Galton Village: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Residential area of Smethwick, West Midlands, England}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} |
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| ⚫ | '''Galton Village''' is a residential area of [[Smethwick]], [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]], [[England]]. It takes its name from the iconic [[Galton Bridge]] that was named after local businessman [[Samuel Galton, Jr.|Samuel Galton]]. The [[Birmingham Canal Navigations]] main line to Wolverhampton borders the north of Galton Village, as does the Stour Valley section of the [[West Coast Main Line|West Coast Mainline]]. The Oldbury Road [[A roads in Zone 4 of the Great Britain numbering scheme|A457]] runs through the area, which begins next to Smethwick’s [[Smethwick Galton Bridge railway station|Galton Bridge]] railway station and ends at Spon Lane, at a small shopping centre. |
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The estate was built originally during the 1960s, The new estate consisted of medium-rise maisonettes and flats which were made from concrete, and earned it the nickname "Concrete Jungle". The Galton Village estate was not a success, and by 1980 it was one of the grimiest and least desirable parts of the West Midlands. In the late 1980s, [[Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell|Sandwell MBC]] decided that the whole estate would be demolished. By 1995, the regeneration of Galton Village was complete. The swathe of tall flats had been cleared to make way for modern and attractive low-rise housing. Just to the south of Galton Village is West Smethwick and its park; the area sits of the border with West Bromwich to the north and Oldbury to the west. As stated above, the Oldbury Road runs through its heart; this is a collective main thoroughfare the [[A457]] from Birmingham. |
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== History == |
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[[File:Tower Block UK photo m14-21.jpg|thumb|Malthouse Point and Sandfield Point, Oldbury Road, West Smethwick 1984]] |
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=== West Smethwick estate === |
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The site was redeveloped in the late 1960s into a council housing estate known as the West Smethwick estate. A model of the scheme as planned by Smethwick council showed six tower blocks of flats; three each of 16-storeys and 21-storeys, plus ten blocks of maisonettes.<ref>{{Cite news |date=5 February 1966 |title=Smethwick model homes |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003126/19660205/277/0018 |url-access=subscription |access-date=19 May 2024 |work=[[Express and Star]] |page=18}}</ref> [[County Borough of Warley|Warley County Borough]], which assumed responsibility for planning and development from 1 April 1966 reduced the number of high rise towers to two; the 21-storey Malthouse Point and Sandfield Point, constructed in 1967.<ref>{{Cite web |title=West Smethwick redevelopment area {{!}} Tower Block |url=https://www.towerblock.eca.ed.ac.uk/development/west-smethwick-redevelopment-area |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=www.towerblock.eca.ed.ac.uk}}</ref> The first completed building was an Elim Pentecostal Church to replace one which had stood on Birmingham Road for 90 years.<ref>{{Cite news |date=13 July 1967 |title=Picture |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002135/19670713/518/0021 |url-access=subscription |access-date=19 May 2024 |work=[[The Birmingham Post]] |page=7}}</ref> The maisonettes in the initial plan were replaced by three-storey town houses. Both the flats and houses were constructed from concrete, which earned the estate the nickname "Concrete Jungle". The first of the 597 [[Townhouse|town houses]] on the {{Convert|22|acre|ha|adj=on}} site was handed over to a family from Bearwood in November 1968.<ref>{{Cite news |date=14 November 1968 |title=£3m estate handed over to council |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002135/19681114/685/0032 |url-access=subscription |access-date=19 May 2024 |work=Birmingham Post |page=7}}</ref> All the town houses had a garden or [[Veranda|verandah]] and most had a [[carport]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 June 1969 |title=22-acre site, 597 homes |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003126/19690625/162/0014 |url-access=subscription |access-date=19 May 2024 |work=Express and Star |page=30}}</ref> At the time of its completion, a borough councillor criticised the development for being too dense and predicted it would become a slum in the near future.<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 June 1969 |title=Protest over open day invitations |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002135/19690625/887/0043 |url-access=subscription |work=[[The Birmingham Post]] |page=43 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref> Lead contractor was Maxim Construction Ltd and the estate was designed by Miall Rhys-Davies and Partners in association with the Warley borough architect. In 1970–71 a shopping precinct, library, office block and a replacement for a demolished Congregational Church were built on Mallin Street, across the newly [[dual carriageway|dualled]] Oldbury Road opposite the estate. By the 1980s, many of the flats were empty or in disrepair, and the estate was blighted by unemployment and crime. At the beginning of the 1990s, [[Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell|Sandwell MBC]] decided to demolish the estate. Between 1992 and 1997, the estate was completely redeveloped. The swathe of concrete buildings was cleared to make way for modern low-rise housing. The West Smethwick Estate title was abandoned in favour of Galton Village. |
