Keresley Grange

Has anyone please got any information about Keresley Grange? What I know about it is that it was originally the home of the Rotherham watchmaking family. During WW2 between 1943-45 it was an aircrew disposal unit (ACDU) for RAF aircrew displaying a lack of moral fibre (LMF). It was later a children’s home called The Grange and has recently been purchased by Bablake School. An England Rugby captain named Alan Rotherham who was inducted into the Rugby hall of fame was also born there. I worked here for a while and its history has intrigued me. Thanks. Edited by member, 11th Apr 2020 11:19 am

In response to your Keresley Grange WW2 usage question. Initially in 1939 a Barrage Balloon unit was sited on the common who were RAF firstly, and WAAF personnel latterly in early 1940! These crews were billeted in various private homes in the vicinity until the Grange grounds, Waste Lane side, were nissen hutted and our lodgers moved to the Grange! As l understand it billeting personnel was compulsory, you had no choice. I know, l came home from school and had been moved from my room to double up with a baby brother. Ugh! Our house was in High St, and we had two personnel from approx Oct 39 to Feb 40! By then the site was an all-WAAF unit and excitingly for me I was taken inside a grounded balloon, in fact the same one that broke from its moorings in a gale and draped over a couple of roofs on Bennetts Rd in 1940. I hope this was of some interest. lnyoni.

Thanks Inyoni. I didn’t know about the barrage balloons or that there were Nissen huts at the Grange. The grounds are lovely and there could have been a lot worse places to have been billeted. The building has lots of history. There are many names and dates etched into the sandstone around some of the windows of personnel that were there. Edited by member, 12th Apr 2020 8:32 am

The Grange has been bought by the Coventry School Foundation and has been done up inside, by done up I mean restored. I don't know if you can get inside, but, there are a lot of 'Ents on here.

As a resident of the children’s home in the seventies, I distinctly remember two sets of Nissan huts within the grounds. The smaller one (which was quite large) was used as a store room. While the big one was used as a clothing store, staff accommodation and a lounge for the kids. I know since then they have both been demolished as part of the place’s progress. Would love to have a glance inside now, just to see how much it has changed.

Hi Jonofcov, welcome to the forum, We have such curiosity about places we last saw as a youngster

This has now been identified as Keresley Grange Rear of school More images Edited by member, 20th Jan 2021 6:01 pm