Ongoing research; last updated 16 November 2012
6th February 1933 – BCC Parks
Committee Minute
Secretary’s
Report
The
Secretary submitted a report:-
Refreshment
Room Tenancies
I beg to
report that the annual and triennial tenancies of refreshment rooms in the
various parks expire on the 25th March next, and in accordance with
the usual procedure, advertisements have been inserted in the local Press
inviting tenders for the new tenancies as from 25th March for the
alternative periods of one and three years.
The present tenants were also invited to tender again by a separate
communication.
The offers
received have been opened by your Chairman and a schedule of same is annexed
hereto for the consideration of the Committee, and with a view to the
acceptance of such tenders as they may think fit, and to the Town Clerk being
instructed to prepare the appropriate agreements in such cases as may be
necessary.
The names
of the present tenants who have tendered again are marked with a X.
No offers
have been received for the refreshment rooms at Rookery Park and Witton Lakes.
Schedule of Tenders for Tenancies of the
Various Refreshment Rooms in the
Parks as from 25th March 1933
Name of
Park: Kings’
Heath
Present
Rental: £80
Names and
Addresses
of persons Tendering: X Mrs. S.E. Blake Misses L.
& J. Pearson
Refreshment
Rooms, 11, Tixall Road,
Kings
Heath Park Hall Green
Amount of
Annual Rental Tendered:
For 3 Years £80
(Accepted): £60
For 1 Year: £80 £65
Refreshment
Room Tenancies
The
Committee proceeded to consider the schedule of tenders received for the
tenancy of various refreshment rooms in the several parks and recreation
grounds.
10232 Resolved:-
That the several tenders for the tenancy of refreshment rooms as marked
on the schedule accompanying the Secretary’s Report be accepted for the amounts
and periods indicated, and that the Town Clerk be instructed to prepare
Agreements where necessary, and attach the Corporate Seal thereto.
6th March 1933 – BCC Parks Committee
Minute
Sub-Committees
Reports
The
Administration Sub-Committee presented their report:-
Probationers
The
following employees of the Department have completed their probationary period
of service satisfactorily, and it is recommended that they be placed upon the
permanent staff as from the 9th March, 1933.
Name: Ward,
J.R.
Park: Kings
Heath.
Nature of
Employment: Pk. Labr.
Entered
Service: 6.8.31.
Date of
Birth: 13.8.1890
10285 Resolved:-
That the various employees referred to in the foregoing report as having
satisfactorily completed their probationary period of service be placed upon
the permanent staff as from 9th March, 1933.
31st July 1933 – BCC Parks Committee
Minute
Sub-Committees’
Reports
The Administration
Sub-Committee submitted their report:
Use of
Parks, etc
Upon the
authority of your Chairman, the use of parks as mentioned below has been
granted to the organizations on the dates and for the purposes stated:-
Date Park Organisation Purpose
Sept 2 Kings Heath K.Heath & S. B’ham Demonstration
Branch of Warwickshire and Lecture.
Bee Keeper’s Association.
Confirmation
of the action is recommended.
10469 Resolved:-
That the granting of the use of the various Parks and Recreation Grounds
to the organizations upon the dates and for the purposes set out in the
foregoing report be confirmed.
9th September 1933 - Birmingham News
Beekeeping
Kings Heath Park Demonstration
For a second year in succession the Kings Heath and South Birmingham branch of the Warwickshire Bee-Keepers’ Association arranged an outdoor demonstration, which was held on Saturday afternoon in Kings Heath Park. The attendance was such as to indicate the fact that beek-keeping (sic) is becoming a popular hobby with a great many people.
The chair was taken by Mr. George Handley, F.E.S., the chairman of the branch, and an expert apiculturist.
The company had the pleasure of again hearing a lecture by Mr. W. Herrod-Hempsall, F.E.S. who is Technical Advisor on Bee-keeping to the Ministry of Agriculture. His remarks contained information of the greatest value to those who are starting bee-keeping. He emphasized the importance of first becoming acquainted with the natural history of the bee, also of joining a bee-keeping association.
