All our Dramatic Walking Trails have been developed in partnership with the Balsall Heath Local History Society.
The Institute On Moseley Road
May 2005
The first performance of this trail was in May 2005 as part of a Local History Week, when it was performed by the Making History Theatre group. It extended from the old Tram Depot to Stratford house so it was quite a long trek.
October, 2011
It was put on again in 2011 by the Theatre Company and attracted large walking audiences. It started this time from the old Butchers’ factory (now known as The Works) where the History Society was running a large exhibition. This version of the trail was a bit shorter but again included the escaped lion. However the highlight was undoubtedly the 1791 Riots which featured the Reverend Hobson’s wife running to escape the smoke and (fake)flames, in her nightgown but with no nightcap!
November, 2014
The most recent version was funded as an accompaniment to an exhibiton at the Ort café and had a particular focus on Balsall Heath’s water supply and sewage system. On this occasion the trail started at the Café with the first meeting of the Balsall Heath Board of Health in 1862 and finished with the Annexation of Balsall Heath by the City of Birmingham in 1891. There were also additional scenes which related to the Typhoid Epidemic of 1873 and there were also some glorious songs performed en route.
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