John Townley

#HappyEaster #Cadburys Women workers decorating easter eggs at the Cadbury Works, Bournville. Photographed here c. 1950s. Have you ever seen such large chocolate eggs? Ref – WK/B13/82 @LibraryofBham @Brumpic

#SundayShowcase Do you believe your ancestry is aristocratic or even royal? Is the blood in your veins blue? If so, this could be the book for you. Tracing your Aristocratic Ancestors - a guide for family historians by Anthony Adolph. Ref – 929.1072 @LibraryofBham

Harborne, Vivian Rd, Spring Cottages, 41-49. 17th August 1961

#PhotoFriday The interior of the Eastern Orthodox Church of the Holy Prince Lazar, Bournville. The church was built for political refugees from the former Yugoslavia after WW2. Reference - WK/B11/7825 @LibraryofBham @Brumpic #LazaricaChurch

One of our largest & heaviest treasures: John James Audubon’s ‘Birds of America’. He travelled Britain for subscriptions to finance these hand-coloured, life-size illustrations of every North American bird species. Ref: E096/1827 @LibraryofBham #BirdsOfAmerica

#MapOnATuesday is this 1917 plan of the site for the Central Corporation Depot at Bordesley Green. With annotations showing land belonging to Garrison Farm Brickworks, Adderley Park Brick Co., Wolseley Motor Works and Globe Brick Works. Ref - MAP/283413 @LibraryofBham

Today is the start of #NationalPetMonth - #more-18367" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">theironroom.wordpress.com/2024/04/08/nat… Here’s a Stone Collection photo of prize dogs at the 1905 Birmingham Dog Show. Ref - Stone Box 16/Print 37 @LibraryofBham @NatPetMonthUK

#MoseleySociety wish to appoint an Archivist to re-catalogue their collections. If you are interested please email them at all-enquiries@moseley-society.org.uk for further details @LibraryofBham @moseleyhistory

For today’s blog, Lucy – our Conservator feeds back on a course she recently attended - Health Hazards relating to Book and Paper Objects in Libraries and Archives. Toxic metals, mould, preservatives and Red Rot. Yikes! theironroom.wordpress.com/2026/03/23/hea… @LibraryofBham

#SundayShowcase today is Roger Vaughton of Birmingham and his Descendants by Colin Davison. Roger (1738/39 – 1817) was a member of the Vaughton family who played a part in shaping the history of the city. Ref – LF 77.2 VAU @LibraryofBham

#CityOf1000Trades today is this trade catalogue for J. Hyland & Sons, 49 Gem Street, door spring specialists and purveyors of the Briton patent door closer - which claimed to safe time in repeatedly closing doors. Ref - Trade Cat H/426/2 @LibraryofBham

Join us for the Colmore Life Art Walk on Weds 15 April, a free, guided lunchtime tour exploring the District’s vibrant public art, iconic sculptures, striking murals and creative landmarks. 👉 Book your free spot now and join us on this creative stroll: colmorelife.co.uk/colmore-event/…

Built in 1876. Still independent. Still standing.

#PhotoFriday This bustling scene of New Street taken not long after the end of WW2, c 1946. The city was slowly emerging from the war and there are a few echoes of the recent past in the photo– notice the uniformed figures? Ref: New Street 162 @LibraryofBham @Brumpic

#BritishAsianHistory Home Away From Home looks at women's journeys from Mirpur, Pakistan to Birmingham. Interviews tell the stories of the women making new lives in the city. Women’s Lives in the Archives: tinyurl.com/JourneysFromMi… Ref: MS 4760/35 @LibraryofBham #raqsartstudio

#AstonHall A very long ‘true and perfect inventory of all and singular, the goods and chattels of Sir Thomas Holte deceased’, 20 November 1654. Holte (1571 – 1654) is credited for the building of Aston Hall. Ref: [DV 330] 347952 @LibraryofBham @BM_AG

#MapOnATuesday is this c 1890 plan of a building estate showing land for sale between Northfield Road and Middleton Hall Road, including Middleton Hall. Ref - Bickley/383267 @LibraryofBham

#WomensHistoryMonth2026 is about leading the change and shaping a sustainable future, which benefits all: history.org.uk/historian/news… Here’s a sketch of Suffragists at the Aston Parliament on 17 October 1908. Ref – Birmingham Weekly Mercury @LibraryofBham

#SundayShowcase today is the Dictionary of British Arms: Medieval Ordinary Vol. 3 edited by Thomas Woodcock and Sarah Flower. Designed to identify medieval British coats of arms. Part of our collection of Heraldry books. Ref: A 929.60941 #GoAllIn2026 @LibraryofBham #collegeofarms

#CityOf1000Trades is this trade catalogue for FE Baker of the Precision Works, Kings Norton and the pioneering Beardmore precision motorcycle frame which claimed to offer a more comfortable ride. Ref - Trade Catalogue B/10/1 @LibraryofBham