Extract from up the terrace down Aston and Lozells by Ronald k Moore. P. 97-99

We were not too bothered about the “evils of drink” but we did like the annual Band of Hope procession. The horses and carts were all hired from local traders and the tired Old Nags we knew by name in the street were transformed into gleaming new horses for a day, with plaited tails and ribbons, pulling carts decorated with coloured hoops, streamers and trimmings. The dull old street became a blaze of colour as at midday all the side streets spilled into Lozells Road with cowboys and very red Indians, small nurses and missionaries, cardboard Roman soldiers with deadly wooden swords and delicate fairies with wire and Paper Wings. Then the laiden carts were organised into some sort of order and at a given signal, off they all went. (The tableau themselves were all domestic scenes of drunken fathers and cowering children contrasted with happy Families who did not drink.) First up to Bendall's corner (high class confectioner) with its huge clock on the building and the procession wheeled round to the white right into Hamstead Road, a great contrast to our dreary Lozells streets.

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White bonneted maid servants cheered from doorsteps and waved feather dusters, trams clanged and upstairs passengers leaned over the rail to shout encouragement as the mob swung noisily down the hill, into the dip to the gates of Handsworth Park. Then turning left through the gates it passed the boating lake, complete with swans, island and boats full of self conscious young men showing how they could feather an oar, in case any girls might be looking on.

At the Far Side of the park on the high Meadow, by the Grove Lane entrance, everything came to a halt. Horses were gratefully unharnessed and taken away to a corner of the meadow for nose bags and water and left to their own devices. Excited children were unshipped, scrubbed trestle tables laid out and stacked with sandwiches, cakes, great gleaming tea urns and huge Brown enamel teapots and then the sports began. This was the usual sort of thing, with the 50 yard dash, egg and spoon race and sack races but with the added interest of many children being in fancy dress, so cowboys dropped their guns in Mid race and had to go back for them, crying, soldiers tripped over their swords and fairies' cardboard wings fell off in all the pushing and shoving at the start.

All the while there was further excitement from trains steaming through the park with passengers leaning out of the carriages and cheering and everyone was aware of the cameraman with his big mahogany and brass plate camera. He was a regular visitor and the slides were shown at the Lozells picture house during the next week so everyone could shriek with laughter at themselves even though the only sound was The Pianist tinkling away on the piano. This, of course, was long before the age of cinema.

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Late in the afternoon, the whole procession formed up again, still collecting crowds and chairs along the streets returning home until back at Wheeler Street, parents reclaim tired, dusty children and gleaming colourful steeds became the milkman's cart horse again.

Reproduced with the permission of the author.

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Recollections of the Flower Show, which in subsequent years, became the Birmingham Show, by Jenny Ann Nicol:

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The first time I remember going to Handsworth Park to attend the Flower Show, which in subsequent years, became the Birmingham Show, was 1947. It was quite an amazing event for a young child to be taken in those years following the Second World War. We would take the No. 11 Outer Circle bus to Church Lane and walk down to Handsworth Park, passing some very large houses that backed on to the Park. The area was rather upscale at that time. 

The Park, itself was transformed by huge white Marquees and a large fairground with all kinds of rides, swings, carousels, Dodgems, etc. Since people were very much into growing vegetables and flowers in those days the tents that housed the flowers and produce were very popular. All the flowers and vegetables that had been grown and put on show seemed

to be the essence of perfection. The runner beans were the longest and straightest ever seen, the pea pods full of fat peas, cauliflowers with perfect snow white centres, cabbages.seed catalogue perfect, potatoes all scrubbed and shiny, parsnips golden yellow and nary a mark on them; carrots and many other vegetables also perfectly formed and displayed with such care. These didn't much resemble the offerings of the local greengrocers!!! The exhibitors would stand by their displays for hours and keep an eye on their prize vegetables. There was much competition between regular competitors and many secrets were employed to make sure these vegetables were almost guaranteed to win a ribbon preferably one of a blue colour - First Prize.

