Archives & Collections, Library of Birmingham

#MapOnATuesday is this Goad Fire Insurance map of Bull Street dated October 1889. Originally produced by the firm of Charles E. Goad Ltd. to aid companies in assessing fire insurance premiums. Ref – Map cabinet 1/3, HRA Map Area #LibraryofBham

#Birmingham The Malt Shovel Inn from a sketch made in 1869. The pub was located on Smallbrook Street, near to the junction with Suffolk Street. Recorded in directories from the mid – 19th century, the inn disappeared during the post -war redevelopment of the area. Ref – WK/B11/3486 #LibraryofBham

#BHM2026 In 1895, three representatives of Bechuanaland (now Botswana) visited British cities including Birmingham to enlist support for their campaign to protect their lands from colonial expansion. Ref - Illustrated London News, 21 Sep. 1895. Ref - BF 072 #LibraryofBham @blackhistorymonth.org.uk

#OperaConnects Today is World Opera Day which celebrates the power of opera to create connections on a personal and global footing. Here are two examples of performances in Birmingham. Elizabeth Schwarzkopf (LB 38.01) and Paul Robeson (LP 22.41) #LibraryofBham

#SundayShowcase is A History of Parish Registers in England & Wales by John Wintrip. A comprehensive survey of the history of parish registers from 1660 - 1837. A detailed account on the changes in format and content of parish registers. Ref – 929.342 #LibraryofBham @boydellandbrewer.bsky.social

#CityOf1000Trades Chance Brothers glassworks were based in Smethwick but members of the family owned factories in Birmingham. This plate for a staircase window is in a 1867 catalogue. Ref – Birmingham trade catalogue collection #LibraryofBham #sandwelllibs #SandwellArchive

#PhotoFriday today is the Big Top fair and circus which pitched up on a bombsite on the corner between the High Street and New Street. The fair was held from the 1940s. Ref - WK/B11/7755. Do you have any memories? Share them with us, in the comments #LibraryofBham #Brumpic

#BhamWomen #BHM2026 today is Beverly Lindsay (now Dame Lindsay) who according to this Birmingham Mail article, 15 May 2007 was marking the twentieth anniversary of being the first black woman in Birmingham to open a travel agent, Diamond Travel #LibraryofBham @blackhistorymonth.org.uk

#Napoleon #POW We often think of POWs in relation to the two world wars - here’s a list of British soldiers from the depot at Verdun during the Napoleonic wars tucked away in the Matthew Boulton Collection. Ref – MS 3782/19/2 Letter book, Jan 1808 – August 1809 #LibraryofBham

#MapOnATuesday is the Handsworth Estate, being the 46th estate purchased by the Birmingham Freehold Land Society c1879. Showing land divided into building plots in Murdock Road, Linwood Road, Whateley Road, Douglas Road, Albert Road and Grove Lane. Ref – MAP/333099 #LibraryofBham

#BHM2026 today’s blog looks at Rastafarianism in Birmingham with its key figures. A sophisticated social phenomenon defying standard categorisation, containing elements of religion, protest movement and subculture: theironroom.wordpress.com/2026/10/19/r... #LibraryofBham @blackhistorymonth.org.uk

#Ancestry are just finishing off scanning the last of the documents which will eventually make their way online. Amongst them are the rate books for #SuttonColdfield #LibraryofBham

#SundayShowcase is Dis Poetry : selected poems & lyrics by Benjamin Zephaniah. This anthology brings together all the poems from Benjamin's three Bloodaxe collections along with previously unpublished work and lyrics. Ref – L 52.21 ZEP #LibraryofBham @blackhistorymonth.org.uk #BZephania

#CityOf1000Trades is this 1912 trade catalogue for the New Hudson Cycle Co. Ltd. The company was started in 1890 making safety bicycles and began to produce motorcycles in 1903. Ref – The New Hudson 3 – Speed Motorcycles #LibraryofBham

#PhotoFriday today is the Council House just shortly after its construction in 1879. Notice the statue of Sir Robert Peel which at the time was only the second statue erected in Birmingham in August 1855. Ref – Council House 81 #LibraryofBham #Brumpic

