View source for Perry Barr

{{Short description|Area of Birmingham, England}}
{{multiple issues|
{{update|inaccurate=yes|date=July 2020}}
{{more citations needed|date=July 2020}}
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{{Use British English|date=February 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country                  = England
| official_name            = Perry Barr
| coordinates              = {{coord|52.52494|-1.90415|display=inline,title}}
| map_type                 = West Midlands
| population               = 23,652
| population_ref           = (2011Ward)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=13689705&c=Perry+Bar&d=14&e=62&g=6361116&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1450105506867&enc=1|title=Birmingham Ward population 2011|access-date=14 December 2015}}</ref>
| population_density       = 29.7 per ha
| metropolitan_borough     = [[Birmingham]]
| metropolitan_county      = [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]]
| region                   = West Midlands
| constituency_westminster = [[Birmingham Perry Barr (UK Parliament constituency)|Birmingham Perry Barr]]
| post_town                = BIRMINGHAM
| postcode_district        = B42
| postcode_area            = B
| dial_code                = 0121
| os_grid_reference        = SP065919
|static_image              = Perry Barr - geograph.org.uk - 13607.jpg
|static_image_caption      = 
}}
[[File:BirminghamPerryBarr2007Constituency.svg|thumb|Perry Barr constituency shown within Birmingham (2008)]]
'''Perry Barr''' is a suburban area in north [[Birmingham]], in the county of the [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]], England. It is also the name of a [[Government of Birmingham, England#Council constituencies|council constituency]], managed by its own [[district committee]]. [[Birmingham Perry Barr (UK Parliament constituency)|Birmingham Perry Barr]] is also a [[parliamentary constituency]]; its [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] between 2001 and 2024 was Labour's [[Khalid Mahmood (politician, born 1961)|Khalid Mahmood]]. The MP as of July 2024 is [[Ayoub Khan]], who ran as an Independent. 

The constituency includes the smaller Perry Barr [[ward (politics)|ward]], and the wards of [[Handsworth Wood]], [[Lozells and East Handsworth]], and [[Oscott]], which each elect three councillors to [[Birmingham City Council]].

==Etymology==
There were four ancient manors in this area (all part of the parish of Handsworth) called Hamstead, Oscott, Perry, and Little (or Parva) Barr. Perry is the area around the parish church and this name is seen on maps but now seldom used. Over time, through confusion or convenience, the whole district came to be known as Perry Barr.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/warks/vol7/pp4-25|title = The Growth of the City &#124; British History Online}}</ref> "Perry" comes from the Old English "pirige", meaning "pear tree".<ref>{{Cite book|last=Mills|first=AD|title=Dictionary of English Place-Names|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1991|isbn=0-19-869156-4|location=Oxford|pages=257}}</ref> The derivation of "Barr" is Old Celtic "barro" meaning "hill top".<ref>A.D. Mills page 25</ref> [[Barr Beacon]], the area's highest hill, is in neighbouring [[Great Barr]].

==History==
[[File:PC Malcolm Walker memorial - 1.jpg|thumb|alt= "a piece of brown marble inscribed: 'Here fell PC Malcolm Walker 4th October 2001 West Midlands Police', with a black stone base"|Memorial to PC Malcolm Walker]]

Perry Barr was originally two separate entities, both mentioned in the [[Domesday Book]] as 'Pirio'<ref>{{OpenDomesday|OS=SP0791|name=perry|display=Perry|accessdate=2 February 2015}}</ref> and 'Barre'. Pirio is recorded as having an estimated population of 35 and Barre with an estimated population of 25. [[William Fitz-Ansculf]] is recorded as being the [[Tenant-in-chief|tenant in chief]] of both [[Manor (feudal Europe)|manors]], and Drogo as the tenant. It is thought that the two manors may have been combined in the [[Early Middle Ages]].

In 1874, Perry Barr established its own institute based on the model of the [[Birmingham and Midland Institute]].. In 1878, [[Henry Irving]] became the president of the Perry Barr Institute and addressed members of the institute on 6 March 1878. His speech was reprinted in the 13 March release of ''Theatre'' and also reprinted onto pamphlets by the institute's members and sold for [[Sixpence (British coin)|sixpence]] to fund the construction of a new building for the institute.<ref>{{cite book|last=Richards |first=Jeffrey |title=Sir Henry Irving: A Victorian Actor and His World |publisher=Continuum International Publishing Group |year=2007 |pages=86 |isbn=978-1-85285-591-8 }}</ref> It was converted into a [[Carnegie library|Carnegie-funded library]] in September 1897. In early 2007, this library, ultimately known as Birchfield Community Library, was demolished due to its dilapidated condition. Another library in the area is Tower Hill Library.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/towerhilllibrary |title=Tower Hill Library|publisher=Birmingham City Council }}</ref>

[[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] opened their [[Wellington Road (Perry Barr)|Wellington Road]] ground in Perry Barr in 1876, playing there until 1897.

