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HOAYBLLS 


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ICTIONARY 


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RMINGHAMJ 


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PRICE  ONE  SHILLING  AND  SIXPENCE. 

•I 


BIRMINGHAM  :  CORNISH  BROS.,  NEW  STREET. 


'''i--i^0P  "^XnlT't-  x^M'^^^ 


.:^3nS 


J. 

53,   u^ 


ESTATE J 

OF 

MATTER 


The 

Robert  E.  Gross 
Colle(:tion 

A  Memorial  to  the  Founder 
of  the 


Business  Administration  Library 
Los  Angeles 


ME, 

\rica, 

MINGHAM. 


RTIFICATES 
ND  ALL 
PAREFULLY 


FOREIGN  MONEY  EXCHANGE. 


Foreip  Bank  Notes,  Gold  and  Silver  Eicliangel 


Remittances  made  to  all  parts  of  the  United  States. 


COUPONS  BOUGHT.      DRAFTS  CASHED. 


BOOKING    OFFICE  FOR  CUNARD,  INMAN,  WHITE  STAR, 

ALLAN,  GUION  AND  OTHER  LINES, 

TO    THE    UNITED    STATES  AND    CANADA      ALSO    TO    AUSTRAL  lA 

NEW    ZEALAND,    THE    CAPE,    INDIA,    CHINA, 

AND    ALL    PAKTK   OF   THE   WORLD. 


SWINDEN    &    SONS 

(ESTABLISHED    1825), 


Gold  English  Watches 

Silver 
,,    Geneva  „ 

,,    Waltham       ,, 


£10  to  £70 
£3  5s.  to  £15 
£1  5s.  to  £4 
£2  10s.  to     £5 


CLOCKS. 


8-DAY  ENGLISH    TIMEPIECE, 

OUR 

OWN 

MAKE. 
£    s.    d. 

12  Inch  Dial  OAK  CASE 

... 

2  12    6 

14    „        „ 

... 

3    0    0 

16    „        „            „          

4    0    0 

18    „        „            „          

5    0    0 

20   „        „            „          

... 

6    0    0 

24   „        „            „          

8    0    0 

These  are  guaranteed  and  kept  in  order  the  first 
Two  Years  Free. 

27,  28&  29,  TEMPLE  ST., 

BIEMIIt^GHI^M. 


11. 


TO  THRIFTY  HOUSEKEEPERS. 


< 

H 

Ph 
0 

Ph 
P 

0] 


THE 


MAIN  ADVANTAGES 


OF 


tt 


"  Sumner's    System 

ARE  THAT 


First. — It  ensures  large  discounts  (which  no  other  firm  or  Association 
offer)  on  Heavy  Goods,  as  Teas,  Coffees,  SugaPS,  Soaps, 
Fruits,  and  many  other  articles,  the  value  of  which  the  public 
are  not  so  well  able  to  judge,  consequently  larger  profits  are 
usually  made. 

Second- — it  ensures  a  saving  also  of  from,2d.  to  4d.  in  the  Shilling 

on  Sundries,  for  which  there  is  no  house  clieapep  in 

the  trade. 

Third.— It  ensures  the  undoubted  benefit  of  personal  super- 
vision, the  want  of  which  is  so  much  felt  and  complained 
of  by  those  who  purchase  through  trading  companies  and 
associations. 

Fourth.— It  ensures  consumers  purchasing"  in  the  best 

market,  for  there  is  none  better  in  or  out  of  London. 


98,   HIGH    STREET,   BIRMINGHAM. 


Frirc  Lists  Gratis  and  Post  Free  on  application. 


Prove  the  genuineness  of  "  HIE  OLD  .HOUSE  "  [and  be  not  misled 
by  the  mendacious  assertions  of  advertising 
mushroom  companies. 

We  court  thorough  investigation  as   to  Price  and  Quality,  always 
being  confident  of  the  result. 


0 

o 

0 


111. 


SCRUTON    &   SON 

63,  NEW  ST.,  BIRMINGHAM. 


>   ^   *p   u>   ^y 


TAILORS'  HABIT  MAKERS, 

SPECI^L.IT'IES     FOR 

LADIES'      COSTUMES, 

JACKETS, 
ULSTEES  &  TRAVELLING  WRAPS. 


Messrs.  Scruton's  NEW  RIDING  SKIRT  has  been  highly 
approved  by  some  of  the  foremost  Riders  of  the  day.  It 
■fits  to  perfection  and  does  not  drag  or  ride  up. 


IV. 


V. 


Jno.   R.   lee  &  CO., 

Ibouse    paintets   S,  flMumbevs, 

COLMORB    ROW, 

BIRMINGHAM. 

JNO.  R.  LEE  &  CO.^ 

ARTISTS  IN 

Jjccle^ia^tical  ai(d  Jome^tie  flla^^, 

COLMORE    ROW, 


Jno.    R.    lee   &    Co., 

GOLD  MOULDINGS.  BRUSHES.  VARNISHES. 


So/e  Agents  for  Birmingham  and  District  of  t/ie 
Willesden  Waterproof  Paper  &  Rot-proof  Canvas. 

BIRMINGHAM. 

161919  3 


VI. 


MANUFACTURERS  AND  PATENTEES  OF 

BEER  &  PILLAR  ENGINES,  LIQUOR  COCKS,  FOUNTAINS, 

DRAINERS,  BAR  FITTINGS,  and  every  description 

of  BREWERS'  BRASS  WORK. 

PUMPS,  BATHS, 

LAVATORIES, 
Closets,  Urinals, 

and  all  SANITARY 
and 

VENTILATING  APPLIANCES. 

ALSO, 

REGISTERED     GAS     FITTINGS, 

HALL  LAMPS,  CHANDELIERS,  &c. 

Special  Designs,  prepared  for  both  Tublic  &  Private  Buildings  upon  application. 


NOTICE. 

We  have  recently 
introduced  several 
novel  designs  for 
Beer  Machine 
PuLi.s,  these,  and 
any  of  our  Fittings 
may  be  seen  at 
Show  Rooms, 


35,  TEMPLE  STREE 


»♦♦♦♦♦♦«»♦«♦««♦« 


Our  Latest  Catalogue  issued  August,  1885,  free  to  the 

trade  upon  application. 

LEAD  and  GLASS  WORKS  :- 

GAS  STREET  &  BERKLEY  STREET. 

Artists  in  Ecclesiastical  and  Domestic  Stained  Glass. 


Vll. 


# 


% 


QUALITY  No.  18. 


^^^^1 

|||M|| 

fill!   ^i  i  1  i 

1  III  ilinKHL 

1 

11  fcfili 

! !  {||hI 

'^1  IK 

PRICE    LISTS    FREE. 

1 

VIAE 

>UCT  *  WO 

K  JK.  o  5 

OXFORD 

STREE 

Vlll. 


JAMES  YATES 

PEWTERER 


AND 


BAR  X  FITTER, 

AND  MANUFACTURER  OP 

PA.TEI^T    LEVER 

BEER   ENGINES, 

SPIRIT   RAILS,    ALE   AND   WINE   MEASURES, 
DRINKING  CUPS,  BRASS  COCKS, 

LIFT    AND    FORCE    PUMPS, 

And  every  pequisite  for  |the  USE  of  HOTEL  KEEPERS, 
BREWERS,  &e. 


ALL  GOODS  OF  THE  BEST  QUALITY, 


EXPERIENCED  MEN  SENT  T0:ALL  PARTS.  Established  1826. 

39  &  40,  Coleshill  St.,  Birmingham. 


SHOWELL^S 

Dictionary  of  Birminghani. 


A    HISTORY    AND    GUIDE, 

Arranged    Alphabetically, 

Containing  Thousands  of  Dates  and  References  to  Matters  of 
Interest  connected  with  the  Past  and  Present  History  of  the  Town- 
its  PubHc  Buildings,  Chapels,  Churches  and  Clubs— its  Friendly 
Societies  and  Benevolent  Associations,  Philanthropic  and  Philosophical 
Institutions — its  Colleges  and  Schools,  Parks,  Gardens,  Theatres,  and 
Places  of  Amusement — its  Men  of  Worth  and  Noteworthy  Men, 
Manufactures  and  Trades,   Population,  Rates,  Statistics  of  progress, 

&c.,  &c. 

Compiled  by  Thos.  T,   Harman,  Author  of  "The  Local  Book 
of  Dates,"  "  Notes  and  Records,"  &c., 

FOR    THE    PROPRIETORS— 

WALTER  SHOWELL  &  SONS, 

CROSS  .J*  WELLS    BREWERY,    OLDBURY. 

Head  Offices:   157,    GT.  6HARLES  STREET,   BIRMINGHAM. 

BIRMINGHAM  : 

Printed  by  J.  G.  Hammond  &  Co.,  136-13S,  Edmund  Street;  and  Published  liy 

CORNISH   BROTHERS,  NEW  STREET. 


Gross  Collection 
Bus.  Adm.  Lib. 

DA 


H)ictionar^  of  Birmingbam. 


?*^ 


NOTES  OF  BIRMINGHAM  IN  THE  PAST. 


BipminTham  to  the  Seventh 

CentUPy.  —  Wo  have  no  record  or 
traces  wliatevev  of  there  being  inliabi- 
tants  in  this  neighbourliood,  thougli 
there  can  be  little  doubt  that  in  the 
time  Of  the  invasion  of  the  Romans 
some  British  strongliolds  were  within 
a  few  miles  of  the  place,  sundry  remains 
having  been  found  to  show  tnat  many 
battles  had  been  fought  near  here.  If 
residents  there  were  prior  to  King 
Edward  the  Confessor's  reign,  they 
would  probably  be  of  Gkrrth's  tribe, and 
their  huts  even  Hutton,  antiquarian 
and  historian  as  lie  was,  failed  to  lind 
traces  of.  How  the  name  of  this  our 
dwelling-place  came  about,  nobody 
knows.  Not  less  than  twelve  dozen 
ways  have  been  found  to  spell  it ;  ascore 
of  different  derivations  '"discovered" 
for  it ;  and  guesses  innumerable  given 
as  to  its  origin,  but  we  still  wait  for 
the  information  re(|nired. 

Biraiingham     in     the     Con- 

quei'OP's  Days. — The  Manor  was 
held,  in  1066,  by  Alwyne,  son  of 
Wigod  the  Dane,  who  married  the  sister 
of  the  Saxon  Leofric,  Earl  of  JMercia. 
According  to  "Domesday  Book,"  in 
1086,  it  was  tenanted  by  Richard,  who, 
held,  under  William  Fitz-Ansculf,  and 
included  four  hides  of  land  and  half-a- 
mile  of  wood,  worth  20s.  ;  there  were 
150  acres  in  cviltivation,  with  but  nine 
residents,  five  villeins,  and  four  bor- 
darers.  In  1 181  there.werelS  freeholders 
(Ubere  tencntcs)  in  Birmingham  culti- 
vating 667  acres,  and  35  tenants  in 
demesne,  holding  158  acrei,  the  whole 
value  being  £13  Ss.  2d. 


Bipming-ham    in    the  Feudal 

PePiod. — The  number  of  armed  men 
furnished  by  this  town  for  Edward 
III.'s  wars  were  four,  as  compared  with 
six  from  \yarwick,  an 'I  forty  from 
Coventry. 

Bipming-ham  in  the  Time  of 
the  Edwapds  and  Happys.  — The 

Manor  passed  from  the  Bermingham 
family  in  1537,  through  the  knavish 
trickery  of  Lord  L'Isle,  to  whom  it  was 
granted  in  1545.  The  fraud,  however, 
was  not  of  much  service  to  the  noble 
rascal,  as  he  was  beheaded  for  treason 
in  1553.  In  1555  the  Manor  was  given 
by  Queen  Mary  to  Thomas  Marrow,  of 
Berkswell. 

Bipming-ham  in  1538.— Leland, 

who  visited  here  about  this  date,  says 
in  his  "  Itinerary  " — "  There  be  many 
smithies  in  tlie  towne  that  use  to  make 
knives  and  all  manner  of  cutlery  tooles, 
and  many  lorimers  that  make  Inttes, 
and  a  great  many  naylors,  so  that  a 
great  part  of  the  towne  is  maintained 
by  smithes,  who  have  their  iron  and 
seacole  out  of  Stafforiishire. "  He  de- 
scribes the  town  as  consisting  of  one 
street,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  long, 
"  a  pretty  street  or  ever  I  enterd," 
and  "this  street,  as  I  remember,  is 
called  Dirtey. " 

Bipming-ham  in  1586.— Camden 

in  his  "  Britaunica, "  published  this 
year,  speaks  of  "  Bremicham,  swarm- 
ing with  inhabitants,  and  echoing  with 
the  noise  of  anvils,  for  the  most  part 
of  them  are  smiths. " 

Birmingham  in  1627.— Ina  book 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


issue<l  at  Oxford  this  year  mention  is 
made  of  "  Breiiiinchani  inhabited  with 
blacksmiths,  and  forging  sundry  kinds 
of  iron  utensils." 

Birmingham  in  1635.— As  show- 
ing the  status  the  town  hekl  at  this 
date  we  find  that  it  was  assessed  for 
"ship  money"  by  Charles  I.  at  £100, 
the  same  as  Warwick,  while  Sutton 
Coldfieki  had  to  find  £80  and  Coventry 
£266. 

Birmingham  in  1656.— Dugdale 

speaks  of  it  as  "being  a  place  very 
eminent  for  most  commodities  made  of 
iron." 

Birmingham     in     1680-90.— 

Macanlay  s-aj's  :  The  ])0)nilatiun  ot  Bir- 
mingham was  only  4,000,  and  at  that 
day  nobody  had  heard  of  Birmingham 
guns.  He  also  says  there  was  not  a 
single  regular  shop  where  a  Bible  or 
almanack  could  be  bought  ;  on  market 
daj's  a  bookseller  named  Micliael  John- 
son (lather  of  the  great  Samuel  Johnson) 
came  over  from  Lichfield  and  opened  a 
stall  for  a  few  hours,  and  this  supply 
was  equal  to  the  demand.  The  gun 
trade,  however,  was  introduced  here 
very  soon  after,  for  there  is  still  in 
existence  a  warrant  from  the  Oliice  of 
Ordnance  to  "  pay  to  John  Smart  for 
Thomas  Hadley  and  the  rest  of  tlie 
Ciunmakers  of  Birmingham,  one  deben- 
ture of  tt'our-score  and  sixteen  pouudes 
and  eighteen  shillings,  dated  ye  14th 
of  July,  1690." — Alexander  Missen, 
visiting  this  town  in  his  travels,  said 
that  ' '  swords,  heads  of  canes,  snuff- 
boxes, and  other  fine  works  of  steel," 
conld  be  had  "  cheaper  and  better  here 
than  even  in  famed  Milan." 

Birmingham  in  1691.— The  au- 
thor of  "  The  New  State  of  England," 
published  this  year,  says:  "  Bromichau 
drives  a  good  trade  in  iron  and  steel 
wares,  saddles  and  bridles,  whicli  find 
good  vent  at  London,  Ireland,  and 
otlier  parts."  By  another  writer, 
"  Bromicham  "  is  described  as  "  a  large 
and  well-built  town,  very  populous, 
much    resorted    to,    and    particularly 


noted  a  few  years  ago  for  the  counter- 
feit groats  made  liere,  and  dispersed  all 
oven  the  kingdom." 

Birmingham   in   1731.— An  old 

"Koad-book"  of  this  date,  says  that 
"  Birmingham,  Bromicham,  or  Bremi- 
cham,  is  a  large  town,  well  built  and 
populous.  The  inliabitants,  being 
mostly  smiths,  are  ver}'  ingenious  in 
their  waj^,  and  vend  vast  quantities  of 
all  .lorts  of  iron  wares."  The  first  map 
of  the  town  (Westley's)  was  published 
in  this  year.  It  showed  the  Manor- 
house  on  an  oval  island,  about  126 
yards  long  by  70  yards  extreme 
width,  su'-rounded  by  a  moat  about 
twelve  yards  broad.  Paradise  Street 
was  then  but  a  road  through  the 
fields  ;  Easy  Hill  (now  Easy  Row), 
Summer  Hill,  Newhall  Hill,  Ludgate 
Hill,  Constitution  Hill,  and  Snow  Hill 
pleasant  pastures. 

Birmingham  in  1750.— Brad- 
ford's plan  of  the  town,  published  in 
1751,  showed  a  walk  by  Kea  side, 
where  lovers  could  take  a  pleasanr. 
stroll  from  Heath  Mill  Lane.  The 
country  resideoces  at  Mount  Pleasant 
(now  Ann  Street)  were  surrounded 
with  gardens,  and  it  was  a  common 
practice  to  dry  clothes  on  the  hedges  in 
Snow  Hill.  In  "England's  Gazetteer," 
published  about  this  date,  Birming- 
ham or  Bromichan  is  said  to  be  "a 
large,  well-built,  and  populous  town, 
noted  for  tbe  most  ingenious  artificers 
in  boxes,  buckles,  buttons,  and  other 
iron  and  steel  wares  ;  wherein  such 
multitudes  of  people  are  employed  that 
they  are  sent  all  over  Europe  ;  and 
here  is  a  continual  noise  of  hammers, 
anvils,  and  files." 

Birmingham  in  1765.— Lord  and 

Lady  Shelburne  visited  here  in  1765. 
Her  ladyship  kept  a  diary,  and  in  it 
she  describes  Mr.  Baskerville's  liouse 
(Easy  Row)  as  "  a  pretty  place  out  of  the 
town."  She  also  mentions  visiting  a 
Quaker's  to  see  "the  making  of  guns.  " 

Birmingham  in  1766.— In    «  A 

NewTour  ihrougli  England,"  by  George 


SHOWELl's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


Baaumont,  Esq.,  and  Capt.  Henry 
Disney,  airniiugha-n  is  described  as 
"a  verv  large  populous  town,  the 
upper  part  of  which  stands  dry  on  the 
side  ot  a  hill,  but  the  lower  is  watry, 
and  inhabited  by  the  meaner  sort  of 
]ieople.  They  are  employed  here  in 
tiio  Iron  Works,  in  which  they  are 
such  ingenious  artificers,  that  their 
]>erformances  in  the  sniallwares  of  iron 
and  steel  are  admired  both  at  home 
and  abroad.  'Tis  much  improved  of 
late  years,  both  in  public  and  private 
buildings." 

Birmingham  in  1781.— Huttou 

published  his  "History  of  Birming- 
ham "  this  year.  He  estimated  that 
there  were  tlien  living  ninety- four 
townsmen  who  were  each  worth  over 
£5,000;  eighty  worth  over  £10,000  ; 
seventeen  worth  over  £20.000  ;  eight 
worth  over  £30,000  ;  seven  worth  over 


£50,000  ;  and  three  at  least  worth  over 
£100,000  each. 

Bipmingham  in  1812.— The  ap- 
pearance of  the  town  then  would  be 
strange  indeed  to  those  who  know  but 
the  Birmingham  of  today.  Many 
half-timbered  houses  remained  in  the 
Bull  Ring  and  cows  grazed  near  where 
the  Town  Hall  uow  stands,  there  being 
a  farmhouse  at  the  back  of  the  site  of 
Christ  Church,  then  being  built.  Re- 
cruiting parties  paraded  tlie  streets 
with  fife  and  drum  almost  daily,  and 
when  the  London  mail  came  in  with 
news  of  some  victory  in  Spain  it  was 
no  uncommon  thing  for  the  workmen 
to  take  the  horses  out  and  drag  the 
coach  up  the  Bull  Ring  amid  the  cheers 
of  the  crowd.  At  night  the  streetg 
were  patrolled  by  watchmen,  with  rat- 
tles and  lanterns,  who  called  the  hours 
aud  the  weather. 


A  B  House,  so  called  from  the 
initials  inscribed  thereon  to  show  tlie 
division  of  the  ])arishes  of  Aston  and 
Birmingham  near  to  Deritend  Bridge. 
Early  in  1SS3  part  of  the  foundations 
were  uncovered,  showing  that  the  old 
building  \\%.s  raised  on  wooden  piles, 
when  the  neigiibourhood  was  little 
better  than  a  swamp. 

ABC  Time  Table  was  first  issued 
in  July,  1853.  A  rival,  called  the 
"X  Y  Z  Time  Table,"  on  a  system 
that  was  to  make  all  the  puzzles  of 
Bradshavv  as  plain  as  pikestaves,  was 
brought  out  in  August,  1877,  but  it  re- 
(|uired  such  extra  wise  heads  to  under- 
.stand  its  simplicity  that  before  one 
could  be  found  the  whole  thing  was 
lost,  the  old  Alpha  being  preferred  to 
the  new  Omega. 

Accidents     and     Accidental 

Deaths  are  of  constant  occurrence. 
Those  here  noted  are  but  a  few  which, 
from  their  peculiar  nature,  have  been 
placed  on  record  for  I'eference. 

A  woman  fell  in  Pudding  Brook, 
.June  3,  1794,  and  was  drowned  in  the 
puddle. 

In  1789,  a  Mr.    Wright,  a  patten- 


maker,  of  Digbeth,  attempted  to  cross 
the  ohl  bridge  over  tlie  Rea,  fell  in  and 
was  "  smothered  in  the  mud." 

The  Bridge  in  Wheeley's  Road  was 
burst  up  by  flood  waters,  November 
26,  1853. 

Five  men  were  killed  by  the  fall  of  a 
scaffold  in  New  Street  Station,  Oct.  11, 
1862. 

A  lady  was  accidently  shot  in 
Cheapside,  Nov.  5,  1866. 

Pratt,  a  marker  at  Bournebrook 
Rille  Range,  was  shot  April  12,  1873. 

The  body  of  a  man  named  Thomas 
Bishop  who  had  fallen  in  a  midden  in 
Oxford  Street,  was  found  Oct.  3,  1873. 

Charles  Henry  Porter,  surgeon,  Aug. 
10,  1876,  died  from  an  overdose  of 
prussic  acid  taken  as  a  remedy. 

Richard  Riley  was  killed  by  the 
bursting  of  a  sodawater  bottle,  June 
19,  1877. 

Alfred  Mills  drowned  in  a  vinegar 
vat  at  the  Brewery  in  Glover  Street, 
March  7,  1878. 

Two  gentlemen  (Messrs.  W.  Arnold 
and  G.  Barker),  while  on  a  visit  of  in- 
spection at  Sandwell  Park  Colliery, 
Nov.  6,  1878,  were  killed  by  falling 
from  the  cage.  Two  miners,  father  and 


SHOWKLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


son,  were  killed  by  a  fall  of  coal  in  the 
followii)g  week. 

A  water  main,  30  inches  diameter, 
burst  in  Wheeler  Street,  June  17,  1879. 

On  the  night  of  Sep.  5,  1880,  Mrs. 
Kingham,  lanillady  of  the  "Hen  and 
Cliicken-s,"  fell  through  a  doorway  on 
tiie  third  storey  landing  into  the  yard, 
dying  a  few  hours  after.  The  doorway 
was  originally  intended  to  lead  to  a 
gallery  of  the  Aquarium  then  proposed 
to  be  built  at  the  back  of  the  hotel. 

January  12th,  1881. --A  helper  in 
the  menagerie  at  Sanger's  Exhibition, 
then  at  liingley  Hall,  was  attacked 
and  seriously  injured  by  a  lion,  whose 
den  he  was  cleaning  out.  The  animal 
was  beaten  off  by  tlie  keeper,  the  said 
keeper,  Alicamoosa  (?)  himself  being 
attacked  and  injured  a  lew  days  after 
by  the  same  animal. 

A  child  of  17  months  fell  on  to  a 
sewer  grating  in  River  Street,  May  28lh, 
1881,  and  died  from  the  effects  of  hot 
steam  arising  therefrom,  neighbouring 
manufacturers  pouring  their  waste 
boiler  water  into  the  sewers. 

Accidental  Deaths  by  Drown- 
ing".— Five  persons  were  drowned  at 
Soho  Pool,  on  Christmas  Day,  1822, 
through  the  ice  breaking  under  them. 

In  1872,  John  Jerromes  lost  his  life 
while  trying  to  save  a  boj'  who  had 
fallen  into  Fazeley  Street  Canal.  £200 
subscriptions  were  raised  for  his  wife 
and  family. 

A  boat  upset  at  the  Reservoir,  April 
11,  1873,  when  one  life  was  lost. 

Boat  upset  at  Kirby's  Pools,  whereby 
one  Lawrence  Joyce  was  drowned. 
May  17,  1875.  Two  men  were  also 
drowned  here  July  23,  1876. 

Three  boys,  and  a  young  man  named 
Hodgetts,  who  attempted  to  save  them, 
were  drowntd,  Jan  16,  1876,  at  Green's 
Hole  Pool,  Garrison  Lane,  through 
breaking  of  the  ice. 

Arthur,  3rd  son  of  Sir  C.  B.  Adder- 
ley,  was  drowned  near  Blair  Athol, 
July  1,  1877,  aged  21. 

Four  boys  were  drowned  at  the 
Reservoir,  July  26,  1877. 

Two  children  were  drowned  in  the 


Rea  at  Jakeman's  Fields,  May  30, 
1878. 

Rev.  S.  Fiddian,  a  Wesleyau  Minis- 
ter, of  this  town,  aged  nearly  80,  was 
drowned  while  bathing  at  Barmouth, 
Aug.  4,  1880. 

A  Mrs.  Satchvvell  was  drowned  at 
Earlswood,  Feb.  3,  1883,  though  a 
carrier's  cart  falling  over  the  embank- 
ment into  the  Reservoir  in  the  dusk  of 
the  evening.  The  hor^e  shared  the  fate 
of  the  lady,  but  the  driver  escaped. 

Accidental  Death  fpom  Elee- 

tPieity. — Jan.  20,  IS8O,  a  musician, 
named  Augustus  Biedermann,  took 
liold  of  two  joints  of  the  wires  supply- 
ing the  electric  lights  of  the  Holte 
Tlieatre,  and  receiving  nearly  the  full 
force  of  the  40-horse  power  battery,  was 
killed  on  the  spot. 

Accidents  fpom  Fallen  Build- 
ings.— A  house  in  Snow  Hill  fell 
Sept.  1,  1801,  when  four  persons  were 
killed. 

During  the  raising  of  the  roof  of 
Town  Hall,  John  Heap  was  killed  by 
the  fall  of  a  principal  (Jan.  26,  1833), 
and  Wm.  Badger,  injured  same  tiuK , 
died  a  few  weeks  after.  Memorial 
stone  in  St.  Philip's  Churchyard. 

Welch's  pieshop,  Temple  Street,  fell 
in,  March  5,  1874. 

Two  houses  fell  in  Great  Lister  Street, 
Aug.  18,  1874,  and  one  in  Lower 
Windsor  Street,  Jan.  13,  1875. 

Three  houses  collapsed  in  New  Sum- 
mer Street,  April  4,  1875,  when  one 
person  was  killed,  and  nine  others 
injured. 

Four  houses  fell  in  Tauter  Street, 
Jan.  1,  1877,  when  a  boy  was  lamed. 

Two  men  were  killeii,  and  several 
injured,  by  chimney  blown  down  at 
Deykiu  k  Sons,  Jeunens  Row,  Jan.  30, 
1877,  and  one  nun  was  killed  by  wall 
blown  down  in  Harborne  Road,  Feb. 
20,  same  year. 

Some  children  playing  about  a  row  of 
condemned  cottages.  Court  2,  Gem 
Street,  Jan.  11,  1885,  contrived  to  pull 
part  on  to  their  heads,  killing  one,  and 
injuring  others. 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


Accidents  from  Pipe.— February, 

1S75,  was  ail  unl'ortuiiate  month  for 
the  females,  an  old  woman  benig  burnt 
to  death  on  the  5th,  a  middle-aged  one 
on  the  7th,  and  a  J'oung  one  on  the 
12th 

Accidents  through  Lightning". 

— A  boy  was  struck  dead  at  liordeslej' 
Green,  July  30,  1871.  Two  men, 
William  Harvey  and  James  Steadman, 
were  similirlv  killed  at  Chester  Street 
Wharf,  May  "14,  1879.  Harvey  was 
f  )llowed  to  the  grave  by  a  procession  of 
white-smocked  navvies. 

Accidents  at  Places  of  Amuse- 

nont. — A  sudden  j)anic  and  alarm  of 
li.c  caused  several  deatlis  and  many  in- 
juries at  the  Spread  Eigle  Concert  Hall, 
liiill  Ring,  May  5,  1855. 

The  "  Female  Hlondin  "  was  killed 
by  falling  Irom  the  high  rope,  at  Aston 
r.irk,  July  20,  1863. 

A  trajieze  gymnast,  "Fritz,"  was 
killed  at  Day's  Concert  Hall,  Nov.  12, 
1870. 

A  boy  was  killed  by  falling  from  the 
Gillerv  at  the  Theatre  Rnal,  Feb.  16, 
1873.  ' 

At  Holder's  Concert  Hall,  April  1, 
1879,  Alfred  Bishop  (12)  had  his  leg 
broken  while  doing  the  ''Shooting 
Star  "  trick. 

Accidents  in  the  Streets.— On 

New  Year's  Day,  1745,  a  man  was 
killed  by  a  wagon  going  over  him, 
owing  to  the  "steepness"  of  Carr's 
Lane. 

The  Shrewsbury  coach  was  upset  at 
Hockley,  May  24,  1780,  when  several 
passengers  were  injured. 

The  Ciiester  mail  coach  was  upset, 
April  15,  1787,  while  rounding  the 
Welsh  Cross,  and  several  persons  much 
injured. 

Feb.  28,  1875,  must  be  noted  as  the 
"  slippery  day,"  no  less  than  Corty  jier- 
sons  (twelve  with  broken  ii:ubs),  being 
taken  to  the  H  )spitals  through  falling 
in  the  icy  streets. 

CaptainTiiornton  waskilled  by  being 
thrown  from  his  carriage,  Maj'  22,1876. 


The  Coroner's  van  was  upset  in 
Livery  Street,  Jan.  24,  1881,  and  .seve- 
ral jurymen  injured. 

