I lived on the Queslett Road opposite the woods of The Colony (St Margaret’s Hospital) before the road was made into a dual carriageway. As child I use to climb over the wall and play in the woods with the other kids down our road - on many occasions we got chased off by people with dogs.
On my last visit to Great Barr I was amazed to find that the whole area has been developed into housing and the woods are beiing cleared, which is really sad for that estate, I belive the Hall has now been demolished? The long main drive with the white building at the top with a clock tower will always stay in my memory.
My grandfather told me that old Lady Scott's Taylor committed suicide in a canal or lake as he was sacked from his job with the Scott family because he tried to reopen a public footpath that Lady Scott had closed off. Not sure how true his story is but it's interesting.