Birmingham was originally a Saxon village. In the early 12th century it grew into a town. In 1166 the King gave the Lord of the Manor, Peter De Birmingham, the right to hold a weekly market at Birmingham. Once a market was up and running merchants and craftsmen came to live in Birmingham and it soon developed into a busy little town.
In 1500 Birmingham was still a small market town with a population of about 1,500. In the 16th century Birmingham grew rapidly. In 1547 the population was around 1,800 people. In the 17th century Birmingham continued to grow steadily. By the year 1650 it had a population of around 5,000. By the middle ages the newer industry of metalworking was fast taking over. Birmingham was near to a source of iron ore and was surrounded by streams which gave the city a natural advantage for trafficing goods by barge.
In the early 20th century the traditional metalworking industries continued in Birmingham. So did more modern ones like bicycle making and tyre manufacture. Electrical engineering became an important industry at that time.
The boundaries of Birmingham were extended in 1928 to include Perry Barr. In 1931 they were extended to include Castle Bromwich and Sheldon. By then Birmingham had a population of about 1 million. During World War II Birmingham was, as a major manufacturing centre, an obvious target for German bombing. More than 2,000 people died as a result of the bombing. In the years 1945-54 more than 37,000 council houses were built in Birmingham. By 1970 the number had risen to over 80,000.
The Bull Ring shopping centre was built in 1964. In 1973 a shopping centre was built over the station. In the 1980s it was refurbished and renamed the Pallasades. The Pavilions Shopping Centre opened in 1987. City Plaza followed in 1989. Mailbox Shopping Centre opened in 2000.
Currently, Birmingham has a thriving population of over one million, 80,000 of which are students. It boasts more major events than anywhere else in the UK, vibrant nightlife, a thriving cultural scene and fantastic shopping. Birmingham is a great city to live in and to visit. Located in the heart of England and surrounded by beautiful countryside, Birmingham is vibrant and cosmopolitan, and is regularly heralded for being the most multicultural city in England.