What we now know as Acocks Green was a vast track of open
countryside dotted with small cottages and farms some of which, like Huyon
Hall (later Hyron Hall) and Broom Hall, were surrounded by moats.
With the opening of the Birmingham to Oxford Railway in 1852
the first significant changes to Acocks Green began to occur. Businessmen
could now leave the dirty, disease-ridden towns to live, or retire, in a
clean, pleasant country environment.
Commenting about the pre-rail era Alan Fitton wrote:
‘In those days it
would have been difficult to find a more entrancing spot, or one from which
the noise and bustle of commerce seemed more remote. A few stately houses,
for the most part standing in their own grounds, and a number of humbler
cottages, picturesque, though doubtless unsanitary, comprised the homes of
the scanty population………The roads consisted of winding lanes, bounded by
hedgerows and guarded by great trees. There were broad stretches of meadow
land ….. farms were tended and fruitful….. There was no bustle and little
noise.’
(from ‘Acocks Green’ compiled by Mike Byrne)
By the end of the 19th century new, larger type
houses were built in Victoria Road, Botteville Road and an area bounded by
Westley Road and the Warwick Road.
In 1911, Acocks Green, then in the Parish of Yardley, was
absorbed into Birmingham and it was this change that started the sequence of
events that were to transform the area forever. The land south of the
Warwick Road had so far remained as open fields and country lanes, but
dramatic changes were not too far away.
Dolphin Lane (Green Lane) c. 1905
By the early 1920’s, Birmingham was desperate for housing
land and within a few short years, a large part of Acocks Green was built
over with municipal housing. This low-density accommodation, with good
sanitation and with general repairs as part of the rental package, was a
much-needed improvement for the City’s less well off. However,
discrimination was as rife for the many thousands of people who moved into
the district, being considered by the local people as socially inferior
because of their stronger accents.
Gospel Lane in 1912
As well as a drastic change to the landscape, with the loss
of farms, fields and country lanes, Birmingham’s house building policy also
created tremendous social upheaval. It was against this background that
Dolphin Lane Council School came into existence.
Dolphin Lane School 1929-59
Introduction – Goodbye Green Fields and Country Lanes
Getting Started
Buildings – Meeting the Changing
Needs
The School Staff – Comings and Goings
A Broader Education – Talks,
Festivals and Visits
Concerts and Performances – A Chance
to Show Off
Christmas Celebrations
Royal Occasions – Visits and Celebration
Holidays
Physical Activities – Athletics, P.T.
and Games
Fund Raising – Helping Others and
Supporting Ourselves
Medical Matters – The Doctor, The
Dentist and the ‘Nit’ Nurse
Accidents and Misfortunes – Cuts,
Bruises and Even Worse
Transgressions – Naughty,
Naughty!!
The Air Raid Shelter Saga – Keeping
the Children Safe
Evacuation – From Birmingham to the
Countryside and Back
Appendix 1 Birmingham Educational
Districts & School Lists
Appendix 2 New Pupils’ Previous
Named Schools
Appendix 3 Sketch Map of the Local
Roads Housing Dolphin Lane Pupils
Appendix 4 Memories – Dennis Simons
More images
