At the turn of the Industrial Revolution, a huge number of workers moved to Birmingham to find work – and they needed houses to live in. One such place that was built for them was the Birmingham Back to Backs, a housing court where ordinary people led extraordinary lives. These houses are now looked after by the National Trust.

In this video, follow Mukith Miah, Volunteering and Community Involvement Manager, and Charlotte Holmes, Cultural Heritage Curator for the Midlands, as they delve into the lives of the people who once lived and worked here. This includes George Saunders, a tailor who migrated to Birmingham from Saint Kitts in the Caribbean as part of the Windrush generation. He set up shop and was the last person to be working at the Back to Backs before its closure in 2002. He left his shop – along with a collection of suits, fabrics and sewing machines – to the National Trust for people to learn about his work and life in Birmingham. We protect and care for places so people and nature can thrive. Everyone can get involved, everyone can make a difference. Nature, beauty, history. For everyone, forever.