I was a student in Manchester in the seventies when punk and new wave were the big thing. I caught up with the New Romantics music whilst in London. In the eighties it was all about getting my qualifications and working for promotion. Family arrived and that was my life. The rave culture happened and it was just news headlines. I loved the music and often read about the rave gatherings that were taking place in Coventry and Birmingham. Sadly, I never attended a rave although the popular music of Orbital, Future Sound of London, Massive Attack and Underworld was very much a fav at the time.
Getting ready to see where the illegal rave will be. Wow an A-Z map and cassettes.
When I read about “In pursuit of repetitive beats” at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, I knew that I must experience it. This art installation transports you into a wild and immersive VR experience. You are thrown into a story set in 1989 about attending an illegal rave around Coventry. The story focusses on three young people attending the event alongside the accounts by police who were trying to stop the illegal raves from taking place.
Here I am kitted out and dancing in my VR space.
Once I was kitted out with Virtual Reality headset and hand controllers, I was ready to go into this virtual world. The experience was surreal. You followed the story by picking up leaflets with your virtual hands and there was a talking head providing information as you removed around your virtual world. In one part, I was flying towards a gigantic eye with electricity bolts steaming out of my hands. It was so cool. I became immersed in the story of an illegal rave. Realistic car journeys, the police chase and then the rave itself. All the time I was moving and dancing with the beats of the music. I must have looked a real sight whilst I was in a virtual world! Still such great fun. Attention to detail was spot on.
A range of posters that were used to advertise the upcoming raves.ConcertsPhone cardStoriesMemoriesTelephone 80s style
Whilst I am unable to provide pictures of the VR experience there were pre-show displays at the entrance to the experience. This detail is from the phone box display which was set up to show how people communicated and navigated to the raid before the advent of mobile phones.
Stirchley has many good memories as a place to visit. Our first family drink, after lockdown restrictions were relaxed, took place on a cold night in May at an outside table at Birmingham Brewing Company. I have also visited the other two breweries Attic and Glass House, the latter brewery is on the other side of the canal and is just in the Stirchley boundary.
Street scene Stirchley style.
I took part in previous Birmingham half marathons when the route passed along Bourneville Lane with a return down Mary Vale road. In the process, you ran along part of the Stirchley High Street. The Birmingham suburb is easy to reach using the No 45/47 bus route that connects the city via the Pershore Road. All this contrasts with how Stirchley would have looked in 1600 as the area got its name from pastures where cattle grazed undisturbed. There are records of Roman roads that went to the nearby fort which is now the University of Birmingham campus. Stirchley does have history. These days the suburb is recognised as one of the best places to live in the Midlands, an accolade given by the Sunday Times
Arriving on the Stirchley side of the tracks. Bourneville Station.
Therefore when I heard about an in-depth photographic project involving Stirchley then I took advantage of the unique offering from the Prism Photographic Network. The aim is to develop a documentary photography project focussed on the neighbourhood of Stirchley. The course is run by Oksana Bischin with support from the Prism Network. Full details are on their web site. I attended the second of two taster workshops where we had a lecture on an aspect of photography followed by a photographic walk in Stirchley. When the course starts in September, there will be several themes which will come together allowing participants to produce an exhibition of the group work.
The duck at Stirchley BathsArchitectural details
We gathered at Stirchley baths which is a beautifully restored community centre. A representative from the Stirchley Residents Association outlined their work and extolled the benefits of living in the area. She was not a great fan of the Stirchley beer mile but recognised the benefits such activity creates for Stirchley. She highlighted the presence of several industrial units either side of the high street and the layout of the terraced houses that are around the area. After introductions, Oksana introduced the camera topic which was how to use the program controls on the camera and then Francesco discussed Typography using the work of Tom Hicks who created “Black Country Type”. After a question-and-answer session, it was time for us to discover Stirchley with our cameras. I am not sure what the shopkeepers and coffee shop owners thought of the small army of photographers patrolling down the street, taking pictures of their shops.
The lamp posts have a story to tell.
