Birmingham is well-known for having been home to some of the most important inventions in the world.
Some of the inventions included on our list are pretty common knowledge whilst others may just take you by surprise.
The city is renowned for its art, culture and music and Brummies are also proud of being such a multicultural city. Birmingham has become an exciting place to live for many in recent years.
And being one of the UK’s biggest cities, it’s no surprise that many inventions that are key to our day to day life were also thought of and made in Birmingham.
From medical breakthroughs to much needed every day essentials, here are 11 of Birmingham’s greatest inventions.
1. Heavy metal
Our city is known as the birthplace of heavy metal. Birmingham in the late 1960s and early 1970s was the home to much heavy metal music with the likes of Black Sabbath, Napalm Death, and Judas Priest all hailing from the city.
2. Cadbury chocolate
Birmingham is the birth place of the country’s most famous chocolate, Cadbury’. Not only is this a great thing to boast to all your friends about, but you can also visit Cadbury World and eat as much chocolate as your stomach can handle.
3. Watt Steam Engine
The Watt steam engine design became synonymous with steam engines, and it was many years before significantly new designs began to replace the basic Watt design. Inventors James Watt and Matthew Boulton agreed to fund development of a test engine at Soho, near Birmingham.
4. Whistles
Joseph Hudson set up J Hudson & Co in Birmingham in 1870. With his younger brother James, he designed the “Acme City” brass whistle. This became the first referee whistle used at association football matches during the 1878–79 Football Association Cup match between Nottingham Forest and Sheffield. Photo: Shawn Hempel - stock.adobe.com