The
Old Farm Hotel is in the heart of the history - and the chocolate -
that are associated
with the word Bournville. We hope you enjoy this online visit to Bournville
and Birmingham and that it tempts you
to visit this great cosmopolitan city. (Click here to view the Birmingham
page).
Bournville
The farm was part of the Bournbrook Hall estate before the Cadbury
family bought the land in the 1890s and moved their factory from central
Birmingham to the
fields of Bournbrook in 1905 – hence the Coronation Street adverts celebrating
100 years of Cadbury’s chocolate! As Quakers, the family was concerned
to give their workers a better quality of life; appreciating that this would
in turn generate a more effective work force. They built a model factory with
an
estate of houses, provided schooling for workers’ children
and built the pavilion for football, cricket and bowls that remains today. George
Cadbury even moved Selly Manor, which dates from at least 1327, brick-by-brick
from its original site opposite land now occupied by Birmingham University to
its current home in the middle of Bournville village so that his workers could
learn about, enjoy and value their heritage.
Immediately prior to the arrival of the Cadbury
family the hotel had been a cider house, The Old Farm Inn.The
Cadbury’s Quaker faith did not tolerate alcohol
but
they were concerned for the welfare of the landlady so allowed her
to serve
teas to the factory workforce in what now is our dining room.