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Japanese kitchen

The Japanese kitchen is the place where food is prepared in a Japanese house. Until the Meiji era, a kitchen was also called kamado (かまど; lit. stove) and there are many sayings in the Japanese language that involve kamado as it was considered the symbol of a house. The term could even be used to mean "family" or "household" (much as "hearth" does in English). Separating a family was called kamado wo wakeru, or "divide the stove". Kamado wo yaburu (lit. "break the stove") means that the family was broken.

Early history
In the Jōmon period, from the 10,000 BC to 300 BC, people gathered into villages, where they lived in shallow pit dwellings. These simple huts were between 10 and 30 square meters and had a hearth in the center. Early stoves were nothing more than a shallow pit (jishōro 地床炉), but they were soon surrounded by stones to catch the fire sparks. A bottomless clay vase soon replaced the stones as these became hot quickly and occupants had to be careful around a stove. This type of stove is called maiyōro (埋甕炉; lit. "buried vase stove"). As the stove became safer, it was moved from the center of house to the side and, by the late Kofun period (6th century), almost all houses had a stove at one end of the house. Some rich families in the Kofun period built a separate house where cooking was done. In these houses, food was stored in sacks and pots in a hole dug on the floor. Houses were constructed near a river or a spring for easy access to water.

In the Yayoi period (300 BC to AD 250) the cultivation of rice became widespread, and villages would be constructed near a marsh and a lowland. The water was muddy and asaido (浅井戸), which means a shallow well, were constructed. An asaido was filled with sand and pebbles through which the water flowed to filter out mud and larger organisms. Some villages stored food outside a house in a large storehouse.

The kitchen remained unchanged for over 500 years, between the Nara period in the 8th century until the Muromachi period (1336–1573). Kitchens were furnished with the following items:

 * Ashikanae or Ashimarokanae (足釜) - A nine- or ten-legged iron pot.
 * Kakekanae or Kakemarokanae (懸釜) - An iron pot that was fitted over a stove. It had a "fringe" that let it hang on the stove and was used to boil cook rice into kayu.
 * Yukikamado (行竈) - A pot, with a stove attached, that could be carried around
 * Koshiki (橧 or 甑) - A wooden basket placed on top of a pot to steam cook rice.
 * Nabe (堝 or 鍋) - made of clay or of metal.  Primarily used to make stews and a side dish as well as to boil water.
 * Sashinabe or Sasunabe (銚子, 刺名倍 or 佐志奈閇) - A small pot with a long handle used to warm sake in a bottle.
 * Hiraka or Hotogi (瓫) - A large clay pot, larger than a nabe, used to boil water.
 * Kamado - Also called Mushikamado: the stove itself, constructed with stones, tiles, and clay.
 * Karakamado (韓竈) - A set of koshiki, kanahe (釜), and kamado that can be carried around.
 * Takigi (薪) - In the Nara period, "薪" was read as "takigi" not "maki". Dried wood was used as fuel.
 * Oke (麻筒) - A tub or a pail in three sizes: large, medium, and small. A flat bottomed and shallow tub was also used.
 * Shaku (杓) - Also read as Hisago. A wooden ladle used to scoop cold and hot water from an oke.
 * Katana (刀子) - A cooking knife and not a katana.
 * Kiritsukue or Sekki (切机) - A Manaita (俎) or a cutting board.
 * Fune (船) - A large wooden tub used for washing.
 * Shitami (籮) - A coarse hemp cloth used to squeeze water out or to dry foods by spreading over it.
 * Kame (甕) - A large vase where foods were stored.

In the Heian period (794–1185), the first usage of the precursor to "daidokoro", or pantry, was recorded. The imperial palace of Heian had four rooms dedicated to preparing foods, oni no ma (鬼の間), daibandokoro (台盤所), asagarei no ma (朝餉の間), and Ōidono (大炊殿). "Oni no ma" was the room used for checking for poison and tasting before serving. "Asagarei no ma" was the room for eating breakfast. "Ōidono" was the room to cook foods and was placed to the north and as far away as possible from living quarters. "Daibandokoro" was the room used to serve foods onto a daiban (台盤), a lacquered wooden table. Maid servants also ate and waited to serve meals in the daibandokoro. In the Kamakura period (1185–1333), as the Shoinzukuri style of housing became common, the kitchen was gradually absorbed into the house. Until then, a kitchen was built as a separate house whenever possible to avoid smells and smoke, and to prevent possible kitchen fires from spreading to the primary residence. Kamakura era kitchens did not include essential kitchen furnishings, such as a sink or a well.

Stoves
The earliest dwellings in Japan used an open fire hearth for cooking. The first stove was recorded in the Kofun period, between the 3rd to 6th century. These stoves, called kamado, were typically made of clay and sand; they were fired through a hole in the front and had a hole in the top, into which a pot could be suspended from its rim. This type of stove remained in use for centuries to come, with only minor modifications. In the 14th century, in the Muromachi period, stoves with two holes were recorded in drawings. By the early 17th century, the beginning of the Edo period, large stoves with several cooking holes were common in the kitchens of the upper-class house as well as in large restaurants. It is believed these multiple hole types appeared earlier than recorded but were omitted from drawings of the time because inclusion of a single hole stove was sufficient to indicate a kitchen. The stove was low, meaning cooks had to squat to cook. In the larger kitchens, especially those of palaces and temples, raised kamado that could be operated while standing up were developed in the Edo period (1603–1867).

Irori (囲炉裏、いろり) appeared in the Kofun period and served as a secondary stove. A section of wooden panels were removed from the floor and a lacquered square wooden frame was fitted in the place. The frame was filled with sand and an iron hook was lowered from the ceiling. Foods were reheated or cooked over in an iron pot hung from a hook and the fire served as a heat source. This type of stove became common in many homes by the early Nara period and a smaller irori is the center piece of a tea house.

A third type of stove, a hibachi (火鉢, ひばち) lit. "fire pot", appeared as late as the early Heian period but is likely to have been used earlier. A hibachi is a deep small pot half filled with sand and ash and a small fire was started in the pot. It was used as a safer form of heating equipment than was available previously and could be used to cook small morsels of food.

Water
Fire was a part of a kitchen from the start, but water was late in becoming a part.

In the Yayoi period (300 B.C. to A.D. 250), the cultivation of rice became widespread, and villages would be constructed near a marsh and a lowland. The water was muddy and asaido (浅井戸) lit.) shallow wells, were constructed. An asaido was filled with sand and pebbles through which the water flowed to filter out mud and larger organisms.  A deeper well was also dug and sometimes a hollowed log was inserted into the well to prevent the walls' collapse.  A pot was used to scoop water.

It was not long before people started improving on these primitive wells. The area around a well was tiled with stones, then fune (水船) was invented. Wooden or bamboo shafts were used to carry water from nearby wells and springs to a fune or manually filled by women. Water was carried from these fune to a water vase from where it was used. Sometimes a fune was made inside a house, but it did not have the function of a sink. It was used to collect and store water and nothing more. Fune later became a part of a Japanese garden.

The first time that a sink appeared in a drawing was in the Bokie (慕帰絵) written in the early Muromachi period. The kitchen of the Nanrou temple (南瀧院) had a large sunokoyuka (すのこ床) lit. drainboard floor, next to a stove with a water filled oke and hisyaku (syaku) for washing. This sunokoyuka was made with split bamboo and water would drain through gaps between the canes. Even though in many places a sunokoyuka was made over a river and washing was done, to make a part of the kitchen floor into sunokoyuka to use as a drain was an innovation. This did not pose a health problem as kitchen scraps were meticulously collected and used to make a compost. Few Japanese ate meat due to the Emperor's decree in the 8th century and animals and birds were slaughtered away from a house. Until late Edo period, this type of kitchen was widely used.

Shoin-zukuri and the kitchen
Shoin-zukuri became the standard style of building a house beginning in the 13th century and it was revolutionary for combining fire (stove) and water (well and drain) into a single place. It was still few steps short of a kitchen. In the early stage of Shoinzukuri style, instead of the kitchen being a room inside the omoya (母屋) or the main building, it was connected by a corridor and existed inside one of many sub-buildings. However, it did have a kamado, a irori, a well, and a sunokoyuka in the same room.

In the Edo period (1603 to 1868), daidokoro came to mean "kitchen" and became an integrated part of the house. It was, however, more common to call it katte (勝手) which is used to mean the "back door." The pantry room was called ozentate (御膳立). Upper-class houses were well stocked and extremely large by today's standard. The country house of Tokugawa Mitsukuni, known as a gourmet of Edo period, had kitchen spaces at least 34 jyou or about 53 square metres. This is more than one-third of the entire house and does not include the sake storage room or the pantry. Some kitchens had running water by having bamboo shafts connected to the water source extend into the kitchen; users of less well equipped kitchens fetched water from a common well. A separate kitchen within the house had become customary and all but the smallest single-room houses had one.

Storage in kitchens was provided by mizuya tansu. These are Japanese style chests, often with a mix of compartments behind sliding doors and drawers of varying sizes. These are still available today as antiques, or altered reproductions tailored to a more modern/western style of kitchen.

Industrialization
An American scientist, Edward S. Morse, recorded many of the kitchens in urban and rural areas in the early Meiji period (1868–1912). These kitchens were not much different from those in the Edo period as home use of gas and electricity had only just begun in America and Europe. Though it was costly to lay down infrastructures, these were dutifully laid down, with heavy subsidization by semi-private and national companies.

The early 1900s brought a change in Japanese cuisine. Foreign cuisines from every part of the world flooded Japanese cookbooks, part of the haikara boom (ハイカラ, literally high collared, taken from high-collared coats popular in Europe). Popular dishes like curried rice, sukiyaki, ramen, and gyūdon appeared during the Meiji period as a part of the haikara movement and represented a fusing of traditional Japanese cuisines with other cuisines. Kitchens were completely reorganized to cook these foods; kitchens of the Edo period were used for simple menus of rice, broiled fish, vegetable soup, and pickled vegetables.

