J. W. Evans Silver Factory
Victorian silverware factory in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, kept with its dies, machines and workshops and shown on guided tours.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Jenkin William Evans began trading at 54 Albion Street in the Jewellery Quarter in 1881 and had bought out his former employers by 1908. The factory made deep-bodied table silverware using die-sinking and drop-stamping, and supplied well-known British retailers and manufacturers.
The business stayed in the Evans family for three generations, with Harold Evans joining in 1908, Austen Evans in 1918 and Tony Evans in 1955. It stopped trading on 31 March 2008 and the site was sold to English Heritage.
English Heritage repaired the buildings and left the collection in place, so the workshops still hold their tools and machines as they were. The factory opened to visitors in 2011, and about 15,000 dies and other objects can be seen on the guided tours.
Highlights
- Guided tour through the preserved factory floor and workshops
- About 15,000 dies and tools left in place
- Drop stamps and a steam engine that runs on some tours
- Permanent exhibition in the meeting area
- Set in the Jewellery Quarter
Permanent exhibition
- Guided factory tour – A guided visit through the preserved silverware factory, with its dies, stamps, tools and workshops left as they were when production ended in 2008.
- Founded
- 1881
- Operated by
- English Heritage
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £10.79 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £10.03Concessions |
| Children & teens | £5.35Child ticket; the minimum age for tours is 16. |
| Families | £27.03Family ticket for 2 adults and up to 3 children; a one-adult family ticket is £16.15. |
Prices are the standard tour prices without the voluntary Gift Aid donation. English Heritage members enter free but must still book a tour. Additional charges may apply on event days.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: not available
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: not available
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Only the entrance room is wheelchair accessible and the tour is not suitable for visitors with limited mobility because of uneven floors, narrow walkways and four sets of steep stairs. There are no lifts or on-site transport. Accessible toilets and Braille guides are available; there are no induction loops, BSL tours or large print. The access page lists assistance dogs as not welcome on the tour. Sensible flat footwear is advised.
Kids & families
Not suitable for kidsRecommended for ages 16+
| Family ticket | £27.03 · Family ticket for 2 adults and up to 3 children; a one-adult family ticket is £16.15. |
|---|
The minimum age for the guided tour is 16.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Birmingham New Street station
Birmingham New Street station is about half a mile away; buses run from surrounding areas.
By car
Paid parking · 5-min walk to the entrance
15 charged spaces on the road outside, or an NCP car park with 200 spaces about a five-minute walk away; parking is not refundable.
The factory is about half a mile from the city centre. Sat nav postcode B1 3EA.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
Separate male, female and accessible toilets on site. A permanent exhibition is in the meeting area, reached by four steep steps or a side ramp.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | no |
| Photography | Photography is welcome, but some places have restrictions; visitors coming mainly to photograph should call ahead. Drones are not permitted. |
| Good to know | The factory can only be visited on a guided tour. Smoking, vaping, barbecues and naked flames are not allowed. |
