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Four Oaks
Four Oaks maps
Historic maps of Four Oaks and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Four Oaks maps
Four Oaks photos
We have no photos of Four Oaks, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Sutton Coldfield| Streetly| Drayton Bassett| Hopwas| Water Orton| Castle Bromwich| Kingsbury| Brownhills| Tamworth| Chasewater
Four Oaks area books
Displaying 1 of 9 books about Four Oaks and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Four Oaks
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West Midlands memories
Princess Alice Home And Orphanage 1941-1955
I too, was in Copley House with my sister Sheila. Our surname was Youngs (the sister in charge of the house was Sister Ada Fitzjohn). I was at first, in the nursery school on Chester Road until I was five and went up to the 'big' home. Many happy memories of Sutton Park, the lakes, the trees and the heather. We sometimes played truant from Sunday school, and went to the park but often found out and were punished - polishing floors, getting the strap, or missing tea. I attended Sutton Coldfield High School, but I hated the high school, as most of the girls were snobs. There were a few nice girls, and some specially nice teachers; Mrs Appleby, Hilary Andrade - Thomas, Miss Hinton, Miss Bowie. I was the only 'home' girl at the high school for many years. I went to school at slightly different times to the other children at the home, and had a different colour uniform to the others at the home. I was... Read more
Walking to School
I lived in Goldieslie Road (from 1966 - 1979) and went to the Town County Primary School (juniors). I used to walk to school past the Driffold every day (unless I took the 107 bus!) Sometimes I walked up through the gardens. I had a friend called Michelle who lived in the Driffold and I used to call for her. We used to dawdle our way to school via the top road and down past the "Cup". I've tried to find her again after all these years, because we lost touch when she went to the Girls Grammar school and I went to John Wilmott. My memories are of the beautiful flower beds in the Driffold gardens and a particular one of sitting there once with my grandma when I was very young. I haven't been to Sutton for a few years now, but have recently discovered my third cousins who lived there as well. Our grandmothers were cousins. Nostalgia rules ok!
The Driffold
I lived in no. 3 The Driffold. I attended Town County Primary and then John Willmott Grammar School. I have the happiest memories of living there with Sutton Park just down the road. We used to play near the duck pond identifying all the ducks and fishing- trying to catch pike. We cycled everywhere. In the summer we'd cycle to the outdoor swimming pool and spend all day there swimming in the pool and the lake. Our mother would wheel the pushchair with the latest baby and a picnic lunch there later. Such wonderful happy times. I sang in the choir at Holy Trinity. It was my whole life. Three weddings on a Satuday with the red carpet equalled 7/6d which was a lot of money then. I loved Sutton Coldfield. The best days of my life. Now living in Newmarket. Lovely but very different. The best years were spent in Sutton. Very nostalgic!. We had such fun as children. The Guides every Thursday night in a corrugated iron shed,... Read more
Chester Road.
I spent 9 years from the age of 6 to 14 years old, (1936 to 1944) living in the Princess Alice Home & Orphanage in Sutton Coldfield.
I do not recognise any of the pictures on this website. So I am presuming there have been many changes, besides the demolition of the Home and surrounding property.
I do remember spending so many weekends in Sutton Park, just a short walk from the Home. It felt longer when I was small. We played in the Woods, Picked Blackberry's and Bluebells. Swam and paddled in the streams and Picknicked, until we were so tired we had difficulty walking back to the Home.
I attended school in nearby Boldmere walking to and from there along Chester Road.
During the war when Coventry was bombed the German planes returning to Germany dropped their remaining load, as they passed over the Home. Luckily none of the children were killed or injured, although we were all very frightened.
Whilst walking to school (in... Read more
Watson House
What a delight to find this site and the photographs of Sutton Coldfield. I too have memories of a children's home but mine were of Watson House. From what I remember it was a big beautiful Tudor-built house, with the biggest in and out drive I have ever had the pleasure of being permitted to walk on without being chased off, the sound of the gravel beneath my child sized shoes always amused me. I often think of the years I spent there. I remember the pond where we used to feed the swans, thanks to Sister Mary who used to put a couple of us in the back of her Morris car and take us there. I remember the 'Old Rec' which was at the top of Birmingham Road, with all the dog walkers and the mums and dads with their children playing ball or hide and seek - how I never got lost whilst playing with the Watson's house dog Randal I'll never know.
I saw the photograph... Read more
Princess Alice School
I was known as Beryl Pooley. I lived in Copley House from 1942 til 1954 or 1956, I can't quite remember. I remember Sutton Park where we went on Saturdays, wooding. The wood was for the fireplace. I remember being cold and used to sit close to the fireplace but wound up with chilblains... if anyone knows what they were, ha ha. Anyway the memories were good. Had to walk a long way to school. Boldmere School. Later we had buses take us. Loved to work on the farm attatched to the school during harvest and remember the fun we had stooking the corn or wheat whatever it was also had to creosote the hen houses to stop the rain going in them. Anyway that was a time I enjoyed. Ronald Bradley wrote note asking if anyone remembered him ... well I do, and I remember his sister also... the terrible twins, blonde as could be. I live in America now and have been since... Read more
Married in Streetly
I met my wife Jean Izon in Streetly, she was born in Bridle Lane. There was a holiday camp for children from Walsall right opposite. A church and housing estate now occupy the site [Bridle Wood]. Her father was the local coal merchant [he wore a suit on weekdays] and they had a phone in the house [strange to a boy from Walsall[. We were married by the Rev Alan Holt at All Saints Church in 1966. We are still together and live in Cornwall. Streetly will always be a special place for us, Jean was born there and we met there.