#BirminghamLibraries The Wish Stone : an old tale retold for modern times [1933] part of our Early and Fine Printing Collection. Containing 19 woodcuts and one of only 500 copies. Ref - Ridler p 2231 #LibraryofBham

#BirminghamHistory This week’s blog by Susan Darby explores collections here to uncover the story of her husband’s great-great-grandfather, Richard Prosser (1804–1854), a forgotten pioneer of Birmingham’s industrial heritage and beyond. theironroom.wordpress.com/2026/10/12/r... #LibraryofBham

#Birmingham Don’t forget to join Hugh J Thomson for his book talk - The Doctor Will See You Now this Saturday at 2 pm on Level 4. Hugh reflects on his time as a consultant surgeon. Just turn up on the day. #LibraryofBham #Pegasus_Books

#MapOnATuesday is this outline of roads in the parish of Kings Norton drawn for the Board of Surveyors, 1875. The parish boundary and names of most roads are shown. Ref – MAP/273587 Bickley #LibraryofBham

#Birmingham an illustration of the Gem Street industrial school opened in 1850 to cater for orphans and neglected children. The school relocated to Harborne in 1902 and became known as the Birmingham Industrial School (Harborne). Ref – WK/B11/3405 #LibraryofBham

#BHM2026 Bad Friday by Brum born Norman Samuda Smith – the first British born black novelist to be published in the UK in 1982. Ref - L 51.3 SMI #LibraryofBham @blackhistorymonth.org.uk

#SundayShowcase today is Vanley Burke’s By The Rivers of Birminam, Vanley’s work is a photographic document of the Caribbean diaspora in post war Britain, detailing the experience of Black people in the UK and their community identity. Ref: L 25.69 #LibraryofBham @blackhistorymonth.org.uk #BHM2026

#CityOf1000Trades is this trade catalogue for Vaughtons Ltd. when based on Livery Street. Founded in 1819 by Philip Vaughton. Originally located in Little Hampton Street. In 1897 the firm was listed as a Button Maker and Medallist. Ref – Trade Cat Collection #LibraryofBham #Vaughtons

#PhotoFriday today is the Kyrle Hall, Sheep Street. Built in the late 19th century by Mr. J. Bowen to designs by Arts and Crafts architect, William Bidlake. Ref – WK/B11/3450 #LibraryofBham #Brumpic

#BhamWomen Harriet Martineau (1802 - 1876) buried in Key Hill Cemetery was an abolitionist. Her conviction forged by what she had witnessed during her stay in America #LibraryofBham @blackhistorymonth.org.uk #BHM2026

#Birmingham #Doctor Join Hugh J Thomson for a talk on his book detailing his time as a consultant surgeon in Birmingham. Now retired, Hugh looks back at the job he loved. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-doctor... #LibraryofBham #Pegasus_Books

#Birmingham #Science A 1898 photo of the X-Ray apparatus in the General Hospital, Steelhouse Lane. Photographed by Dr John Hall Edwards – this year marks the centenary of his death. Ref – WK/B11/966 #LibraryofBham #Brumpic

#MapOnATuesday is the plan of the Birmingham Freehold Land Society Kings Heath Estate - the 40th estate purchased by the Society. Showing building plots in Clarence Road, Woodfield Road, Cambridge Road and Springfield Road, c 1876. Ref: MAP/366633 #LibraryofBham

Our most recent blog is based on research by one of Handsworth’s residents, Adeel Akhtar – on what is thought to be the first mosque to be established in the Handsworth district of Birmingham - theironroom.wordpress.com/2026/09/29/m... #LibraryofBham #BhamMosque

An update on the #SuttonColdfield archive transferred from Sutton library to here in Summer 2025. All the archive is here and our Archivist is making good progress in assessing documents and updating catalogues #LibraryofBham #MySutton

#SundayShowcase is Tracing your ancestors using newspapers : a guide for family historians by Chloe O'Shea. This book is a genealogical guide to uncovering and interpreting newspaper articles - from court proceedings to obituary notices. Ref - A 929.1 #LibraryofBham