Perry Barr was formerly a [[chapelry]] in the parish of [[Handsworth, West Midlands|Handsworth]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/place/92|title=History of Perry Barr, in Birmingham and Staffordshire|publisher=[[A Vision of Britain through Time]]|accessdate=4 October 2024}}</ref> on 26 March 1894 Perry Barr became a separate [[civil parish]]. [[Perry Barr Urban District]] was an [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|urban district]] in [[Staffordshire]] from 1894 until 1928,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10002825|title=Relationships and changes Perry Barr UD through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=4 October 2024}}</ref> when it was largely incorporated into [[Birmingham]] and thus also [[Warwickshire]] (this included an area which is now considered part of [[Great Barr]]). On 1 October 1930 the parish was abolished and merged with Birmingham.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/west%20bromwich.html|title=West Bromwich Registration District|publisher=UKBMD|accessdate=4 October 2024}}</ref> In 1921 the parish had a population of 2700.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10291471/cube/TOT_POP|title=Population statistics Perry Barr CP/PA through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=4 October 2024}}</ref> It then became part of the [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]] in 1974 when Birmingham became a [[metropolitan borough]] in the county.

In 1903, [[Birmingham Crematorium]], the City's first, was opened by [[Sir Henry Thompson, 1st Baronet|Sir Henry Thompson]], president of the [[Cremation Society of Great Britain|Cremation Society]], in Perry Barr at 389 Walsall Road. It has been privately owned, currently by [[Dignity plc]].<ref name=dignity>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dignityfunerals.co.uk/crematoria-and-cemeteries/crematoria/find-a-crematorium/birmingham-crematorium/|title=Birmingham Crematorium &#124; Dignity Crematoria Ltd|website=www.dignityfunerals.co.uk}}</ref>

In the 1920s, [[Oscar Deutsch]] opened his first ever [[Odeon Cinemas|Odeon cinema]] here. The original cinema is now a conference venue, having also been a [[Bingo (UK)|bingo]] hall. The 1920s [[Perry Barr Stadium]] on the Aldridge Road hosted [[Greyhound racing in Great Britain|greyhound racing]] and the [[Birmingham Brummies]] [[Speedway in the United Kingdom|speedway]] team until its closure and demolition in 2025. It had a 500-seat capacity, and was refurbished in 2004. It was the former home of the [[Birchfield Harriers]], whose [[Art Deco]]-styled [[bas relief]] badge it still carried.<ref name="Noszlopy">Public Sculpture of Birmingham, George T. Noszlopy, [[Liverpool University Press]], 1998, {{ISBN|0-85323-682-8}}</ref> The Harriers now operate from nearby [[Alexander Stadium]].

[[North Birmingham Technical College|Aston Technical College]] (later renamed North Birmingham Technical College) moved to a new site in Perry Barr in the late 1960s, and was incorporated into the creation of [[Birmingham Polytechnic]] (now [[Birmingham City University]]) in 1971. The site had formerly been the location of Birchfield Road Primary School and Birchfield Road Secondary Modern School. Two of the college's buildings existed as part of the university's City North Campus, but closed in 2018 when the site was again levelled and construction began on accommodation for athletes competing in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 in Perry Park. Delays in construction due to the Covid 19 pandemic meant that the accommodation was not completed in time to be used for this purpose. 

There is a mall-style shopping centre in the district known as "One Stop" Shopping Centre. This was built in the early 1990s, replacing a previous 1960s-era shopping centre. To facilitate the 1990s construction, a length of the River Tame was diverted and [[canalised]]. A [[Wetherspoons]] pub, the Arthur Robertson,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/west-midlands/the-arthur-robertson-birmingham|title=The Arthur Robertson &#124; Pub in Birmingham - J D Wetherspoon|website=www.jdwetherspoon.com}}</ref> opened later is named after [[Arthur Robertson (athlete)|Arthur Robertson]], the Birchfield Harriers' first [[Great Britain at the 1908 Summer Olympics#Athletics|Olympic gold medallist]] (1908).<ref name="GBO">{{cite news|title=Pub runs with hero's reputation for unexpected triumphs|last=Philpotts|first=Chris|date=8 October 2010|work=Great Barr Observer|publisher=Central Independent News & Media Ltd.|pages=4–5|location=Birmingham}}</ref>

A memorial to [[Constable#United Kingdom|PC]] Malcolm Walker, of the [[West Midlands Police]], is situated outside shops on the city-bound side of Birchfield Road. He died on 4 October 2001, when his motorcycle was struck during a police pursuit.

