1911 - 1939

Of Aston's eleven schools, those in Albert Road, Alma and Anglesey Streets needed early alterations. No new schools were built, but there were enlargements and changes of function. Thus the Whitehead Road buildings became Aston Commercial and Technical Schools in 1915, answering the wartime need for skilled workers. In 1912 the Corporation carried out the following works: new plant was installed at Chester Street power station, a public convenience was placed underground at Aston Cross, and a site was bought in Ettington Road for a large fire-station. When it was built, the city arms prominent among stone details on the frontage, Lichfield Road Station was closed. Trinity Road and Church Lane tramway loops were taken up, and the Broadway depot was sold.

Aston's industry expanded to meet armaments contracts during the First World War, and many a terrace tumbled to provide space for new factories. In 1918 the Town Plan laid down future building-lines for main roads: they were to be 110-120 feet wide, with dual carriageways separated by a central reservation for tramcars. Lichfield Road was widened to these standards from the King Edward to Salford in 1922, but when the double bridge (over Tame and Tame Valley Canal) was built four years later it was wade only 85 feet wide, with no reservation. The smaller reservoir and filter beds were partly infilled: their site, the main reservoir, and the moors about it, became Salford Park. A public works yard was sited by the new Cuckoo Bridge. The canal was used to bring road materials and take away refuse. In 1924 Grosvenor Road washing baths were opened, and the Hall Park was redesigned. New paths were made, and the hedges were demolished - as, five years later, was the Holte almshouse, its successor being built in Erdington.

Lozells, Villa Cross, and Aston Cross Picture houses flourished from the early 1920s. The Pavilion at Witton Cross and the Royal Theatre also became cinemas, but the Hippodrome continued to offer variety bills and touring companies. In and near Grange Road lines of semi-detached houses were built on the last large undeveloped site in Aston. Petrol buses began to rumble round the Inner Circle in 1926. The preferred tramcars could not be used on the narrow streets of this route, which in Aston lay along Rocky and Park Lanes, Gerrard Street and Nursery Road.

Two years later Outer Circle buses were using Witton Road and Aston Lane, giving a fillip to Witton Cross as a shopping centre. The Witton Arms was built in the 1930s, and the Royal Oak and Villa Cross taverns were replaced. During the first two decades after Aston's surrender, the City carried out much necessary but unspectacular work.

The last wells were closed, piped water and mains drainage and gas lighting came to every court and terrace. All streets except the few highways that were paved with granite setts were resurfaced with tarmacadam. There was little demolition except that required for factory extension, and no council houses were built in Aston. City policy was to build large municipal estates on farmland in the outer suburbs, and to provide fast transport therefrom to Inner Ring factories.

In 1939 Aston had a football stadium and two parks in the north covering 90-odd acres, plenty of pubs large and small, many churches and small shops, few large stores; public baths, a theatre and three cinemas, two billiard halls, two stations and good tram and bus services. Tunnel-back streets surrounded the Hall Park, industry with embedded terraces formed an outer ring. Ageing residential districts and mixed factory areas covered about equal acreage.

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