Learning on the job – a house built by boys
As the nation comes together to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III, SHARON GREEN looks back at how His Majesty has championed great sporting occasions both on and off the pitch
ONCE the Second World War was over, the devolpment of new housing was the top priority for all the councils of the Black Country.
A combination of slum clearance, war damage repair and building neglect in the prior decades, combined with an ever-increasing population, meant that councils had to act quickly to raise the living standards of their communities.
The return of soldiers, sailors and airmen from serving abroad had also increased pressure on the available housing.
A booklet in the Bugle collection, which was published by the County Borough of Smethwick in 1949, celebrated an early achievement in the post-war rebuild, with emphasis on a block of four new houses on Brandhall Road, the first of an initial erection of 18 to be built on the Perry Hill estate.
But what makes these buildings significant is the fact that they were built under the guise of a very successful ‘Apprentice Master Scheme,’ established by the Ministry of Works in conjunction with the Ministries of Health and Labour, to help train boys as craftsmen in the burgeoning building industry.
Work had commenced in June 1947 and was still ongoing when the first block opened. The booklet describes some of the work involved:
“The apprentices work under competent instructors in the different trades and after a period of employment on the scheme they proceed to a regular long-term apprenticeship with firms of building contractors.
“Several of the youths who have been employed in the erection of these houses are now serving normal apprenticeships.
“At the outset it was realised that, owing to the contour of the land and the comparative inaccessibilty of the site, conditions were not ideal for the erection of these houses by apprentices. But at the time the Borough of Smethwick were unable to offer an alternative site.
“Work commenced, but an abnormal amount of time was spent on the foundations and brickwork up to ground floor level due to the lie of the land. The maximum number of apprentices employed on the first block of houses has been 39, and the whole of the work has been carried out by them except for the installation of electricity and gas services.
“The scheme provided for 18 houses, built in blocks of twos and fours, which will ultimately form part of the Perry Hill Housing Estate. The accommodation consists of a hall, living room, sitting room, kitchen, three bedrooms, bathroom and WC, and out-houses comprising a WC, coalhouse and store.
“The houses are brick built with cavity exterior and internal walls, and clinker block partitions on the first floor. The rustic facing bricks and the machine-made sand-faced
An abnormal amount of time was spent on the foundations due to the lie of the land
roofing tiles were obtained locally.
“Owing to restrictions on the use of timber, the floors of the sitting room and living room on the ground floor are of solid concrete. The hall and the kitchen are quarry tiled. “The steel windows are of standard sizes and built-in wardrobe cupboards are provided in each bedroom. The kitchen is equipped with a dresser, dry store and broom cupbords.
“The Triplex combination cooking and heating grate in the living room supplies the domestic hot water. Coal fires are installed in two of the bedrooms, which are also provided with electric power plugs.”
The houses had been designed by Chester Button, chief architect to the Borough Engineer and Surveyor. At the official opening of the first block by the Mayor, Councillor A Bradford, at 3.30pm on Monday
May 9, 1949, many of the apprentices and their instructors were on hand to join in celebrating the success of the Apprentice Master Scheme.
Perhaps some of the young lads named are reading this now. Or do you recognise a relative among them?
The apprentice bricklayers were C.J. Davies, D.A. Deboo, A. Marsh, J.E. Massey, F.G. Miller, B.D. Pearsall, A.W. Pope, D.E. Richardson, G.T. Smith, M.R. Southern and G.T. Williamson.
The carpenters were K.A. Ashwood, B.A. Breakwell, A. Clarke, A. Jukes, A.W. Philips, R. Porter, R.W. Powell, E.T. Smith, J. Thorpe, D.J. Tustin and J.A. Wilkes.
The apprentice plumbers were named as G.H. Bate, R.W. Coles, R. Darby and C.R. Hadlington.
Many, if not all of the apprentices lined up in front of their completed building project with the instructors, but the only one we can name in the picture is John Timmins – not in the list for some reason – who is seventh from left in the middle row.