Birmingham is a city rich with history, and many of its most fascinating stories are hidden in plain sight. From rare postboxes to remnants of wartime tragedy, here are five extraordinary tales behind everyday sights you might have overlooked.
The King of Controversy Postboxes
Postboxes are so commonplace that they often go unnoticed, but Birmingham is home to four extremely rare examples bearing the cipher of King Edward VIII. One such postbox can be found in Digbeth, just to the right as you head away from the Bullring. The cipher reads "ER VIII" — a reminder of the monarch who abdicated in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee. Edward's reign lasted only 11 months, and he never had a coronation. Consequently, very few postboxes were cast with his initials. Birmingham's four are located in Digbeth, Harborne, Yardley, and Northfield.
The Tram to Nowhere
Today's trams run from Edgbaston Village to Wolverhampton, with future expansions planned. But on Edmund Street, beside the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, lies a short stretch of old tram track that starts and ends abruptly. This is the city centre's last remaining piece of the original tram network, which once carried passengers to destinations like the Lickey Hills for a "penny ha'penny" fare. The tracks were abandoned in the 1950s, leaving this fragment as a ghost of Birmingham's transport past.
The Morgue Skylights
Near those tram tracks, circular openings in the road with remnants of glass brickwork or wooden plugs are actually skylights to a hidden space below. During World War II, when Birmingham was heavily bombed and hospitals overflowed with casualties, these underground chambers were used as a makeshift morgue. The area between the Council House and the museum dates back to Edwardian times, and the skylights once provided light to a space that temporarily held the city's dead with dignity. It is a somber but important reminder of the city's wartime sacrifices.
The Bullring Burials
St. Martin's Church in the Bullring once had a large churchyard that became overcrowded during the Industrial Revolution. So many bodies were interred that a second burial ground was created at Park Street, now the site of HS2 construction. When the Bullring shopping centre was built, the remains were excavated and relocated to cemeteries in Quinton and Witton. HS2 has confirmed that some bodies unearthed at Park Street were reburied in Witton. The full story of these relocations is a fascinating chapter in Birmingham's history.
Mr. Teasy-Weasy's Scissors
Next to the Odeon Cinema on New Street, you may have queued at the cash machine without noticing the ornate emblem set into the pavement. It features a crowned letter "R" with open scissors beneath it. This marks the former salon of Raymond Bessone, a pioneering hairdresser known as "Mr. Teasy-Weasy." Bessone operated from the 1950s until the early 2000s and taught the legendary Vidal Sassoon. The emblem is a tribute to his flamboyant legacy and a hidden gem for those who look down.
