STEVE BEAUCHAMPE

Sad death of Moseley Road Baths activist Steve Beauchampe

Moseley swimmers and the wider community will be saddened by news of the recent death of campaigner, writer and broadcaster Steve Beauchampe at the age of 61. 22

One of the longstanding members of the Friends of MRB (Moseley Road Baths), Steve helped the group produce a virtual tour of the building, wrote a book about the Baths called Pool of Memories and conducted guided tours during open days. As well as authoring Pool of Memories and chronicling the Baths’ long history, Steve was eagerly looking forward to the next steps for the regeneration of the building, and his enthusiasm and knowledge of both the architecture and social history of the much-loved Baths will be a great loss to the continuing campaign to save them Architect and urban designer Joe Holyoak paid tribute to Steve’s life and work in helping to preserve one of the area’s most important heritage sites. He said: “Steve was a colleague in Friends of Moseley Road Baths. We also had affinity as local historians. I think that his book for the Friends, Pool of Memories, is a remarkable document. On one level it is an excellent history of a remarkable work of architecture, written with skill and insight and with a great attention to detail. But what makes it different to other architectural books is that it is at the same time a social history of great importance, making the connection between a building and the lives of people who have inhabited it. This is very rare.” As well as his work in preserving Moseley Road Baths, Steve was also known as a football enthusiast and mourners have paid tribute to Steve’s love of the game. Steve was involved with the Birmingham City fanzine Tired and Weary and regularly appeared in the media talking about the club’s often turbulent times. He was a passionate advocate of supporters’ rights and challenged the perception, prevalent at one time, that anyone who attended a football match was an inarticulate thug. He also chronicled other sports and local venues. Along with co-author Simon Inglis, Steve wrote the 2006 book Played in Birmingham , taking the reader on a fascinating trail around the historic sites that put Birmingham on the international sporting map. The book mentioned some wellknown venues like Villa Park, the National Indoor Arena and Edgbaston Cricket Ground. Played in Birmingham also took readers to the back garden of a house in Edgbaston, 'the Belgravia of Birmingham', where the first-ever experimental game of lawn tennis is believed to have taken place between a magistrate’s clerk and a Spaniard on a croquet lawn. The book also talked of a Hockley back street where the

world's first Football League was formed in 1888 and the nearby Jewellery Quarter's abundant production of medals and cups for Victorian and Edwardian sports clubs and tournaments. Among the artefacts that were 'Made in Birmingham' and chronicled in the book are boxing's famous Lonsdale Belts and, from the works of J Hudson & Co, the world-renowned Acme Thunderer referee's whistle. Shortly after his death TV and radio presenter Adrian Goldberg tweeted movingly about Steve Beauchampe’s footballing connections: “Sad to break the news that one of my best mates Steve Beauchampe has passed away. Fanzine pioneer with Off The Ball, fighter for supporters’ rights with @WeAreTheFSA , brilliant writer, #BCFC fan and all round good egg. Many happy gig and football memories. RIP my friend.” Steve Beauchampe 1959-2020 - Ian Cook