#CityOf1000Trades is this trade card for William Rogers – fancy haberdasher and family linen draper located at Temple Row West and Colmore Row. Ref – WK/B11/3802 #LibraryofBham

#PhotoFriday is the Ye Olde Royal Restaurant located on Temple Row. First opened c1781 and demolished by the late 1950s. Ref - WK/B11/3821 #LibraryofBham #Brumpic

#BHM2026 is here. Female American Serenaders performed at Birmingham Town Hall on 9 June 1847. The entertainment was described as ‘the harmony of which has been pronounced a marvel in the history of music’. Ref - MS 1711 #LibraryofBham @blackhistorymonth.org.uk

#BhamWomen today is Kate Freeman who according to a Birmingham Post article dated 11 July 1972 retired after 45 years at the Birmingham Rep. Ref – B’ham Bio Cuttings Vol. 67 #LibraryofBham #BirminghamRep

#MapOnATuesday shows the enlargement of New Street Station including the intended alteration of streets in the vicinity,1August 1881. Now we know what became of Bread Street. Ref - MAP/73266 #LibraryofBham

#Birmingham Here’s a rousing ditty extolling the restorative and nutritional benefits of Birmingham ale. Wonder what it would taste of? I’ll leave you to decide on a suitable tune to breathe life into the words. Ref - Birmingham Broadsides/Misc – no.39, LF 05.2 #LibraryofBham

#BirminghamLibraries during our recent Closed Week, we spent considerable time repackaging new accessions to the archive - the lifeblood of our service #LibraryofBham

#SundayShowcase today is Birmingham - The Postcard Collection by Alan Spree. Postcards can be overlooked in regards of the visual record they provide. Alan draws on a selection of postcards to give a pictorial record of Birmingham in the past. Ref – L 85.4 #LibraryofBham

#CityOf1000Trades is this advertisement for Cheatham's of Hindoo House, 22 New Street included in the Illustrated Birmingham Times, no. 2, Sept 1854. Ref - LF 08.2 #LibraryofBham

#PhotoFriday today is this 1870s view of Harpers Hill at the junction of James Street and Northwood Street. The house was the home of James Watt. Ref - WK/B11/5940 #LibraryofBham #Brumpic

#BhamWomen Dr Winifred Cavenagh became only the second female professor at Birmingham University at the time according to this Birmingham Post article from 10 June 1972. Ref – Birmingham Biography Cuttings Vol. 67 #LibraryofBham @unibirmingham.bsky.social

Our #ShakespeareCollection contains many wonderful finds including this 1947 Esperanto version of Antonio kaj Kleopatro : tragedio en kvin aktoj. Ref - Shakespeare/ALL 583465 #LibraryofBham @shakespearebtrust.bsky.social @shakesinstitute.bsky.social @esperanto.org.uk

#IDOB2026 starts this Thursday - the House That Brum Built takes over the Council House on Thursday 24th and Friday 25th September 2026. Explore ten rooms over two days: www.idob.co.uk #LibraryofBham

#MapOnATuesday Our map collections extend beyond Birmingham – here is L.S. De La Rochette’s 1788 map of Hindoostan, today the nation is officially recognised as India and Bharat. Ref - MAP/924352 #LibraryofBham

#BirminghamLibrary Check out our Level 4 display of 1940s & 50s birthday cards sent to two addresses in #Moseley #LibraryofBham

We're looking for a freelance conservator to survey and rehouse audio heritage as part of the Sounds of the Midlands project. For more information please email us. Deadline for applications is Monday, 12 October #LibraryofBham @uniofleicester.bsky.social

#SundayShowcase today is The Jamaican people,1880-1902 by Patrick Bryan. A look at the period after the end of slavery up to the burgeoning of democracy. Ref - 972.9204 #LibraryofBham

#CityOf1000Trades is this trade card for the Soho Plate Company - Matthew Boulton’s manufactory of silver & plated goods. Ref - MS 4834/119 #LibraryofBham

#PhotoFriday today is this photo of the Hall of Memory on 12 May 1937 with a commemorative column celebrating the coronation of George VI. The Hall of Memory officially opened on 4 July 1925. Ref - WK/B11/6618 #LibraryofBham #Brumpic