The first gas light was installed in Yokohama by 1873, but it would be more than 30 years before advertisements for the gas started appearing in newspapers. These ads were not directed at middle to lower classes. In the 1908 study of how gas was used in Tokyo, 57% was for lighting, 14% was for fuel, 19% was for powering motors, and 3% was for streetlights. This meant that gas was used to light only 1 out of 9 households and only 1 out of 100 households used gas for cooking. Gas companies realized this, and early appliances were directly imported from England which made them too costly for all but the richest citizens.

The Japanese kitchen turned away from American and European kitchens at this point. The first item of the industrialization to be introduced to most houses was the gas-heated rice cooker. A gas stove were introduced much later as the cost of gas was still too high for most homes. A gas oven, often an essential part of the kitchen in many American and European houses, never made it into most Japanese households because dishes requiring cooking in an oven, such as roasted chicken and baked pies, became popular only much later. Instead of an oven, a smaller fish oven was fitted into a gas stove. The gas-heated rice cooker remained in use until the 1970s in many houses and was eventually replaced by the electric rice cooker.

In the 1920s, electricity became more widespread in homes in Japan. In Nihonkatei daihyakkajiten (literally Encyclopedia of Japanese Household) published in 1927, there is already an entry of "katei denka" meaning a completely electric house. It says,

 * The most important reason to use electricity for all needs of a house, lighting, heat, power is because it will help women to work, increasing their efficiency, make living easier and comfortable, and also make it economical. There must be several electrical outlets in each room to easily use an appliance like electric heater.  They also let occupants use electric light at any time and no one can forget the comfort of using appliances like an electric fan, an electric heater, an electric toaster, a coffee maker, an electric iron, and an electric curling iron.

 * ...Placing various electric appliances (in a kitchen) and cooking with them is essential to making it easier to work in this small space.  An electric stove, an electric oven, an electric refrigerator, an electric dishwashers, etc. must be wired properly in appropriate spaces.

This, however, did not mean that a completely electric house had become common. In 1937, J. G. Douglass from General Electric conducted a half-year research on how many electric appliances made into a common household. According to this report:

 * Electric iron - 3,131,000 (approximately 120,000 in Tokyo area)
 * Refrigerator - 12,215 (4,700)
 * Room cooler - 260 (125)
 * Vacuum cleaner - 6,610 (3,100)
 * Washing machine - 3,197 (1,590)

This research project also predicted that four years later, in 1941, electric appliances should be much more widely used. A 490% increase was predicted for the refrigerator, 470% increase for the vacuum cleaner, and 150% increase for iron.

The first public water service began on October 17, 1887, in Yokohama. By the early 1900s, most major cities had water services. However, these water pipes often led to public water taps. In 1892, a survey conducted in Yokohama revealed that less than 1 in 4 households had a private water tap. 18,184 households used public water taps, while only 5,120 household used private water taps. By the 1930s, most new houses were constructed with a private water taps, but it would take another 30 years to become available in a village far from a city.

The "ordinary person's dream kitchen"
In 1912, a progressive woman's magazine Fujin no tomo (婦人の友) ran a contest for a heiminteki risouno daidokoro (平民的理想の台所), or "ordinary people's sophisticated kitchen." Heimin, literally "average person," was a popular phrase in the 1910s and 1920s, and it implied a well-educated and progressive person. Fifty-two contest entries were sent by readers, and two were awarded grand prizes. These winners were called "the city kitchen" and "the village kitchen".

The city kitchen was about 15.5 square metres in size and was intended to be used by a wife and her mother-in-law. The kitchen had doors leading to the dining room, the bath, and the laundry area. It had a wooden floor, roughly one-fourth of which included underfloor food storage lined with concrete. Two kamado were at one end, and a separate portable stove using charcoal was set up in the middle of the room. Next to the kamado was a stone sink without a water tap. Next to this sink were storage shelves with pots and pans on top, washed dishes in the middle, and vegetables and miso on the bottom. Next to the portable stove was a large food preparation table, with several drawers to store cooking utensils. Staples such as rice, sugar, and flour were kept in pots beneath this table. Additional shelves at the other end of the room could be accessed from both the kitchen and the dining room. Next to these shelves was another preparation table where foods were served onto individual dishes and then carried to the dining room. Kitchen windows and shoji were installed with glass panes to make the kitchen brighter, and electric lights were hung from the ceiling. This "dream kitchen" was spacious by today's standards, yet it lacked most modern post-industrial conveniences, although many smaller improvements had been made.

Also around this time, many families started to use a low table called chabudai. Everyone sat around it, rather than using individual daiban. Until the 1960s, sitting on chairs and eating around a dining table was considered "haikara".

The kitchen in the Taishō period
In the Taishō period (1912–1926), a popular movement called "Taishō Democracy" began. Its main focus was on universal suffrage for males, and this movement extended into other fields, serving as a modernization effort similar to the Meiji Restoration. The kitchen was affected.

Before the Taishō period, the kitchen was constructed so that most tasks could be done while sitting, crouching, or kneeling. This was due to long preparation and cooking times and helped keep the stove low to prevent the spread of fire. As gas stoves and European-style clothes became popular, kitchens were redesigned so they could be used while standing. A second innovation was that instead of placing the stove and water sink in a sunken, dirt-floored section of the kitchen, the stove was constructed on the same level as the rest of the kitchen, eliminating the need for stepping into footwear to attend it.

In 1922, Suzuki Shougyou began marketing a customizable kitchen set that came to be called the "System Kitchen." Many of its parts were prefabricated, and it could be made to fit in a space anywhere from 1.8 to 2.7 metres, the length of one to one-and-one-half tatami mats. The System Kitchen had a water sink, a cutting board, two or more gas stoves (not included), and cabinets for storage. This Suzuki kitchen was expensive, costing 120 yen at a time when a first-year bank worker earned only 50 yen per month. Today the same worker earns over 240,000 yen or about 2,400 dollars in a month.

By the end of the Taishō period, it was becoming increasingly difficult to have a maid to help around the house. This means that the kitchen had to be smaller for a housewife working alone. Whereas a European Frankfurt kitchen measured 1.9m by 3.4m, or 6.46 square metres, Japanese pushed for an even smaller size, 1 tsubo or 3.3 square metres, the area of two tatami mats. Three sides of these kitchens were filled with cupboards, stoves, storage areas, and a water sink.

The post-war kitchen
Many Japanese houses were destroyed in World War II. Rebuilding allowed architects to freely redesign houses as well as kitchens. The influence of Edo-period lifestyles was now nearly gone. Electricity and gas were built into kitchens, and designs reflected this change. An electric refrigerator, a luxury item before the war, became a standard item in the 1950s, along with an electric washing machine and a black-and-white television. However, early post-war housing projects were often poorly designed. Sometimes architects simply copied plans for American or European housing projects, with only minor modifications to better suit Japanese families. Kitchens were small and soon became cluttered with new electric appliances.

The "System Kitchen" approach to design was intended to make the kitchen easier for the average housewife to use. Since most families cook many types of cuisine in their kitchens, a streamlined cooking process was studied, focusing on how the kitchen was actually used. In a system kitchen, the refrigerator and other electrical appliances were placed in predesigned locations, and storage spaces were subdivided to house pots, pans and kitchen utensils.

Contemporary
A typical modern Japanese kitchen includes the following:
 * Counter: Countertop is usually made of cultured marble, but wood or natural stone is used for higher-end kitchens and stainless steel are used for commercial or lower-end kitchens.
 * Large sink
 * Cabinets
 * Refrigerator and freezer: Especially in smaller kitchens for apartments, the top is usually low enough to use as an additional surface, particularly for appliances, similar to Western dormitory-sized refrigerator/freezers. In larger kitchens, full height refrigerators are common.
 * Gas or induction stove: In smaller kitchens, there are only one or two burners, while more often it is three to four burners, with a narrow grill underneath for fish or vegetables. In the low-end apartments, stoves are often not built-in but rather a counter-top appliance, which is attached with a hose to a gas or power outlet. In case of earthquakes, the gas tap is to be turned off to prevent fires.
 * Electric rice cooker: Over 95% of Japanese houses have one.
 * Electric water boiler or kettle, particularly for making tea, but also instant ramen
 * Toaster oven
 * Microwave oven or convection microwave
 * Extractor hood or fan

Notably absent are large ovens and dishwashers. Large gas ovens are found in some kitchens, particularly in higher-end dwellings, but in most kitchens, convection microwaves are used instead. Dishwashers can commonly be found in the kitchens of houses and condominiums, but rarely in apartments.

Portable vacuum flasks are popular for carrying home-brewed tea, particularly hot tea in the winter and cold tea in the summer, particularly cold oolong tea.

title: Japanese kitchen


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Tower Hill, West Midlands

Tower Hill is an area of Great Barr, Birmingham, England. It is situated on the western side of the main A34 road that links Birmingham with Walsall, and straddles the Tame Valley Canal.

The canal passes through Tower Hill in a deep cutting in 200-million-year-old sandstone, and is crossed by Freeth Bridge (now restricted to pedestrians and bikes only). There are no locks on this section, which is at the Walsall Level.

The area was chiefly developed between 1930 and 1960 for a mix of private and council housing. It has shops, a medical centre, a library (venue for the Barr and Aston Local History Society) and an ambulance station; the latter in a former branch of the Birmingham Municipal Bank. The only pub, The Towers, boasts a sign carved by William Bloye.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Tower Hill, West Midlands


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Wylde Green

Wylde Green is a residential area within the town of Sutton Coldfield in Birmingham, England in the West Midlands. It was in the county of Warwickshire. The area is in the Sutton Vesey ward.

History
In the 16th century, this area of barren common land was known as the Wyld and was sparsely populated. After the Enclosure Act of 1825, there was some development and in 1840 the growth of the population to about 60 led to the building of the first school. In the 1850s substantial Victorian mansions began to appear along the Birmingham Road. Highbridge Road and Station Road were laid out in 1858 in anticipation of the coming of the railway. The railway with its station at Wylde Green railway station opened in 1862 (now on the Birmingham to Lichfield suburban line). Urbanisation of the area proceeded rapidly thereafter. In 1923, the parish of Wylde Green was created out of that of Boldmere.

