BIRMINGHAM CITY CENTRE S in 1998 When the G8 Summit Was Held in Birmingham (15Th - Corn Merchant
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remainder of his life, writing several works on the subject This is the site on which Joseph Priestley’s pacifist New Meeting and encouraging the founding of new Unitarian churches stood. The original was erected in 1726 and burnt down in throughout Britain and the USA. 1791 during the “Church and King” Riots. In 1803 it was rebuilt BIRMINGHAM and reopened but eventually its congregation moved out to Unitarians, described as pacifists, worked for peace in the larger premises and it was purchased, remodelled and re- Napoleonic wars. A petition started in January 1808 at Bolton consecrated as a Roman Catholic church in 1862 with Irish and Unitarian Church amassed 17,000 signatures in favour of Italian immigrants being its main worshippers. CITY CENTRE peace. PEACE TRAIL In the church can be found a plaque dedicated to Joseph Priestley erected by the Birmingham Civic Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry in 1980 celebrating the bi-centenary of the beginnings of Priestley’s ministry here. UNA (United Nations Association) celebrates UN Human Retrace your steps along Carrs Lane, then turn left Rights Day on December 10th each year at the Council House into High Street. Pass the Pavilions Shopping Centre On the external wall look at the memorial plaque dedicated to meeting the Lord Mayor and holding a Flag Raising ceremony, and turn left again. Ignore the entrance to the the 14,500 Polish prisoners of war murdered at Katyn in 1940 - reciting the opening lines of the UN Bullring Shopping Centre and continue until you see A memorial calling for Justice. The Industrial Gallery Charter: “We the peoples of the United the Parish Church of St Martin ahead of you. Walk includes a World War II Nations, determined to save succeeding towards the right hand side of the church to the Continue along Bordesley Street and take first right memorial stained-glass generations from the scourge of war, “Church Shop”. Turn to the right again and you will into Allison Street. 12 window for Muswell Hill which twice in our lifetime has brought come to the “Tree of Life” sculpture. 10 Methodist Church by Nora untold sorrow to mankind...” Yoxall (1892 – 1998), a These hands, holding Quaker artist, and reflects the world, were sculpted by Lorenzo Quinn in Follow the steps to the Central Library for the “War how Quakers value service On leaving the Council House, cross over Colmore commemoration of the 2,000 Poetry Collection” - Arts, Languages and Literature to others, rather than the Row and continue to the great Western Arcade and more residents killed by Service. 6 glorification of war. passing Birmingham Cathedral on the way. Turn bombings in the city during right into the Arcade and on leaving turn left into (N.B. At the present time this collection is not available to the public At the top of the main World War II and on the Temple Row then right into Bull Street. Continue to to allow preparation of stock in readiness to move to the new Library entrance staircase on the plinth are listed the names of Corporation Street, cross over and continue along of Birmingham due to open in September 2013). right is a statue of Quaker all the unfortunate victims. Bull Street into High Street. Keep to the left on High John Bright M.P. (1811-1889) who kept Britain out of the The sculpture was erected by The War Poetry Collection was originally donated in 1921 by Street until you reach Carrs Lane. Continue to the American Civil War, lost his Parliamentary seat in Manchester the Halcyon Gallery together William John Cross, in memory of Private William Billington end and turn left into Moor Street where you will see due to his opposition to the Crimean War and was a speaker for with Birmingham City of the 2/24 Regiment, who was killed in action in Palestine St Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, immediately peace all of his life. After losing his Manchester seat Bright was Council and the Birmingham in March, 1918. This collection is now one of the largest of past Carrs Lane Church Centre. 9 elected as MP for Birmingham (1858) and kept this position for Air Raids Remembrance its kind in the world and has gathered together evidence of A very short walk will take you to the Warehouse, 54 - 57 Allison over thirty years. Association and was unveiled the reaction of poets to the strains, stresses, tribulations and Street, which accommodates the West Midlands Branch of the by Councillor John Hood in horrors of war. Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. From the Museum and Art Gallery turn into Colmore 2005. This is where the trail ends so you can relax in its vegetarian Come out of the library and turn left towards Row to the main entrance of the Council House. 8 cafe, retrace your steps along Park Street to Digbeth and the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. 7 Birmingham City Council is one of the participants in the Turn back towards the church and keeping to Bullring or continue along Allison Street, which will also return “Mayors for Peace” scheme, set up in 1982 for the promotion you to Digbeth. The Museum and Art Gallery holds a portrait of Joseph Sturge, of peace by the then Mayor of Hiroshima. The current Mayor the left walk around it painted after his death. It also includes representation of his of Hiroshima continues to be its President. At present the until you reach Digbeth. Allow 2 hours for the walk. life as a student of the Bible, as an anti-slavery activist and as a Mayors for Peace Conference is composed of 5,238 cities in Cross over into Park peacemaker. (See 2) 153 countries and regions around the world. Manchester Street. Keep to the right and turn into Bordesley Research by Patrick Baird represents Britain on the Conference Committee. Street. Immediately on your left you will see the Polish Millennium Centre. 11 Photography by Anthony Spettigue t e e tr BIRMINGHAM CITY CENTRE S In 1998 when the G8 Summit was held in Birmingham (15th - corn merchant. His life was dedicated to a variety of political This was a Unitarian Church dating from 1862 – (demolished stained-glass window designed by R. J. Stubington and on the y le e z a BIRMINGHAM CITY CENTRE F 17th May) each world leader attending planted a tree that most and charitable causes; in Birmingham he worked to improve April, 1978). Unitarianism in England had been founded partly walls are three carved Art Deco bas-reliefs depicting scenes PEACE TRAIL MAP represented their respective countries. conditions of the poor and the under-educated; in the West by Joseph Priestley and his friend Theophilus Lindsey. from the First World War – “Call”, “Front Line” and “Return”. t ee M tr o S o P y Indies and the USA he campaigned to bring an end to slavery. r a le rk s S S e PEACE TRAIL tr 11 d The garden is surrounded by attractive railings, showing doves Unitarians notably warned of the danger of making heroes As part of the Hall of Memory scheme, close to the entrance e tr r e o e e B t t He formed the Birmingham Anti-Slavery Society in 1826 and Q M u e e r of peace, sculpted by Anuradha Patel. of prominent military people. They advocated social and to the International Convention Centre, stood the First World e id 00 n e 1 s n 4 w B Begin at St Thomas’ Peace Garden, Granville Street with a few others the British and Foreign Anti- Slavery Society S a y tr h 9 A e t educational reform and continue to do so today. War Memorial Colonnade, designed by the same architects. It Moor St. e e P 12 ll b is t g Station a o i (off Bath Row) 1 in 1839; around the world he embarked on “peace missions” in rk n D S S tr tr At the Granville Street entrance to the Garden, turn was relocated to St Thomas’ Peace Garden in 1989, following e e e e t t. t Perhaps the most prominent Unitarian who worshipped at this S an attempt to stop international conflict, such as the Crimean r o back towards Bath Row then turn right and walk the construction of Centenary Square. o M 0 10 War, attempting to speak personally to the Russian Tsar. He church in the late 19th and early years of the 20th century was B4 Street th ull Bull Ring be e to the far end of the street, past the Five Ways B H D ig an ig Shopping Centre t L C h oa helped to found the Peace Society and was instrumental in the famous politician, Joseph Chamberlain, three times Mayor S M o t r re p Shopping Centre on the right and continue under et Great Western o r a of Birmingham, MP and later Colonial Secretary. As you leave the Hall of Memory turn left. Continue Arcade t founding of “The Morning Star” in 1855, a newspaper through i o n the subway in front of you. Take the second left to S w t o r e 10 on the walkway known as Centenary Way entering R e which to promote the Peace Society and his other socially t e l Bull Ring Harborne Walkway which leads you to the statue of p t m e Shopping Centre progressive ideas. Paradise Forum (beneath the Central Library), re e t C T S 2 o Joseph Sturge in front of the Marriott Hotel.