October 2014

An excellent aerial image of Sutton Park to the left of the Town Centre.

David Wilcox sent me this image of the Parks 'Crystal Palace' 50s/60s
See my fairground page at Sutton Park Palace & Fair

Invalid Carriage or park taxi? Crystal Palace in the background. Image: David Wilcox

Park Map 1940/1950's

David also sent me a copy of a map from either the 40s or the 50s of Sutton's Park. The site of the above image is clearly visible in the top right image
as I had to scan it in four parts.

    1. Top Left 2. Bottom Left 3. Top Right 4. Bottom Right Top. The still attached cover

Four Oaks Park Entrance. Man in uniform (gatekeeper) images David Wilcox
And below Banner Gate, also with gatekeeper

Two images of Druids Well Sutton Park
Images David Wilcox

Film Company - Royal Sutton Park

I got a nice email from a lady with some fond memories of Sutton Coldfield; here it is:

I just wanted to thank you for the photos of Sutton and Sutton Park. I stumbled across them by accident and was delighted as I grew up on Melrose Avenue just near the Boldmere Gate. We lived there from when I was born, at the end of 1939 until 1958. The views of Sutton still looked mostly the same except for the Parade, although I think I could spot the gable of the "Dog Inn" on the left, where I used to catch the 107 bus from Sutton to Boldmere.  The antiques store at Maney looked more brightly painted but still similar to when I passed it twice daily, changing buses on the Parade, to go to the school I attended from age 5 - age 10, St.Paul's Convent on Lichfield Road (recently bought by Highclare I heard). I particularly liked the photos of Sutton Park.  Our family knew the lanes of the park extremely well and we loved the park. In the days when I was small, and my father in the war in Burma, my mother and I used to walk to Bracebridge pool where there was a little tea shop-in a cottage I think. There as a treat you could have a boiled egg. That probably seems funny to you but in those days food was scarce. In those days too there were prisoner of war camps for Italians near to the Boldmere Gate. There was also a Fair near to the Sutton Gate, mostly off-limits to us but one day a year it was opened to our school only as the daughters of the owner went to our school.  For all the years we lived on Melrose Ave. our whole family enjoyed the park and its pools, Powells for the boats - I didn't sail in those days- and I also caught my first and only fish there using Co-op bread, Wyndley Pool for the ducks, Keepers pool for swimming, Blackroot for rowing boats and then Bracebridge which was very pretty and had, at least during the war, the attraction of a tasty tea. Your photos are so familiar, including the Roman Road and the carpets of  leaves in the  woods. At Christmas time residents of Sutton were allowed to receive free holly by walking to either Keepers or Blackroot and being given the bundle. That was an annual tradition for us. (Rosemary (Wood) Whelan University of Michigan USA - 21 May 2002).

And this one from Australia: I've just spent a wonderful afternoon (should have been working) browsing your brilliant site.  I am certain I will spend many more hours continuing to view the fabulous photos and text, which you have so painstakingly put together into an heirloom production.  This is a 110% great sight (site) and more.  I can hardly believe that someone has put in so much effort.  You must truly love Sutton and the park.  Your photos are an absolute joy - even though some tell of the environmental damage that has befallen certain areas.  It is so sad to read that there are no longer any rangers.  My Uncle (Harold Hopkins) was a ranger when I was a child back in the late 40's early 50's.  He and his family lived in a lovely house not far from the Main gate (near the railway bridge).  How we children loved to visit this wondrous place. The reason I've been privy to your site is because one of my cousins, who still lives in Sutton, came across it and saw a picture of the Privy Gate, which also showed where his family once lived in Coleshill Street.  He was so impressed that he sent copies of the picture plus your web address on to me and my sister, who both live in Queensland, Australia.  Our family left for Australia in 1959.  My mother, sister & I returned for a 3-month visit in 1963 and my parents visited again during the 70's.  The last time I re-visited was in '73, when all one could see from Holy Trinity down to the Parade was scaffolding.  It was horrifying!  The thought of the beloved Royal Town becoming extinct was even worse and I've never returned since. so often relive the wonderful days of my childhood and have a few really old photos of Sutton and a booklet which the Town produced way back in '56. They were the so treasured and I thought I'd never see anything more recent.  Lo and behold, however, there is your wonderful site and I thank my cousin so much for sending it to me and you, well, words can't express my wonderment at your love for the environment and especially for Sutton.    If I never get the chance to return, I will always have your site to bring back the memories of my happy, carefree childhood days.   I always knew there was some Celtic heritage hidden deep within my psyche. (Nancy Warren. April 2004.)

Ah! Memories. Feb 04 Email.

I have just been looking through your excellent site on Sutton Park. I was brought up in Banners Gate/Streetly and later spent some time doodling at Bishop Vesey's G.S. For a number of years when the fishing bug first bit hard i practically lived in the park. I remember seeing a red squirrel near Royal Oak gate and frequently used to pause for a drink from a spring near Rowton's well en route to Blackroot pool. Don't think I would care to sample the water now though. After Birmingham took over the park I feared the worst and the last time I was there (ca 1993) it was looking pretty run down, broken fences and no more park keepers in sight...obvious vandalism etc. So it is nice to see that the park is now properly looked after again and secure once more. Your photos are very good and i remember catching several trout in the stream that runs from Blackroot towards Town gate...we always put them back. There was one large one (almost a pound!) that lived in the pool by the small waterfall where the stream exited Blackroot (by the lily pads corner). We caught it a few times and then somebody else caught it and took it away.. villain. It's very sad to see what has happened to the baths at Keeper's but I guess it's a sign of the times. Still at least it's not all gloom and it's great to see that the park still retains its essential character...much better than the overly tamed parks here in Holland. There used to be the remains of a watermill behind the dam at Longmoor pool as well...don't know what it was used for though. Some surprisingly good chub in that stream in the jungly bits just before it enters into Powells Pool. Casting was impossible and the midges totally hellish but we were able to drift a worm down on a piece of crust or a twig and then pull it off and let it sink under the branches. Bites were instantaneous...from chub and insects, kind of muddy too. Once a fisherman.... Thanks again for a great site. kind regards, Bob Spinks.     

http://www.dvdaspectsofsuttonpark.me.uk

http://www.sp.scnhs.org.uk/  - not used in my compilation but of great interest