Accidents   on  the   Rails.— An 

accident  occurred  to  the  Birmingham 
express  train  at  Shipton,  on  Christmas 
Eve,  1874,  wlierpby  26  jiersons  were 
killed,  and  180  injured  In  the  ex- 
citement at  Snow  Hill  Station,  a  young 
woman  was  pushed  undei  a  train  and 
lost  both  her  legs,  though  her  life  was 
saved,  and  she  now  h  as  artificial 
lower  limbs. 

Police-officer  Kimberley  was  killed 
in  the  crush  at  Olton  Station  on  the 
Race  Day,  Feb.  11th,  1875. 

While  getting  out  of  carriages, 
while  the  train  was  in  motion,  a  man 
waskilled  at  New-  Street  Station,  May 
15,  1875,  a!id  on  the  18:h,  another  at 
Snow  Hill,  and  though  such  accidents 
occur  almost  weekl\-,  on  some  line  or 
other,  people  keep  on  doing  it. 

Three  men  were  killed  on  the  line 
near  King's  Norton,  Sept.  28,  1876. 

]\lr.  Pipkin-:,  Stationmaster  at  "Win- 
son  Green,  was  killeil  Jan.  2.  1877. 

Inspector  Bellamy,  for  30  years  at 
New  Street  Station,  fell  while  crossing 
a  carriage,  and  was  killed,  April  15, 
1879. 

AeOCk's  Green,  a  few  years  bick 
only  a  little  village,  is  last  becoming  a 
thriving  suburban  town.  The  old 
estate,  of  alxuit  150  acres,  was  lotted 
out  for  building  in  1839,  the  sale  being 
then  conducted  by  Messrs.  E.  and  C. 
Robbins,  August  19.  The  Public  Hall, 
which  cost  about  £3,000,  was  opened 
December  20,  1878  ;  its  principal  room 
being  74  feet  long,  30  feet  wide,  and  30 
feet  liigh. 

Adderley. — Sir  Charles  B.Ailderley 
was  gazetted  a  peer  April  16,  1878,  his 
title  being  Baron  Norton,  of  Norton- 
ou-the-iluors,  Staffordshire. 

Adderley  Park  was  opened  Aug. 

30,  1856.  Its  area  is  10a.  Or.  22p., 
and  the  Corporation  hold  it  as  tenants 
under  a  999  years'  lease,  at  5s.  rental. 
A  Reading  Room  and  l^ranch  Library 
was  opened  on  Jan.  11,  1864, 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


Advertisements.— The  duty  on 

advertisements  in  newspapers  was 
abolished  Aug.  4, 185-3.  One  of  the  most 
attractive  styles  of  advertising  was  that 
adopted  by  Messrs.  Walter  Showell 
and  Son,  August  30,  1881,  when  Tlic 
Birmingham  Daily  Post  gave  up  a 
whole  page  for  the  firm's  use.  10,000 
copies  weie  sent  to  their  customers  by 
early  post  on  day  of  publication. 

Afghan  WaP,— A  stormy  "  town's 
meeting  "  on  this  subject  was  held  in 
the  Town  Hall,  Dec.  3,  1878,  memo- 
rable for  the  interference  of  thepoliceby 
order  of  the  Mayor,  and  the  proceed- 
ings conseipieut  thereon 

Agrieultupal  Laboupeps.— Jos. 

Arch,  their  ehaniiiion,  addressed  a 
meeting  in  their  behalf  at  Town  Hall, 
Dec.  IS,  1873,  and  other  meetings  were 
held  April  15  and  July  3  i'ollowing, 
A  collection  made  for  some  of  the 
labourers  on  strike  amounted  to  £137 
9s.  2id. 

Ag-pieultUPal  Shows.— The  War- 
wickshire Agricultural  Show  (with  the 
Birmingham  Horse  Show,  and  the  Rose 
Show)  began  at  Aston,  June  17,  li>73. 
The  first  exhibition  here  of  the  Royal 
Agricultural  Society  took  place  July 
19-24,  1876,  in  Aston  Park,  specially 
granted  by  the  Corporation.  —  See 
CaWc  Slio'ivs,  <i-c. 

Albion  Metal,  tin  rolled  on  lead, 
much  used  for  making  "  lace,"  &c. ,  for 
collin  decoratisn,  was  introduced  in 
1804,  being  the  invention  of  Tliomas 
Dobbs,  a  comic  actor,  then  engaged  at 
the  Tlieatre  Royal.  He  Wi»s  also  the 
designer  of  a  reaping  machine,  and 
made  one  and  showed  it  with  real  corn 
for  his  "  Benefit  "  on  tlie  stage  of  the 
Theatre  Royal  in  1815. 

AleesteP  Tarni)ike  road  was  first 
used  in  1767. 

AldePmen.— See  Corporation. 

Ales  and  Alehouses  were  known 

in  this  country  nearly  1,200  years  ago, 
but  the  national  beverage  was  not  taxed 
until    1551,     a    few   years  previous  to 


which  (1535)  hops  were  first  used  in 
place  of  wormwood,  &c.  In  1603  it 
was  enacted  that  not  more  than  Id. 
(equal  to  9d.  value  now)  should  be 
charged  per  quart  for  the  best  ale  or 
beer,  or  for  two  quarts  of  the  "  smaller  " 
sort.  An  additional  excise  duty  was 
imposed  on  ale  and  beer  in  1643.  See 
also  Brevxrics. 

Almanacks.— The  first  English - 
printed  Almanack  was  for  the  3'ear 
1497,  and  the  London  Stationers'  Com- 
pany had  the  monopolj'  of  printing 
them  for  nearly  300  years.  The  iir.'-t 
locally  printed  Almanack  was  the 
"  Diaiia  Britannica"  (or  "British 
Diary"),  by  Messrs.  Pearson  and  Rol- 
lason,  issued  in  1787  for  1788,  at  9u. 
per  copj',  in  addition  to  the  Is.  6d.  re- 
quired for  stamp  duty.  It  was  barelj' 
half  the  size  and  not  a  tenth  the  value 
of  the  "  Diary  "  published  by  Messrs 
Walter  Showell  and  Sons,  and  of  which 
20,000  copies  are  given  away  annually. 
The  stamp  duty  was  removed  from  Al- 
manacks in  1834.  ■' Showell's  Alma- 
nack" in  past  years  was  highly  esteemed 
before  we  had  been  supplied  with 
"Moody's,"  the  "Red  Book, "&c.,  and 
a  co[)y  of  it  for  the  year  1839  is  valuable 
as  a  curiosity,  it  being  issued  with  a 
partly  printed  page  with  blanks  left 
for  the  insertion  of  the  names  of  the 
membeis  of  the  Corporation,  whoso 
first  election  under  the  cliarter  of  in- 
corporation was  about  to  take  place. 
To  prevent  any  mistake,  the  "Esqrs. " 
were  carefully  printed  in  where  the 
names  of  the  new  Aldermen  were  to  g(>, 
the  blanks  for  Councillors  being  only 
honoured  with  a   "Mr." 

Almshouses  for  Lendi's  Trust  were 
built  ill  Steelhouse  Lane  in  1764.  In 
later  years  othersets  of  houses  have  been 
built  111  Couybere  Street,  Hospital 
Street,  Ravenhurst  Street,  and  La,dy- 
wood  Road,  the  inmates,  all  women, 
numbering  132.  Jas.  Dowell's  Alms- 
houses in  Warner  Street,  consisting  of 
20  houses  and  a  chapel,  known  as  liie 
"  Retreat,"  were  built  in  1820.  Mrs. 
Glover's  Almshouses  in  Steelhouse  Lane 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


for  36  aged  women,  were  erected  in 
1832.  James  Lloyd's  twenty-Four 
Almshouses  in  Belgrave  Street  were 
erected  in  1869. 

Aluminium. — This  valuable  mate- 
rial for  the  use  of  one  of  our  staple 
trades  was  first  obtained  by  a  German 
I  chemist  in  1837,  but  was  not  produced 
in  sufficient  quantity  for  manufacturing 
purposes  until  1854,  at  which  time  its 
market  value  was  60s.  per  oz.  It 
gradually  cheapened,  until  it  is  now 
priced  at  5s.,  and  a  compiny  has  lately 
been  formed  for  its  more  easy  manu- 
facture, who  promise  to  supply  it  at 
about  as  many  pence. 

Amphitheatres.-  Astley's  cele- 
brated am|iliitliealre  was  brought  here 
in  October,  1787.  Mr.  and  xMrs.  Astley 
themselves  had  performed  in  Birming- 
ham as  euly  as  1772. — A  local  amphi- 
theatre was  opened  in  Livery  Street  in 
1787,  on  the  present  site  of  Messrs. 
liilling's  printing  works.  After  the 
riots  of  1701  it  was  used  for  a  time  by 
the  congregations  of  Old  and  Now 
Meetiiii:,  wiiile  their  own  chapels  were 
being  rebuilt.  An  attempt  to  bring  it 
back  to  its  old  uses  failed,  and  "the 
properties"  were  sold  Nov.  25.1795. 
Several  sects  occupied  it  in  after  years, 
the  last  being  the  Latter-Day  Saints. 
It  was  taken  down  in  1848. — Another 
amphitheatre  was  opened  at  Bingley 
Hall,  Ddcember  29, 1853, by  the  plucky 
but  unlucky  John  Tonks,  a  well-known 
caterer  for  the  public's  amusement. 

Amusement,  Places  of  —Notes  of 
the  Tlieatres,  Concert  Halls,  Parks, 
&c.,  will  be  found  under  the  several 
headings.  Among  the  most  popular 
series  of  concerts  of  late  years  have 
been  those  of  a  Saturday  evening  (at 
3d.  admission)  in  the  Town  Hall,  which 
began  on  N 'V.  8,  1879,  and  are  con- 
tinued to  present  date. 

Analyst. — Dr.  Hill  was  appointed 
Borough  Analyst  in  Feb.,  1861,  his 
duties  being  to  examine  and  test  any 
sample  of  food  or  drinks  that  may  be 
brought   or   sent    to   him  in  order  to 


prove  their  purity  or  otherwise.  The 
fees  are  limited  to  a  scale  ap[)roved  liy 
the  Town  Council. 

Ancient  History  of  Birmingham 

can  hardly  be  said  to  e.xist.  Its  rise 
and  progress  is  essentially  modern, 
and  the  few  notes  that  have  come  to 
us  respecting  its  early  history  will  bo 
found  brieHy  summarised  at  the  com- 
mencement of  this  book. 

Anti-Bopough-Rate  Meeting-.— 

In  1874  the  Town  Council  asked  lor 
power  to  lay  a  Borough-rate  exceeding 
2s.  in  tlie  £. ,  but  after  three  day.s' 
polling  (ending  March  30)  permission 
was  refused  by  a  majority  of  2,654 
votes.  The  power  was  obtained  after- 
wards. 

Anti  -  Church  -  Rate  Meeting's 

were  fi'eijuunt  enough  at  one  [leriod  of 
our  histcny.  The  two  most  worthy  of 
remembiauce  were  those  of  Dec.  15, 
1834,  when  the  rate  was  refused  by  a 
majijrity  of  4,966  votes,  and  Oct. ,  1841, 
when  the  jiolling  showed  626  for  the 
rate  and  7,281  against. 

Anti-Corn-Law  Meeting's  were 

also  numerous.  The  one  to  recollect 
is  that  held  Feb.  18,  1842. 

Anti-Papal   Demonstration.— 

A  town's  meeting  took  place  in  the 
Town  Hall,  Doc.  11,  1850,  to  protest 
against  the  assumption  of  ecclesiastical 
titles  by  the  Catholic  hierarchy.  About 
8,000  persons  were  present,  and  the 
"No  Popery"  element  was  str(nig, 
but  Joseph  Sturge  moved  an  amend- 
ment for  freedom  to  all  parties,  which 
so  split  the  votes  that  the  Mayor  saiil 
the  amendment  was  not  carried  and 
the  resolution  was  lost 

Anti-Slavery.— The  first  Anti- 
Slavery  meeting  held  here  was  that  of 
Nov.  27,  1787.  A  local  ]>etition  to 
Parliament  against  the  slave  trade  was 
presented  to  the  House  of  Commons, 
Feb.  11,  1788.  A  local  society  was 
formed  here  in  1826,  Joseph  Sturge 
being  secretary,  and  many  nn^etings 
Wire  held  before  the  Da}    ot  Abolition 


8 


SHOWELL.S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


was  celebrated.  The  most  noteworthy 
of  these  was  that  at  Dee's  Assembly 
Room,  April  16,  1833,  wlien  G.  F. 
Minitz  and  the  Political  Union  opposed 
the  agitation  ;  a  great  meeting,  Oct. 
14,  1835  ;  another  on  Feb.  1,  1836,  in 
which  Daniel  OConnell  and  John 
Angell  James  took  jiart.  This  last  was 
the  first  largo  town's  meeting  at  which 
the  "total  and  immediate"  abolition 
of  slavery  was  demanded.  Joseph 
Sturge  following  it  up  by  going  to  the 
West  Indies  and  reporting  tlie  hard- 
ships inflicted  upon  the  blacks  under 
the  "gradual"  system  then  in  opera- 
tion. Aug.  7,  1838,  the  day  when 
s  avery  dro})ped  its  chains  on  English 
ground,  was  celebrated  here  by  a  chil- 
dren's festival  in  the  Town  Hall,  by 
laying  the  i'oundation-stone  of  "  The 
Negro  Emancipation  Schools,"  Legge 
Street,  and  by  a  public  meeting  at 
night,  at  which  Sir  Eardlej^  Wilniott, 
D.  O'Connell,  Dr.  Lushington,  Edward 
Baines,  &c. ,  were  present. 

Anti-one -thingr-op-t'othep.— 

True  to  their  motto,  Birmingham 
people  are  always  readj'  to  oppose  tlie 
wrong  and  forward  tlie  right,  but  what 
is  riglit  and  what  wrong  is  only  to  be 
ascertained  by  public  discussion,  and 
a  few  dates  of  celebrated  "  talks  "  are 
here  given  : — 

In  1719  the  apprenticing  of  Russian 
youths  to  local  trades  was  objected  to. 

In  the  Christinas  week  of  1754  public 
))rotest  was  made  against  the  tax  on 
wheel  carriages. 

March  12,  1824,  a  deputation  was 
sent  to  Parliament  to  protest  against 
our  workmen  beingallowed  to  emigrate, 
for  fear  they  should  teach  the  foreign- 
ers. 

A  proposed  New  Improvement  Bill 
was  vetoed  by  the  burgesses,  Dec.  18, 
1855.  We  have  improved  a  little  since 
then  ! 

An  Anti-Confessional  meeting  was 
held  Nov.   8,  1877. 

An  Anti-Contagious  Diseases  Act 
meeting,  April  19,  1877. 

Au      Anti-giving-up-Fugitive-Slave 


meeting,  Jan.  1,  1876,  when  a  certain 
Admiralty  Circular  was  cmidemued. 

An  Anti-Irish -Church -Establishment 
meeting  was  held  June  14,  1869. 

An  Anti-moving-the-Cattle  Market 
meeting  Dec.  14,  1869,  Smithfield 
being  preferred  to  Dmldeston  Hall. 

An  Anti -Rail  waj'-thiough -Sutton- 
Park  meeting,  April  15,  1872,  but  the 
railway  is  there. 

An  Anti-  Rotten  -  Shijj-and  -  S  lilor- 
drowning  meeting,  with  ilr.  Plimsoll 
to  the  fore,  May  14  1873.  Another 
July  29,  1875. 

An  Anti-Ashantee  War  meeting, 
Sept.  29,  1873. 

An  Anti-Turkish  Atrocity  meeting, 
Sept.  7,  1876  ;  followed  by  one  on  Oct. 
2nd,  properly  settling  the  Eastern 
question. 

An  Anti-Six-Million-War- Vote  meet- 
ing was  held  on  Jan.  28,  1878,  when 
the  Liberal  majority  was  immense.  A 
Tory  opposition  meeting,  in  support  of 
the  vote,  was  held  Feb.  12,  when  chairs 
and  forms  were  broken  up  to  use  as 
arguments,  the  result  being  a  majority 
of  2  to  1  for  both  sides. 

An  Anti-Wnr  meeting.  May  3,  1878. 

Anti-Vivisection  meetings.  April  24, 
1877,  and  May  6,  1878. 

ApollcMoseley  Stpeet— Opened 

as  a  j)ublic  resort  in  1786,  the  Rea 
being  then  a  clear  running  brook.  The 
fircjt  tenant  did  not  prosper,  for  in  the 
first  week  of  j\larch,  1787,  the  Gazette 
contained  an  advertisement  that  the 
Apollo  Hotel,  "  pleasantly  situate  in  a 
new  street,  called  Moseley  Street,  in 
the  hamlet  of  Deritend,  on  the  banks 
of  the  River  Rea,"  with  "a  spacious 
Bowling  Green  and  Gardens,"  was  to 
be  let,  with  or  without  four  acres  of 
gooil  pasture  land.  When  closed  as  a 
licensed  house, itwas  at  lirstdividedinto 
two  residences,  but  in  1816  the  division 
walls,  &c. ,  were  removed,  to  fit  it  as  a 
residence  for  Mr.  Hamper,  the  anti- 
quary. That  gentleman  wrote  that  the 
prospect  at  the  back  was  delightful, 
and  was  bounded  only  by  Bromsgrove 
Lickey.  The  building  was  then  called 
"  Deritend  House." 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


Aquariums. — The  Aquarium  at 
Aston  Lower  Grounds  was  opened  July 
10,  1879.  The  principal  room  has  a 
length  of  312  feet,  the  promenade  being 
•24  feet  wide  by  20  feet  high.  The 
west  side  of  this  spacious  apartment  is 
fitted  with  a  number  of  large  show 
tanks,  where  many  rare  and  choice 
specimens  of  marine  animals  and  fishes 
may  be  exhibited.  On  a  smaller  scale 
theie  is  an  Aquarium  at  the  "  Crystal 
Palace  "  Garden,  at  Sutton  Coldiield, 
and  a  curiosity  in  the  shape  of  an 
"  Aquarium  Bar"  may  be  seen  at  the 
establishment  of  Mr.  Bailey,  in  Moor 
Street. 

Arcades. — The  Arcade  between 
Monmouth  Street  and  Temple  Row, 
was  commenced  April  26,  187;') ;  first 
illuminated  August  19,  1876,  and 
opened  for  public  use  on  28th  of  that 
month.  It  is  built  over  that  portion 
of  the  G.W.R.  line  running  from  Mon- 
mouth Street  to  Temple  Row,  the  front 
facing  the  Great  Western  Hotel, 
occupying  tlie  site  once  filled  by  the 
old  Quaker's  burial  ground.  It  is  the 
]>roperty  of  a  companj',  and  cost  nearly 
£100,000,  the  architect  being  Mr.  W. 
H.  Ward.  The  shops  number  38,  and 
in  addition  there  are  56  offices  in  the 
galleries. — The  Central  Arcade  in  Cor- 
poration Street,  near  to  New  Street, 
and  leading  into  Cannon  Street,  is 
from  the  designs  of  the  same  architect 
and  was  opened  September  26,  1881. 
Underneath  the  Arcade  proper  is  the 
Central  Restaurant,  and  one  side  of  the 
thoroughfare  forms  part  of  the  shop  of 
Messrs.  Marris  and  Norton. — The 
North-  JVcdern  Arcade,  wliicli  was 
opened  April  5,  1884,  is  like  a  continu- 
ation of  the  iirst-named,  being  also 
built  over  the  G.W.R.  tunnel,  and 
runs  from  Temple  Row  to  Corporation 
Street.  The  architect  is  Mr.  W.  Jen- 
kins, and  the  undertakers  Messrs. 
Wilkinson  and  Riddell,  who  occupy 
the  principal  frontage.  Several  of  the 
twenty-six  shops  into  whicli  the  Arcade 
is  divided  have  connection  with  places 
of  business  in    Bull   Street. — The  Im- 


perial Arcade,  in  Dale  End,  next  to 
St.  Peter's  Church,  is  also  a  private 
speculation  (that  of  Mr.  Tlios.  Hall), 
and  was  opened  at  Christmas,  1883. 
It  contains,  in  addition  to  the  frontage, 
thirty-two  shops,  with  the  same  num- 
ber of  offices  above,  while  the  basement 
forms  a  large  room  suitable  for  meet- 
ings, auctions,  ke..,  it  being  135ft. 
long,  55ft.  wide  and  nearly  15lt.  high. 
Two  of  the  ])rincipal  features  of  the 
Arcade  are  a  magnificent  stained  win- 
dow, looking  towards  St.  Peters,  and  a 
curious  clock,  said  to  be  the  second  of 
its  kind  in  England,  life-size  figures  of 
Guy,  Earl  of  Warwick,  and  his  Coun- 
tess, witli  their  attendants,  striking 
the  hours  and  quarters  on  a  set  of 
musical  bells,  the  largest  of  which 
weighs  about  5cwt.  — Snotv  Hill  Arcade, 
opposite  the  railway  station,  and  lead- 
ing to  Slaney  Street,  is  an  improvement 
due  tc  Mr.  C.  Ede,  who  has  adopted  the 
designs  of  Mr.  J.  S.  Davis. — The  Hen 
and  Chickens  Arcade  has  been  designed 
by  Mr.  J.  A.  Cossins,  for  a  company 
who  puriiose  to  build  it,  and,  at  the 
s-ame  time,  enlarge  tiie  well-known 
New  Street  hotel  of  the  same  name. 
Tire  portico  and  vestibule  of  the 
hotel  will  form  the  entrance 
in  New  Sireet  to  the  Arcade,  which 
will  contain  two-dozen  good-sized 
shops,  a  large  basement  room  for 
restaurant,  &c.  ;  the  out  in  AVorcester 
Street  being  nearly  facing  the  Market 
Hall. 

Area  of  Borough. — Birmingham 
covers  an  area  of  8,400  acres,  with  an 
estimated  population  of  400,680  (end 
of  1881),  thus  giving  an  average  of 
47 '7  persons  to  an  acre.  As  a  means 
of  comjiarison,  similar  figures  are 
given  for  a  few  other  large  towns  : — 

Area  in  Poimlation  Persons 

Acres  in  1S81  toacies 

Bradford         ..     7,200  203,544  2S-2 

Biistol             ..     4,452  217,1S5  48-3 

Leeds              ..   21,572  32(3,158  15-1 

Leicester         ..     3,200  ]34,350  42-0 

Liverpool        ..     5,210  549,834  105-6 

Manchester      .     4,293  3(54,445  84-9 

Nottingliani   ..     9,9(30  177,964  77-9 


10 


SHOWELL  S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


Newcastle     . . 
Salfoid 
SlieffieM 
Wolveilmiptii 


Area  in  Population  Persons 

Acres.      in  ISSl.     to  acre. 

5,372         151,8-22         28-3 

5,170        194,077        37-5 

19,651         312,943         15-9 


3,396 


76,850         22-6 


Arms   of   the   Boroug-h.— The 

Town  Council,  on  the  6tli  day  of 
August,  1867,  did  resolve  and  declare 
that  the  Anns  oC  the  Borough  should 
be  blazoned  as  follows  :  "1st  and  4th 
azure,  a  bend  lozengy  or;  2nd  and 
3rd,  parti  per  pale  or  and  gules. — (See 
cover). 

Apt  and  APtistS.— An  "v^cademy 
of  Arts"  was  organised  in  1814,  and 
an  exhibition  of  paintings  took  place 
in  Union  Passage  that  year,  but  the 
experiment  was  not  repeated.  A  School 
of  Design,  or  "''Society  of  Arts,"  was 
started  Feb.  7,  1S21  ;  Sir  Robert 
Lawley  (the  first  Lord  Wenlock)  pre- 
senting a  valuable  collection  of  casts 
from  Grecian  sculpture.  The  first 
exhibition  was  held  in  1826,  at  The 
Panorama,  an  erection  then  standing 
on  the  site  of  the  present  building  in 
New  Street,  tlie  opening  being  in- 
augurated b}"-  a  conversazione  on  Sep- 
tember 10.  Ill  1858,  the  Scliool  of 
Design  was  removed  to  the  Midland 
Institute.  The  "Society  of  Artists  " 
mav  be  said  to  have  commenced  in 
1826,  when  several  gentlemen  with- 
drew from  the  School  of  Design.  Their 
number  greatly  increased  by  1842, 
when  they  took  possession  of  the 
Athenanun,  in  which  building  their 
oxliibitions  were  annually  held  until 
1858.  In  that  year  they  returned  to 
New  Street,  acquiring  the  title  of 
"Royal  "  in  1864.  The  Arc  Students' 
Literary  Association  was  formed  in 
Septemiior,  1869. 

Apt  Gallepy  and  School  of  Apt. 

— In  connection  with  the  Central  Free 
Library  a  small  gallery  of  pictures, 
works  of  Art,  kc,  loaned  or  presented 
to  the  town,  was  opened  to  the  public 
Augtist  1,  1867,  and  from  time  to  time 
was  further  enriched.  Fortunately  they 
were  all  removed  previous  to  the  dis"- 
astrous  fire  of  Jan.  11,  1879.     A  por 


tion  of  tlie   new  Reference  Library  is 
at  present  devoted  to  the  same  purpose, 
pending   the  completion   of  the  hand- 
some edifice  being  erected  by  the  Ga.s 
Committee  at  the  back  of  the  Municipal 
Buildings,  and  of  which  it  will  form  a 
part,    ex' ending  from  Congreve  Street 
along   Edmund  Street  to  Eden  Place. 
The  whole  of  the  npper  portion  of  the 
building  will  be  devoted  to  tlie  purposes 
of  a    Museum  and    Art    Galler}-,    and 
already  there    has  been    gathered    tlie 
nucleus  of  what  promises  to  be  one  of 
tlie   finest  collections  in  the  kingdon:', 
more  particularly  in  res])ect  to  works 
of  Art  relating  more  or  less  to  some  of 
the  princinal  manufactures  of  Birming- 
ham.     Tliere  are  a    large    number    of 
valuable    paintings,    including    many 
good  specimens  of  David  Cox  and  other 
local  artists  ;    quite  a  gallery  of  por- 
traits of  gentlemen  connected  with  the 
town,  and    other    worthies  ;  a    choice 
collection  of  gems  and  precious  stones 
of  all   kinds  ;  a  number  of  rare  speci- 
mens     of      Japanese      and       Chine  e 
cloisonne  enamels  ;  nearly  a  complete 
set  of  tne  celebrated  Soho   coins  and 
medals,    with    many    additions    of    a 
general     character  ;     many     cases     of 
ancient  Roman,  Greek,  and  Byzantine 
coins  ;  more  than   an  hundred  almost 
priceless  examples  of  old  Italian  carv- 
ings, in  marble   and  stone,  with  some 
dozens  of  ancient  articles  of  decorative 
furniture  ;  reproductions  ot  delicate 'y- 
wrought  articles  of  Persian  Art  work, 
plate  belonging  to  the  old  City  Com- 
panies,   the    Universities,     and     from 
Amsterdam    and    the    Hague  ;    a    col- 
lection    of      Wedgwood      and      other 
ceramic  ware,  the  gift  of  Messrs.  R.  ami 
G.    Tangye,    with    thousands    of  other 
rare,   costly,  and  beautiful  things.      In 
connection  with  the  Art  Gallery  is  the 
"  Public  Picture    Gallery   Fund,"  tiie 
founder  of   which    was    the    late    Mr. 
Clarkson    Osier,     who     gave     £3,000 
towards  it.     From  this  fund,  which  at 
present    amounts    to    about  £450    pin- 
year,  choice  pictures  are  purchased  as 
occasion  offers,  many  others  being  pre- 
sented by  friends  to  the  town,  notably 


SHOWBLL'S    dictionary    ok    BIRMINGHAM. 


U 


the  works  of  David  Cox,  which  were 
given  bj'  the  Lite  JMr.  Joseph  Nettle- 
Ibhl. — The  Se/iool  of  Art,  which  is 
being  built  in  Edmund  Street,  close  to 
the  Art  Gallery,  is  so  intimately  con- 
nected therewith  thar  it  may  well  be 
noticed  with  it.  The  ground,  about 
1,000  square  yards,  has  been  given  by 
Mr.  Crcgoe  Colniore,  the  cost  of  elec- 
tion being  ]iaid  out  oi  £10,000  given 
by  Miss  Kyland,  and  £10,000  contri- 
buted by  Messrs.  Tangye.  The  latter 
firm  have  also  given  £5,000  towards 
the  Art  Gallery  ;  Mr.  Joseph  Cham- 
berlain has  contributed  liberally  in 
paintings  and  in  cash  ;  other  friends 
have  subscribed  about  £8, COO  ;  Mr. 
Nettlefold's  gift  was  valued  at  £14,000, 
and  altogether  not  less  tiien  £10,000 
has  been  presented  to  the  town  in  con- 
nection with  the  Art  Gallery,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  whole  cost  of  the  Scliool  of 
Art. 

Apt  Union.— The  first  Ballot  for 
pictures  to  be  ciiosen  from  the  Annual 
Exhibition  of  Local  Artists  took  place 
in  1835,  the  Rev.  Hugh  Hutton  having 
the  honour  of  originating  it.  The 
tickets  weie  21s.  each,  subscribers  re- 
ceiving an  engraving. 

Ash,  John,  M.D.  — Born  in  1723, 
was  an  eminent  physicianwho  practiseil 
in  Birmingham  tor  some  years,  but 
afterwards  removed  to  London.  He 
devoted  much  attention  to  the  analvsis 
of  mineral  waters,  delivered  the  Har- 
veian  oration  in  1790,  and  was  president 
of  a  club  which  numbered  among  its 
members  some  of  the  most  learned  and 
eminent  men  of  the  time.  Died  in 
1798. 

