Welcome to the online edition of the newsletter.
What appears below is an approximation of the printed edition.
It has been formatted to render properly on the Web. The printed edition is
available
here
.
From The Chair
Spring has Sprung!
It has been cheering to see Spring arriving marred only
by the unsightly overflowing rubbish bins. At this stage
there is little we can do except keep them as tidy as
possible and hope for a resolution to
the strike soon.
However, on a happier note, with
school holidays and Easter arriving
too, there are lots of activities on
the Estate to cheer us up. The Easter
Chick trail is sure to be as much fun
as the Christmas Robin trail was.
Details of all events follow in this newsletter.
See also on the MRA website
www.moorpool.org.uk
and
the Trust website
www.moorpoolhall.org.uk
.
The first Residents’ Association event of the year
takes place at the Carless Eco Centre on Sunday May
4th – do come and say hello whilst enjoying a coffee
and some cake. A free event which will be themed
around anniversary celebrations of VE day. Have your
Union Jack flags ready! (mud kitchen for the kids).
10.30am – 12.30pm.
Did you see?
Moor Pool made it into the Sunday Times where
Harborne was listed as one of the best places to live
in the West Midlands and Moor Pool one of the best
roads (sic). We already know that of course!
We wish everyone a Happy Easter.
Chair: Margaret Harrold
chair@moorpool.org
MRA Event Dates for your Diary
Coffee Cake and Chat Sunday May 4th at the Carless
Eco Centre 10.30am – 12.30pm
Summer Garden Party at Nettlefold Garden Major
Mustard will be there to entertain
Macmillan Coffee Morning Saturday September 27th
in the Hall. 10.30am – 12.00pm
Carols in the Hall Sunday December 14th 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Shocking Developments
Kerbside Charging Arrives in Moor Pool
On-street Electric Vehicle (EV)
charge points have started to
appear on the estate! At the time
of writing there are three street
lamp chargers on Margaret
Grove. Given the branding on
the charge points it seems that
we are gifted these charge points
due to a partnership between
Birmingham City Council and
Shell/Ubitricity. They have a
scheme rolling out on-street charging provisions to
residential areas where off-street parking is limited.
Other on-street charge points can be found locally on
Road, Albany Road and High St.
Why these locations?
Without confirmation from the council it’s hard to
say, but owners (or potential owners) of an EV have
been allowed to register interest as data is compiled on
locations where publicly available charge points and
innovative charging solutions would be most useful.
The Residents’ Association was not consulted in the
selection of these sites.
Are the charge points safe?
On-street charge points are installed according to local
health and safety standards. Street lamp charge points
are installed near the edge of the kerb meaning that
the traditional trip hazard of trailing cables is reduced.
Ubitricity also provides guidance on avoiding foot path
obstructions and how minimize trip hazards caused by
charging cables.
Who can use these charge points?
On-street charge points are publicly available.
Instructions on how to use the charge point are attached
to the street lamp. Drivers are required to provide their
own charge cables.
Can I still park there?
As noted previously, the charge points are publicly
available. The expectation will be that space near
the charge point be available to anyone wanting to
use it. This may not be you or even your immediate
neighbours.
Easy Fundraising For The
Moor Pool Heritage Trust
Raise money for Moor Pool
Heritage Trust while shopping
online with easyfundraising!
Over 8,000 brands will donate
part of what you spend to us and
the best part is that it won’t cost you any extra. Go to
www.easyfundraising.org.uk
to sign up, choose Moor
Pool Heritage Trust as your cause, and then shop as
normal through the easyfundraising website or app.
You can also enable a Donation Reminder through the
app, which will pop up automatically when you visit a
participating retailer’s site.
What's On
All events apart from the plant sale take place in the
Moor Pool Hall
1st April - 30th April
Easter Chick Trail:
Nine colourful
chicks have hatched around Moor Pool this Easter! Can
you find them all and complete our trail? Collect your
trail map from the front of the Hall or download it from
the
MPHT website
.
Saturday 5th April 7.15pm
Fish & Chip Quiz Supper:
Gather the gang and get competitive for our ever-
popular fish and chip quiz supper. Book your tickets at
www.moorpoolhall.org.uk/shop
.
This popular event is
often sold out so register your interest. Next date is in
June.
Thursday 17th April 10am - 12pm
Let’s Do Lego!
FREE Easter holiday Lego play session in the Main
Hall. No need to book, just turn up!
Friday 25th April 10am - 12pm
Springtime Craft:
Join us for a morning of seasonal crafting
this Easter in the Main Hall. £5 per child. Places
are limited so we recommend pre-booking at
www.moorpoolhall.org.uk/shop
Tuesday 29th April 6.30pm - 8pm
Heritage Talk: Battlefields of World War I:
Paul Jaques and Dave
Vaux from the Royal Warwickshire Regiment give an
armchair guide to the WWI battlefields. Tickets £3 on
the door.
Saturday 24th May 11am - 3pm
Plant Sale at the Carless Eco Centre:
Selling flowers, fruit, veg and herb
plants. Cash and card payments accepted.
Tuesday 27th May 6.30pm - 8pm
Heritage Talk: Bertha Bracey, Holocaust Hero:
Dr Sian Roberts
tells the story of Bertha Bracey, a Quaker from
Bournville who saved 100’s of children during the
Holocaust. Tickets £3 on the door.
Thursday 29th May 10am - 12pm
Let’s Do Lego!
FREE half-term Lego play session in the Main Hall. No
need to book, just turn up!
Friday 30th May 10am - 12pm
Half-Term Crafts:
Join us for a morning of seasonal crafting in the Main
Hall. £5 per child. Places are limited so we recommend
pre-booking at
www.moorpoolhall.org.uk/shop
.
