| This page draws attention to people who have had a
significant association with Acocks Green, whether it be because they were
born here, went to school here, or lived or worked here. The people
mentioned are in no particular order.
Rev. Rann Kennedy (1771-1851)
He lived at Fox Hollies, later remodelled into the Hall by Zaccheus Walker
III. Rann went to Cambridge
University in 1791, where he became friends with both Coleridge and Wordsworth.
He took holy orders and became a teacher at King Edward's School, Birmingham. He
became curate at St. Paul's Chapel, then incumbent from 1817 until a few years
before his death. He was a poet and a also a friend of Washington Irving. For
more information, see here.
The 10th Earl of Egmont
Frederick Joseph Trevelyan Perceval, the 10th Earl of Egmont,
was buried in an unmarked grave at St. Mary's in 1932. He was born in Acocks
Green on 27th April 1873. His father was George Drummond Ince Perceval, and
his mother was Marianne Baxter. His own family and three uncles lived in
Acocks Green at one time or another, so that there was a strong Perceval
family connection with Acocks Green and Yardley. All these brothers were
grandsons of the Prime Minister Spencer Perceval, who was assassinated in
1812. For more information see
here.
James Neville Marshall, V.C.
Born in Manchester in 1887, his family moved to Oxford Road around 1894 (number 13, we
believe, originally known as Melrose), his father being a draper. For a short while
around 1903 they moved to another
house on The Avenue: Springfield, now 128, but then returned to Oxford Road around 1906, but this time to number
5, originally Beechcroft. James Neville went to King Edwards School, and after leaving worked at
the Birmingham and Midland Institute and Birmingham University. He studied veterinary
practice, then worked in this field in Harlow, Essex. This may have been
from around 1909/10. His sisters ran Eastbourne House School
while it was on the Warwick Road, from about 1910. He started off the First
World War in Argentina, buying horses, but then enlisted in the Irish
Guards, was wounded many times
and was finally killed in the same action as Wilfrid Owen. Before his
posthumous V.C. he had been awarded the M.C. and Bar. His and Owen's
memorials are close to each other (http://www.1914-18.co.uk/owen/sambre_oise.htm).
This page also contains a not especially flattering description of Marshall
by Owen.
....Commanding
them that day was Acting Lieutenant-Colonel Marshall of the ten wounds who
called for a party of volunteers to repair the broken bridge in front of his
position. They rose to him and wrestled with the wire and the small cork
rafts at the water's edge until all were killed or wounded. Standing over
them, fully exposed on the bank, Marshall for a moment turned his broad back
on the enemy and bellowed for another party of volunteers. Again they came
forward and he cursed and encouraged them as they went to work.
Miraculously, enough survived to repair the bridge and push it out over the
whipped water. Marshall led his men across, only to fall on the far bank
with his eleventh and final wound. Through this hurricane the small figure
of Wilfred Owen walked backwards and forwards between his men, patting them
on the shoulder, saying "Well done" and "You're doing very well, my boy." He
was at the water's edge, giving a hand with some duckboards, when he was hit
and killed....
(0riginal source not known, quoted at
http://prisondialogues.blogspot.com/2005/01/next-war.html).
Most of the 200 casualties suffered in
the Battle of the Sambre were from the 16/Lancashire Fusiliers, commanded by
Marshall, who continued to attack despite facing machine gun fire. The
Official History of the War points out that other units did not press ahead
with attacks under similar circumstances, so the question can be asked if
some of those casualties, including Marshall himself, could have been
avoided.
Marshall
was also mentioned in Pat Barker's First World War novel The Ghost Road.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9923278
http://www.lancs-fusiliers.co.uk/LancashireFusiliersVictoriaCrosses.htm
has a picture of Marshall.
Thanks to Chris
Sutton for alerting us to James Neville Marshall and supplying information.
Chris is researching all V.C.s and George Crosses with a Birmingham
connection. If anyone has any information that could help him, please
contact us.
Gil Merrick
Born 26 January 1922 in Sparkhill, he went to Acocks Green School before
becoming a footballer. He played for and managed Birmingham City, and was
regarded as one of the best goalkeepers of his time, playing for the
national team on twenty-three occasions between 1951 and 1954. Somewhat
unfairly, he is remembered for two matches against Hungary in 1953 and 1954
when they put thirteen goals past him! Another curiosity is that as a youth
he nurtured a wish to play for Aston Villa.
http://www.blues.premiumtv.co.uk/page/WhereAreTheyNowDetail/0,,10412~531405,00.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/articles/2006/06/02/world_cup_collection_feature.shtml
Anne Heywood, film star
Born Violet Joan Pretty, she was born on 11th December 1931 in Handsworth.
Her father Harold was a former orchestral violinist, now working in
factories. The family was not well off. She joined St Mary's School at the
end of August 1938 from York Road School. Around 1955 she was spotted by a
talent scout for Rank while playing the principal boy in Aladdin at the
Chelsea Palace. That year she changed her name to Anne Heywood, and in 1956
was given a seven year contract with Rank as an actress. In 1957 she had a
part in "Doctor at large", and a string of other films followed.
Anne Heywood (born Violet
Joan Pretty)
Jasper Carrott
Born Robert Davis on March 14 1945, he went to Acocks Green Junior and
Infants School, and then to Moseley School. He first came to attention at
the Boggery Folk Club in Solihull. His first single, Funky Moped/Magic
Roundabout, sold nearly a million copies in 1975. However it is his rampant
mocking humour which shot him to stardom, not his musical abilities. In 1978
he had his first TV series, with London Weekend, and in 1979 he became ITV
Personality of the year, but the BBC waited until 1992 to offer him the same
accolade. He was awarded an O.B.E. in 2003 for his services to charity. His
daughter Lucy is well known from The Office.
http://www.jaspercarrott.com/
Henry Gunter
Born in Jamaica in 1920, he trained as an accountant. After working in
Panama and the U.S.A., and experiencing racism and discrimination there as
well as earlier in colonial Jamaica, he came to England after World War Two,
where he had to make do with factory work. He was the first black
representative on the Birmingham Trades Council. He published many articles
and other material against the colour bar. He spent the last part of his
life in Acocks Green, dying in 2007.
http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=11891&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=10596
Lorraine Hanson, Olympic athlete
Lorraine was born in Manchester on 22nd April 1965. She came to Birmingham
when about three years old, and lived in Small Heath at first. The family
moved to Acocks Green around 1972, and Lorraine attended St Mary's school
until the age of eleven. Perhaps her greatest achievement was to be a member
of the 4x400 metres relay team that ran the fastest ever time for a U.K.
Women's team, the third fastest ever for a Commonwealth team, and the fifth
fastest ever for a European team. This took place at the World Athletics
Championships in Tokyo in August 1991. They came fourth. In 1991 Birchfield
Harriers awarded her their principal trophy. Lorraine featured in three of
the six fastest runs ever made by U.K. 4x400 metres relay teams.
Lorraine Hanson, Olympic
athlete |
