Jewellery Quarter History
For two centuries, the Jewellery Quarter existed as a trade and manufacturing area, concentrating on the jewellery trade. The advent of shops opening to the public is a recent phenomenon, with the majority of retail outlets, mainly jewellers, springing up since the 1970's.
The Shopping Streets and other Places of Interest
Warstone Lane and Vyse Street
Warstone Lane and Vyse Street are the main thoroughfares of the Jewellery Quarter. Scores of jewellery shops line these famous streets, in addition to many other places of interest to shoppers and visitors such as art and antiques shops and trophy retailers. Vyse Street is the home of the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, an award-winning working museum based around a "time capsule" jewellery factory where visitors can enjoy a guided tour and meet a skilled jeweller at work. Exhibitions tell the story of the Jewellery Quarter and the jeweller's craft.
Still at the forefront of Jewellery design, the area is home to Birmingham City University's School of Jewellery and hosts International design festivals such as Brilliantly Birmingham. The Quarter is increasingly renowned as a centre for design and media companies, with fashionable bars, restaurants and art galleries opening in the area and nearby St Paul’s Square.
Diamond Dealer Direct
Diamond Dealer Direct’s shop and diamond office, Cirrus Diamonds, can be found at 41 Warstone Lane. Pay and display parking is available all along Warstone Lane, and it is only 2 minutes walk from the main multi-story car park and the rail / tram station. Wandering along Warstone Lane you will find that it branches off in several directions - where you'll find even more shops and places of wonder to discover.
The Big Peg
In the heyday of the jewellery trade, jewellery craftsmen often had to share their workspace and there was a high demand for places to work. The jewellery workers called their working space a 'peg'.
The Big Peg is a modern office block building, erected in 1960 and, as the name suggests, acts as a communal work space for hundreds of jewellery workers - each with their own, modern-day 'peg'.
The Big Peg has recently been relaunched as 'a friendly environment for creative enterprises’ with many of the newly refurbished studio offices taken by arts, media and creative enterprises. The building also houses the Big Peg Gallery which hosts art exhibitions in fantastic surroundings.
The Big Peg stands as a testimony to the Jewellery Quarter's continuing reputation as a world-renowned centre for high quality jewellery design and manufacture.
The Chamberlain Clock
The Chamberlain Clock is the most visible and perhaps memorable of the many historic landmarks and interesting features to see in the Jewellery Quarter. This fine clock tower, located centrally at the junction of the district’s main streets (Vyse St, Warstone Lane & Frederick St.), was erected in 1903 in honour of one of Birmingham's favourite sons and most respected public servants, Joseph Chamberlain, MP for the area in the late 1900's. Chamberlain lived in the Jewellery Quarter for a while, on Frederick Street. In addition to the great work he did for the city of Birmingham, Chamberlain also championed the jewellers’ cause, especially in his campaigning work to abolish Plate Duties - a tax affecting jewellery tradesmen of the time.
The Chamberlain Clock has recently been restored to its original glory after falling into a state of disrepair, having stood in its original condition for over 80 years. In the 1980's the clock tower was refurbished and repaired and now stands, proud and tall again at the heart of the Jewellery Quarter.
St Paul's - the Jewellers’ Church
St Paul's Church, familiarly known as the 'Jewellers’ Church', was built in 1779 and is a Grade 1 listed gem of classical architecture situated in the centre of Birmingham's only remaining Georgian Square. The main focus of the interior is a painted window showing 'The Conversion of St Paul' by Francis Eginton from an original painting by the American artist Benjamin West.
Those of note who have owned pews in the Jewellers’ Church include James Watt, Matthew Boulton and the poet Washington Irving.
Conservation & Regeneration
The Jewellery Quarter's history, traditions, architecture and environmental beauty have been the subject of a major restoration and conservation programme since the 1980s. The area has become a prime attraction for visitors from all over the world.
A recent £250 million investment programme is utilising The Prince's Foundation to advise on the project.
His Royal Highness, Prince Charles commented:
"Here a precious and unique industrial craft neighbourhood is beginning once again to become a place where people want to live, work and enjoy themselves."
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