Letter to the Guild of Undergraduates, University of Birmingham
This letter was written to the Guild President, Humphrey Humphreys, by solicitors acting for the American skating rink who had refused entry to a student from West Africa. The letter expresses regret ...
Letter written by Henry Bate from Canada
In this letter Henry describes life in Canada which was very different to life in a city slum. Some of the children were better off in Canada as John Middlemore had hoped. However, others experienced ...
Locomotive and Tender built for the Pitmaston Moor Green Model Railway
Just outside the boundaries of the Edgbaston Calthorpe Estate lay Sir John Holder’s estate at Pitmaston, close to Joseph Chamberlain’s home at Highbury. The Holders were brewers – a magnificent tiled ...
Log Book of Pipewood Camp School for Evacuated Girls
The 1939 Camps Act established Camp Boarding Schools. Older girls from Birmingham Senior schools were evacuated to Pipewood Camp School in Blithbury near Rugeley which opened in June 1940. The teachers ...
Map of Birmingham West Suburban Railway
Today's Cross City Line between Birmingham New Street Station and Kings Norton follows the former Birmingham West Suburban Railway.1 Opened in 1876, this key route has had a significant, yet varied, impact ...
Men's Tennis Trousers
These flannel tennis trousers were probably worn by Alderman Wilfred Byng Kenrick. The Edgbaston Archery and Lawn Tennis Society declared in 1879 that ‘each Member (Gentleman) playing Tennis shall wear ...
Minutes of Edgbaston Archery Association AGM
The Edgbaston Archery Association (later the Edgbaston Archery and Lawn Tennis Association) was formed in 1860. Membership was carefully controlled: ‘applicants for admission to be proposed by a Member, ...
Miss Caroline Bishop’s Kindergarten
Children are grouped around Caroline Bishop at her kindergarten. From their clothes it is clear that the children are from middle class homes.
The ‘Kindergarten’ was the earliest form of the modern ...
Mother and three children
Photograph of mother holding a baby with two other children in a slum interior. Taken in Balsall Heath by Nick Hedges.
Mother and two children in slum kitchen
Photograph of a mother and her two children in a slum kitchen. Taken in Balsall Heath, Birmingham by Nick Hedges.
Mr Everitt, Tram Conductor
This etching captures the quiet authority popularly expected of conductors (see 'Transport Workers in South West Birmingham'). Responsible for fare collection, passenger safety and the smooth running ...
Mr Wheeley's, Edgbaston, by Charles Barber
Many of Charles Barber’s drawings are simply labelled with their district rather than a specific location, but this farmhouse is helpfully titled Mr Wheeley’s, Edgbaston. The Wheeley family had been in ...
Munitions Training at Birmingham Technical School
In addition to an application form for training men and youths in the manufacture of munitions of war, this letter includes rules for armaments classes and a timetable for the instruction of disabled ...
Neville Chamberlain addressing a meeting of the armed forces
This photograph shows Neville Chamberlain addressing a meeting of soldiers at a civic meeting as Lord Mayor of Birmingham, an office to which he was appointed in 1915; Prime Minister David Lloyd George ...
News article, 'It's live and let live in Britain's Harlem'
Balsall Heath, a Home for Immigrants1
The Daily Herald’s article ‘It’s live and let live in Britain’s Harlem’ is included in a volume about ‘ethnic communities’ which was assembled by Birmingham Central ...
Norman Chamberlain
Norman Chamberlain was the paternal cousin of Neville Chamberlain. He was Chairman of the Parks Committee of Birmingham City Council between 1912 and 1914, when he volunteered to serve in the First World ...
Norton Reformatory Punishment Book
On March 14 1886 four boys were caned for planning to run away. One of them had been previously caned for bullying. Of all of the institutions which children came into contact with the reformatories generally ...
Notice sent to the parents of children who were to be evacuated from St. Clement’s Junior and Infants School Nechells
Children from St. Clement’s School, Nechells, were evacuated to Church Gresley, near Swadlingcote, Derbyshire on 1 September 1939. After the bombing of Birmingham in summer 1940 a second group of children ...