In 1974 Sutton Coldfield, of which Wylde Green is a part, became part of the City of Birmingham. A consultative ballot in 2015 led to the formation of Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council. The role of this organisation is the same as a parish council. Wylde Green falls under its authority.

Until recently there was a 1950s disused nuclear bunker that would have played a key role in the control of the Birmingham area in the event of a nuclear attack.

Geography
Wylde Green is situated on the south side of Sutton Coldfield, bordering the Chester Road district of north Erdington, Birmingham and the Pype Hayes district to the southeast. To the north is Beeches Walk (an informal boundary between it and the Maney area that heralds the start of the town centre of Sutton Coldfield). To the south is the Chester Road crossroads, near to the Yenton Public House, beyond which is Erdington. To the east across New Hall Valley is Walmley, and on the west is Boldmere.

Housing and facilities
Much of the housing dates from the 1930s, late 1940s and 1950s. Much of the area is a middle-working class suburb, with small pockets of affluence. There is one tower block located within Wylde Green, Heron Court, which is behind The Lanes Shopping Centre, which also has flats above retail floors.

Wylde Green Road, the road to Walmley, was noted for having a ford across Plants Brook until around 1967. Within the valley are New Hall Valley Country Park and Plantsbrook Nature Reserve. Also on the Wylde Green Road is a cottage which used to look over the ford. It was called the Fordkeeper's Cottage and was built by Bishop Vesey.

Wylde Green was previously served by Wylde Green library, a one-storey building that, until recently, was run by volunteers. It is located to the rear of The Lanes Shopping Centre which, along with the rest of the street, hosts the main shopping area for Wylde Green. Wylde Green Library has been cut, and Birmingham City Council blames lack of funding from the Central government. Opposite the library is Emmanuel Parish Church, a Grade II* listed building, designed by William Bidlake. The organ was produced in 1932 by Willis Organs. The church is home to one of the few remaining boys choirs and also has a well-established girls choir. Adjacent to the library is Wylde Green Primary School, opened in 1840. Another church in Wylde Green is the Wylde Green United Reformed Church, established in 1897.

title: Wylde Green


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Boldmere

Boldmere is a suburb and residential area of Sutton Coldfield, City of Birmingham, England. It is bordered by New Oscott, Sutton Park, Wylde Green and Erdington, and is in the ward of Sutton Vesey.

Toponymy
"Boldmere" is a corruption of the word "Baldmoor", coming from the Middle English bald (meaning "a white patch") and the Anglo-Saxon moor (meaning "boggy land"). Therefore, Boldmere literally means a "bald moor"; a treeless patch. Bald (meaning "bold") was also a personal name used by the Anglo-Saxons.

Name history
At the time of John Speed's 1610 atlas The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine, Boldmere was known as Cofield Wast. The area was described as "an open, wild and windy expanse, covered with gorse".

The United Kingdom Census of 1841 refers to the area as Baldmoor Lake, which was once a body of water south of the Chester Road. The lake has also been known as Bowen Pool, Baldmoor, and Bolemore Lake, though no lake is shown on Speed's map of 1610 (nor on other later maps). The census did, however, list a dwelling on the Chester Road as "Lake House". There is, however, a Lakehouse Road and Baldmoor Lake Road in the area.

By 1856, the area had become known as The Coldfield, a name which lasted at least until the introduction of the railway.

Expansion
On introduction of the 1825 Inclosure Act, the area saw little expansion due to common land becoming privately owned. The 1841 census listed eight families in the area, including agricultural workers, a painter, an Irish carrier, and a wire drawer. It is likely that the latter worked at Penns Mill, a nearby wire mill run by the Webster family (with Baron Dickinson Webster's business involvements including the transatlantic telegraph cable).

Boldmere did expand, however, upon the introduction of the London and North Western Railway. Two stations opened in the region at Wylde Green and Chester Road, in 1862 and 1863 respectively.

A second housing boom occurred in the 1930s, with both private and council housing being built.

Administration
In 1857, Boldmere was designated as an ecclesiastical parish, formed from the parish of St Michael's in Sutton Coldfield. When Sutton Coldfield was reorganised in 1885 (under the Municipal Corporations Act 1882), Boldmere was created as a ward, before being divided into Boldmere West and Boldmere East in 1935.

Boldmere is now part of the Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council, which was formed following a consultative ballot in 2015. The role of this organisation is the same as a parish council. Boldmere is in the Sutton Vesey electoral ward.

Geography

Boldmere is triangular in shape and roughly bounded on the north by Sutton Park, on the east by the Cross-City railway line and on the south-west by Chester Road. Boldmere Gate provides access to Sutton Park.

The main shopping centre of Boldmere is at the northern end of Boldmere Road, which runs north-south through the centre of Boldmere. The collection of shops at the southern end of Boldmere Road is known locally as Little Boldmere.

Gibbet Hill, in the north-west of the area, is named after the gibbet from which Edward Allport was hanged for the murder of London silk dyer John Johnson in the area on 28 March 1729. Although this site is no longer referred to as Gibbet Hill, and was undeveloped until (at least) 1906, the toponymy has survived in the name of Gibbet Hill Wood; an area which Birmingham City Council have identified as "an area of potential archaeological importance" due to "surviving archaeological remains".

Economy
Boldmere is well-served with shops, hairdressers, pubs and restaurants. There are also a post office and a public library. All banks in Boldmere have now closed with the nearest branches being in Erdington or Sutton Town Centre.

Industry

In the 18th century, Powell's Pool (then known as New Forge Pool) near Boldmere Gate was the site of the mill used by John Wyatt to experiment with mechanised cotton spinning. Along with Lewis Paul, he developed the roller spinning machine and the flyer-and-bobbin system (Paul patented the former on 24 June 1738). In 1750, the mill was used by William Powell to manufacture spades (using locally-grown ash wood for the handles). It is believed that the first steel garden fork was manufactured at the mill. The building was later used to produce steel for the production of pen nibs. The Ordnance Survey's First Series map (1834) identifies a forge in this area, of which John Willets (a forgeman), John Page (a spade maker), and John Harris (a saw maker) have all been identified as proprietors.

The mill was demolished some time after 1936, after lying unused and dilapidated for a number of years. Although none of the building's structure remains, a waterfall (providing a spillway to Powell's Pool) is now sited where the millrace was located.

Transport
Boldmere's main roads are Jockey Road (A453), Chester Road (A452) and Boldmere Road (B4142). Boldmere is served by Wylde Green and Chester Road railway stations, both on the Cross-City railway line, which runs between Lichfield Trent Valley and Redditch (via Birmingham New Street).

Boldmere is served by a number of National Express West Midlands bus services, including routes 5, 66, 77 and 907.

Places of worship

The churches in the area are St Michael's (Church of England), St Nicholas's (Roman Catholic), Chester Road Baptist Church, Boldmere Methodist Church, and Wylde Green United Reformed Church. St Nicholas's Church was preceded by a chapel that was designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin and which opened in 1841. These churches take their name from Cardinal Nicholas Wiseman.

The ring of bells at St Michael's church are noted as being one of the few rings in Birmingham still in existence that were produced before the introduction of scientific bell tuning in the 1890s (John Taylor & Co installed Birmingham's first harmonic ring at St. Barnabas' Church, Erdington in 1906). The bells' 18th–19th century tonal quality is rare as most pre-scientific bells in Birmingham have been recast by the Taylor or Whitechapel foundries.

In 1964, St Michael's church was partially destroyed by fire, with only the tower and south aisle surviving. The building's reconstruction was not without controversy, particularly due to the unconventional use of Staffordshire blue brick.

Education
Educational facilities in the area include Boldmere Infant and Nursery School, Boldmere Junior School, St Nicholas Catholic Primary School, and Boldmere Adult Education Centre.

In 1848, Reverend W. K. Riland Bedford worked towards opening Boldmere National School for Girls and Infants. The building served as Boldmere's Anglican church until the opening of St Michael's in 1857, and is now a health clinic.

Culture
Boldmere is home to Highbury Theatre Centre, a community theatre organisation. The theatre has been in its current location since it was built by its original members in 1942.

Sport
Boldmere Wanderers FC who were founded in 2018, play their home games at Rectory Park, Sutton Coldfield.

Boldmere Golf Course is located on the northern edge of Boldmere, and hosts Europe's longest-running pro-am golfing competition. The annual Great Midlands Fun Run uses Boldmere Gate as the entrance to Sutton Park.

Boldmere St. Michael's Football Club is a football club based in Boldmere, Sutton Coldfield, England. They are currently members of the Midland League Premier Division and play at the Trevor Brown Memorial Ground.

Famous residents
Hazel Court, a British actress known for her appearances in horror films of the 1950s and 60s, lived in the area and attended Boldmere School and Highclare College.

Emma Willis, née Griffiths, who was born in 1976 lived on Boldmere Road during her childhood and attended Wylde Green Primary School.

title: Boldmere


text:
Mere Green, Birmingham

Mere Green is a small commercial centre in Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, England.

Facilities
Mere Green includes a mixture of independent shops, bars and restaurants and some national chain stores located around the junction of Lichfield Road, Belwell Lane, Hill Village Road and Mere Green Road.

Supermarkets include Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury's and Lidl. There are several pubs in the area including the Mare Pool (Wetherspoons), Renato Lounge, Old School House and the Fox and Dogs. Mere Green was also home to Flints which was a bar that was very popular in the 1970s and 1980s. It underwent various changes in ownership and name before resorting back to its original name in 2018. By 2022 it had ceased trading and in 2024 (along with the adjacent former Waitrose building) it was demolished to make way for an Aldi store. Mere Green Library and Community Centre offers classes in such subjects as yoga and art, free internet access and facilities for tennis and lawn green bowls as well as hosting reading groups for adults and children and occasional exhibitions.

