Herbert Austin had worked as an Engineer at the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Company in Australia before returning to England with his Australian wife in 1893 to become Manager of its manufacturing operations in Aston, Birmingham.
In 1910, his family of two daughters and a son, moved to Lickey Grange,[2] which included 100 acres (40 ha) of surrounding land, and a lodge.
Stanley Edge, the young design draughtsman who worked for Sir Herbert, lived at the Lodge, but ate his meals in the adjoining library.
The Birmingham Royal Institution for the Blind (BRIB), a charity, then took over Lickey Grange and the first pupils moved-in in March 1953.
The BRIB's school had previously been at Carpenter Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, but this site was acquired by the BBC, (firstly for Outside broadcasting in 1954, then the Regional HQ in 1955), forcing the move to Lickey Grange.
After the BRIB vacated the site it was redeveloped with teachers' houses nearest to the Old Birmingham Road sold off first.