Interesting demonstration
The demonstration with live bees, which followed, was of exceptional interest, particularly the observatory hive, exhibited by Mr. G. Handley, in which the queen and her activities were shown. The fearless manipulations of the live and lively bees, by Miss M.J. Japp, of Studley College and Mr. Neville Borg, of Moseley, were of quite sensational character. The impunity with which the bees were handled seemed to show that they might have been so many harmless flies. An increased membership should result.
The Week’s News from the Districts
Moseley & Kings Heath
Labour Meeting in Kings Heath Park – The first political meeting held in Kings Heath Park took place on Sunday evening, when a mass meeting, arranged by the local branch of the Labour League of Youth, was held there.
The chair was taken by Mr. G. West, who announced that in the ranks of the League they had a prospective candidate for the City Council.
Mr. W. Scarth, one of the leaders of the Kings Heath branch of the League, said the people were paying more for their bread and bacon than they ought, and would have to pay more for their meat and potatoes. “It serves everyone of you jolly well right”, said the speaker, for what you did in October 1931”. The Labour League of Youth disagreed with a system of society that allowed boot operatives to walk the streets, while kiddies in Birmingham had not got boots to their feet. They disagreed with a system that left plums and apples to rot on the trees because it did not pay to pick them. They disagreed with capitalism and all its greed of profit and selfishness, and would substitute a system promoted by love and service. There was enough blackness in the lives of people without wearing black shirts.
War was an essential part of the capitalist system, but they were not going to help the capitalists in any wars they liked to start. He declared that the Labour League of Youth were prepared to go to any lengths in the interest of world peace. They would not take part in any war or assist in the production of the tools of war. Right or wrong, this country could not afford another penny on armaments if it could not afford to house, clothe, feed and educate its people on a decent standard of living.
Councillor Walter Lewis said from their point of view, Moseley and Kings Heath were very black spots on the political map of Birmingham. He could understand the wealthy section returning National candidates to the City Council, but he could not understand the working classes doing so.
He (Councillor Lewis) represented on the City Council one of the worst parts of Birmingham, a ward in the Division represented by Sir Austen Chamberlain, and by Mr. Joseph Chamberlain before him. He went down to the ward Sunday after Sunday, spending the mornings amongst the people. The housing conditions were simply terrible. Twelve families herded in twelve rooms on de-licensed premises; men and women and children expected to live in places that some people would not keep pigs in. They were charged 12s. to 14s. a week for one room – “all in your own city”, exclaimed the Councillor. There were other wards equally a standing disgrace.
They had got a lot of young fellows, with more enthusiasm than common sense, parading the streets in black shirts, saying that all that was wanted was a great and glorious dictator who would put England on a prosperous footing. “My friends”, said Councillor Lewis, “you can have black shirts, yellow shirts, pink shirts, or blue shirts, you will never do any good for the working class or any other class. I happen to know that the middle class and others in Kings Heath are having more difficulty than some of the working class. I happen to be chairman of the rating and valuation Committee, and I know the difficulties of the so-called black-coated workers in parts like Kings Heath”. Men who were in jobs were living in dread whether the jobs finished next week or the week after. Men were beginning to understand the risks of the system under which they lived. The alternative was Socialism.
They did not believe in Socialism in Birmingham and dread the word, but the joke was that Birmingham was one of the most Socialist cities in the world. They had a municipal water supply, municipal gas, municipal electricity, municipal trams, municipal ownership of 40,000 houses; all maintained by the capital supplied by the ratepayers. They also had Socialist banks in the Municipal Bank, which had proved so successful that the Government would not allow any other city or town to go forward with a Municipal Bank scheme. Why, then, should not there be a National bank? Criticising the policy and attitude of private banks, Councillor Lewis said he knew of a factory in Birmingham employing 1,100 work-people. For the time being the works could have done with an overdraft of £20,000, but the bankers would not let them have it, so the factory was closed down, costing the country £60,000 a year in unemployment benefit alone. If the Government had had control of the banking of the country, they would have realized that it would have paid them to place money into the hands of these people, so that 1,100 employees could have been kept on.
