Today, with the promise of nice weather, and a little extra time more than usual, Leah,
my friend and tour guide, suggested we take a visit to a unique area of
Birmingham known as the Jewellery Quarter, with its historic metal-working
roots. Dating back over 250 years, it is still home to over 400 jewellery businesses
today. Of special interest is that Martin’s
mother’s parents were married in St Paul’s, the largest and most famous church there
in the Quarter, and a number of his ancestors are buried in the surrounding
cemetery.
Jewellery Quarter history in a nutshell:
17th
Century
Precious metals have been worked in Birmingham since the 14th Century, but the industry really prospered from 1660, when King Charles II, returning from exile in France following the Civil War, brought back a taste for fancy buttons and shoe buckles. As this fashion spread, metal workers and artisans turned out thousands of pieces in steel and later used silver and burnished gold, inlaid with coloured glass and gemstones. One item at this time that was particularly well sought after was the trinket box.
Precious metals have been worked in Birmingham since the 14th Century, but the industry really prospered from 1660, when King Charles II, returning from exile in France following the Civil War, brought back a taste for fancy buttons and shoe buckles. As this fashion spread, metal workers and artisans turned out thousands of pieces in steel and later used silver and burnished gold, inlaid with coloured glass and gemstones. One item at this time that was particularly well sought after was the trinket box.
18th Century
Development in the Quarter was rapid during this period as Birmingham prospered from the Industrial Revolution and developed into a large industrial town, manufacturing a vast range of products, often from various metals. Many large foundries and glassworks attracted workers from all parts of Britain. A considerable trade developed in the manufacture of gilt buttons, cap badges, pins and small metal toys. Substantial houses were built for the manufacturers and the artisans lived in more modest terraces. As the expansion of trade continued, workshops sprang up in gardens and workbenches were installed in houses. Different skills and expertise made people in the area reliant on one another and the Jewellery Quarter was established. As the middle classes moved out of the zone, large factories and workshops were constructed in their place for the goldsmiths and silversmiths. The main gold products being produced at the time were keys, seals and watch chains whilst silversmiths manufactured buckles and comb ornaments using imitation stones. Despite buckles going out of fashion in society, the industry prospered. Jewellery was produced mainly in small workshops, contrasting with the large factories and mills that were being constructed throughout England.
One famous industrialist played a key role when his dream of establishing Birmingham's own assay office was realized. It is still one of the largest in Europe today. Something also quite unique to Birmingham is its extensive canal system (In fact, Leah tells me there are more canals in Birmingham than in Venice. No way!), construction of which first began in the late 1700s. (We did NOT visit any today.)
Development in the Quarter was rapid during this period as Birmingham prospered from the Industrial Revolution and developed into a large industrial town, manufacturing a vast range of products, often from various metals. Many large foundries and glassworks attracted workers from all parts of Britain. A considerable trade developed in the manufacture of gilt buttons, cap badges, pins and small metal toys. Substantial houses were built for the manufacturers and the artisans lived in more modest terraces. As the expansion of trade continued, workshops sprang up in gardens and workbenches were installed in houses. Different skills and expertise made people in the area reliant on one another and the Jewellery Quarter was established. As the middle classes moved out of the zone, large factories and workshops were constructed in their place for the goldsmiths and silversmiths. The main gold products being produced at the time were keys, seals and watch chains whilst silversmiths manufactured buckles and comb ornaments using imitation stones. Despite buckles going out of fashion in society, the industry prospered. Jewellery was produced mainly in small workshops, contrasting with the large factories and mills that were being constructed throughout England.
One famous industrialist played a key role when his dream of establishing Birmingham's own assay office was realized. It is still one of the largest in Europe today. Something also quite unique to Birmingham is its extensive canal system (In fact, Leah tells me there are more canals in Birmingham than in Venice. No way!), construction of which first began in the late 1700s. (We did NOT visit any today.)
19th Century
Royal fashions continued to affect the fortunes of the Jewellery Quarter (In May 1845, a party of jewellery representatives were sent to Buckingham Palace with the intention of persuading Queen Victoria to wear British-made jewellery for the purpose of promoting it. The group gave the royal couple an armlet, a brooch, a pair of ear-rings, a waist buckle, a watch-chain, a seal and key – together valued at over 400 guineas. The representatives made the claim that 5,000 families were dependent on the jewellery trades.), which also became famous for its pen nibs when Gillott perfected the technique of machine-manufactured steel nibs. This contributed to the spread of literacy and writing to the working classes.
Royal fashions continued to affect the fortunes of the Jewellery Quarter (In May 1845, a party of jewellery representatives were sent to Buckingham Palace with the intention of persuading Queen Victoria to wear British-made jewellery for the purpose of promoting it. The group gave the royal couple an armlet, a brooch, a pair of ear-rings, a waist buckle, a watch-chain, a seal and key – together valued at over 400 guineas. The representatives made the claim that 5,000 families were dependent on the jewellery trades.), which also became famous for its pen nibs when Gillott perfected the technique of machine-manufactured steel nibs. This contributed to the spread of literacy and writing to the working classes.
