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Links: Books & directories about Birmingham history

bill.dargue

bill.dargue

master brummie
I’ve recently come across the Internet Archive https://www.archive.org/index.php, a vast store of all sorts of media, including books. I ran a search for Birmingham and (amongst Birmingham Alabama, authors named Birmingham, books published in Birmingham) found the following books about Birmingham. They are mostly available to download, but a good way of viewing is by flipping the pages as you would and ordinary book, and if you bookmark the page you don’t need to store it on your own computer. A great resource!
Bill Dargue

(PS Don’t forget that other great resource - ‘A History of Birmingham Places and Placenames from A to Y’ - https://billdargue.jimdo.com !)
William Hutton 1783 An History of Birmingham - https://www.archive.org/details/anhistoryofbirmi13926gut

Joseph Priestley 1791 An appeal to the public, on the subject of the riots in Birmingham - https://www.archive.org/details/appealtopublicon00prie

Catherine Hutton 1816 The Life of William Hutton, F.A.S.S.: Including a Particular Account of the Riots at Birmingham - https://www.archive.org/details/lifewilliamhutt00huttgoog

Charles Pye 1818 A Description of Modern Birmingham: Whereunto Are Annexed Observations Made during an Excursion Round the Town, in the Summer of 1818, Including Warwick and Leamington https://www.archive.org/details/adescriptionofmo11416gut

Beilby, Knott & Beilby 1830 An Historical and Descriptive Sketch of Birmingham: With Some Account of Its Environs, and Forty Four Views of its Principal Public Buildings - https://www.archive.org/details/anhistoricaland00yategoog

Drake's road book of the London and Birmingham and Grand Junction Railways : being a complete guide to the entire line of railway from London to Liverpool and Manchester ... : to which is appended the visiter's guide to Birmingham, Liverpool, and Manchester c1839 - https://www.archive.org/details/drakesroadbookof00drak

Francis White & Co 1849 Birmingham: History and general directory of the borough of Birmingham, with the remainder of the parish of Aston ... being part of a general history and directory of the county of Warwick - https://www.archive.org/details/birminghamhistor00whitrich

George Griffith 1861 History of the free schools, colleges, hospitals, and asylums of Birmingham, and their fulfilment - https://www.archive.org/details/historyofthefree00grifuoft

Joshua Toulmin Smith 1863 Memorials of Old Birmingham: Traditions of the Old Crown House, in Der-Yat-End, in the Lordship - https://www.archive.org/details/memorialsoldbir00smitgoog

Elihu Burritt 1868 Walks in the Black Country and its green border-land - https://www.archive.org/details/walksinblackcoun00burriala

J A Langford 1873 Modern Birmingham and its institutions: a chronicle of local events, from 1841 to 1871 Volume 1 - https://www.archive.org/details/modernbirmingham01lang

J A Langford 1873 Modern Birmingham and its institutions: a chronicle of local events, from 1841 to 1871 Volume 2 - https://www.archive.org/details/modernbirmingham02lang

Eliezer Edwards 1877 Personal Recollections of Birmingham and Birmingham Men - https://www.archive.org/details/personalrecollec18821gut

R K Dent 1880 Old & New Birmingham - https://www.archive.org/details/oldandnewbirmin00dentgoog


Catherine Hutton Beale 1882 Memorials of the Old Meeting House and burial ground, Birmingham - https://www.archive.org/details/memorialsofoldme00beal

Birmingham & Warwickshire Archaeological Society Transactions 1886 - https://www.archive.org/details/transactions23socigoog

Thomas T. Harman and Walter Showell 1888 Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham: A History and Guide Arranged Alphabetically - https://www.archive.org/details/showellsdictiona14472gut

Birmingham& Warwickshire Archaeological Society Transactions 1889 - https://www.archive.org/details/transactions15socigoog

William Eliot 1889 The Parish Church of Aston-juxta-Birmingham: Its Ancient History, and Its Modern Restoration - https://www.archive.org/details/parishchurchast00eliogoog

Catherine Hutton Beale 1891 Reminiscences of a gentlewoman of the last century; letters of Catherine Hutton - https://www.archive.org/details/reminiscencesofg00huttrich

William Andrews 1893 Bygone Warwickshire - https://www.archive.org/stream/bygonewarwickshi00andriala

Birmingham & Warwickshire Archaeological Society Transactions 1897 - https://www.archive.org/details/transactions28socigoog

A W W Dale 1899 The life of R.W. Dale of Birmingham - https://www.archive.org/details/lifeofrwdaleofbi00dale

Thomas Anderton 1900 A Tale of One City: the New Birmingham: Papers Reprinted from the Midland Counties Herald - https://www.archive.org/details/ataleofonecityth11356gut

