Birmingham’s Archaeology (Birmingham branch report)

The following post was written by Emma Roberts after attending an event with the Birmingham History Network. The report is republished here with the author's permission. The original can be found at: https://arandomenglishlife.wordpress.com/2015/09/22/birminghams-archaeology-birmingham-heritage-week/

Birmingham's Archaeology

I know very little about the early part of Birmingham’s history. I probably know more about Leicestershire’s local history than I do about my home city – which is a shame, but as part of Birmingham Heritage Week, the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society hosted a lecture about their excavations and what they have discovered and then followed this by a walk, which pinpointed the sites then talked about.

Before we get into the archaeology I have to talk about Birmingham and Midland Institute, where the talk took place…their lecture theatre has to be the best one I have ever been too. Look at the fabulous historic lecture theatre – I love the colour of the seats which I can only describe as puke green! The seats were so comfortable too, unlike most university ones.

The talk was given by Dr. Mike Hodder and Dr. Stephanie Ratkai. Dr. Mike Hodder was Birmingham Council’s planning Archeologist for twenty years and together with Dr. Stephanie Ratkai has worked on excavations of numerous sights in Birmingham, including the Bullring, Library of Birmingham and Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The talk itself centred on the archaeological work in Digbeth, which was a historic industrial site, that was prone to flooding. The fact that it was such a damp site has undermined the legend that Beorma and his followers settled here and that is why the city is called Birmingham. If Beorma did exist, he probably didn’t settle in Digbeth.

Modern Digbeth today is actually compromised of two separate parishes, with Deritend being in the parish of Aston, which was separated by the River Rae. I have walked past the River Rae many times and always thought it was a later canal…but it turns out it was a river! Deritend was home to a pottery industry, which importantly gave it’s name to Deritend ware, which was manufactured in Deritend and in the Bullring area. The pots themselves were made by a orange local Merican mudstone and detailed with a V pattern with a white clay which came from further afield. The busy trade of other industries drew people to the Bull ring to trade, and probably either bought cookware while they were here or bought products within Deritend ware – which made for the successful distribution of Deritend ware throughout the Midlands, and it is found regularly in digs sites. During digs as well pieces of flint were found which indicate that the site was in use in the Stone Age as well. It is also home to the Old Crown Pub with a very impressive sign which claims the pub dates back to 1368, however excavations by Dr. Hodder in the beer garden have suggested that there is no evidence to support the claim that the pub is that old.

Residents in Digbeth who were actually in the parish of Aston campaigned that the needed their own church because flooding often prevented them from travelling across the river to get to their Parish church in Deritend. It is dubious whether this was true of whether villagers wanted a closer church instead of walking several miles to get to their one in Aston. Whatever the case may be the church was the site of the burning of John Rogers during the reign of Queen Mary I. He is recorded as a Martyr to the protestant faith and was involved in helping to translate the bible into English.

Just up from the Old Crown on the same side, excavations also found evidence of a man-made pool built within the medieval period, the reason behind the creation of the pool was unclear but the area was home to a significantly sized tanning industry which was probably connected in some way to the 

pool.

Finally, the bit of archaeology I did know about was located on the site of the Bullring, which was the site of the old manor house with had a moat (this is reflected in street signage with Moat Lane). During excavations they found that the medieval manor’s walls were remarkably well preserved. Just up was the corner of Moat Lane is a very tired looking building, which use to be a music hall and was frequented by the Peaky Blinders, this building is scheduled for demolition and area to be rejuvenated.

Report on Hidden Spaces (Birmingham Heritage Week)

The following report about the Birmingham History Network's visit to Hidden Spaces, an event part of Birmingham Heritage Week, was written by Emma Roberts. The original can be found at: https://arandomenglishlife.wordpress.com/2015/09/18/hidden-spaces-birmingham-heritage-week/ (report republished with the author's permission).

Hidden Spaces

I am a history fanatic and it is safe to say that the study of the past takes up a lot of my time. I am very fortunate to be a Co-organiser of the Birmingham History Network (BHN). The BHN is a meetup group which is designed to bring like minded people together and organise events. Hidden Spaces was my second organised tour for the BHN and it formed part of Birmingham Heritage Week 2015. There was so many events to pick from over the week, and it was very difficult to filter through and pick something to do. In my opinion there was too much choice. Although if I run this event next year I think from experience I will be able to plan and organise the event a little better. I decided to pick a selection of venues that are normally closed to public viewing (which the exception of a few days each year). Often I walk past their buildings and always wonder what lies behind the closed door.

Birmingham Municipal Bank

First up with the old Municipal Bank, which was first suggestion by Neville Chamberlain (who is perhaps more famous for being Prime Minster during the Outbreak of World War Two) in 1915. The idea of the Bank was to courage workers to deposit their savings which would generate a 3.5% interest which would be used by the Government, predominately to help the war effort. The Bank was created by Act of Parliament in 1916. After the war the Bank survived and it moved to it’s current position in 1933. This building located on Broad Street was the headquarters of the Bank.

