BTfl Planting: Marlborough House Rec, Yardley - Fully Booked
2020-03-19 10:30 - 12:30 UTC
School and corporate tree planting event, also open to individual volunteers – please contact info@btfl.org.uk to ask if any places are available (this event is fully booked).

BTfL Planting: Batchelors Farm Rec, Bordesley Green
2020-03-21 11:00 - 13:30
Community tree planting event – please contact info@btfl.org.uk to ask if any places remain available. Note: This site is also known as Bordesley Green Rec.

Museum Collection Centre Visit
2020-04-23 09:00 - 11:00
A rare opportunity to visit this incredible store with its wealth of fascinating objects.
Discover Birmingham Civic Society connections along the way as you explore the thousands of items that make up around 80% of Birmingham Museum Trust’s collections. Numbers are limited to 15 on this popular event so please book early to avoid disappointment.
Tickets £10 members £15 non-members – plus usual booking fees. Price includes refreshments.
Book your ticket via Eventbrite

Birmingham Civic Society AGM 2020 - Online
2020-11-25 17:00 - 17:30
Join us online on Wednesday 25th November at 5pm for our 2020 AGM, which will be taking place via Zoom.
This will be a very different AGM to any we’ve ever experienced before but we loved connecting with you online for this year’s Leaders Breakfast and we’re looking forward to doing the same again for the AGM. We hope you are able to join us and would be delighted if you wish to invite guests to hear more about what we do.
Register your attendance via the website link below.

An Introduction to the Heritage of Birmingham Cathedral with Jane McArdle
2021-02-05 12:30 - 13:30
Join Jane on Friday 5th February at 12.30pm for a wonderfully informative and lively talk on the church that became a cathedral in a town that became a city. Jane draws on her experience of working at one of the city’s most significant buildings, with a beautifully illustrated presentation that charts the development of the Cathedral Church of St Philip and highlights many of its interesting features.
This is an online talk using the platform Zoom. Participants will require a lap top, PC, tablet or smartphone for this experience and will be provided, in advance, with all the information needed to access the event.
Make a sandwich, make yourself comfortable and enjoy a restorative hour discovering this most fascinating of Birmingham’s buildings. Free for members and available at a small charge for non-members. We particularly encourage our corporate members to signpost this event to staff for their lunchtime away from work.
Birmingham Civic Society Members: Free
Non members: £5.00 plus Eventbrite booking fees
Book via the Eventbrite link below

Discovering Birmingham’s Roundhouse
2021-02-17 12:30 - 13:30
Join the team behind the revival of the 19th century Roundhouse and discover the plans for this exciting Birmingham landmark.
The Grade II* listed building is in the final stages of extensive renovations and conservation work, and is being brought back to life thanks to a partnership between the Canal & River Trust and the National Trust, and funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
This unique, horseshoe-shaped building, once a base for the City’s lamplighters and the working horses of the Public Works department, will begin operating this year under the care of Roundhouse Birmingham, a new heritage enterprise and independent charity. We’ll hear from the Roundhouse Birmingham team about the project so far, and the vision for its future role in city life.
This is an online talk using the platform Zoom. Participants will require a lap top, PC, tablet or smartphone for this experience and will be provided, in advance, with all the information needed to access the event.
Birmingham Civic Society Members – Free
Non members £5.00 plus usual booking fees
Book via Eventbrite

Photo credit James Reader

The Park Street Excavations
2021-03-09 12:30 - 13:30
Did you know that one of the biggest archaeological digs in the UK recently took place in Birmingham?
The archaeological excavation at Park Street undertaken by MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology) Headland for the HS2 rail line was the largest investigation of a Victorian graveyard undertaken outside of London. It presented archaeologists with an unprecedented opportunity to study the population of Birmingham during a period of rapid expansion and change for the city.
Join representatives from MOLA Headland for a short talk about the history of the site as well as discussing some of the recent findings.
This is an online talk using the platform Zoom. Participants will require a lap top, PC, tablet or smartphone for this experience and will be provided, in advance, with all the information needed to access the event.
This is a free event for Birmingham Civic Society Members only – book your place via the Eventbrite link below.

