Acocks Green is an area of south Birmingham. It is named after the Acock family who built a large house in the area in 1370. Acocks Green is one of the four wards making up Yardley district. Nowadays, it is written without an apostrophe.
Stockfield, located in the north of the ward, was once a separate village to the Acocks Green area.
History
Acocks Green first developed north of the current centre at the roundabout where the Warwick Road meets Shirley and Westley Roads. This area was known Tenchlee or Tenelea, meaning 'ten clearings'. The settlement that developed here has completely disappeared.
The earliest known reference to Acocks Green is in the Yardley Parish Register of 1604. In 1626, Acocks Green House and other estates were given by Richard Acock to his son as a wedding gift.
During the end of the 18th century, the Warwick and Birmingham Canal was cut through Acocks Green. This is resulted in wharfs being constructed at Stockfield Road and Yardley Road. The increased prosperity brought by the canal prompted the construction of farms and large residences.
Acocks Green began to expand in the 19th century when it was connected to the Birmingham to Oxford railway in 1852.
In 1911, Yardley, of which Acocks Green was a part of, was absorbed into Birmingham. Birmingham was in need of housing and in the mid-1920s, municipal housing was built on around half of Acocks Green, resulting in a large increase in the population. Many new residents were unwelcome and existing residents moved away leading to the nickname Snobs Green.
Acocks Green benefited from an increase in commerce brought about by the newcomers. It developed into a major shopping area and churches and meeting halls were extended to accommodate more people. The centre of Acocks Green was remodelled in 1932, and a large island incorporating the tram terminus was created. After the tram service ended, the island was grassed over to become the Green.
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