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MY great grandfather’s building firm operated
from the site in Station Road, Knowle, now
home to Greswolde Construction, which
seems a very fitting use of the site
where he ran his business for almost
50 years.
As a child, all I knew about John
Bowen was that he was the son of
a blacksmith from the village of
Rochford, near Tenbury Wells in
Worcestershire.
Family stories relate that he
walked into Birmingham with a
sack of tools on his back to start
work as a carpenter in 1868.
Two years later, aged 25, he
started the business that later
became one of the city’s best
known and respected building firms.
John Bowen was blessed with a
shrewd business brain and his work
was excellent.
That combination laid the foundation for
his future success and he soon acquired an
enviable reputation.
He built many public buildings and business premises in the
heart of the city, including nine in Corporation Street alone.
He also built Victorian boarding schools in Kings Norton and
Aston and several swimming baths and churches across the city.
The firm’s most prestigious project was the construction of the
Victorian Law Courts in Birmingham’s Corporation Street in 1887,
together with The Wesleyan Hall, which still stands opposite the
Law Courts.
His buildings changed the face of the city, with major stores
such as Liberty’s, Newbury’s and AR Dean’s furniture shop being
built during the period 1886 to 1896.
In the early 1900s, he won huge contracts to
build asylums in Birmingham at Hollymoor and at
Netherne in Surrey.
Following John’s retirement, in 1910, the firm went on
to produce other notable Birmingham buildings, including the
Old Repertory Theatre in 1913 and the Hall of Memory in 1922.
The last building constructed by the firm was the old Midland
Bank in Dorridge. It’s still standing, but is now a café.
A High Sheriff of Worcestershire in 1916, John had his own
coat of arms and was a prominent Mason and Wesleyan
Methodist.
Before moving to Knowle, John’s business premises were in
Balsall Heath, where he built his home in 1884. He named it after
his village Rochford, and he lived there until his death in 1926.
ANTHONY COLLINS
KEELE University’s latest ground-breaking
development will attract surgeons from
across the UK.
The £2.8m project will allow the School
of Medicine to join a select group of institu-
tions offering leading edge technology and
teaching facilities.
Greswolde has begun work on the
extension at the David Weatherall building
to enlarge the Anatomy Skills Facility.
It will not only improve facilities for stu-
dents, but also offer senior surgeons the
opportunity to improve high level skills in
the most up-to-date teaching environment.
“There are very few Universities that
have the kind of facilities we are building
here and we have already had a great deal
of interest from across the UK in booking
training places, even before the facility is
built,” said Business Manager Margaret
Hollins.
“The Medical School is already a flag-
ship building on the campus and this devel-
opment will increase that high profile.”
The new facility will be housed in an
extension to the Medical School building.
The complex build will also involve rais-
ing the existing single storey IT suite, alter-
ations to office accommodation and high
level specialist Mechanical and Electrical
installations. A number of temporary
screens will be erected around the existing
anatomy suite to provide maximum privacy
during construction work.
Greswolde’s Building With Care ethos
will ensure minimum disruption to students
and staff.
The project is the latest to be undertak-
en by Greswolde, which last year complet-
ed a £2.3m nursery on campus and was
also responsible for a £2.3m chemistry lab-
oratory in 2009, which was the first campus
BREEAM Excellent rated building.
The University’s Head of Projects, Cathy
Partington, commented: “Greswolde’s pre-
vious successful projects were an impor-
tant consideration in tendering for this lat-
est project. The construction developments
are part of a strategic plan to extend and
enhance facilities and to keep Keele
University competitive in the future.”
The latest audio-visual and video cap-
ture technology will be built into the heart of
the new suite, enabling unprecedented
opportunities for the detailed viewing and
capturing of anatomical procedures.
Touch screens, video editing suites and
even secure live dissection broadcasts
within the Keele network, will all be provid-
ed to enable students to have the most
realistic possible experience of real human
physiology, at a level not offered in many
UK medical schools.
