Page 205 - Once a copper 10 03 2020

Erdington – The Patch

Erdington is a suburb and ward of Birmingham that is historically part of
Warwickshire. Its postcodes include B23, B24 and B72. It is 5 miles (8 km)
northeast of central Birmingham, and borders Sutton Coldfield. The former
council district consisted of the ward of Erdington, and Tyburn, (formerly
Kingsbury), Stockland Green and Kingstanding, although all of Kingstanding
and most of both Tyburn and Stockland Green wards lie outside the historical
boundaries of Erdington. Stockland Green was formerly part of Aston,
Kingstanding part of Perry Barr and Tyburn partially split between Aston and
Hodge Hill (Castle Vale). Erdington was part of the Sutton Coldfield
constituency before 1974.

Highcroft Hospital

Highcroft Hospital was a former Poor Law institution, and then a psychiatric
hospital. There was a social stigma to being treated there. Other large
psychiatric institutions in Birmingham have been broken up. All of the old
Highcroft Hospital grounds have been used for new housing. The main
hospital building has been renovated into luxury apartments and has been
named Highcroft Hall. Highcroft Hall was built between 1869 and 1871 by
Victorian architect Yeoville Thomason.

The building, sanctioned by the Poor Law Board, was originally a workhouse
providing housing to paupers, idiots, tramps, seniles, lunatics and imbeciles
(terms used at the time with distinctive definitions).

The building was originally named the Aston Union Workhouse, but was
renamed over the years as Erdington House (1912 – following the City
boundary changes), and then Highcroft Hall Hospital (1942); and was more
commonly referred to in later years as just Highcroft Hospital.
Over the years, the hospital has generally provided care for the mentally ill. In
1994, the hospital became part of the Northern Birmingham Mental Health
NHS Trust. During the following two years, the facilities were gradually
rehoused in more modern units nearby and in 1996, the building was
declared closed. The site was derelict for the next eight years, before being
refurbished by property developers between 2004 and 2006.

Authors Note

Highcroft incidents come to mind from my uniform days.

Patients would occasionally be found wandering the streets
of Erdington, easily recognisable as they would often be
wearing pyjamas or nothing at all! On one such occasion, I
remember having to cover up the modesty of a naked old Page205
lady who was gracefully walking along Resevoir Road, as if