Birmingham… “Decent housing for decent people” 13 Nov 2017 The Icknield Port Loop of the Birmingham Canal Navigations is one of those swathes of dereliction, just outside of Birmingham city centre, that shouldn't really exist anymore. It's a long,…
Birmingham… Slavery and the Black Country: collars and chains 3 Sep 2017 Last week I looked at money: finance that filtered from Africa to Jamaica to Britain through the holdings of wealthy landlords such as the Earls of Dudley. This week I…
Birmingham… Clay miles: Henry Doulton in the Black Country 12 Mar 20177 Apr 2017 On the North Worcestershire Path, not far from Iverley, there is a broken water pipe lying to one side of the track. It's a bit forlorn, but clearly a very…
Birmingham… Birmingham’s furthest outpost: Michel de Certeau and the strategies of Elan Village’s builders 20 Jun 20167 Apr 2017 I was very fortunate recently to get to camp in one of the most beautiful spots in the country, in the Elan Valley, Powys. It's among the most sparsely-populated parts of…
Birmingham… Foucault in Northfield: Birmingham’s reformed pubs 13 Jun 201628 May 2018 As I mentioned recently, apparently historians love pubs more than anything. I was particularly intrigued by a discussion with Nathan Booth at the Urban History conference in Cambridge about the…
Birmingham Fox News Facts 12 Jan 2015 Last night was a fun night for a midlander to be on Twitter. Footage emerged showing Steven Emerson, noted US terrorism theorist, describing Birmingham as "entirely Muslim" and "a no-go are…
Birmingham… More miles of canal than Venice 12 Sep 2014 When talking about their home town, West Midlanders are some of the most self-deprecating folk you'll meet; try putting a Brummie up against a Scouser in a bragging contest and…
Birmingham Ring Roads 10 Oct 2013 For some reason, I spent most of yesterday thinking ring roads. Specifically, the Birmingham Queensway system that no longer exists. As a geographer, town planning sits very much inside my…
Birmingham… Selly Oak, W&B and Dudley No.2 9 Oct 2013 In my defence, I've been very busy at work and am not all there in the concentration stakes. Last night I reached Rodizio Rico (Mailbox) after trekking across town (University-New…
Birmingham Heritage Open Weekend 12 Sep 2013 I'll be a busy boy this weekend, for many and various reasons (not least very amateur plumbing), but I'll hope to make time for some of the Heritage Open Days.…
