30 September 2011
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Loveday Street in Birmingham's Gun Quarter, copyright Jon Hay www.birminghamgunmuseum.com
Birmingham’s historic Gun Quarter is under threat following the City Council’s proposal to rename the area as part of city-wide regeneration plans. ...
Birmingham’s historic Gun Quarter is under threat following the City Council’s proposal to rename the area as part of city-wide regeneration plans.
The council’s decision threatens to paper over Birmingham’s rich 250-year gun-making heritage in the name of political correctness, by naming the area St George and St Chad’s Quarter, under the veil of distancing Birmingham from gun-related crime.
The area is to the north of the city centre, bounded by Steelhouse Lane, Shadwell Street and Loveday Street. The name change was described as a ‘terrible shame’ by the owner of one of the few surviving gun makers in the district.
Simon Clode, managing director of Westley Richards and Co, said: “This is an important part of Birmingham’s history. The area is not well occupied by gun makers now, but it’s still the Gun Quarter.”
The council claims that it will not be changing street signs and plans to retain a small area within the boundaries of the St George and St Chad’s Quarter around Loveday Street and Bagot Street, which will continue to be called the Gun Quarter.
Find this news story and more in the October/November 2011 issue of Classic Arms & Militaria