Birmingham & Warwickshire Archaeological Society Transactions 1901 - https://www.archive.org/details/transactions12socigoog

John Thackray Bunce & C A Vince 1902 History of The Corporation of Birmingham Volume 3 1885-1899 - https://www.archive.org/details/historycorporat00vincgoog

Victoria History of the County of Warwick Volume 1 1904 - https://www.archive.org/details/victoriahistoryo00doubuoft

J W Wllis Bund 1905 The Civil War in Worcestershire, 1642-1646, and the Scotch invasion of 1651 - https://www.archive.org/details/civilwarinworces00will

Richard Cadbury of Birmingham 1906 Helen Cadbury Alexander - https://www.archive.org/details/richardcadburyof00dixorich

William Alexander Harvey 1906 The model village and its cottages: Bournville; illustrated by fifty-seven plates of plans, views & details - https://www.archive.org/details/modelvillageitsc00harviala

Samuel Lloyd 1907 The Lloyds of Birmingham, with some account of the founding of Lloyds Bank - https://www.archive.org/details/lloydsofbirmingh00lloyuoft

John H Muirhead 1909 Nine famous Birmingham men : lectures delivered in the University - https://www.archive.org/details/ninefamousbirmin00muiriala

E M Rudland 1915 Ballads of Old Birmingham - https://www.archive.org/details/balladsofoldbirm00rudl

William Haywood 1918 The development of Birmingham, an essay - https://www.archive.org/details/developmentofbir00hayw

John H B Masterman 1920 The Story of the English Towns: Birmingham - https://www.archive.org/details/birmingham00mast

Longman’s 1911 Father Pollock and his brother : mission priests of St. Alban's, Birmingham - https://www.archive.org/details/fatherpollockand00unknuoft
​
 
Bill, what a great list, may I thank you for posting,its got me hooked on reading about Birmingham even found my GREAT GRANDADs Name & Trade,I love what you have done.
THE BARON(ASTON)
 
Hi Bill - That is a great link, thanks so much for telling about it! Oh no .... I am going to be reading on the computer all day now and I have loads of other work to do :shocked:

Judy
 
What a wonderful list.
I just need enough rainy days to read through them all.
Many thanks.
 
I think I will save this for my Christmas break what a great link Bill, thank you very much.
 
Thanks for posting all those links Bill. Lots to read over the holidays.
Thanks again.
 
And here are a few more from Google Book Search
- most but not all are fully available; some, especially those still in copyright, have a limited preview.
Another great resource!


(PS Don’t forget that other great resource - ‘A History of Birmingham Places and Placenames from A to Y’ - https://billdargue.jimdo.com !)


https://books.google.co.uk/bkshp?hl=en&tab=wphttps://books.google.co.uk/books?id=tegvrgk9E3MC
Time and Place: Collected Essays 1985 Maurice Warwick Beresford

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=OV0JAAAAIAAJ
Robert Kirkup Dent 1880 Old and New Birmingham: A History of the Town and Its People

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=omDY670PQ5oC
John Gent Brooks 1854 Memoir of John Gent Brooks, Minister to the Poor in Birmingham

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=3jkIAAAAQAAJ
Theodore Price 1793 The life and adventures of Job Nott, buckle maker, of Birmingham

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=PcoHAAAAQAAJ
R Jabet 1808 A concise history of Birmingham

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=UkE2AAAAMAAJ
Samuel Heinrich Spiker 1820 Travels Through England, Wales, & Scotland, in the Year 1816

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=lIxJAAAAMAAJ
William West 1830 The History, Topography and Directory of Warwickshire

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=zuO4qwFCS2YC
James Cornish 1837 The Grand Junction, and the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Companion

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=nxMNAAAAYAAJ
J Drake 1825 The Picture of Birmingham

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=8dEuAAAAMAAJ
George Yates 1830 An Historical and Descriptive Sketch of Birmingham

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Sw8DAAAAYAAJ
Penny Cyclopaedia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge 1833

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ihvAGUyPEVEC
William Hutton, Catherine Hutton 1816 The Life of William Hutton: Including a Particular Account of the Riots at Birmingham in 1791, and the History of His Family

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=RRcFAAAAYAAJ
Joseph Priestley 1791 An Appeal to the Public on the Subject of the Riots in Birmingham: To which are Added Strictures on a Pamphlet Intitled 'Thoughts on the Late Riot at Birmingham'

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ydHLHwAACAAJ
John Marius Wilson 1886 The Imperial gazetteer of England and Wales

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=EAsHAAAAQAAJ
Thomas Roscoe 1839 The Book of the Grand Junction Railway: Being a History and Description of the Line from Birmingham to Liverpool and Manchester

