Rose Villa Tavern ship stained glass window, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, West Midlands, England, UK,

The Jewellery Quarter is an area of central Birmingham, UK. Situated in the north western area of the Birmingham City Centre, there is a population of around 19, 000 people in a 1.07-square-kilometre (264-acre) area. The Jewellery Quarter is Europe's largest concentration of businesses involved in the jewellery trade, which produces 40% of all the jewellery made in the UK. It is also home to the world's largest Assay Office, which hallmarks around 12 million items a year. Historically the Jewellery Quarter has been the birthplace of many pioneering advancements in industrial technology. At its peak in the early 1900s the Jewellery Quarter employed over 30, 000 people, however due to foreign competition and lack of demand, the industry declined throughout the 20th century. The area is now being transformed into an urban village and hub for creative businesses, whilst maintaining its urban fabric. Its historical importance has led to numerous conservation schemes and it is an Anchor Point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage. A survey of 1553 named one of the first goldsmiths of Birmingham, Roger Pemberton. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Birmingham prospered from the Industrial Revolution and developed into a large industrial town, manufacturing a vast range of products, often from various metals. Many large foundries and glassworks attracted workers from all areas of Britain. A considerable trade developed in the manufacture of gilt buttons, cap badges, pins and small metal toys. According to the Birmingham Directory of 1780, there were 26 jewellers at the time. Because the definition of a jeweller was not explained in the directory, it is thought that it may contain many irregularities and the number of actual jewellers may be lower. It is thought that by the start of the 19th century, there were around 12 jewellery manufacturing companies, employing approximately 400 people.