Handsworth Old Town Hall by G Warren Blackham

Description:The original Town Hall is situated in Grove Lane. The hall has been used as a workhouse, a lock-up and a parish office, for at least a century and a half. Described in 1709 as a messuage, and tenement, known as the Town Hall.

The 3 cottages which constituted the Old Town Hall were scheduled for demolition under a slum-clearance order about 15 yrs ago. To prevent this the Birmingham Archaeological Society purchased the building and restored it. Restoration consisted of complete gutting - leaving only timber-framework. Around this, the building was reconstructed using original materials as far as possible. It was converted to 2 cottages and given to Birmingham City Council. The oldest part of the building is said to date from before 1500. The house has been much altered, for example the chimney stack and brick filling date from c 1625. The crucks are prominent features of the East and West walls. In other walls timber framework is partially exposed. One of the cottages is now occupied by Handsworth Historical Society who hold regular open days there.

This watercolour is by George Warren Blackham who was working between 1870 and 1900. He was a member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists and exhibited 41 paintings. These included Birmingham street scenes, landscapes and rural scenes. He lived in Hunter's Lane, Handsworth.