The site of the former [[Perry Hall, Birmingham|Perry Hall]] is now [[Perry Hall Park]]. Perry Park hosted the [[Birmingham Carnival]] in 2005.

==Transport==
{{update-section|date=May 2018}}
Major roads in the ward and constituency include the [[M6 motorway]] and the [[A34 road (England)|A34]]. Bus routes operated by the [[National Express West Midlands]] Perry Barr bus garage in the area include Nos 11A, 11C, 33, 46, 51, 54, 68A, 68C, 907, 907A, 934, 937, 937A (evenings and Sundays), 952, 997, and 997E (towards [[Pheasey]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nxbus.co.uk/local/west-midlands/?site%5Bsearch%5D=perry+barr&show%5Broutes%5D=1|title=Local National Express West Midlands|website=nxbus.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=Route #937 {{!}} West Midlands Bus Routes {{!}} Information {{!}} Buses {{!}} National Express West Midlands | url=http://nxbus.co.uk/routes/west-midlands/B937/?timetable[day]=&tab= | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527205402/http://nxbus.co.uk/routes/west-midlands/B937/?timetable[day]=&tab= | access-date=2025-03-23 | archive-date=2016-05-27}}</ref> The [[A4040 road|A4040]] and [[A34 road|A34]] roads cross at Perry Barr, the former carrying the [[Birmingham Outer Circle]] bus routes. In addition the [[A453]] towards [[Sutton Coldfield]] begins at Perry Barr.

Route X51 runs through Perry Barr, but does not stop in Perry Barr. The nearest stop on the route is Walsall Road, [[Alexander Stadium]] before running non-stop to [[Birmingham]] City Centre.<ref>{{Cite web | title=X51 {{!}} Birmingham - Cannock {{!}} NX Bus West Midlands | url=http://nxbus.co.uk/routes/west-midlands/BX51/?timetable[day]=&tab= | access-date=2025-03-23 | website=nxbus.co.uk}}</ref>

To the south-west of the ward is the Walsall line, part of the old [[Grand Junction Railway]], which has two railway stations within the boundaries of the ward; [[Hamstead railway station]] and [[Perry Barr railway station]]. The latter, opened in 1837, is one of the oldest stations in the country to remain on its original site. It has been rebuilt several times, most recently in 2022.

The [[Tame Valley Canal]] bisects the ward, with boats from [[Salford Junction]], under [[Gravelly Hill Interchange]] climbing the 13-flight Perry Barr [[Lock (water navigation)|Locks]] towards Hamstead and on to Rushall Junction. There is a feeder reservoir, Perry Reservoir, in [[Perry Park (Birmingham)|Perry Park]].<ref name="Nicholson2">''Nicholson waterways Guide 2 – Severn, Avon and Birmingham'', Collins, 2006 {{ISBN|978-0-00-721110-4}}</ref>

The [[River Tame (West Midlands)|River Tame]] passes through the area and is crossed by several bridges, including [[Perry Bridge]], a scheduled ancient monument of 1711, on the line of the Roman [[Ryknild Street]], and its 1932 Art Deco replacement carrying the Aldridge Road. The old bridge appears on the badge of nearby [[Handsworth Grammar School]]. A stream, the [[River Tame, West Midlands#Tributaries|Holbrook]], originating on the slopes of [[Barr Beacon]], flows into the river just upstream from the bridge. The area around the bridge is known as [[Holford]].<ref name="Chinn">{{cite news |last1=Chinn |first1=Carl |title=The mystery manor of Witton unearthed. |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+mystery+manor+of+Witton+unearthed-a0174424527 |work=[[Birmingham Mail]] |date=9 February 2008}}</ref>

==Sport==

Aston Manor Cricket Club are situated in Perry Barr, as is the international athletics stadium [[Alexander Stadium]]. These are located on Church Road just by [[Perry Park (Birmingham)|Perry Park]]. The Hub on Holford Drive is home to [[Continental Star F.C.]], as well as Continental Star Cricket, Continental Stars table tennis club, tennis clubs, and Aston Amateur Boxing Club.<ref>{{cite web|title=Our Clubs|work=Holford Sports Hub |url=http://holfordsportshub.co.uk/our-clubs|access-date=21 August 2019}}</ref>

==Ward==
{{update|section|date=May 2011}}

The Perry Barr ward is part of the [[Birmingham Perry Barr (UK Parliament constituency)|Birmingham, Perry Barr parliamentary constituency]]. Following boundary changes in 2004, the eastern edge of the ward follows the [[M6 motorway]] from [[Gravelly Hill Interchange|Spaghetti Junction]] to junction 7 at [[Great Barr]], including parts of the communities of [[Witton, West Midlands|Witton]], [[Aston]], Perry Barr and [[Great Barr]].