Other exciting features include the abili-
ty to film trainees practising techniques,
which they can then review with their train-
er. They will be able to take away digital
copies and replay at their convenience,
enabling the Medical School to teach the
very latest surgical advances.
Architect Haydn Robinson, from
Halliday Meecham, explained that the new
extension was designed to fit into the exist-
ing structure.
“All the materials will be in keeping; the
aim is not to make this building stand out
but to blend in,” he said. “The main chal-
lenges will be around carrying out the work
on a live campus adjacent to the building,
which will remain in use throughout.”
Greswolde MD Malcolm Priest said that
his teams were well used to working on live
sites. “One of our specialities is working
alongside our clients to enable business as
usual,” he added.
“We are delighted to be working at
Keele University again.”
n Professional Team: Architect: Halliday
Meecham; QS: Poole Dick Associates; SE:
WML Consulting Ltd.
GRESWOLDE CONSTRUCTIONNEWS & VIEWS
Tel: 01564 776271 Fax: 01564 770114www.greswoldeconstruction.com
Issue 42 Spring 2013
5 6
Greswolde is working
on the extension to
Keele’s Anatomy Skills
Facility at its School of
Medicine (left).
£2.8m project just whatthe doctor ordered
GRESWOLDE is firmly at
the heart of a ground-
breaking restructuring of West
Midlands Ambulance Services,
which is providing new cen-
tralised Hubs to make services
more efficient and cost-effec-
tive.
The construction teams
have completed the first £1.5m
Hub, at Electrium Point in
Willenhall, and are now hard at
work to get two more - at
Ibstock Road in Coventry and
Hollymoor Point in Rubery -
into operation as soon as possi-
ble.
“These Hubs are an integral
part of our plan to get more
ambulances in more locations
in order to give a better
response time and patient
experience,” said Simon Lewis,
Regional Head of Estates for
West Midlands Ambulance
Service.
“Buildings don’t save lives,
but ambulances do and this is a
new way of designing our prop-
erty portfolio to support our new
operating model.
“We have worked closely
with Greswolde and Hortons to
successfully build the first Hub
and it is very useful to be able
to build on that experience in
these latest developments.”
The new restructure of the
service means disposing of
most of the 50 existing West
Midlands Ambulance Stations
and replacing them with 15
Hubs.
Willenhall is the first of six
new builds, which will work with
a network of more than 100
smaller community stations.
The two-storey Hubs all
have a large workshop and
garage spaces.
There are also offices,
changing facilities, training
rooms and a duty room.
Paramedics will report for
work at the 24 hour centres and
pick up their ambulance which
will have already been cleaned,
maintained, restocked and
checked.
Currently, paramedics have
to spend time before their shifts
making vital checks and
restocking ambulances them-
selves.
Greswolde has worked
closely throughout with the
Ambulance Service and client
Hortons Estate Limited.
“We have worked as a team,
developing ideas alongside
West Midlands Ambulance
Service and we have been fine
tuning as we go,” said James
Slater, Project Manager for
Hortons Estate Limited.
“It has been
exciting to be at
the beginning of
such an impor-
tant restructuring
process and the
Willenhall Hub
was key in set-
ting the design
process and standards for the
Services’ requirements.
“The lessons learned were
very useful and we have been
able to introduce some modifi-
cations as a result.
“This has been a very posi-
tive and hands-on experience
all round. Work is continuing
well on the next two hubs
despite adverse weather which
resulted in poor soil conditions.
“Greswolde has been
accommodating and flexible
and is keeping the programme
on track.”
n Professional Team: Architect:
Bryant Priest Newman; EA: PMP
Consultants; SE: Couch
Consulting Engineers.
WE’RE BACK AT KEELE TOO
Turn to page 5 for for news of the University’s latest
cutting edge development.
Building atheart of restructure
A MUCH praised project at
the historic St Paul’s church
got even better when work-
men made a miraculous dis-
covery.