This is a big and very beautiful building. There are many saves behind this bank, and the building has a spooky element of being a ghost shell. I am not sure when the bank stopped being operational, but it closed because it was too big and too costly to maintain. I was fortunate enough to meet a woman who used to work here in the 1960s and she talked about the beautiful cashier’s desk that used to be in the main room as soon as you walk in…alas it has now gone and the building is just an empty shell. Another lovely bonus was that someone else in the group knew one of the people in charge of the Heritage Open Day and he very kindly gave us a tour around the other safes. The big empty vaults hold a silent history of what was once a very busy bank.

I think it’s an absolute shame that this building is not in use today. I can understand why it is too costly for a bank, but I was thinking that it is right next to the Registry Office. I think this building would be fantastic to be reused as a wedding venue…it has beautiful charm and room to be able to have a wedding and a catering/dance facility within it. Some of the former managerial offices could also be turned into Hotel rooms. Although there would be a problem with toilet and washroom facilities which are at present would be limiting. Nevertheless I think it would work really well as a wedding venue.

Curzon Street Station

I am quite clearly not a photographer, so my photos are appalling. Curzon Street Station was opened in 1838…but what is interesting is that this building was only partially built. There were meant to be two wings to the building, which appear in drawing plans but were never built. That’s why this building has the appearance that something is not quite right…almost missing. People often think that something has been removed from the building, in fact, the opposite was true – it was never added.

I was a little more disappointed with Curzon Street Station – it was lovely to see round the building…but there was no one really giving tours around and as we did not have someone in the group who knew someone to give a private tour, nor someone who worked here there wasn’t much more to do than walk around. There were a few informative boards on one wall – but it was mostly empty. I thought it would have been better to see if there were any photographs of Curzon Street within the archive and perhaps of used one of these empty rooms to display that. I loved a collection of old keys that had been left in one of the rooms, it was like it had been left there on Friday night ready for Monday morning and it never opened that Monday, the cobwebs in the place gave it a fantastic touch. There was talk that this building was going to become a Museum, but I overheard someone discussing with someone else that it would have cost millions to comply with health and safety and they just couldn’t afford to make it a museum.

Birmingham Hippodrome

 

I thought the Birmingham Hippodrome did a fantastic job for Heritage Week. I loved the two women in traditional Victorian dress singing traditional turn of the last century songs, including ‘My Old Man’, although there is a photo of me singing this song somewhere (I am praying it doesn’t end up in the Birmingham Mail of something like that…), they were brilliant and great fun. I’m sad I did not get a picture of them. There was also a lovely guide who talked a bit about the posters which you can see on the left and briefly about the origins of the Hippodrome. He suggested that often Hippodromes were created to make a loss, and I know that often venues today make a lost. I thought they would have been more popular prior to the onset of Cinemas, Radios and Tvs; but apparently even back then they were build by wealthy people as a status symbol, but not designed to be a money spinner. Another great thing about the Hippodrome was the Historical Talk, one of the guides gave, which was an hour long sit down presentation about the History of the Hippodrome. I really enjoyed it and it was very informative.

Museum Collections

This was around about 2 O’Clock and having started at 10 O’Clock, a large part of the group decided to call it a day. A few hard corers stayed on a braced themselves for a 30 minute walk across town to go to the Museum Collections building. The Museum Collections building is like a big warehouse that houses the artefacts the museum has which are currently not on, or never go on display. It waa like an Aladdin’s Cave of Historical Goodies. It also answered a question I have often wondered. I look around and see some beautiful sculptures and busts of people and sometimes during refurbishments these disappear and never come back. I often wondered where they go and if they are destroyed. Turns out a lot of them are stored in the Museum Collections and they have a fantastic collection of random things. It was great looking through them. Although it was nearing the end of the event and the building was getting ready to close, so it was rather a rushed look through.

An expected bonus

By this point it had been a long and tiring day, the group had done a lot of walking and exploring and it was safe to say we were looking forward to going home. The prospects of a long walk back into town was not appealing, however as luck would have it a man stopped me and said there were two vintage buses which were talking people back into Town. We decided to leave on the second to last bus and travelled on the London Red Bus. We were speaking to the ‘Conductor’ who was organising the stops, he said we’d turn right and stop outside Snow Hill Station, unfortunately we didn’t and the Conductor had no way of talking to the Driver, as unlike modern buses the Driver was completely isolated from the passengers on the bus. We ended up going back to Museum collections and we were about to go and get the train, when the Conductor said he was making one final trip into town and would not be coming back to Museum Collections. So we got a second trip round on the bus…which was fantastic and a perfect end to a very historical day.

The British Indian Army (Birmingham branch)

Please note: this is an external event and booking via event brite is essential. There are limited places.
http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hindumuslim-sikh-soldiers-in-the-first-second-world-wars-jahan-mahmood-tickets-18345521950

Celebrating Black History Month

An illustrated talk by Jahan Mahmood of the Balsall Heath Forum on the role of Hindu, Muslim and Sikh soldiers in World War 1 and 2, with original artefacts and exhibits on display.