Ashf ord, Mary.  — Sensational  tiials 
lor  murder  have  of  late  years  been 
numerous  enough,  indeed,  though  few 
of  them  have  had  much  local  inteiest, 
if  weexceptthatof  the  poisoner  Palmer. 
The  death  of  the  unfortunate  Mary 
Ashford,  however,  with  the  peculiar 
circumstance  attending  the  trial  of  the 
supposed  murderer,  and  the  latter's 
appeal  to  the  right  then  existing  under 
an  old  English  law  of  a  criminal's  claim 


to  a  "  Trial  of  Battel,"  invested  the 
case  with  an  interest  which  even  at  this 
date  can  hardly  be  said  to  have  ceased. 
Few  people  can  be  found  to  give  cre- 
dence to  the  possibility  of  the  innocence 
of  Abraham  Thornton,  yet  a  careful 
perusal  of  a  history  of  the  world-known 
but  last  "  Wager  of  iiattel  "  ease,  as 
written  by  the  late  Mr.  Toulmin  Smith, 
must  lead  to  the  belitf  that  the  poor 
fellow  was  as  much  sinned  against  as 
sinning,  local  ])rtjudices  and  indignant 
misrepresentations  notwithstanding. 
So  far  from  the  appeal  to  the  "Wager  of 
Battel"  being  the  desperate  remedy  of  a 
convicted  felon  toi-scapethedoom  justly 
imposed  upon  him  for  such  heinous 
offence  as  the  murder  of  an  innocent 
girlj  it  was  simply  the  attempt  of  a 
clever  attorney  to  remove  the  stigma 
attached  to  an  unfortunate  and  mucii- 
maligneil  client.  The  dead  body  of 
Maiy  Ashford  was  found  in  a  pit  ot 
water  in  Sutton  Coldheld,  on  the  27th 
of  May,  1817,  she  having  been  seen 
alive  on  the  morning  of  the  same  day. 
Circumstances  instantly,  and  mo^t 
naturally,  fastened  suspicion  of  foul 
pilay  upon  Abraham  Thornton.  lie 
was  tried  at  Warwick,  at  the  Autumn 
Assizes  of  the  same^'ear,  and  acquitted. 
The  trial  was  a  very  remarkable  one 
Facts  were  jiroved  with  unusual  clear 
ness  and  precisian,  wiiich  put  it  beyond 
the  bounds  of  physical  possibility  tliat 
he  could  have  murdered  Mary  Ashford. 
Those  facts  hinged  on  the  time  shown 
by  several  different  clocks,  compared 
with  the  stamlard  time  kept  at  Bir- 
mingham, lint  the  public  feeling  on 
the  matter  was  intense.  An  engraving 
of  the  scene  of  the  alleged  murder, 
with  a  stimulating  letter- [iress  de  crip- 
tion,  was  published  at  the  time,  and 
the  general  sense  undoubtedly  was, 
that  the  perpetrator  of  a  very  foul 
murder  had  escaped  his  just  doom. 
Hoping  to  do  away  with  this  imjires- 
sion,  a  well-known  local  lawyer  b^'- 
thoiight  himself  of  the  long-forgotten 
"  Appeal  of  Murder,"  trusting  that  by 
a  second  ac([uiLtal  Thornton's  innocence 
would     be     a'd<nowledged      by      all. 


12 


SHOWEr.L'S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


Tliougli  the  condition  of  all  the  parties 
was  but  iiumble,  fiiemls  soon  came 
forward  with  funds  and  good  advice, 
so  that  witliin  the  year  and  a  da}' 
which  tlie  law  allowed,  proceedings 
were  taken  in  the  name  of  William 
Ash  ford  (Mary's  brother,  who,  as  next 
heir,  according  to  the  old  law,  had  tlie 
sole  power  of  pardon  in  such  a  case)  for 
an  "Appeal  of  Murder"  against  Abra- 
ham Tiiornton.  Wliat  followed  is  here 
given  in  Mr.  Toulniin  Smith's  own 
words: — "I  have  seen  it  stated,  hot 
indignation  colouring  iinagination,that 
here  was  a  weak  stripling  nobly  aroused 
to  avenge  tlie  death  of  his  sister,  by 
tendering  himself  to  do  battle  against 
the  tall  strong  man  who  was  cliarged 
with  her  murder.  The  facts,  as  they 
stand  are  truly  striking  enough  ;  but 
this  melodramatic  spectacle  does  not 
form  any  tiue  part  of  them.  "  A  writ  of 
"  Apjieal  of  Murder"  was  soon  issued. 
It  bears  the  date  of  1st  October,  1817. 
Under  that  writ  Tuornton  was  again 
arrested  by  the  Sheriff  of  Warwick. 
On  the  first  day  of  Michaelmas  Term, 
in  the  same  year,  William  Asliford 
apjieared  in  the  Court  of  King's  Bench 
at  Westminster,  as  appellant,  and 
Abraham  Thornton,  brought  up  on 
writ  of  habeas  corpus,  appeared  as 
ajjpcllee.  The  charge  of  murder  was 
formally  made  by  tlie  aiipellant  ;  and 
time  to  plead  to  this  charge  was  granted 
to  the  appellee  until  Monday,  16th 
November. — It  must  have  been  a 
strange  and  startling  scene,  on  the 
morning  of  that  Monday,  16th  No- 
vember, 1817,  when  Abraham  Thorn- 
ton stood  at  the  bar  ot  the  Court  of 
King's  Bench  in  Westminster  Hall  ;  a 
scene  which  that  ancient  Hail  bad  not 
witnessed  within  the  memorj'  of  any 
living  man,  but  which  must  have  then 
roused  the  attention  of  even  its  drow- 
siest haunter.  "Tlie  appellee  being 
brought  into  Court  and  placed  at  the 
bar  "  (I  am  (juoting  tlie  original  dry 
technical  record  of  the  transaction), 
'and  the  appellant  being  also  in 
court,  the  count  [charge]  was  again 
read  over  to  him,   and  lie  [Tiiornton] 


was  called  upon  to  plead.     He  jileaded 
as  follows  ; — '  Not  Guilty  ;  and  I  am 
ready  to  defend  the  same  by  my  body.' 
And    thereupon,  taking  his  glove  off, 
he  threw  it  on  the  floor  of  the  Court." 
That  is  to  say,  Asliford  having  "ap- 
pealed"   Thornton     of    the    murder, 
Thornton    claimed  the  right  to  main- 
tain   Ills  own    innocence  by    "Trial  of 
Battel ;"    and    so    his    answer    to  the 
charge    was    a     "  Wager    of    Battel." 
And     now    the    din    of    fight    seemed 
near,  with  the  Court  of  King's  IJench 
at  Westminster  for  the  arena,   and  the 
grave  Judges  of  that  Court  for  the  um- 
pires.      But  the  case  was  destined  to 
add  but  another  illustration    to  what 
Cicero    tells    us    of   how,    oftentimes, 
arms     yield     to    argument,     and     the 
swordsman's  lookea-for  laurel  vanishes 
before  the  pleader's  tongue.     William 
Asliford,  of  course,  acting  under  the  ad- 
vice of  those  who  really  promoted  the 
appeal,  declined  to  accept  Thornton's 
wager  of  battel.     Instead  of  accepting 
it,  liis    counsel  disputed    the  riglit  of 
Thornton    to    wage  his  battel  in  this 
case  ;  alleging,   in  a    very    long    plea, 
that  there  were  presumptions  of  guilt 
so  strong  as  to  deprive   him    of  that 
right.    Tiiornton  answered  this  plea  by 
anothei',    in   which   all    the  facts  that 
had    been    proved     on     the    trial    at 
Warwick    were    set     forth     at    great 
length.     And  then  the  case  was  very 
elaborately  argued,    for  three  days,  by 
two  eminent   and  able  counsel,  one  of 
whom  will  be  well  remembered  by  most 
readers  as  tlie   late  Chief-Justice  Tin- 
dal.     Tindal   was  Thornton's  counsel. 
Of  course  I    cannot    go  liere   into  the 
argument.      The    result   was,    tliat,   on 
16th  April,  1881,  the  full  Court  (Lord 
Ellenborough,    and    Justices    Bayley, 
Abl)ott,  and  Holroyd)  declared  them- 
selves unanimously  of  opinion  that  the 
appellee   (Thornton)    was    entitled    to 
wagb  his    battel,    no  presumptions   of 
guilt  having  been  shown  clear  enough 
or  strong   enough   to   deprive   him   of 
that  riglit.      Upon  tiiis,    Ashford,    not 
liaving  accepted  the  Wiiger  of  battel, 
the  "appeal"  was  stayed,  and  Thorn- 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIHMINGHAM. 


13 


ton  was  discharged.  Thus  no  reversal 
took  place  of  the  previous  ac(]uittal  of 
Thornton  by  tlie  Jury  at  Warwick 
Assizes.  But  that  acquittal  had 
nothing  wliatcver  to  do  with  any 
"  trial  by  battel  ;"  for  I  have  shown 
that  the  "wager  of  battel"  arose  out 
of  a  proceeding  later  than  and  conse- 
quent upon  that  acquittal,  and  that 
this  "wager  of  battel"  never  reached 
the  stage  of  a  "  trial  by  battel." 

What  became  of  Thornton  is  un- 
known, but  he  is  supposed  to  have  died 
in  America,  where  he  fled  to  escape  the 
obloquoy  showered  upon  him  by  an  un- 
forgiving public.  The  adage  that 
"murder  will  out"  has  frequently 
proved  correct,  but  in  this  case  it  has 
not,  and  the  charge  against  Thornton 
is  reiterated  in  every  account  of  this 
celebrated  trial  that  has  been  published, 
though  his  innocence  cannot  now  be 
doubted. 

Ashted,  now  a  populous  part  of  the 
town,  takes  its  name  from  Dr.  Ash, 
whose  resilience  was  transformed  into 
Ashted  Church,  the  estate  being  laid 
out  for  building  in  178S. 

Assay  Marks.— These  consist  of 
the  initials  of  the  maker,  the  (Queen's 
head  for  the  duty  (17/-  on  gold,  1/6  on 
silver,  per  oz. ),  a  letter  (changed  yearly) 
for  date,  an  anchor  for  the  Birmingham 
office  mark,  and  the  standard  or  value 
mark,  which  is  given  in  figures,  thus  : 
— for  gold  of  22-carat  fineness  (in  oz. 
of  24)  a  crown  and  22  ;  18-carat,  a 
crown  and  18;  15-carat,  15.625;  12- 
carat,  12.5  ;  9-carat,  9.375.  The  value 
mark  for  silver  of  11  oz.  10  dwts.  (in 
lb.  of  12  oz.)  is  the  figure  of  Britannia ; 
for  11  oz.  2  dwts.  a  lion  passant.  The 
date  letter  is  changed  in  July.  At 
present  it  is  k.  The  lower  standards 
of  15,  12,  and  9-carat  gold  (which  are 
not  liable  to  duty),  were  authorised  by 
an  Order  in  Council,  of  December  22, 
1854,  since  which  liate  an  immense 
increase  has  taken  place  in  the  quantity 
assayed  in  Birmingham. 

Assay  Office. — There  are  seven 
Assay  Offices  in  the  country,  the  Bir- 


mingham one  being  established  by 
special  Act  in  1773,  for  the  convenience 
of  silversmiths  and  platewcn'kers.  A 
few  hours  per  week  was  sufficient  for 
the  business  at  that  time,  and  it  was 
conducted  at  the  King's  Head  in  New 
Street;  afterward.*,  in  1782,  in  Bull 
Lane,  in  1800  at  a  house  in  Little  Col- 
more  Street,  and  from  1816  at  the  old 
Bapti.-it  Chapel  in  Little  Cannon  Street. 
In  1824  the  Act  5,  fieorge  IV. ,  cap  52, 
incorporated  the  a.ssay  of  gold,  the 
guardians  being  -36  in  m.inbfr,  from 
whom  are  chosen  the  wardens.  On  July 
14,  1877,  the  foundation  stone  was  laid 
of  the  New  A.ssay  Office  in  Newhall 
Street,  and  it  was  opened  for  business 
June  24,  1878. 

Assizes. — Birmingham  was  "pro- 
claimed "  an  assize  town  January  14, 
18."j9,  but  the  first  assizes  were  held 
in  July,  1884. 

Aston. — Eight  hundred  years  ago, 
Aston  filled  a  sniall  space  in  the 
Domesday  book  of  history,  wlierein  it 
is  stated  that  the  estate  consisted  of 
eight  hides  of  land,  and  three  miles  of 
wood,  worth  £5,  with  44  residents  (one 
being  a  priest),  and  1,200  acres  in 
cultivation.  The  present  area  of  Aston 
Manor  is  943  acres,  on  which  are  built 
about  14,000  houses,  liaving  a  popula- 
tion of  some  60,000  persons,  and  a 
rateable  value  of  £140,000.  In  the 
first  ten  years  of  the  e.xistence  of  the 
Local  Board  (1869  to  1878)  £30,000 
was  spent  on  main  (irai;iage  works, 
£10,000  in  public  improvements,  and 
£53,000  in  street  improvements.  Aston 
has  now  its  Public  Buildings,  Free 
Library,  &c. ,  as  well  as  an  energetic 
School  Board,  and,  though  unsuccess- 
ful in  its  attempt  in  1876  to  obtain  a 
charter  of  incorporation,  there  can  be 
little  doubt  but  that  it  will  ultimately 
bloom  forth  in  all  the  glories  of  a 
Mayor,  Aldermen,  and  Burgesses, 
Aston  parish,  which  extends  in  several 
directions  into  the  borough  of  Bir- 
mingham, has  an  area  of  li3,786  acres. 

Aston  Almshouses  were  built  in 
1655,  according  to  the  provisions  made' 


14 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


liy  Sir  Thomas  Holte  previous  to  his 
decease. 

Aston  Church  was  probably  built 
about  the  year  1170,  the  nave  and  part 
of  chancel  being  added  in  1231,  the 
east  end  and  arch  of  chancel  in  1310, 
and  the  tower  and  spire  in  1440.  The 
old  building,  which  contained  an  iii- 
terestiug  collection  of  monuments  in 
memory  of  the  Holtes,  the  Ardens,  the 
Erdingtons,  and  other  county  families, 
has  been  lately  enlarged  by  the  exten- 
sion of  the  nave  and  aisles  eastward, 
and  widening  the  chancel  so  as  to  ac- 
commodate about  1,200  people,  instead 
of  500.  The  whole  of  the  monuments 
have  been  replaced  iu  their  relative 
positions. 

Aston  Cross  Tavern  was  opened 

as  a  licensed  hou^e  and  tea  f.'ardens  in 
1775,  the  first  landlord,  Mr.  Barron, 
living  ill  1792,  his  wi.low  kee})iiig  it 
till  her  death  in  1817.  Of  late  years 
it  has  been  a  favourite  resort  of  all 
classes  of  athletes,  though  from  being 
so  closely  built  to  it  lias  lost  much  of 
the  attraction  which  drew  our  grand- 
fathers to  its  shady  arbours  when  on 
country  pleasure  bent.  The  park  wall 
extended  to  the  corner  of  and  along 
the  side  of  Park  Lane,  opposite  the 
tavern. 
Aston   Hall   and    Park.— This 

building  was  commenced  by  Sir  Thomas 
Hulte  in  April,  1618,  and  finished  in 
April, 1635, Inigo  Jones  beingaccredited 
with  the  design.  King  Charles  I.,  in 
his  days  of  trouble,  paid  ashore  visit  to 
the  Hall,  his  host  being  punished 
afterwards  by  some  of  Cromwell's 
soldiers  and  the  malcontents  of  Birm- 
ingham besieging  the  place  in  the  week 
after  Christmas,'l643."  The  brick  wall 
round  the  park,  nearly  three  miles  long, 
but  of  which  there  are  now  few  traces 
left,  was  put  u{)  by  Sir  Lister  Holte 
about  1750,  and  tradition  says  it  was 
paid  fo'-  by  some  Staffordshire  coal- 
masters,  who,  supposing  that  coal  lay 
underneath,  conditioned  with  Sir  Lister 
that  no  mines  should  be  sunk  within 
boundary.   The  Hall  and  Bark  were 


held  by  the  various  generations  of  the 
family  till  the  death  of  the  late  Dowager 
Lady  Holte.  (Eor  an  accurate  and 
interesting  description  of  the  edifice  see 
Davidson's  "  Holtes  of  Aston.")  The 
Act  authorising  the  sale  of  the  Astou 
estates  received  the  royal  sanction  on 
July  10,  1817,  and  the  sale  of  the 
furniture  and  effects  in  the  Hall 
was  commenced  by  Alessrs.  J.  and  0. 
Robins  on  September  22.  The  sale 
lasted  nine  days,  there  being  1,144  lots, 
-which  realised  £2,150  ;  the  farming 
stock,  &c. ,  being  sold  afterwards  for 
£1,201.  The  Hall  and  Park  was  put 
up  on  April  15,  1818,  and  was  bought 
by  Jlessrs.  Greenway,  Greaves,  and 
Whitehead,  bankers,  of  Warwick,  the 
estate  of  1,530  acres  being  let  off  by 
them  in  suitable  lots.  The  herd  of 
deer,  reduced  to  150  head,  was  sold 
December  21.  The  Hall  was  rented 
by  JMr.  James  Watt,  son  of  tlie 
James  Watt,  and  for  many  years  it  was 
closed  to  the  public.  At  his  death,  in 
1848,  the  changes  whichhad  been  going 
on  all  round  for  years  begin  to  make 
themselves  seen  iu  the  shape  of  huge 
gaps  in  the  old  wall,  houses  springing 
up  last  here  and  there,  and  a  street  being 
cut  through  the  noble  avenue  of  chest- 
nut trees  in  1852.  By  degrees,  the 
park  was  reduced  to  370  acres,  which, 
with  the  Hall,  were  offered  to 
the  town  in  1850  for  the  sum 
of  £130,000  ;  but  the  Town  Council 
declined  the  bargain,  though  less  than 
one-half  of  the  Park  (150  acres)  was 
sold  immediately  after  for  more  than 
all  the  money.  In  1857  a  "  People's 
Park  "  Company  was  started  to  "  Save 
Aston  Hall  "  and  the  few  acres  close 
round  it,  an  agreement  being  entered 
into  for  £35,000.  Many  of  the  20s. 
shares  were  taken  up,  and  Her  Majesty 
the  (^)ueen  performed  the  opening  cere- 
mony June  15,  1858.  The  speculation 
proved  a  failure,  as  out  of  about 
£18,000  raised  one-half  went  in  repairs, 
alterations,  losses,  &c. ,  and  it  would 
have  been  lost  to  the  town  liad  not  the 
Corporation  bought  it  in  February, 
1864.      They   gave    £33  000    (£7,000 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


15 


beiurf  jirivate  subscriptions),  and  it 
was  at  last  opened  as  a  free  park,  Sep- 
tember 22,  1864.  Tlie  picture  gallery 
is  136ft.  long,  by  ISft.  wide  and  16lt. 
high.  In  this  and  various  other 
rooms,  will  be  found  a  miscellaneous 
museum  of  curiosities,  more  or  less 
rare,  including  stuffed  birds  and  ani- 
mals, ancient,  tapestry  and  furniture, 
&c. 

Aston  Lower  Grounds,  the  most 

beautiful  plea>ure  grounds  in  the  Mid- 
land counties,  cover  31  acres,  and  were 
originally  nothing  more  than  the  kit- 
chen and  private  gardens  and  the  fish- 
])onds  belonging  to  Aston  Hall,  and 
were  purchased  at  the  sale  in  1818  by 
the  Warwick  bankers,  who  let  them  to 
Mr.  H.  G.  Quilter,  at  the  time  an  at- 
tempt was  made  to  purchase  the  Hall 
and  Park  "by  the  people."  Adding 
to  its  attractions  year  \>y  year,  Mr. 
Quilter  remained  on  the  ground  until 
1878,  when  a  limited  liability  company 
was  formed  to  take  to  the  hotel  and 
pr.  mises,  building  an  aquarium  320 
feet  long  by  54  feet  wide,  an  assembly- 
room,  220  feet  long,  by  91  feet  wide, 
and  otherwise  catering  for  the  comfort 
of  their  vi-itors,  10,000  of  whom  can 
be  now  entertained  and  amused  under 
slielter,  in  case  of  wet  weather.  Mr. 
(tnilter's  selling  price  was  £45,000, 
taking  £25,000  in  shares,  and  £20,000 
cash  by  instalments.  The  speculation 
aid  not  appear  to  be  very  successful, 
and  the  propertyisnow  inprivatehands. 
The  visitors  to  the  Lower  Grounds 
since  1864  have  averaged  280,000  per 
annum. 

Asylum,  in  Summer  Lane,  was 
opened  in  July  1797,  by  the  Guardians 
of  the  Poor  as  an  industrial  residence 
and  school  for  250  children.  It  was 
disn'antled  and  closed  in  1846,  though 
the  •'Beehive"  carved  over  the  door 
was  allowed  to  remain  on  the  ruins  some 
years  alter. 

Athenseum— For  the  "  diffusion  of 
Literature  and  Science"  was  established 
in  March,  1839,  but  has  long  been 
merged  in  the  Midland  Institute.     In 


the  building  called  the    "  Athenajum, 
top  of  Temple  Street,  some  of  the  early 
exhibitions  of  paintings  were  held. 

Athenie  Institute,    founded    in 

1841,  was  an  institute  of  a  somewhat 
similar  character  to  the  Athenoeuin, 
though  including  athletics,  and  existed 
no  longer. 

Athletic  Clubs.— The  first  festi- 
val ol  the  Ijirwiingliam  Athletic  Club 
was  held  in  1868  On  the  1st  of  ]\Iarch, 
1880,  an  association  was  organised  of 
many  of  the  bicycle  clubs,  cricket 
clubs,  football  clubs,  and  similar 
athletic  bodies  in  the  town  and  neigh- 
bourhood, under  the  name  of  ' '  The 
Jlidland  Counties  Amateurs'  Athletic 
Union." 

Atlantic  Cables.— It  would  have 

been  strange  i(  Jjtrmingham  had  not 
had  a  hand  in  the  making  of  the.se. 
For  the  cable  laid  in  1865,  16,000 
miles  of  copper  wire,  weighing  308 
tons,  were  turned  out  by  Messrs.  Bol- 
ton and  Sons  and  Messrs.  Wilkes  and 
Sons.  The  cable  itself  was  2,300  (nau- 
tical) miles  in  length. 

Baby  Show. — Let  Mr.  Inshaw,  of 
the  "Steam  Clock,"  have  the  honour 
of  being  recorded  as  the  first  to  intio- 
duce  tile  Yankee  notion  of  a  "baby 
show,"  which  took  place  at  his  Music 
Hall,  May  15,  1874. 

Bachelors. — In  1695,  bachelorsover 
24  had  to  pay  a  tax  of  Is.,  if  "  a  com- 
mon person,"  the  scale  running  as  high 
as  £12  10s.  for  a  duke  !  Judgii.g  from 
the  increase  of  the  population  about 
that  time,  we  doubt  if  even  a  "com- 
mon "  bachelor  paid  here.  The  mar- 
ried folks  had  nut  much  to  laugh  at 
though,  for  they  had  to  pay  duty  on 
every  cliild  that  was  born.  Funny 
time,  those ! 

Balloons. — A  IMr.  Harper  was  the 
first  to  scale  the  clouds  in  a  balloon 
from  this  town,  January  4,  1785.  He 
rose  again  on  the  31,  from  the  Tennis 
Court,  in  Coleshill  Street,  and  is  said 
to  have  sailed  a  distance  of  57  miles  iu 
80  minutes.     Mr.  Sadler  went  up  from 


16 


SHOWELl's    DICriONARV    OF    lURMtNGHAM. 


Vauxhall,  OctoV.er  7th,  1811,  and 
again  ou  October  20tl.  1823  Mr. 
Green  rose  troni  Newhall  Hill,  July 
17tli,  1827,  and  several  times  after. 

Balsall  Heath. -lu  ^^ome  ancient 
deeds  called    "  Bosvvell    Heath.        The 
land  round  Mary  street,   known  a.s  the 
Balsall  Heath  estate,  was  sold  in  buikl- 
incr  lots  (234)  in  1839,   the  last  days 
safe  beinc;   Auc;ust  26,    and  the    auc- 
tioneers. Messrs.  E.  &  C.  Robins.      Ed- 
wardes-street  takes  its  name   from  the 
last    owner    of    the   estate,    wlio,    if  he 
could  now  butglanceover  the  property, 
would  be  not  a  little  astonislied  at  the 
changes  which  have  taken  place  in  the 
last  forty  year.s,  for,  like  unto  Aston, 
it  may    be    said    to    really   form    but  a 
portion  of  the   ever-extending  town   ot 
Birmingham.     Balsall  Heath,  which  is 
in   the  parish  of  King's    Norton,    has 
now  a    Local    Board  (with  its  otlices  in 
Lime  Grove,    Moseley   Road)    several 
Board  schools,  chapels,   and  churches 
a  police  court,   and  that  sure  mark  ot 
advancement,  a  local  newspaper.      One 
thing    still    wanting,     however,    is    a 
cemetery.     Though  an  appropnate^and 
convenient  spot  near  Cannon  Hill  rark 
was  chosen  for  the  last  resting-place, 
the  ratepayers,  at  a  meeting  held  July 
•21    1879    decided  that  they  could  not 
yet  afford  the  required  outlay  ot  some 
£17  000    necessary    for    the    purpose, 
notwithstanding  that  the  annual  rate- 
able value  of  the  property  ui  tlie  neigh- 
bourhood  is  something  like  £/ 0,000, 
and     increasing     by     three     to     tour 
thousand  a  year. 


Banks  and  Bankers.--The  L  - 

„,ingham  Branch  Bank  of  England 
(drawing  on  the  parent  Bank  of  Eng- 
land), is  in  Bennetts  Hdi. 

The  local  Branch  of  the  National 
Provincial  Bank  of  England  (Lun., 
Bennett's  Hill,  also  draws  on  its  head- 
quarters. It  commenced  business  here 
on  New  Year's  Day  1827. 

The  Birmingham  Banking  Company 
(Lim.),  also  in  Bennett's  Hill  draws 
on  the  London  and  Westrairster  It 
opened  its  doors  Sept.  1.1829,  with  a 


nominal  capital  of  £.500,000,  in  £50 
shares,  £5  being  paid  up  at  starting. 
An  amalgamation  took  place  in  the  year 
1880  with  the  Stourbridge  and  Kidder- 
minster Bank  (established  in  1834)  the 
united  company  having  a  paid-u]> 
capital  of  £286,000  and  a  reserve  ot 
£312,000. 

The  Birmingham  and  Alidland  bann 
(Limited)  opened  in  Union  Street, 
Auc^ust  23,  1836,  removing  to  New 
Street  in  1869.  London  agents,  the 
Union  Bank  of  L.nidon.  Authorised 
capital,  £2,400,000. 

The  Birmingham,  Dudley,  and  Uis 
trict  Banking  Co.  (Limited)  was  com- 
menced in  Colmore  Row  July  1st, 
1836  as  the  Town  and  District  Bank, 
with'  a  capital  of  £500,000,  in  £20 
shares.  London  agents,  Barclay  and 
Co.,  and  Williams  and  Co.  ^ 

The  Birmingham  Joint  Stock  ban^ 
(Limited)  opened  in  Temple  Row  West 
Jan  1st,  1862,  with  a  cipital  ot 
£3,000,000,  in  £100  shares,  £10  paid. 
A^'i^nts  London  Joint  Stock.  Has 
branches  in  New  Street  and  Great 
Hampton  Street.  .,    ,n  n  i 

Lloyds'  Banking  Co.   (Limited)  Coj- 
more  Row,  dates  from  June  3rd,  l/6o. 
when    it   was   known   as    Taylor    and 
Lloyds,   their  first  premises  being   m 
Dale  End  [hence  the  name  of    Bank 
Passage].      This  old    established  firm 
has  incorporated   daring  its  century  of 
existence  a  score   of  other  banks,  and 
lately    has     been  amalgamated     with 
Barnetts,   Hoares,  and  Co.,  of  London, 
the  present  name  being    Lloyd,    liar- 
nett,    Bosanquet,   and   Co.    (Limited). 
There    are  sub-offices    also    in    Great 
Hampton  Street,  Deri  tend,  Five  Ways 
and    Aston.       Li  this  and    acljoiniug 
counties,    Lloyds'    number    about    40 
branch  establishments. 

The  Worcester  City  and  County 
Banking  Co.  (Limited)  drawing  on 
Glynn  and  Co.,  removed  Irom  Cherry 
Street  to  their  newly-built  edifice  m 
Colmore  Row,  June  1,  1880. 

The  Union  Bank  ot  Birmingham 
(Limited),  Waterloo  Street,  commenced 
business   with   a    nominal    capital   of 


SHOAVEl.L  S    DICTIONAKY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


17 


£1,000,000,  in  £20  shares,  £5  paid. 
London  agents,  the  City  Bank.  It 
has  since  been  taken  over  by  the  Mid- 
land Bank. 

Banks. — A  popnlar  Penny  Bank  was 
established  in  1851,  but  came  to  giiif  in 
1865,  closing  March  16,  with  assets 
£1,608,  to  ])ay  debts  £9.418.  Anotlier 
})enn}'  bank  was  opened  in  Grauville 
Street,  April  13,  1S61,  and  is  Ntiii  car- 
ried on  at  the  Iiinnanuel  Schools,  Ten- 
nant  Street, with  about  5,000  depositors 
at  the  present  time. 

A  Local  Savings  Bank  was  opened 
in  May,  1827,  ant  legalised  in  the  year 
after,  but  ultimately  its  business  was 
transferred  to  the  Post  Office  Savings 
Bank,  which  opened  its  doors  in 
Cannon  Street,  Dec.  1,  1863.  I'.y  a 
Government  return,  it  apjieared  that  at 
the  end  of  1880  the  total  amount  to 
the  credit  of  depo.'^itors  in  tlie  Post 
Office  Savings  Banks  of  the  Kingdom 
stood  at  £30,546,306.  Alter  the 
Metropolitan  counties  of  Middlesex, 
Surrey,  and  Kent,  Warwickshire  comes 
next  with  a  deposit  of  £1,564,815,  the 
average  for  the  wliole  of  the  English 
counties  being  but  little  over£500,000. 

Banks  Defunct. —The  old-estab- 
lished concern  known  so  long  as 
Attwood  and  S{)ooner's  closed  its 
doors  March  10,  1865,  with  liabilities 
amounting  to  £1,007,296.  The  Joint 
Stock  Bank  took  tlie  business,  and 
paid  lis.  3d.  in  the  £. 

Bank  of  Deposit  stopped  Oct.  26, 
1861, 

The  Borough  Bank,  a  branch  of 
Northern  and  Central  Bank  of  England, 
stopped  Feb.  24,  1840. 

