Bournville Radio Sailing and

         Model Boat Club

Bournville Model Yachting Club was founded in the early 1900's at Rowheath Park. By 1926 George Cadbury had commissioned an area of marshland on the now famous Bournville Village Trust to be reclaimed and a concrete pool of even depth was constructed.

The work was carried out by men who were without work but who were not eligible for unemployment benefit. The pool was dug out by hand and tracks were laid to transport the soil to an area some hundreds of yards away. When this area was full the tracks were moved to another area and the process repeated. This created, behind the pool, the raised area presently used as a football pitch.

When completed the whole area was known as Valley Park and boasted a boathouse and miniature railway with station. The pool was formally opened in 1932. Sadly the railway is no more but it must have provided much entertainment and pleasure to both the local community and visitors. Over the years a stronger following in power boats became apparent and the club took the decision to open a power boat section. Renamed “Bournville Model Yacht and Power Boat Club” it is to this day renowned as one of the oldest clubs in the country. Membership at the moment totals 109, with 62 yachting and 47 power boat members.The pool did have a different use in 1947 when boating was not possible

The Club is most grateful to Janette Denley for permission to use some information and pictures from the book “Bournville, The Early Years” which she jointly compiled with Margaret Broomfield.

History