From Historic England
Great news! This rare and little altered boathouse and boating lake has been listed as Grade II.
Bournville Model Yachting Club, now known as Bournville Radio Sailing and Model Boat Club, was founded in 1923, and originally also included a boat repair shop, a model railway, and a flag station.
Famed local chocolatiers, the Cadbury family, known for their philanthropy and concern for employee welfare, hired 64 men who were ineligible for state benefit due to the length of their unemployment, to carry out the build of the boathouse and boating lake.
The men worked on the project four days a week. On the remaining day of the working week they were to attend an occupational class such as carpentry or gardening under the supervision of the Bournville works Education Department. The aim was to provide the men with work whilst they sought long-term employment.
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