Perspectives Autumn-Winter.Qxd 11/11/10 4:57 Pm Page 1 Perspectivebirmingham S AUTUMN / WINTER 2010 JOURNAL of BIRMINGHAM CIVIC SOCIETY
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Perspectives Autumn-Winter.qxd 11/11/10 4:57 pm Page 1 PerspectiveBIRMINGHAM s AUTUMN / WINTER 2010 JOURNAL OF BIRMINGHAM CIVIC SOCIETY Made in Birmingham: how one local firm shone a light on the House of Lords Birmingham’s forgotten gardens The Big Interview: “The whole vibrancy of the people of Birmingham is something we badly under use.” Perspectives Autumn-Winter.qxd 11/11/10 4:58 pm Page 2 First word David Clarke, Chairman of Birmingham Civic Society Leaders of tomorrow I was walking along Edmund Street in Birmingham city centre - Colmore Business District as it has recently been named - and ahead of me I spotted a group of six youngsters, chatting excitedly. They were smartly dressed in school uniforms and had evidently just emerged from the white mini bus that was parked at the side of the road. Brought to attention by their wards - two teachers I would imagine - enable short listed schools to experience something of Birmingham's they disappeared in to the lobby area of one of the office buildings. I business life - and to see inside and experience offices and the workplace. knew which one it was; I was destined to be there myself to attend, as (One of my ambitions, which you never know I may well in due course one of the judges, the semi final round of Birmingham Civic Society's fulfil, is to organise what might be described as reverse 'seeing is believing' Next Generation Awards at the offices of Anthony Collins Solicitors. visits. Those of you that have participated in such an activity will be The children stood, politely, at the reception desk whilst their names familiar with the format. Excellently organised by Business in the were duly ticked before proceeding, two by two, towards the lifts. Community, they enable business people to meet and talk to those they “Are they the first to arrive?” I asked the commissionaire. He replied might not normally meet - in areas of the community that they might not that they were - and commented on their polite manners. often if ever visit. And in consequence the participants learn much more. For the next three hours or so, each of the schools arrived and each team The “reverse” seeing is believing would bring youngsters from our presented. They talked about their fears, and their hopes, for the schools into the business community in order to see what opportunities Birmingham in which they today live. They were children from all walks exist within those companies for their future employment.) of life and from a cross-section of schools, some from the leafy suburbs To a degree, The Next Generation Awards already do that. Those and others inner-city. Some were extraordinarily eloquent (politicians in youngsters who were chatting on the doorstep of Anthony Collins the making I reckon) and others were clearly very shy. But each presented Solicitors were not just excited because they were making a presentation with conviction and spoke with passion about their chosen subject. - but because they were going into a part of Birmingham they have Just sitting down and listening to children speak in that way fills me probably never seen before. (That incidentally, is also one of the reasons with enormous hope. For whilst the natural reaction of all of us is to why I would like many more businesses in Birmingham to offer formal fear about the future and wonder whether our youngsters will be up work placement schemes so as to break down work-place barriers.) to it, history should show us that by and large, they are. There is though a final element that I would like to see implemented - The Next Generation Awards is a great example of the commitment and here perhaps we might have your help. of The Birmingham Civic Society - and Birmingham - to ensure that The Next Generation Awards have been great at identifying children's our school children have a say in Birmingham's future. But it's also concerns and their solutions, but as yet, we (that's the Civic Society) important for two more reasons. and they (that's them) have not been able to put their ideas into action. First, it gets children to think about the Birmingham in which they live - Sometimes, it may not be feasible but there are certainly two or three and the issues they really care about (interestingly, the majority were the ideas that have been presented - including the winners of this year's same that you and I would probably raise if asked). Their perception of awards (see page 26) - that with a little bit of help might get under way. the problems facing their communities was pretty similar to the ones that So how about if Birmingham businesses and Civic Society members we would identify - even though their solutions to the problems were got behind them, wrote out a few small cheques to kick them off, and somewhat