Ongoing research; last updated 6 February 2015
25th February 1919 - Administration Sub-Committee
Superannuation
1682 Resolved: That it be a recommendation to the General Committee to grant a Superannuation to William Drew, Parks Employer (sic), Selly Oak Park, 20 years service, and to George Green, Park-keeper, Park Street Gardens, 25 years service.
29th April 1919 - Administration Sub-Committee
Pease (sic) Celebration
The following report of the Superintendent was read:
With regard to the Peace Celebration the following Parks have been chosen for Bands, Children’s Fetes and Fireworks Displays:-
Bands and Children’s Fetes Firework Displays
Cannon Hill Ward End Cannon Hill Ward End
Handsworth Summerfield Handsworth Summerfield
Rookery Queens Rookery Queens
Victoria Sparkhill Victoria Cotteridge
Aston Selly Oak
King’s Heath Lightswood
In all 12 parks will be used for Music and Children’s fetes, and 8 for firework displays, and the cost of this will be borne by the Peace Celebrations Committee. Sub-committees are to be formed for each district to include the various members of the City Council and those interested to carry out the arrangements for each Park.
17th May 1919 – Birmingham News
17th May 1919 – Birmingham News
Kings Norton, Northfield, and Harborne Districts
Selly Oak & Bournbrook
Peace celebrations – Owing to the attitude[1] of the Birmingham City Council the local committee which has for so many years done such good work in promoting children’s festivals, etc., have resigned in a body. This, on the face of it, is distinctly unfortunate, as the committee were so thoroughly representative. Local religious bodies, factories, trade unions, friendly societies, and even Boy Scouts were all represented on the committee.
17th June 1919 – Letter on File in Property Services Department, Birmingham City Council
(There is also a copy of
this letter in the records of the Bournville Village Trust – which can be seen
in the Archive & Heritage Section at the Library of Birmingham – Ref: MS 1536,
Box 31)
The Birmingham Battery and Metal Co. Ltd.
Selly Oak
Birmingham
17th June 1919
Dear Lord Mayor,
You may recollect that in 1899 Mrs. Emma J. Gibbins, William Gibbins, Thomas Gibbins, John Gibbins and Benjamin Gibbins gave to the Kings Norton & Northfield Urban District Council (of which the Birmingham Corporation are the successors) a piece of of land containing 11a. 2r. 5p. in Gibbins Road, Selly Oak, for the purposes of a Park.In 1913 William Gibbins and John Gibbins gave to the Corporation, as an addition to the Park, an adjoining piece of land which contained 6a. 2r. 35p.
We, the undersigned, now have pleasure in offering to the Corporation a further piece of land, as an addition to the Park, containing 12a. 2r. 6p. lying between the present Park and the Canal, and also the Lodge and garden containing 1r. 6p. adjoining the entrance to the land from Harborne Lane.
The property comprised in the proposed gift is coloured Pink on the Plan sent herewith.Our intention is that the Lodge should be used as an Entrance Lodge or Park-keeper’s house at the discretion of the Corporation.
At the present time the land (other than the Lodge and garden) is, with other land, in the occupation of a tenant whose lease does not expire until the 29th Sept. 1922.The Corporation will therefore not be in a position to take possession of the land until the expiration of the lease, but the Corporation will be entitled to receive a proportion of the rent.We are advised that the amount to be apportioned to the 12a. 2r. 6p. should be £18 per annum.The Lodge is at presnt let on a weekly tenancy and the Corporation will be entitled to receive the rent from the date when the purchase is to be completed.
We have just entered into a Contract for purchase of the land (together with adoining property) and when the purchase is completed at the end of next June, we propose to arrange for the property to be conveyed direct to the Corporation.
We should propose, (for the present at any rate) to reserve a right of way over the private roadway which runs through the 12a. 2r. 6p. and which forms at present the only method of access to the farm buildings and land lying to the West of the land offered to the Corporation.
