9-10, Caroline Street

A pair of early 19th century houses with workshops attached to the rear. The buildings were extended in the mid-19th century and altered in the later 20th century. They are constructed of red brick, with the ground floor rendered. The roof is covered with slate, and a single gable chimney is present.

The plan consists of a pair of dwellings sharing a central passage, which provides access to workshop ranges extending to the rear of both properties and enclosing a narrow yard.

The front elevation is nearly symmetrical, with five windows across three storeys. A narrow, semi-circular arched passage entry is centrally located, with doorways to the individual houses on either side. The right-hand doorway has a panelled door and an lintel with stepped voussoirs. The left-hand doorway has been remodelled in the 20th century, including the door and a flat bracketed hood. Each house is characterised by a tripartite glazing bar sash window beneath a stepped lintel; the window to the left is smaller than the window to the right. First and second floor windows are similarly treated, with the first floor windows featuring 6 over 6 panes, and the upper floor windows 3 over 3 panes, all below stepped lintels. A central blind opening on the first floor is adorned with a cornice and pulvinated frieze resting on small brackets.

The rear elevation features workshop ranges attached to the rear of both houses. A workshop range on the right-hand side extends along the rear boundary.

Historical records, including trade directories from 1845, designate the buildings as manufactories. The area of Caroline Street was fully developed by 1824-5.

The pair of houses demonstrate an early pattern of development within a manufacturing district of Birmingham, which is now considered to be of international significance.