Striking images of Birmingham’s slums and how they were transformed beyond recognition
These striking images offer a glimpse into Birmingham’s past and show the harsh reality of communities living in slum housing.
Decades ago a significant population of people in the city were living in slums and often life was hard and short. Photographs documented here show how much change has taken place on the streets after the demolition of the slums, following slum clearance campaigns.
The Industrial Revolution of the previous century had firmly established Birmingham as a powerhouse, and it was a leading light in commerce, education and engineering. For those left behind though, trapped in hastily-built Revolution-era slum housing, they might as well have lived in an entirely different world.
Today Birmingham’s slums have long gone and the city residents were moved onto the new towns developing in the 50s and 60s along with the high rise tower blocks.
Only the Birmingham Back to Backs offer us a glimpse of how life used to be for so many.
Do you remember growing up in Birmingham during this time? Tell us your memories in the comments below
Slum housing in Birmingham. 25th July 1970.
One of the sites awaiting demolition in Ladywood. March 1966.
Gladstone Road, Erdington, Birmingham. June 1962.
Slum housing in Birmingham.
Slum housing in Birmingham. December 1966.
Slum housing near the city centre in Birmingham with children playing outside beside knocked down wall. March 1969.
Wenman Street, Balsall Heath. 20th May 1973.
Slum housing in Birmingham.
Birmingham. 25th July 1970.
Member of Parliament for Birmingham Sparkbrook Roy Hattersley visits slum housing in Birmingham. 25th July 1970.
Member of Parliament for Birmingham Sparkbrook Roy Hattersley visits slum housing in Birmingham. 25th July 1970.
Residents of Alison Street outside their properties.
Mrs Alice Swanton aged 70 sits in her decaying terrace house in George Place, Ladywood, accompanied by stray cats of the area. April 1968.
A resident walking down the only access point to Granville Street in Ladywood, Birmingham. October 1965.
Mrs Ellen Walker of Lennox Street showing councillor Doris Fisher where she has to cook, wash and bath. October 1965.
Children play amongst the wreckage and shattered houses in the terrace at the back of 64 Anderton Street in Ladywood. June 1967.
Slum housing in Ladywood, Birmingham. July 1954.
Mrs patricia Bambury keeps a little wool ahop in Edward Road. Since she took over in 1959, Balsall Heath has disintegrated around her. Behind the shop this desert of rubbish festers and grows. The Council, she says, removed the rotting food but the hardware remains to sear the eye and ravage the spirit. 20th May 1973.
Mrs Shirley Jones pictured in the kitchen of her home in Aston with two young children. 11th September 1969.
Tools and equipment provided free of charge by the city’s Public Works Dept. will be used by nearly 100 residents living nearby to convert this bomb site between Oakley Road, Bolton Road and Cooksey Road in Small Heath into a park and playground for the children of the area. August 1952.
Children play amongst the wreckage of abandoned cars, old iron and decayed vegetable matter which have been dumped on cleared redevelopment sites in Knutsford Street, Balsall Heath. November 1967.
Interior view of a kitchen. August 1959.
House letting protest in Aston, Birmingham. 5th November 1970.
Ladywood Road 1968.
Ladywood Courtyard 1968.
A woman and a boy stand in a yard of dilapidated back-to-backs in Thomas Street in about 1882.
