expansion due tocommon landbecoming privately owned.[3]The 1841 census listed eight families in the area, including agricultural workers, a painter, an Irishcarrier,and awire drawer.[2]It is likely that the latter worked atPenns Mill,[2]a nearby wire mill run by the Webster family (withBaron Dickinson Webster's business involvements including thetransatlantic telegraph cable).
Boldmere did expand, however, upon the introduction of theLondon and North Western Railway.Two stations opened in the region atWylde GreenandChester Road,in 1862 and 1863 respectively.[8][9]
A second housing boom occurred in the 1930s, with both private and council housing being built.
Administration
[edit]In 1857, Boldmere was designated as anecclesiastical parish,formed from the parish of St Michael's in Sutton Coldfield.[10]When Sutton Coldfield was reorganised in 1885 (under theMunicipal Corporations Act 1882), Boldmere was created as a ward, before being divided into Boldmere West and Boldmere East in 1935.[10]
Boldmere is now part of the Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council,[11]which was formed following a consultative ballot in 2015. The role of this organisation is the same as a parish council. Boldmere is in theSutton Veseyelectoral ward.[1]
Geography
[edit]
Boldmere is triangular in shape and roughly bounded on the north bySutton Park,on the east by theCross-City railway lineand on the south-west byChester Road.Boldmere Gate provides access to Sutton Park.
The main shopping centre of Boldmere is at the northern end of Boldmere Road, which runs north-south through the centre of Boldmere. The collection of shops at the southern end of Boldmere Road is known locally as Little Boldmere.[2]
Gibbet Hill, in the north-west of the area, is named after thegibbetfrom which Edward Allport washangedfor the murder of London silk dyer John Johnson in the area on 28 March 1729.[7]Although this site is no longer referred to as Gibbet Hill, and was undeveloped until (at least) 1906,[7]the toponymy has survived in the name of Gibbet Hill Wood; an area whichBirmingham City Councilhave identified as "an area of potential archaeological importance" due to "surviving archaeological remains".[12]
Location in context
[edit]Neighbouring areas of Boldmere | |
|---|---|
Economy
[edit]Boldmere is well-served with shops, hairdressers, pubs and restaurants. There are also a post office[13]and apublic library.[14]All banks in Boldmere have now closed with the nearest branches being in Erdington or Sutton Town Centre.
Industry
[edit]
In the 18th century, Powell's Pool (then known as New Forge Pool) near Boldmere Gate was the site of the mill used byJohn Wyatttoexperiment with mechanised cotton spinning.[2]Along withLewis Paul,he developed the roller spinning machine and the flyer-and-bobbin system (Paul patented the former on 24 June 1738). In 1750, the mill was used by William Powell to manufacture spades (using locally-grownash woodfor the handles). It is believed that the first steelgarden forkwas manufactured at the mill.[2]The building was later used toproduce steelfor the production ofpen nibs.[2]TheOrdnance Survey's First Series map (1834) identifies aforgein this area,[15]of which John Willets (a forgeman), John Page (a spade maker), and John Harris (a saw maker) have all been identified as proprietors.[7]
The mill was demolished some time after 1936, after lying unused and dilapidated for a number of years. Although none of the building's structure remains, a waterfall (providing aspillwayto Powell's Pool) is now sited where themillracewas located.[2]
Transport
[edit]Boldmere's main roads are Jockey Road (A453), Chester Road (A452) and Boldmere Road (B4142). Boldmere is served byWylde GreenandChester Roadrailway stations, both on theCross-City railway line,which runs betweenLichfield Trent ValleyandRedditch(viaBirmingham New Street).
Boldmere is served by a number ofNational Express West Midlandsbus services, including routes 5, 66, 77 and 907.
Places of worship
[edit]
The churches in the area are St Michael's (Church of England),[16]St Nicholas's (Roman Catholic),[17]Chester RoadBaptist Church,[18]BoldmereMethodist Church,[19]and Wylde GreenUnited Reformed Church.[20]St Nicholas's Church was preceded by a chapel that was designed byAugustus Welby Northmore Puginand which opened in 1841.[21]These churches take their name fromCardinalNicholas Wiseman.[21]
Thering of bellsat St Michael's church are noted as being one of the few rings in Birmingham still in existence that were produced before the introduction of scientific bell tuning in the 1890s (John Taylor & Coinstalled Birmingham's first harmonic ring atSt. Barnabas' Church, Erdingtonin 1906). The bells' 18th–19th century tonal quality is rare as most pre-scientific bells in Birmingham have been recast by the Taylor orWhitechapel foundries.[2]
In 1964, St Michael's church was partially destroyed by fire, with only the tower and south aisle surviving. The building's reconstruction was not without controversy, particularly due to the unconventional use ofStaffordshire blue brick.[2]
Education
[edit]Educational facilities in the area include Boldmere Infant and Nursery School,[22]Boldmere Junior School,[23]St Nicholas Catholic Primary School,[24]and Boldmere Adult Education Centre.[25]
In 1848, ReverendW. K. Riland Bedfordworked towards opening Boldmere National School for Girls and Infants. The building served as Boldmere'sAnglican churchuntil the opening of St Michael's in 1857, and is now a health clinic.[2]
Leisure
[edit]Culture
[edit]Boldmere is home toHighbury Theatre Centre,[26]acommunity theatreorganisation.[27]The theatre has been in its current location since it was built by its original members in 1942.