Place: Danford Room, 224, Second floor of the Arts Building, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston campus, Birmingham.

Time and date: 1730, Friday 23rd October 2015.  

Organiser: Emma Roberts.

The Weird World of Russian Orthodox Heresies, 1650-1918 (Birmingham branch)

Christianity in Russia evokes images of brightly coloured onion domes rising above Red Square, golden icons shimmering in the candle light, and bearded priests in black solemnly singing the mass. These are images of Russian Orthodoxy, the predominant religion in today's Russian Federation. However, beneath the glittering surface of church ritual lie some hidden histories, virtually unknown in the western world. These stories belong to Russia's heretics, people who sought to forge their own faiths and often met with persecution as a result. The tales tell of burnings and exiles, accommodation and resistance, sex and chastity, riches and poverty. 

No brief description can do justice to the tremendous variety of heresies in Holy Mother Russia. There were the Old Believers, who burnt themselves alive rather than submit to the soldiers of the Tsar; the flagellants, who whipped themselves into a frenzy of spiritual ecstasy; the castrates, whose grizzly practices were intended to save themselves from all sexual sin; the Pashkovites, rich aristocrats seeking spiritual redemption from an eccentric English baron; and the Tolstoyans, adherents to the famous novelist Leo Tolstoy's own personal cult. These are but a few examples of the most notorious alternative Christianities in the empire of the tsars. 

In this lecture, Dr James White will introduce the histories of these heresies in the Russian Empire. The talk will touch upon their origins, their beliefs and practices, their interactions with the state and official church, and the experiences of everyday believers. In other words, it will show how these alternative traditions of Christianity are important for Russia's past, present, and future. 

This talk will last for 50 minutes. A voluntary donation of £2 is suggested to help cover the room hire and the running costs of the Birmingham History Network's meetup page.

Location: St Luke's Church Centre,  Great Colmore Street, Lee Bank, Birmingham, B15 2AT.

Date and time: Saturday 17th October 2015, 1500.

Organiser: James White.

From Racism to Islamphobia and beyond (Birmingham branch)

Please note: This is an external event and booking via Event brite is essential. Limited places are available.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/from-racism-to-islamophobia-beyond-the-changing-face-of-discrimination-tickets-18345210017

Celebrating Black History Month

Dr Chris Allen of the School of Social Policy explores the changing face of discrimination in the British context over the past fifty years. Using text, images and footage from popular culture – including comedy shows from the 1960s and 1970s - this accessible and engaging talk will trace how expressions of discrimination have shifted over time, from notions of ‘race’ and ‘colour’ in the wake of post-war mass migration, to ‘otherness’ and ‘difference’ in the 1970s and 1980s, to the present day focus on ‘religion’ and especially ‘Muslim-ness’. Explaining how these changes have been prompted by the introduction of policies and legislation to protect against discrimination, this talk will conclude by thinking about the future in particular the recent emergence of discourses about ‘illegal immigrants’ and the importance placed on ‘British values’.

Place:  Danford Room, 224, Second floor of the Arts Building, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston campus, Birmingham.

Time and date: 1730, 16th October 2015. 

Organiser: Emma Roberts.

The Art and Science of the Lunar Society (Lecture by Dr Sally Hoban) (Birmingham branch)

The Lunar Society of Birmingham members’ legacy of experimentation in the late 18th and early 19th centuries helped give us the modern industrial world we know today. Dr Sally Hoban’s lecture explores some familiar names but also discusses the virtually unknown women connected with the Lunar Circle, including early photographer Elizabeth Stockdale Wilkinson (1799 – 1871) and the poet Anna Seward (1747 – 1809). This lecture is organised by Birmingham Evening DFAS - non-members pay £10 on the door. Gallery opens at 6.00 pm for a glass of white wine or soft drink with private viewing of the Barber's outstanding collection of art until 7.00 pm when the lecture starts.

Location: The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham B15 2TS, Birmingham.

Time and date: 1900, 19th November 2015. 

Organiser: Lesley Peat. 

Archaeology and the History of Birmingham (A talk and walk) (Birmingham branch)

There are a range of activities in Birmingham as part of Heritage Week, it has been difficult to pick which ones to attend. However it would be a shame to pass up the opportunity to explore some of the archaeology of Birmingham. Sadly the talk and tour are on a Tuesday afternoon which I know is not ideal for everyone, however if you are free and interested in coming along please do.

The talk begins at 1pm at the John Lee Theatre at the Birmingham and Midland Institute. The walk will follow at 2:30pm. The walk will last for about one and a half hours and cover about two miles. It will finish back at the Birmingham and Midland Institute, but there is an opportunity to leave at the Bullring for travel convenience.

The event is free of charge.