The  Commercial  (Branch)  Bank, 
closed  July  27,  1840. 

Coates,  Woollej'  and  Gordon,  who 
occupied  the  premises  at  corner  of 
Cherry  Street  and  Cannon  Street  in 
1814,  was  joined  to  Moilliet's,  and  by 
them  to  Lloyds. 

Freer,  Rotton,  Lloyds  and  Co. ,  of 
1814,  changed  to  Rotton,  Onions  and 
Co.,  then  Rotton  and  Scholelield,  next 
to  Rotton  and  Son,  and  lastly  with  its 


manager  transferi-ed  to  National  Pro 
vincial. 

Galton,  Galton  and  James,  of  1814, 
retired  in  1830. 

Gibbins,  Smith,  and  Co.  failed  in 
1825,  paying  near!)'  20s.  in  the  £. 

Gil)bins  and  Lowell,  opened  in  1826, 
but  was  joined  to  Birmingham  Banking 
Co.  in  1829. 

Smith,  Gray,  Cooper  and  Co.,  of 
1815,  afterwards  Gibbins,  Smith,  and 
Goode,    went  in  1825. 

Banknotes. — Notes  for  5/3  were 
issued  in  1773.  300  counterfeit  £1 
notes,  dated  1814,  were  found  near 
Heatliileld  House,  January  16,  1858, 
A  noted  lorger  ol  these  sliams  is  said 
to  have  resided  in  the  immediate 
neighbourhood  about  the  period  named 
on  the  discovered  "flimsies."  When 
Boulton  and  Watt  were  trying  to  get 
the  Act  pas.sed  patenting  their  copying- 
press  the  officials  of  the  Bank  ot  Eng- 
land opposed  it  for  fear  it  should  lead 
to  forgery  of  their  notes,  and  several 
Memb<-rs  of  Parliament  actually  tried 
to  copy  banknotes  as  they  did  their 
letters. 

Bankrupts.— In  the  year  1882  (ac- 
cording to  the  Daily  Post)  there  were 
297  bankruptcies,  compositions,  or 
liquidations  in  Birmingham,  the  total 
amount  of  debts  being  a  little  over 
£400,000.  The  dividends  ranged  from 
2d.  to  15s.  in  the  £,  one-half  tlie  whole 
number',  however,  realising  inider  Is. 
6d.  The  estimated  aggregate  loss  to 
creditors  is  put  at  £243,000. 

Baptists. — As  far  back  as  1655,  we 
have  record  of  meetings  or  conferences 
of  the  Baptist  churches  in  the  Midland 
district,  their  representatives  assem- 
bling at  Warwick  on  the  second  day 
of  the  third  month,  and  at  Moretou-in- 
the-Marsh,  on  the  26th  of  the  fourtli 
month  in  that  year.  Those  were  the 
Croniwellian  days  of  religious  freedom, 
and  we  are  somewhat  surprised  that 
no  Birmingham  Baptists  should  be 
among  those  who  gathered  together  at 
the  King's  Head,  at  Moreton,  on  the 
last  named  date,  as  we  find  mention 


18 


SHOWELLS    DIGTI<')NARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


made  of  bretliren  from  ^^'a^\vick,  Tew- 
kesbury, Alcester,  Derby,  Bourtoii-oii- 
the- Water,  Hook  Norton,  Moretoii-in- 
tbe-Marsl),  ami  even  of  there  being  a 
community  of  tlie  same  persuasion  at 
Cirencester.  The  conference  of  the 
Midland  Counties'  District  Association 
of  Baptist  Churches  met  in  this  town 
for  the  first  time  in  1740. — For  Chapels 
see  "  Places  of  Worshi}]." 

BarP  Beacon.— A  trial  was  made 
on  January  10,  1856,  as  to  how  far 
a  light  could  be  seen  by  the  ignition  of 
a  beacon  on  Malvern  Hills.  It  was 
said  to  have  been  seen  from  »Snowdon 
in  Wales  (105  miles),  and  at  other 
parts  of  the  country  at  lesser  distances, 
though  the  gazers  at  Worcester  saw  it 
not.  The  look-out  at  Dudley  Castle 
(26  miles)  could  have  passed  the  signal 
on  to  Barr  Beacon,  but  it  was  not 
needed,  as  the  Malvern  light  was  not 
only  seen  there,  but  still  away  on  at 
Bardon  Hill,  Leicester. — Many  persons 
imagine  that  Barr  Beacon  is  the  high- 
est spot  in  the  Midland  Counties,  but 
the  idea  is  erroneous.  Turners  Hill, 
near  Lye  Cross,  Rowlev  Regis,  which 
is  893ft.  above  mean  sea  level,  being 
considerably  higher,  while  the  Clee 
Hills  reach"an  altitude  of  1,100ft. 

Barbep  of  Bipmingham,  The. 

— The  knights  of  the  pole  (or  poll) 
have  always  been  noted  for  getting 
into  mischief,  and  it  is  not  therefore 
so  very  surprisin,.'  to  find  that  in 
March,  1327,  a  royal  pardon  had  to  be 
granted  to  "  Roger,  the  barber  of  Bir- 
mingham," for  the  part  he  had  taken 
in  the  political  disturbances  of  that 
time.  Was  he  a  Con.,  or  a  Lib., 
Tory  or  Rad.  ? 

Bapon   of    Bipmingham.— One 

of  the  titles  of  Lord  Ward. 

BaPPacks.— Built  in  1793,  at  a 
cost  of  £13,000,  as  a  consequence  of 
the  riots  of  1791. 

Bapping  Out.— On    the    26th    of 
Nov.  1667,  the  scholars  of  the  Gram 
mar  School  "  barred  out  "  the  Master, 
and  then  left  the  school  for  a  time. 


AVlien  they  returned  they  found  the 
worthy  pedagogue  had  obtained  ad- 
mission and  intended  to  keep  his 
j'oung  rebels  outside.  Whereupon, 
says  an  old  chronicler,  they,  being  rein- 
forced by  certain  of  the  townsmen  "in 
vizards,  and  with  pistoUs  and  other 
armes,"  sought  to  re-enter  by  assault, 
threatening  to  kill  the  Master,  and 
showeiing  stones  and  bricks  through 
the  windows.  When  the  fun  was  over 
the  Governors  passed  a  law  that  any 
boy  taking  part  in  future  "barrings- 
out  '  should  be  expelled  from  the 
School,  but  the  amusement  seems  to 
have  been  rather  popular,  as  an  entry 
in  the  School  records  some  ten  years 
later  show  that  a  certain  Widow 
Spooner  was  paid  one  shilling  "  for 
cleansinge  ye  Schoole  at  penninge 
out." 

BaskePVille  (John) —This  cele- 
brated local  worthy  was  a  native  nf 
AVolverley,  near  Kidderminster,  having 
been  born  in  the  year  1706.  He  came 
to  this  town  in  early  life,  as  we  find 
tliat  he  kept  a  writing  school  in  1726. 
In  1745  he  built  himself  a  residenceHt 
Easy-hill,  and  carried  on  the  business 
of  japanner  afterwards  adding  to  it 
that  of  printer  and  typefounder.  His 
achievcTuents  in  tins  line  have  made  his 
name  famous  for  ever,  though  it  is  said 
that  he  spent  £600  before  he  could 
produce  one  letter  to  his  own  satisfac- 
tion, and  some  thousands  before  he 
obtained  any  piofits  from  his  printing 
trade.  He  was  somewhat  eccentric  in 
personal  matters  of  dress  and  taste,  his 
carriage  (drawn  by  cream-coloured 
horses)  being  a  wonderful  specimen  of 
the  art  ot  japanning  in  the  way  of  pic- 
tured panels,  etc.,  while  he  delighted 
to  adorn  his  person  in  the  richest  style 
of  dress.  The  terms  of  his  peculiar 
will,  and  his  apparent  renunciation  of 
Christianity,  were  almost  as  curious  as 
his  choice  of  a  place  of  sepulture.  He 
was  buried  in  his  own  grounds  under  a 
solidconeof  masonry,  wherehis  remains 
lay  until  1821,  at  which  time  the  canal 
wharf,  now  at  Easy  Row,  was  being 
made.     His  body  was  found  in  a  good 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    lURMIXGHAM. 


19 


state  of  preservation,  and  for  seme  short 
peridl  was  almost  made  a  show  of, 
until  by  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Knott  the 
bookseller,  it  was  taken  to  its  present 
resting-place  in  one  of  the  vaults 
under  Christ  Church.  Jlr.  Baskerville 
died  Januarys,  1775,  his  widow  living 
till  March  •2"l,  1787,  to  the  age  of  SO 
years. 

Baths. — Lady  well  Baths  were  said 
by  Htittoii  to  be  the  most  complete  in 
the  island,  being  seven  in  number,that 
for  swimmers  36  j'ards  long  by  18  wide, 
and  cost  £2,000.  The  place  :s  now 
occupied  by  a  timber  yard,  the  old 
spring  being  covered  in,  thougli  fitted 
with  a  pumj)  lor  public  use.  For  many 
years  a  tribe  of  water  carriers  procured 
a  living  by  retailing  the  water  at  a 
halfpenny  per  can.  The  red  sand  from 
the  New  Street  tunnels  was  turned  to 
account  in  tilling  up  the  old  bath>:,much 
to  the  advantage  of  Mr.  Turner,  the 
lessee,  and  of  the  hauliers  who  turned 
the  honest  penny  by  turning  in  so  near 
at  hami. 

Baths  and  Wash  houses,— The 

local  movement  for  the  establishment 
of  public  Baths  first  took  practical  shape 
at  a  meeting. liehl  'Nov.  19,1814,  within 
a  week  of  which  date  subscri{)tions 
amounting  to  £4,1.30  were  received  for 
the  purpose  The  Association  then 
formed  purchased  a  plot  of  land  in 
Kent  Street  in  June,  1S46,  and  pre- 
sented it  to  the  Town  Council  in 
November  following,  tliough  the  Baths 
erected  thereon  were  not  opened  to  the 
public  until  May  12,  1851.  It  was  at 
that  time  imagined  that  the  working 
classes  would  be  glad  of  the  boon  pro- 
vided for  them  in  the  convenient  wash- 
houses  attached  to  the  Batlis  proper, 
and  the  chance  given  them  to  do  away 
with  all  the  sloppy,  steamy  annoyances 
of  washing-day  at  home,  but  the  results 
proved  otherwise,  and  the  wash- 
houses  turned  out  to  be  not  wanted. 
The  Woodcock  Street  establish- 
ment was  opened  August  2",  1860  ; 
Northwood  Street,  March  5,  1862; 
Sheepcote  Street  in  1878,  and  Lady- 
wood  in  1882.     Turkish  Baths  are  now 


connected  with  the  above,  and  theie 
are  also  private  speculations  of  the 
same  kind  in  High  Street,  Broad 
Street,  and  the  Crescent.  Hardv 
swimmers,  who  prefer  taking  their 
natatory  exercises  in  the  ojien  air,  will 
find  provision  made  for  them  at  the 
Reservoir,  at  Cannon  Hill  Pa'k,  and 
also  at  Small  Heath  Park.  The 
swiinnung-bath  in  George  Street,  Bal- 
sall  Heath,  opened  in  1846,  was  filled 
up  in  1878,  by  order  of  the  Local 
Board  of  Health. 

Bath  Straet  takes  its  name  from 
some  baths  ijrmerly  in  Blews  Street, 
but  which,  about  1820,  were  turned 
into  a  malthouse. 

Battle  of  the  Alma.— a  disturb- 
ance which  cook  place  at  a  steeplechase 
meeting  at  Aston,  Monday,  ilareh 
26,  1855,  received  this  grandilocjuent 
title. 

Battles  and  Sieg-es.— It  is  more 

than  probable  that  the  British,  under 
their  gallant  Queen  Boadicea,  fought 
the  Ronrins  more  thaii  once  in  the 
near  vicinity  of  this  district  ,  and  very 
po.ssibly  in  those  happy  days  of  feuda- 
lism, which  followed  the  invasion  of 
the  Normans,  when  every  knight  and 
squire  surrounded  himself  with  his 
armed  retainers,  sundry  skirmishes 
may  have  taken  place  hereabouts,  but 
history  is  silent.  Even  ot  the  battle  of 
Barnet  (April  14,  1471),  when  the  Earl 
of  AVarwick  and  10,000  men  were  slain, 
we  have  not  sufficient  note  to  saj', 
though  it  can  hardly  be  doubted,  that 
many  Birnungham  citizens  went  down. 
But  still  we  have  on  record  one  real 
"  Battle  of  Birmingham,"  which  took 
place  on  the  3rd  of  April,  1643.  On 
that  day  our  town  was  attacked  by 
Prince  Rupert,  with  some  2,000  horse 
and  foot ;  being  pretty  stoutly  op[)osed, 
his  soldiers  slew  a  number  of  inhabi- 
tants, burnt  nearly  80  houses,  and  did 
damage  (it  is  said)  to  the  e.Ktent  of 
£30,000.  It  took  five  days  for  the 
news  of  this  exploit  to  reach  London. 
In  the  week  following  Christmas  of  the 
same  year,  a   number  of  townspeople, 


20 


SHOWELL  S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIEMINGHAM. 


aided  by  a  party  of  the  Commonwealth 
soldiers,  laid  siege  to,  and  captured, 
Aston  Hall. 

Bazaars. — When  originated  none 
can  tell.  How  much  good  done  by 
means  of  them,  nobody  knows.  But 
that  immense  amounts  have  been 
raised  for  good  and  charitable  purposes, 
none  can  deny — and  then,  "  they  are 
such  Inn  !''.  "Grand  Bazaars"  have  been 
held  for  many  an  institution,  and  by 
man}'-  diil'erent  sects  and  parties,  and 
to  attempt  to  enumerate  them  would 
be  an  impossibility,  but  the  one  on 
behalf  of  the  Queen's  Hospital,  held  in 
April,  1880,  is  noteworthy,  for  two 
leasons  : — Urst,  because  the  proceeds 
amounted  to  the  munificent  sum  of 
£5,969.  and,  secondly,  from  the  novelty 
of  the  decorations.  The  body  of  the 
Town  Hall  was  arranged  to  represent 
an  English  street  of  the  olden  time, 
a  baronial  castle  rising  tower  upon 
tower  at  the  gieat  gallery  end,  and  an 
Elizabethan  mansion  in  the  orchestra, 
with  a  lawn  in  front,  occupied  by  a 
military  baud.  The  sides  of  the  Hall 
constituted  a  double  row  of  shops,  the 
upper  storeys  (reaching  to  the  galleries) 
being  filled  with  casements  and  bal- 
conies, from  whence  the  doings  in  the 
street  could  be  witnessed. 

Bean  Club.— The  first  anniversary 
we  read  of  was  that  held  July  17,  1752, 
at  which  meeting  Lord  Fielding  gave 
£120  to  erect  an  altarpiece  in  St.  Bar- 
tholomew's. 

Beardswopth  (John).— Founder 

of  tlie  Repository,  began  life  as  driver 
of  a  hackney  coach,  in  which  one  night 
he  drove  a  beautiful  young  lady  to  a 
ball.  John  went  home,  dressed,  pro- 
cured admission  to  the  ball,  danced 
with  the  lady,  handed  her  to  the  coach, 
drove  her  home,  and  some  time  alter 
married  her.  The  lady's  cash  enabled 
him  to  acquire  an  ample  fortune,  being 
at  one  time  worth  nearly  a  quarter  of  a 
million,  most  of  which,  however,  was 
lost  on  the  turf.  The  Repository  was 
the  largest  establishment  of  the  kind 
iu    the    kingdom,    and    Beardsworth's 


house  adjoining  was  furnished  in  most 
splendid  style,  one  centre  table  (made 
of  rich  and  rare  American  wood)  cost- 
ing £1,500. 

Beelzebub.— Watt's  first  steam 
engine  was  so  christened.  It  was 
brought  from  Scotland,  put  up  at  Soho, 
and  u^ed  for  exjierimenting  upon.  It 
was  replaced  by  "  Old  Bess,"  the  first 
engine  constructed  upon  the  expansive 
principle.  Thi.«  latter  engine  is  now  in 
the  Museum  of  Patents,  South  Ken- 
sington, though  Mr.  Smiles  says  he  saw 
it  working  in  1857,  seventy  years  after 
it  was  made. 

Beep. — Brewers  of  beer  were  first 
called  upon  to  pay  a  license  duty  in 
1781,  thoiigh  the  sellers  thereof  had 
been  taxed  more  or  less  for  250  years 
previously.  The  effect  of  the  heavy 
duties  then  imposed  was  to  reduce  the 
consumption  of  the  national  and 
wholesome  beverage,  which  in  1782 
averaged  one  barrel  per  head  of  the 
then  population  per  annum,  down  ta 
half-a-barrel  ])er  head  in  1830,  its 
place  being  filled  hj  an  increased  con- 
sumption of  ardent  spirits,  which  from 
half-a-gallon  per  head  in  1782,  rose  by 
degrees  to  six-sevenths  of  a  gallon  per 
head  by  1830.  In  this  year,  the 
statesmen  of  the  day,  who  thought 
more  of  tlie  well-being  of  the  working 
))art  of  the  jiopulation  than  raising 
money  by  the  taxation  of  tlieir  neces- 
saries, took  off  the  10s.  per  barrel  on 
beer,  in  the  belief  that  cheap  and  good 
malt  liquors  would  be  more  likely  to 
make  healthy  strong  mgii  than  an  in- 
dulgence in  the  drinking  of  spirits. 
Notwithstanding  all  the  wild  state- 
ments of  the  total  abstainers  to  the 
contrai'y,  the  latest  Parliamentary 
statistics  show  that  the  consumption 
of  beer  per  head  per  annum  averages 
now  only  seven-eighths  of  a  barrel, 
though  before  even  this  moderate 
quantity  reaches  the  consumers,  the 
Government  takes  [see  Inland  Revenue 
returns,  1879,  before  alteration  of  malt- 
tax]  no  less  a  sum  than  £19,349  per 
year  from  the  good  people  of  Birniing- 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIKMINGHAM. 


21 


ham  alone.  Of  this  sum  the  brewers 
paid  £9,518,  the  maltsters  £-i25,  beer 
dealers  £2,245,  and  beer  retailers 
£7,161. 

Bells. — There  was  a  bell  foundry  at 
Good  Knave's  End,  in  1760,  from 
whence  several  neiglibouring  churches 
were  supplied  with  bells  to  summon 
the  good  knaves  of  the  day  to  prayers, 
or  to  toll  the  bad  knaves  to  their  end. 
There  was  also  one  at  Hollowa}'  Head, 
in  1780,  but  the  business  muse  have 
been  hollow  enon.di,  for  it  did  not  go 
ahead,  and  we  find  no  record  of  church 
bells  being  cast  here  until  just  a  hun- 
dred years  back  (17S2),  when  Jlessrs. 
Blews  k  Son  took  up  the  trade.  Bir- 
mingham bells  have,  however,  made 
some  little  n  dse  in  tlie  world,  and  may 
>itill  be  heard  on  sea  or  land,  near  and 
far,  in  the  shape  of  door  bells,  ship 
bells,  call  bells,  hand  bells,  railway 
bells,  sleigh  liells,  sheep  bells,  fog  bells, 
mounted  on  rockboiind  coasts  to  warn 
the  weary  mariner,  or  silver  bells, 
bound  with  coral  from  other  coasts,  to 
soothe  the  toorhloss  babbler.  These, 
and  scores  ofotlnM-s,  are  ordereil  hero 
every  year  by  tiiousands  ;  but  the 
strangest  of  all  oiders  must  have  been 
that  oue  received  by  a  local  firm  some 
fifteen  years  ago  from  a  West  African 
prince,  who  desired  them  to  send  him 
10,000  house  bells  (each  |  lb.  weight), 
wherewith  to  adorn  his  iron  "])alace. " 
And  he  had  them  !  Edgar  Poe's  bells 
are  nowhere,  in  comparison  with 

Such  a  cliarin,  such  a  chime, 
Out  (if  tune,  out  of  time. 
Oh,  tlie  jangling  ami  the  wrangling 
or  ten  tiiousand  brazen  throats. 

Ten  bells  were  put  in  St.  Martin's, in 
1786,  the  total  weight  being  7  tons, 
6cwt.  21bs. 

The  peal  of  ten  bells  in  St.  Philip's 
were  first  used  August  7,  1751,  the 
weight  being  9  tons  lOcwt.  221b3.  ,  the 
tenor  weighs  30  cvvt. 

A  new  peal  of  eight  bells  were  put  up 
ill  Aston  Church,  in  Miy.  1776,  the 
tenor  weighing  21  cwt.  The  St.  Mar- 
tin's    Society      of     Change     Ringers 


"opened  "  them,  July  15,  by  ringing 
Holt's  celebrated  peal  of  5010  grandsire 
triples,  the  performance  occupying  •'$ 
lioiirs  4  minutes. 

Eight  bells  and  a  clock  were  mounted 
in  the  tower  of  Deritend Chapel, in  1776, 
the  first  peal  being  rung  July  29. 

The  eight  bells  in  Bishop  Ryder's 
Church,  which  weigh  55  cwt.,  and  cost 
£600,  were  cast  in  1868,  by  Blews  and 
Sons,  and  may  b(;  reckoned  as  tlie  first 
full  peal  founded  in  Birmingham. 

Tiicre  are  eight  bells  in  Harborna 
Parish  Church,  four  of  them  bearing 
date  1697,  two  with  only  the  makers' 
name  on,  and  two  put  in  February, 
1877,  on  the  24th  of  which  month  the 
whole  peal  were  inaugurated  by  the 
ringing  of  a  true  peal  of  Stedman 
triples,  composed  by  the  late  Tliomas 
Tiiurstans,  and  consisting  ot  5,040 
changes,  in  2  hours  and  52  minutes. 
The  St.  Martin's  ringers  ofiiciated. 

The  si.x:  bells  of  Northfield  Church 
were  cast  by  Joseph  Smith,  of  Edgbas- 
ton,   in  1730. 

St.  Chad's  Cathedral  has  eight  bills, 
five  of  which  were  presented  in  1848 
as  a  memorial  to  Dr.  Moore  ;  the  other 
three,  from  the  foundry  of  W.  Blews 
and  Sons,  were  hung  in  March,  1877 
the  peculiar  ceremony  of"  blessing  the 
bells  "  being  performed  by  Bishop 
Ullathorne  on  the  22ud  of  that 
month.  The  three  cost  £110.  The 
bells  at  Erdington  Catholic  Church 
were  first  used  on  February  2,    1878. 

Bellows  to  Mend.— Our  towns- 
people Ijellowed  a  little  over  their  losses 
after  Prince  Rupert's  rueful  visit,  but 
there  was  one  among  them  who  Icuew 
how  to  "raise  the  wind,"  for  we  find 
Onions,  the  bellows-maker,  hard  at 
work  in  1650;  and  his  descendants  keep 
at  the  same  old  game. 

Bennett's  Hill.  —  There  was  a 
walled-in  garden  (with  an  old  brick 
summer-house)  running  upfrom  Water- 
loo-street to  Colmore-row  as  late  as 
1838-9. 

Benefit  and  Benevolent  Socie- 
ties.— See  ^'Friendly  Societies." 


22 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    op    BIRMINGHAM. 


BellbaPn  Road,  or  the  road  to  Mr. 
Bell's  barn. 

BePmingham.— The  InsL  family 
of  tlii-s  name  descended  from  Robert, 
s-nn  of  Peter  ile  Berniingham,  who  left 
here  and  settled  in  Connaught  about 
the  year  1169. 

Bibles   and   Testaments.  —  In 

1272  tht'  ])rice  of  a  Bible,  well  written 
out,  was  £30  sterling,  and  there  were 
few  realeis  of  it  in  Birmingham.  The 
good  book  can  now  be  bought  for  6d., 
and  it  is  to  be  hoped  there  is  one  in 
every  house.  Tlie  Rev.  Angell  James 
once  appealed  to  his  congregation  for 
subscriptions  towards  sending  a  million 
New  Testaments  to  China,  and  the 
Carrslaueites  responded  promptly  with 
£410  8s.,  enough  to  jiay  for  24,624 
copies — the  publisher's  price  being  4d. 
each.  They  can  be  bought  for  a  penny 
now. — A  local  Auxiliary  Bilde  Society 
was  commenced  here  ftlay  9,  1806. 

Bingley  Hall. — Takes  its  name 
fiom  Bingley  House,  on  the  site  of 
which  it  is  built.  It  was  erected  in 
1850  by  ]\Iessrs.  Branson  and  Gwyther, 
at  a  cost  ofabout£6,000,tl]e]n'opiietary 
sliares  being  £100  each.  In  form  it  is 
nearlj'  a  square,  the  admeasurements 
being  224ft.  by  212ft.,  giving  an  area 
of  nearly  one  acre  and  a  lialf.  There 
are  ten  entrance  doors,  five  in  King 
Edward's  Place,  and  five  in  King  Alf- 
red's Place,  and  the  building  may  be 
easilj'  divided  into  five  separate  com- 
])artments.  The  Hall  will  hold  from 
20,000  to  25,000  people,  and  is  princi- 
pally used  for  Exhibitions  and  Cattle 
Shows;  with  occasionally  "monster 
meetings,"  when  it  is  considered  neces- 
sary for  the  welfare  of  the  nation 
to  save  sinners  or  convert  Conserva- 
tives. 

Bird's-eye  View  of  the  town  can 

be  best  obtained  from  the  dome  of  the 
Council  House,  to  wliicli  access  maj'  be 
obtained  on  application  to  the  Curator. 
Some  good  views  may  bo  also  obtained 
from  some  parts  of  Moseley  Road, 
Cannon  Hill  Park,  and  from  Bearwood 
Road. 


Bipmingham.— A   horse   of  this 

name  won  the  Doucaster  St.  Leger  in 
1830  against  27  competitors.  The 
owner,  John  Beardsworth,  cleared 
£40,000.  He  gave  Connolly,  the  jockey, 
£2,000. 

Bipmingham     Abpoad.  —  Our 

bielhren  who  have  emigrated  do  not 
like  to  forget  even  the  name  of  their 
old  town,  and  a  glance  over  the  Ameri- 
can and  Colonial  census  sheet  shows 
us  that  there  are  at  least  a  score  of 
other  Birminghams  in  the  world.  In 
New  Zealand  there  are  three,  and  in 
Australia  five  townships  so  christened. 
Two  can  be  found  in  Canada,  and  ten 
or  twelve  in  the  United  States,  the 
chief  of  which  is  Birmingham  in  Ala- 
bama. In  1870  this  district  contained 
only  a  few  inhabitants,  but  in  the 
following  year,  with  a  population  of 
700,  it  was  incorporated,  and  at  once 
took  rank  as  a  thriving  city,  now 
proudly  called  "The  Iron  City,"  from 
its  numerous  ironworks,  furnaces,  and 
uiiils.  Last  year  the  citizens  numbered 
over  12,000,  the  annual  outjiut  of  pig- 
iron  being  about  60,000  tons,  and  the 
coal  mines  in  the  neighbourhood  turn- 
ing out  2,000  tons  per  day.  The  city 
is  240  miles  from  Nashville,  143  miles 
from  Chattanooga,  and  96  miles  from 
Montgomery,  all  thriving  places,  and 
is  a  central  junction  of  six  railways. 
The  climate  is  good,  work  plentiful, 
wages  fair,  provisions  clieap,  house 
rent  not  dear,  churches  and  schools 
abundant,  and  if  any  of  our  townsmen 
are  thinking  of  emigrating  they  may 
do  a  deal  worse  than  go  Irom  liencc 
to  that  other  Brummagem,  which  its 
own  "  daily  "  says  is  a  "  City  of  mar- 
vellous wonder  and  magic  growth," 
&c.,  &c. 
Bipmingham  Begging.— Liberal 

to  others  as  a  rule  when  in  distress,  it 
is  on  record  that  once  at  least  the  in- 
habitants of  this  town  were  the  recipi- 
ents of  like  favours  at  the  hands  of 
their  fellow-countrymen.  In  the 
cliurehwardens'  books  of  Redenali, 
Norfolk,  under  date  September  20, 
1644,    is    an    entry   of   6s.    paid    "to 


saoWEM/.S    DICTIJXARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


23 


Richard  Heiberr,  of  Ijinuingliain, 
wliere  was  an  hundred  iifty  and  five 
dwelling  house  burnt  by  Pr.   Rupert." 

BiFmingham    Borough,   which 

is  in  the  luindied  of  Henilingtoid.  and 
wholly  in  the  rounty  of  Warwick,  in- 
cludes the  parish  of  Birniinghani,  part 
of  the  parish  of  Edgbaston,  and  the 
hamlets  of  Deritend-aiid-Bordesley, 
and  DLiddeston-cuni-Nechells,  in  the 
]iansh  of  Aston.  Tiie  extreme  length 
is  six  miles  one  fui'iong,  tlie  average 
breadth  three  miles,  the  circumference 
twenty-one  miles,  and  the  total  area 
8,420  acres,  viz.,  Birmingham,  2,955  ; 
in  Edgbaston,  2,512  ;  and  in  Aston, 
2,853.  Divided  into  sixteen  wards  by 
an  Order  in  Council,  apjiroved  by  Her 
Majesty,  October  15,  1872.  The  mean 
level  of  Birmingham  is  reckoned  as 
443  feet  above  sea  level. 

Bipmingham   Heath.— Once  an 

unenclosed  common,  and  jtart  of  it  may 
now  be  said  to  be  common  jiroperty, 
nearly  100  acres  ot  it  being  covered 
with  public  buildings  for  the  use  of 
such  as  need  a  common  home.  There 
is  not,  however,  anything  common- 
place in  the  style  of  these  erections  for 
.sheltering  our  common  infirmities,  as 
ilie  Workhouse,  Gaol,  and  Asylum 
combined  have  cost  "the  Commons  ' 
.something  like  £350,000.  The  Volun- 
teers in  1798  made  use  of  part  of  the 
Heath  as  a  practice  and  }>arade  ground. 

