Local History 10

"Oakwood" 367 Old Birmingham Road

This article from The Messenger is dated 24 April 1935 

Hillscourt Rose Hill Rednal Birmingham B45 8RS

Photgraph copyright Hillscourt

Hillscourt House was built in 1897 it was originally the home of a wealthy Victorian businessman, before becoming Lickey Hills Preparatory school. In 1971 it was purchased by the National Association of School Masters and Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) who continue to own and manage Hillscourt. Whilst used to host its own conferences and training programmes, Hillscourt is also a popular choice for other organisations and businesses looking to host events and conferences at a fully equipped and unique venue. - (History obtained from Hillscourt website)

345 Old Birmingham Road

photograph copyright Motor Sport Magazine

David Prophet b. 9 October 1937 d. 29 March 1981 He lived in Old Birmingham Road in the 1970s. The following is an extract from Motor Sport Magazine 

David Prophet was a keen amateur who was a regular at British and European circuits during the 1960s. He also raced in South Africa during the British winter months and twice started that country’s Grand Prix. Formula Junior and Grand Prix driver/working for Austin Motors from the early 1960s, Prophet started to race in British Formula Junior at the time. He fitted his FJ Brabham BT6 with a Ford twin cam engine and shipped it to South Africa for its 1963/64 season. Second in the Rhodesian GP, he also took part in the South African GP that was the final round of the 1963 World Championship. Prophet qualified in 14th position despite engine problems before retiring on his GP debut. Formula 2 with a Lotus 23 and then a Brabham BT10 followed in 1964 but Prophet returned to South Africa at the end of the year. He took part in the GP again – held on New Year’s Day and now the opening round of the 1965 season. Prophet finished 14th in his second and final world championship GP. Subsequent career. By now he was running a successful garage in King’s Norton that funded his hobby and an impressive house outside Stratford-upon-Avon. Prophet, who always prepared his own racing cars, continued in F2 before switching to sports cars with some national success. He also shared the Lola T70 with which Paul Hawkins qualified on pole position for the 1969 Spa 1000Kms.The launch of Formula 5000 in 1970 enticed Prophet back into single-seaters with a McLaren M10B-Chevrolet. He finished fourth in the 1971 Argentine GP – a non-championship F1/F5000 event – and drove the car until the end of the following season without outright success. Prophet remained a keen enthusiast after he stopped racing himself. He was at Silverstone for the opening European F2 race of 1981 and was returning home when the helicopter he was flying crashed shortly after take-off, killing Prophet and his three passengers.

Marlbrook Tip

photographs copyright Roy Hughes

The first photo taken Easter 1988 from Middle House Drive, before tipping started, the second photo taken in Easter 2012 after tipping was stopped. This history is taken from Bromsgrove District Council website "The land was approved for shooting grounds and gravel and mineral works in the early fifties, with the stacking of associated surplus soil. A ready-mix concrete plant was allowed there in the sixties and it received permission to become a tip as well in 1964. A damaged culvert was approved to be opened up in 1991. Applications for a new culvert and balancing ponds, including earthworks, were approved between 2002 and 2004 allowing 95,000 cubic metres of material to be imported for the purpose. An application to change use to sport and recreation was made in 2000 which was when the site was acquired by the current owner, although this would later be withdrawn. An application to remediate the former landfill site and subsequently create a golf course and associated facilities was granted in 2006. This allowed 373,000 cubic metres of material to be imported. More material than had been permitted by the planning permission was imported on to the site. Due to its size the pool at Marlbrook Quarry is classified as a reservoir and, consequently, the operator of the site is required to comply with the Reservoirs Act 1975. This legislation is enforced by the Environment Agency." Further details of the on-going situation can be found at https://www.bromsgrove.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/planning-enforcement/marlbrook-tip.aspx