Roots, Rights and Resistance
2021-03-30 11:30 - 12:30
The people, movements and struggles that shaped Handsworth and the wider Birmingham area are described in this compelling and lively talk. Join Legacy WM’s Heritage Officer Rachel West and discover fascinating stories about this dynamic part of the city, how it helped shaped the world and how it continues to evolve and inspire today.
Legacy WM was established in 2010 and has Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) status. Inspired by the heritage of post-war migrant communities in Birmingham, their work celebrates their relationship with the industrial, architectural, and cultural fabric of the city.
This is an online talk using the platform Zoom. Participants will require a lap top, PC, tablet or smartphone for this experience and will be provided, in advance, with all the information needed to access the event.
Birmingham Civic Society Members Free
Non members £5.00 plus usual booking fees
Book via Eventbrite

Stourbridge Glass Museum Visit and Tour
2022-04-29 09:30 - 11:30
Stourbridge Glass Museum: at the heart of the community with a globally significant collection to educate and inspire.
Opening early April 2022 the museum is housed in the Grade II listed former Stuart Crystal Glassworks, which has been creatively and imaginatively adapted for the purpose. Combining both permanent and temporary exhibition galleries, a hot glass making studio and a hands-on activities space.
Join us on a special guided tour of the museum discovering the incredible, vibrant collections and the history of glass making in the area.
Refreshments are provided after the tour.
Member tickets: £10
Non member ticket: £12
On-site parking is available.
Book your place via Eventbrite here

Shire Story - Live online event
2022-05-10 11:15 - 13:00
An unexpected adventure into the beginnings of Middle Earth. How Birmingham and Sarehole shaped Tolkien’s The Shire.
Join Sarehole Mill and Shout Out History’s Ash Bayliss and explore the fascinating story of how Birmingham influenced J R R Tolkien’s writing.
This is an online talk and Q&A. Participants will require a lap top, PC, tablet or smartphone for this experience and will be provided, in advance, with all the information needed to access the event.
Birmingham Civic Society Members: Free
Non members £5.00 plus usual booking fees
12.15 pm onwards
Book via Eventbrite

A Gift to the City - Cannon Hill Park
2022-07-09 10:00 - 11:30
A relaxed walking tour of Cannon Hill Park discovering original features and history of the park and people associated with it.
Join a guided walk looking at the history and built heritage of this award-winning city park. Cannon Hill Park was gifted to the city nearly 150 years ago by Louisa Ann Ryland. She was a major local philanthropist who used her prosperity to establish and support important institutions in Birmingham and she also gifted the land for Cannon Hill Park, as green space for citizens to enjoy.
Join this relaxed walk to hear more about Louisa Ann Ryland and the original 1873 layout of the park, much of which is still in evidence, as well as features that have disappeared and more recent additions.
Meet in the courtyard of the Midland Art Centre. Comfortable shoes advised and dress for the weather. No stairs but some uneven paths likely. The walk is wheelchair accessible.
This walk is free to Birmingham Civic Society Members and open to non-members for £5 a ticket.
This walk is part of the Society’s Heritage Trails Project, generously funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the W A Cadbury Charitable Trust.
Book your place

Birmingham City Centre Heritage Walk - POSTPONED
2022-07-16 10:00 - 11:30
DUE TO THE WEATHER FORECAST OF EXTREME HEAT THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED, A NEW DATE WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON.
A leisurely guided tour of Birmingham city centre’s heritage exploring some of the city’s most significant & historic buildings and spaces.
Join this relaxed, guided tour looking at the city’s history and townscape from the Middle Ages to the present day, and discover the contributions of its most famous citizens. Stops include St Philip’s Cathedral, Victoria and Centenary Squares, the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, St Paul’s Square and St Chad’s Cathedral.
Meet outside the main entrance to Birmingham Cathedral.
Comfortable shoes advised and dress for the weather. Some uneven pavements likely.
This walk is free to Birmingham Civic Society Members and open to non-members for £5 a ticket.
This walk is part of the Society’s Heritage Trails Project, generously funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the W A Cadbury Charitable Trust.

Women in the city - postponed - to be rescheduled
2022-08-25 18:00 - 20:00
Female perspectives on the making and remaking of the urban environment.

