Soho, Birmingham - Definition and Overview

This article is about the area of Birmingham. For other meanings see Soho (disambiguation)

Soho is an area in North-West Birmingham, approximately 2 miles from the City Centre on the A41, which until 1911 formed part of Handsworth District. The name is an abbreviation of South House, that is that it was located to the South of Handsworth proper.

Industrialist Matthew Boulton opened his "Soho Manufactory" (an early factory) there in 1761.

Boulton himself resided at Soho House, now a museum and tourist attraction run by Birmingham City Council.

Soho had stations on the LNWR's Stour Valley Line between Smethwick Rolfe Street and the also closed Winson Green railway station, and on the GWR between Handsworth and Smethwick (now Handsworth Booth Street) and Hockley (replaced by Jewellery Quarter). It is currently served by the Midland Metro on the former GWR line with a stop at Soho Benson Road.

The parish church is dedicated to St John Chrysostom.