Capturing the changing face of central Birmingham over a period of half a century from c. 1870 to 1920, this selection of more than 200 photographs – many of which have never been published before – portrays not just the buildings and streets, long since swept away or transformed beyond all recognition, but also the men, women and children of the expanding town-cum-city as they went about their daily business during a period of immense upheaval and reconstruction. The photographs are drawn from the extensive photographic archives at Birmingham Central Library where the author also works as a Local Studies specialist.