Perry Barr

Perry Barr is a suburban area located in north Birmingham, in the West Midlands, England. It is also the name of a council constituency, which is managed by its own district committee. For many years, the area was represented in Parliament by Khalid Mahmood from 2001 to 2024, who was a member of the Labour Party. As of July 2024, the Member of Parliament for the area is Ayoub Khan, who ran as an Independent.

The Perry Barr constituency includes several smaller areas, known as wards. These wards are Perry Barr, Handsworth Wood, Lozells and East Handsworth, and Oscott. Each of these wards elects three councillors to serve on Birmingham City Council, helping to make decisions for the local community.

Etymology

Perry Barr was formed from four old areas called Hamstead, Oscott, Perry, and Little Barr. The name "Perry" comes from an Old English word meaning "pear tree." The word "Barr" means "hill top" in an old Celtic language. Nearby, there is a high hill called Barr Beacon, located in Great Barr.

History

Perry Barr started as two small places called Pirio and Barre, which were written about in an old book called the Domesday Book. Over time, these places grew and changed. In 1874, a special learning place was made there, and later, a big library was built with help from a generous person named Carnegie.

A famous football team, Aston Villa, played in Perry Barr from 1876 to 1897. In the 1920s, a cinema and a place for racing dogs were built. Today, Perry Barr has a shopping area called the "One Stop" Shopping Centre, and a park where a big celebration happens every year.

Transport

Perry Barr is connected by major roads like the M6 motorway and the A34. Many bus routes operated by National Express West Midlands run through the area, serving places like Pheasey. The A4040 and A34 roads cross here, and the A453 starts in Perry Barr, heading towards Sutton Coldfield.

There are two railway stations in the area: Hamstead railway station and Perry Barr railway station, which opened in 1837 and is one of the oldest stations still in its original place. The Tame Valley Canal runs through Perry Barr, and the River Tame flows nearby, crossed by bridges such as Perry Bridge.

Sport

The Alexander Stadium is located in Perry Barr. It is a major venue for international athletics and was used for the athletics events of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. The stadium will also host the 2026 European Athletics Championships.

Aston Manor Cricket Club is based in Perry Barr, and both the stadium and the cricket club are found on Church Road, next to Perry Park. The Hub on Holford Drive is home to Continental Star F.C., along with clubs for cricket, table tennis, tennis, and amateur boxing.

Ward

The Perry Barr ward is part of the Birmingham, Perry Barr parliamentary constituency. After changes in 2004, the eastern edge of the ward follows the M6 motorway from Spaghetti Junction to junction 7 at Great Barr. It includes parts of Witton, Aston, Perry Barr, and Great Barr.

Since 2004, three councillors have represented Perry Barr on Birmingham City Council: Ray Hassall, Karen Hamilton, and Jon Hunt, all from the Liberal Democrats. Karen Hamilton became the first black councillor for the ward, and in 2017, Morriam Jan became the first councillor of South Asian origin elected there. Before 1990, the ward often voted for the Conservative Party, but the Liberal Democrats have been strong there since 2004. For elections in 2018 and after, the ward was smaller, with two councillors, and parts of the old Aston ward were returned to a new Aston ward. The new Perry Barr ward includes Witton Cemetery and the Moor Lane Sports Ground.

Demographics and notable residents

The 2001 Population Census counted 22,704 people living in Perry Barr. About 28.2% of the area's residents, or 6,410 people, were from ethnic minorities, which is slightly less than the 29.6% for all of Birmingham. By 2021, around 69.4% of people in Perry Barr and South Hamstead were from non-White ethnic groups.

A well-known British musician, Steve Winwood, started his early musical journey as a choirboy at St John the Evangelist Church of England parish church in Perry Barr.