Before I arrived at the baths, I spent a few minutes taking photographs and scouting the area. There was an opportune moment as carpets were being moved at the shops with the Stirchley Gorilla overseeing the activity. On the way onto the street, I like to spend time by myself and I noticed some letter boxes and the typography of 70 in a doorway. But there was also a need to stay with the group and see what the others were up to. Being a Saturday morning, there was a great deal of activity so the picture taking began. One shopkeeper came out to check what we were doing, other people just wandered by keen to get on with their shopping.
Letter boxesIs this no 70?
The high street is a mix of lively coffee shops and general shops. Several shop fronts have roller shutters that ensure privacy. A lone gorilla logo on one of these shutters adds colour. After photographing the high street we turned right and walked along Ash Tree road onto Charlotte Road. I like the style of the houses and my eye is drawn to the names and dates of the houses. We walked along Mary Vale Road to the Industrial estate that houses Attic Brewery.
Then it was time to get a brunch and talk about the pictures we took and those that got away. The taster session gave me an insight into how the course will develop. I like the idea of the themes as outlined and the idea of curating one’s work for an exhibition.
As a postscript, I discovered on my research of Stirchley an informative website created by users which is a mix of photographic links and historical notes. I am sure that this will prove to be a good background resource and provide a source of inspiration.
Mapping Stirchley is a Walkspace project that came out of the spring lockdown of 2020.
When visiting the Back to Backs in Birmingham, your booking includes an hour and a half tour of the premises. The buildings were built with speed and were cheap to both buy and live in. In 1870, Birmingham was undergoing tremendous change as people were coming into the city looking for work. The backs to backs were quickly put up to accommodate the increasing population. The buildings now blend into the modern landscape around this area of Birmingham known as Southside.
Back to backs entrance on Hurst Street.
Our National Trust guide was Dick, who met us outside on Hurst street and after an introductory talk of the background to the Back to Backs led us into the buildings. We started in the yard and this was followed by the inside tour of the Back to backs known as Court 15. The rooms are small and negotiating the staircases between the properties is challenging. As we progressed through the 4 houses that make up the Back to Backs, Dick kept us entertained and informed about how life would have been. Through his descriptions of the people, we began to understand what living in these cramped houses meant and learnt how these humble residences were much loved family homes.
Pictures from the Yard of Court 15
View of the yard looking towards the first two Back to backs.
– There is a bike, skateboard, a pram and other games that would be part of life.
There are four houses to visit and the first one is an early reproduction of life in the 1870’s. The second house exemplified life of a large family. There were 11 children and often a couple of lodgers were taken in. They all lived in the same place. Space was so scarce that the chest of drawers doubled up as a cot for the baby. Birmingham was known as the City of a 1,000 trades and in this house, the family were proficient at glass work and in particular glass eyes. The properties changed hands at a regular rate yet the occupants of the third property lived in the Back to Backs for most of their lives. This house illustrated how electricity was introduced and there were other comforts such as a radio.
Dinner table set up in the first house.A chamberpot tucked under a bed.Reproduction of elaborate stencilling patterns.The second house accommodated a family of 11 and lodgers. A bed for three youngsters and a curtain partition to the right.Space for the baby.Tools of a toymaker enabling them to make many different items.Fancy a glass eye?Assorted items from the third house.
Court 15 is unusual in that it survived the demolition that took place all around the area. The City removed the back to backs and replaced them with flats and other houses. The reason that these Back to backs survived, is likely to have been the businesses that were associated with them. The National Trust have recreated a tailor’s shop in the final property. George Saunders came from St Kitts and after a variety of jobs set up his tailor’s shop in Court 15. He was an enterprising man and his made to measure suits were sought after by the local clientele. The shop’s position near to the Hippodrome assisted with much of the business in this area.
The tailor’s shop notice the Roy Rodger’s wallpaper.
We started and finished in the communal yard where we visited the communal washhouse. At the end of the tour, I asked Dick if he would be part of my 100 strangers project and he agreed. The picture is taken around the outside toilets which gives an insight to the conditions that people had to endure in the Back to Backs.
The communal wash house.Dick who was our guide pictured holding open the door to one of the outside toilets.
