To people living outside the United Kingdom, London is probably the most famous city and it is to the capital that most people will automatically think. Some people may remember Liverpool with its famous musical connections to bands such as the Beetles, however the people found casting their minds to Birmingham may be more interested in industry than history or popular culture.
Despite being the UK's second highest populated city and containing around a third more people than Glasgow or double that of Liverpool, Birmingham is not always the first place people plan to visit on a trip to England. This is most likely because Birmingham has historically been respected as an industrial area. It was the eighteenth century that saw the areas international prestige grow, and the years that followed saw the area continue to flourish for its industrial and scientific achievements. This article looks at how industry in Birmingham has developed over the years.
Whilst London has retained fame for its eventful past and historical architecture, Birmingham's history has been connected with industrialisation, with manufacturing and industry being some of the most prominent success the city has seen. This is not a new thing, and as far back as 1791, Birmingham was being called "the first manufacturing town in the world." It was during the eighteenth century and the industrial revolution that the area really developed and become known internationally for innovation; the market town of the middle ages grew and was to become highly significant in global developments in science and technology.
Birmingham dates back at least as far as the seventh century when a small Anglo-Saxon farm sat by the River Rea. 1166 saw the introduction of a market which helped transform the village into a town, however the industrial and manufacturing connections really began in the 16th century when supplies of iron ore and coal led to the development of metalworking industries. In the 17th century this led to the production of small arms, and the 18th century saw Birmingham become home to the Lunar Society. This was where local thinkers and industrialists would gather, and preceded Birmingham's 19th century political prominence when a campaign for political reform saved the country from civil war, with union meetings becoming the largest political assemblies the country had ever seen.
The industrial boom that helped Birmingham grow also saw the city became famous for the manufacture of jewellery, to such an extent that part of the city became known as "Jewellery Quarter". In 1553 it is thought the first of Birmingham's goldsmiths lived in the city; by 1780 this had grown to 26. By the 19th century 400 people were employed by jewellery manufacturing companies. This type of trade peaked in 1914 with over 20,000 people with employed.
The end of World War I saw less demand for military buttons, badges and medals. This, and a general change in fashion caused there to be less demand for products of this nature. Despite many innovations and attempts to continue sales such as the production of unique silver jewellery, sales continued to drop and most businesses were forced to diversify. 1965 saw 8000 people employed by 900 jewellery firms; by 1985 this dropped to 4000 people. The area is now part of the ongoing city regeneration.
Birmingham had withstood the test of time and marked its place in history as a centre of science, industry and political power, however the city suffered severe damage during the air raids of World War II. With so much weight and history behind it, the city was able to develop and regenerate.
As the modern world changed, so too did Birmingham. Immigration to this area resulted in a sharp change in ethic makeup. The population peaked in 1951 with 1,113,000 residents and the 1970's saw an average income greater even than that of London or the southeast. During the next decade, the government attempt to spread power more equally throughout Wales, Scotland and England. This caused Birmingham to become less able to regenerate and more reliant on existing industry such as vehicle manufacture.
Birmingham and the UK motor industry have been associated for a great many years. The area known as Longbridge was dominated by car manufacture and housed many famous UK brands from Austin to Morris, British Leyland and MG Rover.
With falling sales, MG Rover were forced to cease trading in 2005 despite being purchased by BMW at one stage, and later being sold to the Phoenix Consortium in 2000. The Rover brand name was eventually purchased by Ford (who had already bought the Land Rover range from BMW) and then sold on to Tata who took over the Jaguar and Land Rover ranges. Large areas of Longbridge were demolished and things looked bleak.
Although the Rover brand is no more and looks unlikely to return, MG-Rover's former partners, the Nanjing Automobile group, purchased the assets for the MG side of the business and restarted production of MG's famous sports cars in 2007. MG production was resumed at Longbridge and a number of Rovers original plans and ideas have been extensively developed and reworked using the original people. The production of new MG saloon cars is thought to resume this year, just six years after MG appeared to have been lost forever.
Birmingham's future looks assured; not only has the UK motoring industry returned to its spiritual home but the city has been transformed. Known as the Big City Plan, classic features such as canals and buildings have been restored, and new areas developed from scratch. Birmingham has overcome every challenge history has given, coping with major devastation caused by the War, recessions and the closure of Britain's best known car manufacturer.
Along with this latest regeneration, new areas of Birmingham property have been developed including major stretches of new housing. Historically, Birmingham has always had major industrial and transport links making this city the perfect place to work and live. Ranked as a gamma world city, Birmingham goes from strength to strength and plays host to internationally respected cultural institutions. Despite all of setbacks the city could have faced, it seems that nothing can prevent the areas continued success.
