Birmingham was a major industrial city in the 1900s, and its population grew rapidly during the Victorian era to become the second largest in the country.
The city was known for its canals, cars, and manufacturing, and was home to many famous scientists and inventors, including Matthew Boulton, James Watt, and William Murdoch.
It was also a center for printing, and by 1920, it was producing a wide range of goods, including metalware, guns, ammunition, jewelry, toys, motorcycles, cars, tools, utensils, pen nibs, and watches.
We’ve decided to take a look back at the city throughout the early 1900s - between 1900 and 1920 - with some historic photos.
Let’s take a look:

1. circa 1910:
A rescue party arrives at the scene of a colliery disaster in the Birmingham area. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) | Getty Images

2. April 1912
Drivers stand by Daily Mail motor cars in Birmingham, outside the newspaper office, poised for the morning delivery. | Getty Images (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)

3. Birmingham workers, 1910
Batteries of machines and female workers in a pin mill at Birmingham, England, circa 1910. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) | Getty Images

4. circa 1912
The first motor bus in Birmingham draws a small crowd of admirers. | Getty Images