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=XxYQAAAAYAAJ
E C & W Osborne 1838 Osborne's Guide to the Grand Junction, Or Birmingham, Liverpool, and Manchester Railway: With the Topography of the Country Through which the Line Passes, and Complete Guides to the Towns of Birmingham, Liverpool, and Manchester

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iFvvetXA-xkC
Jon Raven 1977 The Urban & Industrial Songs of the Black Country and Birmingham

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=xRxBAAAAIAAJ
George Cyril Allen 1929 The Industrial Development of Birmingham and the Black Country, 1860-1927

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=GNtdERPAHH8C
Rick Groves, Alan Middleton, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Alan Murie, Kevin Broughton 2003 Neighbourhoods That Work: A Study of the Bournville Estate

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=yTBBAAAAIAAJ
William Lucas Sargant 1871 Essays of a Birmingham Manufacturer

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=6pY1AAAAIAAJ
Robert E Schofield 1963 Lunar Society of Birmingham: A Social History of Provincial Science and Industry in Eighteenth-century England

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Jx0wAAAAIAAJ
William Hutton 1787 Courts of Requests: Their Nature, Utility, and Powers Described, with a Variety of Cases Determined in that of Birmingham

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=eF8JAAAAIAAJ
William Hutton 1836 The History of Birmingham: With Considerable Additions

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=WRvFAQAACAAJ
Eric Hopkins 1989 Birmingham: The First Manufacturing Town in the World, 1760-1840

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iJo-92HXDOkC
George Noszlopy, Jeremy Beach 1998 Public Sculpture of Birmingham: Including Sutton Coldfield

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=vr0HAAAAQAAJ
J A Langford 1877 Modern Birmingham and its institutions: a chronicle of local events, from 1841 to 1871
 
Not all the google books are accesible, other than snippets, though. For some reason this applies even to some that must be out of copyright.
mike
 
wow! what else can i say, after spending a good couple of hours looking at the history of Birmingham.

Thank you for posting.

Mand
 
Thank you Bill for this fantastic link, I have spent a whole afternoon on one link alone [the early history of Birmingham]off to cook now but then ,looking forward to the next one,perfect day especially with snow and icey roads outside.Thankyou.Mary
 
Have a look at this interesting site
Grace's Guide, the best of British engineering 1750-1960s - https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/wiki/Main_Page 'the most comprehensive source of information on the engineering industry in Britain between 1750 (the start of the Industrial Revolution) and the 1960s.
This web publication contains around 31,000 pages of information and 21,000 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them. Additions are being made to the information on a daily basis.
The project is entirely non-profit making and contributions are from volunteers.'
Type in a Search for Birmingham . . . .

Bill
 
This is still the best index thread resource on the forum - I keep coming back to it - thanks again
 
Thanks for bringing this to everyones notice. This is a big rambling forum, a bit like those famous department stores of Birmingham's past. There is such alot of information here, I get like a kid in a sweet shop and go of in directions .
 
More from the Internet Archive

(I don't think I've listed these above.)

Handbook of Birmingham for the 1886 meeting of the British Association - https://www.archive.org/stream/handbookbirming00unkngoog#page/n6/mode/2up
Birmingham Illustrated - Cornish's Stranger's Guide through Birmingham 1851 - https://www.archive.org/stream/birminghamillust00corn#page/n9/mode/2up
Narrow Boats and Wide Horizons 2010 Rigby Debney Taylor - https://www.archive.org/stream/NarrowBoatsAndWideHorizons#page/n0/mode/2up
This autobiography is a social history of the period between the two world wars. The author covers his childhood in a remote canal-side house on the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal near Birmingham, England; his schoooling at Lea Marston; his employment at Moss Gear Co, Hordern Mason & Edwards, Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Co and Dunlop as well as camping trips to Arley, Worcestershire and Church Stretton, Shropshire. Finally in 1939 he marries and buys a house in Walmley, Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire.
Town Planning with special reference to the Birmingham Schemes 1915 George Cadbury Junior - https://www.archive.org/stream/cu31924024426342#page/n0/mode/2up
Antiquities 1884 Christopher Chattock (of Castle Bromwich)
Some records of an old House 1896 J W Simcox (Stratford House, Camp Hill) - https://www.archive.org/stream/somerecordsofold00simc#page/n9/mode/2up
A History of the Holtes of Aston 1854 Alfred Davidson - https://www.archive.org/stream/historyofholteso00davi#page/n11/mode/2up
 
You swine Bill!! Will you pack it in. I will now have NO life until I've read through all these wonderful and amazing finds. Will come up for air circa next Autumn I guess...sigh...
 
Thanks Bill, too many to remember but I've copied all the links to a Word doc and will go through them. Bound to keep me out of mischief for a good couple years, at least!

Harborne
 
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