Digbeth 10.10.11

Digbeth is an area of Birmingham, England. Following the destruction of the Inner Ring Road, Digbeth is now considered a district within Birmingham City Centre. As part of the Big City Plan, Digbeth is undergoing a large redevelopment scheme that will regenerate the old industrial buildings into apartments, retail premises, offices and arts facilities. There is still however much industrial activity in the south of the area. As part of the plans Digbeth Coach Station has also been redeveloped and renamed Birmingham Coach Station.[1]

The modern site of Digbeth was first settled upon in the 7th century[2] by Beorma, founder of Birmingham (Anglo-Saxon for Beorma's Home). The area where there is a crossing on the River Rea was the birthplace of what became the city. Historically the land to the west of the river was in the Parish of Birmingham. This is Digbeth. The land to the east was in the more significant Parish of Aston, and is called Deritend.

The area around Digbeth and Deritend was the first centre of industry in Birmingham and became one of the most heavily industrialised areas in the town. This may have been due to Henry Bradford who in 1767 donated land on Bradford Street to anyone willing to establish a trade there.[3] The street soon prospered and there were over twenty public houses on it catering to its workers. Today there are just three; the Adam & Eve, The White Swan and The Anchor.

The amount of manufacturing in Digbeth made it of national importance.[4] Industry was attracted to the area as a result of the supply of water from the River Rea and from the natural springs in the area.[5] Digbeth was accessed by the Grand Union Canal and the Digbeth Branch Canal in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Railways also arrived in Digbeth in the 19th century, stopping at Moor Street station. The line passed through Digbeth via a railway viaduct built out of Staffordshire blue brick. At the border with Bordesley, the railway viaduct meets another viaduct, which is disused. This was never used and the bridges over the roads have been removed.
The Devonshire Works at the Custard Factory

Industry that settled in Digbeth include the Birmingham Battery and Metal Company which moved to Selly Oak around 1876, and Typhoo Tea who had a factory on Bordesley Street which was in use from 1896 till 1978.[6] The now-disused factory has its own canal basin connected to the Digbeth Branch Canal. The Typhoo Tea building, also known as the S Rose & Co Building, is a four storey building, blue brick at the front (Bordesley Street) and red brick to the rear. Currently vacant, it was previously used as a warehouse.[7] Another food industry that settled in Digbeth was Alfred Frederick Bird's custard company that produced a form of custard that did not use eggs. This was invented by his father, Alfred Bird. The factory was set up in the Devonshire Works in 1902 on the High Street.[6] The complex expanded and is now an arts centre. The Devonshire Works themselves are to be refurbished.

Part of the Custard Factory complex is the Deritend Library, Birmingham's oldest surviving library building. The library opened on 26 October 1866 and was the third free district library to open in Birmingham. The library re-opened in 1898 following enlargement as a result of its popularity.[8] Deritend Library closed on 16 November 1940. In 2003, it was opened as a conference centre and exhibition space. It is the only building of the original five free Birmingham libraries still standing.[9]

The library building is located on Heath Mill Lane, which, along with Floodgate Street, provide information on the character of pre-industrial Digbeth. The River Rea once flowed unaffected by human development through Digbeth, cutting both the High Street and Floodgate Street in two. The 'Floodgates' were used when the river flooded. Heath Mill Lane meanwhile was named after the watermill used for grinding corn which had stood there since the 16th century.[10] The River Rea is now hidden from view. Digbeth also had an abundance of natural springs which were gradually built upon as industry moved into the area.[11] The existence of these springs and wells in the area are reflected in the street names such as Well Street.
The former Bonser & Co. warehouse at 85 Digbeth

One of Digbeth's most recognisable buildings, the former Bonser & Co. warehouse at 85 Digbeth, was built around 1860. It was built for the Bonser & Co. firm of iron merchants and consists of a short entrance tower fronting onto Digbeth High Street. The tower, being small, was designed to take up as little shop frontage space on the street as possible but also to break the monotony of the small buildings around it. On the ground floor is a semi-circular arch and a segmental arch on the first floor. In the pitched roof is a slight upward curve.