Another piece of heritage to be lost
DEAR Editor, Rookery House – a Grade II-listed Georgian building – in Rookery Park, Erdington, is to be converted into 15 apartments and one dwelling.
For 20 years, as Community Arts Officer for Erdington I campaigned relentlessly with the Friends of Rookery House and other groups and agencies to have the house preserved for community use.
We were initially encouraged when the late Geoff Hitchman, a local historian, discovered a document from Dr Paget Evans bequeathing the house to the citizens of Erdington for community purposes.
Sadly, this historical evidence was totally ignored as were all efforts by determined members of the community such as Phil Mist who campaigned tirelessly for years to have the house given back to the people.
With its William Wilberforce connections, suggestions were made to turn the house into an anti-slavery museum, a heritage museum, an arts centre, a wedding venue or facilities for sports and social activities in the park.
For many years the house acted as an ad hoc arts centre where it became the hub of cultural activities in Erdington.
It became a vibrant film location where films such as The Casebook of Eddie Brewer became a prize-winning production and is now on sale throughout the USA.
We only have to look across the Birmingham border to Sandwell to see imagination and creativity at work with the innovative project restoring the Queen Ann house in Lightwoods Park, Bearwood.
Their ideas are exciting and invigorating. Then sadly we turn back towards neglected Erdington and think of what could have been.
I feel, with the disappointing news on the