There were many details in the Back to backs that caught my eye. The yard has many angles and props that bring the place to life. There are old prams, bottles, skittles to name a few. Each house is a treasure trove of differing objects including chamber pots and mini work tops where craftsmen worked. The living rooms contained items that would have been commonly used by the family. These rooms have been photographed many times before and I am adding to the many records. For myself the journey was fun as much of it reminded me of my own childhood when I was sitting in family houses around Manchester looking up at the pictures on the walls and the pieces of China on the mantlepiece.
A China miniature reminds me of my childhood view of my grandparent’s house.
The layout of the living quarters were not that dissimilar. The accompanying guidebook is a good companion to your visit to the Back to Backs and beings out more details about the life and times of the people who lived in these unassuming buildings. This year is the 20thanniversary of the renovation of the Back to Backs by the National Trust and I was pleased to be able to visit after passing them so many times in my walks through Birmingham.
A striking picture of what the unrestored rooms looked like in the Back to backs.
If you enjoyed this blog on the Back to backs then please visit my visits to other National Trust properties on my blog. Just search National Trust. I have added one link but there are many more.
Exploring Birmingham in the early morning is a great pastime and the city opens up for many different photographic opportunities. One morning in July, I moved towards the law courts with no particular plan other than to take some street photography pictures. My eye always finds something that looks different and as I looked down towards Birmingham Crown Court and the Maclaren building, I noticed a metallic structure in the form of a triangle. I set off to investigate. I discovered a new square amongst all the newly built office blocks and student residences.
The metal branches reach out to the surrounding buildings.There is little colour in the square.A solitary figure walks up the steps
The architecture of the square may simply be described as brutal. Lots of concrete pavements and to one side, someone has “planted” three metallic trees with pointed branches that reach up to the sky seeking a sun above the concrete. This is a wonderful place for photography and I took many pictures with both my iPhone and Fujifilm x100vi camera. People stop in the square, taking a seat whilst waiting for their bus to arrive on the Priory Queensway. There is a restaurant on one side of the square that may look out of place but a search on the web shows that it has received good reviews. There is a bleak passageway that leads onto the Masshouse residential buildings. These flats were built around 10 years ago but are now looking a touch tired. A lone Palestinian flag hangs from one of the building balconies. The metal triangle that first caught my eye, is some form of decorative cover which adds to all the sharp angles and hard brutal feel to the square.
A lone Palestinian flag hangs from one of the balconies on Masshouse.The metal triangular structure that caught my eye.An abstract image of the metal branches.
In summary another brutalist concrete jungle with the ironic touch of metal trees. The square makes for great photographic opportunities although I am not sure I would wish to live and work in the area.
Web link – if you like concrete then you will enjoy this blog entry.
The HS2 construction is transforming the landscape around the Curzon Street building. Once this was a sleepy backwater and a relatively quiet part of Birmingham. However first came Millennium Point and then the ThinkTank museum. Then HS2 rolled into town. Birmingham City University also moved location so that they were near to the station. This series of pictures provides a construction update of the area and the viaducts that will carry the trains into the station which are starting to appear. The area around the Birmingham canal allows a view of the enormous construction taking place.
Back in 2013 the scene was very quiet then before construction began.20202024
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Life goes on around the HS2 changes.Curzon street is quiet for now. This will be a busy station thoroughfare in the future.The scene from the canal onto the City.Viaduct sentinelsCranes oversee the site.
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A few interesting stories developed whilst I was taking pictures. I added to my 100 strangers project whilst I was walking around the perimeter of the HS2 development works. As I was taking pictures over the canal bridge looking towards the new viaducts for the trains, I met Mace who was from London. He was on a stopover in Birmingham on his journey to Scotland. He immediately engaged me in conversation and was a lively personality. After discussing the state of play of the HS2 and Birmingham, he willingly posed for my 100 strangers’ project. (More of this photographic project at a later date). The sun was out creating lighting difficulties so I asked Mace to stand under the shade. In the portrait, Curzon street is to the right and the view is down towards the ThinkTank museum and Birmingham City University. The new Curzon Street station is further down the road.
Mace who I met on Curzon Street.