Bipmingham    Bishops.  —  The 

Rev.  John  Milner,  a  Catholic  divine 
and  eminent  eccle.'-iastical  anti(iuary, 
who  was  educated  at  Edgbaston,  was 
appointed  Bishop  Apustolic  in  the 
Midland  district,  with  the  title  of 
"  Bishop  of  Cdstaballa."  He  died  in 
1826,  in  his  74th  year.— Dr.  Uila- 
tliorne  w^s  enthroned  at  St.  Cliad's, 
August  30th,  1848,  as  Bishop  of  the 
present  Catholic  diocese. — The  Rev. 
P.  Lee,  Head  Ma'-ter  of  Free  Grammar 
School  in  1839,  was  chosen  as  the  first 
Bishop  of  Manchester. — 'I'he  Rev  S. 
Thornton,  St.  George's,  was  consecra- 
ted Bisiiop  of  Ballaiat,  May  1,  1875. 
--The    Rev.    Edward    While  Benson, 


D  D.,  a  native  of  this  town,  was 
nominated  first  Bishop  of  Truro,  in 
December,  1876,  and  is  now  Archbishop 
of  Canterlntry. — The  Rev.  Thomas 
Hnband  Gregg  resigned  the  vicarage  of 
East  Ilarborne  in  March,  1877,  and 
oil  June  20  was  consecrated  at  New 
York  a  Bishop  of  the  Reformed  Episco- 
pal Churcli. 

Bipmingham  (Little) —in  a  re- 
cord of  tlie  early  date  of  1313  there  is 
mention  of  a  place  called  Little  Bir- 
minghatn  (parvam  Birmingham),  as 
being  in  the  hundreds  ot  Nortli  and 
vSouih  Erpyngham,  Norfolk. 

Bipmingham  in  the  Future.— 

It  has  been  ju'oposed  that  the  Borough 
should  be  extended  so  as  to  include 
the  Local  Board  districts  of  Harborne 
and  Handsworth,  Bal.-all  Heath, 
Moseley,  King's  Heath,  part  of  King's 
Norton  jiarisii,  the  whole  of  Yardley 
and  Acock's  Green,  part  of  Northtield 
parish,  all  Aston  ]\lanor,  Saltley,  Wit- 
ton,  Little  Bromwicb,  and  Erdington, 
covering  an  area  of  about  32,000  acres, 
with  a  present  population  of  over  half 
a  million. 

Blind    Asylum.— See    "  PhUan 

tJiropic  Institutions. " 

Blondin  made  his  first  appearance 
at  Aston  Park,  June  8,  1861  ;  at  the 
Birmingham  Cjucert  Hall,  December, 
1869,  and  March,  1870  ;  at  the  Reser- 
voir September,  1873,  and  September, 
1878.  Mrs.  Powell,  who  was  known 
as  the  "  Female  Blon  iiii,"  was  killed 
at  a  fete  in  Aston  Park,  July  20,  1863, 
by  falling  from  tlie  high  rope. 

Bloomsbupy  Institute.— Opened 

in  1860.  The  memorial  stones  of  the 
lecture-hall  in  Bloomsbury  Street  were 
laid  August  6.  1877,  tlie  £750  cost 
being  given  by  Mr.  David  Smith. 
Seats  500. 

Blue      Coat      School.  —  See 

"  Schools." 

Blues. — The  United  Society  of 
True  lilues  was  founded  in  1805  by  a 
number  of  old  Blue  Coat  buys  (formerly 
known    as    "The    Grateful    Society") 


24 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


who  joined  in  raising  an  annual  sub- 
scription for  the  Scliool. 

Board   Schools.  —  See   "School 

Board. "  "'c'" ! 

Boatmen's  Hall,  ereeted  on  Wor- 
cester Wharf,  by  Miss  Ryland,  was 
opened  March  17,  1879. 

Bonded     Warehouses.  —  Our 

Chamber  of  Conimeree  nienioralised 
the  Lords  of  tlie  Treasury  for  the  ex- 
tension of  the  bonded  warehouse  system 
to  this  town,  in  December,  1858,  but 
it  was  several  years  before  permission 
was  obtained. 

Books. — The  oldest  known  Bir- 
mingham book  is  a  "Latin  Grammar, 
composed  in  the  English  tongue," 
printed  in  London  in  1652,  for  Thomas 
Underliill,  its  autlior  having  been  one 
of  the  masters  of  our  Free  School. 

Book    Club    (The).  -Commenced 

some  few  years  previous  to  1775,  at 
which  time  its  meetings  were  held  in 
Poet  Freeth's,  Leicester  Arms,  Bell- 
street.  As  its  name  implies,  thf  club 
was  formet]  for  the  purchase  and  cir-cu- 
lation  among  the  members  of  new  or 
choice  books,  which  were  sold  at  tlie 
annual  ilinner,  hence  the  poet's  hint  in 
one  of  his  invitations  to  these  meet- 
ings :  — 

"  Due  resavrt  let  tlie  hammer  be  paid. 
Ply  the  glass  gloomy  care  to  rlispel ; 
If  mellow  our  hearts  are  all  made, 
The  books  much  better  may  sell." 

In  these  days  of  clieap  literature,  free 
libraries,  and  halfpenny  papers,  such 
a  club  is  not  wanted. 

Books  on  Birmingham.— Notes 

of  Biriningham  were  now  and  then 
given  before  the  days  of  that  dear  old 
antiquary  Hutton,  but  Ms  "  History  " 
must  always  take  rank  as  the  first. 
Morfitt'.s  was  amusing  as  far  as  it  went ; 
Bissett's  was  ditto  and  pictorial  ; 
but  it  remained  till  the  present  period 
for  really  reliable  sketches  to  be  given. 
Tiie  best  are  Langford's  "Century  of 
Birmingham  Life,"  Harman's  "  Book 
of  Dates,"  Dent's  "Old  and  New  Bir- 
mingham,"  Bunce's  "  Municipal   His- 


tory,"   and    the    last    is    "Showells^ 
Dictionary  of  Birnungham." 

Botanical  Gardens.— See  "  Ror- 

ticuUural  Societies." 

Borough  Members.— See  "  Par- 

liamenfarij  Elections." 

Boulton  (Mathew).— Tlie  son  of 

a  hardware  manufacturer  of  the  same 
name,  was  born  here  on  September  3, 
1728  (old  style)  and  received  his  edu- 
cation jirincipally  at  tlie  academy  of 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Anstey,  Deritend.  He  is 
accredited  with  having  at  the  early  age 
of  seventeen  invented  the  inlaving  of 
steel  buckles,  buttons  and  trinkets, 
whii;h  for  many  years  were  in  great 
request.  Tiiese  articles  at  first  were 
exported  to  France  in  large  quantities, 
being  afterwards  brought  from  thence 
and  sold  in  London  as  the  latest 
Parisian  fashion.  \n  1762  (his  father 
having  iefthini  a  considerable  property) 
Mr.  I-5oulton  leased  a  quantitj'  of  the 
land  then  forming  part  of  Birmingham 
Heath,  where  at  a  cost  of  over  £10,000 
he  erected  the  famous  Soho  Works, 
and  later  on  (in  1794)  he  purtdiased  tlie 
freeliold  of  tliat  and  a  considerable 
tract  of  the  adjoining  land.  Li  1767 
steam  was  first  brought  into  use  tosu]i- 
jilement  the  power  derived  from  the 
water  wheels,  and  in  1769  he  becan  e 
acquainted  with  James  Watt,  witli 
wliom  lie  afterwards  went  into  partner- 
ship to  make  steam  engines  of  all  kinds, 
sinking  £47,000  before  he  had  any  re- 
turn for  his  money.  Mr.  Boulton 
lived  to  tlie  patriarchal  age  of  fourscore 
and  one,  leavincf  this  life  on  August  7, 
1809.  He  was  l)uried  at  Handswortb, 
600  workmen,  besides  nuniberle-.s. 
friends,  following  his  remains  ;  all  "f 
whom  were  presented  with  hatbands 
and  gloves  and  a  silver  medal,  and  re- 
galed witli  a  dinner,  the  funeral  cost- 
ing altogether  about  £2,000.— See 
"  Coinage,"  &c. 

Bourne  College,  erected  by  the 
Primitive  Methoiiists  and  their  friemis, 
at  Quinton,  at  a  cost  of  nearly  £10,00, 
was  formally   opened    on    October  240 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


25 


1882.     When   completed  there  will  be 
accommodation  for  120  students. 

Bowlingf  Greens.— These  seem  to 
liave  been  fav^mrite  places  of  resort 
with  our  grandfathers  and  great-grand- 
fathers. The  completion  of  one  at  the 
Union  Tavern,  Cherry  Street,  was  an- 
nounced March  26,  1792,  but  we  read 
of  another  as  attached  to  tlie  Hen  and 
Chickens,  in  High  Street,  as  early  as 
1741.  There  is  a  very  fine  bowling- 
green  at  Aston  Hall,  and  lovers  of  the 
old-fashioned  game  can  be  also  accom- 
modated at  Cannon  Hill  Park,  and 
a  t  several  suburban  hotels. 

Boys'  Refug^e  is  at  corner  of  Brad- 
fonl  Street  and  Alcester  Street,  and 
the  Secretary  will  be  glad  of  help. 

Boyton. — Captain  Boyton  showed 
his  lile-preserving  dress,  at  the  Reser- 
voir, April  24,  1875. 

Braeebridge.  —  A  very  ancient 
family,  long  connected  with  this  neigh- 
bourhood, for  we  read  of  Peter  de 
Bracebrigg  who  married  a  grand- 
daughter of  the  Eirl  of  AVarwick  in 
A. D.  1100,  and  through  her  inherited 
Kingsbury,  an  ancient  residence  of  tlie 
Kings  of  Mercia.  In  later  days  the 
Bracebridges  became  more  intimately 
connected  with  this  town  by  the  mar- 
riage in  1775  of  Abraham  Bracebridge, 
Esq.,  of  Atherstone,  witli  ilary  Eliza- 
beth, the  only  child  and  heiress  of  Sir 
Charles  Holte,  to  whom  the  Aston  es- 
tates ultimately  reverted.  JIauy  articles 
connected  with  the  Holte  family  have 
been  presented  to  Birmingham  by  the 
descendants  of  this  marriage. 

Bradford  Street  takes  its  name 
from  Henry  Bradford,  who,  in  1767, 
advertised  that  he  would  give  a  freehold 
site  to  any  man  who  would  build  the 
first  house  therein. 

Breweries.— In  the  days  of  old 
nearly  eveiy  })ublican  and  innkeeper 
was  his  own  brewer,  the  fame  of  his 
house  depending  almost  solely  on  the 
quality  of  the  "  stingo  "  he  could  pour 
out  to  his  customers.  The  first  local 
brewery  on  a  large  scale  appears  to  have 


been  that  erected  in  Moseley  Street  in 
1782,  which  even  down  to  late  years 
retained  its  cognomen  of  the  Birming- 
liam  Old  Brewery.  In  1817  another 
company  opened  a  similar  extensive 
establishment  at  St.  Peter's  Place,  in 
Broad  Street,  and  since  then  a  number 
of  enterprising  individuals  have  at 
times  started  in  the  same  track,  but 
most  have  come  grief,  even  in  the 
case  of  those  whose  capital  was  not 
classed  under  the  modern  term  "  lini; 
ited."  The  principal  local  breweries 
now  in  existence  are  those  of  Messrs. 
Holder,  Jlitchel],  and  Bates,  in 
addition  to  the  well-known  Crosswells 
Brewery  of  Messrs  Walter  Sliowell 
and  Sous,  noted  in  next  paragraph. 
The  piincipal  Vinegar  Brewery  in  Bir- 
mingham is  that  of  JNIessrs.  Pardon 
and  Co.  (Limited),  in  Glover  Street, 
which  was  formed  in  1860,  and  is  well 
worthy  of  the  stranger's  visit.  The 
annual  output  is  about  850,000  gallons, 
there  being  storage  for  nearly  a  million 
gallons,  and  36,000  casks  to  send  the 
vinegar  out  in. 

Brewery     at      Crosswells.— 

Though  b}'  far  the  most  extensive 
brewery  supplying  Birmingham,  the 
Crosswells  cannot  claim  to  be  more 
than  in  the  infancy  of  its  establishmeni 
at  present,  as  only  twelve  years  ago  the 
many  acres  of  ground  now  covered  by  its 
buildings  formed  but  part  of  an  unen- 
closed piece  of  waste  land.  Neverthe- 
less, the  spot  was  well-known  and  often 
visited  in  ancient  times,  on  account  of 
the  wonderful  and  miraculous  cures  said 
to  have  been  effected  by  the  free  use  of 
the  water  gushing  up  from  the  depths 
of  the  springs  to  be  found  there,  and 
which  the  monks  of  old  had  christened 
"  The  Wells  of  the  Cross."  Be  its  me- 
dicinal qualities  what  they  might  in 
the  days  before  Harry  the  Eighth  was 
king,  the  Cross  Wells  water  retained  its 
name  ami  fame  for  centuries  after  tlie 
monks  were  banished  and  the  burly 
king  who  drove  them  out  had  himself 
turned  to  dust.  It  has  always  been 
acknovvledgedasoneof  the  purest  waters 
to  be  found  in  the  kingdom  ;  but  its 


26 


SHOWELLS    DICnONARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


peculiar  and  special  adaptability  to  the 
brewing  of  "good  old  English  cheer" 
was  left  to  be  discovered  by  the  founder 
of  the  tirm  of  ]\[essrs.  Walter  Showell 
and  Sons,   who,  as  stated  before,  some 
twelve  years  back,  erected  the  nucleus 
of  thepresentextensive  brewei'y.    Start- 
ing with  the  sale  of  only  a  few  liuiidred 
birrels  per  week,  the  call  for  their  ales 
.soon  forced  the  jiroprietors  to  extend 
their  premises    in    order    that    supply 
should  meet  demand.   At  first  doubled, 
then  Quadrupled,   the  brewery   is  now 
at  least  ten  times  its  original  size  ;  and 
a  slight  notion  of  the  lousiness  carried 
on  may  be  gathered  from  the  fact  that 
the    firm's  stock  of  iiarrels  tots  up  to 
nearly  60,000  and  is  beii]g  continually 
increased,  extensive  cooperages,  black- 
smiths' shops,   &c. ,  being  attached   to 
the  brewery,    as    well    as   malthouses, 
offices,    and    storehouses   of  all  kinds. 
Tlie  iiead  olfices  of  the  firm,  which  are 
connected     by     telephone     with     the 
lirewery,  as  well  as  with  the   stores  at 
Kingston    Buildings,  Crescent  Wliarf, 
are  situated  in   Great  Charles  Street, 
and     thus     the     Crosswells     Brewery 
(though  really  at  Langley  Gieen,  some 
half-dozen  miles  away  as  the  crow  fliss) 
becomes  entitled  to  lank  as  a  l^irniing- 
ham  establishment,  and  certainly  not 
one  of  the  least,  inasmmdi  as  the  weekly 
sale   of  Crosswells    ales  for  this  town 
alone  is  more  than  80,000  gallons  per 
week. 

Bpickkiln  Lane,  now  called  the 

Horse    Fair,     gives    its    own    deriva- 
tion. 

Bpight.— The  Right  Hon.  John 
Bright,  though  not  a  Birmingham 
man,  nor  connected  with  the  town  by 
any  ties  of  personal  interest  or  busi- 
ness, lias  for  the  last  quarter-century 
been  the  leading  member  returned  to 
Parliament  as  representing  the  borough, 
and  must  always  rank  foremost  among 
our  men  of  note.  Mr.  Bright  is  the 
son  of  the  late  Jacob  Bright,  of 
(jlreenbank,  near  Rochdale,  and  was 
born  November  T6,  1811.  He  and  his 
brother,  Mr.  Jacob  Bright,    M.P.   for 


Manchester,  began  business  as  partners 
in  the  affiliated  firms  of  John   Bright 
and     Brothers,     cotton     spinners    and 
manuficturers,   Rochdale,   and    Bright 
aiul  Co.,   carpet   manufacturers,   Roch- 
dale and  Manchester.      At  an  early  age 
Mr.   Bright  showed  a   keen  interest  in 
politics,  and  took  part  in  the  Reform 
agitation   of  1831-32.      In    those  days 
every  householder  was    compelled    by 
law  to  pay  the  Church-rates  levied  in 
his  parish,  whatever  his  religious  creed 
might   be,    and    it    is    said    that    Mr. 
Bright's  first  flights  of  oratory  were  de- 
livered from  a  tombstone  in  Rochdale 
church-yard  in  indignant  denunciation 
of  a  tax  wliich  to  him,  as  a  member  of 
the  Society  of  Friends,  appeared  espe- 
cially odious       It  was   not,    however, 
till   1839,   when   he   joined   the    Anti- 
Corn  Law   League,  that  Mr.   Bright's 
reputation  spread  beyond  his  own   im- 
mediate neighbourhood  ;  and  there  can 
be  no  doul)t  but  that  his  fervid    ad- 
dresses,  coupled   with   the  calmer  and 
more   logical  speeches  of  .Mr.   CobJen, 
contributed  in  an    appreciable    degree 
to  the  success  of  the  movement.     In 
July,   1843,    he  was  returned  as  M.P. 
for  the  city  of  Durham,    whicli  he  re- 
presented until  the  general  election  of 
1847,  when  he  was  the  chosen  of  Man- 
chester.    For  ten  j^ears  he  was  Man- 
chester's man  in  everything,  but  the 
side  he  took  in  regard  to  the  Russian 
war  was  so  much  at   variance  with  the 
popular    opinions    of  his   constituents 
that  they  at  last  turned  on  him,  burnt 
his  efiigy  in  the  streets,  and  threw  him 
out  at  the  general  election  in   March, 
1857.   At  the  death  of  Mr.  G.  F.Muntz, 
in  July  following,  Mr.    Bright  vv«s  al- 
most  unanimously   selected  to  fill  hi* 
place  as  M.P.  for  this  town,  and  for  25 
years  he  has  continued  to  honour  Bir- 
mingham by  permitting  us  to  call  him 
our    member.       (See     Parliamentary 
Elections."')       Jlr.     Bright    has    been 
twice  n\arried,    but  is  now  a  wi<iower, 
and  he  has    twice  held    office    i-i    the 
Cabinet,  first  as  President  of  the  Board 
of  Trade,  and  more  lately  as  Chancellor 
of  the  Duchy  of  Lancaster. 


SHOWELl.S    DICTIONARY    OF    WRMIXGIIAM. 


27 


Bristol  Road.— Trees  were  first 
])lanted  in  this  road  in  tlie  sjaing  ot 
1853. 

Britannia  Metal, — A  mixed  metal 

formed  ol  <J0  jiarts  of  tin,  2  copper, 
and  8  antimony,  brought  into  use  about 
1790,  and  long  a  favourite  with  manu- 
facturers and  public  alike.  The  intro- 
duction of  electroplating  did  much 
towards  its  extendeit  make  at  first,  but 
latter!}'  it  has  been  in  great  ni'.;asure, 
replaced  by  German  silver  and  other 
alloys. 

Britisll  Association  for  the  Ad- 
vancement of  Science  first  met  in  this 
town  Aug.  26,  1839.  They  were  here 
again  Oct.  12,  1857,   and  Sep.  6,  1865. 

Brittle  Street  formerly  ran  from 
Livery  Street  to  Snow  Hill,  about  the 
spot  where  now  tlie  entrance  gates  to 
the  Station  are. 

Broad  Street.— 1 50  years  ago  i)art 
of  what  is  now  known  as  Dale  End 
was  called  liroad  Street,  the  present 
thoroughfare  of  that  name  then  being 
only  a  pathwa}'  through  the  fields. 

Brunswick  Building's.— Erected 

in  New  Stieet,  by  j\lr.  Samuel  Haines 
in  1854.  A  funny  tale  has  been  told 
about  theoriginal  leas^,  which  included 
a  covenant  tiiat  at  the  expiration  of 
the  term  of  100  years  for  which  it  was 
granted,  the  land  was  to  be  delivered 
up  to  the  Grammar  School  "well 
cropjjed  with  potatoes."  In  1760  New 
Street  was  a  new  street  indeed,  for 
there  were  but  a  lew  cottages  with  gar- 
dens there  then,  and  the  potatoe  jiro- 
viso  was  no  doubt  thouglit  a  capital 
provision  ;  but  fancy  growing  that 
choice  edible  there  in  1860  ! 

Buck.— Henry  Buck,   P.G.M.,  and 

Sec.  of  the  Birmingham  district  of 
the  Jlanchester  Order  ot  Oddfellows  for 
twenty-five  years,  died  Jan.  22,  1876, 
aged  63.  A  granite  obelisk  to  his 
memory  in  St.  Philip's  churchyard  was 
unveiled  Sep.  17,  1877. 

Building  Societies  took  early  root 

liere,  as  we  find  there  were  several  in 
1781. — See  "  Friendlij  Societies." 


Buckles  were  worn  as  slioe  fasten- 
ers in    the   reign    of   Charles  II. — See 

"  Trades." 

Buttons. — Some  interesting  notes 
respecting  the  manufacture  of  buttons 
will  be  found  uiuier  the  head  of 
"  Trades." 

Bulgarian  Atrocities,  1876-7. 

— A  considerable  aniount  ot  "political 
capital  "  was  made  out  (d'  the.^e  occur- 
rences, but  only  £1,400  was  subscribed 
here  for  the  relief  ot  the  unfortunates; 
while  merely  £540  could  be  raised  to- 
wards lielping  the  thousands  ot  poor 
Bosnian  refugees  driven  from  their 
homes  by  the  Russians  in  1878,  and  of 
this  sum  £200  was  given  by  one  per- 
son 

Bullbaiting  was  prohibited  in 
1773  by  Order  in  Council,  and  an  Act 
was  passetl  in  1835,  to  put  a  stop  to 
all  l)aiting  of  bulls,  badgers,  and  bears. 
AtChapel  Wake,  1798,  some  la.v-defy- 
ing  reprobate^  started  a  bullbaiting  on 
Snow  Hill,  but  the  Loyal  Asscciatiou 
of  Volunteers  turned  out,  and  with 
drums  beating  and  colours  Hying  soon 
put  the  rebels  to  fiight,  pursuing  them 
as  tar  as  Birmingham  Heath,  where  the 
baiters  got  a  beating,  the  Loyals  re- 
turning home  in  triumph  with  the  bull 
as  a  trophy.  The  last  time  this  "  sport" 
was  indulged  in  in  this  neighbourhood 
appears  to  have  been  early  in  October, 
1833,  at  Gib  Heath,  better  known  now 
as  Nineveh  Koad. 

Bull  Lane  was  the  name  once  given 
to  tliat  put  (if  the  present  Colniore 
Row  between  Livery  Street  and  Snow 
Hill,  though  it  has  been  better  known 
as  Alonmouth  Street. 

Bull  Street— Once  called  Chapel 
Street,  as  leading  to  the  chapel  of  the 
ancient  Priory  ;  afterwards  named  from 
the  oUl  inn  known  as  the  Red  Bull 
(No.  S3). 

Burial    Grounds.— See  "  Ceme- 

terics." 

Burns. — Excisemen,  when  Robert 
Burns  was  one  of  ihein,  were  wont  to 
carry  pistols,  and  tliose  the   poet   had 


28 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


were  given  him  by  one  of  our  gun- 
makers,  Mr.  F)lair.  They  were  after- 
wards bought  by  Allan  Cunningham, 
who  gave  them  back  to  Burns'  widow. 
— Birmingham  lent  its  rill  to  the  great 
river  of  homage  to  the  genius  of  Burns 
which  flowed  through  the  length  and 
breadtli  of  the  civilised  world  on  the 
occasion  of  the  Burns'  centenary  in 
January,  1859.  The  most  interesting 
of  the  three  or  four  meetings  held  here 
was  one  of  a  semi-private  nature,  which 
took  place  at  Aston  Hall,  and  which 
originated,  not  withScotchmen,  but  with 
Englishmen.  Some  forty-hve  or  fifty 
gentlemen,  only  some  half-dozen  of 
whom  were  Scotch,  sat  down  to  an  ex- 
cellent supper  in  the  fine  old  room  in 
which  the  Queen  lunched  the  previous 
year.  Tlie  chairman  was  Mr.  Samuel 
Tinimins,  and  the  vice-chairmau  was 
Mr.  Ross 

Cabs,  Cars,  and  Carpiag-es.— 

The  hackney  carriages,  or  four-wheelers, 
of  this  town,  have  the  credit  of  being 
superior  to  those  used  in  London, 
though  the  hansoms  (notwithstanding 
their  being  the  inventions  of  one  who 
should  rank  almost  as  a  local  worthy — 
the  architect  of  our  Town  Hall)  are 
not  up  to  the  mark.  Prior  to  1820 
there  were  no  regular  stands  for  vehicles 
plying  for  hire,  those  in  New  Street, 
Bull  Street,  and  Col  more  Row  being 
laid  in  that  year,  the  first  cabman's 
license  being  dated  June  11.  The  first 
"Cabman's  Rest"  was  ofieiied  in  Rat- 
cliffe  Place,  June  13,  1872,  the  cost 
(£65)  being  gathered  by  the  cabman's 
friend,  the  Rev.  Micaiih  Hill,  who 
also,  in  1875,  helped  them  to  start  an 
a.'sociation  for  mutual  assistance  in 
cases  of  sickness  or  death.  There  are 
sixteen  of  these  "  shelters  "  in  the 
town,  the  cabmen  subscribing  about 
£200  yearly  towardsexpenses.  As  arule, 
the  Birmingham  cabmen  are  a  civil 
I'ld  obliging  body  of  men,  thongfi  now 
and  then  a  little  siiarp  practice  may 
occur,  as  in  the  instance  of  the  stranger 
who,  arriving  in  New  Street  Station 
one  evening  last  summer,  d.esired  to  be 
taken  to  theQueen's  Hotel.   Hislugi^age 


being  properly  secured,  and  himself 
safely  ensconced,  ]Mr.  Cabby  ooly  took 
the  rug  from  his  horse's  back,  mounted 
hisseat,and  walked  the  animal  through 
the  gates  back  to  the  building  the 
stranger  had  just  lel't,  depositing  his 
fare,  and  as  calmly  holding  out  his 
hand  (or  the  customaiy  shilling  as  if  he 
had  driven  the  full  distance  of  a  mile 
and  a  half.  The  fans  laid  down  by 
the  bye-laws  as  proper  to  be  charged 
within  the  Borough,  and  within 
five  miles  from  the  statue  in  Ste- 
jihenson  Place,  in  the  Borough,  are  as 
follows  : — ■ 

By  time,  the  driver  tli-iving  at  a  rate  not 
less  tliaii  five  miles  per  hour,  if  so  re- 
quired : — 

s.  d. 

For  every  carriage  constructed  to 
carry  four  persons,  for  tlie  lirs*; 
liour,  or  part  of  hour        . .         . .     .°.     0 

For  every  additional  15  niiiuites,  or 
part  of  15  minutes.  ..         . .     0    '.' 

For  every  c?rriage  constructed  to 
carry  two  persous,  for  the  tirst 
hour,  or  part  of  hour         ..         ..     2    li 

For  every  additional  15  minutes,  or 

part  of  15  minutes  . .  ..  ..     0     li 

Any  person  hiring  any  carriage 
otherwise  than  by  time  is  entitled 
to  detain  the  same  live  minutes 
without  extra  charge,  but  for 
every  15  minutes,  or  part  thereof, 
ovfer  the   first  five  minutes,  the 

hirer  must  pay        0    t'> 

By  distance  : — 

Cabs  or  Cars  to  carry  2  persons  not 
exceeding  1  IT  miles. .         ..         ..     10 

Per  A  mile  after  0    4 

One  horse  vehicles  to  carry  4  per- 
sons, not  exceeding  1  nule  . .     10 

For  any  further  di»;tance,  per^  mile 
after 0    li 

Cars  or  Carriages  with  2  horses,  to 
carry  4  persons,  not  exceeding  1 
mile 1     '.* 

Per  i  mile  after  . .         . .         . .     0    '•' 

Double  Fares  shall  be  allowed  and 
paid  for  every  fare,  or  so  much  of 
any  fare  as  may  be  performed  by 
any  carriage  alter  12  o'clock  at 
night,  and  before  0  in  the  morn- 
ing. 

CalthOPpe  Park,  Pershore  road, 
has  an  area  of  31a.  Ir.  13p.,  and  wa^ 
given  to  tlie  town  in  1857  by  Lord 
Calthorpe.  Though  never  legally  con- 
veyed to  the  Corporation,  the  Park  i.> 
held  under  a  grant  from  the  Calthorpe 
family,  the  effect  of  which  is  equivalent 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


29 


to  a  conveyance  in  lee.  The  Duke  of 
Cambridge  performed  the  openinj; 
ceremony  in  this  our  first  public  park. 

Calthoppe  Road  was  laid  out  for 
building  in  the  year  1818,  and  the 
fact  IS  wortliy  of  note  as  beinj;  the 
commencement  of  our  local  AVest 
End. 

