Birmingham Back to Backs

Birmingham Back to Backs are a group of houses that had been preserved by the National Trust near the centre of Birmingham. These Back to Backs are literally that, the back wall of the house facing the street is also the back wall of the house facing the courtyard unlike back to back terraces in some parts of the country where the yards back on to each other.

This week they have been celebrating VE Day so we were issued with ration books so we could get our sweet ration from the shop ( see previous post) and a cup of tea and a biscuit. We even got to visit the coal cellar which was used as an air raid shelter, I don't think I would have wanted to be down there for long.

This is how the National Trust describe the buildings:

• Birmingham's last surviving court of back to back housing
• Story is told through the experiences of the people who lived and worked here
• Covers four different periods, from 1840 to 1977
• Design of each interior reflects the varied cultures, religions and professions of the families who made their homes here

Ration book and ID card

The wash house

1940s style

complete with home guard

As with all National Trust properties, photography is not allowed inside the buildings so here are panoramic shots of some of the rooms and this site contains memories of living in such buildings.