Another interesting finding was that to my surprise I found a narrowboat moored up on the other side of the Curzon Street railway bridge near to the Birmingham Gun Barrell proof house. It is a rare sight to see canal boats on this stretch of the canal. However as the area starts to receive more investment then it is likely that such occurrences will be more frequent.
A narrowboat tied up near to the Curzon Rail bridge overlooks the City
One of my photography projects is to photograph the changes occurring in other places of the HS2 development. You may wish to view the changes to 16 acre wood near Berkswell.
The IgersbirminghamUK Icons walk started with a torrential downpour of rain. We met at the Five ways roundabout where we managed to shelter from the rain until we were brave enough to walk down Broad Street. The rain had created many excellent photographic opportunities including people with umbrellas concentrating on avoiding the large puddles.
Reflections of the International Convention Centre, Centenary Square.
The underpass at Five Ways is a busy thoroughfare with both people and delivery bikes moving around. If you stay still then you immediately look suspicious. There was a brief plan of where our walk would take us. The idea was to walk down Broad Street to Centenary Square with a short detour to Oozells Square. From then on we would visit two more squares, Chamberlain and Victoria with our final destination being the Colmore where we could discuss our photographs over a well-earned drink. I have grouped my pictures into several themes.
People
Broad street is always great for street photography with pedestrians undertaking different activities. They may be waiting for the trams or making their way to the theatres and concert halls. There is always the odd surprise such as the suited and booted men on scooters. Surprisingly they were not wearing helmets! Even the cyclist, I captured was not wearing one. The health and safety part of me has seen the results of people not wearing crash helmets. One of my favourites photographs was the picture of two women outside the Library of Birmingham practicing their hip hop dance moves in the window reflections. Other people looked very glum about the weather.
Sharing an umbrella in Broad StreetSuited and bootedCycling Broad Street with the Octagon in the background.Practicing hip hop dance moves.Only the lonely
Signs
Letters are everywhere and a few caught my eye. Popworld was hosting a party and Ozzie was getting wet. There were signs of the cost of living crisis with unopened cans of food left on a bench. A story within a story, as the unopened cans sit on a bench near to the luxury five ways hotel where people can take a Rockstar taxi into the city. Head over to #igbk_meet_icons where one of our photographers focused on the lettering he encountered during our walk.
Ozzy’s signaturePopworldTaxi rank on cobbled stonesContrasts with tins of food and taxis
Icons
There are so many icons on the route and the Black Sabbath bridge over the Birmingham Canals is deserving of your attention. In Centenary Square, there was the obligatory shot of the golden boys statue. The Birmingham family holds a central position in the square and divides popular opinion. My picture shows that the overriding message is about love. The Iron:man by Antony Gormley regularly gets photographed as it is placed at the intersection of many walkways including the tram stop and Town Hall. Finally the Birmingham icon, Benjamin Zachariah, is the subject of an exhibition of his life and works. The pictures and living history of this influential poet and writer are set up near to the New Street entrance to Victoria Square. Biodiversity bear has also taken up residence in the same area. This is a busy place with the trams passing by in their distinguished blue livery.
The Birmingham family is about love.The Golden BoysPictures of Iron:manVictoria Square Icons
Architecture
Birmingham is noted for its brutalist history and love of concrete. The start of our walk at the Auchinleck walkway provides an example of this. However spirits are raised when walking towards Field Marshall Auchinleck’s statue and down Broad Street. The high rise living apartments dwarf the street level buildings and lights. Older buildings fight for space with the newer blocks of architecture. Oozells Square still has presence, even though it is most famous for two weeks of the year when the cherry trees blossom. The reflective pool in Centenary Square was clear of any activity and with the recent rain, the classic picture of the Rep, Library and Hall of Remembrance was taken. A new icon, the Octagon, is rising in the background. The approach to Chamberlain square has a certain grandeur as the buildings on either side guide you to the Council House with the Chamberlain clock and the 103 Colmore Row skyscraper in the background. The security were kind to us and we were able to take photos on this privately owned part of Birmingham without hassle. Reaching Victoria square there is a mixture of construction and exhibitions taking place. Local Brummies will quip, “Birmingham will be good when it is finished”.