About this event

Join this panel discussion about the experiences of women navigating and living in the city. When cities are planned, safe environments for women are not being considered and inadvertently public spaces are created that are unsafe. With this event we want to investigate how a more inclusive approach to creating city spaces can be found and how we could make that happen.
Planning, or lack of it, impacts on urban spaces. We will explore whether female artistic responses to living, working and being in the city are uniquely different and how women who have found refuge in the city experience the city.
The event will be at the exhibition “Found Cities, Lost Objects: Women in the City” curated by Lubaina Himid and there will be time to view and reflect on the work on display.
Join us for an evening of debate and exchange of thought on the female experience of the urban environment. Host for the evening will be Danni Ebanks-Ingram who will joined by panellists Deborah Broomfield, Katy Hawkins and Anna Fawcett.
This event is part of the Birmingham Civic Society’s Heritage Trails project generously funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the WA Cadbury Charitable Trust. This event is delivered in partnership with Iris Bertz Associates and Birmingham Museums Trust.
Tickets
£10 each
Bring a friend and come together; entry for two £15
Birmingham Civic Society members £5
Booking fee applies
Book via Eventbrite
Venue
The discussion will take place in the Gas Hall at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.
This is an evening event, and the main museum entrance to the Museum will be closed. The entrance to the Gas Hall is adjacent to the Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery lift entrance on Edmund Street and is just around the corner of the main museum entrance on Chamberlain Square.

Panellists
Deborah Broomfield is a part-time doctoral student at Leeds Beckett University in Women in Planning. Her thesis will examine austerity in spatial planning and the disproportionate impact on women and marginalised communities. Deborah will also examine how community movements are responding to the disproportionality. She will be approaching her thesis using feminist research methods.
A former public sector worker, Deborah is a trained community researcher, who has worked on Shared Assets and The New Economics Foundation sponsored research. She is now an Associate Lecturer at UWE Bristol supporting urban planning masters students and has delivered lectures in urbanism at Leeds Beckett University.
Katy Hawkins is an Artist and Arts Producer who works on projects around exploring and supporting connection to place and nature for wellbeing – currently she does this through a role with Warwickshire County Council and in an independent arts practice. Katy has a background in Visual Cultures and Interdisciplinary Urban Design and has previously worked in local governance, community-led greening projects and placemaking.
She is interested in participatory placemaking processes, sustainable transport and trees. New to Birmingham, her work has mostly taken place in Peterborough and South London.
Anna Fawcett is a Marketing and Communications professional and feminist who has a keen interest in the experiences of women in Birmingham both past and present. After 9 years working at Winterbourne House and Garden, the former home of industrialist and town planner John Sutton Nettlefold, she has worked at Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid since 2019.
Danni Ebanks-Ingram (host) has a multidisciplinary practice consisting of performance art, participatory futures, curation and producing while also touching intersections of queerness and blackness. Throughout Danni’s work there is a clear connection to understanding and exploring aspects that underpin our society such as: economics, socio-political and environmental elements of life.
Currently Danni is a Co-founder & the Creative Engagement at CIVIC SQUARE: a public square, neighbourhood lab, and creative + participatory platform focused on regenerative civic and social infrastructure within neighbourhoods. CIVIC SQUARE works alongside the local neighbourhood, to offer a bold approach to visioning, building and investing in civic infrastructure for neighbourhoods of the future.

Digitising Aris’s Birmingham Gazette
2022-09-10 12:00 - 18:30
A symposium about the recently digitized Aris’s Birmingham Gazette (established 1741).
10 Sept; 1pm – 7.30pm
Established in 1741, Aris’s Birmingham Gazette was described by Asa Briggs as one of the most lucrative and important regional papers in the country with a reputation for its political impartiality and which, even in the eighteenth century, was circulated over a wide geographical area.
Following a year-long project Aris’s Birmingham Gazette has now been digitized and was recently made available through the British Newspaper Archive, which is published and managed by Findmypast, in collaboration with the British Library.
This event comprises a symposium, where those involved in the project talk about the work involved in making this important resource available; guests speakers contextualise Aris’s against Birmingham in the eighteenth century and newspaper publishing in the city more generally; there will be a panel discussion where those who have used Aris’s Birmingham Gazette reflect on the part it has played in their research.
This is a free event which can be booked here via Eventbrite.
This event is event supported by BCS Heritage Trails project.
The symposium will be followed by a drink’s reception.
A programme for the event can be found here: https://www.cphc.org.uk/events/2022/9/10/ariss-birmingham-gazette

Birmingham's Early Maps 1731-1831
2022-09-13 15:00 - 17:00
Local map specialist John Townley explores the growth of Birmingham through the first century of its town maps.

