Editing Balsall Heath

{{Short description|Inner-city area of Birmingham, England}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox UK place
 | official_name=         Balsall Heath
 | civil_parish =         
 | country=               England
 | region=                West Midlands
 |coordinates = {{coord|52|27|27.98|N|1|53|31.5|W|format=dms|type:landmark|display=title}}
 | os_grid_reference=     
 | post_town=             Birmingham
 | postcode_area=         B
 | postcode_district=     B12
 | dial_code=             0121
 | constituency_westminster = 
 | metropolitan_borough=        [[City of Birmingham|Birmingham]]
 | metropolitan_county=          [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]]
 | hide_services=         
 | population =
 | population_ref = 
 | area_total_km2=
 |static_image=Balsall Heath Baths and Library.jpg
 |static_image_caption=[[Public Library and Baths, Balsall Heath|Balsall Heath Baths and Library]]
 |website=
}}
'''Balsall Heath''' is an [[inner-city]] area of [[Birmingham]], [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]], England. It has a diverse cultural mix of people and is the location of the [[Balti Triangle]].

==History==
{{see also|History of Worcestershire|History of Birmingham}}
[[File:Balsallheath.JPG|thumb|200px|right|Balsall Heath, circa 1890.]]
The name is first found as Bordeshale in 1275, which is derived from the [[Old English]] words ''Bord's healh'' meaning 'Bord's heath' or 'Bord's nook' implying a corner or small area of land, perhaps a sheltered hollow in the landscape, protected by trees, possibly within a river-bend.<ref name=":54">{{cite web |last=Dargue |first=William |title=Balsall Heath |url=https://billdargue.jimdofree.com/placenames-gazetteer-a-to-y/places-b/balsall-heath/ |website=A History of Birmingham Places & Placenames from A to Y}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Gelling |first=Margaret |title=Place Names in the Landscape |date=1 June 1984 |publisher=J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd |isbn=978-0460043809 |location=London |page=205 |author-link=Margaret Gelling}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=http://sdrc.lib.uiowa.edu/patentrolls/e1v2/body/Edward1vol2page0465.pdf |title=Calendar of Fine Rolls, Edward II: Volume 3, 1319 - 1327 |publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London |year=1912 |quote=The manor of Bordeshale, co.Warwick}}</ref> The name stems from the [[Angles (tribe)|Anglian]] personal name of one ''Bord'', who held property in the area, and in this way shares its origin with that of neighbouring [[Bordesley, Birmingham|Bordesley]], first record as Bordesleie or Bordeslea meaning 'Bord's clearing'.<ref name=":54" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Johnston |first=James B. |url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/The_place-names_of_England_and_Wales_%28IA_placenamesenglan00john%29.pdf |title=The Place Names of England and Wales |publisher=John Murray |year=1915 |location=London |pages=160 |quote=BORDESLEY (Birmingham). 1156 Bordeslega, 1158 -lea, in 1275 also Bordeshale. 'Borda's lea ' or ' meadow.' Cf., too, B.C.S. 739 Bordeles tun. See -ley.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Survey of English Place-Names - The English Placename Society |url=http://epns.nottingham.ac.uk/browse/Worcestershire/King%27s+Norton/53288a09b47fc40d6b000246-Balsall+Heath |website=www.nottingham.ac.uk. |quote=Balsall Heath: Early-attested site in the Parish of King's Norton. See historical forms. Etymology: This healh must have been the property of one Bord (cf. Bordesley infra 365) who gave his name to the other and neighbouring Bordesley in Aston (Wa).}}</ref>

Balsall Heath was largely agricultural and park land between [[Moseley]] village and the city of Birmingham until the 1850s when expansion along Moseley Road joined the two. Balsall Heath was formerly a [[chapelry]] in the parish of [[King's Norton]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/place/8559|title=History of Balsall Heath, in Birmingham and Warwickshire|publisher=[[A Vision of Britain through Time]]|accessdate=30 September 2024}}</ref> in [[Worcestershire]], it was added to the [[county borough]] of Birmingham in [[Warwickshire]] on 1 October 1891. On 31 December 1894 Balsall Heath became a separate [[civil parish]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10294538|title=Relationships and changes Balsall Heath CP through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=30 September 2024}}</ref> being formed from the part of King's Norton in the County Borough of Birmingham, on 1 April 1912 the parish was abolished and merged with Birmingham.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/kings%20norton.html|title=King's Norton Registration District|publisher=UKBMD|accessdate=30 September 2024}}</ref> In 1911 the parish had a population of 39,884.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10294538/cube/TOT_POP|title=Population statistics Balsall Heath CP through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=30 September 2024}}</ref>

During negotiations in the previous year it had been promised a public baths and a free library. In 1895, the library was opened on Moseley Road and, in 1907, [[Public Library and Baths, Balsall Heath|Balsall Heath Baths]] were opened in an adjoining building.

In 1900, the city's [[College of Art, Balsall Heath|College of Art]] was also opened on Moseley Road. By this time the small lake ("Lady Pool" on old maps) at the end of Ladypool Road had been filled in to create a park.

Balsall Heath initially had a reasonably affluent population, which can still be seen in the dilapidated grandeur of some of the larger houses. [[Brighton Road railway station]] led to further expansion, and the end of the 19th century saw a proliferation of high-density small [[terraced house]]s.

A [[Muslim]] community was started in June 1940 when two [[Yemen]]is purchased an artisan cottage on Mary Street. With the mosque being located in the area, more Muslim immigrants began to move into private lodgings in Balsall Heath.<ref>{{cite book|author=Abner Cohen|title=Urban Ethnicity|pages=96|year=2004|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0-415-32982-5}}</ref> Today, Balsall Heath has one of the largest Muslim communities in Birmingham. It is also home to diverse communities from across the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]].

