Spotted Dog landlord John Tighe has sent me belated notification of O’Lympics meetings every Monday (starting tonight).
7pm at The Spotted Dog in preparation for the Papal Visit themed 2010 Digbeth O’Lympics. Sports added to the usual welly-wanging, snail racing, coracle racing and Rock Star Triathlon, include Sacrament Race, Seven Deadly Sins of Birmingham City Council Event, Popemobile Race…
Just an update into my trying to find out what’s happening to those four empty Grade II listed properties on Moseley Road. The above planning application for no.’s 106/Flynn House, 102 and 98 (‘…to replace an extant planning permission 2007/00830/PA in order to extend the time limit for implementation.’) has been approved ‘subject to conditions’ following the Birmingham City Council committee meeting where the application was discussed on 22nd July.
I’ve been told there are 17 conditions. I’ve tried to access these via Birmingham City Council’s Planning Online but whenever I click on related documents a server error appears. I’ve emailed Planning Online today requesting the list of conditions be emailed to me as the website doesn’t work.
I have still not heard back from local councillors Tahir Ali, Chauhdry Rashid and Yvonne Mosquito and Concept Development Solutions’ administrators BDO Stoy Hayward, who I emailed about this issue on 2nd August. I’ve re-emailed them today asking if they’re able to respond to my query and give some indication of when development is likely to start on the properties. I’ve sent this email to BDO’s Head of PR, as well as the generic info@bdo.co.uk address.
I’ve been unable to get a telephone number or email for Award Developments Ltd of Sparkhill, who own 94 Moseley Rd, which is boarded up with plywood. I’ll try sending them a good, old-fashioned letter.
Below is Andy Munro’s introduction and his Digbeth Report.
DIGBETH REPORT
You may recall that late last year I undertook a consultation exercise to inform a study that I was undertaking on Digbeth, including lessons learnt from the regeneration approach that is being used in the Jewellery Quarter.
The reason for the late circulation of this report is the requirement for clearance for its release by the City Council and far more importantly further discussions with the public sector agencies on their appetite to support a reinvigorated approach to Digbeth etc. I am now satisfied that there is a real will to try and move things along within the obvious budgeting constraints that we all face these days.
Consequently, I am now looking to move forward the following:
Undertaking an up to date mapping exercise on dereliction, ownership, the business and residential communities using a team of undergraduates from Birmingham University.
Setting up a new Marketing Group to investigate not only how we can market the area better, but how we can develop ‘the product’ to attract more footfall.
Setting up a new Developer/Landowners Group to feed into the development of the Big City Plan Guidance, how we tackle dereliction and stalled sites and to also assess the demand for a proposed ERDF funded grant scheme.
Progressing the proposed relocation of the JFK Kennedy mural, the improvements to Bradford Street and a way forward on the best viable option to improve Digbeth High Street.
There are of course a myriad of other issues that will needed to be tackled over a period of time.
Please do not hesitate to contact me directly on email (andy_munro@birmingham.gov.uk) about the attached study report.
I took a walk over there. The house that caught fire is next to Al Kawthar Academy at 110-114 Moseley Road and just opposite Highgate Park. The house numbers are kind of erratic, but it seems to be part of 106/Flynn House, 102 and 98, all of which are empty and boarded up. According to the Land Registry, these Grade II listed properties are owned by Concept Development Solutions, who Anna Blackaby tells me went bust in 2009. On a post just outside the property is an application for planning permission:
Application to replace an extant planning permission 2007/00830/PA in order to extend the time limit for implementation.
This will effectively leave another three years to complete this development:
Refurbishment of 3 listed buildings and the redevelopment of the rear properties to form a 50 bed care home (C2 use) and 43 retirement apartments (C3 use), provision of basement level car park and associated works.
98 Moseley Rd
This application, which apparently had no objections, went to a Birmingham City Council committee meeting on 22nd July and a decision should be reached by 6th August.
Rubbish outside 98 Moseley Rd
All the buildings are boarded up with sitex and are in a pretty sorry state – especially no. 98, which has a front drive covered in rubbish and empty bottles and a letter about a posession claim by Concept Development Solutions against ‘Persons Unknown’ on the front door.
Letter on door of 98 Moseley Rd
Next door to 98 is no. 94, which is owned by Award Developments Ltd of Sparkhill and is boarded up by plywood. Getting into it looks like it could be pretty easy.
94 Moseley Rd
To the left of this is no. 90 which, thankfully, does seem to be showing signs of life.
90 Moseley Rd
So as things stand, it looks like this row of four Grade II listed properties on Moseley Road, which have been out of action for quite some time, may stay that way for a while longer. I’ve started a query on Help Me Investigate about this, to try and get some advice on finding out when development might start on the buildings. I’ve also emailed local councillors Tahir Ali, Chauhdry Rashid and Yvonne Mosquito and Concept Development Solutions’ administrators BDO Stoy Hayward about the issue.