Details can be seen here:
https://heritageweek.wordpress.com/2015/08/26/archaeology-and-the-history-of-birmingham/

Location:  Birmingham and Midland Institute, Margaret Street, Birmingham, B3 3BS, Birmingham.

Time and date: 1300, Tuesday 15th September 2015.

Organiser: Emma Roberts.  

Hidden Spaces (Birmingham Heritage) (Birmingham branch)

I think we have come up with a great compromise that allows us to see a good number of events that Birmingham Heritage Weekend has to offer, whilst sadly making a few sacrifices, because we cannot see everything.

The event will be for the whole Saturday (10:00-16:30) and we'll try and see as much of the events below as we can. If you cannot make the whole event but want to try to meet the group up in the afternoon. I will keep people updated on the comment - I'll tell you where the group is and what we're up to. I will give my mobile number before the event so you can meet up with us.

09:45 - Meetup outside the Municipal Bank on Broad Street - I am advising the slightly earlier time to allow everyone to get there so we can start when the event opens at 10.

10:00 Birmingham Municipal Bank on Broad Street 

11:00 (approx.) after that we'll head to Big Brum in the Council Houses.

12:30 (approx.) following that we'll head to Cuzon Street Train Station

2:00 (approx.) Birmingham Hippodrome or Birmingham Museums Collections Centre Open Day - whichever proves more popular.

I would advise maybe packing a drink and some snacks to keep you going throughout the day. We could possibly stop at a pub at the end of the events and get a drink, a much needed sit down and some food. People can break away from the group for lunch if they would prefer as well.  

 

Location:  Birmingham Municipal Bank, Broad Street, B1 2JZ, Birmingham.

 

Time and date: 0945, Saturday 12th September 2015.  

Organiser: Emma Roberts.

History Social Afternoon (Birmingham branch)

We thought it would be a good idea to have a bit of a social afternoon, but to keep the history theme going we picked a historic pub; The Old Joint Stock.

This pub was originally designed as a library and was built in 1862. Later reincarnations of the building saw in become a bank, first as the Birmingham Joint Stock Bank and later as Lloyd's Bank. Today it retains some of the original features in what is now a very beautiful and atmospheric pub. As the Birmingham History Network moves forward into a new chapter with a new committee organising events we thought it would be a good idea to talk to our members and find out what events you would like to see from this group.

Have you got any suggestions of places you have always wanted to visit? Been somewhere fantastic and want to share it with others? It doesn't have to be Birmingham based and we are open to all suggestions!

In addition, would you like to see other events from the group? Lectures? Discussions over a pint? Perhaps you would like to visit archives and research some local documents about Birmingham? The committee would love to hear your suggestions so please bring them with you (and any leaflets if you've collected any).

Location: The Old Joint Stock, Birmingham.

Time and date: Saturday 5th September, 1500.

Organisers: Lars Kabel and Emma Roberts. 

New leadership team (Birmingham branch)

As many of you are aware, I recently asked for volunteers to take over the Birmingham History Network as I prepare to depart from England for Russia. I am very happy to report that quite a few volunteers came forward. Given that several people were willing to give their time and effort to run the group, it was decided to establish a new committee structure that would allow each of them to contribute. While I will remain a member of the committee until I leave the UK, I will no longer be taking an active role in the management of this particular branch of the History Network.

I would therefore ask you to welcome and congratulate our new leadership team: Emma, Lars, and Lesley. I am confident that they will not only maintain our present success but also expand our activities in new and exciting directions. They are eager to meet with you all and discuss the future of the group, so please keep your eyes peeled for a social meet-and-greet event in the next few weeks. They are open to all suggestions and recommendations about the group, so please feel free to message them with your ideas.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Claire Hackwood, the former co-organiser, for her support and contributions to the group. I am sure you will all join me in wishing her and her husband the best of luck in their new home.

Finally, I would like to thank you all for supporting the Birmingham History Network and for coming to our events. It has been an immense pleasure to see the enthusiasm and interest that the group has garnered over the last half a year and I have no doubt that our new committee will serve us well. Please be on the look out for the new events that will shortly be on offer.

With sincerest regards,

James

German history in images and artefacts (Museum tour, Berlin branch)

Let's join the public tour in the German historical museum, which gives a good overview of this awesome museum.

The tours leads through the various epochs of German history chronologically, from the Middle Ages on up to the signing of the Two Plus Four Agreement on 3 October 1990. (More details on the DHM website).

This is not a dedicated tour for our group, so we meetup in front of the museum and then join the public event. I will post details about the meeting point later on.

For this tour you have to pay the general museum admission plus 4 Euros for the tour.

I limit the spots to twenty, since I do not think that they can handle too many people in such a tour (and there will still be other people). So please only RVSP "yes" if you are really sure you can make it.

Place: Deutshces Historisches Museum, Unter den Linten 2, Berlin.

Time and date: 1245, Saturday 29th August 2015. 