Sons of Rest – Kings Heath Park is to have its branch of the “Sons of Rest”, that organization started in Birmingham Parks which has done so much to brighten the eventide of the army of the over 65’s to whom life has so little to offer.
A meeting to inaugurate the branch was held on Wednesday evening in a large room in Kings Heath House, kindly lent by Mrs. Blake. Mr. George Handley was chosen as chairman, and Mr. J.H. Rooke, the hon. sec. of the City of Birmingham Federation of the “Sons of Rest” came to give the meeting necessary advice on the formation of the branch.
Mr. Rooke explained that it was hoped that arrangements would be successfully negotiated for the use of a room in the Park House. Councillor McDonald, the chairman of the City Parks Committee, was much interested in the movement, and would deal with the matter of accommodation.
The first business was the election of officers. The meeting were unanimous in appointing Mr. Handley their chairman. Mr. Handley expressed his complete sympathy with the movement and promised to do his best for the men. At the suggestion of Mr. Rooke the meeting elected three vice-chairmen, Messrs. J. Hemming, A.H. Elsmore and W. Bennett. Mr. G. Warner accepted the office of hon. treasurer, while the meeting unanimously elected Mr. W.D. McLaren as their hon. sec.
The committee appointed were Messrs. Gurney, Brown, Seeley, Oliver and Wood.
A discussion ensued upon the choice of a president. A unanimous desire was expressed that they should have the Lord Mayor (Councillor H.E. Goodby) as their first president. It was pointed out that though the Lord Mayor for the time being was president of the federation, the present chief magistrate was a local representative, and always a good friend to everyone in the ward. It was decided that a deputation should wait upon his lordship, and place the meeting’s unanimous resolution before him. The deputation, it was agreed, shall consist of Mr. Handley, Mr. A.E. Dawson (who was elected vice-president with Mr. W. Bishop and Mr. E. Sharp). The selection of a chaplain was deferred for future consideration.
The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman, Mr. Rooke, and Mrs. Blake.
10526 Resolved:-
That the granting of the use of parks and recreation grounds to the
organizations upon the dates and for the purposes set out in the foregoing
report be confirmed.
2nd October 1933 – BCC Parks Committee Minute
Sub-Committees’
Reports
The General
Purposes Sub-Committee presented their report:-
Hockey
in the Parks, 1933/4
Hockey
pitches have been let for the 1933/4 season as follows:-
Park King’s Heath
Name of
Club Boxfoldia Ltd.
Secretary Miss I.P. Freeman,
Boxfoldia Ltd., Ten Acres, Birmingham.
Rental £15
10515 Resolved:-
That the arrangements for the letting of hockey pitches in the parks for
the season 1933-34 as detailed in the foregoing report, be confirmed.
The Administration
Sub-Committee presented their report:
Use of
Parks, etc
The use of
parks as mentioned below has been granted to the organizations on the dates and
for the purposes stated:-
Date Park Organisation Purpose
Sept 3 King’s
Heath K.Heath Branch Labour Open Air Meeting
(bandstand) Party League of Youth.
Staff –
Probationers
The
undermentioned employees of the department have completed their probationary
period of service satisfactorily, and it is recommended that they be placed on
the permanent staff as from 5th October, 1933:-
Name: Bretherick,
G.
Park: King’s
Heath
Nature of
Employment: Park Labr.
Entered
Service: 28.8.32
Date of
Birth: 10.8.1915
10527 Resolved:- That the various employees referred to in the
foregoing report as having satisfactorily completed their probartionary period
of service be placed upon the permanent staff as from 5th October,
1933.
14th October 1933 – Birmingham News
The Week’s News from the Districts
Moseley & Kings Heath
Local Bowls – On Saturday, the Kings Heath Park Bowling Club held their annual event, a tea and whist drive to end the bowling season. An excellent tea was provided by Mrs. Blake of the Park House.
It transpired that owing to a hitch in the application for an extension of time for the whist drive, this could not be held, but by the courtesy of delaying the closing of the gates until 7.30, the annual distribution of prizes to the winners took place, this duty being discharged by one of the vice-presidents, Mr. F.H. Alcock, who was introduced by the president, Mr. Edward Sharp.
