Handsworth Wood

Handsworth Wood
Handsworth Wood

 Handsworth Wood shown within the West Midlands
Population 25,719 (2001 Population Census)
    - Density  37.4 per ha
OS grid reference SP055905
Metropolitan borough Birmingham
Metropolitan county West Midlands
Region West Midlands
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town BIRMINGHAM
Postcode district B20
Dialling code 0121
Police West Midlands
Fire West Midlands
Ambulance West Midlands
EU Parliament West Midlands
UK Parliament Birmingham Perry Barr
List of places: UK • England • West Midlands

Handsworth Wood is a loosely defined area in the north west of Birmingham, England. It is also a ward within the formal district of Perry Barr. Located within the metropolitan county of the West Midlands since April 1, 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, it was previously a part of the county of Staffordshire. Handsworth Wood is regarded by estate agents as "upmarket" in comparison to the neighbouring district of Handsworth.

Contents

Places of interest

Local amenities include: King Edward VI Handsworth Girl's Grammar School and Handsworth Grammar School, Soho Road, St. Mary's Church, Handsworth and Handsworth Park. The local library for the area is in Hawthorn House.[1]

It is home to Birmingham City University's 'Hamstead campus'.

Handsworth Golf Club is also located here.

History

Birmingham historian Dr. Carl Chinn noted that during WW2 the boundary between Handsworth and Handsworth Wood marked the line between being safe and unsafe from bombing, with Handsworth Wood being an official evacuation zone.[2]

The BBC's obesity reduction challenge, Fat Nation, was filmed in Handsworth Wood.

Mr Hudson , the famous singer/songwriter was born in Handsworth W ood.

Local politics

There is a Birmingham City electoral ward called Handsworth Wood [3] comprising part of Handsworth and nearly all of Handsworth Wood made up of distinct cultures and built environments - the once salubrious Victorian suburb, now "inner-city" Handsworth, consisting of some of the finest Victorian houses in the city, increasingly being refurbished to complement the £9 million restoration of Handsworth Park, and Handsworth Wood dominated by characteristically suburban pre-war semi-detached and detached properties. The ward was formerly known as Sandwell Ward.

The ward is presently represented by three Labour councillors in the Birmingham City Council; Gurdial Singh Atwall, Paulette Hamilton and Narinder Kooner.[4]

Population

The 2001 Population Census recorded that 25,276 people were living in the ward. It has a high percentage of ethnic minorities in the area with the figure being 67.1% (16,975) of the population being of an ethnic minority (mainly Indians), as opposed to 29.6% for Birmingham in general.

Ethnic Groups

See also

References

  1. ^ Hawthorn House Library
  2. ^ Carl Chinn (1996) Brum Undaunted: Birmingham During the Blitz, Birmingham Library Services
  3. ^ Handsworth Wood ward profile
  4. ^ Handsworth Wood Ward

External links