Birmingham events held in July/August 2015

Pubs, Priests, and Prostitutes: a walking tour of Lichfield

On 19 June 2015, members of the Birmingham History Network partook in a walking tour of Lichfield. This tour was conducted by a volunteer guide from the Lichfield District Tourist Association. 18 members attended and positive reviews were received.

Selly Manor tour

On 9th August 2015, members of the Birmingham History Network experienced a guided tour of Selly Manor, a renovated fourteenth-century country manor now located in Bournville. The tour was conducted by an employee of Birmingham Heritage. 13 members attended and positive reviews were received.

Medieval Birmingham - a lecture by Sarah Hayes

On 22nd August, Birmingham Cathedral is offering a lecture on the medieval history of Birmingham. The talk will be given by Sarah Hayes, a curator who has been heavily involved in various Birmingham museums in recent years.

Birmingham's pre-industrial past is often neglected in favour of the dynamism and turmoil that characterised the city during England's industrial revolution. This talk should not be missed by anyone curious about Birmingham's deeper history and how it still affects our present. 

You can book tickets and find further information at the website below:

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/birmingham-cathedral-tercentenary-lecture-series-medieval-birmingham-by-sarah-hayes-tickets-14895564033?aff=eac2

Please note that this lecture has been organised by Birmingham Cathedral, not the Birmingham History Network. You need to book your own tickets (£4 pp.) through their site: this is the only way you can guarantee a place. At present, there are 28 seats remaining. Once the tickets have all gone, I will close RSVPs to the event. If you want to sell/buy tickets after this, post here and hopefully you can find a buyer/seller from among our members. 

Please go directly in to the talk when you arrive. After the talk, we will meet outside the cathedral to go for drinks and discussion in The Old Contemptimbles on Edmund Street. 

 

Date and Time: Saturday 22nd August 2015, 1400

Place: Birmingham Cathedral, Colemore Row, Birmingham.

The Real Peaky Blinders - Birmingham Group Walking Tour

"Meeting at The Old Crown on Deritend High Street. On arrival, you are welcome to have a drink and relax in area set aside exclusively for Peaky Tours. Our associate tour guide, Rosie Poklington, will talk you through a brief history of Birmingham and its growth into one of the world's greatest cities. With the use of images dating back to Victorian times, you will be able to see for yourself how the Real Peaky Blinders lived, worked and plied their trade!

From there, you will begin the walking tour where you will see the sights and transported to Victorian Britain where you will hear the rise and demise of the Real Peaky Blinders. The walking element of the tour lasts around 45 minutes to one hour (dependent on questions).

Rosie will then lead you to The Anchor Inn, a stunning Victorian public house. Here you will have the chance to taste the fine ales, including the infamous Peaky Blinder!!!"

Tickets: £12.95 pp. Please note that you MUST buy your own tickets for this event through the link below. You will need PayPal. As of writing, there are 17 tickets available.

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/peaky-tours-tickets-17004405635?ref=ebtnebtckt

Date and Time: Friday 3rd July 2015: 1900.

Place: The Old Crown, Deritend High Street, Digbeth, Birmingham.

Stratford-upon-Avon­ Town Walk - Birmingham event

The Birmingham History Network is happy to present its members with an opportunity to go on the Stratford upon Avon walking tour. For more information, read on:

"As you walk in William Shakespeare's footsteps from Birthplace to grave, along the historic spine of ancient Stratford, your guide will unravel the Shakespeare story.  You will see the houses connected to William Shakespeare and his family - The Birthplace, Nash's House and the site of New Place, and the beautiful Hall's Croft. If you have free time after the walk, you may wish to visit the houses and take advantage of a special discount offered to Stratford Town Walk customers (2FOR1 entry).Other highlights include the picturesque River Avon, the Royal Shakespeare Theatres, 15th century timber-framed buildings, the Guild Chapel, Shakespeare's grammar school and a visit to Holy Trinity Church.  See where William Shakespeare is buried in the Chancel and find out why there is a 'curse' on his grave.  There is a small fee to enter the Chancel (payable to the Church on the day), but the Chancel visit is optional, subject to Church opening times, and can be decided on the day.  

Discover Stratford's American connections and the unique collection of lampposts from around the world.  A tour of many cities and countries! Hear fascinating stories of fire, flood, plague, medicines to kill or cure, the origins of sayings and Stratford's history, wrapped up with a little Shakespeare."

http://www.stratfordtownwalk.co.uk/index.php?id=50

ESSENTIAL DETAILS

1) Length of the tour: 2 hours.

2) The total cost of this tour is £105 for the group: therefore, the more people who join, the cheaper it will be (i.e. 10 peole, £10.50 each - 20 people, £5.25 each). However, this means you should be sure you can come before you join up. This price will also give you a discount on some restuarants and museums in Stratford. 

3) We can have a maximum of 25 people. So again, please only join the event if you are sure you can come. 

4) If you are unsure how to get to Stratford, trains go from Birmingham Snow Hill every half an hour and take approx. 50 minutes. 

