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Birmingham in the 1980s

H

HarryJules

New Member
Hello All,
I am currently studying a Set Design and Production course in University and have recently started a new module where we have to build a set of a house in 1980s Birmingham. My family grew up here being quite lower class but we don't have many photographs and many of my family members that would entertain me with stories of their time growing up have unfortunately passed. I was hoping that, if people were comfortable, to share some photographs or stories of times in the late 70s/ very early 80s in Birmingham to help me build up a design and execute the making of a flat/ council house here. Any support would be greatly appreciated even knowing what sort of jobs people had at this time.
Thank you all
 
Houses and especially living rooms were much 'busier' than they are today.

Similar to the house above, we had a patterned carpet and wallpaper, though at other times we had wood effect and shiny copper (also used to cover schoolbooks). The mantlepiece was chocka with ornaments, mainly glass fish, and there was at least one display case, also full of ornaments, including the obligatory royal memorabilia. No central, just one storage heater and a three bar, fire which was rarely used. No double glazing but draughty louvres. A tv in the corner and of course a radiogram to listen to the charts rundown on a Sunday evening.

The glow from the 3 bar fire at my nan's house while watching the wrestling is one of the clearest memories from my childhood.
 
I can’t help with any photos of my own home I’m afraid, but if you’re attempting to replicate a home from the 80s there are some variables you need to nail down. Early or late decade? Working or lower middle class (if you’re building a council house/flat.) Age of the people who live there? A working class house in the early period may well still have a lot of furniture and decor from the 70s. A house owned by a middle aged couple may well look very traditional, with dark furniture, a Welsh Dresser in the living room and patterned carpets. A young couple’s home may have a lot of light pine, pastel paints and Eternal Beau china ware. Best to decide on what you want and go from there.
 
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YouTube and TV channels have sitcoms available from the period, that also provide a fair reflection of how the inside of many properties looked back then. You might also find some of them funny Harry, but don't risk telling anyone if you do. ;)
 
John L said:
This was a 3-bedroomed home in Hillaries Road, Erdington. It appeared to have been left untouched since the 70s (photographed, when put up for sale this year). Although, I guess you may already be aware of this one.

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Nets and nik naks. Vinyl and teak furniture. Wrought iron and country pine. Crochet and artificial flowers. Radiogram and slimline telly. Hints of not just of an era but of a person.
 
The first VHS and Betamax video recorders were sold in the UK in about 1978 - They were expensive and therefore quite rare until the early 1980s, but by 1985-86 the majority of family homes would have had one (often rented rather than purchased outright). In the 1970s there was a craze for having a mini "bar" in the living room (like the one in Del and Rodney's flat in "only Fools and Horses"). Having horse brasses hanging on the wall was also a "thing" in the 1970s, emulating country pubs. - Also don't forget ashtrays - they were everywhere. Even if a family didn't smoke they would have had one for when guests came around.
 
We had a mini bar in the first terraced house that we bought in the early 80s (that the previous owner had built) and one of those telephone tables with a seat included. Had some great fun with the cocktail shaker, some very strange mixes on our return from the pub. :laughing: I doubt that we were alone in being given furniture from earlier periods, when we moved in, that had been in our parents/grandparents homes previously, so not everything in 70s/80s would have been from that time.
 
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