The area made the news in 1983 when Italian Renato Pagliari, then co-owner of the La Gondola restaurant in Mere Green, scored a No 1 hit single in the UK as one half of the singing duo 'Renée and Renato' with the song 'Save Your Love'.

Redevelopment
Plans were outlined for a major redevelopment of the Mere Green shopping area, which would involve the demolition of many of the smaller shops. The scheme, led by Spring Urban, was approved in August 2007. The development was however delayed by the recession and again when Spring Urban's parent company, Castlemore Securities, went into administration in February 2009.

Work finally began on the £15 million "Mulberry Walk" scheme in September 2015.

The first new store on the development that opened was Boots, which opened on 17 August 2016. Warrens Bakery moved in in February 2017, making the development home to their first store outside the West Country. This store closed in 2019.

Public Transport
Bus is the main public transport to and from Mere Green. Most services are operated by National Express West Midlands (NXWM) with service 78 operated by Diamond Bus and service 604 operated by Claribel Coaches. Service 604 will be operated by National Express from 25th April 2022. Until 2019, Midland Classic operated service X12 between Sutton Coldfield and Burton-upon-Trent which partly replaced the former Stevensons (later Arriva Midlands) service 112. Routes include:
 * 6 Walsall - Sutton Coldfield
 * 78 Queslett - Sutton Coldfield. Part replaced by 78 (see below).
 * 604 Kingstanding - Mere Green This service has now been replaced by service 78A operating between Kingstanding and Sutton Coldfield, also replacing part of the 78.
 * X3 Birmingham - Hill Hook. This service was extended to serve Lichfield in 2019 partially replacing Midland Classic service X12.
 * X5 Birmingham - Roughley

Mere Green centre is approximately 2/3 of a mile from Four Oaks railway station on the Cross-City Line which provides a frequent rail service to Redditch and Bromsgrove via Birmingham New Street and to Lichfield.

title: Mere Green, Birmingham


text:
Professional ethics

Professional ethics encompass the personal and corporate standards of behavior expected of professionals.

The word professionalism originally applied to vows of a religious order. By no later than the year 1675, the term had seen secular application and was applied to the three learned professions: divinity, law, and medicine. The term professionalism was also used for the military profession around this same time.

Professionals and those working in acknowledged professions exercise specialist knowledge and skill. How the use of this knowledge should be governed when providing a service to the public can be considered a moral issue and is termed "professional ethics".

One of the earliest examples of professional ethics is the Hippocratic oath to which medical doctors still adhere to this day.

Components
Some professional organizations may define their ethical approach in terms of a number of discrete components. Typically these include honesty, trustworthiness, transparency, accountability, confidentiality, objectivity, respect, obedience to the law, and loyalty.

Implementation
Most professionals have internally enforced codes of practice that members of the profession must follow to prevent exploitation of the client and to preserve the integrity and reputation of the profession. This is not only for the benefit of the client but also for the benefit of those belonging to that profession. Disciplinary codes allow the profession to define a standard of conduct and ensure that individual practitioners meet this standard, by disciplining them from the professional body if they do not practice accordingly. This allows those professionals who act with a conscience to practice in the knowledge that they will not be undermined commercially by those who have fewer ethical qualms. It also maintains the public’s trust in the profession, encouraging the public to continue seeking their services.

Internal regulation
In cases where professional bodies regulate their own ethics, there are possibilities for such bodies to become self-serving and fail to follow their own ethical code when dealing with renegade members. This is particularly true of professions in which they have almost a complete monopoly on a particular area of knowledge. For example, until recently, the English courts deferred to the professional consensus on matters relating to their practice that lay outside case law and legislation.

New UK research shows that lawyers “are sometimes too inclined to engage in professionally questionable, and potentially even illegal, actions without fully reflecting on the legal rules and interests engaged”. It found the potential for the rule of law to be challenged by certain forms of lawyer conduct was “widespread and significant”. Recent events (2023) in the USA seem to reflect similar issues.

Statutory regulation
In many countries there is some statutory regulation of professional ethical standards such as the statutory bodies that regulate nursing and midwifery in England and Wales. Failure to comply with these standards can thus become a matter for the courts.

Examples
For example, a lay member of the public should not be held responsible for failing to act to save a car crash victim because they could not give an appropriate emergency treatment, though, they are responsible for attempting to get help for the victim. This is because they do not have the relevant knowledge and experience. In contrast, a fully trained doctor (with the correct equipment) would be capable of making the correct diagnosis and carrying out appropriate procedures. Failure of a doctor to help at all in such a situation would generally be regarded as negligent and unethical. Though, if a doctor helps and makes a mistake that is considered negligent and unethical, there could be egregious repercussions. An untrained person would only be considered to be negligent for failing to act if they did nothing at all to help and is protected by the "Good Samaritan" laws if they unintentionally caused more damage and possible loss of life.

A business may approach a professional engineer to certify the safety of a project which is not safe. While one engineer may refuse to certify the project on moral grounds, the business may find a less scrupulous engineer who will be prepared to certify the project for a bribe, thus saving the business the expense of redesigning.

Some corporations have tried to burnish their ethical image by creating whistle-blower protections, such as anonymity. In the case of Citi, they call this the "Ethics Hotline", though it is unclear whether firms such as Citi take offences reported to these hotlines seriously or not.

Separatism
On a theoretical level, there is debate as to whether an ethical code for a profession should be consistent with the requirements of morality governing the public. Separatists argue that professions should be allowed to go beyond such confines when they judge it necessary. This is because they are trained to produce certain outcomes which may take moral precedence over other functions of society. For example, it could be argued that a doctor may lie to a patient about the severity of his or her condition if there is reason to believe that telling the patient would cause so much distress that it would be detrimental to his or her health. This would be a disrespect of the patient's autonomy, as it denies the patient information that could have a great impact on his or her life. This would generally be seen as morally wrong. However, if the end of improving and maintaining health is given a moral priority in society, then it may be justifiable to contravene other moral demands in order to meet this goal. Separatism is based on a relativist conception of morality that there can be different, equally valid, moral codes that apply to different sections of society and differences in codes between societies. If moral universalism is ascribed to, then this would be inconsistent with the view that professions can have a different moral code, as the universalist holds that there is only one valid moral code for all.

Student ethics
As attending college after high school graduation becomes a standard in the lives of young people, colleges and universities are becoming more business-like in their expectations of the students. Although people have differing opinions about if it is effective, surveys state that it is the overall goal of the university administrators. Setting up a business-like atmosphere helps students get adjusted from a more relaxed nature, like high school, towards what will be expected of them in the business world upon graduating from college.

Codes of conduct
Codes of conduct, such as the St. Xavier Code of Conduct, are becoming more of a staple in the academic lives of students. While some of these rules are based solely on academics others are more in depth than in previous years, such as, detailing the level of respect expected towards staff and gambling.

Not only do codes of conduct apply while attending the schools at home, but also while studying abroad. Schools also implement a code of conduct for international study abroad programs which carry over many of the same rules found in most student handbooks.

title: Professional ethics


text:
Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield

Four Oaks is an affluent residential area in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, lying along the north and east borders of Sutton Park. Four Oaks is situated approximately 7 + 1/2 mi north of Birmingham City Centre, and is bordered by Sutton Park, Streetly, Mere Green, Little Aston, Roughley and Aldridge. Four Oaks has a population of 21,690 as of 2004, and is part of the Sutton Four Oaks electoral ward.

Four Oaks Estate
In 1677, Henry Folliott, 3rd Baron Folliott of Ballyshannon bought 60 acre of woodland and built Four Oaks Hall. Folliott died in 1716, but his widow continued to live in Four Oaks Hall until her death in 1751. The estate was sold to Simon Luttrell, 1st Earl of Carhampton, who remodelled and modernised the house. In 1757, he bought a further 50 acre of woodland to annex his estate and form a deer park. He sold the estate to Thomas Gresley in 1778, who sold the estate to Sir Hugh Bateman, 1st Baronet of Hartington Hall in 1785, who in turn sold the estate to Sir Edmund Cradock-Hartopp, 1st Baronet in 1792. In 1827, Hartopp bought 35 acre of woodland to further increase the size of the deer park. The estate was sold to Hubert de Burgh-Canning, 2nd Marquess of Clanricarde for residential development in 1868. Roads were named to commemorate the history of the estate, and between 1895 and 1915 approximately 200 houses were built on the estate, forming Four Oaks Estate. The neglected and dilapidated Four Oaks Hall was demolished in 1898, and the site is now occupied by Carhampton House.

Four Oaks Estate is a mainly residential area with the Four Oaks Tennis Club at its heart, approximately enclosed by Lichfield Road, Four Oaks Road, Sutton Park and Sutton Park Line railway line. One of the most expensive residential areas in the West Midlands, the Park's roads are home to some of the region's wealthiest residents. Four Oaks Park is characterised by its large houses and tree-lined, speed-humped roads. The houses on the Estate are individually designed by prominent architects such as Charles Bateman, and most sell for at least £2 million. Many of the houses have received listed building status. Four Oaks Estate is also home to Four Oaks Tennis Club, which was founded in 1906.

The roads on Four Oaks Estate are managed by Four Oaks Estate Ltd and run by a formally constituted Board of Directors, who are all Estate residents, supported by an appointed Secretary & Treasurer.

Four Oaks Estate Ltd submitted in 2019 a Lawful Development Certificate application 2019/03339/PA to Birmingham Council, that was Refused on the grounds that the Estate roads were Highways maintained at private expense, meaning the public enjoy the benefit of a public right of way over the Estate roads for any and all purposes and at all times, the same as any other publicly maintained highway. The plan was to create a large exclusive gated community consisting of 340 houses, by installing 8 sets of perimeter gates on the 8 entrance points into the private residential estate. However it is unlawful to obstruct a highway and also unlawful to obstruct a public right of way, which gates would do.

