What new World Craft City award means for Birmingham's jewellers
Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter has sat nestled next to the city centre creating some the worlds finest jewellery for 250 years, but has done so quietly it seems."As jewellers we don't shout out about our work", says Birmingham City University academic Rebecca Skeels. "The Jewellery Quarter still makes 40% of the jewellery that comes out of the UK."Now the city's global influence in jewellery making has been recognised with the award of World Craft City status.But what does it mean for Birmingham, known as the city of a thousand trades, and it's 4,000 strong jewellery community?
"This title means we really get to celebrate the history and future of the industry in the area."It's been here for over 250, years, through innovation of new things, like electroforming, plating and stone setting - particular skills that were developed and invented here," the jewellery lecturer said.Ms Skeels said one reason for the established jewellery industry in the heart of the city is due to the Assay Office opening in 1773.The Birmingham Assay Office is responsible for hallmarking, a system of grading, the quality of jewellery and metal work, and is one of four offices in the UK."The Assay Office encouraged a lot of trade in the area, so as the population of jewellers grew, that's how it got its name.
As the industry steadily boomed, it brought with it a transformation of architecture. What are now shop fronts showcasing artisan jewellery were once the homes of jewellers who would craft work in their back room.Ms Skeels said the reason many shops in the area still look like old houses is testament to the humble beginnings of many world-known jewellers and metalsmiths. "Lot of craftspeople were just setting up in their homes, with small factories developing in their houses."Whistle manufacturer ACME Whistles was founded in the Jewellery Quarter."Joseph Hudson set up in his house on a bench right here, that is something we don't shout about."Norma Banton, who runs MasterPeace Academy, said she hoped the international recognition would give exposure to the hidden histories."I'm excited for the next generation of jewellers and for the black jewellers because we need to raise our profile."She described how, historically, the talent and contribution of black people within the Jewellery Quarter had been overlooked by their time working in the factories during the post-war British Windrush years.She added that it would give an opportunity to people who don't see themselves in the industry the belief they equally belong."We do need to raise our voices to let the world know that we're here, and let the next generation of jewellers know that this trade is really for them."The Jewellery Quarter is quiet affluent, yet surrounded by Handsworth, Hockley, Aston, Lozells and Ladywood, areas considered by some as more marginalised."I hope this will be the beginning of us as jewellers making the trade more accessible to those young people from the local community and let them know there are nurturing spaces for them to have successful careers," she said.
Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Rachel Reeves faces crisis as cabinet conflicts threaten to block spending plans
Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces a crisis as cabinet conflicts threaten to block her spending plans, with disagreements over proposed cuts to housing and police force budgets. Yvette Cooper and Angela Rayner are pushing back against budget cuts, leading to a stalemate with the Treasury just 48 hours before Reeves is due to unveil the spending review. Cabinet minister Peter Kyle refused to rule out real-terms spending cuts to the police force and housing budget, while the Ministry of Housing is reportedly resisting such cuts. The social housing sector is warning of a potential crisis if funding cuts proceed, with concerns about a "cliff edge" in building more homes and councils already running deficits on housing budgets. Senior police chiefs have cautioned that Keir Starmer's pledge to cut crime will be unattainable without significant investment, citing new online threats and pressures from prison overcrowding.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Lidl is selling the ultimate £15 camping & festival buy – it can be used all summer & makes a great Father's Day gift
LIDL is offering a sizzling summer deal – the Grillmeister Foldable Barbecue is now just £14.99 with the Lidl Plus app, down from its regular price of £19.99. The budget-friendly grill is available nationwide from 12 to 18 June and is ideal for those looking to fire up the barbecue without spending a fortune. 4 The compact and clever design makes it perfect for park picnics, beach days, or small garden gatherings. It's ready to use in seconds, thanks to a tool-free folding mechanism, and the funnel-shaped charcoal tray with air vents helps charcoal ignite quickly. Made from chrome-plated steel, the barbecue grate is easy to clean, and the robust, heat-resistant case includes a handy carrying handle. When assembled, it measures 39.5cm wide, 25cm high and 28cm deep, and it folds down to a slimline 8.5cm for easy storage and travel. It weighs just 2kg, so it won't weigh you down. Lidl said: 'Get £5 off the regular price with the Lidl Plus app 12.06 – 18.06.' This portable BBQ joins a wave of wallet-friendly summer deals as retailers gear up for barbecue season. Recently, shoppers were seen racing to B&Q to snap up a "bargain" gas BBQ – slashed from £120 to just £60. The two-burner gas barbecue is perfect for feeding up to six people and is small enough to fit even in modest outdoor spaces. B&Q has also launched a huge summer sale, with up to 50 per cent off garden and homeware essentials, making it easy to prep your space for sunny weekends and al fresco dining. I'm a chef and you've been using the barbecue wrong - there's a secret step Aldi has also joined the summer savings rush, with its Gardenline Dual Fuel BBQ back in stock for £199.99 – a