Michaela on tour- week two

Week two of my retirement and I head off to visit family in South Birmingham in the Midlands, another week of eating, drinking and fun.

Although I am from Birmingham originally, I haven’t lived here for many years so today I take a solitary tour around a number of special childhood places and a trip down memory lane centred around the village of Bournville and the home of Cadbury’s chocolate. Maybe I am biased but in my opinion Cadbury’s is the best chocolate in the world!! My family has a long history with Cadbury’s, my Nan was an original Cadbury girl starting work there at the age of 14 back in 1937 and my great great grandfather, William Tallis, was George Cadbury’s first foreman when Cadbury’s moved production from Birmingham to Bournville.  A loyal employee for 30 years he was provided with a house, which was then demolished in 1967 and later a plaque in his memory installed in its place, today I went in search of this. It’s attached to the wall on Bournville baths.

I stroll around Bournville Green and take in the familiar sites. Selly Manor dates back to medieval times, a beautiful timber framed house, now a museum. Here is the rest house, a circular building standing in the middle of the green; and there Bournville school with its tower and set of 48 bells known as the Bournville Carillon, which create a beautiful sound as they chime. I remember these being particularly beautiful at Christmas. Standing on the green singing Christmas carols on a crisp December night, Christmas lights sparkling and the accompanying carillon bells. These are my treasured memories; are they from a bygone era or does this still happen today, I wonder.

The Quaker meeting house overlooks the green, the Cadbury’s were of course Quakers, George Cadbury’s ashes are here, he was the founder of Bournville and provided this wonderful environment for the workers. Because of the beliefs of Cadbury and their view on alcohol there are no pubs in Bournville and still to this day sale of any alcohol is not permitted in any of the local shops. There is such history here as I wander around. And of course there is the huge Cadburys factory adjacent to the green which is now the second largest confectionery brand in the world. It was sold in 2010, taking away part of the charm, but life moves on, Cadbury’s survived through the war and will continue to survive and grow through this globalisation.

I take a walk around the yachting pool, this lake seemed to be the largest lake in the world when I was a child, now it makes me smile, it’s not that big at all! The model boat club is still here, today a crowd of older gentlemen are racing their model yachts, I wonder if they are the same men who I watched some 45 years ago…. boys and their toys!

Last stop is Rowheath, another childhood playground.  The Pavillion majestically overlooks the lake, ducks are plentiful, a Canada goose approaches, “are you a descendant of the geese I used to feed?” I found myself saying to it. I talk to a friendly stranger, he proudly tells me he worked for Cadbury’s for 40 years and we discuss the changes in the area since I lived here.  Time for a break I take a seat in the Pavillion and quietly reflect over a very decent mug of hot chocolate.