Birmingham

Birmingham expanded massively in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to become the second largest city in Britain. It led the way in new technology and manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution, as well as being the cultural centre of the Midlands. Although the centre was severely damaged in aerial bombardment in the Second World War, and subsequently rebuilt in modern style in the postwar era, much of historical Birmingham remains alongside the city’s new buildings and streets, criss-crossed by its distinctive canal network.In Birmingham: The Postcard Collection the author has drawn on a remarkable selection of old postcards to give a pictorial record of life in Birmingham in the past. Although some of the historical Birmingham seen in these views has been lost, many landmarks have remained and will be familiar today. The postcards show the changes Birmingham’s fabric and its community adapting and changing over the course of this period. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in Birmingham or know it well.