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‘A Birmingham workshop’, from ‘The Child Slaves of Britain’ by Robert Sherard

Sherard was a journalist who campaigned against the exploitation of child workers.

‘Children of the poor’ taken on an outing of the Birmingham Cinderella Club to Sutton Park by J. Crwys Richards

Social reformers like Charles Dickens and Mary Carpenter in the 19th century, and Robert Sherard in the 20th were concerned that being out on the street put children in moral and physical danger. They ...

‘Children of the poor’ taken on an outing of the Birmingham Cinderella Club to Sutton Park by J. Crwys Richards

‘Children of the poor’ taken on an outing of the Birmingham Cinderella Club to Sutton Park by J. Crwys Richards

‘My Life’s Battles’ by Will Thorne

Will Thorne (1857-1946) was born into a poor family in Farm Street, Hockley on 8 October 1857. His father was a brick maker, and on weekends he would drink and get into fights. His mother and sisters ...

‘No child can resist’, Picture Post

Advertisers used images of children to catch the viewer’s eye. As families became more affluent they also targeted children as consumers. These adverts for Birmingham made ‘Bird’s Custard’ represent children ...

‘Our Alf’s a Postman Now’

A Gun Manufacturer

Image: A Trade Card of John Sharpe (date unknown). In the eighteenth and nineteenth century, many Birmingham gun manufacturers relied upon foreign export markets. Often, this could mean the sale of ...

A Petition to Continue the Slave Trade

Did Birmingham Profit from Slavery? As an industrial town, Birmingham undoubtedly relied heavily on its connections to the slave trade. It was a producer of guns, chains, brassware, and a whole range ...

A Tobacco Dealer.

Image: A Tobacco, Cigar and Snuff Dealer. Trade Card (date unknown) Illustrated industrial artifacts such as the above advert for a Birmingham tobacco dealer can often reveal underlying attitudes toward ...

A works overall documentary picture

Backing paper annotated with: 'Group in Grounds'. This photograph forms part of an archive of photographs produced by Cadbury. Each photograph was catalogued and annotated. Some images were used in ...

Account of the Life of Jacobs Jacobs (1)

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.

Advertisements in Edgbastonia Magazine

This page from Edgbastonia offers clothing from head to toe: milliners Emilie Maison Francaise, ladies tailor Robert Speerli and Hodges bootmakers.

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. ...

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 ...

Austin A90 Atlantic Record Breaker

Built at Longbridge, this car established world endurance records at the Indianapolis Raceway in April 1949. It evokes excitement but also illustrates post-war realities in Birmingham and beyond. Launched ...