Nechells 1900-1950

The First World War accelerated a process that was becoming more and more noticeable from about 1880, when businesses began to grow in size and become more mechanised. By 1918, therefore, many Nechells’ residents now worked for much larger firms such as Birmingham Paper Mills and Nechells Power Station, which was completed in 1929.

Not everyone worked in the expanding industries. A living could still be made by independently minded local tradesmen, who recognised new trends and opened up workshops such as cycle and car repairing and electrical contracting. For too many families, however, the period between the wars was dominated by fear of unemployment, grinding poverty and appalling housing conditions.

In 1937, some 267 acres of Duddeston and Nechells was declared a redevelopment area by City planners. Further action was delayed by the Second World War when Nechells suffered death and destruction from German air raids on the City.

Work eventually began, in 1947, on a massive clearance scheme, to develop 267 acres of Nechells Green. This name was chosen by public competition and covered Duddeston and Nechells. Housing space was, however at a premium and so building began on high-rise blocks of flats. The very first of these in the City were the Four Towers (Queen’s, High, Home and South) in Duddeston, opened by the Queen in 1954.