A similar planning application at the neighbouring Little Aston Park similar exclusive private residential estate 1 mile away was recently Refused at a Lichfield Council Planning Committee meeting, and subsequent Planning Inspectorate Appeal Dismissed, as to create a large exclusive gated community would undermine social cohesion by creating social segregation. However a subsequent application for Certificates of Lawfulness were subsequently approved by Lichfield Council for 6 sets of perimeter gates, despite Little Aston Park Estate having a public church, golf club, public post box within its grounds, and their Estate roads having an unknown legal owner, meaning the legal owner could not have installed legal signs to prevent dedication of the roads as highways. This raises the question of the legal validity of Little Aston Park's signs installed by residents, and therefore raises the possibility their roads are also highways maintained at private expense and also a public right of way.

Barker Road

 * No 17, Withens by William Bidlake 1898
 * No 26, Beaconsfield by Thomas Walter Francis Newton and Alfred Edward Cheatle 1900

Bracebridge Road

 * No 2, The Dene by William Bidlake 1895-96
 * No 8, Red Mullion by Owen Parsons 1929
 * No 12, by Edward Haywood-Farmer 1902
 * No 14, Maes Y Lledr (originally Hawkesford) by Charles Bateman 1901-02
 * No 16, The Lawns, by Owen Parsons 1899
 * No 23, Hindecliffe by Owen Parsons 1905
 * No 35, Bryn Teg by Charles Bateman 1904
 * No 51, Woodside by William Bidlake 1897
 * No 57, Kenwood by Harry Weedon 1927

Four Oaks Road

 * No 19, Dunster by William de Lacy Aherne 1901
 * No 21, Avon Croft by Crouch and Butler 1900
 * No 23, Cressington by Crouch and Butler 1900
 * No 43, by Crouch and Butler 1908
 * No 45, by Crouch and Butler 1908

Hartopp Road

 * Red House, by William de Lacy Aherne 1900
 * No 1, Redlands by Charles Bateman 1903
 * No. 9, by Edwin Francis Reynolds 1920
 * No 16, Conyar by Crouch and Butler 1908
 * No 18, Luttrell House by Crouch and Butler 1901
 * No 34, Oakwood, formerly stables to The Hurst, by William Lethaby
 * No 37, Woodgate by William Bidlake 1896

Ladywood Road

 * No 19, late 19th century
 * No 21, by Crouch and Butler 1906
 * No 22, Redcroft by William Bidlake 1901-02

Lichfield Road

 * No 147, Former South Lodge of Four Oaks Hall, 16th or 17th century

Luttrell Road

 * No 5, Culross House by Owen Parsons 1928
 * No 11, Carhampton House by Charles Bateman 1901-02
 * No 16, by Crouch and Butler 1907
 * No 18, by Crouch and Butler 1906

Wentworth Road

 * No 6, Heathercourt by Crouch and Butler 1907
 * No 10, by Crouch and Butler 1907
 * No 15, by Cossins, Peacock and Bewlay 1908

Transport
West Midlands Trains operate a frequent train service from Four Oaks railway station north to Lichfield and south to Redditch and Bromsgrove via Birmingham New Street and University (adjacent to the University of Birmingham and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital) on the Cross-City Line. The Sutton Park Line is a freight-only railway line that runs through Four Oaks from Walsall to Water Orton via Sutton Park.

There are also four bus services through Four Oaks operated by National Express West Midlands.

Churches
All Saints' Church is the Church of England parish church in Four Oaks. It is situated at the junction of Walsall Road and Belwell Lane and is a Grade II* listed building. Four Oaks Methodist Church is a Gothic Revival church located next to Four Oaks railway station at the junction of Four Oaks Road and Lichfield Road. Constructed between 1907 and 1908, the church was Grade II listed in 1976.

Noted Person
Sir Thomas Acquin Martin (1850-1906) - Industrialist. Born in Four Oaks.

title: Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield


text:
Hill Hook

Hill Hook is an area of Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England.

The area includes Hill Hook Local Nature Reserve, declared in 2003 with an area of 5.65 hectares, which is on the site of a watermill built in the 17th century. An earlier dam showed the extent of the original mill pool, which was enlarged in 1767. The nature reserve, known locally as 'The Meddies' or 'The Mill Pond' was substantially built upon from the early 1980s onwards, although small parts remain untouched. The Friends of Hill Hook, a local group of The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country work alongside the Council ranger Service to care for the site.

It is close to Four Oaks and Little Aston and is approximately one mile from Sutton Park. The area is served by Blake Street railway station, and is served by National Express West Midlands route X3. Midland Classic of Burton previously operated an hourly X12 service between Burton and Sutton Coldfield, however this was cut to terminate at Lichfield and subsequently the X3 extended to Lichfield half hourly to cover this gap. Prior to the X12, for many years Stevensons of Uttoxeter operated service 112 which ran between Birmingham, via Erdington, Sutton Coldfield & Lichfield, and Burton-upon-Trent and which also served Blake Street railway station.

title: Hill Hook


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Whitehouse Common

Whitehouse Common is an area of Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England. It lies north of Falcon Lodge which is separated from it by a main road.

The area is served by Whitehouse Common Primary School.

title: Whitehouse Common


text:
Birchfield, Birmingham

Birchfield is located in and between Perry Barr, Aston, Handsworth Wood. Birchfield shares the B6 and B20 postcode with surrounding areas Handsworth Wood, Aston and Perry Barr. The main roads within the area include Birchfield road, This leads on to towards Birmingham city centre. The area is home to many schools, including Birchfield Community Primary School.

The churches include Holy Trinity parish church (Church of England), Perry Barr Methodist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses Gospel Hall in Trinity Road and the Birchfield Gospel Hall.

The Birchfield Harriers were named after the area. The area is represented by Khalid Mahmood, the Labour MP for Birmingham Perry Barr. It is also represented by a Labour councillor.

title: Birchfield, Birmingham


text:
CAFOD

The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, commonly known as CAFOD, is an international development and relief charity. It is the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.

CAFOD is part of the global Caritas Internationalis confederation and of Caritas Europa, as well as a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC). Its work is based on Gospel values and Catholic social teaching.

History
CAFOD's origins can be traced back to the launch of a Family Fast Day organised by a group of Catholic women in 1960, who used the money saved through fasting to support a project in Dominica. The Bishops' Conference of England and Wales registered the charity in 1962. Its current governing document dates from 2015.

In 2015, CAFOD joined the CHS Alliance. One year later, it was certified against the Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability with the current certification being valid until 2027.

CAFOD's Director Christine Allen was appointed in March 2019.

In 2020, CAFOD launched a new strategy, Our Common Home, based on Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si', which calls for a new definition of progress rooted in integral ecology, recognising that everything is connected and hearing both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor, calling on all people to dialogue in society about how best to tackle the global issue.

Work
The stated aim of CAFOD is to tackle poverty globally. Through local Catholic Church and secular partners, its aims to help people directly in their own communities and campaigns for global justice

International Programmes
In 2023, CAFOD implemented programmes in 42 countries located in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America & Caribbean. CAFOD is not a direct implementer but works according to the localisation principle, i.e. through local partner organisations. That same year, CAFOD supported local partners organisations with 594 grants and programme payments worth £41.8 million, reaching one million vulnerable and excluded people directly.

Campaigns
CAFOD has had many campaigns over the years and participated in joint campaigns with other charities. These campaigns tackled a series of topics, for example the impact of debt crises in the poorest nations ("Jubilee 2000", "Cancel the Debt", "Stop Cowboy Lenders", "The New Debt Crisis"), or the right of small-scale farmer around the world to use their seeds and the negative impact of powerful agribusiness companies ("Fix the Food System"). Other campaigns demanded climate action ("The Time is Now"; "One Climate, One World"), renewable energy for the world's poorest people ("Power to Be"), or raised awareness against the UK Illegal Migration Act 2023 ("Build Bridges not Walls").

CAFOD supports and administers the process whereby Catholic communities (churches, schools, religious orders and chaplaincies) can apply for the Livesimply award, through which communities can record, celebrate and develop their approach to living simply, in solidarity with people in poverty and sustainably with creation. Participation in CAFOD's LiveSimply programme has been commended by the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales.

Structure and funding
In 2023, CAFOD employed 391 staff and in addition worked with more than 3,000 volunteers carrying out a range of roles such as campaigning, fundraising, media, office support and youth work.

CAFOD is funded by the Catholic community in England and Wales, the British government (through UK aid), private and institutional donors, and the general public.

In 2019/20 CAFOD's income was £45million. A few years later, in 2022/2023, the total revenue had increased to GB£67916000, £37 million of which were raised by 1,856 parishes in England and over 78,000 individuals, 1,043 schools and over 1,000 organisations. In addition, the organisation received over £11 million from legacies, raised around £5.5 million to respond to humanitarian emergencies in East Africa, Ukraine, Pakistan, Turkey and Syria, and obtained £16 million from the Disasters Emergency Committee.

In order to raise awareness and funds, CAFOD has been working with "celebraty embassadors", including tv presenter Julie Etchingham, actor David Harewood, actress Jo Joyner, tv and radio presenter Dermot O'Leary, actor and director Ben Price, actress Emma Rigby, cook and television presenter Delia Smith, and composer Benson Taylor.

CAFOD's magazine, Side by Side, is published quarterly.

title: CAFOD


text:
Bartley Green

Bartley Green is a residential suburban area and electoral ward in Birmingham, England, 5 mi south west of the city centre. The ward is part of the Birmingham Edgbaston constituency and is represented in parliament by Labour Co-operative MP Preet Gill.

History
Bartley Green was first noted in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Berchelai. This means either the birch tree wood or the clearing in the birch trees (from the Old English "beorc leah"). Bartley Green was in the possession of the manor of Weoley. Bartley Green was again mentioned in 1657, however, this time it was under its current name. Most of the land occupied by Bartley Reservoir was in the parish of Northfield, Birmingham, originally in Worcestershire. It was transferred to Warwickshire when Northfield became part of Birmingham in November 1911.

Bartley Green became more built up after the end of the Second World War in 1945, with a mix of private and council housing being built.

The Athol Farm council estate was a notable development by the city council during the 1960s, and included five tower blocks; however all of these have now been demolished.

