2. Handsworth and the Soho Road

Description:Text: Malcolm Dick

Handsworth is a distinct part of Birmingham, but it has only been within the city’s boundaries since 1911. Before then it was part of Staffordshire. Much of Handsworth parish remained rural into the 20th century, but by 1900 the area around the Soho Road had developed into a wealthy suburb of middle-class dwellings and terraced homes for members of the skilled working class. The Soho Road became Handsworth’s artery. Originally a turnpike route in the 18th century linking Birmingham with the Black Country, it became part of Thomas Telford’s London to Holyhead Road in the early19th century, bisecting what was still a predominantly rural parish. Large villas were built alongside the road, but as urbanisation developed in the late 19th century, the Soho Road became a major shopping street. The nature of the road changed as the local community developed. By the year 2000, it contained a library, police station, schools, a college, places of worship, advice centres, travel agents, fitness centres and restaurants as well as shops.

Handsworth’s history and experience is complex. The following images and information explore selectively the various aspects of Handsworth’s recent development:
• Handsworth’s history after 1945.
• Landscape and Buildings.
• Initiatives and Organisations.
• Cultures and Communities.