Workshops at War

Workshops at War is a themed guided tour at the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, with the first session on Friday 23 October. It runs for around 45 minutes and is led by the museum's own award-winning historian. The tour looks at the role Birmingham and the Jewellery Quarter played in the First and Second World Wars, back when the city was the single most important place in the country for munitions work.

You'll be taken through the Smith & Pepper workshop, and the story is told through the lives of the people who contributed to the war effort: their loves and losses, family connections, service, local bombing, a local silversmith soldier, migrant workers and women. Along the way, the guide demonstrates original machines used for munitions work dating from 1942.

The museum itself is a perfectly preserved workshop. When the proprietors of the Smith & Pepper jewellery manufacturing firm retired in 1981, they simply ceased trading and locked the door, unaware they were leaving a time capsule for future generations. That's the space you'll be walking through.

There are several dates to choose from: Friday 23 October, Sunday 25 October, Friday 20 November and Sunday 22 November, all starting at 2:45pm. The 8 November session is already sold out. Tickets are £10 for adults, £8 for concessions and £6 for children, and pre-booking is recommended.