Birmingham - UK: Rejuvenation of the Jewellery Quarter
Today, a part of the city which epitomises this quality and creative energy is the Jewellery Quarter. Since the early part of the 19th century when the Quarter was still mostly gardens it has changed into a vital, fascinating part of the city. Old buildings have been lovingly restored, new ones have been carefully designed to fit in with the character of the place and and the result is a pleasing mixture of bygone charm and 21st century commerce.
Currently there are over 100 jewellery retailers in the Quarter and most of these can be found within the “Golden Triangle” area bounded by Warstone Lane and Vyse Street. Competition is stiff and there are some great bargarins to be had.
Birmingham - St.Paul's Church and Mozart
St. Paul’s Church and the nearby streets were built in the late 1770’s in Birmingham’s last 18th-century square. The wife of the second vicar, a woman named Julia Kennedy, was a friend of the young Mozart. They held huge - mostly unprofitable - concerts to try to pay for the church’s windows. Many of the people who moved into the new houses were prosperous silversmiths and goldsmiths. By this time silversmithing had become one of Birmingham’s major industries and the now well-known silversmith, Matthew Boulton, whose campaign for Birmingham to have its own assay office succeeded in 1773. It is now the world’s biggest Assay Office and hallmarks between 40,000 and 700,000 precious metal items each working day.
Birmingham - The Discovery Centre
Before tackling the 'Golden Triangle' it's a good idea to visit the Discovery Centre which is built around the restored workshops of an old Jewellery Quarter company, Smith and Pepper. It remains exactly as it was on the day it closed in 1981 after operating for 80 years. They specialised in gold bracelets but also made brooches, cufflinks, lockets and crosses. The guided tour is a good introduction to the jewellery making business before venturing out into the streets to meet some contemporary Smiths and Peppers.
Birmingham - Shopping
Dyson Street is crammed with jewellery shops, all housed in pretty terraced houses, which were once family homes. If you are allergic to gold check out G.H. Moore and Son at 19 Vyse Street. They are the only people in the Quarter who make titanium rings, a popular alternative to white gold and platinum. Its resistance to corrosion makes titanium completely hypoallergenic.
Birmingham - Plans for the future
The Jewellery Quarter is a major part of the regeneration of Birmingham. Plans are for an Urban Village, with houses and apartments intertwined with the workshops and retail outlets. The vision is that the Quarter will still be an artisan region where it will be possible to work, shop, live and play in the same area.
Washington Irving Visited Birmingham
In 1819 Washington Irving wrote ,Rip Van Winkle. while staying in the Jewellelry Quarter. It’s hard to imagine he would come up with an idea for a story about a man falling asleep for twenty years if he lived in the energetic, dynamic atmosphere of todays Jewellery Quarter.
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