Description:The need for residential nurseries had become apparent in the Second World War with the Public Health, Maternity and Child Welfare Committee of Birmingham Council reporting on ‘the urgent necessity to supplement the number of Day Nurseries by the provision of a Resident Nursery for the care of children of mothers whose war-time activities prevented their attendance at a Day Nursery’.
The Meadway was initially opened as a day nursery. It is listed as having been open on 18th May 1942 as a war-time nursery. It was not a 24 hours nursery unlike some other war-time nurseries (such as Flint Green, for example).
It was used as a short-term residential nursery from 1947. However, the buildings were not appropriated until 1950 for use as a long-stay residential nursery. They were appropriated on the understanding that they could be used once more for housing as soon as they were no longer be needed as a nursery.
The building was in fact four adjoining houses on The Meadway. As such it was not entirely appropriate for use as a nursery. It was not, for example, suitable for babies so only those aged 2 – 5 could be accommodated. Only four members of staff could live in, the others had to live in alternative accommodation in the surrounding area.
It was closed in 1952 when it was replaced by Wychbury Nursery. The buildings were returned to the Housing Committee to add to the housing stock which was in short supply at the time.
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Image: A road sign in 2010. The Birmingham Children's Homes project has no photograph of Meadway Nursery children's home at this stage.
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Source: This history was compiled by the Birmingham Children's Homes Project, an initiative to explore Birmingham City Council-run children’s homes between 1949 and 1990.