popular hybrid model that uses both charcoal and gas for flexible grilling. It's been described by fans as 'the best of both worlds' and usually sells out fast. Meanwhile, Argos is offering a 3-in-1 smoker, grill and BBQ for just £75, down from £100 – ideal for those who like to slow-cook ribs or experiment with flavours. Wilko recently relaunched its summer range too, including a compact kettle-style charcoal barbecue for just £25, plus budget garden furniture and accessories to complete your outdoor setup. Other barbecue essentials: Also hitting the shelves are essential items to get you barbecue-ready this summer. Grillmeister Fire Pit- £24.99 Grillmeister Foldable Barbecue- £14.99 Grillmeister Charcoal Chimney Starter- £5.99 Grillmeister Round Pizza Stone- £7.99 Grillmeister Rectangular Pizza Stone- £7.99 Grillmeister Burger Kit- 3 Piece Set Grillmeister Pulled Pork Kit- 4 Piece set- £6.99 Grillmeister Gas Pizza Oven- £79.99 Grilmeister Barbecue Chicken Roaster £3.99 Grillmeister Ceramic Barbecue-£79.99 4
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Rachel Reeves must do more than hope for the best when it comes to paying for Labour's spending
R achel Reeves has an unenviable task as she puts the final touches to the government -wide spending review she will unveil on Wednesday. It will be a defining moment for the Labour government as she sets out departmental spending limits up to the next general election. The headlines garnered in the run-up to the chancellor 's big day are misleading. We have been promised £15.6bn for local transport projects, mainly in the North and Midlands; £4.5bn a year for schools; £22.5bn a year for science and tech, and £187m to bring digital skills and AI learning into classrooms and communities. While all are worthy, the government is playing a rather cynical game. Some of its pre-announcements stem from the extra £113bn of capital spending for which Ms Reeves created room last October by sensibly changing her fiscal rules so investment projects do not count towards her target to balance revenue and spending by 2029-30. However, her determination to stick to her fiscal rules to prevent a wobble on the financial markets means that Wednesday's statement will impose a squeeze on day-to-day budgets. Although overall spending will rise by an average of 1.2 per cent a year on top of inflation, big increases for health and defence will mean real-terms cuts for other budgets, possibly including the Home Office (which funds the police), housing and local government. So there has been a bruising round of negotiations between the Treasury and ministers such as Angela Rayner, who is responsible for housing and councils, and Yvette Cooper, the home secretary. During a media round on Sunday, Peter Kyle, the science secretary, did not rule out real-terms cuts to the police and housing. While the squeeze will technically be less severe than the austerity over which George Osborne presided from 2010, the danger for Labour is that it will feel like austerity 2.0 for many voters. Labour backbenchers are well aware of this and, after the party's poor results in last month's local elections in England, have pushed ministers into a U-turn on Ms Reeves's disastrous decision to means-test the pensioners' winter fuel allowance and extracted a promise from Sir Keir Starmer of more measures to combat child poverty, possibly by easing the two-child limit on benefits. There could also be a tweak to the £5bn of cuts to disability and sickness benefits hurriedly announced in March. The government must prioritise the fight against child poverty; without intervention by ministers, it would rise significantly over the five-year parliament, which would be an indictment of Labour. Ms Reeves must find a way to make good her promise in her article for The Independent last week to ensure ' every young person can fulfil their potential '. Admittedly, that will not be easy, given all the conflicting pressures on her to spend more. Although Wednesday's statement will not be a Budget, Ms Reeves should do more than rattle off a list of spending commitments without making clear where the money will come from. There is already a risk of doing so on defence. The strategic defence review unveiled last week is based on the government's ambition to raise defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP in the next parliament but it has not yet allocated the funds to go beyond a rise from 2.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent by 2027. The UK will come under pressure to commit to 3.5 per cent at a Nato summit later this month. Ms Reeves should also provide clarity on which pensioners will receive winter fuel payments in the coming winter. The about-turn has been slow and messy, to the consternation of Labour MPs. In responding to such pressures, the chancellor and prime minister have cited the economy's 0.7 per cent growth in the first quarter of this year but there is no guarantee that will be maintained. They should not lose sight of the need to balance higher spending with genuine public sector reform. There will be a limit to how much can be achieved through 'efficiency savings'. The suspicion is that, in spending more on defence, winter fuel payments and child poverty, Sir Keir and Ms Reeves are willing the ends without providing the means. They should level with the public about how their sums will add up. For now, they may be tempted to adopt a Micawberish approach in the hope that the fiscal picture improves by Ms Reeves's second Budget in the autumn. Again, that is far from certain: more holes might be blown in her headroom against her rules by an uncertain global economic outlook in the age of Trump 2.0 and the Office for Budget Responsibility downgrading its optimistic forecasts for productivity growth. Unless she changed her rules to allow more borrowing, the chancellor would then have to implement tax rises or spending cuts or a combination of both. When things might get even worse, the chancellor needs more than a strategy of hoping for the best.
