National Trust Birmingham Back to Backs Review
National Trust Birmingham Back to Backs
Reviewed by Victoria Linney
Birmingham Back to Backs is very near the Hippodrome and opposite the Arcadian Centre so you are spoilt for choice with nearby car parks. We parked easily in the Apcoa China town Car Park. On arrival at Back to Backs we were greeted by Kathy and Carol. They swiftly sorted out our tickets for the tour we were booked onto and advised us that the meeting point was outside the sweet shop next door. Kathy also advised us about the flights of steep stairs and offered to look after the pushchair for us, which we gratefully accepted. Kathy also advised that as we were early for the tour that we had time to look around the exhibition upstairs. Upstairs we found a model of The Back to Backs (Court 51). There was also a display with little doors that you could open that showed the non-human residents that used to live in Court 51 (i.e. rats and bed bugs). Also on display were numerous wallpaper samples that had previously been on the walls of the Back to Backs. The walls had been papered over numerous times so there were many layers that were removed so as to restore the properties. We also listened to recorded stories about trips to the local baths that were only a few metres away from Court 51. I am glad that times have changed!
We then went to our meeting point and our guide Darren arrived promptly, collected our tickets and then escorted us into Court 51. Darren was very jolly and you could tell he knew lots of info about the Back to Backs and its history and that he was enjoying giving the tour. The idea of the Back to Backs is to give an intimate look into the lives of ordinary people living in the 1840s, 1870s, 1930s and 1970s. The first house you go in to was originally a large house that was later converted into 2 back to back houses when the area became less desirable to the middle classes. The other houses were all built as back to backs and had much lower ceilings than the converted house. Each house is set up as though it occupied by a family of different eras. One of the houses was lived in by a family of 10 as well as 2 lodgers. Lodgers often shared rooms with the family’s children and their beds were separated by a partition wall or sometimes a sheet hung on string. Court 51 is a small court and at its peak housed 60 people at one time. After 1965 it was no longer considered fit for residential use but there was a tailor shop which remained open for many more years. When George the tailor retired he left the shop and its entire contents such as sewing machines, patterns and garments to the National Trust. The shop and store room seem to be set up as though he has just popped out for lunch.
On finishing the tour in the courtyard you are free to browse and take photos. It was much easier to take photos at the end as they request as you don’t miss anything or have to rush your photo. The exit is then through the small gift shop. This shop sells some great Birmingham brands (like Cadbury Tea towels), retro items and traditional toys. We bought Disney Pluto and Jungle book tins. Both designs were the old fashioned style. For such a small shop (it’s a back to back) there was a good range and reasonable prices. There is also a lovely old fashioned sweet shop next door.
We had a lovely family morning out at the Back to Backs. We would thoroughly recommend you visit this venue and we plan to return again with friends. The stairs can be a bit tricky as they are steep, but we managed carrying a 1 year old with us. There were 2 children on our tour, I guess 10 and 13. They both seemed to enjoy the tour and Darren helped keep them engaged and explained the different jobs that would have been expected of children of their age in the days gone by.
I think the entrance fee is good value for money as you get a fun and informative guided tour for 1½ hours and then you can have a wander. There is an upstairs exhibition and a lovely shop too.
The Back to Backs is a rare find as it doesn’t depict how the upper classes lived, It is all about the middle and working classes.
Rating: 5/5 
Tickets (with Gift Aid): Adult £7.75 (£8.55), Child £4.40 (£4.95), Family £16.40 (£18.10)
For more information or to book tickets visit
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/birmingham-back-to-backs.
Back to Backs, 55-63 Hurst Street/50-54 Inge Street, Birmingham, West Midlands, B5 4TE
