Lickey Grange
Encyclopedia
Lickey Grange is a Victorian
private house and estate near Birmingham
, England
; important because of its association with the renowned automobile designer Herbert Austin
, who once owned it and lived there for 31 years.
It later became a residential school
and was recently redeveloped for private housing.
Lickey Grange is located in the village
of Lickey
, and is accessed directly from the Old Birmingham Road (B4096). The B4096 appears to have once formed the route of the A38
, but the A38 now bypasses Lickey.
, at Longbridge
, in 1905 and he moved his family to Lickey Grange in 1910. His new home included 100 acres (40.5 ha) of surrounding land; and a lodge.
He had previously worked as an Engineer at the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Company in Australia
and returned to England, with his Australian wife, in 1893 to become Manager
of its manufacturing operations in Aston
, Birmingham
. He extended the range of the company; but continued as Manager of both parts of the company. The new part became known in 1901 as the Wolseley Tool and Motor Company
; and he had designed its first car. He left the Wolseley Tool and Motor company in 1905, bringing two former Wolseley designers with him to his new company at Longbridge
, which was then in the countryside, in Worcestershire
. However, he continued working for the Wolseley Sheep and Shearing Company; and was Chairman from 1911 to 1931.
Between 1893 and 1910 Herbert Austin had lived in various parts of Birmingham. By 1910 he was sufficiently wealthy to move from Birmingham, with his wife, two daughters and his son, to his new home, Lickey Grange, where he spent the rest of his life.
The Austin 7
was designed at Lickey Grange between 1921 and 1922, in the billiards
room, but not on the billard table! This was a 7 horsepower
(hp) car. It had been designed in private, at Herbert Austin's expense, at Lickey Grange because the other directors of the Austin Motor company preferred bigger 12 hp-engined cars and were against the idea of a "small" car. Herbert Austin patent
ed some of the features and so gained a royalty
for every Austin 7 sold by the company. The co-designer of the car, Stanley Edge, who was 15 at the time lived at the Lodge, but ate his meals in the adjoining library.
Herbert Austin died in 1941 and was buried in the graveyard of Lickey Church. The Grange was later sold.
(BRIB), a charity
, then took over Lickey Grange and the first pupils moved-in in March 1953. The BRIB's school had previously been at Carpenter Road, Edgbaston
, Birmingham
, but this site was acquired by the BBC
, (firstly Outside broadcasting
in 1954, then the Regional HQ in 1955), forcing the move to Lickey Grange.
The BRIB kept the Victorian house very much the same as it had been. However, the grounds were developed to meet the needs of a residential school for blind
children. Individual houses were built for teacher
s; Hostel
blocks were built for the pupils, an assembly hall, an indoor swimming pool
and class rooms.
The school catered for a mixture of residential and day pupils. Until the 1980s there were more residential pupils than day pupils; however changes in the methods of education - integration - lead to a large drop in the numbers of children being sent to the school.
and a billiards room, that might be expected in such a house. After the BRIB vacated the site, it began to be redeveloped. The individual houses formerly occupied by teachers, nearest to the Old Birmingham Road, were sold off first. The rest of the site has been used for new up-market "executive" homes; isolated on the estate behind closed electronic gates.
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
private house and estate near Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
; important because of its association with the renowned automobile designer Herbert Austin
Herbert Austin
Herbert 'Pa' Austin, 1st Baron Austin KBE was an English automobile designer and builder who founded the Austin Motor Company.-Background and early life:...
, who once owned it and lived there for 31 years.
It later became a residential school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
and was recently redeveloped for private housing.
Lickey Grange is located in the village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of Lickey
Lickey
Lickey is a village in the north of Worcestershire, England approximately south west from the centre of Birmingham. It lies in Bromsgrove District and is situated on the Lickey Ridge, amongst the Lickey Hills, its proximity to countryside and the city makes it a popular commuter area. The civil...
, and is accessed directly from the Old Birmingham Road (B4096). The B4096 appears to have once formed the route of the A38
A38 road
The A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...
, but the A38 now bypasses Lickey.
Herbert Austin
The early history of Lickey Grange is not known. Herbert Austin founded the Austin Motor CompanyAustin Motor Company
The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles. The company was founded in 1905 and merged in 1952 into the British Motor Corporation Ltd. The marque Austin was used until 1987...
, at Longbridge
Longbridge
Longbridge is an area of Birmingham, England. For local government purposes it is a ward within the district of Northfield.Since 1905, the area has been dominated by the Longbridge plant, which produced Austin, Nash Metropolitan, Morris, British Leyland, and most recently MG Rover cars...
