Architecture of Birmingham Sparkbrook of 1899, whose inventive but restrained design had a national influence, maintaining the close relationship between function and decoration that was important to the Gothic revival, while moving away from the straightforwardly historicist imitation of medieval precedent. The most comprehensive expression of the Arts and Crafts spirit within Birmingham however was the suburb of Bournville, which was developed from 1894 by George Cadbury as a model village for workers from his nearby factory, and was largely designed by the architect William Alexander Harvey, a pupil of Bidlake appointed at the young age of 22. Harvey designed over 500 houses
George Cadbury they installed canteens and sport grounds. Nineteen years after brother Richard died, George opened a works committee for each gender which discussed proposals for improving the firm. He also pressed ahead with other ideas, like an annuity, a deposit account and education facilities for every employee. In 1901, disgusted by the imperialistic policy of the Balfour government and opposed to the Boer War, Cadbury bought the "Daily News" and used the paper to campaign for old age pensions and against the war and sweatshop labour. George Cadbury was one of the prime movers in setting up The Birmingham Civic Society