The brutalist architecture of Auchinleck underpass at Five WaysView of the top of Broad Street.The old and the new.Classic view of Oozells Square.Reflections of some Birmingham Icons.The approach to Chamberlain SquareVictoria Square and the Benjamin Zachariah exhibition.Tram lightsA regular sight on the streets of Birmingham.
At the Colmore, we had great discussions about our pictures including those that got away. As we left the pub on our way home, the night was coming down allowing the neon lights to feature more in our pictures. The big wheel by the Cathedral invited us to take a few final pictures and then we caught the train home.
The Floodgate featured in one of my favourite pictures which was taken in Floodgate street during the early hours of morning. Although I had never been inside the venue, I have passed the front entrance on many occasions during my photographic visits to Digbeth. When I heard that The Floodgate was closing then I knew that I had to photograph the place before it closed. On a Friday afternoon, which was the penultimate day of the venue being open, I ventured into the place and brought a drink at the bar. I asked the staff whether I could take photographs of the inside and they kindly said that I could go ahead. So a big thank you to them for this blog.
Baseball cagesThe Floodgate RacewayBeth who works at the Floodgate with artwork in the background.
The Floodgate is one large games entertainment venue with curling, baseball, table golf and model car racing amongst the sports that punters can take part in. I met Beth who worked in the Floodgate. Beth explained that the Floodgate was closing due to the sky-high rent. When Beth told me the figures that they were being charged for rent then it is no surprise that independents are struggling. Digbeth is undergoing changes and the early success of independents has attracted larger businesses who want a slice of the action. Digbeth is becoming a very popular part of Birmingham (if it was not popular already). There are plans for several high rise residences to be built in the vicinity. Many of the old warehouses and industrial units are being earmarked for demolition with a complete revamp of the area planned. Already the Boxpark franchise will be pumping 5 million pounds under the nearby railway arches that will create bars and restaurants. The independents have difficulty in matching this sort of investment.
The Floodgate had only just opened for the evening and apart from a few customers playing curling, I had the place to myself for taking pictures. The Floodgate has one large bar area situated in the main warehouse. Table tops are in the form of baseballs and colourful murals adorn the walls. There are baseball cages and an impressive model car racing track. The latter has a set of seats complete with steering wheels where people can control the model cars they see in front of them around the track.
You never know who you will meet in the darkWith a little help from my friendsHole 18 – Table GolfThe Trotter’s car and other lights.
Leading off from the main warehouse, there are two games areas . The walls are covered with colourful graffiti art that glows in the UV light. The area is a psychedelic experience and the Jimi Hendrix song Purple Haze came to mind. I enjoyed taking pictures with both my cameras, the Fujifilm x100vi and my iPhone. This is where the new Fujifilm with IBIS worked well. Such pictures taken in low light with this camera would have been impossible without a tripod in the past. The iPhone is well known for its low light photography, The curling lanes were surrounded by lights and a ceiling of springs. The table golf set up looked impressive when set against the graffiti. The area was a little spooky with no people present. Beth did tell me that there were stories about ghosts in the warehouse and occasionally I felt a presence as I wandered around the darkly lit areas of the table golf rooms.
Outside CurlingGlory DaysNHS Angel wings in the light
Under the arches
The outside area has more curling lanes and baseball cages that are set against a backdrop of the towering railway arches. The cameras now had to deal with strong light and harsh shadows as for once it was not raining.
My final shot was of Beth and other staff in the bar area. It is sad to see such places closing but I guess this is progress. The early charm of Digbeth with venues taking advantage of the old industrial warehouses is slowly disappearing. The Floodgate is an example of creating different types of entertainment. Such places will disappear and be replaced with new shiny establishments that will cater for most of the new residents that will be entering Digbeth.
Beth with the Floodgate bar in the background
Floodgate Street
If you enjoyed this blog then please take a look at my other Digbeth entries starting with Digbeth Art from July 2020
With the long summer nights upon us, the IgersbirminghamUK team came up with the idea for a photowalk that started at St Paul’s Square and finished at St Philip’s Cathedral. Along the way we could photograph interesting views of Birmingham. The walk went down Ludgate Hill, over the Pedestrian Bridge towards Church Street finally arriving at St Philip’s Square affectionately known by locals as Pigeon Park. The call went out a week before on social media and on the evening a group of photographers assembled outside St Paul’s Church. A list of some interesting places and buildings had already been circulated on our social media channels. Many of these suggestions were taken up by our band of photographers. I usually have my iPhone and my Fujifilm x100vi on any city walk. I just find these two cameras so useful to tell the story of the streets as they are easy to carry and use. They also take good pictures.
