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 anthonyrcollins@btinternet.com

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