Campaigners in Birmingham have renewed calls for a public inquiry today as the city marks 50 years since two pubs were blown up, killing 21 people.
The bombings injured 220 and left many with life-changing injuries. It remains Britain’s biggest unsolved mass murder and the Justice4the21 group say only an inquiry will deliver answers.
Julie Hambleton, who lost her older sister Maxine, is the founder of the campaign and continues to fight for justice.
She told GB News: “You can’t go through life hating, but you must fight for what is right.
Campaigners have appealed for a public inquiry
PA
“We cannot allow anyone, anywhere, to feel that they can come to any of our cities or towns and kill with impunity.”
In October, Security Minister Dan Jarvis confirmed to Parliament that requests for an inquiry would be considered as soon as possible.
At 8.11pm on the November 21, 1974, the Birmingham Mail and Post received a call from a man who said two bombs had been planted in the city centre. He finished by giving the official code used by the Provisional IRA.
Just before 8.20pm, the first bomb detonated in The Mulberry Bush pub. It killed 10 people including two teenagers who were only walking by.
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21 people were killed during the Birmingham pub bombings
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Maxine was killed in The Tavern in the Town, where the second bomb exploded just minutes later.
Julie said: “You can’t put into words the impact that it has on you. My sister, my big sister, who had the whole world at her feet, was blown apart.
“Her remains were such that when mom identified her, her hair had melted all into her face, she’d lost one of her legs and she’d got no back.”
In 1975, six men were found guilty of carrying out the bombings, spending 16 years in prison before their convictions were overturned by the Court of Appeal in May 1991.
The youngest to be killed was 16-year-old Neil Marsh, with 17-year-old Paul Davies also being killed in the attack. Three months after his death, Paul’s son, Paul Bridgewater, was born.
Mulberry Bush pub after the attack
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He told GB News about what his life has been like growing up without his father.
Paul said: “I think of my dad every day. There’ll be a moment where I’m doing something, and it will just come up and I’ll think ‘I wish I could’ve met my father.’
“I say it to my other half Bev sometimes, we’ll be talking about something, and I’ll think ‘oh god, I would’ve loved to have done that with my dad.’
“I’m a big Aston Villa fan, my father was, but I never knew that growing up as a child. I’m a season ticket holder, I could’ve been doing that with my father.
“I just feel that I’ve missed out on so much.”