The Highbury estate was the rus in urbe estate of the Chamberlains from 1879 to 1914, when the idea of bringing the countryside into the town was popular among wealthy families. It was named after the London suburb where Joseph Chamberlain grew up. The latter came to Birmingham in 1854 to join a family manufacturing business, and this brought him enough wealth to retire and enter politics in 1874. Highbury Hall was built in the ‘Venetian Gothic’ style, and the grounds – 25 acres on a south facing slope – were landscaped by Edward Milner, whom Joseph had employed at his previous Edgbaston home. By 1903 the grounds extended to over 100 acres, some leased from Richard Cadbury (who had built Uffculme in 1891 next door to Highbury). In 1903 Charles Curtis describes the features of the estate, including iron railings, borders planted with bulbs, annuals and herbaceous plants on either side of the circuit path. There was extensive tree planting to mask the sight of the growing Kings Heath. Highbury became well known for its hot houses and by 1903 it had 25 growing exotic plants like orchrds. Joseph Chamberlain left politics in 1906 following a stroke. Thge family left the house and it became an auxillary military hospital and the grounds becoming a public park in 1930.