About this event

An exceptional opportunity to see a wide selection of Birmingham’s earliest maps. Discover why they were made, when they were made, how they were made and…… can they be trusted?!
This event is part of the Society’s Heritage Trails Project, generously funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the W A Cadbury Charitable Trust and organised by Birmingham Civic Society in partnership with Library of Birmingham.
The event is located in the Wolfson Centre for Archival Research, Level 4, Library of Birmingham. The stairs, lift or travelators within the Library of Birmingham can be used to access the Wolfson Centre and there is an accessible toilet on Level 4.
Nearest parking is Paradise Circus multi-storey car park: https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/directory_record/6680/paradise_circus_multi-storey_car_park
https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/archives
This is free to attend – book your place via Eventbrite

Women’s History Walking Tour
2022-09-14 18:00 - 19:30
Discover the untold storied of some of Bournville’s most significant women.
14 Sept; 7pm-8.30pm
Discover the often untold stories of the trailblazing women who led the way for change and have shaped Bournville and Birmingham into the areas we know today. This Birmingham Heritage Week walking tour will shine light on women like philanthropist Dame Elizabeth Cadbury, artist Mary Sargent Florence, and trade union activist and suffragette Julia Varley.
This walk is part of the Birmingham Civic Society’s Heritage Trials Project, generously funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the W A Cadbury Charitable Trust and organised in partnership with Selly Manor Museum.
Location
Meet at
Selly Manor Museum, Maple Road, Bournville, B30 2AE.
Cost
£5 Birmingham Civic Society Members £7.50 Non-Members
Booking
Booking via Eventbrite – link here.
Access
There are accessible toilets at Selly Manor Museum, where the tour will start and finish. Parking is available on Maple Road.

Birmingham Suffragettes & Northfield Library
2022-09-16 13:15 - 14:15
Learn about the Birmingham women who fought to get the right the vote and the Northfield Carnegie library which was rebuilt after Suffragette direct action.
The story of women’s struggle for the vote often refers to the Pankhurst family, but women all over the country were invested, and took direct action, in the political fight for the vote. In Birmingham there were many women who as suffragists devoted their lives to the cause and suffragettes whose militant acts resulted in imprisonment and, often, force feeding. In this illustrated talk Dr Nicola Gauld will highlight the importance of Birmingham women in the national struggle for women’s right to vote.
The Suffragette talk will be followed by a talk about the history of Northfield Library, built in 1906 with Carnegie funding and rebuilt in 1914 after a Suffragette arson attack. The new Northfield Library was Birmingham’s first ‘open access’ library, requiring a new internal layout and design features. The talk about Northfield library will be presented by Irene de Boo, freelance heritage consultant.
The talks take place at Northfield Library, 77 Church Road, Northfield, B31 2LB.
Wheelchair access via the front side entrance please ring the bell and staff will open the doors. The event is taking place on the first floor there is a stair lift available for those unable to manage stairs
The talks are free to Birmingham Civic Society members and open to non-members and are part of the Society’s Heritage Trials Project, generously funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the W A Cadbury Charitable Trust.
Book your place

Herstory Day
2022-09-17 12:00 - 16:00
A day of art and activities, exploring the histories of forgotten women. From the Blue Stocking Society, to the suffragettes and suffragists of Birmingham and Dame Elizabeth Cadbury; we will be shining a light on the impact that women have had locally throughout history and in the present day.
This event is part of the Birmingham Civic Society Heritage Trails project, generously funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and W A Cadbury Charitable Trust.
Location
The Northfield Arts Forum Shop, Northfield Shopping Centre, Northfield, B31 2JU
Cost: Free. Booking not required
Access: Wheelchair access
Organised by Northfield Arts Forum and Birmingham Civic Society

Drawn in the Quarter
2022-09-17 13:00 - 15:00
Join Ed Isaacs, RBSA member artist, for a journey of drawing around the Jewellery Quarter, sketching local buildings.