However, the south-west end of the reservoir overlapped into the parish of Frankley, in Worcestershire (Hereford and Worcester, from 1974). In April 1995, part of Frankley (including the south-west part of Bartley Reservoir) was transferred to Birmingham and became part of the West Midlands county.

The parish church is St. Michael and All Angels.

Geography
Located to the east is the Weoley ward, to the south is Frankley and to the west is the county of Worcestershire as well as Halesowen and Illey, part of Dudley MBC. To the north is Quinton and Woodgate Valley Country Park. Bartley Reservoir, a reservoir for drinking water, is used by Bartley Sailing Club and nearby schools and clubs for sailing and canoeing.

Politics
Bartley Green has been part of the Birmingham Edgbaston constituency since 1997, having previously been in the neighbouring Birmingham Northfield Constituency. Since its inclusion, the Labour Party have held the seat in every general election, which is currently represented by Labour MP Preet Gill since June 2017, and previously by Gisela Stuart who held the seat since 1997, replacing Conservative Dame Jill Knight in the year of Tony Blair's landslide victory. Edgbaston has had a female Member of Parliament since 1953, longer than any other UK constituency.

Bartley Green has been a safe Conservative ward at Birmingham City Council level in recent years, with all three serving Councillors – John Lines, Vivienne Barton and Bruce Lines (son of John) – representing the party. Labour candidates had won the ward on several occasions in the 1980s and early 1990s but never held all three seats at once. The most recent election in which it was won by Labour was in 1995.

Councillor John Lines was Lord Mayor of Birmingham in 2012/13.

The ward has adopted a Ward Support Officer, with the current holder of the status being Tina Willetts.

Demography
The United Kingdom Census 2021 found that 22,670 people lived in Bartley Green with a population density of 2,880 people per km2. Bartley Green has an area of 7.8 km2/ 885.6 hectares. The ward had a female proportion of 52.7%, above the city average of 51.6% and the national average of 51.3%. The male population represented 47.3% of the population total.

26.6% (6,260) of the ward's population represent ethnic minorities, compared with 51.3% for Birmingham. 15.4% of the population was born outside the United Kingdom. The White ethnic group was the largest at 72.4%. Black was the second largest at 10%. 50.2% of the population stated themselves as Christian, down from 73.5% in 2001. 40% stated they were of no religion.

98.8% of the population lived in households, above the city and national averages of 98.3% and 98.2% respectively. 1.2% lived in communal establishments. A total of 11,160 households in the ward are occupied, resulting in an average of 2.3 people living in each house. This is below the city average of 2.5 and the national average of 2.4. 49.9% of the occupied households are occupied by the owner, below the city average of 60.4%. 37.3% of the occupied households are rented from Birmingham City Council, above the city average of 19.4%. 394 households were stated as being vacant. The most common form of housing in the ward is terraced housing, with 35% of all houses being terraced. 32.6% of houses were stated as being semi-detached. A high proportion of the housing stock in the ward was constructed after 1945 (98.8%) compared with a city average of 67.4%. Much of the housing is now in poor condition.

The ward currently ranks in the top 7% in terms of deprivation on Government indices. 16.9% were of a pensionable age, compared with 16.7% for the city and 18.4% for the country. 60.1% of the population was of a working age, above the city average at 59.8% and below the national average of 61.5%. The largest age group was 25–44 at 27.3%. 10.2% of the population is unemployed, of which 36.5% are in long term unemployment. 18.1% of the Bartley Green working population worked in the manufacturing sector. The largest employer organisation in the ward was identified by the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce as Birmingham Accord Ltd., a construction firm that employs approximately 600 people.

Notable people
Bartley Reservoir is the place where Bill Oddie did a lot of his early birdwatching, and features in his books (notably Bill Oddie's Gone Birding) and television programmes. His first ever published article, for the West Midland Bird Club's annual report, was about the birds of the reservoir.

Kelli Dayton (also known as Kelli Ali) is a female vocalist most recognised for being the lead singer for the trip-hop group Sneaker Pimps, grew up in Bartley Green.

Jane Bunford, the tallest person ever to have lived in the United Kingdom, who reached a height of 7 ft, lived in Bartley Green until her death at her home on 1 April 1922. Her hair measured 8 ft.

Sport and recreation
Bartley Green has produced sportsmen and women including Fliss Johnson, a former pupil of Woodgate Primary School, who became the English Ladies Amateur Golf Champion in May 2005 and won the BBC Midlands Sports Woman of the Year Award. Bartley Green F.C. were a successful football club based in the ward and past members of the Midland Combination Premier Division. There are at least five amateur football teams in the area; Bartley Revolution FC, Bartley Green Blades, Angels F.C., Bartley Green Falcons and the Rea Valley Colts. Bartley Green Leisure Centre is the local leisure centre. The Judo club based in Bartley Green meets at the nearby Shenley Court Community Leisure Centre in Northfield.

Woodgate Valley Country Park is a 450 acre park on the cusp of Bartley Green and Quinton, and features a city farm and café.

Schools and education
Bartley Green National School opened in 1840 as a Sunday school. The site was subsequently enlarged and the school rebuilt in 1871. By 1872, there were two departments for mixed and infant children. A new infants school opened in 1881 on a site to the north of the church. The school was reorganised in 1931 into a single department for junior mixed and infant children aged 5 – 9½ years. Children aged 9½ and over were transferred to Bartley Green Council School. In 1951, the school was again reorganised for infant children only. It closed in 1954 on the opening of St. Michael's C.E. Primary School. The last headteacher of the primary school, Lily C. Treadwell, was transferred to St. Michael's C.E. Primary School to become its first headteacher.

Bartley Green Council School opened in 1914 replacing Woodgate Council School. It was reorganised in 1931 for Senior Mixed and again in 1951 for Junior Mixed. The school closed in 1953 when the pupils transferred to Woodgate County Primary School.

Primary schools
There are eight primary schools located within the Bartley Green ward. As part of the Bartley Green Action Plan, all primary schools were given golf facilities. Woodgate Junior and Infant School, Kitwell Junior and Infant School, St. Michael's C.E. Junior and Infant School and St. Peter's R.C. School all had golf courses constructed within their school grounds for the pupils.

Secondary schools
Bartley Green School was granted technology status in 2000 and has 848 pupils on roll. 61% of pupils are boys and 12.3% of pupils come from ethnic minorities. Half of these pupils from ethnic minorities are from the Black Caribbean ethnic group.

A survey conducted by the Department of Applied Social Studies and Social Research in 1998, concluded that "52.4% of pupils at Bartley Green School live in 40% of the Birmingham Enumeration Districts with the highest proportion of the population dependent on income support. Around half of the pupils at the school live in the Bartley Green ward, and 22.9% live in the Weoley and Longbridge wards. All of these wards have urban deprivation scores considerably above the Birmingham average, which itself is far higher than the national average."

Hillcrest School was opened as Bartley Green Grammar School for Girls on 7 September 1954. The sixth form was set up around the end of the 1950s. The school was renamed Hillcrest School in September 1983 and dropped its grammar school status. During an uncertain period, it faced closure during the 1980s. However, it remained open following a campaign by the school and has since become one of the most successful schools in Birmingham. Boys were allowed to join the sixth form during the 1980s.

King Edward VI Five Ways moved to the area from Five Ways in 1958, however, retained the name. Having introduced girls in the years following 1998, today Five Ways is the largest co-educational state grammar school in the West Midlands and one of the top five co-educational grammar schools nationally.

University

 * Newman University

title: Bartley Green


text:
Erotic electrostimulation

Erotic electrostimulation (abbreviated erotic e-stim and also known as electrosex) is a sexual practice involving the application of electrical stimulation to the nerves of the body, with particular emphasis on the genitals, using a power source (such as a TENS, EMS, violet wands, or made-for-play units) for purposes of sexual stimulation. Electrostimulation has been associated with BDSM activities, and erotic electrostimulation is an evolution of that practice.

Safety
Electrostimulation, in general, can cause tissue damage or even death if misused. The most common problems arising from electrostimulation tend to be burns from lack of sufficiently wide surface contact, i.e. bad contact, between the electrode and the skin's surface. Even at relatively low current and voltage, there is also risk of interference with normal heart function (potentially including cardiac arrest), and this risk is higher for those who use an artificial pacemaker or similar device or who have heart conditions. Because of this, it is not advisable to place the electrical contacts in such a way that current passes through the chest cavity.

The international standard on the basic safety of medical nerve and muscle stimulators advises "that stimulation should not be applied across or through the head, directly on the eyes, covering the mouth, on the front of the neck, (especially the carotid sinus), or from electrodes placed on the chest and the upper back or crossing over the heart". The standard also notes that "any electrodes that have current densities exceeding 2 mA/cm² may require the special attention of the operator". It imposes the following limits on the output parameters of stimulators (for therapeutic purposes):

 * with a load resistance of 500 Ω, the output current shall not exceed
 * 80 mA at DC
 * 50 mA below 400 Hz pulse frequency
 * 80 mA at 400–1500 Hz
 * 100 mA above 1500 Hz
 * for pulse durations less than 0.1 s, the pulse energy into a 500 Ω load shall not exceed 300 mJ per pulse, for longer pulses the above DC limit applies
 * the output shall not exceed a peak voltage of 500 V when measured under open-circuit condition

Erotic electrostimulation devices should avoid DC currents entirely, in order to avoid electrolytic effects. This is usually achieved through "biphasic" waveforms, in which each positive current pulse is followed by an equivalent negative current pulse. Devices with multiple channels (e.g. for several users or body regions) should have a small pulse isolation transformer for galvanic isolation in each channel, such that currents cannot flow across the body between channels. Pulse frequency, duration and amplitude should be selected to achieve the desired stimulation with the least amount of power delivered into the body, for example avoiding current during the refractory period after each action potential, where neurons do not respond to stimuli. Typical erotic electrostimulation devices use pulse frequencies in the range 300–3000 Hz, where skin nerves are most sensitive.

