Bournville Community Website

[c/o BVT Outlook]

In writing to seek membership of BVT’s prestigious 50+ Club, Mr. H. Smith of Bramble Close, Northfield gave an interesting insight into his Austin Self-Build housing scheme in 1950s Birmingham.

“My wife and I have lived in our self-built house since June 10th, 1954 – the day before our son was born! The Austin Self-Build housing scheme was started, in December 1951, by my wife and I. We didn’t have enough points on the Birmingham Council housing list to qualify for accommodation and couldn’t afford to buy, so self-build was the alternative!

“My 31 years at Austin Motor Company were very satisfying. In that time we had enormous help and advice from the company. Austin solicitors dealt with our paperwork, we loaned building equipment and scaffolding and, as the building work progressed, the company paid our bills until our loans came through from the Council!

“Help was also forthcoming from BVT, who supplied the site on which we self-built our homes. We received invaluable advice from Mr. Muirhead of the architects’ department and guidance from Mr. Harrison of Cadbury’s.

“The 32 houses – in Meadow Brook Road, Verbena Road and Bramble Close - signified the housing scheme’s 32 members and all were completed in two years ten months.

“Like her mother before her, my wife worked at Cadbury’s. She started there in 1942 and during the war did various work; sorting raisons, testing tinned lifeboat rations for leaks and, after the war, cutting marzipan by hand for Milk Tray and Roses.”