About this event

Ed will guide you to places and buildings of interest in the area, demonstrate urban sketching techniques and teach you how to make the most of your on-site drawing experience.
Pencils and sketchbooks will be provided, but if you wish to bring your own please do so. This workshop is suitable for all levels and no previous experience is required. This event is suitable for people aged 16+.
Ed is an RBSA member artist who explores the urban environment, recording places of interest and resonance through his sketching. He exhibits regularly at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA) in the Jewellery Quarter and Wolverhampton Society of Artists.
This event is part of the Society’s Heritage Trails Project, generously funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the W A Cadbury Charitable Trust.
Meet near the Chamberlain memorial clock, on pavement in front of Rose Villa Tavern, 172 Warstone Lane, B18 6JW
Tickets £5 to all. Booking fee applies. 10 places available. Book via Eventbrite.

Blue Plaque Unveiling - Tony de Vit
2022-09-24 09:30 - 16:00
The Birmingham Civic Society invites you to join us at the unveiling of a Blue Plaque to Tony de Vit.

Tony de Vit was a pioneering and hugely influential DJ in the LGBTQ+ community who brought his music to a mainstream audience.

When: Saturday 24th September 2022, 10:30am

Where: The Courtyard, The Custard Factory, Gibb Street, Birmingham, B9 4AA (what3words: https://w3w.co/fired.flown.puddles)

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information.

Finals and Award Ceremony for the 2021/22 Next Generation Awards Programme
2022-10-06 17:30 - 19:30
The Birmingham Civic Society’s Next Generation Awards – To improve any society, its young people must feel that they matter. To stimulate their creativity, nurture their enthusiasm for life and take their ideas seriously is the best investment we can make in the future of our city.
It is with great pleasure that we invite you to join us, our finalists, The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Maureen Cornish and her Consort Mr Malcolm Cornish at the Finals and Award Ceremony for the 2021/22 Next Generation Awards which are to be held at Highbury Hall in Moseley on Thursday 6th October, starting at 6.40 pm. The evening will conclude around 8.30 pm.

On the evening, the five finalist teams of the Next Generation Awards 2021/22 from King Edward VI Northfield School for Girls, Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School, King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy, Colmers School and Sixth Form College and King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls will make their Gold Award winning presentations to a panel of judges representing the Society, Birmingham businesses and an invited audience. The team judged to be the overall winner will be awarded the Next Generation Awards Shield and the ‘Newman Prize’ of £1500 to put their ideas into action and will be provided mentoring support.
The Secondary Schools that participated in the programme will also be presented with plaques to commemorate their participation in the scheme during the ceremony by The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Maureen Cornish. The Society has been running this programme for seventeen years and has assisted over 33,300 young people to become active citizens interested in developing their city. The Next Generation Awards Programme is run by The Birmingham Civic Society with kind support from Newman University, Aston University, Professional Polishing
Services Ltd, and many local trusts and foundations.

We will also be presenting plaques to schools that have been nominated as Birmingham Civic Society School Stars, our initiative that celebrates Birmingham schools for going the extra mile to support those in their communities in times of need.
Further information about the awards scheme and how to reserve your place at the ceremony is below. Please note that our hosts require the full names of ALL attendees by Friday 30th September so please confirm your places by then by emailing nextgenerationawards@googlemail.com.

Muse: Uncovering the hidden figures behind art history’s masterpieces
2022-11-10 19:00 - 21:00
Muse tells the true stories of the incredible women who have inspired art history’s masterpieces.
Join Ruth Millington, art historian, critic and writer at Winterbourne House, to hear about the remarkable roles of the women in some of art history’s most well-known works. Ruth will delve into the real-life relationships between models and the artists who immortalised them and highlight the influential and active part muses have played behind the scenes. In doing so, she will deconstruct the stereotype of a passive, powerless model at the mercy of an influential and older artist, arguing instead that muses brought emotional support, intellectual energy and career changing creativity to artists and were active agents behind art history’s masterpieces.
The book Muse: Uncovering the hidden figures behind art history’s masterpieces – will be on sale from the Winterbourne shop and signed copies will be available.
The exhibition ‘Dina Razin; Reclaiming the Muse’ shows portraits of artists’ muses that illustrate the book and is open for viewing during the evening.
Please arrive at 7pm for a 7.15pm start. The talk will be about 45 minutes after which there will be time for questions followed by an opportunity to view Dina Razin’s artworks in the exhibition.
The lecture room and exhibition space are fully accessible. A car park is in front of the house.
This event is part of the Birmingham Civic Society’s ‘Heritage Trail’ project, generously funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and William A Cadbury Charitable Trust.
More information – Birmingham Civic Society Heritage Trails.
Tickets are £4 for members, and £8 for non-members
Tickets are available via Eventbrite – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/muse-uncovering-the-hidden-figures-behind-art-historys-masterpieces-tickets-431221985567