A few cases of accidental death as a result of autoerotic electrostimulation have been reported in the forensic science literature; the cases reported involved mains-powered, self-made devices, with current passing through the chest intentionally (usually via nipple stimulation) or unintentionally (for instance, touching an energized part with a hand). In one case reported in the press, a man from York, Pennsylvania was sentenced to 20–40 years in prison for third-degree murder and reckless endangerment after killing his wife with electrostimulation to her nipples directly from a power strip plugged into the mains.

History
The use of electricity for entertainment purposes dates back at least as early as the 1740s. In the 1830s, insertable electrode attachments for small magnetos could be purchased. Later in the 1800s, various electric belts (some complete with "suspensory sack") were advertised as cures for impotence. In the 1920s, the American Medical Association investigated such devices, and concluded that they provided "more or less mechanical masturbation".

Modern electrostimulation first became recognized during the 1950s with the introduction of a device called the Relax-A-Cizor, which was originally designed to stimulate the muscles of a relaxing subject using electric currents as a means of "passive exercise". Such power sources are still in medical use today and are known as EMS (electrical muscle stimulation) units. Some people soon found alternative uses for the Relax-A-Cizors by placing the contacts on sexual parts of the body.

By the 1970s, medical TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) units were also being used for electrostimulation. In the 1980s the first devices manufactured specifically for erotic electrostimulation became available, in particular the Titillator and the Pleasure Box, later known as the PES Power Box.

In the 1970s, experimenters noticed that bare speaker wires could deliver a jolt and began using recorded and live sound for electrostimulation. At that time, there were no professionally made attachments for such play, so people built their own out of copper plumbing parts and other metal pieces with attention to resistors placed in series with the human parts to control the current for safety. Although early e-stim units used only a simple, pulsed, sinusoidal wave, newer units use more complex wave forms and also allow for the use of ambient sound or prerecorded wave forms like music or specially designed computer files for specific types of stimulation. There are now sites dedicated to the creation of MP3 files specifically for erotic journeys or symphonies, which can include such routines as rewards, punishments, very strong, and pleasantly soft portions.

Medical power sources
There are repackaged TENS and EMS units marketed as erotic electrostimulation power sources. EMS units are designed to cause muscle contraction.

Body toning and massage units
An increasing number of "body toner" or "electromassage"-type power sources are being marketed directly to consumers. Though lacking in options compared to the more expensive specialized units, these have proven to be an inexpensive method for entry level practice.

Homemade power sources
Some people craft "homemade" electrostimulation power sources, or adapt or modify commercial products (such as a Hifi or DVD system) that were never intended for electrostimulation of the human body. These can be dangerous practices; such improvised devices not specifically designed for use on the human body can easily cause injury. The risk is mostly twofold. First the device can supply too much power. Second the insulation of most devices is not suited for medical equipment. For example, a transient over-voltage on the mains input can damage the isolation of the transformer, resulting in the output terminals becoming live.

Erotic electrostimulation power sources
Erotic electrostimulation power sources are specifically designed and manufactured for erotic use on the human body. The first analog devices became popular during the mid-1980s, and during the late 1990s digital devices also became available. Both types usually allow for adjustments of frequency and power output levels, some with complex preset "programs" and computer controls. The setups usually consist of a "box" and electrodes connected by wiring. Many of the boxes are portable and can be powered by batteries or come with built-in rechargeable batteries. Some units can be connected to remote operators via an Internet-connected computer or controlled via radio frequency key fobs. Units which can be powered by a 9 volt battery are preferable to those plugged into mains as they reduce the risk of accidental injury.

Other methods
There are other medical methods that have led to patent filings, such as the discovery that placing electrodes in the spinal cord can induce pleasurable feelings leading to orgasm. There are also various apparatuses, with external or internal stimulation.

 * U.S. patent 3,941,136: "Method for artificially inducing urination, defecation, or sexual excitation".
 * U.S. patent 4,585,005: "Method and pacemaker for stimulating penile erection".

Other kinds of apparatus use interferential currents with four surface electrodes to replace the internal electrodes.

Electrodes
An electrode is used to deliver the actual electrostimulation to the body.

The image of the woman receiving electrostimulation shows a deprecated practice. Placing electrodes anywhere on the chest is risking current passing through the heart, which risks cardiac arrhythmia or arrest. The general rule for electrostimulation is 'only below the waist'.

For erotic electrostimulation, these are typically items designed to be applied to the genitals such as vaginal plugs and shields, butt plugs, probes to directly stimulate the prostate, testicle rings, CBT boards, cock rings, urethral probes, and other items for penile application. The pads used with TENS units are also used in the sexual application of electrostimulation. There are also electrified nipple and breast electrodes available, but while there is disagreement within the e-stim community about their safety the most commonly held consensus is 'only below the waist'.

The electrodes can be made of metals such as gold, silver, aluminum, and stainless steel. There are also electrodes made out of conductive silicone. Conductive rubber is a cheap, flexible and efficient option.

Violet wands
Violet wands were originally electric and neon testers, but are now split into two types: mechanical (Tesla Coil), and solid-state wands. They are used for the application of low current, high voltage (min 35 kV to max 65 kV typically), high-frequency electricity to the body, as such they are most commonly used in BDSM for erotic sensation play. Violet wands can deliver a variety of sharp, cutting, or piercing type sensations.

A violet wand typically consists of a hand-held "wand" made of plastic case which encases the mechanical (Tesla coil) or solid state components; a power cable, a collet (7/16" in the United States, 11 mm in Europe), and a cone. The collet is inside the cone end of the violet wand and is where glass and metal probes are inserted to be used with the wand. The cone is there to prevent sparks jumping from the collet directly to subject. Violet wands can be used anywhere on the body but should not be used around the eyes.

Lubrication
Skin electrode gels play an important role in the success of erotic electrostimulation since without it, there is a greater risk of high-current skin burning. Water-based lubricants are generally recommended. Typically it is recommended to avoid any lubricant that contains silicone since it is an insulator and hence reduces conductivity. Practitioners of electrostimulation select lubricants for compatibility with the material of the electrodes, as well as for desirable conductive properties, which can maximize the strength and quality of the signal.

title: Erotic electrostimulation


text:
Robert Chambers (criminal)

Robert Emmet Chambers Jr. (born September 25, 1966) is an American criminal and convicted murderer. Dubbed the Preppy Killer and the Central Park Strangler, Chambers gained notoriety for the August 26, 1986, strangulation death of 18-year-old Jennifer Levin in New York City's Central Park, for which he was originally charged with second degree murder. Chambers changed his story several times during the course of the ensuing investigation, ultimately claiming that Levin's death was the accidental result of him pushing her off of him as she purportedly sexually assaulted him, an account that was characterized by media accounts as one of "rough sex". Chambers later pleaded guilty to manslaughter after a jury failed to reach a verdict after nine days of deliberation.

Early life
Robert Emmett Chambers was born on September 25, 1966, the only child of Phyllis Chambers, an Irish-born nurse, and Robert Chambers Sr., who worked for MCA Records and later in videocassette distribution. The family inititally lived in the working-class neighborhood of Jackson Heights, Queens, and later moved to Manhattan. Chambers grew up attending fancy prep schools in New York City's wealthy Upper East Side. Though not affluent, Chambers' mother worked to pay for his childhood attendance at the prestigious York Preparatory School on the Upper East Side, though scholarships assisted in this. The fact that his family had far less money than his classmates created social problems for Chambers, including difficulty socializing with his peers. By the time he reached college age, Chambers had descended into a life of petty theft, alcoholism, and drug use.

Chambers was accepted by Boston University, but was asked to leave after one semester for reasons which included the use of a stolen credit card. He later committed other petty thefts and burglaries in connection with his drug and alcohol abuse. Unable to hold a job, Chambers was issued a summons for disorderly conduct one night after leaving Dorrian's Red Hand, a bar located at 300 East 84th Street in Manhattan. He destroyed the summons as the police were leaving the scene, yelling, "You fucking cowards, you should stick to niggers!"

Background
Chambers’ girlfriend at the time of the murder was future television actress Alex Kapp. The couple broke up after Chambers stole Kapp's $50 allowance and according to Kapp, after Levin had started to pursue him, Levin and Chambers briefly dated. On the day of the murder, both were at Dorrian's Red Hand.

Finding of the body
A bicyclist found Levin's half-naked corpse on August 26, 1986, at about 6:15 a.m., in Central Park near Fifth Avenue and 83rd Street, behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her body was lying twisted by a tree, with her bra and top pulled up. Levin's body and face were covered in scratches and bite marks. Deep red marks were across her neck, her left eye was swollen, and her fingernails were bruised, suggesting that in her final moments she had tried to pull down whatever had been strangling her.

Chambers hid and watched as police officers surveyed the scene. Investigators found Levin's underwear some 50 yd away.

Levin's autopsy was performed by associate medical examiner Dr. Maria Luz Alandy, who determined that Levin had been strangled. Levin was estimated to have died around 5:30 a.m.

Arrest and trial
After several of Dorrian's patrons told police that they had last seen Levin leaving the bar with Chambers, police went to his home. Upon arrival, they saw that Chambers had fresh and bloody scratches on both sides of his face, which he blamed on his cat before later admitting his cat was declawed. Chambers agreed to accompany police to the Central Park precinct for questioning. There he was asked if he left Dorrian's with Levin, which he denied. After police told him that bar patrons had witnessed him leaving with Levin, he admitted that he had.

He said that she quickly went to buy cigarettes. Detectives pointed out that Levin did not smoke and Chambers admitted that she had not gone for cigarettes. He then claimed that she cajoled him into going to Central Park to have sex and she died during an aggressive sexual encounter in the park. Before booking, Chambers was permitted to see his father, to whom he said, "That fucking bitch, why didn't she leave me alone?"