, in 1905 and he moved his family to Lickey Grange in 1910. His new home included 100 acres (40.5 ha) of surrounding land; and a lodge.
He had previously worked as an Engineer at the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Company in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and returned to England, with his Australian wife, in 1893 to become Manager
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
of its manufacturing operations in Aston
Aston
Aston is an area of the City of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Lying to the north-east of the Birmingham city centre, Aston constitutes an electoral ward within the council constituency of Ladywood.-History:...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. He extended the range of the company; but continued as Manager of both parts of the company. The new part became known in 1901 as the Wolseley Tool and Motor Company
Wolseley Motor Company
The Wolseley Motor Company was a British automobile manufacturer founded in 1901. After 1935 it was incorporated into larger companies but the Wolseley name remained as an upmarket marque until 1975.-History:...
; and he had designed its first car. He left the Wolseley Tool and Motor company in 1905, bringing two former Wolseley designers with him to his new company at Longbridge
Longbridge
Longbridge is an area of Birmingham, England. For local government purposes it is a ward within the district of Northfield.Since 1905, the area has been dominated by the Longbridge plant, which produced Austin, Nash Metropolitan, Morris, British Leyland, and most recently MG Rover cars...
, which was then in the countryside, in Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
. However, he continued working for the Wolseley Sheep and Shearing Company; and was Chairman from 1911 to 1931.
Between 1893 and 1910 Herbert Austin had lived in various parts of Birmingham. By 1910 he was sufficiently wealthy to move from Birmingham, with his wife, two daughters and his son, to his new home, Lickey Grange, where he spent the rest of his life.
The Austin 7
Austin 7
The Austin 7 was a car produced from 1922 through to 1939 in the United Kingdom by the Austin Motor Company. Nicknamed the "Baby Austin", it was one of the most popular cars ever produced for the British market, and sold well abroad...
was designed at Lickey Grange between 1921 and 1922, in the billiards
Billiards
Cue sports , also known as billiard sports, are a wide variety of games of skill generally played with a cue stick which is used to strike billiard balls, moving them around a cloth-covered billiards table bounded by rubber .Historically, the umbrella term was billiards...
room, but not on the billard table! This was a 7 horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
(hp) car. It had been designed in private, at Herbert Austin's expense, at Lickey Grange because the other directors of the Austin Motor company preferred bigger 12 hp-engined cars and were against the idea of a "small" car. Herbert Austin patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
ed some of the features and so gained a royalty
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
for every Austin 7 sold by the company. The co-designer of the car, Stanley Edge, who was 15 at the time lived at the Lodge, but ate his meals in the adjoining library.
Herbert Austin died in 1941 and was buried in the graveyard of Lickey Church. The Grange was later sold.
Birmingham Royal Institution for the Blind
The Birmingham Royal Institution for the BlindBirmingham Royal Institution for the Blind
The Birmingham Royal Institution for the Blind is a registered charity in the United Kingdom which oversees the work of three distinct charities in the Birmingham area:...
(BRIB), a charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
, then took over Lickey Grange and the first pupils moved-in in March 1953. The BRIB's school had previously been at Carpenter Road, Edgbaston
Edgbaston
Edgbaston is an area in the city of Birmingham in England. It is also a formal district, managed by its own district committee. The constituency includes the smaller Edgbaston ward and the wards of Bartley Green, Harborne and Quinton....
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, but this site was acquired by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, (firstly Outside broadcasting
Outside broadcasting
Outside broadcasting is the electronic field production of television or radio programmes from a mobile remote broadcast television studio. Professional video camera and microphone signals come into the production truck for processing, recording and possibly transmission...
in 1954, then the Regional HQ in 1955), forcing the move to Lickey Grange.
The BRIB kept the Victorian house very much the same as it had been. However, the grounds were developed to meet the needs of a residential school for blind
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
children. Individual houses were built for teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
s; Hostel
Hostel
Hostels provide budget oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed, in a dormitory and share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex, although private rooms may also be available...
blocks were built for the pupils, an assembly hall, an indoor swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
and class rooms.
The school catered for a mixture of residential and day pupils. Until the 1980s there were more residential pupils than day pupils; however changes in the methods of education - integration - lead to a large drop in the numbers of children being sent to the school.
Redevelopment
The house is Victorian with the large rooms, such as a libraryLibrary
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
and a billiards room, that might be expected in such a house. After the BRIB vacated the site, it began to be redeveloped. The individual houses formerly occupied by teachers, nearest to the Old Birmingham Road, were sold off first. The rest of the site has been used for new up-market "executive" homes; isolated on the estate behind closed electronic gates.