Poetry and acoustic music with Simone ‘Word’ Smith & Hidden Notes
2022-11-24 19:00 - 21:00
Simone ‘Word’ Smith, performance poet, will show her love for words and stories, performing with music trio Hidden Notes.
Simone Smith is a performance and published poet who has been exploring stories and poetry for as long as she can remember. Simone overcame the challenges posed by dyslexia and developed her own voice, a distinct style of storytelling giving voice to touching narratives and untold stories. On stage she often performs as one third of Hidden Notes, a trio with a passion for combining live music with poetry. Their performances about recognisable and everyday human experiences have found resonance with a growing number of fans.
Simone’s poetry is featured in a variety of publications, she has won several awards & commissions and has performed on stage alongside renowned poets including Lemn Sissay, Akala, and John Agard.
Where – The Good Intent, 32-33 Great Western Arcade, Birmingham B2 5HU
This event is part of the Birmingham Civic Society’s ‘Heritage Trail’ project, generously funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and William A Cadbury Charitable Trust. More info here – https://www.birminghamcivicsociety.org.uk/new-project-announced-for-birmingham-civic-society-heritage-committee/
Ticket price – £4 members and $6 non members
Book via Eventbrite – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/poetry-and-acoustic-music-with-simone-word-smith-hidden-notes-tickets-435575135957

Blue Plaque unveiling to The Rum Runner
2022-12-16 16:00 - 18:00
Before it was demolished in 1987, it was in The Rum Runner club that the band Duran Duran initially worked, rehearsed and partied. The club’s owners, Paul and Michael Berrow managed the band before Duran Duran went on to achieve worldwide fame in the 1980s. The club itself opened in 1964 and developed a reputation as a late night venue where bands would hang out, including Black Sabbath and Magnum.
The owners remodelled The Rum Runner on the legendary New York club Studio 54, changed the music policy and invited bands to perform and it also offered free rehearsal space to Dexy’s Midnight Runners and UB40. The Beat also filmed their video for the single Mirror In The Bathroom at the club.
When: Friday 16th December 2022, 4:00pm
Where: Rum Runner Yard, Broad Street, Birmingham (what3words: https://w3w.co/blog.flight.linen )
RSVP: to Penny birminghamblueplaques@gmail.com by 13th December 2022
Please do not hesitate to contact Penny if you require any further information.

Remarkable generosity; Louisa Ryland’s gifts to the city
2023-02-16 19:00 - 20:00
Louisa Ryland (1814-1889) was a major Victorian philanthropist and benefactor. Louisa gave quietly and often anonymously, and it is estimated she donated, in today’s equivalent, well over 20 million pounds to Birmingham during her lifetime. Her generosity is commemorated with a blue plaque in Cannon Hill Park. This talk will look at her life and philanthropy and includes a virtual walk in the park in the early 20th century using Edwardian postcards.
About the speaker
Irene de Boo has worked in the heritage sector since 1994. For many years she managed local historic properties for Birmingham Museums Trust. She also worked as curator at the Black Country Living Museum with responsibilities for transport and industrial collections. Irene now works freelance in the museum sector and is a member of the Birmingham Civic Society Heritage Committee.
Free event. Online via Zoom. Booking via Eventbrite link below.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/remarkable-generosity-louisa-rylands-gifts-to-the-city-tickets-505950600867?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