Calico,  Cotton,  and  Cloth.— In 

1702  tlie  [iriutinj;  or  wearing  of  ])rinted 
calicoes  was  ])rohiliited,  and  more 
strictly  so  in  1721,  when  cloth  buttons 
and  buttonholes  were  also  forbidden. 
Fifty  years  after,  tlie  requisites  for 
manufacturing  cotton  or  cotton  cloth 
were  now  allowed  to  be  exported,  and 
in  1785  a  duty  was  imposed  on  all 
cotton  goods  brought  into  the  King- 
dom. Strange  as  it  may  now  appear, 
there  was  once  a  "cotton-spinning 
mill"  in  Birmingham.  The  hrst  thread 
of  cotton  ever  spun  by  rollers  was 
])rcduced  in  a  small  house  near  Sutton 
Coldfield  as  early  as  the  year  1700,  and 
in  1741  the  inventor,  John  Wyatt,  had 
a  mill  in  the  Ujiper  Priory,  where  his 
machine,  containing  fifty  rollers,  was 
turned  by  two  dunke}s  walking  round 
an  axis,  like  a  horse  in  a  modern  clay 
mill.  The  manufacture,  however,  did 
not  succeed  in  this  town,  though  car- 
ried on  more  or  less  till  the  close  of 
the  century,  Paul's  machine  being 
advertised  for  sale  April  29,  1795. 
The  Friends'  schoolroom  now  covers 
the  site  of  the  cotton  mill 

Canals  — The  first  Act  for  the  con- 
.structiou  of  the  "cut"  or  canal  in  con- 
nection with  Birmingham  was  passed 
in  1761,  that  to  Bilston  being  com- 
menced in  1767.  The  delivery  here  of 
the  first  boat-load  of  coals  (Nov.  6, 
1769)  was  hailed,  and  rightly  so,  as 
one  of  the  greatest  blessings  that  could 
be  conferred  on  the  town,  the  imme- 
diate effect  being  a  reduction  in  the 
price  to  6d  per  cwt  ,  which  in  the 
following  May  came  down  to  4tl.  The 
cutting  of  the  first  sod  towards  making 
the  Grand  Junction  Canal  took  place 
July  26,  1766,  and  it  was  completed  in 
1790.   In  1768  Brindley,  the  celebrated 


engineer,  planned  out  the  I'irminghain 
and  Wolverhampton  Canal,  proposing 
to  make  it  22  miles  long ;  but  he 
did  not  live  to  see  it  finished.  The 
work  was  taken  up  by  Sineaton  and 
Telford  ;  the  latter  ol  whom  calling  it 
"a  crooked  ditch"  stiuck  out  a 
straight  cut,  reducing  the  length  to  14 
miles,  increasing  the  width  to  40  feet, 
the  bridges  having  each  a  span  of  52 
feet.  The  "Summit"  bridge  was 
finished  in  1879.  The  Fazeley  Canal 
was  completed  in  1783,  and  so  success- 
fully was  it  worked  that  iu  nine  years 
the  shares  were  at  a  premium  of  £1170. 
In  1785  the  Birmingliam,  the  Fazeley, 
and  the  Graml  Junction  Companies 
took  up  and  comideted  an  extension 
to  Coventry.  The  Birmingliam  and 
WorcesterCanalwascommenced  ill  1,791, 
the  cost  being  a  little  over  £600,000, 
and  it  was  opened  for  through  traffic 
July  21,  1815.  Bj'  an  agreemeut  of 
September  18,  1873,  this  canal  was 
sold  to  the  Gloucester  and  Berkeley 
Canal  Co.  (otherwise  the  Sharpne.ss 
Dock  Co.),  and  lias  thus  lost  its  dis- 
tinctive local  name.  The  Birmingham 
and  Warwick  commenced  in  1793  ;  was 
finished  in  1800.  Communication  with 
Liverpool  by  water  was  complete  in 
1S26,  the  carriage  of  goods  thereto 
which  had  jireviously  cost  £5  per  ton, 
being  reduced  to  30s.  For  a  through 
cut  to  London,  a  company  was  started 
in  5IaV:  1836,  with  a  nominal  capital 
of  £3,000,000,  in  £100  shares, ami  the 
first  cargoes  were  despatched  in  August, 
1840.  In  April,  1840,  an  Act  was 
passed  to  unite  the  Wyrley  and  Essing- 
ton  Canal  Co.  with  the  l>ii-miiigham 
Canal  Co.,  leading  to  the  extension,  at 
a  cost  of  over  £120,000,  ot  the  canal 
system  to  the  lower  side  of  the  town. 
There  are  2,800  miles  of  canals  in  Eng- 
land, and  about  300  miles  in  Ireland. 
The  total  length  ot  what  may  pro[)erly 
be  called  Birminghom  canals  is  about 
130  miles,  but  if  the  branches  in 
tiie  "  Black  Country"  be  added  there- 
to, it  will  reach  to  near  250  miles.  The 
first  iron  boat  made  its  appearance  on 
canal  waters  July  24,   1787  ;  the  first 


30 


SHOWELL's    DICTIOXARY    of    BIUMINGHAM. 


propelled  by  steam  anived  here  from 
Loudon,  September  29,  1826.  The 
adaptation  of  steam  power  to  general 
canal  traffic,  however,  was  not  carried 
to  any  great  extent,  on  account  of  the 
injury  caused  to  the  bank?  by  the 
"  wash  "  from  the  pacdles  and  screws, 
though,  when  railways  were  first  talked 
about,  the  possibility  of  an  inland 
steam  navigation  was  much  canvassed. 
When  the  Bill  for  the  London  and  Bir- 
niiugliam  Railway  was  before  Parlia- 
ment, in  1833,  some  enter))rising  car- 
riers started  (on  Midsummer-day)  an 
opposition  in  the  shape  of  a  stage-boat, 
to  run  daily  and  do  the  distance,  with 
goods  and  passengers,  in  16  hours. 
The  Birmingham  and  Liverpool  Canal 
Companv  introduced  steam  tugs  in 
1843.  On  Saturday,  November  11, 
they  despatched  16  boats,  with  an 
agtrregate  load  of  380  tons,  to  Liver- 
pool, drawn  by  one  small  vessel  of  16- 
horse  power,  other  engines  taking  U() 
the  "train"  at  different  parts  of  the 
voyage.  Mr.  Insliaw,  iu  1853,  l)uilt  a 
steamboat  for  canals  with  a  screw  on 
each  side  of  the  rudder.  It  was  made 
to  draw  four  boats  with  40  tons  of  coal 
in  each  at  two  and  a  half  miles  yier 
hour,  and  the  twin  screws  were  to 
negative  the  surge,  Init  the  iron  horses 
of  the  rail  soon  })Ut  down,  not  only  all 
such  weak  attempts  at  competition, 
but  almost  the  whole  canal  traffic  itself, 
so  far  as  general  merchandise  and  car- 
riage of  light  goods  and  parcels  was 
concerned.  "  Flyboats"  for  passengers 
at  one  time  ran  a  close  race  with  the 
coaclies  and  omnibuses  between  here, 
Wolverhampton,  and  other  places,  but 
they  are  old  people  now  who  can  re- 
collect travelling  in  that  manner  in 
their  youth. 

Canal  Accidents.— The  banks  of 

the  Birmingham  and  Worcester  Canal, 
near  Wheeley's  Road,  gave  way  on 
May  26,  1872,  causing  considerable 
damage  to  tiie  properties  near  at  hand. 
A  similar  occurrence  took  jdaco  at  As- 
ton, July  20,  1875  ;  and  a  thini  hap- 
pened atSolihull  Lodge  Valley,  October 


27,  1880,  when  about  80ft.    of  an    em- 
bankment 30-ft.  high  collapsed. 

Canal  ResePVOiP,  better  known 
as  "The  Reservoir,"  near  Monument 
Lane,  a  popular  [dace  of  resort,  covers 
an  area  of  62a.  1r.  5i'.,  and  is  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  long.  Visitors  and 
others  fond  of  boating  can  be  accom- 
mod  ited  here  to  their  heart's  content. 

Cannon. — The  first  ap])earance  of 
these  instruments  of  desti notion  in 
connection  with  the  English  army  was 
in  the  time  of  Edward  IIL  in  his  wars 
with  the  Scotch  and  the  French,  the 
first  great  battle  of  historical  note  in 
which  they  were  used  being  that  of 
Cressy,  in  1346.  The  manufacture  of 
"small  arms,"  as  they  are  called,  has 
been  anything  but  a  small  feature  in 
the  trade  history  of  our  past,  but 
cannon-founding  does  not  appear  to 
have  been  much  carried  on,  though  a 
local  newspaper  of  1836  mentioned 
that  several  250  and  300- pounder  guns 
were  sent  from  here  in  tliat  year  for 
the  fortifications  on  tiie  Dardanelles. 

Cannon  Hill  Park  covers  an  area 
of  57a.  Ir.  9[).,  and  was  presented  to 
the  town  by  Miss  Ryland,  the  deed  of 
conveyance  beaiing  date  April  IStli, 
1S73.  The  nearest  route  to  this  Park 
is  by  way  of  Pershore  Rond  and  Edg- 
baston  Lane,  omnibuses  going  that 
way  every  half-hour. 

Caps. — The  inventor  of  percussion 
caps  is  not  known,  but  we  read  of  them 
as  being  made  here  as  early  as  1816, 
though  they  were  not  introduced  into 
"the  service"  until  1839.  The  manu- 
facture of  these  articles  has  several 
times  led  to  great  loss  of  life  among  the 
workers,  notes  of  which  will  be  fouini 
under  the  head  of  '■'Explosions."  See 
also  "  Trades." 

Carlyle. — The  celebrated  philoso- 
pher, Thomas  Carlyle,  resideil  here  for 
a  short  time  in  1824  ;  and  his  notes 
about  Birmingham  cannot  but  be  worth 
preserving.  Writing  to  his  brother 
John  under  date  Aug.  10,  he  says  : — 

"  Birniingliam  I  liave  now  tried  for  a  reason- 
able time,  and   I  cannot  complain    of  being 


SIIOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


31 


tired  of  it.  As  a  town  it.  is  pitiful  enough — a 
mean  congeries  of  brieVcs,  ini-liuling  one  or  two 
large  capitalists,  some  liuiiilreds  of  minor 
ones,  and,  perhaps,  a  liuiulred  ami  twenty 
thousand  sooty  artisans  in  metals  and  chem- 
ical produce.  Tlie  streets  are  ill-built,  ill- 
paved,  always  flimsy  in  their  aspect— often 
poor,  sometimes  miserable.  Not  above  oin' 
or  two  of  them  are  paved  witli  flagstones  at 
the  sides  ;  and  to  walk  upon  the  little  egg- 
.shaped,  slippery  flints  tliat  supply  their 
places  is  something  lil<e  a  penance.  Yet  withal 
it  is  interesting  for  some  of  tlie  commons 
or(  lanes  that  spot  and  intersect  the  green, 
woody,  undulating  environs  to  view  this  city 
of  Tubal  Cain.  Torrents  of  thick  smoke, 
with  ever  and  anon  a  burst  of  dingy  ftaine, 
are  issuing  from  a  thousand  funnels.  '  A 
thousand  hammers  fall  by  turns.'  You 
liear  the  clank  of  innumerable  steam  en- 
gines, the  rumbling  of  cars  and  vans,  and 
the  hum  of  men  interrupted  by  the 
sharper  rattle  of  some  canal  boat  loading  or 
disloading,  or,  perphaps,  some  tierce  explosion 
when  the  cannon  founders  [qy :  the  proof- 
house]  are  proving  their  new-made  ware.  I 
have  seen  tlieir  ndliiig-mills,  their  polishing 
cif  teapots,  and  buttons  and  gun-barrels,  ami 
lire-shovels,  and  swor<ls,  and  all  manner  of 
toys  and  tackle.  I  have  looked  into  their 
ironworks  where  150,000  nien  are  smelting  the 
metal  in  a  districn  a  few  miles  to  the  north  : 
their  coal  mines,  tit  image  of  Arvenns  ;  their 
tubes  and  vats,  as  large  as  country  churches, 
full  of  copperas  and  aqua  foitis  and  oil  of 
vitroil  ;  and  the  whole  is  not  without  its  at- 
tractions, as  well  as  repulsions,  of  which, 
when  we  meet,  I  will  preach  to  you  at  large.' 

Carp's  Lane, — Originally  this  is 
believed  to  have  been  known  as 
"  Goddes  Cart  Lane,"  and  was  suffi- 
ciently steep  to  be  dangerous,  as  evi- 
denced by  accidents  noted  in  past 
history. 

Capp's  Lane  Chapel,  the  meeting 

house  of  the  old  Indei)eii(ient«,  or  as 
they  are  now  called,  the  Congreuation- 
alists,  will  be  noticed  under  ^'  Places  of 
WorshijJ-" 

CaPtOOns. — If  some  of  our  foie- 
fathers  could  but  glance  at  the  illustra- 
tions or  the  portait  caricatures  of  local 
public  men  and  their  doings,  Jiow  given 
us  almost  daily,  we  fear  they  would  not 
credit  us  moderns  with  much  advance- 
ment in  the  way  of  political  politeness, 
however  forward  we  may  be  in  other 
respects.  Many  really  good  cartoons 
have  appeared,  and  neither  side  can  be 
said  to  hold  a  monopoly  of  such 
sketchy  skilfulness,  but  one  of  the  best 


(because  most  trntlifnl)  was  the  cartoon 
issued  ill  October  1868,  giving  tlu- 
portrait  of  a  " Vote-as-you're-told" 
electer,  led  by  the  nose  by  his  Daihi 
rod. 

Castle.  —  Birmingham  Castle  is 
named  in  an  ancient  document  as  being 
situated  a  'liowshot  southwestward  of 
the  church,"  but  the  exact  site  thereof 
has  never  been  traced.  It  is  supposed 
to  have  been  erected  about  the  yeai 
1140,  and  to  have  been  demolished  by 
order  of  King  Stephen,  in  117G. 

Castle  StPeet  takes  its  name  from 
the  hostlery  once  so  famous  among  our 
coach  ofiicers. 

Catacombs.— There  is  a  large 
number  of  massively-built  stone  vaults 
underneath  Christ  Church,  each  divided 
into  tiers  of  catacon.bs,  or  receptacles 
for  the  dead.  It  is  in  one  of  these  that 
the  remains  of  ISaskerville  at  last  found 
a  resting  place. — The  catacombs  at  the 
General  Cemetery  are  many,  being  cut 
out  of  the  sandstone  rock  known  as 
Key  Hill,  and  a  large  number  have 
been  and  can  be  excavated  underneath 
the  church  in  the  Warstone  Lane 
Cemetery. 

Cathedpal.— See  "PZwtYi'  of  JFot' 

ship — C'at/iulif." 

Cat  Shows.— The  first  Cat  Show- 
held  here  was  opened  November  29th, 
1873,  and  was  a  very  successful  specu- 
lation ;  but  the  exhibitions  of  the  two 
following  yeais  did  not  pay  and  since 
then  the  grimalkins  have  been  left  at 
home. 

Cattle  Show. — As  first  started  (in 
1849,  when  it  was  held  near  Kent 
Street),  and  at  Bingley  Hall  in  the 
following  year,  this  was  an  annual 
show  of  cattle, sheep,  and  pigs  only, but 
after  yeais  has  made  it  a  gathering  place 
for  specimens,  of  nearly  everything 
recjuired  on  a  farm,  and  the  "Show" 
has  become  an  ''  Exhibition,"  under 
which  heading  full  notice  will  be 
found. 

CemetePies, — The  burial  grounds 
attached  to  the  Churches  were  formerly 


32 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMtNGHA.M. 


tlieouly  places  of  interment  save  for 
suieides  and  murderers — the  former  of 
whom  were  buried  at  some  cross-road, 
with  a  stake  driven  through  the  body, 
while  the  latter  were  frequently  hung 
in  chains  and  got  no  burial  at  all.  In 
1807  the  first  addendum  to  our  church- 
yards was  made  by  the  purchase  of 
13,192  square  yards  of  land  in  Park 
Street,  which  cost  £1,600.  Having 
been  laid  out  and  enclosed  with  sub- 
stantial railed  walls  at  a  fu''ther  outlay 
of  £764,  the  ground  was  duly  conse- 
crated July  16,  1813,  and  for  some 
years  was  the  chief  receptacle  for  de- 
caying luimanitj''  of  all  classes,  many 
thousands  of  whom  were  there  de- 
posited. By  degrees  the  ground  came 
to  be  looked  upon  as  only  fit  for  the 
poorest  of  the  poor,  until,  after  being 
divided  by  the  railway,  this  "God's 
Acre  "  was  cared  for  by  none,  and  was 
well  called  the  "black  spot"  of  the 
town.  Since  the  passing  of  the  Closed 
Burial  Grounds  Bill  (Marcdi  18,  1878) 
the  Corporations  have  taken  po>.«ession, 
and  at  considerable  expense  have 
re-walled  the  enclosure  and  laid  it 
out  as  a  place  of  health  resort  for  the 
children  of  the  neighbouriiood.  The 
burial  grounds  of  St.  Bartholomew  s,St. 
Martin's,  St.  Mary's,  and  St.  George's 
have  also  been  carefully  and  tastefully 
improved  in  appearance,  and  we  can 
now  venture  to  look  at  most  of  our 
churchyards  without  shame. 

The  General  Cemetery  at  Key  Hill 
was  originated  at  a  meeting  held  Oct. 
18, 1832,  when  a  proprietary  Company 
was  formed,  and  a  capital  fixed  at 
£12.000,  in  sliares  of  £10  each.  Tiie 
total  area  of  the  property  is  about 
twelve  acres,  eight  of  which  are  laid 
out  for  general  burials,  in  a  idition  to 
the  catacombs  cut  into  the  sandstone 
rock. 

The  Church  of  England  Oemetery  in 
Warstone  Lane  is  also  the  property  of 
a  private  Company,  having  a  capital 
of  £20,000  in  £10  shares.  The  area  is 
nearly  fifteen  acres,  the  whole  of  which 
was  consecrated  as  a  burial  ground  for 
the  Church  on  August  20,  1848. 


The  Catholic  Cemetery  of  St. 
Joseph,  at  Nechell's  Green,  received 
its  first  consignment  in  1850. 

The  introduction  and  extension  of 
railways  have  played  sad  havoc  with  a 
number  of  the  old  burial  grounds  be- 
longing to  our  foi'efathers.  As  men- 
tioned above  the  London  and  North 
Western  took  a  slice  out  of  Park  Street 
Cemetery.  The  Great  Western  cleared 
the  Quakers'  burial  ground  in  Mon- 
mouth Street  (where  the  Arcade  now 
stands)  the  remains  of  the  departed 
Friends  being  removed  to  their  chapel 
yard  in  Bull  Street,  and  a  curious  tale 
has  been  told  in  connection  therewith. 
It  is  said  tiiat  the  representative  of  the 
Society  of  Friends  was  a  proper  man  of 
business,  as,  indeed,  most  of  them  are, 
and  that  he  drove  rather  a  hard  bar- 
gain witli  the  railway  directors,  who  at 
last  were  obliged  to  give  in  to  what 
they  considered  to  be  an  exorbitant 
demand  for  such  a  small  bit  of  free- 
hold. The  agreement  was  made  and 
the  contract  signed,  and  Friend  Broad- 
brim went  on  his  way  rejoicing  ;  but 
not  for  long.  In  selling  tne  land  he 
apparently  forgot  that  the  land  con- 
tained bones,  for  when  the  question  of 
removing  the  dead  was  mooted,  the 
Quaker  found  he  had  to  pay  back  a 
goodly  portion  of  tlie  purchase  money 
before  he  obtained  permission  to  do  so. 
In  clearing  the  old  streets  away  to 
make  room  for  New  Street  Station,  in 
1846,  the  London  and  North  Western 
found  a  small  Jewish  Cemetery  in 
what  was  then  known  as  the 
"  Froggery,"  but  which  had  long  been 
disuseu.  The  descendants  of  Israel 
carefully  gathered  the  bones  and  re- 
interred  them  in  their  later-dated 
cemetery  in  Granville  Street,  but  even 
here  they  did  not  find  their  last  resting- 
place,  for  when,  a  few  years  back,  the 
Midland  made  the  West  Suburban  line, 
it  became  necessary  to  clear  out  this 
ground  also,  and  the  much-disturbed 
remains  of  the  poor  Hebrews  were  le- 
moved  to  Witton.  The  third  and  last 
of  the  Jewish  Cemeteries,  that  in  Beth- 
olom  Row,  which  was  first  used  in  or 


SUOWELLS    UICTIONAUY    OK    BIRMINGHAM. 


33 


about  1825,  and  lias  long  beou  fall,  is 
also  doomed  to  make  way  for  the  tx- 
teusioii  of  the  same  line. — Diirincr  the 
year  1883  the  time-honoured  old  Mcct- 
iug-house  yard,  where  Poet  Freeth, 
andmany  anotl.erloeal  worthy,  were  laid 
to  rest,  iias  l).,en  cartetl  off — dust  and 
ashes,  tombs  and  tomb-itones — to  the 
great  graveyard  at  Witton,  where 
Christian  and  Infidel,  Jew  and  Gentile, 
it  is  to  be  hoped,  will  be  left  at  peace 
till  the  end  of  the  world. 

In  1360,  the  Corporation  purchased 
105  acres  of  land  at  Witton  Cor  the 
Borough  Cemetery.  The  foundation 
stones  of  two  chapels  were  laid  August 
12,  1861,  and  tlie  Cemetery  was 
opened  May  27,  1863,  the  tot;il  cost 
being  nearly  £10.000.  Of  the  105 
acres,  53  are  consecrated  to  the  use  of 
the  Church  of  England,  35  laid  out  for 
Dissenters,  and  14  set  aside  for  Catho- 
lics and  Jews. 

Census. — The  numbering  of  the 
people  by  a  regular  and  systematic 
plan  once  in  every  ten  years,  only 
came  into  operation  in  1801,  and  the 
most  interesting  returns,  as  connected 
with  this  town  and  its  immediate 
neighbourliood,  will  be  found  under 
the  heading  of  "  Fojndution. " 

Centre  of  Bipmingham  —As  de- 
fined by  the  authoritie.-i  for  the  .settle- 
ment of  any  question  of  distance,  Att- 
wood's  statue  at  the  top  of  SLe[>heasoa 
Place,  in  New  Street,  is  reckoned  as 
the  central  spot  of  the  borough.  In 
olden  days.  Nelson's  monument,  and 
prior  to  that,  the  Old  Cross,  in  the 
Bull  Ring,  was  taken  as  the  centre. 
As  an  absolute  matter  of  fact,  so  far  as 
the  irregular  shape  of  the  borough  area 
will  allow  of  such  a  measurement  being 
made,  the  central  spot  is  covered  by 
Messrs.  Marris  and  Norton's  warehouse 
in  Corporation  Street. 

Centenarians.  —  John  Harman, 
better  known  as  Bishop  Vesey,  died  in 
1555,  in  his  103rd  year.  James  Sands, 
who  died  at  llarborne  in  1625,  was 
said  to  have  been  140  years  old,  and 
his  wife  lived  to  be  120.    Joseph  Stan- 


ley, of  Aston,  died  in  May,  1761,  in 
his  106th  year.  Wesley,  under  date  of 
March  19,  1768,  wrote  of  liaving  seen 
George  Bridgens,  then  in  his  107th 
year  ;  Hutton,  in  noticing  the  long 
life  of  Bridgens,  also  mentions  one 
John  Pitt  wiio  lived  to  be  100,  a  Mrs. 
Moore  who  reached  104,  and  an  old 
market  man  who  comiileted  his  107th 
year.  A  Mr.  Clarkson  died  here,  in 
February,  1733,  aged  112.  William 
Jennens,  the  Jennens  of  untold,  but 
much  coveted,  wealth,  died  in  .fune, 
1798,  aged  103.  John  Roberts,  of  Dig- 
beth,  had  a  family  of  twenty-eight 
children,  six  by  his  third  wife,  whom 
he  married  when  nearly  eighty,  and 
lived  to  see  his  103rd  yeai,  in  1792, 
dying  July  6.  Thomas  Taylor,  a  cobb- 
ler, stuck  to  his  last  until  a  week  of 
his  death,  July  8,  1796,  at  103.  T. 
Blakemore  died  November  12,  1837, 
aged  105.  Mrs.  E.  Bailey,  founder  of 
the  Female  Charity  School,  was  also 
105  at  her  death,  December  2,  1854. 
Another  old  lady  was  Elizabeth  Taylor, 
•:^'ho  died  at  Sparkbrook,  March  5, 1864, 
aged  104  years.  Mary  Hemming,  of 
Moseley  Wake  Green,  died  December 
5,  1881,  in  her  104th  year. 

Centenary  Celebrations,  more 

or  less  wortliy  of  note,  are  continuously 
recurring,  and  the  date  of  some  few  ai'e 
here  preserved.  Our  loyal  grandfathers 
honoured  the  hundredth  ainiiversary 
of  the  Revolution  of  1688,  by  a  public 
dinner,  November  4,  1788.  Old  Blue- 
coat  boys  in  like  manner  kept  the  cen- 
tenary of  their  school,  August  24,  1824. 
Admirers  of  the  Philosopher  Priestley 
cliose  All  Fools'  Day,  1831,  as  the  fitting 
da}'  to  celebrate  the  anniversary  of  his 
birth.  The  Centenary  of  the  Protes- 
tant Dissenting  Charity  Scliools  was 
worthily  celebrated  by  the  raising  of  a 
special  sum  amounting  to  £1,305,  as  an 
addition  to  the  funds.  In  January, 
1859,  Robert  Burns'  anniversary  was 
remembered  by  the  holding  a  supper 
in  Aston  Hall, at  which  only  half-a-tlozen 
Scotchmen  were  present  out  of  lialf-a- 
hundred  guests.  The  Dissenting  Minis- 
ters of  this  and  the  neighbouring  coun- 


34 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


ties,  who,  for  a  huiidreJ  years,  have 
met  together  once  a  nioiitli,  celeljrated 
the  event  by  a  quiet  luiicheon-diuiier, 
December  13,  1882.  The  Tercentenary 
of  the  Free  Grammar  School  was  cele- 
brated with  learned  speeches  April  16, 
1852  ;  that  of  Good  Queen  Bess,  by  a 
public  prayer  meeting,  November  16, 
1858  ;  and  that  of  Shakespeare,  April 
23,  1864,  by  the  founding  of  a  Shakes- 
peare Memorial  Library.  Tlie  thou- 
sandth anniversary  of  Alfred  tlie  Great, 
October  29,  1849,  was  made  much  of 
by  tlie  Political  Knowledge  Association, 
which  liad  not  been  in  existence  a 
thousand  days.  The  fact  of  John 
Bright  being  M.P.  for  Birmingham 
for  a  quarter  of  a  century,  was  cele- 
brated in  June,  1883,  by  the 
Liberal  Association,  who  got  up  a 
"  monster  "  procession  in  imitation 
of  the  celebrated  Attwood  procession  of 
the  old  days  of  Reform.  The  holiday 
was  most  thoroughly  enjoyed  by  the 
public  generally,  and  immense  num- 
bers of  people  thronged  the  streets  to 
hear  the  bauds  and  see  what  was  to  be 
seen, 

Chambeplain   MemoriaL  —  See 

•'  Statues,"  (i;c. 

Chambep  of  Commepce.  —  In 

1783  there  was  a  "Standing  General 
Commercial  Committee,"  composed  of 
the  leading  merchants  and  Manufac- 
turers, who  undertook  the  duty  of 
looking  after  the  public  interests  of  the 
town  (not  forgetting  their  own  peculiarly 
private  ditto).  That  they  were  not  so 
Liberal  as  their  compeers  of  to-day  may 
be  gathered  from  the  fact  of  their 
strongly  opposing  the  exportation  of 
brass,  and  on  no  account  permitting  a 
workman  to  go  abroad. 

Chambep  of  Manufaetupeps.— 

When  Pitt,  in  1784,  proposed  to  tax 
eoal,  iron,  copper,  and  other  raw  mate- 
rials, lie  encountered  a  strong  oppo- 
sition from  the  manufacturers,  promi- 
nent among  whom  wereBoulton(Soho), 
Wilkinson  (Bradley),  and  Wedgwood 
(Potteries),  who  formed  a  "  Chamber," 
the  first    meeting  of  which    was   held 


here  in  February,  1785.     The  Minister 
was  induced  to  alter  his  mind. 

ChandeliePS.  —  Many  beautiful 
works  of  art  liave  been  manufactured 
in  this  town,  which,  though  the 
wonder  and  admiration  of  strangers, 
receive  but  faint  notice  liere,  and  find 
no  record  except  in  the  newspaper  of 
the  day  or  a  work  like  the  present. 
Among  such  maj'  be  ranked  the  superb 
brass  chandelier  wliieh  Mr.  R.  W. 
Winfield  sent  to  Osborne  in  1853  for 
Her  Majesty,  the  Queen.  Designed  in 
the  Italian  style,  tliis  fine  specimen  of 
the  brassworkers'  skill,  relieved  by 
burnishing  and  light  matted,  work, 
ornamented  with  figures  of  Peace, 
Plenty,  and  Love  in  purest  Parian, 
masks  of  female  faces  typical  of  night, 
and  otherwise  decorated  in  the  richest 
manner,  was  declared  by  the  lute 
Prince  Consort  as  the  finest  work  he 
had  ever  seen  made  in  this  country 
and  worthy  to  rank  with  that  of  the 
masters  of  old.  Not  so  fortunate  was 
Mr.  CoUis  with  the  "Clarence  chande- 
lier "  and  sideboard  he  exhibited  at 
tlie  Exhibition  of  1862.  Originally 
made  of  the  richest  ruby  cut  and  gilded 
glass  for  William  lY.,  it  was  not 
finished  before  that  monarch's  death, 
and  was  left  on  the  maker's  hamis. 
Its  cost  was  nearly  £1,000,  but  at  tlie 
final  sale  of  Mr.  Collis's  effects  in  Dec. 
1881  it  was  sold  for  £5. 

Chapels    and    Chupches.— See 

^'Places  of    Worahip." 

ChaPity.  — Charitable  collections 
were  made  in  this  neighbourhood  in 
1655,  for  the  Redmontese  Protestants, 
Birmingham  giving  £15  lis.  2d. ,  Sut- 
ton Coldfield  £14,  and  Aston  £4  14s. 
2d.  On  the  6th  of  June,  1690,  £13 
18s.  l^d.  were  collected  at  St.  Martin's 
"for  ye  Irish  Protestants."  In  1764 
some  Christmas  performances  were 
given  for  the  relief  of  aged  and.  dis- 
tressed housekeepers,  and  the  charit- 
able custom  thus  inaugurated  was  kept 
up  for  over  seventy  years.  In  the  days 
of  monks  and  monasteries,  the  poor 
and  needy,  the  halt  and  lame,  received 


SriOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BlUMIN'GHAM. 