different to those that provided mentoring to give the children some support in delivering might be raised by us older-folk. their ideas? Secondly, the awards also The Next Generation Awards demonstrate there is huge potential amongst our young people. Our role - and that's our collective role - is to ensure that we provide the right environment in which that potential can flourish. Perspectives Autumn-Winter.qxd 11/11/10 4:58 pm Page 3 Birmingham Perspectives Autumn-Winter 2010 Contents Front cover: View inside the House of Lords Adventurer & Entrepreneur receive blue plaques Yvonne Maslen looks at the latest two Birmingham figures The front cover of this issue of Perspectives 9 to receive a commemorative blue plaque. depicts the inside of the House of Lords - but few people know that the stained glass, Committee updates railings, chandeliers and two-ton entrance The chairs of the Society's committees report back on their activity over gates were all forged in Birmingham. 10 recent months. Sometimes it is all too easy to today overlook the national and international Union launches the cup prominence Birmingham has had in Stephen Roberts of the English Speaking union looks at the industry over the last two centuries. 12 work undertaken by the Birmingham branch. The two latest recipients of the Society's blue plaques were revolutionaries of Big Interview their time and their work had world- Katie Allsopp interviews OBE recipient Carol Coombes on her work in wide significance - and yet their names 14 Birmingham and the city's future. would be relatively unknown to those living in Birmingham today. Statue restored to former glory This spirit of innovation and Stephen Hartland of the Victorian Society looks at the restoration entrepreneurship needs to be kept alive 16 of one of Birmingham's neglected statues. today - as discussed at a Birmingham Future debate on encouraging youngsters Made in Birmingham from all walks of life to realise the Michael Fisher examines the work of Birmingham-based Pugin, Hardman & opportunities available. The West Midlands 18 Powell Ltd, and how it grew to achieve national acclaim. has a rich history of revolutionaries and industrialists and this can only continue if the Head to Head next generation are given the skills needed to What can we do to promote Birmingham as a thriving business achieve their ambitions. 22 centre full of opportunity to all? A debate held by Birmingham Future. The Birmingham Civic Society’s Citizenship Committee works to raise Local schools compete in Citizenship Awards awareness and to give our youngsters More than 2,600 students entered this year's Citizenship Awards, organised by opportunities for development, and this year's 26 Birmingham Civic Society's Citizenship Committee. Next Generation Awards is a great example of the work undertaken by Birmingham FIRST WORD 2 MEMBERSHIP 32 Civic Society and local businesses to give NEWS 4 FUTURE VOICE 34 LETTERS 28 LAST WORD 35 children the chance to shine. EVENTS 30 Birmingham is Europe's youngest city with a student population of more than 60,000. BirminghamCivic Society is concerned with the city's future whilst With such a high-calibre of young talent being mindful of its past. It actively promotes citizenship, lobbies for the progressing through our schools and highest standards of planning and architecture and champions graduating from the universities, the city Birmingham's heritage, culture and environment. needs to realise that investment in education For Birmingham Perspectives: and development is the way to secure Production: Clarke Associates UK Ltd Editorial and advertising enquiries - t: 0121 702 2525 Birmingham's future as a world player in Assistant Editor: Katie Allsopp business, manufacturing, culture and tourism. Design: Clare Godson Katie Allsopp, Assistant Editor Photography: Birmingham Mail - Ernest Wilson; Birmingham Post - Big Interview Illustrations: James Griffin Birmingham Perspectives Print: Lemonpress Birmingham Civic Society, For Birmingham Civic Society: 9 Margaret Street, Administration - Elaine Mitchell t: 0121 236 8110 e: [email protected] Birmingham B3 3BS Chairman - David Clarke t: 0121 702 2525 e: [email protected] 0121 236 8110 www.birminghamcivicsociety.org.uk 3 Perspectives Autumn-Winter.qxd 11/11/10 4:58 pm Page 4 NEWS eople in the West Midlands Birmingham’s existing strategy to Rob Langley, chairman of Pcan now access English expand Birmingham's visitor Birmingham Civic Society's Heritage's historical archive economy, an industry worth £4.4 citizenship committee, said: “It is the catalogue online. billion in 2009. The remit has been children of this city that can take The documents are held by the National enlarged as part of proposals for the Birmingham forward to even greater Monuments Record (NMR), English renewal of the agreement between things and who will be responsible for Heritage's public archive, and include the Council and the public/ its future.