By the 1980s, many of Balsall Heath's houses were in a dilapidated condition; some still lacked bathrooms or indoor toilets. The local council considered demolishing these properties but chose to refurbish them as part of an [[urban renewal]] scheme. Most of these Victorian terraces still exist and, along with more modern [[social housing]], characterise the area today. The area's traditional 'brick' pavements were replaced at this time by the more modern and conventional paving slabs.

Balsall Heath's low rents also attracted a [[Bohemianism|bohemian]] student population. Its proximity to the [[University of Birmingham]], the city centre and the "trendy" area of [[Moseley]] were all contributing factors. There was little conflict between the students and locals despite their vastly differing lifestyles. However, a knife-incident in 1991 led to an article in ''[[Redbrick (Newspaper)|Redbrick]]'' warning students not to live in the area.

In July 2005, Balsall Heath was hit by a [[Birmingham Tornado (UK)|tornado]], which devastated many buildings around Church Road and Ladypool Road. Birmingham City Council offered loans to those who would otherwise be unable to repair their properties, and the area has now made a full recovery.

===Red light era===
[[Street prostitution]] first appeared in Balsall Heath during the 1950s. Property values fell, attracting Birmingham's poorer migrants. By the 1970s, the area was notorious for [[robbery|street robberies]] and [[drug dealing]]. Cheddar Road was the centre of a red-light district worked by 450 women. About half of the 50 houses on this road had prostitutes advertising themselves in the windows, similar to [[De Wallen|Amsterdam]]. It was labelled Britain's busiest cul-de-sac.<ref name="Sky">{{cite web |author=Crabtree |first=David |date=14 February 2011 |title=Big Society Alive and Kicking in Inner City |url=http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/15929966 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304193144/http://news.sky.com/story/836938/big-society-alive-and-kicking-in-inner-city |archive-date=4 March 2014 |access-date=5 November 2011 |publisher=Sky News}}</ref> This period of the area's history is depicted in the 1980 film ''[[Prostitute (1980 film)|Prostitute]]''.

In 1986, an organisation called ANAWIM was formed by the [[Sisters of Charity]] to provide outreach support to the prostitutes.<ref name=bh308>{{Cite news |title=ANAWIM Celebrates Silver Jubilee | newspaper=The Balsall Heathan | number= 308| date=November 2011| publisher=St. Paul's Community Trust}}</ref>

In September 1992, a report was published encouraging the formation of a zone of tolerance towards prostitution in Balsall Heath. This was opposed by residents and a local police inspector. In the following year Samo Paull, a woman working as a prostitute, was abducted from Balsall Heath and murdered.

In 1994, residents began to organise street patrols forcing the prostitutes and street criminals out of the area. These patrols had the qualified support of the police but were regarded as [[vigilante]]s by some. There was an immediate two-thirds reduction in street and [[window prostitution]].<ref name=Sky/> By November 1995, they had been almost eliminated.

The area has enjoyed a slow revival. House prices are now similar to those in other inner-city areas, while the crime rate is among the lowest.

== Politics and governance ==
Balsall Heath is divided by two wards for elections to [[Birmingham City Council]]; [[Balsall Heath West]] and [[Sparkbrook and Balsall Heath East]].

Balsall Heath West is part of the [[Birmingham Ladywood (UK Parliament constituency)|Birmingham Ladywood]] [[Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom|constituency]] for general elections to the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom]], whereas [[Sparkbrook and Balsall Heath East]] is Part of the [[Birmingham Hall Green (UK Parliament constituency)|Birmingham Hall Green Constituency]].

==Notable buildings==
<!--alphabetical order please-->
*[[Public Library and Baths, Balsall Heath|Moseley Road Baths]]
*[[College of Art, Balsall Heath|Moseley School of Art]]
*[[St Barnabas' Church, Balsall Heath|St Barnabas' Church]]
*[[St Paul's Church, Balsall Heath|St Paul's Church]]

==Notable residents==
<!--PLEASE NOTE: alphabetical order by surname and no red links--->
*[[Donnaleigh Bailey]], ''Michelle Corrigan'' in the [[Birmingham]]-based soap ''[[Doctors (2000 TV series)|Doctors]]''
*Alderman [[John Bowen (alderman)|John Bowen]], JP
*[[Percy Bullock]], Worcestershire cricketer
*[[Howard R. Davies]], racing motorcyclist
*[[Alan Deakin]], former [[Aston Villa]] captain
*[[Oscar Deutsch]], founder of the [[Odeon Cinemas|Odeon]] cinema chain
*[[David Edgar (playwright)|David Edgar]], playwright
*[[John Patrick Kenneally|John Kenneally VC]]
*[[Don Maclean]], comedian
*[[Conroy Maddox]], surrealist artist
*[[William Mosedale]], [[George Cross]] recipient
*[[Sir Robert Howson Pickard|Sir Robert Howson Pickard FRS]] [[Sterochemistry|stereochemist]] and [[vice-chancellor]] of the [[University of London]] 1937–1939
*[[Anthony E. Pratt]], inventor of the board game ''[[Cluedo]]''
*[[UB40#Band members|UB40]], a [[reggae]] band

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* V.M. Hart (1992) ''Balsall Heath: A History.'' Brewin Books Limited
* J. Moth (1951) ''The City of Birmingham Baths Department 1851 – 1951.''

==External links==
{{Commons category}}

*[http://www.balsallheathhistory.co.uk/ Balsall Heath Local History Society]
*[http://www.balsallheathforum.org.uk/start.htm About Balsall Heath]

{{Areas of Birmingham}}

[[Category:Balsall Heath| ]]
[[Category:Areas of Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Former civil parishes in the West Midlands (county)]]