Sunday 8th June 10am - 3pm
Harborne Handmade Summer Market:
25 of the best local makers selling
their affordable art. Free entry.
Tuesday 24th June 6.30pm - 8pm
Heritage Talk: 200 Years of Birmingham Medical School:
Professor
Jonathan Reinarz gives a history of Birmingham
Medical School, which celebrates its 200th anniversary
this year. Tickets £3 on the door.
Saturday 28th June 7.15pm
Fish & Chip Quiz Supper:
Gather the gang and get competitive for our ever-
popular fish and chip quiz supper. Book your tickets at
www.moorpoolhall.org.uk/shop
.
News From Clubs and Societies
Moor Pool Bowling Club
Crown Green Bowling is
a great way to meet new
people and do some gentle
exercise in a beautiful
setting. If you would like
to give it a try come along
to our open week-end on
Saturday and Sunday 3rd/4th May between 2 and
4pm. Bowls will be provided and members of the club
will be there to offer tips and instruction. If you are
unable to make it but are interested in joining e-mail
moorpoolbowling@gmail.com to arrange a visit. For
more information use Google and search for Moor Pool
Bowling Club. You will find us in Ravenhurst Road
behind the pool.
The Circle Cinema Club
The club is planning to hold
its next screening on Sunday
27th April. It will be one of the
following films, depending on
the outcome of members’ votes:
- Loving Vincent
- Persepolis
- The Red Turtle
However, the club has had a problem with its projector
which is currently being looked at by a specialist. It is
possible that the screening may have to be rescheduled.
Please check the website
closer to the time for confirmation that the screening is
going ahead or look out for posters around the estate.
If you would like to join the club’s mailing list, please
email
info@circlecinema.co.uk
www.circlecinema.co.uk
Moor Pool Reading Group
Tim Davis writes ‘The reading
group met on 13th March to discuss
Trumpet by Jackie Kay.
Set in the 1960s, the story is about
jazz trumpeter Joss Moody and his
family. It begins just after his death
at which point he is found to be a woman. His wife
knew but his adopted son did not. The book explores
aspects of love, death, gender and sexuality with
refreshing directness told by different characters in
turn. We all enjoyed the book and had an interesting
discussion about some of the issues it raised.
Our next meeting is on May 1st at 7.30pm, Moor Pool
Lower Hall. We will be discussing Death at the sign
of the Rook by Kate Atkinson.
If you’d like to come,
please contact
gillianmorgan1952@gmail.com
.
New members are very welcome.’
Nettlefold Garden
Summer Opening Hours
7 days a week 10am-6pm
When the clocks change, so do
Nettlefold Garden’s opening
hours. It’s now officially
summertime in the garden!
From Monday 31st March the
garden is open 7 days a week,
10am till 6pm. Huge thanks to
the rota of volunteers who open and close the garden.
If you’d like to lend a hand with this, please email
nettlefoldgarden@gmail.com
Tai Chi classes take place in Nettlefold Garden every
Tuesday, 10am - 11am, fee £4. Ideal for seniors. The
classes help with breathing, coordination and balance.
Yoga classes with Janette take place every Sunday,
9am - 10am, fee £5. The Nettlefold Garden is a great
space for meditation at the start of a fresh, new day.
70th Wedding Anniversary
On April 30th Geoffrey and Gill Whitaker will
celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary. Until recently
they lived on Carless Avenue living on the Moor Pool
Estate for an incredible 66 years. Now both in their
90’s they reluctantly decided to move nearer to their
daughter in South Wales. Gill says it was the right
decision, but they still miss the estate. Geoffrey could
be seen in the mornings walking to the shop to collect
his newspaper and Gill was still attending keep fit at
the Hall, walking down Carless Avenue to get there.
We send them our congratulations.
Correction
In the last edition of The Duck there was an
omission which meant that it was stated incorrectly
that the Trust was responsible for the overall
management of the Estate . This should have read
‘the Trust is responsible for the overall management
of the property and land that it owns on the Estate.’
History Corner
What influenced J.S. Nettlefold’s plans for
the Moor Pool Estate?
In 1901, housing powers were
delegated to a new Housing
Committee. Its Chairman was
Councillor J.S. Nettlefold whose
initial policy was to re-condition
back courts by demolishing the two
buildings on either side of a court
entrance to allow more air and light
to penetrate, the so called “Nettlefold Courts”. This
policy of limited rehabilitation did produce some limited
beneficial results.
In 1905, a delegation from Nettlefold’s Housing
Committee visited Germany to examine the ways in
which new houses had been planned and built there.
The Committee’s basic problem was to find ways of
improving inner city conditions as well as to assist
in the provision of healthy, cheerful houses on the
outskirts of the City, whilst at the same time not unduly
increasing housing rents. The German experience
where every sizeable town in Germany had adopted a
Town Expansion Plan had a considerable impact on the
Committee’s thinking and some fairly advanced Town
Planning principles emerged.
The plan provided for the future development of all
land within their boundaries, settling direction and
widths of streets and generally controlling the types of
development in particular areas. This was quite different
to the English haphazard methodology.
The Housing Committee recommended that there should
be powers to control development in new areas to ensure
a better distribution of houses and provision of roads,
and to buy land in the suburbs where private enterprise
could be encouraged to build working men’s houses at
moderate rents. In moving in this direction, Birmingham
was emerging as one of the first British local authorities
to promote Town Planning ideas which have since been
taken as basic principles in influencing the type and
direction of development. These ideas were soon to have
legislative support in the Housing, Town Planning Act of
1909.
Rob Sutton
Moor Pool History & Preservation Society
www.moorpoolgardensuburb.co.uk