Sport
[edit]Boldmere Wanderers FC who were founded in 2018, play their home games at Rectory Park, Sutton Coldfield.
Boldmere Golf Course is located on the northern edge of Boldmere, and hosts Europe's longest-runningpro-amgolfing competition.[28]The annualGreat Midlands Fun Runuses Boldmere Gate as the entrance to Sutton Park.[29]
Boldmere St. Michael's Football Club is a football club based in Boldmere, Sutton Coldfield, England. They are currently members of the Midland League Premier Division and play at the Trevor Brown Memorial Ground.
Famous residents
[edit]Hazel Court,a British actress known for her appearances inhorror filmsof the 1950s and 60s, lived in the area and attended Boldmere School andHighclare College.[30]
Emma Willis,née Griffiths, who was born in 1976 lived on Boldmere Road during her childhood and attended Wylde Green Primary School.[citation needed]
References
[edit]- ^ab"Area: Sutton Vesey (Ward)".Neighbourhood Statistics.Office for National Statistics.Archived fromthe originalon 8 April 2020.Retrieved29 January2010.
- ^abcdefghijklDargue, William (18 January 2009)."Boldmere, Little Boldmere".A History of Birmingham Places & Placenames.Retrieved30 January2010.
- ^abc"Boldmere".History of Sutton Coldfield.13 August 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 15 February 2009.Retrieved29 January2010.
- ^Williams, K.J. (November 1994).A History of Boldmere.BIGinINK.ISBN0-948025-13-1.
- ^"Parish Boundaries".Catholic Church of St Nicholas – Boldmere.21 March 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 11 November 2009.Retrieved29 January2010.
- ^McCarthy, Nick (19 December 2009)."Gay abuse Erdington man handed Birmingham's first ASBI".Birmingham Mail.Trinity Mirror Midlands.Archived fromthe originalon 24 September 2012.Retrieved29 January2010.
- ^abcdHiggins, Yvonne (15 August 2000)."Maps as a Source for Local and Family History Research".Family History Research.Archived fromthe originalon 5 September 2008.Retrieved30 January2010.
- ^Doherty, Andrew (2010)."Wylde Green Station".Operational Stations.Rail Around Birmingham.Retrieved29 January2010.
- ^Doherty, Andrew (2010)."Chester Road Station".Operational Stations.Rail Around Birmingham.Retrieved29 January2010.
- ^abL. F. Salzman, ed. (1947). "The borough of Sutton Coldfield".A History of the County of Warwick.Vol. 4 (Hemlingford Hundred ed.). pp. 230–245.
- ^Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Councilhttps:// suttoncoldfieldtowncouncil.gov.uk/the-council/
- ^"Sutton Vesey".Ward Information.Birmingham City Council.Retrieved30 January2010.
- ^"Sutton Directory".Leisure and Tourism.Birmingham City Council.Archived fromthe originalon 26 October 2018.Retrieved28 January2010.
- ^"Boldmere Library".Leisure and Tourism.Birmingham City Council.Retrieved28 January2010.
- ^(Map). 1:63360. London:Ordnance Survey.1834. Sheet 62.
{{cite map}}:Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^"Where?".St Michael's Boldmere.Archived fromthe originalon 17 March 2010.Retrieved29 January2010.
- ^"Contact".Catholic Church of St Nicholas – Boldmere.Archived fromthe originalon 27 October 2009.Retrieved29 January2010.
- ^"How to Find Us".Chester Road Baptist Church.Retrieved29 January2010.
- ^"Contact / Address".Boldmere Methodist Church.Retrieved29 January2010.
- ^"Contact Information".Wylde Green United Reformed Church.2009. Archived fromthe originalon 8 April 2020.Retrieved29 January2010.
- ^ab"Abbreviated History of the Parish".Catholic Church of St Nicholas – Boldmere.Archived fromthe originalon 9 January 2010.Retrieved31 January2010.
- ^"Contact Us".Boldmere Infant and Nursery School.January 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 2 January 2010.Retrieved28 January2010.
- ^"Boldmere Junior School".League Tables.BBC.7 December 2006.Retrieved28 January2010.
- ^"Contact Us".St Nicholas Catholic Primary School.Archived fromthe originalon 2 October 2011.Retrieved28 January2010.
- ^"Cofield Road, Sutton Coldfield – Boldmere Centre"(PDF).Planning and Environment.Birmingham City Council.24 February 2004. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 23 August 2011.Retrieved28 January2010.
- ^"Highbury Little Theatre".7 October 2013.Retrieved10 October2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^"Location and Contacts".Highbury Little Theatre.23 July 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 21 November 2008.Retrieved29 January2010.
- ^"Boldmere Golf Club".Golf Today.Nexus Internet. 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 19 November 2011.Retrieved29 January2010.
- ^"8.5 Mile Course".Great Midlands Fun Run.2009. Archived fromthe originalon 18 June 2009.Retrieved29 January2010.
- ^Brady, Emma (18 April 2008)."Hollywood or Bust for City's Scream Queen".Birmingham Post.Retrieved30 January2010.
Further reading
[edit]
- K.J. Williams,A History of Boldmere,1994.ISBN0-948025-13-1
- Michael Talbot,A History of Boldmere St Michaels FCISBN978-1-905891-07-8