| Balsall Heath | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Balsall Heath Location within theWest Midlands | |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Birmingham |
| Postcode district | B12 |
| Dialling code | 0121 |
| Police | West Midlands |
| Fire | West Midlands |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| |
Balsall Heath is aninner-city area ofBirmingham,West Midlands, England. It has a diverse cultural mix of people and is the location of theBalti Triangle.
The name is first found as Bordeshale in 1275, which is derived from theOld English wordsBord'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.[1][2][3] The name stems from theAnglian personal name of oneBord, who held property in the area, and in this way shares its origin with that of neighbouringBordesley, first record as Bordesleie or Bordeslea meaning 'Bord's clearing'.[1][4][5]
Balsall Heath was largely agricultural and park land betweenMoseley village and the city of Birmingham until the 1850s when expansion along Moseley Road joined the two. Balsall Heath was formerly achapelry in the parish ofKing's Norton,[6] inWorcestershire, it was added to thecounty borough of Birmingham inWarwickshire on 1 October 1891. On 31 December 1894 Balsall Heath became a separatecivil parish[7] 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.[8] In 1911 the parish had a population of 39,884.[9]
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,Balsall Heath Baths were opened in an adjoining building.
In 1900, the city'sCollege 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 smallterraced houses.
AMuslim community was started in June 1940 when twoYemenis 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.[10] Today, Balsall Heath has one of the largest Muslim communities in Birmingham. It is also home to diverse communities from across theCommonwealth.
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 anurban renewal scheme. Most of these Victorian terraces still exist and, along with more modernsocial 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 abohemian student population. Its proximity to theUniversity of Birmingham, the city centre and the "trendy" area ofMoseley 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 inRedbrick warning students not to live in the area.
In July 2005, Balsall Heath was hit by atornado, 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.
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 forstreet robberies anddrug 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 toAmsterdam. It was labelled Britain's busiest cul-de-sac.[11] This period of the area's history is depicted in the 1980 filmProstitute.
In 1986, an organisation called ANAWIM was formed by theSisters of Charity to provide outreach support to the prostitutes.[12]
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 asvigilantes by some. There was an immediate two-thirds reduction in street andwindow prostitution.[11] 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.
Balsall Heath is divided by two wards for elections toBirmingham City Council;Balsall Heath West andSparkbrook and Balsall Heath East.
Balsall Heath West is part of theBirmingham Ladywoodconstituency for general elections to theHouse of Commons of the United Kingdom, whereasSparkbrook and Balsall Heath East is Part of theBirmingham Hall Green Constituency.
The manor of Bordeshale, co.Warwick
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.
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).