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Just to the south of Galton Village is West Smethwick and its park; the area sits on the border with West Bromwich to the north and Oldbury to the west. |
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== Transport links == |
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[[Smethwick Galton Bridge railway station|Smethwick Galton Bridge]] railway station opened in 1995 and replaced the nearby [[Smethwick West railway station|Smethwick West]] railway station. Trains run to [[Wolverhampton station|Wolverhampton]] – [[Birmingham New Street railway station|Birmingham New Street]] and [[Kidderminster Town railway station|Kidderminster]] – [[Birmingham Snow Hill railway station|Birmingham Snow Hill]]. [[Spon Lane railway station|Spon Lane]] station on the [[Stour Valley Line]] was closed in 1960 having served the area since 1852.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Spon Lane Station |url=https://www.railaroundbirmingham.co.uk/Stations/spon_lane.php |access-date=2024-05-19 |website=www.railaroundbirmingham.co.uk}}</ref> Ordnance Survey maps show the children's play area at the entrance to the estate off Spon Lane was the site of railway sidings and goods sheds prior to the 1960s redevelopment. |
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Bus route no. 80 from [[West Bromwich]] and 87 from [[Dudley]] stop on Oldbury Road and link Galton Village to [[Birmingham city centre]]. Services from West Bromwich stop on Mallin Street and Spon Lane South; no. 48 for [[Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham|Queen Elizabeth Hospital]], 49 for [[Bearwood, West Midlands|Bearwood]], and 54 to Worlds End. |
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The corner of Spon Lane South ([[A roads in Zone 4 of the Great Britain numbering scheme#Four-digit roads (40xx)|A4031]]) and Oldbury Road ([[A roads in Zone 4 of the Great Britain numbering scheme#Triple-digit roads|A457]]) where now stands the Durga Bhawan Hindu Cultural Resource Centre,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Welcome to Durga Bhawan Smethwick Birmingham |url=https://durgabhawan.org.uk/index.php |access-date=20 May 2024 |website=durgabhawan.org.uk}}</ref> was formerly the site of The Spon Croft public house built by Mitchells & Butlers in the 1930s, and demolished in 1999. It replaced a smaller tavern of that name on the opposite corner.<ref>{{Cite web |last=James |first=Steve |date=16 June 2021 |title=A walk down Spon Lane ... and a fair few drinks along the way |url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/black-country-bugle/20210616/page/12 |url-access=subscription |access-date=2024-05-20 |via=PressReader |publisher=[[Black Country Bugle]] |page=12}}</ref> |
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== Schools == |
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George Betts Primary on West End Avenue attained academy status in 2013. Originally named George Betts Junior School, it was formally opened in 1954 by Betts, a former chairman of Smethwick Education Committee.<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 September 1954 |title=Third new school in three weeks |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000619/19540918/214/0007 |url-access=subscription |access-date=20 May 2024 |work=Birmingham Post |page=7}}</ref> It was extended to accommodate infants in 1970.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Baggs |first1=A P |last2=Baugh |first2=G C |last3=Currie |first3=C R J |last4=Johnson |first4=D A |date=1976 |title='Smethwick: Education', in A History of the County of Stafford: Volume 17, Offlow Hundred (Part) |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/staffs/vol17/pp136-141 |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=British History Online |pages=136–141}}</ref> In 1959 and 1960, a former teacher who had moved to Henderson Avenue School in [[Scunthorpe]] arranged reciprocal visits between the two schools.<ref>{{Cite news |date=4 April 1960 |title=Scunthorpe day by day |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001336/19600404/004/0004 |url-access=subscription |access-date=20 May 2024 |work=[[Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph]] |page=4}}</ref> |
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[[Holly Lodge High School]] is the nearest senior school. |
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== Governance == |
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Galton Village is within St Pauls Ward for elections to Sandwell Borough council.<ref>{{Cite web |title=St Pauls |url=https://mapit.mysociety.org/area/9266.html |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=mapit.mysociety.org}}</ref> |
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[[Category:Areas of Sandwell]] |
[[Category:Areas of Sandwell]] |
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Latest revision as of 23:07, 29 September 2024
Galton Village is a residential area of Smethwick, West Midlands, England. It takes its name from the iconic Galton Bridge that was named after local businessman Samuel Galton. The Birmingham Canal Navigations main line to Wolverhampton borders the north of Galton Village, as does the Stour Valley section of the West Coast Mainline. The Oldbury Road A457 runs through the area, which begins next to Smethwick’s Galton Bridge railway station and ends at Spon Lane, at a small shopping centre.
