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National Trust Back To Backs Inge Street

Thanks Mike,
as you say it's a bit confusing that there appears to be no back houses behind 29, just re-checked birth certificate and definitely is 2/29. I can't think what else it can mean. I have just looked at Street view and the building on the corner looks like an ex Victorian pub from the style and looks similar to the 1905 map and I see there is what looks like an alley on the Essex Street side of the "pub" leading to an courtyard type area behind number 29 maybe that's where it was, funny way of numbering though.
Bob
 
Thanks to everyone for their advice, I also contacted the National Trust and had a really interesting reply from a David Humphries who works as a volunteer for the Back to Backs in Hurst/Inge Street.

He provided a very detailed reply including an important person in the Co-operative movement who lived at 1 Inge Street and a wonderful description of the view from Inge Street in the 19th Century - I will definitely be taking this with me on my next visit to the National Trust Back to Backs.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/birmingham-back-to-backs

I have attached a copy of the information he sent, I hope you are able to read it.
David also has a website about the Outer Circle Bus Route Tours that you might find interesting.
https://outercirclebus.com

thanks again

Dave
 

Attachments

  • inge street 3 court house 1.pdf
    347 KB · Views: 27
Have just been looking at a book "My River Life" by Ron jones. It is mostly about his war experiences, but there is a bit about Birmingham gefore he went into the army and after he came out. He tells of an experience with a tailor, Harry Cohen, who was near the Hippodrome (see below). On investigation he is listed at two addresses in the 1940 Kellys, 19 & 53 Inge St. and the 1943 Kellys lists just no 53. There is a little bit of confusion about numbering (Kellys lists no 54 as being on the opposite side of Hurst St), but no 53 is definitely one of the three outside buildings of court 15 (the back to backs) on Inge St as shown on the map in post 11 and below, and on Google Streetview below.

my River Life re Harry Cohen.jpg inge st corner hurst st. nox 50-54.jpg map c 1952 showing corner hurst st and inge st.jpg
 
hi mike the 3 properties on inge st are holiday lets.. harry worked from either no 1.2 or 3...from what i remember the guide saying harry was the last to leave the back to backs( think it was early 70s) and left his work room intact complete with machines.cloth etc which is what you will see if you pay a visit...nice story mike thank you for posting it...not been for a few years now so time to pay another visit if my knees can take the narrow steep stairs :D

lyn
 
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If it had been the BCM in control, they would have reinstated the workshop. In fact it would have made a good addition to the 1940s section they are planning
 
i have to say that these wonderful in situ back to backs are amazing..i have visited 4 times and of course due to health and safety reasons they cant depict the real life living conditions of yester year but on the whole they get pretty close...well worth a visit...the christmas ones are nice with carols in the courtyard..hot mince pies and mulled wine...not sure if they still do that now as i went about 4 years back...

lyn
 
When they were first opened there were such a lot of cross members on this Forum. I think they expected to see bed bugs and grime, I just imagined the first people to live in them, clean walls and a little firegrate. The realism popped up in odd places, an overcoat instead of blankets on a bed, and the brewhouse across the yard with the mangle and tin bath.
I thought I remembered a Tailors workshop, with clothes hanging and machine, I know we were told Mr Cohen was the last man out.
 
If any members live outside Birmingham and want a great place to stay during visits I would heartily recommend staying at one of the two National Trust Back Properties located at 52 & 54 Inge St just off Hurst St. I now live in Ireland and have stayed in No 52 which is set up in Victorian style and will be back at No 54 (1930's style) on a visit next year. Close to everything in city centre and great value! Please see link below.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bi...es/places-to-stay-at-birmingham-back-to-backs
 
john i do live in brum and its been on my list of things to do for a few years now..just one of those things that ive not got round to doing...i really must make more effort:rolleyes:

lyn
 
These places sound quite interesting. I have never lived in anywhere quite like them but have stayed in similar places in the Potteries which visiting relatives there.
Up to my fifteen year I always lived a modern house (at the time) but Devon found me in large villa style premises. My next home was in a 450 year old farm house (now 500 years old). After that it has been an assortment of cottages and my last house, where I have been since 1965, is now 65 years old.
 
I have too say having lived in a back to back house for the first 8 years of my life, things like sharing a toilet block with other family's not my scene thank you



If any members live outside Birmingham and want a great place to stay during visits I would heartily recommend staying at one of the two National Trust Back Properties located at 52 & 54 Inge St just off Hurst St. I now live in Ireland and have stayed in No 52 which is set up in Victorian style and will be back at No 54 (1930's style) on a visit next year. Close to everything in city centre and great value! Please see link below.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bi...es/places-to-stay-at-birmingham-back-to-backs
 
I too spent 4 years in a back to back in late 50's after leaving the RAF, cold, damp, no kitchen, no bathroom, no hot water outside shared toilets, I certainly do not wish to repeat that experience. Eric
 
Eric
I think the ones that have been modified by the national trust will have had more modern facilities added. they are not the same as the ones visited in the tour
 
I have too say having lived in a back to back house for the first 8 years of my life, things like sharing a toilet block with other family's not my scene thank you

They are fully modernised with a four star hotel style bathroom/toilet and a fully fitted kitchen, with everything you need to self cater if you don't fancy eating out. Definitely not roughing it when you stay here!
 
Just go to show that with a bit of carful planning, there were lots of oplder houses in the that could have been improved
 
Just goes to goes to show what a farce it is, nothing like the original with leaking attic and rotting woodwork. Also you could not have put a bathroom or kitchen in the originals, simply no room, just a ground floor room, a bedroom and a leaky attic and stairs, we were slightly lucky we did have a small garden. Sorry to rant but they were terrible places to live in. At least they were low rent (12/6) so we could raise a deposit for a 'real' house that much quicker. We bought a 3 bedroomed semi with garage in Erdington, it seemed like paradise after our back to back in Vicarage Road Aston. Eric
 
I see, having just viewed it, that the latest episode of Tony Robinson's "History of Britain", concentrating on victorian times, illustrated the living conditions of workers in the Briant & May match factory in London using the the Inge St back to backs, though not mentioning they were 100 miles away from there
 
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