Birmingham Heritage Week 2018

#Birmingham #Heritage Week 2018 – there are some great events at the Library of Birmingham…..see the Birmingham Heritage Week website for more details.

The Iron Room

It’s not long now until Birmingham Heritage Week 2018, and we’ve got a wide variety of things going on here at the Library of Birmingham!

8^th September

PICTURE BIRMINGHAM

Saturday 8th September 2018, 11:15am-4:15pm

Venue: Heritage Learning Space, Level 4, Library of Birmingham

Booking: Pre-booking essential! To book, click here.   

Birmingham is an ever-changing city, and its changing nature has been documented through Archives in various formats for centuries, a relatively recent format being photography!

This family-friendly workshop is about capturing the city, photographically, on one day (Saturday 8^th September 2018) as seen by you.

After a brief introduction by Michael Hallett, an explanation of the activity, and guidance on how to make the most of using your mobile device (mobile phone or tablet – no “proper” cameras!), and a walk around the Gallery where a photography exhibition will be on display, you will be sent out…

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From Pleasure Park to Villa Park

History of Aston Hall and Villa Park

Notes from 19th Century Birmingham

 

Aston Hall was built in the early seventeenth century by Sir Thomas Holte. Two hundred years later, on the death of Dowager Lady Holte, the 1,530 acre estate was put up for auction and purchased by Warwick bankers, Greenaway, Greaves and Whitehead on July 10th, 1817. They subsequently parcelled up the land and sold it on in suitable lots. James Watt Jnr. bought the Hall, part of what was known as the Upper Grounds of the estate, while a Mr H.G. Quilter bought up the Lower Grounds.

The thirty-one acres bought by Quilter became known locally as the Aston Lower Grounds, and he used the land to establish a popular pleasure gardens with fishponds. Over time, these extended to include a hotel (now The Holte pub), a skating rink and sports ground. In 1879 a large aquarium was opened to the public, Showell’s described it:

The principal room has…

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6 Listed sites that survive from the age of the steam train

via 6 Listed sites that survive from the age of the steam train

6 Listed sites that survive from the age of the steam train

#Birmingham features in this cavalcade of important steam train related sites with the Birmingham New Street 1970’s signal box being one of those featured

Heritage Calling

Today, 11 August 2018, marks 50 years since the last main-line steam trains carried passengers in style across Britain.

Steam locomotion had changed the world, and a series of celebratory steam-hauled train journeys marked the withdrawal of the service in 1968.

Diesel, and later-on electric, services were to replace much-loved steam locomotives, many of which went to the scrap heap, with some thankfully on display in heritage railway museums.

In homage to this iconic era of travel, we take a look at some of the most important listed sites associated with steam locomotives in England.

1. Stockton and Darlington Railway, County Durham (various listed and scheduled monuments)

Remains Of The Stockton And Darlington Railway, Stockton-On-Tees 1905 © Historic England Archive

The first ever public railway, Stockton and Darlington saw ‘Locomotion No 1’ take its maiden voyage on 27 September 1825, carrying 550 passengers. Parts of the original railway line survive…

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Birmingham Heritage Week returns 6th-16th September 2018

#Birmingham is a place full of history, from the magnificent Jacobean mansion of Aston Hall, to Soho House, Industrial Revolution pioneer Matthew Boulton’s home, where the revolutionary Lunar Society made up of ‘The Friends that Made the Future’: Watt, Wedgwood, Small, Priestley, Murdock and Darwin, the ‘Men of Moment’ who made the Industrial Revolution happen on the back of steam power.

#BrumHour

Via Zoe for Birmingham Museums Trust

Birmingham Heritage Week is back for 2018, Celebrating Birmingham’s rich and diverse history with inspiring events including walks, talks, open days plus visits to hidden gems across the city.

Aston Hall

The city-wide festival is returning for its fourth year with 10 days of fun-filled events which will attract new tourists to the city, and allow locals a deeper insight into Birmingham’s past.

Whether you want to discover more about Birmingham’s manufacturing history, find out about Birmingham’s much loved parks with the Birmingham Civic Society or travel on a narrow boat into the heart of Birmingham’s canal, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Museum Collection Centre

See a full list of events at birminghamheritageweek.co.uk – many of the events are free!
2018 highlights

• Celebrate 400 Years of Aston Hall and the fascinating history of this grand Jacobean…

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Talking Brummagem

Brummagem sayings and colloquialisms loike ” E met ‘er at the back a Rackhams ” myselfmeaning a tryst with a brassy woman….and “It looks black over Bill’s Mothers” meaning inclement weather is in the offing…..Rare “Brummie gems” rather than Brummagems!!!!!!

Notes from 19th Century Birmingham

Those of us who come from Birmingham are long used to outsiders trying to imitate our accent. Usually very badly. Most of us are also aware that there are words we use that are not generally used elsewhere – ‘island’ for a traffic roundabout and ‘mom’ are the most usual. Then there are local sayings, ‘face as long as Livery Street’ , ‘alright bab?’

Showell’s Dictionary of Birmingham included a section on what it called ‘provincialisms’:

Like the inhabitants of most other parts of the country Birmingham people are not without their peculiarities of speech, not so strong characterised perhaps as those of the good folks of Somersetshire, or even some of our neighbours in the Black Country, but still noticeable.

Some of the peculiarities included brought back memories of things I remember hearing and saying when I was younger, but rarely use now, such as ‘yourn’ or ‘ourn’ –…

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