Birmingham Flashcards
1
Q
A Level Geography - Structural economic change in the Birmingham region case study
A
A Level Geography - Structural economic change in the Birmingham region case study
2
Q
What was the economy like in Birmingham during the pre 1750s?
A
- There was market trading; metal working e.g. agricultural products, blades (swords)
- By 1538: 1500 people in 200 houses; beginnings of small scale smithing and metalworking.
- 1731: population of 23,000; reputation as a metal working centre with manufacturing businesses thriving
3
Q
What was the economy like between 1750 and 1900?
A
- There were inventions: processing cotton, electro-plating, oxygen, pneumatic tyres, X-rays
- Development of steam engines
- Birmingham became the centre of Britain’s industrial heartland due to 1) plentiful supplies of raw materials (iron ore and coal) and 2) development of the local canal network
- Gun, jewellery, button, brass ; food processing. Known as ‘the city of a thousand trades’ as businesses specialised in the production of products requiring a high degree of skill and craftsmanship.
- Finance, banking, insurance and legal firms - to support growth of trade and industry
- Transport developments - canal network; London to Birmingham railway 1838
4
Q
Who were the major players during the pre 1750s?
A
The De Bermingham family were the major player: they purchased royal charter for market in 1166
5
Q
Who were the major players between 1750 - 1900?
A
- Matthew Boulton (Soho Manufactory) was a major player in 1761. He specialised in steam engines and he employed 700 employees in one building
- Cadbury family - Bournville factory and model village for workers
- Lloyds and Midland banks founded in Birmingham
- James Brindley & Thomas Telford -development of the canal network
- Joseph Chamberlain (elected Mayor of Birmingham in 1873) - took steps to improve sanitation and public health within the city, also used public money to construct libraries, swimming pools, parks, schools and civic buildings; city took control of gas, electricity, water, roads, sewers, lighting, public transport, police and sanitation within the city
6
Q
What was the economy like between 1900-1950?
A
- 1901: population has risen to 522,204 due to both internal growth and immigration (e.g. from Italy and Ireland)
- Car factories; vehicle components; tyres (Dunlop); chemicals (Bakelite); metalworking; mechanical and electrical engineering
- War production (in WWI and WWII) included aircraft, tanks, guns ammunition - employed up to 400,000 at the peak of WWII.
- By the end of the 1950s: Birmingham area produced the second largest number of motor vehicles outside the USA
- Mid 1960s: manufacturing in Birmingham employed over 250,000 people, had very low unemployment and one of the highest wage levels in the country
7
Q
Who were the major players between 1900-1950?
A
- Austin Car plant - Longbridge 1906; Dunlop tyre company - 1917
- Castle Bromwich (now Jaguar cars)
8
Q
What was the economy like between 1950-1990?
A
- Decline of motor industry in GB. Reduced production at Birmingham’s car factories, e.g. Longbridge
- 22.6% point drop in employment in metal goods and vehicles
- By 2006, fewer than 56,000 manufacturing jobs in Birmingham - a fall of 80% from the mid 1960s
- Rise in distribution and catering, finance & business services, other services 1971: emplyment by sector; manufacturing: 47%; Services 45%; Other: 8%
9
Q
Who were the major players between 1950-1990?
A
- TNCs - moving production to LIDCs/EDCs with lower costs
-Overseas car manufacturers (e.g. Toyota, VW, Renault)began selling cars in GB - better value for money & more reliable; some overseas car manufacturers located car factories in GB - but not West Midlands - partly put off by poor labour relations. - British government - grants for companies investing / locating in regions with greater economic problems than the West Midlands i.e. no incentives to locate in W.Mids.
- Trade Unions - strikes in 1970s - contributed to the decline of the car industry
- Local authority / city council - comprehensive redevelopment of inner city areas = many SMEs lost premises and then could not afford rents on new purpose built authority premises
- OPEC - stopped supply of oil to Israel-supporting countries (including GB) resulting in oil price rising ten-fold. Higher cost of energy
- NEC: opened in 1976 - first stage in developing a post-manufacturing economy.
10
Q
What was the economy like between 1990-2005?
A
- Promotion of city as regional centre for commerce / a destination for business tourism - especially in the city centre
- 1981- 2005 saw a 72% fall in manufacturing employment but a 46% rise in services including +128% rise in finance and professional services and +86% in tourism and leisure.
-Convention Quarter: west of the city centre - International Convention Centre (ICC), Symphony Hall and National Indoor Arena all opened in the early 1990s- aimed to attract business tourism / conference trade.
Other quarters included the Jewellery Quarter, Chinese Quarter, Gun Quarter - Continued growth of high technology industries with support for the Aston Science Park (opened in 1983) in conjunction with Aston University and Birmingham Research Park (opened in 1986 next to Birmingham University)
- Canal Side Quarter: Gas Street Basin and Brindley Place regeneration (started in the late 1980s)
- The Mailbox: opened Dec 2000. 80,000 km squared mixed use development of the former Royal Mail sorting office located next to Worcester and Birmingham canal. Consists of an open-air pedestrian route through the centre, designer shops, two hotels, offices, restaurants, apartments and studios for BBC Midlands. Provides improved access to the canals, Convention centre and Brindley Place.
11
Q
Who were the major players between 1990-2005?
A
- The Birmingham City Council: economic strategy to diversify the economy and accelerate service employment growth (Highbury Conference in 1988 brought together both public and private stakeholders). Rebranded areas of special industrial or cultural heritage as ‘quarters’ and marketed these as niche development areas.
12
Q
What developments were done in 2005 and onwards?
A
- Grand Central
- Eastside development
- Brindley Place
- Edgbaston Medical Quarter
- Longbridge Technology Centre
These can be found in more detail on the sheet
13
Q
Describe the Austin Rover business which was in Longbridge
A
- Opened in 1905
- Employed 1,800 people and made 1000 cars a year by 1912
- Expanded significantly over the next 10 years
- World 1 and 2 - production was focused on fighter planes, tanks and ammunition
- Employed 25,000 workers by the late 1960s
- Successfully production of the Austin Metro from 1980 to 1990
- Closed 2005 with the loss of 6000 jobs
- Part of the site was later sold to a Chinese company and MG cars continued to be produced on a small scale until 2016.
14
Q
What kind of people were living in Birmingham in the pre 1750s?
A
- Market traders
- Individual craftspeople
15
Q
What kind of people were living in Birmingham between 1800-1900?
A
- In-migration of people to work in factories
- Population reached 15000
- Rural-urban migration
- Growth of working class in manufacturing industries e.g. Cadbury
