Admission Record for Joseph Pagett, Register of Norton Reformatory
In the first half of the 19th century statistical studies seemed to show that Britain was being engulfed by a growing population of hardened young criminals. They stalked the streets, ever alert to the ...
Advertisement for Holder's Ales, 1891
The title pages from Edgbastonia carried advertisements across the top. This one is for Holder's Ales, owned by Sir John Holder of Moor Green, Moseley. The Brewery was based in Nova Scotia Street.
African Barkcloth Beater
This barkcloth beater, made from wood and horn, was collected in Africa by the traveller and diarist Helen Caddick, who lived in York Road, Edgbaston.
African Roscius
This is a playbill for a production of Othello, performed at the Theatre Royal, Birmingham in 1846. The production starred renowned black actor Ira Aldridge, who was known as 'African Roscius.'
Aldridge ...
Amanda Smith
Amanda Smith came to Birmingham in 1879. Born into slavery in the United States, Amanda Smith's father bought his freedom and that of his family. Smith herself was educated at home, and in 1863 moved ...
Analysis of Water from Gloster Cottage, 30 Metchley Lane
The Calthorpe Estate was still being developed during the 1880s as a comfortable retreat for the wealthy; but within its boundaries were many farms and small dwellings that pre-dated the Victorian expansion. ...
Ann Street School, Birmingham
Oil painting by Alfred H. Green (c.1822-?).
Past schooling is brought vibrantly to life in this painting. We can see infants sewing, reading, listening, watching, falling asleep, crying, putting on ...
Anti-Jewish Conversion Society
A Jewish form of resistance to organisations such as the Birmingham auxillary of the 'Society for Promoting Christianity Amoung the Jews' was to engage with social debate. The mission of this society ...
Antislavery and the Birmingham Quaker 'Friends Book Society',
In order for the Birmingham Antislavery Society to be effective in campaigning for social justice, it was vital that they had a network system that provided them with current knowledge about events around ...
Antislavery Lecture by James Watkins- Advertisement Poster.
James Watkins, originally named Sam Berry, was born in 1821 on a slave plantation in Maryland. His book, ‘The Narrative of the Life of James Watkins, Formerly A “Chattel” In Maryland, U.S.; Containing ...
Antislavery Lecture by Rev Thomas Swan (extract).
Lectures, speeches, public addresses and sermons were a vitally important way of spreading the word about slavery to the Birmingham public. The extract above shows a dramatic example of how Rev. Thomas ...
Apprenticeship agreement between Thomas Stirling of the parish of St. Giles in the Fields, London, and George Hardy, chimney sweep, of St. Marylebone
Climbing boys were sent up chimneys to clean them. Although there were fewer of them than other child workers their sufferings captured the imagination of campaigners against child labour from the late ...
Arthur and Rachel Albright with their eight children
Beaumont Albright was born on 21 August 1861 at the family home in Edgbaston. He was the youngest of eight children of Quakers Arthur Albright and his wife Rachel.
Beaumont is sitting on a small stool ...
Arts and Charities
Image: Jenny Lind
Historical sources show that in the Birmingham Jewish community, drama, literature, music and the arts have always been integral. As well as an important form of self expression, ...
Autobiography of Richard Bennett, chimney sweep, written for the Birmingham Association for the Suppression of Climbing Boys
In the 1830s John Cadbury led a campaign in Birmingham against the employment of climbing boys. He called a meeting of all the sweeps in the town and tried to convince them to use machines instead. He ...
Barbados
Originally captioned 'Descendants of Cromwell's Deported Irish', Barbados, from the collection of Sir Benjamin Stone.
Birmimgham's 'Negro Emancipation School'.
Image: The Negro Emancipation School (Subscribers List)
This rare document shows how in 1838 many of the members of the Birmingham Antislavery Society, including Sturge, helped to found a short lived ...
Birmingham City Council Improvement Committee Minutes
The appointment of the Improvement Committee in July 1875 marked the earliest initiative by the City Council to tackle Birmingham’s slums. The originator of the scheme was the mayor, Joseph Chamberlain, ...