Unfortunately the images written about below aren’t available as Benjamin’s Stone’s whole archive isn’t online yet. (Wouldn’t it be fab if it were?)
The next Irish Heritage event is at The Irish Centre this Wednesday 4th August at 7pm. It’s free and everyone is welcome.
Benjamin Stone Photographic Collection 1880-1914
Birmingham Irish Heritage welcomed Eminent Historian Jim Ranahan who is the Senior Curator of Local History at Birmingham Library. He showed us 21 photographs and expertly explained their significance. Jim told us that Benjamin Stone was an industrialist with paper and glass factories in Nechells and Duddeston. Stone collected Natural History and photographs, becoming an expert photographer and was known as Mr. Snapshot.
Bell Tower of the ancient Abbey of Evesham 1900
Based in The Grange Erdington, he became the first mayor of Sutton Coldfield and then Conservative MP for East Birmingham from 1895 until his retirement at 70 in 1909.Not nostalgic but wanting to preserve a record for posterity of a quickly changing era, Stone used his camera well.
1st Photo – Much Wenlock abandoned Priory Shropshire 1870 with a train in the background, contrasting the ages of this Olympic Games town.
2nd photo – Morris Dancers – Stratford upon Avon 1904 in costume.
3rd photo – Benjamin Stone at the Hardman Iron gate (built by the prominent Birmingham catholic iron makers) leading to river terrace at Houses of Parliament in 1899. Stone is Bald and Bearded.
4th Photo- Michael Davit Irish Nationalist MP for South Mayo 1897 at Westminster. He is easily recognizable by missing an arm which he lost as a child labourer in a Lancastrian mill following his eviction from Connaught home aged 5. Davit had served 7 years hard labour for IRB Gunrunning from a Birmingham armory, and then co established the Land League in Mayo, which ousted Captain Boycott in 1880.
Charcoal Burner Wyre Forest 1896
Although Stone was politically opposed to Davit, he photographed him in a smart hat and trimmed beard by the Hardman gate in the Houses of Parliament. Thus giving him the gravitas that many British Newspapers had not, when they had used photos of Michael Davit as unkempt upon release from Jail.
5th Photo – Padraig 0’ Neill Nationalist MP for Kilkenny 1897. Benjamin Stone also photographed his political adversary 0’Neill in a dignified manner by Hardman gate in House of Commons. 0’Neill had been jailed frequently for opposing Irish Evictions and had shown Eviction Photos on a boat 20 yards from Parliament.
6th Photo St Patrick’s Grave Downpatrick, County Down, taken by Belfast Photographer Robert Walsh and purchased by Stone.
7th Photo Clonmacnoise, Offaly, Ancient Round Tower by Robert Walsh.
8th Photo Tally Prayer Sticks, Goughane Barra, Cork + Rag Branch from Holy Well, County Derry by Robert Walsh recording ancient Irish customs.
The ‘Horn Dance’ at Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire – visit to the vicarage September 1899
9th Photo – Edmund Fourmier- Dalbay outside Bangor Cathedral, Wales 1902. Fourmier Dalbay was a Breton Irishman and secretary of the Pan Celtic League, composed of Bretons, Cornish, Welsh, Manx, Irish + Scots.
Stone had photographed him at the Eistedfodd in Cyrmric Costume.
10th Photo- Harry Blake, Athlone pursuivant of Heraldry- Dublin Castle 1899
Stone photographs Blake majestically holding the Irish Sword of State.
11th Photo- Ancient Stone Circle Waterville County Kerry 1899. Benjamin Stone uses the light in this photo on the 4 stones to promote Irish tourism.
12th Photo – Atlantic Telegraph Station, Waterville County Kerry 1899.
Waterville employed over 70 Telegraphers 2 years before Marconi received the First Trans Atlantic Wireless message in St Johns, Newfoundland.
Tissington Well Dressing, Derbyshire. The Hands Well and its decoration May 11th (Ascension Day or Holy Thursday) 1899
13th Photo Brian Boru’s Harp in Trinity College Dublin, Stone used 3 books as a rest for this 10th century harp.14th photo – Interior of Daniel 0 Connells Tomb Glasnevin Dublin 1899.15th photo Treaty Stone Limerick 1899. Stone utilizes the light to good effect on this stone where Patrick Sarsfield signed up for peace in 1691.
16th photo- 7 MPS outside Glendalough Hotel Wicklow 1899. Stone was one of the 7 strong Parliamentary delegation and got his servant Mercer to take it.17th photo –White City Shepherds Bush London Olympics 1908.
18th photo Franco-British Exhibition London 1908. The White buildings on the water resembling French North Africa gave its name to the White City Olympics which coincided with the Exhibition.
19th photo- Irish Mock Village at Franco-British Exhibition 1908. This Irish Village called Ballymacourtney showed villagers in rural dress with a donkey, this advertised Irish Home Industries especially knitwear.
