Birmingham History

The local social history of Birmingham and its environs

Welcome to Birmingham History, an internet resource dedicated to the Second City's People and Places. It was in 2014 that local businessman Robert Hall, suggested to historian William Dargue that a website dedicated to the men and women who have made the city famous throughout the world, and the places from where they came, would be an exciting and thoroughly worthwhile project. So, with the backing of Hall's Garden Centre, Bill Dargue set about researching the lives of the city’s past and present personalities, and unearthing the history of local places of interest. He has compiled a selection of intriguing stories that provide a fascinating insight into the people who are proud to be called Brummies and the thriving city that they call home. We shall continue to update Birmingham History as fresh information on its people and places comes to light. In the meantime, if you want to comment on any of the content or wish to suggest possible subjects for the future, please get in touch.

Sutton Park

For almost 500 years Sutton Park was not devoted to the pleasures of local people, but exclusively to deer and their aristocratic … Read More

Gibbet Hill

Long distance travel in the 17th and 18th centuries was often a dangerous affair. Travellers along the Chester Road were rightfully … Read More

Beggar’s Bush

    At the junction of Jockey Road and Chester Road in New Oscott, there once grew a hawthorn bush marking the point where met the parish … Read More

A History of Boldmere

The district of Boldmere came into being around the middle of the 19th century. When St Michael’s church was consecrated in 1857, the district was described as … Read More

Boldmere Churches

St Michael, Boldmere The Rector of Sutton Coldfield, Rev William Riland Bedford (1826–1905) was instrumental in setting up schools and churches in Sutton at a time … Read More

Old Oscott

Old Oscott, is now most associated with Cardinal John Henry Newman, a prominent Anglican and later a Roman Catholic priest of the 19th century who was beatified by … Read More

New Oscott

St Mary’s College, Oscott, from which the district of New Oscott takes its name, was first established in 1791 at Old Oscott which is now in the modern district of … Read More