If you want to experience Birmingham as it was many years ago during the industrial revolution, you only need take a trip to its famous Jewellery Quarter.
Set just minutes away from Grand Central station via a short tram ride, the Jewellery Quarter is steeped in history and retains many of the original, beautiful buildings that to this day continue to produce some of the best jewellery money can buy.
But where did it all start and how has the Jewellery Quarter evolved in the digital age? Here’s a brief history!
The early days
We need to go right back to the early 16th century to find out how the Jewellery Quarter got its name.
Back in 1553, a local goldsmith by the name of Roger Pemberton became one of the first jewellers in Birmingham. That’s the earliest evidence we have to work from, but many believe it’s key to what started an incredible industrial revolution in the area.
Since the mid-1700s, the Jewellery Quarter has arguably contributed handsomely to Birmingham being a world-renowned pioneer of technological advancements. For instance, the Jewellery Quarter in particular benefitted from workers transitioning from full manual labour to machines and chemical manufacturing.
Members of Pemberton’s family went on to register silver marks at Birmingham’s Assay Office, leading them to be involved in the jewellery trade up until around 1830, around the time the first industrial revolution finished.
The industrial revolution
Workers from all over the country headed to Birmingham, and in particular the Jewellery Quarter, during the industrial revolution due to the sheer number of available jobs at its foundries and factories.
Pin badges, metal toys and small trinkets were among the most common products developed back then, but as demand in the city grew, lots of factories began to rise from the ground to the point where, by 1800, there were around 400 jewellers in the city.
As the number of workshops and factories increased, the middle classes began to move away from the area, thus providing space for more industrial units.
The jewellery trade declined somewhat in 1820 due to economic problems, but it found its feet again in the early 1900s when the Jewellery Quarter reportedly employed over 30,000 people.
Not always about jewellery
Although half of the jewellery on sale in London during the 1800s was estimated to have been produced in Birmingham, declines in demand and economic reasons forced the Quarter to consider what else it could manufacture.
This is why, during the 19th century, it was also home to several pen factories and produced around 75% of the world’s pens as a result. The first football referee whistle was also created in the Jewellery Quarter, along with the first police whistle in 1883.
There’s a rich history of manufacturing in the Jewellery Quarter that extends far beyond jewellery, including coffins, coins and medals. In fact, during 1889, the Birmingham Mint was recorded as the largest private mint in the world.
This is why Birmingham is often referred to as The City of a Thousand Trades.
Today’s Jewellery Quarter
While the Jewellery Quarter is still one of the best places to find original jewellery, it’s now a bustling business hub and sports a vibrant bar, restaurant and venue scene.
Many of the old factories have also been converted into modern apartments, but they sit among a number of museums that remind visitors of how the area used to be.
If you’re headed to Birmingham any time soon, the Jewellery Quarter really is worth a visit.
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