Birmingham | Light rain 
5°C
5°C
Opening hours:
10:30am
―
4:00pm
|
CLOSED
-
Queen Victoria’s Jubilee Portfolio
If you could travel back in time to 23 March 1887, you would find the streets of Birmingham throbbing with excitement. Massive crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of Queen Victoria, who visited the city to celebrate her Golden Jubilee. As the diminutive monarch was driven along Colmore Row, she passed through the ‘Metalworkers’ Arch’,…
-
A woman of outstanding artistic abilities
To celebrate International Women’s Day on 8 March, Curator Henrietta explores the life of a little-known Birmingham photographer. Many of the photographs in our archive have the name of the photographer stamped on them. In the Victorian and Edwardian period, most of these photographers were men. I was quite excited, therefore, when I noticed the…
-
Paddling pants and other necessities
Nowadays knitting, stitching, embroidery, and crochet are great ways to unwind and get crafty. But, back in the 18-1900s, needlework was an essential skill. Curator Henrietta reveals the importance of needlework in the Nettlefold’s lives by flicking through their photo archives. Knitting and other forms of needlework are becoming increasingly popular as people rediscover the…
-
Two carriage lamps and a feeble moon
Ever wondered what people did for fun during winter in the 19th Century? Curator Henrietta uncovered just that when she delved into the archives to find out more about how the Nettlefolds spent their winter days. Expect lots of wintry fun and frolics! It’s rare for us to get a white Christmas these days, but…
-
News from the Archives: On Holiday with the Nettlefolds
Winterbourne was built in 1904 for John and Margaret Nettlefold and bequeathed to the University of Birmingham 40 years later by John Macdonald Nicolson. Follow our dedicated team of archivists as they explore Winterbourne’s past and share with you the special objects, photographs and documents contained within the Winterbourne Archives. Everyone likes a holiday, sometimes…