Smith and Pepper

Visited Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter this afternoon.
This image was taken inside what was once the famous Smith and Pepper factory. The factory closed in 1981, but was abandoned virtually untouched and then preserved, as it was left, as a museum.

At the time of closing, the factory had retained many of its original working practices and machinery, which now provides a fascinating glimpse into the past. At its peak, Birmingham employed 40 000 people in the jewellery industry, now down to around 2000.