We hope that the Corporation may see their way to leave the land open down to the Canal and not to erect any fence against the Canal, as this would in our opinion interfere with the present open nature of the land.
The Conveyance to the Corporation would contain similar conditions to those set out in the Conveyance of the 15th February, 1913, an extract from which we enclose.
We should also ask them, when they take possession of the land, to erect a fence along the Western boundary.Probably the Corporation would be able to use for this purpose the fence which now runs along the Northern side of the Park, which would no longer be required when the additional piece of land is thrown into the Park.
Yours faithfully,
(Signed) Wm. Gibbins
John Gibbins
W.W. Gibbins
R. Lloyd Gibbins
The Rt. Hon. The Lord Mayor.
5th July 1919 – Birmingham News Supplement
Selly Oak Park
Messrs. Gibbins’ Gift
At Tuesday’s meeting of the City Council, a letter was read from Messrs. William, John, W.W. and R. Lloyd Gibbins, of Selly Oak, offering to present to the Corporation, as an addition to Selly Oak Park, a piece of land containing 12a. 2r. 6p., lying between the present park in Gibbins Road and the canal, also the lodge and garden, containing 1 r. 6p., adjoining the entrance to the land from Harborne Lane.
Alderman Sir William Bowater – who presided in the absence on Council business of the Lord Mayor – moved a resolution of accepting the generous offer with thanks, Sir William observing that it was a kindly thought out plan to enable the Council to add to the present park at Selly Oak. The members of the Gibbins family had always been noted for their public spirit and generosity. – Councillor W. Brown, chairman of the Parks Committee, seconded, and the resolution was carried with acclamation.
R. Lloyd Gibbins, W. Waterhouse Gibbins,
donors of the second extension of Selly Oak Park,
and Henry C. Gibbins
Photograph copied from The Birmingham Battery and Metal Company (1936).
22nd July 1919 – Finance Sub-Committee
The following report of the Chief Superintendent was read:-
Detailed Statement of Income and Expenditure for the year ended 31st March 1919.
Selly Oak Park
Estimated,1918-19 Actual to 31st March 1919
Income £ 26 £ 56. 11. 10
Expenditure £482 £554. 10. 5
The following report of the Chief Superintendent was read:-
Detailed Statement of Income and Expenditure for the year ended 31st March 1919.
Selly Oak Park
Estimated,1918-19 Actual to 31st March 1919
Income £ 26 £ 56. 11. 10
Expenditure £482 £554. 10. 5
489 Resolved:- That the report of the Chief Superintendent be received and entered on the Minutes.
31st December 1919 – Parks Department (Operations Card 26 A1)
Acquisition
Acquisition
Area 3 & 4 – Purchased by Messrs. W., J., W.W., and R.L. Gibbins (B’ham Battery & Metal Co. Ltd.) from J. G. Ledsam Esq., No. 3 (12.54 acres = 5.0747 hectares, in Gibbins Road, Selly Oak, 29) being between the existing park and the canal, and No. 4 (0.29 acres = 0.1174 hectares, in Harborne Lane, Selly Oak, 29) being a lodge and garden adjoining the entrance from Harborne Lane. (Deed No. 189, dated 31st December 1913 refers) (This brought the total area of the Park up to 31.08 acres (12.5776 hectares))
The conveyance reserved a right of way to the donors and their assigns from Harborne Lane to Weoley Park Farm. Restrictive Covenants; same as attached to Area 1 – see 1st February 1899.
Photographs of the Conveyance of the 1919 Extension of the Park,
kindly made available by Birmingham City Council.
Photograph of the Plan of Selly Oak Park following the 1919 gift from the Gibbins Family.
Documents kindly made available by the Property Services Department of Birmingham City Council.
Photograph of the document showing the total acquisition by the Gibbins Family from which the extension of Selly Oak Park was gifted.
Document kindly made available by the Property Services Department of Birmingham City Council.
