Moseley Life
The development of Moseley at different stages in its history is described in the following articles (click to view):
You can also view the following galleries of pictures:
- Victorian Postcards
- World War 1 – scenes from the War, showing damage suffered by Moseley buildings.
- Moseley Festival – photographs of Moseley Festivals during the 1980s.
Victorian Moseley – Transport and Social Developments
Two articles tell the story of the development of Moseley in Victorian times with reference to (often amusing) reports in local newspapers and magazines. Click to read:
— Victorian Moseley in the News – Transport
— Victorian Moseley in the News – Developments in Housing and Society
Further articles here on Moseley Village Green and Transport in Moseley describe how the road pattern and transport infrastructure have changed leading to the relocation of the village green from the vicinity of the Meteor Ford site to its current location at the crossroads .
An article here describes the development of the Postal Service in Moseley in Victorian times, with examples of Victorian Christmas cards.
Victorian Housing in Moseley
An article on Sorrento House and Gardens describes the style of architecture favoured by affluent Moseley residents and the social life associated with their lifestyle.
Sports and Social Life
Sport was important in late 19th/ early 20th century Moseley as a way of developing social contacts and relationships of all kinds. The history of the major Sports and Social clubs in Moseley is described here (click to view). See also the following:
- Moseley Quoits and Bowling Club – the history of the club, photographs of players, cups and notices plus information on other bowling clubs in Moseley – by Janet Berry (also referenced in – Newsletter November 2012)
- When Moseley won silver at the Olympics (rugby union)
- Moseley Skating Rink at the Trafalgar Hotel, with thanks to Mark Baxter and OnlineNewspapers
- Moseley Park Golf Club at Moseley Hall – an article by John Moreton.
- “Golf comes to Moseley – a history of Moseley Golf Club” – Newsletter August 2013
- Moseley Tennis Club by Diane Hirst and Heather Frazier
Sorrento Hospital – Memories of Sorrento Midwives
A talk about Sorrento Hospital which Josie Wall gave to a Local History Group meeting in 2013 can be read here.
Jenny Hodder has given us her memories of working as a midwife at Sorrento Maternity Hospital . Ann Flynn has also given us her recollections of life as an orderly at Sorrento in a conversation with Linda Gresham along with two of her two of her poems about Sorrento.
Memories of Moseley Life
Memories of Moseley life are reflected in these articles by local people. (Click to view)
- Colin Precious – Memories of Moseley – including Moseley C of E School, the Kingsway Cinema, Carnegie Boys Club, Roy Cross fruit and veg and Sycamore House.
- Robert Hitchman – Moseley C of E School – including a school photograph
- My first job at W H Smith’s by G. Reeves– an oral history. See also article on the W H Smith’s Building
- Boots’ Library by Diane Hirst
- Memories of Moseley Art School by Ann Barran
- Memories of a concert at St Mary’s by Tony Lee
- Lia Lesser’s Memories of Moseley– and of her nursing experience.
- Tesco and The Wombles – Janet Berry’s story about Tesco and the Wombles
Memories of World War II
Articles tell the story of Suzanne Marburg, a young Jewish girl who died in the ‘Birmingham Blitz’ of 12 December 1940, and the life of Reverend Rosalind Emma Lee, who rescued Suzanne from Nazi Germany and resettled her in England as a refugee. (Click to read). There is a further article about Suzanne and other victims of the same air raid – the families of the Piccioni brothers in Oxford Road – in the Newsletter October 2012. (Click to read the newsletter). You can also read a member’s memories of Coventry burning in a WWII Memory.
More articles
There is an article on the history of Toc H in Moseley , also describing its origins and role during World War 1.
Further memories feature in editions of Local History Newsletters from 2012-13. Click on the Newsletter edition to read the articles.
- Britain’s Muslim soldiers – the contribution they made in both world wars – Newsletter July 2013
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s connection with Moseley – Newsletter May 2013
- The Toy Balloon by Verity Montague-Smith – Newsletter October 2013