Herbert
Austin was concerned that because of the massive increase in the
work force that was needed to fuel the War Effort he had to find
dormitory accommodation. To give some idea of the sudden increase
in numbers of employees, in 1914 the company employed just 2,500
people but by 1918 it had grown to 22,000 who were mainly women.
Transport was limited in war time so he needed accommodation
locally, this was a problem as the factory was built in a very
rural setting. So on the 16th November 1916 he decided to buy 120
acres of farm land in Hawkesley Mill Lane from Thomas Middlemore
for £7,750. Because the development need to be constructed quickly
he purchased from the Aladdin Company, Bay City, Michigan USA in
December 1916, 200 Canadian cedar wood bungalows at a cost of
$115,000.
The Company took out a mortgage in 1917 with the Secretary of State
for War and the Minister of Munitions, which allowed it to have
access to a maximum of £75,000 to develop the estate. Interest on
the loan would be at 5½% per annum.
The
estate was laid out in the shape of a horseshoe by J W Wilson. The
main road through the estate was appley called Central Avenue which
at one end divided into a dual carriageway which is rumoured to be
the first dual carriageway in the City of
Birmingham.
Central
Avenue
Because
of the possible fire risk twenty-five pairs of conventional brick
houses were built to act as a fire break (one brick pair of semi to
every six bungalows), A temporary licence on the 26th April 1917
was granted for the erection of the bungalows, because the council
was still concerned about the possible fire risk. It was agreed
between the Company and the Birmingham Corporation that 37 Central
Avenue would be used as a Police Station, it appears that in the
end this did not happen.
Extract
from the Agreement between the City of Birmingham and the Austin
Motor Co. Ltd.
The
Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Citizens of the City of Birmingham
(hereinafter called the Corporation), under and in pursuance of
Sec. 56 of the Birmingham Corporation Act, 1903, do hereby grant
permission to Messrs, THE AUSTIN MOTOR Co. Ltd., Estates
Development Department, Hawkesley Mill Farm, Northfield, to erect
and set up in the City a wooden or other structure of a temporary
or movable character, and described in the Schedule hererto under
written, under and subject to the Conditions with respect to such
structure or erection, and for the period during which such
structure shall be allowed to stand, as in the said Schedule are
mentioned and contained.
Dated the 26th day of April, 1917.
THE SCHEDULE BEFORE REFERRED TO.
By Order,
WILTSHIRE,
Town Clerk,
Birmingham.
Specification for Structure or Erection. Situation of Structure or
Erection.
By whom the same is to be erected. or set up. Conditions with
respect to such Structure or Erection Time during which the
Structure or Erection is to be permitted to continue. Timber framed
structures on brick foundations.
199 Bungalows.
Plans Nos. 28264 and 28265.
Longbridge Estate,
Hawkesley Mill Farm,
Northfield.
The Corporation does not give its approval, and is not responsible
in any respect for the strength or stability of the structure 15
years from the date above mentioned.
_________________
Now
that permission had now been granted, work started immediately and
after eleven months the last one was completed and occupied. As the
license was only for 15 years, the City of Birmingham Council
continued to renew the so called 'temporary' licenses for the
wooden bungalows, but in the 1960's excepted that after nearly
forty years they were in-fact permanent
structures.
Plan
of the Bungalows
The
bungalows had the following living room measuring 20ft by 10ft
which you entered from an enclosed porch. With a kitchen dining
room 10ft by 10ft which included a gas cooker, gas washing boiler,
sink and cupboard space. Three bedrooms each 10ft square, you will
see that the accommodation was not too crowed. At the back was a
large garden where vegetables could be grown and probable a long
washing line. Rent on a bungalow including rates was 14s 6d
(£0.73). As each house or bungalow was used as a dormitory, the
accommodation was seven people to a bungalow and twelve people to a
house, so that the estate was able to house about 2,000
people.
An
early Resident
After
the War in the 1920s when the company had a very reduced workforce
the houses were sold to familys of Austin employees at £250
leasehold and £300 freehold. It is interesting that the deeds to
the properties laid out for a specific schedule of house painting
etc which would ensured that the village would be well maintained
even though ownership had passed to the individual residents. What
the deeds did allow was that the timber bungalows could be replaced
with brick structures on the same plots, interestingly not one
owner took up this opportunity.
In
1990 a small group of dedicated residents held a meeting to discuss
the possibility of forming a local association with the aim of
preserving this unique estate. So the Austin Village Preservation
Society was born and in 1997 achieved conservation
status.
_________________
Memories of the Longbridge Estate
My
parents who came from Burton-on-Trent moved into one of the brick
built houses in 191x our neighbour had come all the way from
Bradford. Life on the Longbridge Estate was very pleasant, there
were many facilities and one could walk to work and home for
dinner. The Austin workers had a Cinema seating 600 people. On the
estate was a steam laundry that was used by the works and private
households alike. Laundry was collected on Monday and returned
ironed and wrapped in brown paper on Friday.
H.
Austin opening Longbridge Baptist Church in 1921
There
were 2 churches – the Longbridge Baptist Church in Hawkesley
Crescent, where I attended and won a book of Wordsworth poems for
good attendance, and the Epiphany in Oak Walk where some of the
"Thomas the Tank Engine" stories were written by Rev. Awdry.
Two schools - one in Hawkesley Drive run by Miss Leach, and the
other in Coney Green Drive run by Miss Malpass were located on the
estate. I went to the Rubery Council School by tram from Bristol
Road.
The residents had access to a midwife, a district nurse, and a
doctor. A policeman lived in the police house in Rowan Way.
Television didn't exist in those days, only radio, however, there
was plenty of entertainment. At the Village Hall (now the
Conservative Club) we had dances, billiards, a card ard reading
room, and a ladies lounge. Additional activities were garden and
flower shows, a tennis courts, a football team (called Hawkesley
FC) and a cricket team. There were swings and sandpits for the
children.
Extension ladders, blow lamps, a wheelbarrow and whitewash brushes
were on hire for 2/- per item for members of the Longbridge Estates
Association. Two huts containing fire fighting equipment were
available. Shopping was easier than today as most things were
delivered including milk (in a churn) from Turves Green Farm,
including bread, meat and fish. Fruit and vegetables were grown by
the Beck family on Turves Green and delivered by horse and cart.
Beer and spirits delivered by Davenports, and soft drinks by Corona
were available at your door. Other items could be easily carried
from the nearby shops in Mill Walk and Turves Green.
I was fortunate to live in such a quiet and pleasant area, I hope
present and future residents will have as many happy times as I
did.
Doug
Adams.