35 


charitable  doles  at  the  haiuls  of  the 
former  and  at  the  gates  of  the  latter, 
but  it  would  be  questionable  how  far 
the  liberality  of  the  parsons,  priests, 
and  preachers  of  the  present  day  would 
go  were  the  same  system  now  in 
vowue.  It  has  been  estimated  that 
nearly  £5,000  is  given  every  year  in 
what  may  iie  called  the  indiscriminate 
charity  ol'  giving  alms  to  those  who 
ask  it  in  the  streets  or  from  door  to 
door.  By  far  the  largest  portion  of 
this  amount  goes  into  the  hands  of 
the  undeserving  and  the  worthless, and 
the  formation  of  a  central  relief  office, 
into  which  the  charitably-disposed  may 
hand  in  their  contributions,  and  from 
whence  the  really  poor  and  deserving 
may  receive  help  in  times  of  distress, 
has  been  a  long-felt  want.  In  1869  a 
"Charity  Organisation  Society"  was 
establislied  liere,  and  it  is  still  in 
existence,  but  it  does  not  appear 
to  meet  with  that  recognised  support 
which  such  an  institution  as  suggested 
requires.  In  1882  a  special  fund  was 
started  for  the  purpose  of  giving  aid  to 
wojnen  left  witli  cliildren,  and  about 
£380  w.is  subscribed  thereto,  while  the 
ordinary  income  was  onlv  £680.  The 
special  fund  can  hardly  be  said  as  yet 
to  have  got  into  working  order,  but 
when  the  cost  of  proving  the  property 
of  the  recipients,  with  the  necessary 
expenses  of  office  rent,  salaries,  _  &c., 
have  been  deducted  from  the  ordinary 
income,  the  amount  left  to  be  distri- 
buted among  the  persons  deemed  by 
the  ofiicials  deserving  of  assistance  is 
small  indeed,  the  expenses  reaching 
about  £330  per  year.  In  1880  it  cost 
£329  18s.  Id.  to  give  away  food,  cash, 
and  clothing,  &c. ,  valued  at  £386 
16s.  6d.,  an  apparent  anomally  which 
would  not  be  so  glaring  if  the  kind- 
hearted  and  charitable  would  only 
increase  the  income  of  the  Society,  or 
re-organise  it  upon  a  wider  basis. — For 
statistics  of  poverty  and  the  poor  see 
"  Pauper  ism"  and  "Poor  Rates." 

Charitable  Trusts.— See  ''Phil- 

anthropical  Institutions,"  &c. 


ChaPtism. — Following  the  great 
Reform  movement  of  1832,  in  wliich  Hir- 
mingham  led  the  van,  came  years  of  bad 
harvests,  bad  trade,  and  l)itter  distres.'^. 
The  great  Cliarlist  movement,  though 
not  supported  by  the  leaders  of  the 
local  Liheral  jiarty,  was  taken  up  with 
a  warmth  almost  une(jualled  in  any 
other  town  in  the  Kingdom,  meetings 
being  held  daily  and  nightly  for  months 
in  succession,  Feargus  O'Connor, 
Henry  Vincent,  and  many  other 
"  orators  of  the  tiery  tongue,"  taking 
part.  On  the  13th  of  August,  1838,  a 
monstre  demonstration  took  place  on 
Holloway  Head,  •  at  which  it  was 
reckoned  there  were  over  100,000 
persons  prt^sent,  and  a  petition  in 
favour  of  ''  The  Charter  ''  was  adopted 
that  received  the  signatures  of  95,000 
people  in  a  few  days.  The  Chartist 
"  National  Convention"  met  here  May 
13,  1839,  and  noisy  assemblages  almost 
daily  affrighted  t!.ie  respectable  towns- 
men out  of  their  propriety.  It  was 
advised  that  the  people  should  abstain 
from  all  exciseable articles, and  "runfor 
gold"upon  the  savings  banks — verygood 
advice  when  given  by  Attwood  in  1832, 
but  shockingly  wicked  in  1839  when 
given  to  people  who  could  have  had 
but  little  in  the  savings  or  any  other 
banks.  This,  and  the  meetings  which 
ensued,  so  alarmed  the  magistrates  for 
the  safety  of  property  that,  in  addition 
to  swearing  in  hundreds  of  special  con- 
stables, they  sent  to  Loudon  for  a  body 
of  police.  These  arrived  on  July  4,  and 
unfortunately  at  the  time  a  stormy 
meeting  was  being  held  in  the  Bull 
Ring,  which  they  were  at  once  set  to 
disperse,  a  work  soon  accomplished  by 
the  free  use  they  made  of  their  staves. 
The  indignant  Brums,  however,  soon 
rallied  and  drove  the  police  into  the 
Station,  several  being  wounded  on 
either  side.  The  latent  fury  thus  en- 
gendered burst  out  in  full  foice  on  the 
ISthwlien  the  notorious  Chartist  Riots 
commenced,  but  the  scenes  then  en- 
acted, disgraceful  as  they  were,  may 
well  be  left  in  oblivion,  especially  as 
the  best  of  "  the  points"  of  the  Charter 


36 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


are  now  part  of  tlie  laws  of  the  land. 
Besides  many  others  who  were  punished 
more  or  less,  two  of  the  leaders,  Wm. 
Lovett  and  John  Collins,  were  sen- 
tenced to  one  year's  imprisonment  for 
a  seditious  libel  in  saying  that  "  the 
people  of  Birmingham  were  the  best 
judges  of  their  own  rights  to  meet  in 
the  Bull  Ring,  and  the  best  judges  of 
their  own  power  and  resources  to  ob- 
tain justice."  On  the  27th  July,  1849, 
Lovett  and  Collins  were  accorded  a 
public  welcome  on  their  release  from 
prison,  being  met  at  the  Angel 
by  a  crowd  of  vehicles,  bands 
of  music,  &c.,  and  a  procession  (said 
to  have  numbered  nearly  30,000), 
accompanied  them  to  Gosta  Green 
where  speeches  were  delivered  ; 
a  dinner,  at  which  800  persons  sat 
down,  following  on  the  site  of  "The 
People's  Hall  of  Science,"  in  Loveday 
Street.  In  1841,  Joseph  Sturge  gave 
in  his  adhesion  to  some  movement 
for  the  extension  of  the  franchise  to 
the  working  classes,  and  at  his  sugges- 
tion a  meeting  was  held  at  the  Water- 
loo Rooms  (Feb.  25th,  1842),  and  a 
memorial  to  the  Queen  drawn  up,  wbich 
in  less  than  a  month  received  16,000 
signatures.  On  the  5th  of  April,  87 
delegates  from  various  parts  of  Eng 
land,  Ireland,  and  Scotland,  assembled 
here,  and  after  four  days'  sitting  formed 
themselves  into  "The  National  Com- 
plete Suffrage  Union,"  whose  "points" 
were  similar  to  those  of  the  Charter, 
VIZ.,  manhood  suH'rage,  abolition  of 
the  property  qualilication,  vote  by 
ballot,  equal  electoral  districts,  pay- 
ment of  olection  expenses  and  of 
members,  and  annual  Parliaments. 
On  the  27th  of  December,  another  Con- 
ference was  held  (at  the  Mechanics' 
Institute),  at  which  nearly  400  dele- 
gates were  present,  but  the  apple  of 
discord  had  been  introduced,  and  the 
"  Complete  Suffrage  Union  "  was  pooh- 
poohed  by  tlie  advocates  of  "  the 
Charter,  the  whole  Charter,  and  no- 
thing but  the  Charter,"  and  our  peace- 
loving  townsman,  whom  The  Times 
bad  dubbed  "the  Birmingham  Quaker 


Chartist,"  retired  from  the  scene. 
From  that  time  until  the  final  collapse 
of  the  Chartist  movement,  notwith- 
standing Tnany  meetings  were  held, 
and  strong  language  often  used,  Bir- 
mingham cannot  be  said  to  have  taken 
much  part  in  it,  though,  in  1848 
(August  15th),  George  J.  Mantle, 
George  White,  and  Edward  King,  three 
local  worthies  in  the  cause,  found 
themselves  in  custody  for  using  sedi- 
tious language. 

ChauntPies.— In  1330  Walter  of 
Clodeshale,  and  in  1347  Richard  of 
Clodeshale,  the  "Lords  of  Saltley," 
founded  and  endowetl  each  a  Chauntry 
in  old  St.  IMartin's  Church,  wherein 
daily  services  should  be  performed  for 
themselves,  their  wives,  and  aiicestors, 
in  their  passage  through  purgatory.  In 
like  manner,  in  1357,  Philip  de  Lutte- 
ley  gave  to  the  Lutteley  chantiyin  En- 
ville  Church,  a  ]iarcel  of  land  called 
IMorfe  Woode,  "for  the  health  of  his 
soul,  and  the  souls  of  all  the  main- 
tainers  of  the  said  chantry  ; "  and  in 
1370  he  gave  otherlandsto  the  chantry, 
"  for  the  priest  to  pray  at  the  altar  of 
St.  Marv  for  the  healtli  of  his  soul, 
and  Maud  his  wife,  and  of  SirFulkede 
Birmingham,"  and  of  other  benefac- 
tors recited  in  the  deed.  It  is  to  be 
devoutly  hoped  that  the  souls  of  the 
devisees  and  their  friends  had  arrived 
safely  at  their  journej's'  end  before 
Harry  the  Eighth's  time,  for  he 
stopped  the  prayers  by  stopping  the 
supplies. 

Cherpy  Street  took  its  name  from 

the  large  and  Iruitful  cherry  orchard 
which  we  read  of  as  being  a  favourite 
spot  about  the  year  1794. 

Chess.  —See  "Sports  and  Sporting.'' 

Chicago  Fire.— The  sum  of  £4,300 
was  subscribed  and  sent  from  here  to- 
wards relieving  the  sulferers  by  this 
calamity. 

Children. — A  society  known  as 
"Tiie  Neglected  Children's  Aid  So- 
ciety," was  founded  in  1862.  by  Mr. 
Arthur    Ryland,    for    the    purpose  of 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMIXGIIAAI. 


37 


looking  after  an<l  taking  care  of  chil- 
dren under  fourteen  found  wandering 
or  begging,  homeless  or  without  proper 
guardianship.  Ic  was  the  means  of 
rescuing  hundreds  from  the  paths  of 
dishonest}'  and  wretchedness,  but  as 
its  work  was  in  a  great  measure  taken 
up  by  tlie  School  Board,  the  society 
was  dissolved  Dec.  17,  1877.  Mr.Tiios. 
Middleniore,  in  1872,  ])itying  the  con- 
dition of  the  unfortunate  waifs  and 
strays  known  as  '"  Strert  Arabs,"  took 
a  house  in  St.  Luke's  Road  for  boys, 
and  one  in  Spring  Road  for  girls,  and 
here  he  has  trained  nearly  a  thousand 
poor  children  in  ways  of  cleanliness 
and  good  behaviour  prior  to  taking  the 
larger  part  of  them  to  Canada.  A 
somewhat  similar  work,  thougli  on  a 
smaller  scale,  is  being  carried  on  by 
Mr.  D.  Sniicn.  in  connection  witli  tlie 
mission  atiached  to  the  Bloomsbnry 
Institution.  In  both  instances  the 
children  are  foumi.  good  homes,  and 
placed  with  worthy  people  on  their 
arrival  in  Canada,  and,  with  scarcely 
an  exception  all  are  doing  well.  The 
total  cose  per  head  while  at  the  Homes 
and  including  the  passage  money  is 
about  £16,  and  subscriptions  will  be 
welcomed,  so  that  the  vork  of  tlie  In- 
stitutions may  be  extended  as  much  as 
possible. 

Chimes. — -The  earliest  note  we  can 
find  respecting  the  chimes  in  the  tower 
of  St.  Jlartin's  is  in  a  record 
dated  1552,  wliicli  states  there  were 
"  iiij  belles,  with  a  clocke,  and  a 
chyme." 

ChimnieS.^Like all  manufacturing 
towns  Birmingham  is  pretty  well 
ornamented  with  tall  chimnies,  whose 
foul  mouths  belch  forth  clouds  of  sooty 
blackness,  but  the  loftiest  and  most 
substantial  belongs  to  tlie  town  itself. 
At  the  Corporation  Wharf  in  Montague 
Street  the  "stack"  is  258  feet  in 
heiglit,  with  a  base  54  feet  in  circum- 
ference, and  an  inside  diameter  of  12 
feet.  About  250,000  bricks  were  used 
in  its  construction,  which  was  com- 
pleted   in    September,    1879. — House- 


holders of  an  economical  turn  must 
remember  it  is  not  always  the  cheapest 
plan  to  clean  their  chimnies  by  "burn- 
ing them  out,"  for  in  addition  to  the 
danger  and  risk  of  damage  by  so  doing, 
the  authorities  of  Moor  Street  liave  the 
peculiar  custom  of  imposing  a  penalty 
(generally  10s.)  when  such  cases  are 
brought  before  them.  Should  such  an 
event  occur  by  mischance  keep  all 
doors  and  windows  shut,  and  do  not 
admit  the  sweeps  who  may  come 
knocking  at  your  door,  unless  fully 
prepared  with  tfee  half-crowns  they 
require  as  bribes  not  to  tell  the  police. 
As  a  rule  it  is  cheaper  to  trust  to 
"  Robert  "  not  seeing  it. 

China  Temple  Field  was  a  noted 

jilace  for  amusements  about  tiie  year 
1820,  and  was  situate  where  Cattell 
Road  is  now.  Originally  it  formed 
part  of  the  grounds  of  Bordesley  Hall, 
whicli  was  wrecked  in  tlie  riots  of 
1791. 

Choral  Society.— This  Society 
held  its  tirst  Choral  Concert,  August  2, 
1836.  Tlie  Festival  Choral  Society 
was  established  in  1845. 

Cholera. — This  dreadful  epidemic 
has  never  yet  been  felt  in  severity  in 
this  town,  though  several  fatal  cases 
were  reported  in  August,  1832.  In 
July,  1865,  great  alarm  was  caused  by 
the  fact  of  243  inmates  of  the  Work- 
liouse  being  attacked  with  choleraic 
symptoms,  but  they  all  recovered. 

Church  Pastoral  Aid  Society. 

— Tliere  is  a  local  branch  of  this  Society 
here,  and  about  £1,300  per  annum  is 
gathered  in  and  forwarded  to  the  parent 
society,  who  in  return  grant  sums  in 
aid  ot  the  stipends  of  thirty  Curates 
and  as  many  Scripture  readers,  amount- 
ing to  nearly  £4,700  per  year. 

Churchrates.  -Prior  to  1831, 
Chnrchrates  had  been  regularly  levied, 
and,  to  a  great  extent,  cheeifully  paid, 
but  with  the  other  reforms  of  tliat  Re- 
forming age  came  the  desire  to  re-form 
this  impost,  by  doing  away  witii  it 
altogether,  and  at  a  meeting  held  on 


38 


SIIOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


August  7,  1832,  the  ratepayers  as- 
senibleil  not  only  denounced  it,  but 
petitioned  Parliament  for  its  entire 
abolition.  Between  that  year  and  1837, 
Churchrates  of  6d.  to  9d.  in  the  £ 
were  not  at  all  infrequent,  but  in  the 
latter  year  thei'e  was  a  sweet  little  row, 
whicli  led  to  an  alteration.  At  a  vestry 
meeting  held  March  28,  the  I'edoubt- 
able  George  Frederick  .Muntz,  with 
George  Edmonds,  andotLer  "advanced" 
men  of  the  times,  demanded  a  personal 
examination  of  the  books,  &c. ,  &c., 
with  the  result  doubtless  anticipated 
and  wished  for — a  general  shindy,  free 
light,  and  tumult.  For  his  share  in 
the  riot,  G.  F.  i\I.  was  put  on  his  trial 
in  the  following  year  (March  30,  to 
April  1)  and  had  to  pay  over  £2,000 
in  the  shape  of  costs,  but  he  may 
be  said  to  have  won  something  after 
all,  for  a  tetter  reeling  gradually  took 
the  place  of  rancour,  and  a  system  of 
"voluntary"  rates — notabl}  one  for 
the  rebuilding  of  St.  Martin's — was 
happily  brought  to  work.  Tlie  Bill  for 
the  abolition  of  Churchrates  was  passed 
July  13,  1868. 

ChUPCh  Street.  -In  1764.  at  War- 
wick a  legal  battle  was  fought  as  to 
a  right  of  way  through  the  New  Hall 
Park,  the  path  in  dispute  being  the 
site  of  the  ])resent  Church  Street. 

Circuses.  —  The  first  notice  we 
have  of  any  circus  visiting  Birming- 
ham is  that  of  Astley's  which  came 
here  October  7,  1787.  In  1815 
Messrs.  Adams  gave  performances  in  a 
"new  equestrian  circus  on  the  Moat," 
and  it  has  interest  in  the  fact  that  this 
was  the  first  ap})earance  locally  of  Mr. 
Ryan,  a  young  Irishman,  then  des- 
cribed as  "  indisputably  the  first 
tight-rope  dancer  in  the  world  of  his 
age."  Mr.  Ryan,  a  few  years  later, 
started  a  circus  on  his  own  account, 
and  after  a  few  years  of  tent  perform- 
ances, which  put  money  in  his  pocket, 
ventured  on  tlie  speculation  of  build- 
ing a  permanent  structure  in  Bradford- 
street,  opening  his  "New  Grand 
Arena"  there  in  1827.    Unfortunately, 


this  proved  a  failure,  and  poor  Ryan 
went  to  the  wall.  The  circus  (known 
now  as  the  Circus  Chapel),  long  lay 
empt}',  but  was  again  le-opened  May 
19,  1838,  as  an  amphitheatre,  but  not 
successfully.  In  1839  the  celebrated 
Van  Amburgh,  whose  establishment 
combined  the  attractions  of  a  circus 
and  a  menagerie,  visited  this  town, 
and  his  performances  were  held,  lather 
strangely,  at  the  Theatre  Royal.  On 
the  night  of  the  Bull  Ring  Riots,  July 
15th,  when  there  was  "a  full  house, " 
the  startling  news  that  a  number  of 
buildings  were  on  fire,  &c. ,  was  shouted 
out  just  at  the  moment  that  Van  Am- 
burgh  was  on  the  stage  with  a  number 
of  his  well-trained  animals.  He  him- 
self was  reclining  on  the  boards,  his 
head  resting  on  the  sides  of  a  tawny 
lion,  while  in  his  arms  was  a  beautiful 
child,  four  or  five  years  old,  playing 
with  the  ears  of  the  animal.  The  in- 
telligence naturally  caused  great  ex- 
citement, but  the  performer  went 
quietly  on,  hoisting  the  little  darling 
to  ills  shordder,  and  putting  his  ani- 
mals through  their  tricks  as  calmly  as 
if  nothing  whatever  was  the  matter. 
In  1842,  Ducrow's  famous  troupe  came, 
and  once  again  opened  Ryan's  Circus 
in  the  Easter  week,  and  that  was  the 
last  time  the  building  was  used  for  the 
purposH  it  was  originally  erected  for. 
Cooke's,  Hengler's,  Newsome's,  and 
Sanger's  periodical  visits  are  matters 
of  modern  date.  The  new  building 
erected  by  Mr.  AV.  R.  Inshaw,  at  foot 
of  Snow  Hill,  for  the  purposes  of  a 
Concert  Hall,  will  be  adaptable  as  a 
Circus. 

Climate. — From  the  central  position 
in  which  Birmingham  is  situated,  and 
its  comparative  elevation,  the  town  has 
always  been  characterised  as  one  of  the 
healthiestin the  kingdom.  Dr.  Priestley 
said  the  air  breathed  here  was  as  pure 
as  any  he  had  analysed.  Were  he 
alive  now  and  in  the  habit  of  visiting 
the  neighbourhood  of  some  of  our  roll- 
ing mills,  &c. ,  it  is  possible  he  might 
return  a  different  verdict,  but  neverthe- 
less the  fact  remains  that  the  rates  of 


bllOWKM-S    DICTION' AllV    OK    HI  UM  ING  II  AM. 


39 


mortality  still  contrast  most  favourably 
as  a<(aiiist  other  large  maiiufacturiiit^ 
towns. 

Clocks. — One  of  Boulton's  special- 
ties was  tile  manufacture  of  clocks,  but 
it  was  one  of  the  few  brandies  that  did 
not  pay  him.  Two  of  his  finest 
astronomical  clocks  were  bought  bv  the 
Empress  of  Russia,  after  being  offered 
for  sale  in  tliis  country  in  vain.  His 
friend,  Ur.  Small,  is  saiil  to  have 
invented  a  time))ieee  containing  but  a 
single  wheel.  The  "town  clocks"  of 
the  present  day  are  only  worth  notice 
nn  account  of  their  regular  irregularity, 
■^nd  those  who  wish  to  bo  always  "  up 
to  the  time  o'  day,"  had  best  set  their 
watches  by  the  instrument  iilaeed  in 
the  wall  of  the  Midland  Institute.  The 
dome  of  the  Council  House  would  be  a 
grand  position  in  which  to  place  a 
really  gooil  clock,  and  if  the  dials  were 
fitteu  with  electric  lights  it  Avould  be 
useful  at  all  liours,  from  near  and  far. 

Clubs. — No  place  in  the  kingdom 
can  record  the  establishment  of  more 
clubs  than  Birmingham,  be  they 
Friendly  Clubs,  Jloney  Clubs  (so- 
called),  or  tlie  moie  taking  Political 
Clubs,  and  it  would  be  a  hard  task  to 
name  tliem  all,  or  say  how  they  flour- 
ished, or  dropped  and  withered.  In 
the  years  1850-60  it  was  estimateil 
that  at  publicliouses  and  coff(!ehouses 
there  were  not  less  than  180  iloney 
Clubs,  the  members  paying  in  weekly 
or  fortnightly  subscriptions  of  varying 
amount  for  shares  £5  to  £100.  and 
though  there  cannot  be  the  slightest 
doubt  that  many  of  our  present  master- 
men  owe  their  success  in  life  to  this 
kind  of  mutual  help,  the  spirit  of 
gambling  in  money  shares  jiroveil,  on 
the  whole,  to  be  disastrous  to  the 
members  who  went  in  for  good  interest 
on  their  deposits.  Of  Friendly  Clubs 
we  shall  have  something  to  say  under 
another  heading.  Ke'^pecting  the 
Political  Clubs  and  those  of  a  general 
nature  we  niay  say  that  the  earliest  we 
have  note  of  is  tlie  ''  Church  and  King 
Club,"  whose  first  meeting  was  liehl  at 
the  Royal  HoteL  Nov.  27,  1792.     Of  a 


.slightlydifl'erent  nature  was  the  "Hamp- 
den Club,  "established  in  181 5,  but  which 
was   closed  bj'   the  suspension   of    the 
Habeas  Corpus   Act  in  1817.     During 
the  troublous  times  of  1830-40,  many 
clubs,      or     "  smoke-room     palavers," 
existed,     but,     perhaps   the   only  one 
that    really   showed    results    was    the 
Branch   Club    (or    local  agency),    con- 
nected with  the  Lanil  Scheme  of  Fear- 
gus  O'Connor   [see   "Land  iSocicti>'.s"\, 
anil  that  ultimatelydwindleii  to  naught. 
On  Jul)'  .^,  1847,  a  club  on  the  plan  of 
the  London  "Whittington"  was  started 
here,  but  when  or  why  it  ended  depon- 
ent knoweth   not. — The  Union   Club- 
house,   corner  of  Newhall    Street  and 
Colmore  Row,  which  cost£16, 000,  was 
built  in  1S6S  9,  being  opened  May  3rd 
of  the  latter  year.     This  must  be  con- 
sidered as  the  chief   neutral  ground  in 
local   club  matters,    gentlemen    of   all 
shades  of  politics,  kc,  being  members. 
The  number  of  members  is   limited  to 
400,  with    50   "temporary"   members, 
the   entrance   fee  being  £1.5   1.5s.,  and 
the   annual    subscription  £7   7s. — The 
Town  and  District  Club,  opened  at  the 
Shakespeare  Rooms,    in    August,  1876, 
also  started  on  the  non-political  theory: 
the  town   members  paying  £3   3s    per 
annum,  and  country  members  a  guinea 
or  guinea  and  half,   according  to  their 
residence  being  within  25  or  100  miles. 
— A  Liberal  Club  was  founded  October 
16,    1878,    under  the  auspices     of  ilr. 
Joseph   Chamberlain   and    took  posses- 
sion of  its  present  rooms  in  Corporation 
Street,  January  20,  1880,  pending  the 
completion   of  the   palatial  edifice  now 
in  course  of  erection  in  Ednuiiid  Street, 
at  tlie  corner  of  Congreve  Street.     The 
"Forward  Liberal   Club,"    opened    m 
Great    Hampton    Street,    October   30, 
1880.     A  "  Junior  Liberal  Club  "  cele- 
brateii  their  establishment  by  a  meeting 
in  the  Town  Hall,  November  16,  1880. 
The    Conservatives,   of    course,     have 
not   been   at    all    backward    in    Club 
matters,    for    there    has    been     some 
institution  or  other  of  the  kiml  con- 
nected   with    the   party    for   the    last 
hundred  years.     The  ]\Iidland  Conser- 


40 


SHOWELL  S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


vative  Club  was  started  July  i.  1872, 
and  has  its  liead-quarters  now  in 
AVaterloo-street,  the  old  County  Court 
buildings  beinj^  remodelled  for  the 
purpose.  A  Junior  Conservative  Club 
opened  in  Castle  Street,  June  25, 
1874  ;  a  Youn^  Men's  Conservative 
Club  coniniencetl  July  26,  1876  ;  the 
Belmont  Conservative  Club,  July  30, 
1877  ;  and  the  Hampton  Conservative 
Club,  August  21st  of  same  year.  In 
fact,  every  ward  in  the  borough,  and 
every  parish  and  hamlet  in  the  suburbs 
now  has  its  Con'iervative  and  Liberal 
Club  ;  the  workingmen  liaving  also 
had  their  turn  at  Club-making,  the 
Birmingham  Heath  working  men 
opening  up  shop,  August  25,  1864  ; 
the  Sal  tie}'  boys  i:i  October,  1868  ;  the 
St.  Albanites  following  suit  Decem- 
ber 1,  1873  ;  and  the  Ladywood  men, 
November  30,  1878.  A  Club  of  more 
pretentious  character,  and  called 
par  excellence  "  The  Working-man's 
Club,"  was  begun  July  20,  1863,  but 
the  industriously-incliued  members 
thereof  did  not  work  together  well, 
and  allowed  the  affair  to  drop  through. 
Backed  by  several  would-be-thought 
friends  of  the  working  class, 
another  "  Working  ilen's  Club  " 
sprung  into  existence  April  29,  1875, 
with  a  nominal  capital  of  £2,500 
in  10s.  shares.  Rooms  were  opened 
in  Corn  E.xchange  Passage  on  the 
31st  of  May,  and  for  a  time  all 
promised  well.  Unfortunately  the 
half-sovereigns  did  not  come  in 
very  fast,  and  the  landlord,  though 
he  knew  "Nap"  to  be  a  very  favourite 
game,  did  not  choose  to  be  caught 
napping,  and  therefore  "took  his 
rest  "  at  the  end  of  the  fifth  half-year, 
and  in  so  doing  rent  tlie  whole  fabric 
of  the  club.— The  Edgbaston  Art  Club 
was  organised  in  1878  ;  the  Chess  Club 
in  1841  ;  the  Gern.ania  Club  in  1856  ; 
the  Gymnastic  Club  in  1866  ;  the 
Dramatic  Club  in  May,  1865  ;  the  Far- 
mer's Club  in  May,  1864,  the  Pigeon 
flying  Club  at  Quilter's  iu  1875,  &c., 
&c.  Club  law  has  great  attractions  for 
the  Brums — every  profession  and  every 


trade  hath  its  club,  and  all  the  "  fan- 
ciers "  of  every  sort  and  kind  club  by 
themselves,  till  their  name  is"  Legion." 

Coaehes. — From  its  being  situated 
as  it  were  in  the  very  heart  of  the 
kingdom,  Birmingham,  in  the  olden 
days,  and  it  is  but  fifty  j'ears  ago,  was 
air  important  converging  central-point 
of  the  great  mailcoach  system,  and  a 
few  notes  in  connection  therewith  can- 
not be  uninteresting  Time  was  when 
even  coaching  was  not  known,  for 
have  we  not  reail  how  long  it  took  ere 
the  tidings  of  Prince  Ru]iert's  attack 
on  our  town  reached  London.  A  great 
fear  seems  to  have  possessed  the  minds 
of  the  powers  that  were  in  regard  to 
any  kind  of  quick  transmission  what- 
ever, for  in  the  year  1673  it  was 
actually  proposed  "to  suppress  the 
public  co:iches  that  ran  within  fifty  or 
sixty  miles  of  Loudon,"  and  to  limit 
all  the  other  vehicles  to  a  speed  of 
"thirty  miles  per  day  in  summer,  and 
twenty-five  in  winter"  —  for  what 
might  not  be  dreaded  from  such 
an  announcement  as  tliat  "that  re- 
markable swift  travelling  coach,  '  The 
Fly,' would  leave  Birmingham  on  Mon- 
days and  reach  London  on  the 
Thursdays  following."  Prior  to  and 
about  1738,  an  occasional  coach  was 
put  on  the  road,  but  not  as  a  regular 
and  periodical  conveyance,  the  fare 
to  London  being  25  shillings,  "children 
on  lap,  and  lootmen  behind,  being 
charged  half-price."  A  "  Flying 
Coacii  "  commenced  running  direct  to 
the  Jiletropolis  on  May  23th,  1745,  and 
was  evidently  thought  to  be  an  event 
of  some  importance,  as  it  was  adver- 
tised to  do  the  distance  in  two  days 
"if  the  roads  permitted."  In  July, 
I782,thesaine  journey  was  accomplished 
in  14  hours,  showing  a  great  improve- 
ment in  the  arrangements  of  the  road. 
The  first  mail  coaches  for  the  convey- 
ance of  letters  was  started  by  Mr.  Pal- 
mer, of  B^th,  in  1784,  the  earliest 
noticeil  as  ]iassinf,'  through  here  being 
on  August  23,  1785,  but  the  first  direct 
mail  from  this  town  dates  only  from 
May    25,    1812.     In  February,   1795, 


8H0WELLS   DICTIONARY    OF   BIRMINGHAM. 