Canal CyclistCycle reflectionUnderneathPhotographersSelfiePeaky BlindersSt Paul’s ChurchTowpathon the bridgeThe big wheel
. The walk started with lovely warm sunshine and St Paul’s Square looked good in the evening light. As we moved down Ludgate Hill towards the Birmingham Canal, the sky clouded over but it did not stop us taking pictures of our favourite Brummie locations.
Steps on the canal
The canal passes underneath the BT tower. There is graffiti and concrete posts yet the canal locks blend in well with the surroundings. Further along, the pedestrian bridge is always a favourite photography location. The light was dimming so it was possible to practice a few long exposures of the traffic passing underneath.
Towards the tunnelTowards Snow Hill.
. As we approached St Philip’s Square along Church Street, we could see the recently installed Big Wheel lit up against the late evening light. Then came the rain. Just as we reached the square, the heavens opened and we got very wet. Some of us were fortunate as we had brough a water proof coat or umbrella. Others were less lucky. We first thought that this was going to be a miserable end to a good evening of photography. After the initial heavy downpour, we saw that the rain had created reflections on the surrounding pavements. The Big Wheel was lit up in different colours, and the resulting images with the reflections gave a range of interesting effects. Also people were walking past with umbrellas casting their shadows in the puddles. The picture opportunities were unending. After a while no one minded the rain or the fact that they were soaked through.
Part of the ramp from the bridge. Not the best part of Brum.
Those of us that were left behind after braving the rain finished our walk at the Wolf pub on Constitution hill. During our well deserved refreshments, the IgersbirminghamUK team planned our next adventure.
This are my own pictures from the @IgersbirminghamUK walk. If you want to see the pictures of all the other talented photographers that took part then follow the link #igbUK_meet_sq2park
The walk back from the Wolf pub to Snow Hill station was short but interesting and here is a set of five pictures showing how the light and reflections after the rain can create a wonderful range of colours.
Looking across the street at Old Snow HillWarm lights on Water StreetUnder the archLights and reflections on Lionel StreetPuddles at Snow Hill Station
If you have got down to here then there are other IgersbirminghamUK meetings to read about on my blog. Enjoy reading about our activities. The team at IgersbirminghamUK look forward to seeing you at one of their future meetings.
So I have been to Iceland but did not see the Aurora Borealis as it was too cloudy. I did fly from Portland, Oregon to Reykjavík and saw the lights somewhere over the Northern Territories and Greenland. My next Aurora Borealis experience was a recreated one in Birmingham City Centre. This event was really cool even though it was man made.
Rays of light from above (iPhone)
The chances of seeing a full blown Northern Lights show anywhere outside of Iceland or Norway were going to be low. Friday 10th May and the Aurora watch said chances were high but I was out for dinner and I was thinking of an early Saturday start to photograph the end of the bluebells season.
Beam me up Scotty (iPhone)
When we got back home, I went out in the garden and looked North as the BBC news channel instructions stated. Sandy said I had North wrong and I should look more to my right. I stayed out past 11.30pm and took a few pictures. At first nothing seemed to be showing, possibly there was a faint green glow. My camera showed some streaks on the right. I reorientated myself to the North East view and took a picture. At first I thought the camera was having a problem. There were lines on the picture. I took some more and as you will see there were some amazing rays showing up. I looked with the naked eye and there was a white glistening cloud passing over the house. The camera was recording pictures of an intense part of the electromagnetic storm that was passing overhead.
Taken looking west away from the house. (iPhone)
The storm moved over the house from the East to the West. I continuously took pictures with my iPhone and occasionally used my Canon D5mkIV. The patterns were changing and at times the scene over the house looked like rays being emitted from a heavenly body.