History
[edit]
West Smethwick estate
[edit]The site was redeveloped in the late 1960s into a council housing estate known as the West Smethwick estate. A model of the scheme as planned by Smethwick council showed six tower blocks of flats; three each of 16-storeys and 21-storeys, plus ten blocks of maisonettes.[1] Warley County Borough, which assumed responsibility for planning and development from 1 April 1966 reduced the number of high rise towers to two; the 21-storey Malthouse Point and Sandfield Point, constructed in 1967.[2] The first completed building was an Elim Pentecostal Church to replace one which had stood on Birmingham Road for 90 years.[3] The maisonettes in the initial plan were replaced by three-storey town houses. Both the flats and houses were constructed from concrete, which earned the estate the nickname "Concrete Jungle". The first of the 597 town houses on the 22-acre (8.9 ha) site was handed over to a family from Bearwood in November 1968.[4] All the town houses had a garden or verandah and most had a carport.[5] At the time of its completion, a borough councillor criticised the development for being too dense and predicted it would become a slum in the near future.[6] Lead contractor was Maxim Construction Ltd and the estate was designed by Miall Rhys-Davies and Partners in association with the Warley borough architect. In 1970–71 a shopping precinct, library, office block and a replacement for a demolished Congregational Church were built on Mallin Street, across the newly dualled Oldbury Road opposite the estate. By the 1980s, many of the flats were empty or in disrepair, and the estate was blighted by unemployment and crime. At the beginning of the 1990s, Sandwell MBC decided to demolish the estate. Between 1992 and 1997, the estate was completely redeveloped. The swathe of concrete buildings was cleared to make way for modern low-rise housing. The West Smethwick Estate title was abandoned in favour of Galton Village.
Just to the south of Galton Village is West Smethwick and its park; the area sits on the border with West Bromwich to the north and Oldbury to the west.
It is not to be confused with the Galton council estate in neighbouring Oldbury, which was developed during the 1920s and 1930s.[7]
Transport links
[edit]Smethwick Galton Bridge railway station opened in 1995 and replaced the nearby Smethwick West railway station. Trains run to Wolverhampton – Birmingham New Street and Kidderminster – Birmingham Snow Hill. Spon Lane station on the Stour Valley Line was closed in 1960 having served the area since 1852.[8] Ordnance Survey maps show the children's play area at the entrance to the estate off Spon Lane was the site of railway sidings and goods sheds prior to the 1960s redevelopment.
Bus route no. 80 from West Bromwich and 87 from Dudley stop on Oldbury Road and link Galton Village to Birmingham city centre. Services from West Bromwich stop on Mallin Street and Spon Lane South; no. 48 for Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 49 for Bearwood, and 54 to Worlds End.
The corner of Spon Lane South (A4031) and Oldbury Road (A457) where now stands the Durga Bhawan Hindu Cultural Resource Centre,[9] was formerly the site of The Spon Croft public house built by Mitchells & Butlers in the 1930s, and demolished in 1999. It replaced a smaller tavern of that name on the opposite corner.[10]
Schools
[edit]George Betts Primary on West End Avenue attained academy status in 2013. Originally named George Betts Junior School, it was formally opened in 1954 by Betts, a former chairman of Smethwick Education Committee.[11] It was extended to accommodate infants in 1970.[12] In 1959 and 1960, a former teacher who had moved to Henderson Avenue School in Scunthorpe arranged reciprocal visits between the two schools.[13]
Holly Lodge High School is the nearest senior school.
Governance
[edit]Galton Village is within St Pauls Ward for elections to Sandwell Borough council.[14]
References
[edit]- ^ "Smethwick model homes". Express and Star. 5 February 1966. p. 18. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ "West Smethwick redevelopment area | Tower Block". www.towerblock.eca.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
- ^ "Picture". The Birmingham Post. 13 July 1967. p. 7. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ "£3m estate handed over to council". Birmingham Post. 14 November 1968. p. 7. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ "22-acre site, 597 homes". Express and Star. 25 June 1969. p. 30. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ "Protest over open day invitations". The Birmingham Post. 25 June 1969. p. 43 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "The History of Oldbury, Langley and Warley in the West Midlands".
- ^ "Spon Lane Station". www.railaroundbirmingham.co.uk. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ "Welcome to Durga Bhawan Smethwick Birmingham". durgabhawan.org.uk. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ James, Steve (16 June 2021). "A walk down Spon Lane ... and a fair few drinks along the way". Black Country Bugle. p. 12. Retrieved 20 May 2024 – via PressReader.
- ^ "Third new school in three weeks". Birmingham Post. 18 September 1954. p. 7. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ Baggs, A P; Baugh, G C; Currie, C R J; Johnson, D A (1976). "'Smethwick: Education', in A History of the County of Stafford: Volume 17, Offlow Hundred (Part)". British History Online. pp. 136–141. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ "Scunthorpe day by day". Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph. 4 April 1960. p. 4. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ "St Pauls". mapit.mysociety.org. Retrieved 20 May 2024.