Back to backs, Birmingham, July,2024

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, Birmingham, July,2024
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

Back to backs, Birmingham, July,2024
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.  

Back to backs, Birmingham, July,2024
Dinner table set up in the first house.
Back to backs, Birmingham, July,2024
A chamberpot tucked under a bed.
Back to backs, Birmingham, July,2024
Reproduction of elaborate stencilling patterns.
Back to backs, Birmingham, July,2024
The second house accommodated a family of 11 and lodgers. A bed for three youngsters and a curtain partition to the right.
Back to backs, Birmingham, July,2024
Space for the baby.
Back to backs, Birmingham, July,2024
Tools of a toymaker enabling them to make many different items.
Back to backs, Birmingham, July,2024
Fancy a glass eye?
Back to backs, Birmingham, July,2024
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.

Back to backs, Birmingham, July,2024
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.

Back to backs, Birmingham, July,2024
The communal wash house.
Back to backs, Birmingham, July,2024
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.  

Back to backs, Birmingham, July,2024
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.

Back to backs, Birmingham, July,2024
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.

Coombe National Trust, Worcestershire

My quest to discover new National Trust properties took me to Croome House and Gardens in the heart of Worcestershire countryside.  The day was glorious for March and just the weather to go exploring a new place.  Arriving right on opening time, I took my map and quickly planned my visit.  I had an hour before the house doors opened so I made my way along to the lake with an island feature at the end of the property.  The tag line for Croome is expect the unexpected.  There is certainly lots of unexpected views and points of interest along the path.  The photographs provide an insight into the different views that can be seen at Croome.  There are several outhouses and statues along the way. The lake had the final mist of the morning lingering on the edges with views of main house. Following on from the lake, I soon found myself approaching the house and the wooden bridge over the river made a good feature for framing the house in the background.  This picture is the main feature of my blog and also made the BBC Midlands weather bulletin for that day.

Coombe National Trust, Worcestershire
Starting out on the walk at Croome.
Coombe National Trust, Worcestershire
A view of the Lake from inside the Grotto
Coombe National Trust, Worcestershire
Coombe House in the morning mist.
Coombe National Trust, Worcestershire
A close up of the footbridge.

The house was interesting.  Whilst it initially looked bare there were several strategically placed objects including urns that I was reliably informed were rare and individual.  The house was slowly unpacking furniture and other items that were being loaned by the Victoria and Albert Museum.  The wooden boxes looked very surreal in several of the rooms. There was a range of boxes in various stages of unpacking.  One part that I really loved was where the bone china was being displayed.  It was a glass and mirrored display box that you could walk into.  The reflection of the plates was surreal.  I took the opportunity to take different photographs including lying on the floor looking upwards with my camera.  The results were quite incredible.

Coombe National Trust, Worcestershire
Another imaginative display.
Coombe National Trust, Worcestershire
Whilst much of the interior furnishings have long gone, this sofa remains.

Walking out of the house into the expanse of the grounds, I carried on the path discovering outbuildings that commanded great views of the surrounding countryside.  The final delight was the beautifully simple church with the afternoon sun shinning into it.  This made for some good picture opportunities.

Coombe National Trust, Worcestershire
Interior of St Mary Magdalene Church

The National Trust link to Croome provides further information on visiting the property.