During this same
period, the jewellery trade was considered the most lucrative in the city with
jewellers being some of the best paid workers in the city. There were also more
people employed in the trade than any other in the city. Boys were given apprenticeships at
the age of 14 and earned four shillings on average. This would increase
annually until they were 21, at which time they were considered a master – all during
which it was expected they would work from 8 in the morning till 7 at night. By the end of the 19th century, the
middle classes in London depended more on the supply of jewellery from
Birmingham than from their own city. It is believed that by 1850, half of the
gold and silverware products on sale in London jewellery shops had been
produced in Birmingham.
As a result of the rapid growth of the area,
spaces in which to bury the dead became scarce. As one gentleman put it, ‘instead of the church burying the dead, the dead were burying the
church.’ Therefore, additional cemeteries were built to ease a severe case of
overcrowding which had arisen in the older burial grounds in the town centre.
Of particular interest, which we visited today, were the catacombs of Warstone
Lane Cemetery – created actually because there had been a sandpit there (the product of which was used for moulds
by the local metal casting industry) on the site, and building catacombs was a
neat solution to the problem of tidying up the sandpit. But, of course, the
catacombs also provide added capacity by creating a triple-decker burial
ground. Until quite recently the tunnels were open for those brave enough to
venture into them, but have now been bricked up for purposes of safety and
security.
20th Century
By early 20th Century, the jewellery trade reached a peak when in 1914 over 20,000 people were employed in the trade in the area, while supporting trades occupied as many again. The Jewellery Quarter continued to thrive through World War I as demand for military buttons, badges and medals increased. However, at the end of the war, the demand plummeted and the jewellers also witnessed a change in fashion in society. The demand for products manufactured peaked in 1920 and a steady decline began. The Quarter was hard hit by the Great Depression and struggled to recover afterwards. Some companies constructed large factories as they tried to diversify their businesses. In World War II, manufacture turned again to munitions and this led to the Jewellery Quarter becoming a target of bombing raids by the Luftwaffe during the Birmingham Blitz. Like the rest of Birmingham, this brought a lot of damage to the Jewellery Quarter. Following the war, the Quarter witnessed a slight recovery which was again hindered by a lack of space. The industry has continued to decline although has remained operative throughout the postwar years. This has been a result of lack of demand combined with foreign competition. Throughout its history, it has been quite a closed community with people living and working there, and it wasn’t until later in the 20th Century that shops began to open to the general public.
By early 20th Century, the jewellery trade reached a peak when in 1914 over 20,000 people were employed in the trade in the area, while supporting trades occupied as many again. The Jewellery Quarter continued to thrive through World War I as demand for military buttons, badges and medals increased. However, at the end of the war, the demand plummeted and the jewellers also witnessed a change in fashion in society. The demand for products manufactured peaked in 1920 and a steady decline began. The Quarter was hard hit by the Great Depression and struggled to recover afterwards. Some companies constructed large factories as they tried to diversify their businesses. In World War II, manufacture turned again to munitions and this led to the Jewellery Quarter becoming a target of bombing raids by the Luftwaffe during the Birmingham Blitz. Like the rest of Birmingham, this brought a lot of damage to the Jewellery Quarter. Following the war, the Quarter witnessed a slight recovery which was again hindered by a lack of space. The industry has continued to decline although has remained operative throughout the postwar years. This has been a result of lack of demand combined with foreign competition. Throughout its history, it has been quite a closed community with people living and working there, and it wasn’t until later in the 20th Century that shops began to open to the general public.
Most recently, revitalization in the form of mixed-use development (including offices,
apartments, live/work spaces, bars and restaurants, hotels, shops, museums, art
galleries, and music clubs) has been promoted, the main thrust being to
regenerate the Quarter as a hub for creative businesses. Today the region is also
home to a school for the training of metallurgists and workers of personal
adornments – the Municipal School for
Jewellers and Silversmiths. Leah sAys that of all the
different nooks of Birmingham, this one is of particular appeal to her – that if
she could pick anywhere to live, one of her top choices would be this
innovative and charming artistic-minded community.
[Following last night’s presidential debate, I heard
‘Obama’ referred to as ‘Obamer’ on the BBC4 news program this morning. It was
reported that Romney won the match, hands down. The next hurtle to come, according
to the report,will be if he isn’t subsequently shown to rise in the polls following this showing, at which point supposedly it will cast a black mark.]
Photos_
1- official logo
2- jewellery row
3- St Paul’s Church, (‘Serving God in the
Jewellery Quarter’), completed in 1779, whose bordering square is said to contain
Birmingham’s last remaining Georgian Square
4- with the Rev'd Mary
Gilbert, Vicar, The Church of England, aka the Anglican Church
5- constructed inside an
early 19th century sandpit, Warstone Lane Cemetery, with catacombs dug into its
hillside
6- residential properties overlooking St Paul’s square, converted into workshops in the 1850s
7- better than Venice
6- residential properties overlooking St Paul’s square, converted into workshops in the 1850s
7- better than Venice
8- Municipal School for
Jewellers and Silversmiths
9- BT tower (British Telecom: broadband, phone lines and digital TV for UK homes; mobile,
security, networked IT and voice services for businesses and organizations
around the world - one of the largest, most powerful companies in all the UK)
