A refuge in Tindal Street

The issues surrounding prostitution in Balsall Heath in the post-war era are well documented, with matters reaching a head in 1994 with the start of resident action against kerb crawlers and those offering services. There had in fact been concerns as far back as the nineteenth century, when the Salvation Army tried to tackle the problem by giving the ladies concerned a chance for a fresh start in life. They set up refuges in several cities where prostitutes, or single mothers, could live and train for domestic service while working as laundresses. The women were “rescued” off the streets, often as an alternative to the workhouse or possibly prison – sometimes with agreement and thanks, and sometimes more forcibly. Single mothers were not allowed to bring their babies, which one suspects were given up for adoption.

Balsall Heath had one such refuge, named in the census as a “Refuge for Fallen Women”, at 37 Tindal Street. It was originally started by a missionary named William Garner and his wife Jemima, who was the matron. Other staff consisted of a porter, general servant and one or two laundresses. The Refuge was taken over by Birmingham City Mission in 1886 with the by now widowed Jemima Garner in charge. The City Mission was founded in 1838 with the object of sending Bible readers into the homes of the poor. Similarly to the Salvation Army, an important part of their activities was preventive and rescue work among prostitutes. In addition to Tindal Street they had a house in Noel Road, Edgbaston, which was also used as a refuge. Both eventually closed due to lack of funds (little in life seems to change) - the home in Noel Road was sold to a laundry in 1924 while Tindal Street had been sold in 1900.

The census always records the girls as “inmates”, which is suggestive of an institution or even worse a prison, strongly implying a lack of choice about being there at all! Their ages are given and where they were born. Most are in their late teens or early twenties and all are reported to be unmarried. In 1881 the majority are from Birmingham and the surrounding area with three from further away – Nottingham, St Albans and Leicester. By 1891 this has noticeably changed with half the inmates being from far-flung places, which may well indicate girls travelling specifically to this area for prostitution as opposed to falling into it as a last resort.

As to whether the regime made a difference it is hard to say. Existing records, which would show up returning girls, are held by the Salvation Army. Other than that it is possible to put together circumstancial evidence from the census and marriage records. 18 year old Ellen Webber married a brass polisher and ended up in Meriden Street with a large brood, familiar circumstances to many family historians. Others such as Priscilla Randall intriguingly seem to vanish from later censuses and official records – possibly then a pseudonym.

That end of Tindal Street has largely been demolished, other than The Old Moseley Arms pub and two houses. Number 37 was a little further down and the site is now a grassy open space.