Take a pew and read all
about it on page 3.
Heavens,that’s good
The completed Hub at Willenhall, which was key to set the standards
for the new Hubs.
THE Children’s Commissioner for
England officially opened the new £2.3m
Keele University Day Nursery, which was
completed by Greswolde in September.
Dr Maggie Atkinson was greeted by
the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Rama
Thirunamachandran (pictured) and
Deputy Director of Human Resources
Rachel Adams, and joined guests on a
tour of the new facility.
The new environmentally-friendly
nursery accommodates up to 128 chil-
dren, from three months to school age.
It offers an innovative layout, provid-
ing a secure and fun environment and
optimising access to the outdoors,
including an all-weather ‘outdoor class-
room’.
Following a ceremony to mark the
official opening, Dr Atkinson went on to
meet academics in the Faculty of
Humanities and Social Sciences and vis-
ited the Sustainability Hub, where she
was given an insight into the University’s
work with schools in the areas of envi-
ronment and sustainability.
Day nursery now open
GRESWOLDE NEWS FOCUS
GRESWOLDE has a historical connection
with a famous 19th century Birmingham
builder whose firm was responsible for
some of the city’s landmark buildings.
Research into the life of the prominent
public figure John Bowen is being carried
out by his great grandson Anthony Collins.
Anthony (pictured), now retired, was the
founding partner of Anthony Collins
Solicitors in Birmingham.
He is soon to publish a book about his
famous ancestor, and here charts the lega-
cy John Bowen left behind, a legacy that
changed the face of Britain’s second city.
Anthony would be delighted to hear from
any readers who have any information that
would help his research. He’s particularly
interested in the Knowle connection.
“John Bowen had ten children in all.
Three sons went into the business - the eld-
est, Albert (Bertie), my maternal grandfather
Arthur and Thomas,” he says.
“I am trying to find out more about the
Knowle end.
“I understand that Bertie Bowen's daugh-
ter Barbara ran a decorating firm called
Corbetts which was based at Greswolde’s
offices.”
You can contact Anthony via Greswolde,
or direct at [email protected]
Noted builder hadthe right address
The man who changed theface of Britain’s second city
Images of John Bowen, including (above left),
when he was High Sheriff in 1916
Top right: The Victorian Law Courts, one of many
landmark Birimingham buildings built by John
Bowen
GN42p156_Gres 01/02/2013 12:04 Page 1
A TOP class new maths complex will add to the
glowing reputation of one of the country’s leading
academic sixth form colleges.
The two-storey building at King Edward VI
College in Stourbridge will bring all its maths pro-
vision under one roof and provide the latest IT
technology for both students and staff.
The £1m Greswolde project, designed by
Bryant Priest Newman Architects’ Phil Shepherd,
comprises seven classrooms, a staffroom,
breakout area and toilets.
Special features include natural ventilation, as
well as the multi IT provision that will include
computers and a smart board in the student
social areas.
They will be able to do maths when they're
relaxing," smiled Sharon Phillips, Principal at the
College, which is second in the national sixth
form college league tables this year, and in the
top 100 schools and colleges.
Currently, maths students are split between
two mobile classrooms and a separate building.
“The new purpose built centre will match the
quality of the teaching and learning at King
Edward VI,” added Sharon.
“It will provide the latest facilities and our
maths teachers are very excited about the poten-
tial. We have been able to plan our IT facilities
into the design of the building from the onset,
whereas, of course, many traditional buildings
have their IT put in maybe 100 years after they
were built.”
Young people have been learning on the King
Edward’s site since 1430, when it was known as
The Chantry School of Holy Trinity.
The grammar school charter was granted in
1552 by King Edward VI and it became a boys'
grammar school in the 1960s.
It has been a Sixth Form College since 1976
and currently has 1600 14 to 19 year olds, who
can choose from over 40 A level courses, taught
by a team of more than 100 specialists and sup-
port staff.
Designer Phil Shepherd’s challenge was to
marry a new build with the school’s historic build-
ings.
