00:00Welcome to Newhall Square, the newest part of Birmingham and such a historic space.
00:05Behind me the Whitmore Arm or Miss Colmore's Canal which went in through this factory space
00:11which became a huge Elkington silver plate factory. They took out a patent for silver plating
00:18and then they went big providing spoons, flatware, knives, forks right up to very special pieces
00:25of silver plating. Even in the House of Lords you'll find Elkington painted goods.
00:32Newhall Street sits at the heart of the jewellery quarter, an area built on industry and invention.
00:37It's also linked to a breakthrough that changed everyday life. Birmingham inventor Alexander
00:42Parks developed park scene wildly regarded as the world's first man-made plastic and the city has
00:49since recognised Parks connection to the site with a blue plaque. It's just one of the many products
00:55and processes developed here alongside the silverware and craftsmanship of the area which became famous
01:03worldwide. We tried to just bring the story of Birmingham more to life by showing you some of
01:08the pieces that were done in a factory that used to be in this site so they did a lot of this flatware
01:15so underneath this is an alloy of zinc and copper and that they would put this layer of silver on top
01:24so you have this type of soon. This is quite old actually it's from the 1850s. Other types of things
01:30that they did was a bit more elaborated so they had this sugar sifter and you put your sugar on top and
01:37you just tilt it a little bit and you get your sugar out and then they also did this lobster pick.
01:45So the jewellery quarter it was sold off in lots by the Colmore family. Let's talk about three different
01:51types of business in the jewellery quarter firstly artisan jeweller Rob Turley wore stone laying today
01:57he made my wedding ring 40 years ago. Medium-sized company Newman Brothers now the Coffin Works Museum
02:05they made coffin furniture the brass handles the plates for the rich people's coffins right up till 1999
02:13including the royal family and then look at this both sides of the secret canal now new apartments
02:21but it was the home of the world's greatest silver plating company Elkingtons.
02:29Newhall Square is a reminder of how quickly parts of Birmingham are changing and just a short walk away
02:35the jewellery quarter remains one of the most distinctive areas of the region. A place shaped by makers and
02:41craftsmen now mixed with independent businesses new homes and a growing visitor scene. It's a real hidden gem
02:48near the city centre with history on the streets whether you're seeing it for the first time or
02:53rediscovering it it's a corner of Birmingham that keeps finding new ways to surprise you.
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