In pictures: Silver factory saved

A historic silver factory in the heart of Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter has been saved from destruction by English Heritage.

Much of the JW Evans factory has been preserved and remains how it looked when it first opened in 1880.

Many tools also still remain in the preserved JW Evans factory from when it was first opened, including stamps.

English Heritage bought the factory, which was still running until last year, from its last owners and is hoping to turn it into a museum for the public.

The factory is hidden behind a facade of Victorian terraces, but English Heritage said work was needed to prevent the building rotting with damp.

The factory was started by Tony Evans' grandfather, and he worked there for 53 years himself. He said the decline in the silversmith trade had meant he had been unable to keep the factory open.

Nick Hill, of English Heritage, said a large part of the workshops in the factory had been perfectly preserved over 128 years, producing a "wonderful collection".

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