“A lot of the historic college buildings are of
masonry construction, using traditional materi-
als. All those on the perimeter of the campus are
faced in buff brick, it was important to tap in to
this unique pattern of development,” he
explained.
“The building has high levels of insulation and
airtightness,” added Phil, whose company has
worked with Greswolde on a number of projects,
including the current ambulance Hubs network.
There will be no missing of any decimal points
either: “The classrooms have been designed
using suspended acoustic panels to get exactly
the right acoustics for teaching.”
n Professional team: Architects: Bryant Priest
Newman; QS: PMP Consultants Ltd; SE: Couch
Consulting Engineers. M&E: Bennett Williams.
IT’S not only King Edward VI
College’s enviable new building
that’s in the spotlight. Its bricks
look like getting star billing too.
The stock buff brick itself is
noteworthy, but what lies
beneath is something else.
“The bricks themselves have
colour variations and a slight
bow, with which the bricklayers
are having fun, although they are
doing an excellent job,” com-
mented architect Phil Shepherd.
“There was another chal-
lenge. The natural ventilation
uses a passivent system, to
draw air in through the facade
and the rooms. We didn’t want to
put metal grilles on the outside,
so we designed special air bricks
to act as ventilation grilles, which
are pretty unique.”
Greswolde tracked down a
company in Manchester which
modified the stock bricks by jet
blasting holes through 350 of
them.The standard passivent
grilles will sit behind them.
“The intention is to create an
uninterupted brick façade free
from the unsightly grilles associ-
ated with modern ventilation sys-
tems,” added Phil.
“In fact, if all goes to plan, the
Belgian brick supplier Weiner -
berger, which has a factory in
Aldridge, plans to nominate the
project for a brick award.”
SADLY, workmen didn’t say ‘well, bless me!’
when they made a miraculous discovery during a
praiseworthy project at Leamington’s St Paul’s
Church, but they were pretty shocked.
Beneath old plasterboard in the former kitchen
area was a soaring stone archway framing a
beautiful stained glass window, which now graces
the Victorian church’s impressive new entrance.
“We certainly weren’t expecting such a fabu-
lous find and it has scrubbed up really well, “ said
Robothams Architects Associate Director David
Sercombe, who was delighted when Greswolde
Site Manager Gary Kefford called him with the
news.
“You never quite know what you’re going to
discover when you’re working on an existing, and
listed, building, but this was something special.”
Vicar Jonathan Jee and the ever-increasing
flock of church members were equally pleased
with the window, which
may have lain hidden for
a few more decades had
they not decided on their
£500k project.
“None of us realised it
was there in the plan-
ning stage but you could
say God overruled us,
so that what we have is
better than we’d imag-
ined. It has made a won-
derful feature in the
entrance,” said
Jonathan.
St Paul’s is a thriving,
growing church with 500
regular Sunday service
goers and more than
300 flocking there in the
week for services, youth
and toddler groups and
a range of courses,
ranging from marriage
and parenting to the
Alpha programme.
“Our continued
expansion meant that
we were outgrowing our
space and needed to
use it better,” explained
Jonathan, whose church
members raised a star-
tling £400k in just one
day.
So, every area
between the hall and the
140 year-old worship
space, was redesigned,
opening up dark corri-
dors and underused areas to pro-
vide bright and useful facilities.
“Opportunities like this don’t come
up very often, and it was great to
work on, particularly as the church
and its people were really
engaged and supportive and we
have a good long-standing work-
ing relationship with Greswolde,”
commented David.
“It was quite a complicated
project, because the church
remained in use and it was a short
programme to get it done in time
for Christmas, which it was,
thanks to Greswolde.”
The work impinged on the back
of the church itself, and Gary and his
team did an almighty clear up every
week, ready for the weekend worship,
baptisms and weddings.
In the week, the workforce downed
tools and kept very quiet for the weekly
Wednesday morning service.
“Everything worked out fine,” report-
ed Gary.
“I’ve never done a church job before,
and it was very interesting. To find the
stained glass for them was a nice
bonus.”
“Gary was really helpful and all of the
workers were excellent,” said Jonathan.
“The building is more attractive, more
welcoming and much more flexible for all
of our groups. We are very pleased
indeed and would happily recommend
Greswolde and Robothams.”
The builders moved out in time for the
Christmas Christingle and main carol
service, so it was unveiled to nearly
1,000 people on day one.
On the first Sunday afterwards,
another 350 people did a ceremonial
walk through of the delightful new
entrance, after which the children
enjoyed parties in their new rooms.
“Everybody is saying that it’s better
than they expected and at every one of
our services since there has been a won-
derful sense of joy in worshipping in this
place,” added Jonathan, who has a spe-
cial invitation for readers.
“It you would like to see the results for
yourselves, you’d be most welcome at a
Sunday morning service,” says the vicar,
whose growing church family is now
planning to move onto phase two - to
remove the pews and make the worship
space more flexible.
2 3 4
Bless me! A praiseworthyproject’s surprise discovery
A-grade school addition
Bricks arebuff stars
Curtain up on arts facilityTHE stage is set for
something very spe-
cial at Saint Martin’s
School, which now
has an eye-catching
new performing arts
facility.
The striking new
building, designed by
Glenn Howells
Architects and built by
Greswolde, will add to
the Solihull school’s
reputation in providing
the very best educa-
tion for girls from
Nursery through to Sixth Form. The £1.5m low embodied-energy steel and timber
framed building is equipped with the latest theatre systems, and the flexible space
accommodates a 130-seater theatre, a dance studio and teaching and lecture rooms.
A large area of glazing floods the double height, naturally ventilated foyer and teach-
ing spaces with light.
College’s delightat teaching block
Two young ladies who were baptised at the first Sunday service were given the honour of cutting the ribbon to let every-
one through the new entrance. Pictured cutting the ribbon are, from left: Richard Duxbury, Poppy MacRae, Jonathan Jee
(Vicar), Lucy Virgoe, Dave Gorton and Rachel Wiratunga.
Artist’s impressions courtesy
of Bryant Priest Newman
One of the specially manufac-
tured bricks.
STUDENTS and staff at Halesowen
College are enjoying their first term mak-
ing the most of a brand new £2.2m
teaching block.
The development is the third multi-
million pound project to be completed at
the college by Greswolde, which has
transformed the Whittingham Campus
with a series of new buildings boasting
bold contemporary architecture.
The latest three storey block replaces
outdated sixties accommodation and
continues the ambitious makeover.
“Everyone is loving this latest devel-
opment, which is a modern learning
resource with excellent facilities,” said
Jacquie Carman, Halesowen College
Director of Finance and Corporate
Services.
“It has been very
well managed by
Greswolde throughout
the whole construction
period.
“Disruption has
been minimal and
teaching activities
have not suffered as a
result of the work.”
A courtyard links the
block to an earlier
development on the lower
ground floor, where animal
care/veterinary nursing rooms
and a facility for students with
disabilities and learning diffi-
culties are housed.
Upstairs, on the ground-
floor, is an interactive learning
centre with the latest 21st
century IT technology and on the first
floor are travel and tourism classrooms.
“All of our 4,000 full time 16-18 year
old students will potentially benefit from
these new facilities,” Jacquie added.
“Our students with learning difficulties
and disabilities are particularly benefiting
from having their own unit.”
The first development, a block hous-
ing a refectory and health and social
care suite, was built in 2008, followed in
2010 by a £4.2m centre, providing sci-
ence laboratories, animal care facilities,
IT suites and a Learning Resource
Centre.
n Professional Team: Architect: BM3
Architecture; QS: PMP Consultants Ltd;
SE: Couch Consulting Engineers.
The newly discovered window is a fine feature.
GN42p234_Gres 01/02/2013 12:00 Page 1