Location: Shakespeare's birthplace, Henley Street, Stratford upon Avon.

Date and Time: Saturday 9th May 2015 12:30.

Lichfield Cathedral Close tour (Birmingham branch tour)

Lichfield's Cathedral Close has a history dating back to to the 12th century, when the bishop of Lichfield created an enclosed space to defend the emerging city from outside invaders. It now contains to some of the most historical buildings in the West Midlands and Warwickshire. It is home to Lichfield Cathedral, a stunning example of English medieval Gothic architecture, and a series of eighteenth century residences and gardens, including the house of Erasmus Darwin, the grandfather of the scientist Charles Darwin. The site was the location of trauma during the English Civil Wars: as the royalists and parliamentarians struggled for control of a pivotal point in the battle for England's future, they destroyed many older buildings, leaving the scars of conflict indelibly etched on Lichfield city centre. 

The Birmingham History Network offers its members the opportunity to take a tour of this beautiful and historic area with the assistance of a professional guide provided by the Erasmus Darwin Museum. The tour will cost £2.50 per person and will begin at Erasmus Darwin House at 1330 exactly: please turn up at least 15 minutes before hand. The tour will last 90 minutes.

PLEASE NOTE: WE CAN HAVE A MAXIMUM OF 22 PEOPLE ON THIS TOUR. PLEASE ONLY SIGN UP IF YOU ARE SURE YOU CAN ATTEND. WE ALSO CANNOT ALLOW GUESTS ON THIS OCCASION, UNLESS THEY JOIN THE GROUP AND APPLY THEMSELVES.

As per usual, we will go for a drink after the tour is completed.

Date and time: Saturday 25th April 2015: 1330.

Place: Erasmus Darwin House, Beacon Street, Lichfield.

Coffin Works museum and tour (Birmingham branch)

Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter was one of the most dynamic industrial districts in the region. Since the eighteenth century, it was home not only to jewellers and goldsmiths but a host of other concerns. One of the less well-known was the coffin trade. The Coffin Works, one of Birmingham's newest museums, offers its guests a tour around the factory of the Newman Brothers. Fully costumed guides demonstrate the tools and methods used to produce fittings for the funerals of Winston Churchill, Neville Chamberlain, and the Queen Mother. This tour is a must-see for all who are interested in Birmingham's industrial past.

Cost: £5 per adult, £4 concessions.

We will meet outside the factory: look for the guy holding a sign and wearing fingerless gloves and glasses. The tour starts at 1400: please arrive before then so we can start promptly.

For more information, please consult the website of the Coffin Works:  http://www.coffinworks.org/

Location: Coffin Works, 13-15 Fleet Street, Birmingham, B3 1JP. 

Time and Date: 1345, Saturday 4th April 2015. 

Mid-March Report

Birmingham Branch

The Birmingham branch has continued its impressive growth rate: it now has 222 members, up from 118 members when the last report was released.

3 events were held. There were two guided tours at the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter and the Faith in Action exhibit of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Two talks were also held: the first by James White on the subject of Russian magic and witchcraft between 1500 and 1900 and the second by Lars Kabel on the cultural and social history of the Irish language. All of these events were well attended, with between 15 and 30 people at each event. 

The April schedule is currently being prepared. Given the advent of spring, it is hoped that some events will be held outdoors in the next few months. 

A poster campaign for the Birmingham History Network will be launched shortly. 

Berlin Branch

The Berlin branch has continued to accumulate members at a considerable rate: it now has 239 members, up from 157 members when the last report was released.

2 events were held. The first was a repeat of the tour of the Red Army Faction at the Deutsches Historisches Museum, with Jan Schulz once again providing his expert services as a guide. The second was a talk on Soviet animation in the Brezhnev era, performed by Dr. Irina Chiaburu of the Jacobs University in Bremen. Both events drew between 15 and 20 attendees. 

Future events are presently being planned by the Berlin team. 

Facebook traffic

The Birmingham branch page has 36 likes whilst the Berlin branch page has 42 likes. 

The History Network traffic

The History Network page has had 435 views.

Summary

Many thanks to our speakers and tour guides for events in February and the first half of March, your contribution is vastly appreciated. We hope to continue organising interesting events over the course of March and April - please stay tuned for further announcements. And look out for our posters in the Birmingham area!

 

Faith & Action: Quakers & the First World War (Birmingham branch museum visit and talk)

The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is currently hosting an exhibition on Quakers in the First World War. For a description of the exhibit, please read on:

'Confronted by war and suffering, what would you do? For Quakers faced by the outbreak of the First World War, answering this question was complicated by the faith group’s historic commitment to peace and peacemaking. 

Using original photographs, film, interviews and artefacts, 'Faith & Action' tells the compelling stories of Quaker men and women during the 1914-1918 conflict and its aftermath. The exhibition examines the impact of the war on Quaker artists, businesses, families and communities in Birmingham, central England and beyond. 

