Moor Pool Heritage Trust
Our story
Moor Pool Heritage Trust is a registered charity that now looks after the community buildings and assets on the Moor Pool Estate Conservation Area. The Trust was formed by the local community in 2011 and raised £325k in funds to secure community ownership of the Hall and other community assets for continued community use.
The various activities of the Trust focus on community, education, heritage and environment, and promoting and preserving the heritage of the Moor Pool Estate garden suburb.
The Moor Pool Estate Timeline
John Sutton Nettlefold
John Sutton Nettlefold is appointed Chairman of the new Housing Committee dealing with the problem of social housing in Birmingham. Inspired by the Garden City Movement, as pioneered by Ebenezer Howard, he has a vision of creating an ideal place to live that combines the benefits of both the town and the countryside.
Harborne Tenants Ltd
Harborne Tenants Ltd was formed under the Industrial & Provident Societies Act. Individual tenants could buy a minimum of 2 shares each in the Estate company and could gradually increase their holding.
26 Oct 1907
Cutting the first sod
Margaret Nettlefold (wife of John Sutton Nettlefold) cuts the first sod of the Moor Pool Estate. In his opening address, Dr William Gore says, “There must be better houses, more air, more gardens, and more spaces for playgrounds for children”.
First house opens
The first house is completed on the corner of Moor Pool Avenue and Park Hill Road and is officially opened.
Moor Pool Hall opens
Completion
The Moor Pool Estate is completed.
Change of status
Harborne Tenants changes to a Company under the companies act.
Conservation area
Moor Pool Estate becomes a designated conservation area. It remains an almost completely intact example of a garden suburb built to provide affordable housing in a semi-rural environment.
Bradford Property Trust
Bradford Property Trust acquires the Moor Pool Estate from Harborne Tenants Ltd. Some owners and tenants acquire a lot of shares and are happy to sell.
Grainger plc
Grainger plc takes over from Bradford Property Trust.
Houses protected
Article 4(2) Direction secured to prevent further alterations to houses that affect character of the estate.
Moor Pool Heritage Trust
The community spaces around the Estate are under threat of being sold for redevelopment so MPHT is formed to save them.
Fundraising begins
MPHT embarks on an ambitious fundraising campaign to raise the £325,000 needed to save the community assets. The community come together to support various fundraising events, the Trust successfully applies for Heritage Lottery grant funding and local businessman Bob Mitchell steps up to bridge the funding gap with a very generous donation.
The Builder's Yard is acquired from Grainger plc
Grainger plc hand over the keys to the Builder’s Yard to Moor Pool Heritage Trust.
MPHT protects assets
Moor Pool Heritage Trust takes ownership of the community assets from Grainger plc, following a successful fundraising campaign.
Circle Cinema is founded
A film club and community cinema based at Moor Pool Hall is founded by local residents. It’s still going strong today, showing seven films per year.
Our team grows
MPHT employs its first staff to manage the day-to-day running of the Estate. Barbara Nomikos becomes the Hall & Assets Manager and Rachel West is recruited as the Education & Community Outreach Officer.
Skittle Alley door is replaced
A door is replaced from the original Edwardian skittle alley to the Lower Hall to conform to fire regulations.
Moor Pool Players bid farewell
After treading the boards of Moor Pool Hall’s stage for almost 40 years, the curtain comes down one last time for the Moor Pool Players, our resident amateur dramatics group.
Nettlefold Garden opens
With thanks to Pocket Park funding from Birmingham City Council and the hard work of local volunteers, the Nettlefold Garden opens in 2017.
The Main Hall kitchen is refurbished
The kitchen refurbishment project is the first major fundraising project carried out at Moor Pool Hall. It is made possible by generous donations and the amount raised through fundraising events. We were also delighted to have received a grant from Harborne Parish Lands and generous donations from the Moor Pool Players and Moor Pool Residents Association.
The Lower Hall floods
A freak storm floods the Lower Hall, damaging the render and original woodblock flooring. The Lower Hall is out of use for nearly a year.
First University of Birmingham placement student joins the team
The first of our University of Birmingham Heritage & Engagement placement students joins the team and takes part in a variety of activities to support the Trust and engage community.
Work begins on the Carless Eco Centre
Stone is laid and the cabin starts to take shape on the former Builder’s Yard which will become the Carless Eco Centre.
Interpretation panels are installed around the Estate
Five interpretation panels are installed across the Estate enabling visitors and residents to explore and learn more about the Moor Pool Estate at their leisure. A few months later these are accompanied by a self-guided trail leaflet available in printed format and available as an online download.
The Lower Hall kitchen is upgraded
Following the flooding of 2018 that left the Lower Hall and kitchen out of use for a year, a new kitchen is installed in the Lower Hall including better equipment, more cupboard space, larger sinks and new white goods, and better access.
Queen's Award for Voluntary Service
Moor Pool Heritage Trust receives a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service at an official ceremony at Birmingham Hippodrome. It is a huge honour for our wonderful volunteers past and present.
COVID-19 shuts the Halls
In response to the global coronavirus pandemic, we take the decision to close our community halls. Our outdoor spaces remain open for community use. We receive Covid relief funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The Elizabeth Oak is planted
‘The Elizabeth Oak’, named after Queen Elizabeth II, is planted in the Nettlefold Garden as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative to honour the Platinum Jubilee. The oak sapling is kindly donated by The Alscot Estate in Warwickshire.
Carless Eco Centre opens
The outdoor space behind the Square and the Builder’s Yard is developed through grants, fundraising and many hours of volunteer work and transformed into the Carless Eco Centre with a log cabin, greenhouse, raised beds and wheelchair access.
MPHT purchases the Estate Office
The Moor Pool jigsaw is complete with the purchase of the Estate Office from Grainger plc, thanks to financial support from the Community Ownership Fund (The Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities) and the Harborne Tenants Snooker Club.
