Birmingham Back to Backs

Birmingham Back to Backs
Houses
Birmingham Back to Back Houses
Country	England
Region	West Midlands
District	Birmingham
Municipality	Birmingham
Location	50-54 Inge Street and 55–63 Hurst Street, Birmingham,
- coordinates	52°28′27″N 1°53′50″W / 52.4743°N 1.8972°W / 52.4743; -1.8972Coordinates: 52°28′27″N 1°53′50″W / 52.4743°N 1.8972°W / 52.4743; -1.8972
Style	Back to Back Houses
Material	Red Brickwork with slate roofs
Founded	1840
Owner	Owned by the National Trust
Visitation	Buildings have Level entrance. Ground floor accessible. Steep spiral stairs to other floors. Audio visual/video. Ground floor tours available (Opening times vary, see NT web site)
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The Birmingham Back to Backs (also known as Court 15) at 50–54 Inge Street and 55–63 Hurst Street are the last surviving court of back-to-back houses in Birmingham, England, now operated as a museum by the National Trust.

They are examples of the thousands of similar houses that were built, literally back to back, around courtyards, for the rapidly increasing population of Britain's expanding industrial towns.

Numerous back-to-back houses, two or three storeys high, were built in Birmingham during the 19th century, the majority of them were still in quite good condition in the early 20th century and also prior to their demolition. Most of these houses were concentrated in inner-city areas such as Ladywood, Handsworth, Aston, Small Heath and Highgate. By the early 1970s, almost all of Birmingham's back-to-back houses had been demolished. The occupants were rehoused in new council houses and flats, some in redeveloped inner-city areas, while the majority moved to new housing estates such as Castle Vale and Chelmsley Wood.

By the end of the 18th century, the land where the houses are now located was owned by several families. The Inge family, after whom Inge Street is named, owned the land on the west side of the street whilst the Gooch family owned the land to the east side, where the back to backs were built. The plot of land was 50 yards long and 20 yards wide.

In 1789, Sir Thomas Gooch leased the land to John Willmore, a local toymaker. It was agreed that within a year, Willmore should construct two or more large houses at a total cost, including the outbuildings, of no less than £700. Willmore failed to do this and Court 15, as well as Court 14 adjacent, were built by his successors who remained on the street throughout the 19th century. When John Willmore died, the land was split between his sons Joseph and John Willmore, leading to both constructions looking different.