 |
Original full photograph of 'slum housing',
back of 52 & 54 Midland Street, late 1800s.
|
During the late Victorian period many of central Birmingham's poorer housing was earmarked for demolition in a drive to revamp the city centre and move those living in these houses out to newer homes in the outer parts of the town. Hundreds of photographs of 'slum housing' were taken of the many courts of back to back housing in the town. These images were taken was to assert the reasoning for their demolition, that they were run down, so they "frame" the buildings to tell this story. This is only one
story, though, as
these buildings were filled with families living their lives and beautifying their homes, and if you zoom into the images you can find traces of this.
Below is part one (of three parts) of
Looking Through Windows (Greenery). Please contact to use these
cropped images in this way - mappingbirmingham@gmail.com
Click on the images, below, to view in a lightbox.
What a wonderful thought! Your photos prove that no matter what 'level' of life we lead we always want to 'better' ourselves. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeletex
Thanks, I'm glad you like the idea- it was fascinating getting a sense of people's lives.
DeleteWhat a wonderful thought! Your photos prove that no matter what 'level' of life we lead we always want to 'better' ourselves. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeletex
I love this occasional series. It's such a pity that Birmingham is and always has been a palimpsest, and one where every new layer pretty well obliterates those beneath. Digbeth will be the next one to pass into history, the little factories and the few bits of domesticity where the Italian immigrants lived. Well done Jenni for this well presented blog.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the post.
Delete