With rare archival material, 'Faith & Action' explores aspects of Quaker humanitarian, medical and relief work in Britain and Europe, and brings to life the dilemmas experienced by young Quaker men in deciding whether to fight, face imprisonment or serve in other ways.'

We have been kindly offered a guide and a talk by Mr. Peter Ullathorne, one of the organisers of the exhibit. We will meet at the Great Charles Street entrance to the museum. This exhibit and talk is free but a donation to the Peace Hub is recommended. For further details, please see:

http://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/bmag/whats-on/faith-action-quakers-the-first-world-war

Time and Date: 1430, Saturday 7th March 2015

Place: Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham.  

“A country without a language is a country without a soul” - a cultural and social history of the Irish language (Birmingham branch talk)

Lars Kabel, the author of many travel guides and Irish-German phrase books, has kindly volunteered to give a talk on the social and cultural history of the Irish language. Please read on for his abstract:

“Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam” (translated in the title) is a famous quote by the poet and nationalist leader Patrick Pearse who was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in Ireland in 1916. The Irish language, also known as Irish Gaelic, has been the first and often only language of most people in Ireland until the middle of the 19th century. Since then, it has been replaced by English but also became a symbol of Irish nationhood. In this talk, I will discuss the factors which led to the decline of Irish since the 16th century, attempts of revival, and the symbolic functions of the language since the 19th century."

Date: Sunday 15th March

Time and place: 1800,  St. Luke's Church Centre, Great Colmore Street, Lee Bank, Birmingham, B15 2AT.

Monthly Report - January

Birmingham branch

In less than a month since its foundation, the Birmingham branch has accumulated 118 members. Between 20 and 25 people turned up to the introductory meeting on 25th January 2015 and offered invaluable suggestions and advice for future activities. Forthcoming events, such as a tour of the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter and a talk on Russian witchcraft, have attracted significant attention. 

Berlin branch

No meetings were held in January 2015. However, events have been planned for February and March and these are well subscribed. At least 9 people will be attending the tour of the Red Army Faction exhibit at the Deutsches Historisches Museum and 20 are currently signed up to the talk about Soviet animation under Leonid Brezhnev.

Berlin branch membership has expanded to 152 members.

Facebook Traffic

The Birmingham branch pages has 26 likes whilst the Berlin branch has 38 likes.

The History Network Traffic

Since its establishment in early January 2015, the History Network page has had 313 views. 

Summary

Thanks to all our members, organisers, and contributors for making January a month of unprecedented growth! We hope to meet your expectations with continued expansion and the organisation of interesting, enlightening, and entertaining events.

Witchcraft, Magic, and Possession: Evil and Holiness in Russia, 1500-1900. Birmingham branch talk.

In the first of our Birmingham branch talks, Dr. James White will present a thirty minute talk on witchcraft and possession in Russia. This talk will discuss differences between Russian and west European understandings of witchcraft and examine how the meaning of the phenomenon changed between the sixteenth century and the twentieth. All are welcome: drinks will be held during and after the talk.

Place: St. Luke's Church Centre, Great Colmore Street, Lee Bank, Birmingham, B15 2AT

Date and Time: 22nd February, 1800.

RAF – Terrorist Violence Special Exhibition, Deutsches Historisches Museum. Berlin event.

Due to popular demand, we decided to visit this exhibition again. This time we will join the guided tour at 1 pm, Sunday February 22. So do be there on time. The guiding will be done in German by one of the Museum staff.

The Deutsches Historisches Museum is hosting one of the first special exhibitions on the Red Army Faction and 'red terror' in Germany.

From the DHM website:
"The terroristic violence of the RAF was the biggest domestic challenge in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany. The exhibition shows documents and objects from the late 1960s to the present, demonstrating how political ideals changed into violent acts. It also considers the state’s reaction and provides insights into the societal discourse."

More info here:
http://www.dhm.de/en/ausstellungen/raf.html (English)

http://www.dhm.de/ausstellungen/raf.html (Deutsch)

After the tour we will go for some refreshments. Jan Schultz, the PhD researcher who held a talk for us in November on hunger strikes in support of the RAF will join us, and will be glad to discuss it with us.

The Deutsches Historisches Museum charges admission and the tour costs a few Euros extra, so bring money, and if you are a student (or a pensioner), bring ID.

After the museum visit we will as usual have a friendly discussion with refreshments in a nearby café.

Meet up arrangements: At the entrance of the DHM. We will start at 15.00, so be on time. Look for me: short beard, long hair, red sweater.

Place: Deutsches Historisches Museum
Date and Time: Sunday 22nd February, 1245

Reburial of Richard III - Birmingham branch event.

On 22nd August 1485, Richard III died at the Battle of Bosworth Field. Richard's defeat and death marked the end of the War of the Roses and the rise of the Tudor dynasty. However, his remains were lost during the Reformation: only in 2012 did an archaeological team rediscover them under a car park in Leicester.

