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Slums
- Thread starter Chesh
- Start date
Bernard67Arnold
master brummie
Hi Chesdh., I think one the poorer areas was Balsall Heath and this forum is well versed on the way things were in the 1920/30 for the people living round there.
I was born in Hick Street in 1930, back to back houses
outside wooden privies, my parents and six children lived in a two bedroomed hovel, thats the only way to
discribe them, when we moved out to Yardley Wood it
was like heaven!Although the area was the people who lived there were the salt of the earth, no one had much, but my Mom and Dad used to tell me they helped each
and looked for each other, not like nowadays wherehalf
the people dont know who lives next door.
I was born in Hick Street in 1930, back to back houses
outside wooden privies, my parents and six children lived in a two bedroomed hovel, thats the only way to
discribe them, when we moved out to Yardley Wood it
was like heaven!Although the area was the people who lived there were the salt of the earth, no one had much, but my Mom and Dad used to tell me they helped each
and looked for each other, not like nowadays wherehalf
the people dont know who lives next door.
One of the worst slum areas of Brum was, surprisingly enough, the area adjacent to Colmore Row, on the Livery Street side. This was the site of Joseph Chamberlain's original slum-clearance, but I don't know the precise date - maybe the 1880's. The other really poor area in the 19th century was that around Garrison Lane.
I believe Summer Lane was quite respectable during most of the 19th century, due to the very large number of trades and small businesses based there, which must have thrived at a time when Brum was 'the workshop of the world'.
Big Gee
I believe Summer Lane was quite respectable during most of the 19th century, due to the very large number of trades and small businesses based there, which must have thrived at a time when Brum was 'the workshop of the world'.
Big Gee
sylviasayers
master brummie
ChesH, in an article by Carl Chinn in the Birmingham Evening Mail, Saturday 18th February 2006, he told how Joseph Chamberlain wanted to sweep away the slums "Close to the Council House and the middle class shops of Bull Street, lay a clutch of short streets many of which were filled with dilapidated dwellings that were homes to some of the poorest Brummies. The death rate was twice that of wealthy Edgbaston, sickness and poverty stalked the district. .......... the aim was achieved by an Act of Parliament ............ One of them (streets) was The Gullett, short and narrow it became infamous and was supposedly the domain of ruffians and villans. In reality its people were amongst the poorest in the city and were mostly widows, children and the elderly.
Another was London Prentice Street which was declaimed as a "nasty, dirty, stinking thoroughfare". But it was also home to the poorest, many of whom were migrants from the west of Ireland..........Demolitions began in August 1879 ........
I kept this article because my g. grandparents were living at 42 London Prentice Street in 1881.
Another was London Prentice Street which was declaimed as a "nasty, dirty, stinking thoroughfare". But it was also home to the poorest, many of whom were migrants from the west of Ireland..........Demolitions began in August 1879 ........
I kept this article because my g. grandparents were living at 42 London Prentice Street in 1881.
dwilly
master brummie
https://www.workhouses.org.uk/ maybe not "the area" but might help with background information as to where many could have ended up at anytime
Ray Barrett
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN R.I.P.
Sylvia,
My gt.grandparents also lived in London Prentice St,their name was Proud.
Would like to know more about this oddly named St.can you point me in the right direction bab?.
My gt.grandparents also lived in London Prentice St,their name was Proud.
Would like to know more about this oddly named St.can you point me in the right direction bab?.
S
Stitcher
Guest
The worst slums were those in, or close to the city centre. This was exposed in the following article from The Graphic, 1876.
The article read.....Nowadays, the closely packed houses of the older districts are deserted by the rich, and when they are in a state of decay, are tennanted by the very poor who crowd them to an extent never contemplated by those who designed and built them. Intemperance, improvidence and uncleanliness are confirmed and intensified by the miserable character of these habitations. Birmingham has in it's central districts a miserable region of damp, dilapidation and decay where the deaths are twice as numerous as in Edgbaston, young children die especially fast and there is more bugs than babies...... End of article.
It was to improve these conditions that the housing acts of the 1860s and 1870s were passed.
paul stacey
master brummie
I used to love walking especially in the warm summer days around the old back to backs in Ladywood, and Winson Green, smelling the old sooty walls and the uneven pavements I was really sad when they knocked some of them down, but of course I did't live in them, but it summed up Old Birmingham to me and I still remember them.
paul
paul
Jayell
master brummie
Here is a picture of The Gullet that I think Phil put on some time ago. I'm not sure if I can get it large enough though.View attachment 73241
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
E
Elizabeth Redmond
Guest
S
Stitcher
Guest
The caption with this one merely says, 'Birmingham slum clearance 1875'.
Ray Barrett
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN R.I.P.
A name for a notorious street that has cropped up in my family research is London Prentice St.but I haven't found out much about it.
Does anyone know anything about it?.
Does anyone know anything about it?.
hi ray...not another one for the LPS club lol...there should be 2 threads for this st including some pics i think one thread maybe under the maps and mapping section...reputed to be the worst street to live in...any probs locating get back to me...
ray go to london prentice st rope walk under the maps and mapping thread....
lyn
ray go to london prentice st rope walk under the maps and mapping thread....
lyn
Last edited:
Ray Barrett
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN R.I.P.
Thanks Lyn,I might be bothering you later:friendly_wink:.Have just had a look at a thread started be Jayell,it was very interesting,this is one snippet from there.
I think I have been in similar places....
“I went to the Gullet again -I find as many openings - dark passagesback courts in this Gullet, as probably there isin the Gullet of a Shark. In one of these Ientered a house - I saw six femalesat card playing, and all of themalmost in a statue of nudity - Oh!How serious, and how responsible is the workof a town missionary”
KeyI think I have been in similar places....
