Thomas Attwood: Birmingham's first Member of Parliament

Did you know that Birmingham's first MP was Thomas Attwood from 1832 to 1840. There has been two statues honouring him in Birmingham, one dated 1859 and the other more recently in 1993. He lobbied for a Reform Bill and he founded the Birmingham Politcal Union at the end of 1829.

Before 1832, Birmingham didn't have any represenation in Parliament. A Birmingham Banker called Thomas Attwood founded the Birmingham Political Union in 1829.

Portrait of Thomas Attwood seen at the Birmingham History Galleries at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.

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It called for extending voting to the working class and redistributing suffrage rights. A Reform Bill of this kind went to Parliament in 1831, before the passing of the 1832 Reform Act.

In May 1832, The Birmingham Political Union met at New Hall Hill where about 200,000 people gathered calling for political reform.

Painting below seen at the Birmingham History Galleries painted by Benjamin Haydon.

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After the Reform Act was passed in 1832, Attwood was elected to Parliament in December 1832, one of two Birmingham Members of Parliament (MPs) with Joshua Scholefield. He was an MP until around 1839. Only one in six men could vote at the time the act was passed.

There has been two statues made of Thomas Attwood.

The first was made in 1859 (around 3 years after his death in 1856) by the sculptor Peter Hollins. At one point the statue stood in Calthorpe Park in Edgbaston before later being moved to a park in Larches Green, Sparkbrook. It was there from 1974 until 2008. But it was regularly a target for graffiti and vandalism. It was removed from the park and was sent into storage at the Birmingham Museum Collections Centre. Where it still remains unrestored.

The plinth is now outside with some other plinths at the Museum Collections Centre.

Seen here in 2012 with the graffiti tags still present.

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Under the graffiti tags it reads "Thomas Attwood Founder of the Birmingham Political Union".

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As of 2018 the statue itself is encased in a wooden crate, just outside of the Warehouse.

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As you can see, the statue is in the same condition as it was when it was removed from the park in Sparkbrook in 2008. Graffiti tags all over, and one of the arms is missing.

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Closer look at the head, and the condition of the statue looks worse for wear. Hopefully it will be restored one day and placed somewhere where the public could see it. Such as on the Harborne High Street?

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The second statue was made more recently in 1993 and was placed on the steps of Chamberlain Square, not far from the Birmingham Town Hall and the now demolished Birmingham Central Library. It was removed to storage in November 2015 ahead of the demolition of the old library for the Paradise Birmingham redevelopment. The sculptors were Sioban Coppinger and Fiona Peever.

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There also used to be a soapbox and pages on the steps with the words "Prosperity", "The Vote" and "Reform"

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"Votes for All" and "Demand for Change"

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"Full Employment" and "Free Trade".

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You can find a blue plaque to Thomas Attwood at Crescent Tower. He lived on a house on that site on what is now the Civic Centre Estate (not far from Cambridge Street). The Birmingham Civic Society unveiled it in 1983.

About 30 plus years later another Birmingham MP, this time John Bright called for further political reform. He was famous for his battles to abolish the Corn Laws. He served as MP for Birmingham from 1858 until 1889. During this time he called for Parliamentary reform, and this led to the Reform Act 1867 (or the Second Reform Act).

The statue seen below is now at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and was by Albert Joy and was made in 1888. John Bright Street near the Alexandrea Theatre was named in his honour.

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All photos taken by Elliott Brown.