Burst of light from the sky (iPhone)
When I posted the pictures around midnight, I found the Socials were going mad. Many of my photographic friends were posting pictures of the Aurora and I was entering a massive chatroom as everyone exchanged their views on photographs that had been taken.
Green for Oxygen molecules, red for Nitrogen. (iPhone)
Reflections. I never thought that I would see the Northern Lights from my back garden and that it would be so spectacular. I was so pleased to have the chance to see it and photograph the light show. I never made it to the Bluebells fields the next day!
Intense red colours (Canon 5Dmkiv)
Technicalities. All iPhone pictures were taken on a tripod which gave lots of detail. Settings for the Canon were f/2.8, s15 secs and initially ISO1600. The light was so intense that I dropped the ISO to 400 on subsequent photographs. The colours from both cameras were different with the Canon picking up a richer red colour to the lights.
If you want to see my Northern lights from a plane, I have a link.
Birmingham has a long and rich history and the names of George and Richard Cadbury are linked with the story of the City Their success in creating Cadbury’s Chocolate led to the building of their factory in Bournville. The brothers created a Garden Village around the factory to cater for their employees. Sadly Richard died before seeing the project completed although this spurred on George Cadbury to complete the project. Bournville village is now run by a Trust and is a legacy which is enjoyed by both residents and visitors to the area.
The Rest House which is at the centre of Bournville Village.
IgersbirminghamUK organised their first photographic Instameet of 2024 at Selly Manor which is part of Bournville Village Trust. Selly Manor also has a long story. The original building “Smythes Tenement” dated back to 1476. Over time, the building deteriorated and was split into separate dwellings called the “Rookery”. The house was saved from demolition by George Cadbury who brought the property in 1907 and relocated Selly Manor from Selly Oak to Bournville Garden Village. The House was rebuilt next to the Chocolate Factory in 1916 and opened as a museum.
Daniel addressing the IgersbirminghamUK photographers.
Nearly 30 photographers arrived at the Museum on a bright sunny Saturday morning. We received a welcome from staff member, Daniel, who gave us an overview of the house and then encouraged us to visit the rest of the area. We were given a leaflet of the heritage trail that takes in all the notable buildings in the Bournville village. We have some excellent photographers in the IgersbirminghamUK ranks as evidenced by the pictures that emerged on Instagram. You can follow the pictures and reels from the day with the following tags and I have provided links to the relevant pages. Please take some time to visit the pages and see the wonderful pictures. Thanks to the other members of the IgersbirminghamUK team for their organisation and help with the meeting Nicky Warwickshire, LenaMac77 and James_never_Jim.
The following is a selection of my pictures from the Selly Manor and Bournville Village Visit.
Guide books at the ready.A view of the Minworth Greaves building from a window in the Manor.Beautiful detail of this head dress.Civil war helmets.A priest hole in the attic.Easter decorations.Beth and Adam dress up for the day.Easter egg hunt in the gardens (sadly not the chocolate variety).The stocks are waiting for you.
Following on from Selly Manor some photographers moved onto the Bournville Quaker meeting House where one of the Quakers, Anne, was most kind and showed us around inside. The outside of the church does have a fairy castle feeling. Inside the large hall was impressive with light streaming through the windows. There is a raised platform with chairs and table from the Selly Manor museum. This, as Anne pointed out, is not used for worship as Quakers sit around in circles in the centre of the hall usually with a table. Anne then took us up to the balcony to see the organ and from here we were able to take pictures down into the hall. I was even fortunate that Anne agreed to be in my 100 Strangers project.
Bournville Quaker Meeting House.The hall inside the meeting house.The light streaming into the Hall.Organ PipesThe command centre 🙂Thank you to Anne who kindly showed us around the Meeting House.
There is much more to see in and around the Bournville Village Trust and those photographs will have to wait till another day. I spend much of my time talking to other Instagrammers during an Instameet and do not get the opportunity to take that many photographs. Catching up with others and seeing what they have photographed is a bonus with such Instameets. After the meeting we headed off to the Glass House brewery by the canal in Stirchley. We had a good catch up including talking about that elusive picture that got away!
If you are interested in the @IgersbirminghamUK Instameets then I have other accounts on my blog with the one below as a starting point.
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This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