Archbishop Theodore Edgar McCarrick of Newark, New Jersey, later Archbishop of Washington, wrote a letter of support for Chambers' bail application. He had known Chambers and his mother because she had been employed as a nurse by Cardinal Terence Cooke. McCarrick was close to the Chambers family and had served as Robert's godfather at his baptism. In 2019, he was defrocked for sex offenses against adults and minors. Chambers had secured bail through his family and the owner of the bar, Jack Dorrian, who put up his townhouse as collateral for a bail bond.

Chambers was charged with, and tried for, two counts of second-degree murder. His defense was that Levin's death had occurred during "rough sex". He was defended by Jack Litman, who had previously used the temporary insanity defense on behalf of Richard Herrin for the murder of Yale University student Bonnie Garland. Litman claimed Levin was promiscuous, saying she had a sex diary and that her sexual history was admissible as evidence, prompting headlines such as "How Jennifer Courted Death" in New York's Daily News. On remand, Chambers was filmed twisting off the head of a Barbie doll and saying, "Oops, I think I killed her."

Prosecutor Linda Fairstein stated: "In more than 8,000 cases of reported assaults in the last ten years, this is the first in which a male reported being sexually assaulted by a female."

Chambers' trial began on January 4, 1988, and lasted 13 weeks. Alandy testified on February 9 that pinpoint hemorrhages observed in the soft tissue around Levin's eyes could be caused by a constriction of the blood vessels in the neck. She explained that this was evidence of compression of her neck, and an indication that she had been strangled. When Chambers' attorney, Jack Litman, suggested on cross-examination that Chambers could have choked Levin in an arm lock that could cause death in seconds, and that the marks on her neck could have been made when she quickly moved her head from side to side in a struggle for air, Alandy stated that while such an occurrence was possible, this did not occur in Levin's case. She also stated that while some of the injuries on Levin's neck could have been caused by Chambers' wristwatch and shirt, rather than his hands, her injuries overall were not consistent with the scenario Litman described.

When the jury failed to reach a verdict after nine days of deliberation, the prosecution and Chambers agreed to a plea bargain. He pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, which carried a sentence of between five and fifteen years. He was also required to admit that he intended to hurt Levin sufficiently to cause her death. During his sentencing that April, he stated in court, "It breaks my heart to have to say that. The Levin family has gone through hell because of my actions, and I am sorry." Chambers received a sentence of 15 years in prison.

Post-conviction
In 1997, Chambers sent an untitled essay he wrote to prison anthologist Jeff Evans. The piece, subsequently titled "Christmas: Present", appeared in the book Undoing Time: American Prisoners in Their Own Words. Written while Chambers was incarcerated at Green Haven Correctional Facility in Stormville, New York, the essay is an entry from one of his journals, which he calls "a record of the meaningless hope and frightening losses of a person I don't even know."

Chambers was released from Auburn Prison on February 14, 2003, after having served the entirety of his prison term due to his numerous infractions. His release was a media circus, with reporters staking out prime sections of the sidewalk opposite the prison as early as thirteen hours before his 7:30 a.m. release time. The same day, Dateline NBC interviewed Chambers, who continued to claim that he strangled Levin accidentally in an attempt to stop her from hurting him during rough sex. He also falsely denied that he had been disciplined in prison.

Jack Dorrian settled with Levin's parents on their claim that Dorrian's bar, where Levin and Chambers had been before they went to Central Park on the night of her death, had served too much alcohol to Chambers. A wrongful death lawsuit, which Chambers did not contest, provides that he must pay all lump sums he receives, including any income from book or movie deals, plus ten percent of his future income (up to $25 million), to the Levin family. The family has said all the money it gets from Chambers will go to victims' rights organizations.

Drug charges
In July 2005, Chambers pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor drug charge and on August 29 was given a reduced sentence of 90 days in jail and fined $200 for a license violation. The judge added 10 days to the time prosecutors and Chambers' lawyer had agreed on because he was an hour late for the hearing. He would have faced up to a year in jail if he had been convicted after trial.

On October 22, 2007, Chambers was arrested again, this time in his own apartment, and charged with three counts of selling a controlled substance in the first degree, three counts of selling a controlled substance in the second degree, and one count of resisting arrest. His longtime girlfriend, Shawn Kovell, was also arrested on one count of selling a controlled substance in the second degree. The Daily News reported:

"Cops said Chambers, 41, struggled with officers who tried to handcuff him on the felony charges. One detective suffered a broken thumb in the fracas."

Commenting on his new arrest, former Assistant District Attorney Linda Fairstein, who had prosecuted Chambers for Levin's death, said:

"Doesn't surprise me. I always believed his problem with drugs and alcohol would get him in trouble again. He's had the opportunity in prison to detox and take college courses, to straighten out his life, but that clearly is of no interest to him. He's learned nothing in the last 20 years."

Chambers and Kovell were charged with running a cocaine operation out of the apartment. The two had previously been given notices for not paying rent, and the phone had been disconnected.

On August 11, 2008, the Manhattan DA's office announced that Chambers had pleaded guilty to selling drugs. On September 2, 2008, he was sentenced to 19 years on the drug charge. Chambers was released from New York's Shawangunk Correctional Facility on July 25, 2023, after serving 15 years of his 19-year sentence. He will be on parole until 2028.

In popular culture

 * The Sonic Youth song "Eliminator Jr.", from their 1988 album Daydream Nation (1988) is about the Chambers case.
 * The song "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" in The Killers' album Hot Fuss (2004) was inspired by Chambers' defense of the Jennifer Levin murder charges, in which Chambers claimed he had no motive for the murder, and that he and the victim were "friends".
 * In 1989, the Chambers case was the basis of a TV movie titled The Preppie Murder, starring William Baldwin as Chambers and Lara Flynn Boyle as Levin.
 * The 1990 Law & Order episode "Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die" was based on the case.
 * Mike Doyle has stated that his character Adam Guenzel on Oz (1997–2003) was based on Chambers.
 * The 2003 Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode "Monster" was based on both the Chambers case and the Central Park Jogger case.
 * In the novel American Psycho, the protagonist Patrick Bateman, a wealthy, preppy serial killer, mentions trying to start a defense fund for Chambers.
 * In the collection Shock Treatment by Karen Finley, Chambers is mentioned twice.
 * AMC aired a five-part miniseries The Preppy Murder: Death in Central Park on November 13, 2019.

title: Robert Chambers (criminal)


text:
Billesley, West Midlands

Billesley is a ward within the council constituency and parliamentary constituency of Selly Oak, Birmingham, England. It is 4 mi south of the city centre and includes the area of Billesley and much of Yardley Wood as well as the Hollybank Road area of Kings Heath. It is contiguous with the Birmingham wards of Highter's Heath on the south-west, Brandwood and Kings Heath on the west, Moseley on the north and Hall Green South on the east. To the south-east is the Shirley West ward of Solihull.

The suburb of Billesley is the area bordered by Billesley Common, Chinn Brook Meadows, The Dingles and Swanshurst Park (although some streets within this area favour the broader B13 moniker of Moseley). The expansion of this area began in 1921 with the commencement of construction of the Billesley Estates. Two districts began to form within Billesley; one on the former Ivy House Farm (north of Trittiford Rd) and the other on the former Billesley Farm (south of Trittiford Rd). By 1926, between 15 and 20 families were moving into Billesley each week and it became one of Birmingham's first council estates.

Etymology
The name derives from an Anglo-Saxon named Bill who established himself within the area. -Ley means "woodland clearing" and a woodland clearing is known to have existed in Billesley north of Chinn Brook.

Demography
The 2001 Population Census found that 25,874 people were living in the area with a population density of 4,537 people per km2 compared with 3,649 people per km2 for Birmingham. Billesley has an area of 6.4 km2/ 566.2 hectares. Females represented 52% of the population, compared with 51.6% for the whole of Birmingham.

Billesley is not an ethnically diverse area with ethnic minorities representing 12.3% (3,312) of the ward's population compared with 29.6% for Birmingham. 8.4% of the population was born outside of the United Kingdom, lower than the Birmingham average of 16.5% and slightly lower than the national average of 9.3%. 88.1% of the population was classed as being in the broad ethnic group of White. This is higher than the Birmingham average of 70.4% yet lower than the national average of 90.9%. The Asian ethnic group was the second largest in the ward at 6.2%, below the city average of 19.5% yet higher than the national average of 4.6%. More specifically, the White British ethnic group was the largest at 83.2% and the White Irish was the second largest at 4.2%. The predominant religion in the ward is Christianity, with 71.8% of the population of the ward identifying themselves as Christians. This is near to the national average of 71.9% however is greater than the city average of 59.1%. 13.8% stated that they had no religion and 7.8% did not answer the question.

27.6% of the population was noted to be in the 25-44 age group, below the Birmingham average of 28.3% and the national average of 29.3%. People of a pensionable age represented 19.3% of the ward's population, above that of 16.7% for the city. 57.2% of the population was of a working age, below the city average of 59.8%. 63% of the population had a job whilst 8.2% was unemployed, below the city average of 9.5% yet above the national average of 5%. Of the unemployed, 36.5% were in long term unemployment and 11.2% had never worked. 17.9% of those with a job, worked in the manufacturing sector. 17.1% worked in the Wholesale & Retail Trade, Vehicle Repairs sector. The largest employer for the ward is National Express West Midlands who employ approximately 460 people.

The majority of housing is either inter-war or post-war build. 99% of residents live in households whilst 1% live in communal establishments. There was a total of 10,514 households that were occupied resulting in an average of 2.4 people per house, equal to that of the national average. 63.8% of occupied houses were occupied by the owner, above the city average of 60.4%. 26.3% of occupied houses were rented from Birmingham City Council. 354 were stated as being vacant. The majority of the housing in the ward was stated as being semi-detached (42.9%) whilst terraced houses were the second most common (32.4%).

title: Billesley, West Midlands


text:
Bordesley, Worcestershire

Bordesley is a village north of Redditch, in Worcestershire, England. Bordesley primarily comprises houses alongside the A441 Birmingham Road between Redditch and Alvechurch. The name Bordesley derives from the Old English of Brorde's Lēah, meaning the wood of someone called Brord(e).

title: Bordesley, Worcestershire