Since 2004, the three councillors representing Perry Barr on [[Birmingham City Council]] have been [[Ray Hassall]], Karen Hamilton and Jon Hunt, all of them [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]]. Hassall was elected in 1990, Hunt in 2003 and Hamilton in 2004. Hamilton became the first black councillor elected for the ward. In a 2017 [[by-election]], Morriam Jan, elected as a Liberal Democrat, became the first councillor of [[South Asia]]n origin elected for the ward.

Prior to 1990, the ward had a strong tendency towards the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]]. No single party held all the seats in the ward between 1990 and 2004. The Liberal Democrats took a clean sweep at the 2004 Council Elections in which all seats were contested, but only after three recounts. In 2006, Hamilton increased her personal majority from 31 to more than 1,500, and the party went on to win every election in the ward until boundary changes in 2018.

The ward had [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] representation for a period, from 1995 till 2004 following the election of Mike Leddy (1995–2003), along with the defection of Ron Whitehouse from the Liberal Democrats to the Labour Party (2000–2004).

For the 2018 and any subsequent elections the ward was reduced in size to two councillors and parts of the former Aston ward, included in 2004, were returned to a new Aston ward. The new Perry Barr ward includes [[Witton Cemetery]] and the Moor Lane Sports Ground.

===Election winners===
{{Needs table|date=July 2020}}
*1986 – Conservative
*1987 – Conservative
*1988 – Conservative
*1990 – Liberal Democrat
*1991 – Liberal Democrat
*1992 – Conservative
*1994 – Liberal Democrat
*1995 – Labour
*1996 – Liberal Democrat
*1998 – Liberal Democrat
*1999 – Labour
*2000 – Liberal Democrat (defected to Labour within 12 months)
*2002 – Liberal Democrat
*2003 – Liberal Democrat
*2004 – 3 x Liberal Democrat (following boundary changes)
*2006 – Liberal Democrat - Karen Hamilton
*2007 – Liberal Democrat - Jon Hunt
*2008 – Liberal Democrat - Ray Hassall
*2010 – Liberal Democrat - Karen Hamilton
*2011 – Liberal Democrat - Jon Hunt
*2012 – Liberal Democrat - Ray Hassall
*2014 – Liberal Democrat - Karen Trench (previously Hamilton)
*2015 – Liberal Democrat - Jon Hunt
*2016 - Liberal Democrat - Ray Hassall (deceased March 2017)
*2017 (by-election) – Liberal Democrat - Morriam Jan
*2018 - 2 x Liberal Democrat (following boundary changes) - Jon Hunt & Morriam Jan<ref name="BCC-2018">{{cite web|title=Local government election results May 2018|url=https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20097/elections_and_voting/1685/local_government_election_results_may_2018/5|publisher=Birmingham City Council|access-date=4 May 2018|language=en}}</ref>

==Demographics and notable residents==
The [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 Population Census]] recorded that 22,704 people lived in Perry Barr. 28.2% (6,410) of the ward's population was represented by [[Ethnic minority|ethnic minorities]], compared with 29.6% for Birmingham in general. According to the UK Census 2021, 69.4% of Perry Barr and South Hamstead were [https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/maps/dotdensity/identity/ethnic-group/ethnic-group-tb-6a/ethnic_group_tb_6a-001~ethnic_group_tb_6a-002~ethnic_group_tb_6a-003~ethnic_group_tb_6a-004~ethnic_group_tb_6a-005?msoa=E02001850&geoLock=oa non-White ethnicities].

British musician [[Steve Winwood]] was a [[choirboy]] at St John the Evangelist Church of England [[parish church]] in Perry Barr.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00srj7k|title="Steve Winwood: English Soul," BBC4, broadcast 25 February 2011|publisher=BBC|access-date=29 September 2014}}</ref>

==See also==

*[[Perry Barr Reservoir]]
*[[One Stop Shopping Centre]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/perrybarr Birmingham City Council: Perry Barr Constituency]
* [http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/perrybarrward Birmingham City Council: Perry Barr Ward]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010315/http://www.bcen.net/perrybarr/ Perry Barr Community Network]
* [http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/birchfieldlibrary Birchfield Library]
* {{OpenDomesday|SP0791|perry|Perry}}

{{Areas of Birmingham}}
{{Wards of Birmingham}}

[[Category:Perry Barr| ]]
[[Category:Areas of Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Wards of Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Former civil parishes in the West Midlands (county)]]