The Flower exhibit tent was also a sight to behold. I particularly remember rows of amazing chrysanthemums the size of plates and all colours of the rainbow, roses of many varieties along with many many other types of flowers all exquisitely displayed. There were many stories among the exhibitors of staying up all night to watch their prize winning blooms to make sure nothing befell them before the week of the Show. The dahlias were also very spectacular. Visitors were invited to buy flowers and seeds. With lots of people, dreaming of such horticulutural successes that were spread out before them in these tents, selling seeds wasn't to them wasn't to difficult a task. The prize winning African Violets and miniature ornamental gardens with little pools full of gold fish of all sizes were very popular to view.

I remember the marquee with the Dogs and also the Dog Walking event with so many different types of dogs strutting their stuff with their handlers. There was also a tent with Cats who were judged in their different classes. All pampered and looking bored. I believe they had rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters also. I seem to remember a Cage Bird section also.

In the late afternoon, Ted Heath and his band were playing and everyone sat on the grass above the fairground and listened as the full band played all the favourite tunes of the day. Many people would bring picnics and flasks of tea for sustenance but you could buy tea and cakes at the Tea Tent and Orange Juice and Pop for the kids along with Ice Cream and the inevitable Candy Floss at the Fairground.

In the evening the lights would come on and the lake had lights all around it. The music would seem louder at the Fair and all the lights would twinkle on the rides. The finale of the evening was the fireworks display. Apart from all the rockets, golden showers, etc. I remember a huge display of the outlines of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip all lit up and wishing them the very best. This was the year that they were married and it was a salute to them.

After the fireworks everyone left to catch their buses or walk home. Birmingham Transport would lay on extra buses so no one had to wait very long for a bus.

Handsworth Park, a super place for the Birmingham Show and brings back memories of times spent there in those long ago golden days.

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The Handsworth Vandal

This is a story my wife's grandfather shared with her about the park. He lived in Albion Road for many years and loved to walk his dogs in Handsworth Park every day. He told her about his antics to prevent work to drain the boating lake and create a car park. As the Birmingham Mail article shows, this is the story of a person clearing up a mystery that you may not be aware of, with a positive outcome you might not know exists.
 

A GREAT grandfather has confessed to a spree of vandalism 25 years ago which he claims saved a Birmingham beauty spot from being turned into a car park.

Pensioner Ian Hazelhurst, aged 76, said his family were thrilled by his dastardly past and had urged him to come clean about how he rescued Handsworth Park.

It all started in the summer of 1985, shortly after the large boating lake at the park had been drained for a clean. Retired sign maker Ian said he was walking his German Shepherd when he heard two maintenance men talking about concreting over the Victorian landmark which had fallen into disrepair at the time.

“Over my dead body!” the nature lover thought and so, he said, he began his six-month campaign to save the lake.

“So one night, under the cover of darkness, I slipped down to the park carrying a bucket of sand and cement,” he recalled. “Using bricks from a broken wall in the nearby church I built a wall over the hole and poured cement into the gaps – permanently blocking it.”

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Birmingham Mail link​

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The Handsworth Pike

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By Simon Baddeley:

One anecdote shared with me by one of the historical societies to whom I was talking recently about the park: At the Memorial Hall I was told a story. Maurice, even older than I, told me a tale his father had told him of the Handsworth park pond before the Great War. There were fewer and fewer fish to be caught by the keen local anglers who fished the pond in the 1900s. A great pike was rumoured to be eating them. A reward was offered of a month's wages - £5 - to anyone who could catch and dispatch it. Many tried and failed, losing their tackle. Eventually a man called Morton, who lived off Holly Road, succeeded in landing and killing the great predator. He got the reward and spent it - plus another £3 - on taking the beast to a taxidermist. The stuffed pike, in a glass cabinet, was displayed with pride in his home. Ever after locals called him 'Pikey' Morton. He'd button-hole people and boast of his catch; how that fish came out of the pond "barking like a dog", "lips full of rusty hooks", "wrapped itself three times round me!" I wonder where Morton's pike might be now.

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The Art of the Park - Hurvin Anderson

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Turner Prize nominated artist Hurvin Anderson is a world renowned son of Handsworth, and in this article talking about his Reporting Back exhibition in 2013/14, it becomes clear that the park was important to his life in the area and his beginnings in art: