ERDINGTON’S NEWEST RETIREMENT COMMUNITY NAMED IN HOMAGE TO LOCAL ARCHITECT

A new Retirement Living development coming soon to Erdington is to be named after a prominent local figure in Birmingham’s history. 

McCarthy Stone, the UK’s leading developer and manager of retirement communities, has named the new development on Orphanage Road as Botham Place, paying homage to J.R. Botham.

The Birmingham architect is perhaps most well-known for designing the Sir Josiah Mason’s Orphanage which first opened on Station Road in Erdington in 1858. The building originally accommodated thirty girls who received basic education and were taught baking, washing, and other domestic skills. The orphanage’s success led to its capacity being increased to fifty, and later a larger institution was built on what is now Orphanage Road to accommodate more than 300 children.

After the new orphanage had opened, the building on Station Road was converted into affordable housing (almshouses) for older women with low income. In 1964, the Orphanage Road institute closed due to a decline in the number of occupants and the building was demolished to make way for a housing estate.

Declan Fishwick, Business Development Manager at McCarthy Stone said: “At McCarthy Stone, we believe we don’t just have a role to play in helping retirees to live happier, healthier lives, but also in supporting and positively integrating into the communities in which we build. Therefore, we’re thrilled to be honouring one of Birmingham’s historical figures through the naming of our new retirement community.”