The Birmingham Civic Society Leaders' Breakfast 2023
2023-02-28 07:30 - 09:30
Hosted by Aston University The Birmingham Civic Society invite you to join us for breakfast and to hear from Leader of Birmingham City Council, Councillor Ian Ward.
Councillor Ward will be giving us insights about the emerging legacy of the Commonwealth Games after the Games showcased Birmingham to the world. Focusing on how the Games will help deliver vital policy issues such as levelling up and identifying the role for organisations like Birmingham Civic Society and other charities so we can help with shaping the city’s future, we hope you can join us.
Tickets include breakfast, please let us know if you have any dietary requirements.
Tickets are free for members, £10 for non members.
Book your ticket via Eventbrite.
Campus map

INVITE ONLY: UNVEILING OF BLUE PLAQUES COMMEMORATING THE WORK OF GEORGE DAWSON AND SAM: TIMMINS
2023-02-28 17:00 - 19:00
On Tuesday 28th February we will be unveiling two blue plaques, commemorating the work of George Dawson and Sam: Timmins.
George Dawson (1821-1876) was a nonconformist preacher, lecturer and activist with an influential voice in the calls for political and social reform in 19th century Birmingham. He became a widely celebrated lecturer, promoting the “Civic Gospel” and helped to found the Shakespeare Memorial Library. The “Everything to Everybody” Project has sponsored this Blue Plaque to recognise Dawson’s relevance to society today. The plaque will be erected in the Skyline Room, outside the Shakespeare Memorial Library.
Sam: Timmins (1826-1902) inherited a family business manufacturing small steel tools and hardware, but his true passion was literature and he dedicated his efforts to establishing the Shakespeare Memorial Library. The plaque will be erected on his home in Elvetham Road, Edgbaston soon after the ceremony.
This is an invite only event due to limited capacity at the venue.

PUBLIC MEETING ON THE FUTURE OF SMALLBROOK QUEENSWAY
2023-02-28 18:00 - 20:00
The Birmingham Civic Society invite you to the public meeting being held regarding the proposals to redevelop the site of the Smallbrook Ringway site. This meeting is in collaboration with the C20 Society, Brutiful Birmingham, and Midland Modernists.
We look forward to a neutral well informed debate.
Click here to see The Birmingham Civic Society planning committee’s comments on the proposal.

West Midlands Combined Authority Tram Unveiling to Theresa Stewart
2023-03-08 12:00 - 12:30
West Midlands Combined Authority will be naming a tram to honour Theresa Stewart, the first female leader of Birmingham City Council and a labour councillor for over 30 years. Birmingham Civic Society will also be unveiling a Blue Plaque to Theresa Stewart in the summer, but if anybody would like to watch the tram naming ceremony it is being held on International Women’s Day, Wednesday 8th March 2023, at 11:55am by the Iron Man on Victoria Square.
8th March 2023, Timings:
11:55 Meet by Iron Man on Victoria Square.
12:04 Tram arrives and unveiling takes place.
12:09 Tram leaves.
More details about our Blue Plaque unveiling event will be shared with members soon, but for now hold the date – the afternoon of Friday 2nd June 2023.

Bertha Bracey, the Kindertransport and aid for refugees in the 1930s and 1940s
2023-03-08 19:00 - 20:00
Born in 1893, Bertha Bracey was brought up in Bournville where her father worked at the Cadbury chocolate factory. She became a Quaker in 1911 and spent the rest of her life engaging in humanitarian aid including, perhaps most notably, her instrumental role in persuading the British government to accept the 10,000 refugee children of the Kindertransport in 1938. This talk will discuss Bracey’s life and work with a particular focus on her efforts to support refugees in the 1930s and 1940s.
Bertha Bracey’s contribution to humanitarian aid will be commemorated later this year with the unveiling of a blue plaque.

About the speaker
Dr Siân Roberts trained as an archivist and worked as senior archivist in the heritage sector for several years. She was involved in a number of large Heritage Lottery funded archives and heritage projects, most notably Connecting Histories and the Children’s Lives projects. After this, Siân worked as Research Associate at the University of Worcester and in 2016 moved to the School of Education at the University of Birmingham where she is a lecturer in Education and Social Justice. Sian is a member of the Birmingham Civic Society Heritage Committee.
Venue: Selly Manor Museum, Maple Road, Bournville, B30 2AE
£5 / BCS members free. Booking here – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bertha-bracey-the-kindertransport-and-aid-for-refugees-1930s-1940s-tickets-519013472267

Image – Kindertransport monument at Liverpool Street station, London, by Frank Meisler. Via Wikimedia Commons.