(A list of prize winners is then given.)
11th November 1933 – Birmingham News
The Week’s News from the Districts
Moseley & Kings Heath
Good News for the “Sons” – There is good news for the members of the newly-formed branch of the “Sons of Rest” at Kings Heath Park. With the advent of chilly days, the members have been unable to meet together in the open, as their custom has been during the genial weather of early autumn, and with no prospect of a rest room, the future had appeared anything but cheerful. However, matters have suddenly brightened, since Mrs. Blake, the lessee of the Park House, has kindly permitted the “Sons” to have the temporary use of a large room in the house on stated mornings of the week, a concession for which they are extremely grateful. Councillor McDonald, the chairman of the Parks Committee, has the interest of the “Sons of Rest” at heart, and it is anticipated that a suitable rest room will be provided in the near future. The movement is receiving increased support in the district.[1]
4th December 1933 – BCC Parks
Committee Minute
Sub-Committee Reports
The
Administration Sub-Committee presented their report.
King’s
Heath Park – Sons of Rest
The Lord
Mayor recently received a communication from Mr. W.D. McLaren of 5, Woodville
Road, King’s Heath, stating that a branch of the Sons of Rest for King’s Heath
Park had been formed with a membership of approximately 45, and they were
anxious to obtain a rest room.
The matter
has been investigated by your Chairman, and it is suggested that one half of
the large public shelter near the bandstand should be enclosed to provide the
necessary accommodation. The two ends of
the shelter are already glazed and it requires a new front for the entire
length and a new division over the seat up to the ridge-board. This could be done with asbestos sheeting
with fillets over the joints forming a paneling. A stove with flue piping would also be
necessary, and the present approach consisting of steep steps will have to be
modified. The estimated cost of the
materials for this work is £50. The
labour is covered by the current year’s estimates.
The Finance
Committee have agreed to the £50 for materials being added to your Committee’s
estimates of expenditure, and your Sub-Committee therefore recommend that the
work be proceded with. (Ed: Note – the
approving report from the Finance Committee is reproduced in the Minute of the
Parks Committee meeting held on 1st January 1934)
10607 Resolved:-
That a portion of the public shelter in Kings Heath Park be adapted for
the purpose of a rest room for aged people at an estimated cost for materials
of £50 in accordance with the proposals set out in the foregoing report.
16th December 1933 – Birmingham News
Seen and Heard in the Suburbs
Kings Heath “Sons of Rest”
It is gratifying to hear of the interest of the authorities, as represented by the Birmingham Parks Committee and their chairman, Councillor G.F. MacDonald, are taking in the recently-formed Kings Heath branch of the “Sons of Rest”.
The great desideratum, especially at this time of year, is, of course, a room where the members can meet to smoke the pipe of peace, mingle in social intercourse, and indulge in cards and other light games.
After due consideration, it has been decided to utilize half of the shelter near the bandstand in Kings Heath Park. This week, workmen have been busy erecting a partition and converting the space into a rest room. Accommodation, I understand, will be afforded for all the members on the books, and a good many more whom it is hoped will enroll themselves. Some form of heating will be applied. As to lighting, the question will not arise as the hours spent in the rest room synchronise with the hours of daylight Kings Heath Park is open.
I am told that the room will be ready for opening early in the New Year. This, I expect, will be of civic character, for it is hoped that the Lord Mayor will attend and possibly perform the opening ceremony. It is very pleasing to hear of the deep interest the chief officials of the Federation are taking in the infant branch, whether it be Mr. J.R. Oswald, Mr. J.H. Rooke, the hon. secretary, and Mr. Courtney. The last-named, I am told, paid the Kings Heath members a fraternal visit on Tuesday morning.
I would like to direct benevolently-minded readers to a practically sympathetic consideration of the branch, who in the initial stages would welcome any assistance, in money or in other ways that can be given.
[1] There is another reference to the Kings Heath branch of the “Sons of Rest” in the Birmingham News on 16th December 1933, though there is no mention of the Park in the report.