20th photo- American Olympic Team at Westminster in 1908. The USA won 23 medals (more than France, Italy and Germany combined), 10 were won by Irish American Athletics club of New York, including John Baxter Taylor who was the first Black Sportsman to win a gold medal. Stone respected Taylor, but frowned on the Irish American Captain Martin Sheridan who refused to lower the Stars and Stripes when he paraded past King Edward 7th. The American team was invited to Westminster by Irish Nationalist MPS.
LEFT: Andrew Macdonald at Highland Meeting, Inverness, 1903 RIGHT: Mr. Wmn Willett
21st photo- Jasper Tooley Nationalist MP for Leitrim. Stone photographed Tooley in a respectable pose, despite Tooley, upsetting the British, and his wife who he feuded with constantly. When she died he returned letters sent to Mrs. Tooley as ‘No longer residing at this address please Try Hell’.
After appropriate applause, audience involvement was invited. Socialist Sammy McEwan remarked that it was politically important how you took a photo, and although he did not share Stone’s values, he admired him for his artistic integrity and asked where his grave lay. Jim Ranahan replied either Erdington or Sutton Coldfield. A lady remarked that not many factory workers were represented in photos and Jim replied that Benjamin Stone wished to photo peasants because he wished to record them for posterity.
Mike Walsh ventured that despite omissions, Stone has left us with a great record, and it was gratifying to see his fellow Mayoman Michael Davitt portrayed respectably by Conservative Stone at Westminster. Donegal man John Doherty asked if the Stone collection was available to the public, Jim Ranahan replied that providing you bring in ID, then you have a 4 years ticket for records, which includes the collection on Microfiche to preserve it for future generations.
Benjamin Stone managed to take excellent photos until his death in 1914 aged 76. Birmingham Irish Heritage Events are held on the first Wednesday of each month at 7pm upstairs in the Irish Centre. Admission free with complimentary beverages and biscuits.
Andy has been involved with the Jewellery Quarter Regeneration Partnership, and is looking into similar schemes for the Digbeth area. Please come along and discuss with Andy your thoughts for the future direction Digbeth should take.
Residents of Rea Place may also be interested in the local Estate Walkabout organised by Harden Housing officers for next Tues 3rd August, details below:
The Birmingham Irish Community Forum are inviting everyone to a Community consultation event on 22nd July 6.30pm – 8.30pm at the Irish Centre to give feedback on potential sites for the old JFK Mosaic to be ‘re-housed’ within the Irish Quarter.
The JFK Mosaic was commissioned and paid for by the Birmingham Irish community in the 1960’s. It is a significant part of the Irish community’s heritage, and with the support of Birmingham City Council the mosaic will imminently be reinstated within the Irish Quarter.
BICF have been working with a local artist Harry Blackett and the original artist’s son Oliver Budd to investigate appropriate sites for the mosaic. We would like your opinions and feedback, please support this project by coming along to the Irish Centre on the 22nd July 2010.
We will be honoured to welcome Councillor Mullaney to the event who is a prominent advocate for the project and Patricia Riley, BICF Chair.
Refreshments will be provided along with:
Visual images of potential sites
Architectural model of the Irish Quarter
Film footage and images of the original JFK mosaic
An opportunity to chat with the artists about the findings
This is the community’s chance to let Birmingham City Council know what they’d like to see happen to this unique snap shot of history from the 60’s. Council suggestions to the BICF have so far included incorporating members of the community into the mosaic.
Just to finish off with, here’s a short old 1968 news piece of the mosaic in the making I found on the British Pathe archive site (click the image to view):
KENNEDY MOSAIC MURAL
For more information you can contact the Birmingham Irish Community Forum on 0121 772 9424 or email info@irishforum.co.uk.
You may have noticed a some blue Birmingham City Council planning permission letters tied to lamposts in the area. Here are some details about a few of them:
I must say there seem to be some emerging common issues – Lighting, retention and reuse of historic buildings and Cash Points seem to be on most people’s list!
This morning myself and many other local types went along to the Digbeth Corridor Study Stakeholder Consultation meeting at The Bond, organised by Birmingham City Council’s City Centre Development Team. The Big City Plan’s Philip Singleton kicked off the proceedings, then we all boarded the Green Bus, on which a team from Atkins took us on a tour of Digbeth’s key features. Once we’d been gotten thinking we returned to The Bond, where we split into brainstorm groups covering Movement, Streets, Events, Development, Leisure & Environment, Creativity & Services.
Whilst there Atkins asked us to complete a Digbeth Consultation Questionnaire to help them with their study, and asked us to pass it onto anyone we thought might like to submit their ideas. Unfortunately it is not available online, so I’ve created a Google Form so you can complete it online if you like. I’ll forward the summary spreadsheet to Atkins, who I spoke to during the meeting and are aware of what I’m doing. You can comment on the dedicated Digbeth Consultation Questionnaire page I’ve created, so you can discuss your feelings about the questionnaire if you want to. Questionnaires must be submitted by mid-January (I’ll double check the exact date with Atkins, and be sure to close the form then).
