UK-Cinderella Stamp-1931-British Industries Fair Birmingham

The British Industries Fair was an exhibition centre in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

, England. The large complex of buildings was built in 1920 and was situated between

Castle Bromwich Aerodrome Castle Bromwich Aerodrome was an early airfield, situated to the north of Castle Bromwich in the West Midlands of England. The site now falls within the City of Birmingham. History Creation to 1937 A large piece of Warwickshire grassland (Cast ...

and the railway line. For two weeks every year it was the most visited attraction in the country. In 1933, the first diesel locomotive arrived for display at the BIF. The final B.I.F was on 6 to 17 May 1957.Birmingham Post 15/5/57 The associated aerodrome, which often showed air displays, closed with the final flight on 31 March 1958. Castlle Bromwich Exhbition Hall OS 1st ed 1-25

Castlle Bromwich Exhbition Hall OS 1st ed 1-25

The nearby

Castle Bromwich railway station Castle Bromwich railway station was a railway station in the Castle Bromwich area of Solihull opened by the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway in 1842. It was on the line into Birmingham Lawley Street from Water Orton Water Orton is a v ...

received many important visitors for the BIF, including

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Que ...

and Queen Mary in 1928, the Duke of York, Princess Mary and Lord Lascelles. They were often entertained afterwards by the Bradfords at

Castle Bromwich Hall Castle Bromwich Hall is a Jacobean mansion in the Castle Bromwich area of Birmingham, England. It is a Grade I listed building. History The Hall was built between 1557 and 1585 by Sir Edward Devereux, 1st Baronet of Castle Bromwich, MP for ...

. The site was sold in 1960, along with that of the airfield. The buildings and the sites were cleared for the construction of the

Castle Vale Castle Vale is a housing estate located between Erdington, Minworth and Castle Bromwich. Currently Castle Vale makes up the Castle Vale Ward of Birmingham City Council which is part of Erdington constituency (having previously been part of Birmin ...

housing estate. The BIF was replaced by the

National Exhibition Centre The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) is an exhibition centre located in Marston Green, Solihull, West Midlands, England. It is near junction 6 of the M42 motorway, and is adjacent to Birmingham Airport and Birmingham International railway stati ...

in 1976, 19 years after its demise.

References

* (for coordinates)

External links

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"Adopt - adapt and improve. Prince of Wales - Britain's best 'Ambassador of Trade' - at British Industries' Fair.
- Pathe newsreel, 23 February 1927
Britain Opens Her Shop Window, 1950
(Pathé newsreel)
British Industries Fair, 1953
(Pathé newsreel)
British Industries Fair, 1957
(Pathé newsreel outtakes) {{Authority control Buildings and structures completed in 1920 Exhibition and conference centres in England Former buildings and structures in England Buildings and structures in Birmingham, West Midlands History of Birmingham, West Midlands 20th-century architecture in the United Kingdom