Gifts & Souvenirs

Highbury Cards

Highbury cards of four different designs are available. Cards are A5 size and feature a photograph from Highbury on the front and the quotation, “If we fail, let us try again and again until we succeed” from Joseph Chamberlain inside, and comes complete with a white envelope.

The photographs featured on the cards were kindly donated by Alejandro Torres.

Cost: £1.50 each, or 4 for £5

Restoring The Chamberlains’ Highbury

by The Chamberlain Highbury Trust

This beautifully illustrated booklet explores the rich history and restoration of Highbury, the magnificent Grade II* listed home of Joseph Chamberlain. Produced by the Chamberlain Highbury Trust, it traces Highbury’s creation in 1880, its architectural and social significance, the Chamberlain family legacy, and the vision to restore the estate as a centre for learning, leadership, and community engagement. Blending history, heritage, and hope for the future, this publication celebrates a Birmingham landmark and the city’s enduring spirit of civic pride and innovation.

Cost: £3

Highbury: A Brief History & Guide

Compiled & edited by Chris Rice

Discover the fascinating story of Highbury, the grand Victorian home of Joseph Chamberlain, one of Birmingham’s most influential figures. This richly illustrated guide explores the history, architecture, and gardens of the Grade II* listed house, offering an engaging tour through its rooms, grounds, and legacy. Produced by History West Midlands in partnership with the Chamberlain Highbury Trust, it’s an essential companion for visitors and anyone interested in Birmingham’s political and cultural heritage.

Cost: £5

Austen Chamberlain and the Burden of Expectation

by Andrew Reekes

Paperback, Sept 2020

From his birth in 1863 Austen Chamberlain was groomed for the highest public office by his father Joseph Chamberlain – one of the great political figures of the Victorian and Early Edwardian age. But Austen never escaped from his father’s shadow and his promise was never fulfilled. Although he held major positions in the India Office, the Admiralty and the Treasury like his father, he never became Prime Minister. Why was Austen the “nearly man” who is now largely forgotten, while his younger and less-favoured bother, Neville, reached the pinnacle of power? In Austen Chamberlain and the Burden of Expectation, historian and author Andrew Reekes explores this “golden boy” of the Chamberlain Dynasty who failed to achieve his father’s expectations.

Cost: £10

The Birmingham Political Machine

by Andrew Reekes

Paperback, Apr 2018

The Second Reform Act of 1867 dramatically expanded the British electorate, forcing politicians to engage and educate a vast new class of voters. In Birmingham, Joseph Chamberlain and his allies faced an electorate that had tripled overnight, many voting for the first time. They responded with innovative national campaigns on education, democracy, and tariff reform, pioneering new ways to communicate and persuade across class lines. At the same time, Chamberlain and team dominated Birmingham’s council, school board, and other local bodies, gaining practical experience which they could transfer to the national stage.

Never before or since has one politician monopolised regional power as Joseph Chamberlain did for more than thirty years in the West Midlands. The Birmingham Political Machine reveals how Chamberlain built the power base that reshaped British politics, and the techniques he used that still echo today.

Cost: £10

The Chamberlain Litany

by Peter Marsh

Hardback, May 2010

The Chamberlains were the most controversial dynasty in British public life for more than sixty years. They were a close-knit family, and they treasured that solidarity throughout their lives. Bereft of a mother and with a largely absent father, the children of Joseph Chamberlain clung to each other as they grew up and kept up a lifelong correspondence by letter. Based on those family letters, this book explores the account that the Chamberlain children gave each other about what they were doing.

Cost: £10

The House Where the Weather Was Made: A Biography of Chamberlain’s Highbury

by Peter Marsh with Justin Pick

From 1881 to 1914 Highbury, standing on the edge of Birmingham in the English Midlands, was the home of Joseph Chamberlain, the often controversial politician described by Winston Chruchill as ‘the one who made the political weather’. In this fascinating book Chamberlain’s Biographer, Peter Marsh, explores how the house designed and built for Chamberlain became the centre of a dynasty that shaped the political history of Britain and its Empire.

Cost: £10

Speeches That Changed Britain: Oratory in Birmingham

by Andrew Reekes

Paperback, Oct 2025

It is striking how many nationally significant speeches have been made in Birmingham over the past two hundred years. This book looks at ten episodes when a speech in Birmingham challenged the rest of the country to embrace change and reform. More than any other city it represents Britain’s provincial voice across the period. The book reflects the importance of oratory in making a political argument. It may in a sound-bite era be a dying art but these speeches fulfil the first requirement of successful rhetoric, that it be a reasoned argument to persuade its audience.

Cost: £10

Kevin Thomas Hand Printed Tiles

Capture the timeless romance of Highbury Hall, Highbury Park, or the surrounding areas with an exquisite hand-printed ceramic tile, lovingly crafted in the classic arts and crafts style by Birmigham artist Kevin Thomas.

Each tile features deep, earthy tones and intricate linework echoing the artistry of a bygone era, bringing warmth, history, and beauty into any space. Perfect as a decorative display piece, a unique wall tile, or a thoughtful gift for lovers of heritage design, Kevin’s tiles evoke a sense of nostalgia and craftsmanship rarely seen today. Every piece is individually hand-printed, ensuring that no two are ever quite the same, a true work of art to treasure for years to come. Tile size: 6 x 6 inches (15 x 15 cm).

Cost: £24 Tiles are available to order online here with a percentage from each sale donated to the Chamberlain Highbury Trust.