The Big House
A brief history of the Big House, previous inhabitants and uses accompanied by two photographs of the exterior.
The Big House at 44 Church Street, is the oldest building left in Oldbury. The date over the door did read AD 1705 but the basement and foundations are older still, and include 'Rowley Rag' as a building stone. In the late eighteenth century this Georgian town house was the home of William Freeth, who owned considerable lands in Oldbury. It then passed to his daughter Mary and husband the Revd Edward Palmer.
For a short period it was the home of Cornelius Whitehouse, the inventor of lap-welded tubing. The earliest surviving title deed from 1769 describes the house, gardens, barns, cowsheds, stables and outbuildings lying in 7 acres of land. It was used as a prison in about 1840. The windows of one part of the building were very small and cross-barred with iron. The doors appeared to have been partially lined with iron. These were used as the cells or lock up for the prison although the main police headquarters was in Halesowen.
The lands were sold off in 1853 as building lots, including the orchards, which gave their name to Orchard Street. In 1857 it was bought for offices by the law firm Hayes & Wright, and finally used by Jones, Son & Vernon, surveyors and estate agents, until the 1990's. In 1950 the building became a Grade II listed building due to a number of features which were considered to be of historical importance that should be preserved. It is currently owned by Sandwell MBC and has been extensively refurbished to accommodate the Mayor and Civic Affairs Suite.
Previous Owners of The Big House
Owned by William Freeth, after which nearby Freeth Street is named, the property passed on to his daughters after his death. Here is some information taken from old title deeds and documents dating back to 1821.
19/04/1821 - House owned by Reverand Edward Palmer of Moseley and Mary Palmer (daughter of William Freeth)
12/05/1857 - House owned by William Hayes of Halesowen and sold to Arther Wright for the sum of £400. It was bought for offices by Hayes and Wright who were a law firm.
30/07/1895 - House shown as being the property of Frederick Arthur Wright of West Bromwich and the Wright family and sold to Elijah Hollins of Oldbury. Arthur Wright had died on 7.1.1895 and passed the property on to Frederick Arthur Wright and other family members who sold it for the sum of £1000.
28/01/1911 - Elijah Hollins died and left the property to daughters Ann Elizabeth and Florence Louisa.
11/10/1920 - Ann Elizabeth Hollins spinster and Florence Louisa Thomas (nee Hollins) of Andoversford in Gloucestershire, sell the property to John Delahaye Sampson of Oldbury, a solicitor, for the sum of £950.
25/06/1924 - J D Sampson passes the property on to Messrs Jones and Vernon and the property is assigned to B J and G B Vernon and F H Jones on 30.12.1941. Jones, Son & Vernon were surveyors and estate agents until the 1990's. Records show that the property was assigned to F L Jones on 23.1.1970, after the death of F H Jones and Lillian Emily Jones.
18/06/1996 - The property passes ownership from Frank Leslie Jones, a senior partner in Jones Son & Vernon Auctioneers and Estate Agents, to Sandwell Council.
The building was officially opened by the Rt Hon Lord Archer of Sandwell QC on 8th November 2002.
Many of the original features of the house have been restored and after extensive refurbishment with funds secured from a grant from English Heritage, the inside of the building has been transformed into a Civic Suite in order for the Mayor of Sandwell to receive guests to the Borough. The Civic Affairs staff are situated on the Ground Floor, together with the Chauffeur/Drivers.
Many Civic items and memorabilia are on display including:-
- a model of the last train made in Smethwick
- Military Memorabilia
- West Bromwich crystal
Also on display as you walk up the staircase to the first and second floors, are portraits of past Mayors of Sandwell dating back to 1974. Viewing of the big house is by appointment only. Please contact the Civic Affairs Office to arrange visits or guided tours to the Big House. (Tel: 0121 569 3041).