Between Sunday 22nd and Sunday 28th March, these remains will be reburied in Leicester cathedral and will be accompanied by a range of civic and religious ceremonies.

We will meet at the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre on Sunday 22nd March at 1200. Richard III's funeral procession will arrive at the site at 1430 where a short service will be held. In the mean time, we will be able to visit the exhibits and entertainment normally available at the site.

Please note that we will have to purchase our tickets individually and that they will only become available for sale in early March. I will notify all our members as soon as tickets are available. Please refer to this website for details:

http://bosworthbattlefield.blogspot.co.uk/p/king-richard-iii-s-reinterment.html

Time and Date: 1200, Sunday 22nd March
Place: Bosworth Battle visitors' centre, Ambion Lane, Sutton Cheney, Leicestershire, CV13 0AD

Soviet animation and state censorhip under Brezhnev - Berlin branch talk

Dr. Irina Chiaburu, who teaches at the Jacobs University in Bremen, has been kind enough to agree to present a small lecture on the topic of Soviet cartoons during the Brezhnev era and the relationship between state censorship and artistic freedom. After the lecture, there will as usual be a question round, as well as some time for refreshments and socialising.

Games with the censor: Anti-censorship strategies in Soviet animation during the Brezhnev period.

In the warmer cultural, political and intellectual climate of Khrushchev's Thaw, animation artists, just like their colleagues in other creative professions, started challenging the received theory and methods of their medium. The  concepts of ideinost' and narodnost', ideological imperatives handed down to the artists by state ideologues had shaped the aesthetics of post-war Soviet animation. But in the artistic thaw of the period, the concept of uslovnost' became the guiding principle of experimentation in the field of animation aesthetics in the 1960s and 70s. This concept originated from the artists themselves and eventually came to be accepted by the state.

The state's recognition of uslovnost' as a fact of animation allowed all those working in the field much more creative freedom than those engaged with other artistic media, thus turning animation into the most radical of Soviet arts, where formal innovation thrived even after the Brezhnev administration re-established the aesthetic constraints of Socialist Realism on all other arts.

This talk will take a closer look at the expressive potential and new narrative possibilities that uslovnost' offered Soviet animation artists, against the routines and methods of the Soviet censorship in the 1970s. Uslovnost' allowed the artists to fruitfully exploit some of the blind spots of the Soviet censorship. Finally, this struggle of artistic freedom versus state censorship during the Brezhnev era, will be placed in the wider frame of the struggle between the post-Stalinist Soviet intelligencia and the state apparatus, explaining why, despite the fact that the films in question did not contain politically subversive messages, the practice of using artistic means to baffle and censor was subversive.

Time and Date: 1900, Sunday 1st March.
Place: Aufsturz, Oranienburger Straße 67, 10117, Berlin

An Adaptable Trade: The Jewellery Quarter at War - Birmingham branch museum visit

"Before the outbreak of the War in 1914, Birmingham’s jewellery industry was vast, with an estimated 70,000 people employed in manufacturing jewellery and supplying the trade. By 1918 over 200 firms had closed, and employee numbers halved - and yet Birmingham’s jewellery trade survived, retaining much of its former dominance. This exhibition explores how the industry adapted to wartime austerity, the impact on local people, and the vital role played by women. Looking in detail at three prominent Jewellery Quarter firms, and illustrated with items loaned from family collections, it reveals the extraordinary sacrifices made by a generation of Birmingham people."

 http://www.bmag.org.uk/events?id=3307

If enough are interested, we can organise a tour of the museum.

Place: Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, 75-80 Vyse Street, Hockley, Birmingham, B18 6HA, Birmingham

Date and Time: Saturday 7th February, 1400.

Introductory Meeting - Birmingham branch

Meet the organisers for a few drinks in Birmingham city centre to discuss our goals, events and plans for the future!

Place: Bacchus Bar, Burlington Arcade, New Street, Birmingham B2 4J.

Date and Time: Sunday 25th January, 1830. 

The History Network - An Introduction

About Us

The History Network is an international social group aimed at increasing interaction between academics and the general public by convening social gatherings, museum trips, book readings, informal symposia and a whole host of other activities.

Our Current Branches

Birmingham, United Kingdom: http://www.meetup.com/The-Birmingham-History-Network/and https://www.facebook.com/birminghamhistorynetwork

Berlin, Germany: http://www.meetup.com/berlinhistory/ and https://www.facebook.com/historyberlin/timeline

Team

Dr. James White

Founder and administrator; organiser of the Birmingham branch; co-organiser of the Berlin branch.

Email: james.white@eui.eu

Trond Tollefsen

Organiser of the Berlin branch.

Claire Hackwood

Co-organiser of the Birmingham branch.

Want to join?

Please use the meetup.com or facebook page of your local branch to join: you will be able to see upcoming events, participate in discussions, and forward your own suggestions for improvements and future outings.

Events

Events at all branches will be posted here once they have been announced on their local pages.