41 


the  Western  mailcoaches  were  delayed 
nearly  a  week  together  in  consequence 
ot  a  raind  thaw  rendering  the  roads 
impassal'le.  In  1777  lifty-two  coaches 
passed  through  liere  to  London  and 
sixteen  to  Bristol  every  week.  In  1829 
at  least  100  departed  from  or  passed 
through  the  town  daily,  550  persons 
travelling  between  here  and  London. 
In  J832  Mr.  Lecount  estimated  the 
general  results  oftheroadand  canal  traf- 
fic between  here  and  London  as  follows  : 
Pessengers,  233,155  ;  goods,  62,389 
tons  ;  parcels,  46,799  ;  beasts,  50,839  ; 
sheep,  365,000  ;  pigs,  15,364;  the 
amount  expended  in  cost  of  transit  be- 
ing £1,338,217.  In  1837  it  was  esti- 
mated that  £6,789  was  received  per 
week  from  coach  passengers  on  the  road 
from  here  to  Lon  ion,  £1,571  for  parcels 
per  coach,  and  £729  from  persons  post- 
ing along  the  same  roads  ;  and  that 
£8,120  was  r-ceived  for  goods  by  canals 
and  waggons,  not  including  ii'on,  tim- 
ber, cattle,  minerals,  or  other  goods  at  low 
tonnage — £1'1 ,2Q2  per  rueek.  There  was, 
notwithstanding  the  large  number  of 
coaches  leaving  here  eveiy  day,  no 
direct  conveyance  from  Birmingharn  to 
Edinburgh.  The  best  and  usual  route 
was  by  Walsall,  JIanchester.  Preston, 
and  Carlisle  ;  distances  and  timesbeing, 
Manchester,  78^  miles,  8  iiours,  fare, 
14:S.  ;  Jilanchester  to  Carlisle,  118  miles, 
12  hours  55  minutes  by  the  mail,  in- 
cluding stoppage  of  fifty  minutes  at 
Preston  foi  post  office  purposes,  fare, 
£1  2s.  6d.  ;  Carlisle  to  Edinburgh,  95 
miles,  9  hours  35  minutes,  fare,  I83.  ; 
coachmen  and  guards'  fees  about  15s.  ; 
all  hotel  charges,  &c. ,  were  paid  by  the 
passenger,  Totaldistance,  291^  niiles  ; 
travelling  time,  SOj  hours  ;  cost, 
£3  9s.  6d.,  in  all.  "The  mail  coach 
which  left  the  Albion  reached  London 
in  10^  hours,  which  would  hi  reckoned 
as  very  good  travelling,  even  in  these 
days.  For  some  time  alter  the  intro- 
duction of  railways,  the  coaching  in- 
terest was  still  of  some  account,  lor  as 
late  as  1810  there  were  54  coaches  and 
omnibuses  running  from  here  every  24 


hours. — There  has  been  a  kind  of 
modern  revival  of  tlie  good  old  coach- 
ing days,  but  it  has  not  become 
popular  ill  this  part  of  the  country, 
thou<,'li  f[nite  a  summer  f  ature  on  the 
Brighton  Road.  A  tonr-in-liand,  driven 
by  the  Eirl  ot  Aylesford,  was  put  on 
the  road  from  here  to  Coventry,  at 
latter  end  of  April,  1878  ;  and  another 
ran  for  part  of  the  summer,  in  1880, 
to  Leamington.  The  introduction  of 
railways  set  many  peisons  to  work  on 
the  making  of  "  steam  coaches  " 
to  travel  on  the  highways,  Cap- 
tain Ogle  coming  here  on  one  of 
his  own  inventing  S'^pteraber  8th, 
1832,  direct  from  Oxford,  having 
travelled  at  from  ten  to  fourteen  miles 
per  hour.  Our  local  geniuses  were  not 
behindliand,  and  Messrs.  Heiton  Bros. , 
and  the  well-known  Dr.  Church 
brought  out  m  ichines  for  the  purpose. 
Both  parties  started  joint-stock  com- 
panies to  carr}'  out  their  inventions, 
and  in  that  respect  both  pirties  suc- 
ceeded, for  such  was  the  run  for  shares, 
that  in  June,  1833,  when  Heatons' 
prospectus  :?ame  out,  offering  to  the 
]>ublic  2,000  £10  sh^ires,  no  less  than 
3,000  were  asked  fur  in  one  day. 
Tliere  was  also  a  third  conipaii}'  in  the 
field,  the  "  London, Birmingham,  and 
Liverjiool,"  with  a  nominal  capital  of 
£300,000  ;  but  none  of  them  prospered  ; 
for  though  they  could  construct  the 
engines  and  the  coaches,  they  could  not 
make  receipts  cover  expenses.  Heatous' 
ran  tlieirs  for  some  little  time  to 
Wolverhampton  and  back,  and  even  to 
the  Lickey  ;  the  Doctor  came  out  every 
month  with  sometliing  new  ;  and  even 
the  big  Co.  managed  to  bring  one  car- 
riage all  the  wav  from  London  (.\ugust 
28th,  1835).  Others  besides  Cajitain 
Ogle  also  came  here  on  their  iron 
horses,  and  there  wasplentj'  of  fun  and 
interest  for  the  lookers-ou  generally — 
but  no  trade  and  no  interest  for  the 
speculators.  For  steam  coaches  of  the 
present  day,  see  "  Tramways." 

CoeI  was  not  in  common  use  much 
before   1625,  and  for  a  long  time  was 


42 


S HOWELL  S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


rather  slmnned  by  householders,  more 
especialh^  in  the  rural  parts  whei-o  the 
black  diamonds  were  looked  upon  as 
something  altogether  uncanny.  Prior 
to  the  opening  of  the  first  canal,  the 
roads  leading  from  the  Black  Country 
daily  presented  the  curious  feature  of 
an  almost  unending  procession  of  carts 
and  waggons  bringing  the  supDlies 
needed  by  our  manufacturers,  and  high 
prices  were  the  rule  of  the  day.  Tlie 
first  boatload  was  brought  in  on  No- 
vember 6th,  1769,  and  soon  after  the 
price  of  coal  at  the  wharf  was  as  low  as 
4d.  per  cwt. — See  ^'Trades." 

Cobbett  delivered  a  lecture  on  the 
Corn  Laws,  &e. ,  at  Beardsworth's  Re- 
pository, May  10.  1830. 

Cobdeil.  —  There  was  a  general 
closing  ot  places  of  business  here  on 
April  6,  lS6o,  tlie  day  on  which  Richard 
Cobden  was  buried. 

Coekflg-hting".—^ ris'i-  Gazette  of 
December  26,  1780,  announced  in  one 
of  its  advertisements  that  "the  Annual 
Subscription  Match  of  Cocks  "  would 
be  fought  at  Duddeston  Hall,  com- 
monly callel  Yauxhall,"  on  the  New 
Year's  day  and  day  after. — The  same 
paper  printed  an  account  of  another 
Cockfight,  at  Sutton,  as  late  as  April 
17,  1875. 

Coffeehouses.— Coffee,  which  takes 
its  name  troni  tlie  Abyssinian  province 
of  Katfa,  was  introduced  into  this 
country  in  the  earl}^  part  of  the  I7th 
century,  the  first  colfeehouse  being 
ojiened  in  London  in  1652.  Until  very 
late  years  coffeehouses  in  provincial 
towns  were  more  noted  for  their  stuffy 
untidiness  than  aught  else,  those  of 
Birmingham  not  excepted,  but  quite  a 
change  has  come  o'er  the  scene  now, 
and  with  all  the  brave  glitter  of  paint 
and  glaring  gas  they  attempt  to  rival 
tlie  public-houses.  The  Birmingham 
Coffeehouse  Company,  Limited  (ori- 
ginally miscalled  The  Artizan's  Club- 
house Company),  which  came  into  ex- 
istence ilarch  27,  1877,  with  a  capital 
of  £20,000  in    10s.    shares,    has    now 


near  upon  a  score  of  houses  open,  and 
their  business  is  so  successful  that 
very  fair  dividends  arc  realised. 

Coffins. — Excluding  textile  fabrics 
and  agricultural  produce,  Birmingham 
supplies  almost  every  article  necessary 
for  the  comfort  of  man's  life,  and  it  is 
therefore  not  surprising  that  some  little 
attention  has  been  given  to  the  con- 
struction of  the  "casket"  which  is  to 
enclose  his  remains  when  dead.  Coffins 
of  wood,  stone,  leavl,  &c.,  have  been 
known  for  centuries,  but  coffins  of  glass 
and  coffins  of  brass  must  be  ranked 
amongst  the  curiosities  of  our  later 
trades.  Two  of  the  latter  kind  polished, 
lacquered,  and  decorated  in  a  variety 
of  ways,  with  massive  handles  and  em- 
Idazoned  shields,  were  made  here  some 
few  years  back  for  King  Egbo  Jack 
and  another  dark-skinned  potentate  of 
South  Africa.  "  By  particular  request  " 
each  of  these  coffins  were  provided  with 
four  padlocks,  two  outside  and  two  in 
side,  though  how  to  use  the  latter  must 
have  been  a  puzzle  even  for  a  dead  king. 
The  Patent  J\letallic  Air-tight  Coffin 
Co.,  whose  name  pretty  accurately 
describes  their  productions,  in  1861  in- 
troduced hernietic;illy-sealed  coffins 
with  plate  glass  panels  in  the  lid,  ex- 
ceedingly itseful  articles  in  case  of  con- 
tagious diseases,  &c.,  &c.  The  trade 
in  coffin  "furniture"  seems  to  have 
originated  about  1760,  when  one  in- 
genius  "  Mole  "  pushed  it  forward;  and 
among  the  list  of  patents  taken  out  in 
1796  by  a  local  worthy  there  is  one  for 
"a  patent  coffin,"  though  its  particu- 
lar speciality  could  not  have  met  with 
much  approval,  as  although  some 
thousands  of  bodies  have  been  removed 
from  our  various  sepultures  nothing 
curious  or  rarer  than  rotten  boards  and 
old  lead  has  been  brought  to  light. 

Coinagre  — So  far  had  our  patriotic 
forefathers  proceeded  in  the  art  of 
making  money  that  about  the  middle 
of  the  last  century  it  was  estimated 
over  one  half  the  copper  coin  in  circu- 
lation was  counterfeit,  and  that  nine- 
tenths  thereof    was    manufactured  in 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


43 


Birmingham,  wliere  1,000  hairp:>nnies 
could  be  IkkI  of  the  makers  lor  'iSs. 
Boultou's  l)ig  pennies  were  counterfeited 
by  lead  pennies  faced  Avith  copper. 
Oi!e  of  the.sa  would  be  a  curiosity  now. 
The  bronze  coinage  was  first  issued 
December  l,18C0,and  soon  after  Messrs. 
Ralph  Heaton  &  Sons  made  100  tons  of 
bronze  coins  for  the  Mint.  They  are 
distingui-;hed  by  the  letter  "  H " 
under  the  date.  The  number,  weight, 
and  value  of  this  issue  were  as  fol- 
lows : — 

Tons  Noiiiiiial  Value. 

■6-2  or  9,505,245  pennies         ..  £:i.j,896  17     1 

2S  or  5,504,88-2  halfpennies  ..  11, 4(59  10  11 

10  or  3,SS4,441J  farthings      ..  4.090     5     4 


100  or  15,484,043  pieces 


£40,902  13     4 


The  same  firm  has  had  several  similar 
contracts,  tlu^  last  being  in  hand  at 
the  present  time.  The  bronze  is  com- 
posed of  9.5  parts  copper,  4  tin,  and  1 
zinc. 

Colleges. — See  "  ScJiools,"  kc. 

ColmOPe  Row,  whicli  now  extends 
from  the  Council  House  to  the  Great 
Western  Hotel  (including  Ann  Street 
and  Moauioutii  Street)  is  named  after 
the  Colmore  family,  the  owners  of  the 
freehold.  Great  Colmore  Street,  Caro- 
line and  Cbarlotte  Streets,  Great  and 
Little  Charles  Streets,  Cregoe,  Lionel, 
and  Edmund  Streets,  all  take  their 
names  from  the  same  source. 

Colonnade. — This  very  handsome 
and(l'or  l^irminghain)rather  novel-look- 
ing building,  was  opened  Jan.  10, 
1883,  bsing  erected  by  Mr.  A.  Hum- 
page,  at  a  cost  of  about  £70,000,  from 
the  designs  of  Mr.  W.  H.  Ward.  Tlie 
Colonnade  proper  runs  rouu'l  the  entire 
"building,  giving  frontage  to  a  number 
of  shops,  the  ujiper  portion  of  the 
block  being  partly  occupied  by  the 
Midland  Conservative  Club,  and  the 
rest  of  the  building,  with  the  basement, 
fitted  up  as  a  Temperance  Hotel  and 
■"  Restaurant." 

Comets.  — Tiieinhabitantswere  very 
much  terrifietl  by  the  appearance  of  a 


comet  in  December,  16S0.  At  Michael- 
mas, 1811,  an  exceedingly  brilliant 
comet  api)eared,  supposed  to  have  been 
the  same  whi^ih  was  seen  at  the  birth 
of  Jesus  Christ.  Donati's  comet  was 
first  observed  June  2,  1858,  but  was 
most  brilliant  in  September  and  October. 
The  comets  of  1361  and  1883  were  also 
visible  here. 

Conimissioneps.— The  first  local 

governing  bo  ly  of  the  town,  though 
with  but  the  merest  shadow  of  nower 
as  compared  with  the  Corporation  of 
to-day,  were  the  Street  Commissioners 
a])pointed  umier  an  Act  of  Geo.  IIL  in 
1769,  their  duties  being  confined  almost 
solely  to  repairing,  cleansing,  and 
"enlightening"  the  streets  of  the 
town,  appointing  watchmen,  &c.,  their 
power  of  raising  funds  being  limited  to 
Is.  in  the  £.  By  succeeding  Acts  of 
1773,  1801,  1812,  and  1828,  the  powers 
of  the  Commissioners  were  considerably 
enlarged,  and  they  must  be  credited 
with  the  introduction  of  the  first  set  of 
local  improvement  schemes,  including 
the  wiilening  of  streets,  clearing  the 
Bull  Ring  of  the  liouses  round  St. 
Martin's  Church,  making  owners  lay 
out  projier  streets  for  building,  purchas- 
ing the  market  tolls,  building  ot  Town 
Hall  and  Market  Hall,  regulating 
carriages,  and  "suppressing  the  smoke 
nuisance  arising  from  engines  com- 
monly called  steam  engines,"  &c. , 
and,  though  they  came  in  for  their 
full  share  of  obloquy  and  political 
rancour,  it  cannot  be  denied  they 
did  good  ami  faithful  service  to 
the  town.  The  Commissioners  had 
the  power  of  electing  tliemselves,  every 
vacancy  being  filled  as  it  occurred  by 
those  who  remained,  and,  as  the  Act 
of  1823  increased  their  number  to 
no  less  than  89,  perhaps  some  little 
excuse  may  be  made  for  the  would-be 
leading  men  of  the  day  who  were  left 
out  in  the  cold.  B'  that  as  it  may, 
the  Charter  of  Incorporation  put  them 
aside,  and  gave  their  power  and  au- 
thority into  the  hands  of  a  po[)ularly- 
elected  representative  body.    The  Com- 


44 


SHOWELL.S    DIGTIONARi'    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


inissioners,  liowever,  remained  as  a 
body  in  name  until  the  last  day  of  De- 
cember, 1851,  when,  as  a  token  of  re- 
membrance, they  presented  the  town 
■with  the  ornamental  touutain  formerly 
standijig  in  the  centre  ot  tlie  Market 
Hall,  but  which  has  been  removed  to 
Higligate  Park.  On  the  transfer  of 
their  powers  to  the  Corporation,  the 
Commissioners  haii'ied  over  a  schedule 
of  indebtedness,  showing  tliat  there 
was  then  due  on  mortgage  of  the  "  lamp 
rate,"  of  4  per  cent.,  £87,350  ;  on  the 
"Town  Hall  rate,"  at  4  per  cent., 
£25,000  ;  annuities,  £947  3s.  4d.  ; 
besides £7, 800,  at  5  per  cent.,  borrowed 
by  the  Duddestou  and  Necliells  Com- 
missioners, making  a  total  of  £121,097 
3s.   4d, 

Commons.  — Handsworth  Common 
was  enclosed  in  1793.  An  Act  was 
passed  ill  1793  tor  enclosing  and  allott- 
ing the  commons  and  waste  land  in 
Birmingliam.  The  commons  and  open 
fields  of  Erdington  and  Witton  were 
enclosed  and  divided  in  1801. 

Concert  Halls,  &e.— The  Birm- 
ingham Concert  Hall,  better  known  as 
"  Holder's,"  was  built  in  1846,  though 
for  years  previous  the  house  was  noted 
for  its  harmonic  meetings  ;  the  present 
Hall  has  seats  for  2,200  persons. - 
Day's  Concert  Hall  was  erected  in  1862 
the  opening  night,  September  17, being 
for  the  benefit  of  the  Queen's  Hospital, 
when  £70  was  realise'!  theretbr  ;  the 
Hall  will  accommodate  1,500. — The 
Museum  Concert  Hall  was  opened  Dec. 
20,  1863,  and  will  hold  about  1,000 
people. — A  very  large  building  inten- 
ded for  use  as  a  Concert  Hall,  &,c. , 
will  soon  be  ojieiied  in  Snow  Hill,  to 
be  conducted  on  temperance  [uinciples. 
—  A  series  of  popular  Monday  evening 
concerts  was  commenced  in  the  Town 
Hall,  Nov.  12,1844,  and  was  continued 
for  nearly  two  years.  —  Twopenny 
weekly  "  Concerts  for  the  i'eojile  " 
were  started  at  the  Music  Hall,  Broad 
Street  (now  Prince  of  Wales'  Theatre), 
March  25,  1847,  but  they  did  not  take 
well. — Threepenny    Saturday  evening 


concerts  in  Town  Hall,  were  begun  in 
November,  1879. 

Conferences  and   Congresses 

of  all  sorts  of  people  have  been  held 
here  from  time  to  time,  and  a  few  dates 
are  here  annexed  : — A  Conference  of 
Weslevan  ministers  took  place  in  1836, 
in  1844,  1854,  1865,  and  1879,  being 
the  136th  meeting  of  that  body.  Four 
hundred  Congregational  ministers  met 
in  Congress  Oct.  5,  1862.  A  Social 
Science  Congress  was  held  Sept.  30, 
1868.  A  Trades  Union  Conference  Aug. 
23,  1869.  National  Education  League 
Conference,  Oct.  12,  1869  Nati  mai 
Republican  Cout'erence,  May  12,  1873. 
Conference  on  Sanitary  Reform,  Jan. 
14,  1875.  A  Co-o[ierative  Societies 
Conference,  Jul)'  3,  1875.  A  Confer- 
ence of  Christians  in  Needless  Alley,. 
Oct.  27,  1875.  The  Midland  Counties' 
Church  Defence  Associations  met  in  the 
Exchange,  Jan.  18,  1876,  and  on  the 
9th  of  Feb.  the  advocates  for  disestab- 
lishing and  disendowing  the  Church 
said  their  say  in  the  Masonic  Hall, 
resolutions  in  favour  of  sharing  the 
loaves  and  fishes  being  enthusiastically 
carried  bj'  the  good  people  who  covet 
not  their  neighbours'  goods.  A  Do- 
mestic Economy  Congress  was  held 
July  17,  1877.  A  Church  Conference 
held  sittings  Nov.  7,  1877.  The  friends 
of  Intfjrnational  Arbitration  met  in  the 
Town  Hall,  May  2,  1878,  when  800 
delegates  were  present,  but  the  swords 
are  not  yet  beaten  into  ploughshares. 
How  to  lessen  the  output  of  coal  was 
discussed  March  5,  1878,  by  a 
Conference  of  Miners,  who  not 
being  then  able  to  settle  the  ques- 
tion, met  again  June  17,  1879, 
to  calmly  consider  the  advisableness  of 
laying  idle  all  the  coalpits  in  the 
country  for  a  time,  as  the  best  remedy 
they  could  find  for  the  continued  re- 
duction of  wages.  The  IStli  Annual 
Conference  of  the  British  Association 
of  Gas  Managers  was  ludd  here  June  14, 
1881,  when  about  500  of  those  gentle- 
men attended.  A  considerable  amount 
of  gassy  talk  anent  the  wonderful  future 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    13IRMINGHAM. 


45 


naturally  arose,  and  an  endowment 
fund  oF  £323  was  banked  to  provide  a 
medal  for  "any  orif,'inality  in  connec- 
tion with  the  nianulacture  and  applica- 
tion of  j^as,"  but  the  Gas  Coniniittee  of 
Birmingham,  without  any  vast  im- 
provement in  the  manufacture,  still 
keep  to  their  original  idea  of  sharing 
profits  with  ratepayers,  handing  over 
£25,000  each  year  to  the  Borongli  rates. 
On  I'.ank  Holiday,  August  6,1883,  a 
Conference  of  Bakers  took  ]dace  here, 
and  at  the  same  date  the  49th  "High 
Court  "  of  Foresters  assembled  at  the 
Town  Hall,  their  last  visit  having  been 
in  1849. 

Conservative  Associations  have 

been  in  existence  for  at  least  tifty 
years,  as  the  formation  of  one  in  De- 
cember, 1834,  is  mentioned  in  the 
papers  of  the  period.  The  present  one, 
which  is  formed  on  a  somewhat  similar 
plan  to  that  of  the  Liberal  Associa- 
tion, and  consists  of  300  representa- 
tives chosen  fron\  the  wards,  held  its 
first  meeting  J\lay  18,  1877.  As- 
sociations of  a  like  nature  have  been 
loimed  in  most  of  the  wards,  and 
in  Balsall  Heath,  Moseley,  Aston, 
Handsworth,  and  all  the  suburbs  and 
places  around. 

Constables.— la  1776  it  was  neces- 
sary to  have  as  many  as  25  constables 
sworn  in  to  protect  the  farmers  coming 
to  the  weekly  market.  —  See  also 
^^  Police." 

Consuls. —  There  are  Consulates 
here  for  the  following  countries  (for 
addresses  see  Directoru)  : — Austria, 
Belgium,  Brazil,  Chili,  France,  Ger- 
many, Greece,  Ldjeria,  Portugal, S[iain 
and  Italy,  Turkey,  United  States, 
United  States  of  Columbia,  and  Uru- 
guay. 

Convents. — See  "  Religious  Insti- 
tutions. " 

Co-opepative  Societies  at  one 

time  were  put  in   the  same  category  as 

Chartist,    Socialist,    and  Communistic 

Associations,  all  banned  alike.    Never- 

heless,  in  the  old  "  Reform  days"  the 


theory    of   co-operition   was    most  en- 
thusiastically taken  up  by  the  workers 
of  this  town,  even  more  so  than  in  any 
other  place  in  the  kingdom.     As  early 
as    1828    several    attemj)ts    haii    been 
made  to  form  such  societies,   but  the 
one  which  appeared  the  most  likely  to 
succeed    was    the   so-called    "  Labour 
Exchange,"  situated   in  the  old  Coach 
Yard,    in  Bull  Street,    formed  on  the 
basis  so  eloquently  and  perseveringly 
advocated    by      Robert    Owen.       The 
principle    of    this     Exchange    was    to 
value  all  goods  brought  in  at  the  cost 
of   the  raw   material,    plus  the  labour 
and  work    bestowed   thereon,    the  said 
labour  being  calculateil  at  the  uniform 
rate  of  6d.  per  hour.      On  the  reception 
of  the    goods    "notes"    to  the    value 
were   given    which    could    be    handed 
over    as    equivalent     for     any     other 
articles  there  ou   sale,    and   for  a   time 
tills  rather  crude   plan   was   successful. 
Sharp  customers,  however    found    that 
by  giving  in  an  advanced   valuation  of 
their  own  goods   they  could   by   using 
their  "  notes"  procure  others  on  which 
a  handsome  profit  was  to  be  made  out- 
side the  Labour   Mart,    and   this   ulti- 
mately brought  the  Exchange  to  grief. 
Mr.    William    Pare    and    Mr.    George 
Jacob  Holyoake,    were  foremost  among 
the  advocates   of  Co-operation   at  the 
period,  and  a  most  interesting  history 
of    "Co-operation    in    England"    has 
been  written  by  the  latter   gentleman. 
Other  societies  were  also  in  operation 
from  time   to  time,    the    longest-lived 
being  the  "  Economic  Provision  Com- 
pany,"    which     was     commenced     at 
Handsworth  in   1830  by  some  of  the 
workers  at  Soho   and   Soho  Foundry, 
139  of  whom  clubbed  20s.    each  as  a 
starting  fund.       After  a  few  months' 
trial,  the  protits  were  allowed  to   accu- 
mulate   until    thi'y    made    iq)    £5    per 
share,    on   whith   capital    no    less  than 
£6,000  were  paid  in  dividends  during 
the    first    thirty   years.     The    Supply 
Associations   of    tlie    present   day   are 
somewhat  differently  constituted,  such 
establishments  as  tiie  one  in  Corpora- 
tion Street  (formerly  in  Cannon  Street) 


46 


SIIOWELL's    DIOTIONAUY    of    BIKMINGHAM. 


and  that  in  High  Street  being  on  the 
most  extensive  scale,  offering  to  tlie 
general  public  all  the  advantages 
derivable  from  the  use  of  large  capilal, 
combined  with  a  fair  division  of  profits 
to  the  customer,  as  well  as  to  the  shire- 
holders.  The  Birmingham  Houseliold 
Supply  Association  in  Corporation 
Street  supplies  all  the  necessaries  re- 
quired in  the  household,  in  addition 
to  eatables  and  drinkables  of  the  very 
best  quality,  including  Messrs.  Walter 
Showell  and  Sons'  ales,  wliich  are  sent 
out  at  the  same  prices  as  from  the 
firm's  own  offices,  either  in  cask  or 
bottle. 

COPnavii.  —  The  ancient  inhabi- 
tants of  this  part  of  England,  but 
who  were  subdued  by  the  Romans. 
Whether  the  said  inhabitants  had  any 
name  for  the  particular  spot  now  called 
Birmingham  must  for  ever  remain 
doubtful. 

Corn  Exchange,  in  High-street, 
was  opened  October  28,  1847.  The 
original  capital  of  the  Company  Avas 
£5,000,  in  shares  of  £25  each  ;  but  the 
total  cost  of  erection  was  a  little  over 
£6,000.  The  length  of  the  interioi  is 
172  feet  and  the  breadth  40  feet. 

COPn  Laws. — Long  before  the  for- 
mation ot  the  Anti-Corn  Law  League 
iu  1838,  a  movement  for  the  repeal  of 
the  obnoxious  iii-iposts  had  been  started 
in  this  town,  a  petition  being  sent 
from  here  to  Parliamentin  March,  1815, 
with  48,600  signatures  attached.  The 
doings  of  the  League  and  their  ulti- 
mate success  is  an  off-told  tale,  the 
men  of  liirmingham  of  course  taking 
their  part  in  the  struggle, whicli  culmi- 
nated on  tlie  26thof  June,  1S46,  in  the 
passing  of  Sir  Robert  Peel's  Bill  for  the 
total  repeal  of  all  duties  levied  on  corn 
and  breadNtuil's. 

COPOnePS.  —  The  first  borough 
coroner,  the  late  Dr.  Birt  Davies,  was 
appointed  May  15,  1839,  and  he  held 
the  ofifice  till  July,  1875,  when  Mr. 
Henry  Hawkes  was  chosen  as  his  suc- 
cessor, only  one  member  of  the  Town 
Council  voting  against  him.     The  pre- 


ent  coroner  has  introduced  several 
improvements  on  the  old  sj'stern, 
especially  in  the  matters  of  holding 
inquests  at  public-houses,  and  the 
summoning  of  jurors  Formerly  the 
latter  were  chosen  from  the  residents 
nearest  to  the  scene  of  death,  some 
gentlemen  being  continually  called 
upon,  while  the  occasional  exhibition 
of  a  dead  body  in  the  back  lumberroom 
of  an  inn  yard,  among  broken  bottles 
and  gaping  stablemen,  was  not  con- 
ductive to  the  dignity  of  a  coroner's 
court  or  particularly  agreeable  to  the 
unfortunate  surgeon  who  might  have 
to  perform  a  pout  mortem.  Thanks  to 
the  persevering  tenacity  of  Jlr.  Hawkes 
we  have  a  proper  court  iu  Moor-street, 
and  a  mortuary  at  every  police  station 
to  which  bodies  can  at  once  be  taken. 
The  jurors  are  now  chosen  by  rotation, 
so  that  having  been  once  called  upon 
to  act  as  a  gooel  citizen  in  sucli  a  capa- 
city no  gentleman  need  fear  a  fresh 
summons  for  some  years  to  come.  Mr. 
Hooper,  the  coroner  for  South  Staf- 
fordshire, received  his  appointment  in 
1860. 

COPpOPation.  —  rhe  Charter  of 
Incorporation  of  the  Borough  of  Birm- 
ingham, authorising  the  formation  of 
a  Governing  body,  consisting  of  Mayor, 
Aldermen,  and  Councillors,  dul}' 
elected  by  the  Burgesses,  dates  from 
October  '31,  1838.'  Tiie  elections 
took  place  in  December,  the  first 
meeting  being  held  on  the  27.  The 
borough  was  originally  divided  into 
13  wards,  but  has  since  been,  by  Order 
in  Council,  made  into  16,  though  the 
number  of  Aldermen  (16)  and  Coun- 
cillors (48)  has  not  been  increased. 
The  IMayor  is  elected  for  one  year,  the 
Councillors  for  three,  and  the  Alder- 
men for  six.  The  first  ilayor  chosen 
was  William  Sehotield,  Esq.,  who  was 
succeeded  by  P.  H  Muntz,  Esq.,  iu 
1839  and  1840,  the  election  taking 
place  at  the  November  sitting  in  each 
year.  Since  1840,  the  Mayoral  chair 
has  been  successively  filled  by : — 

1841,    S.    Beale  ;    1842,    J.    James  ; 
1843,   T.   AVeston  ;  1844,  T.   Phillips  ; 


SHOWELL'S    DICTIOXARV    OF    BIJiMKXGUAM. 


Ittl'   u\^-V"'     ^^'^^'    '^^'-    Lucy 
16^3,   J.    Baldwiu  ;   1854,    J.    I'almer- 
1S55     T.    R.    T.    Hod^'so,,  ;      lS5d    V 

f«fin    i     p',^',=     ^85^'     '^-     Lloyd; 
ISfii'  9v^^"^>'^!    1S6.3,  W.  Holliday 

iS   H-  u^n°">'     ^^^^'    T.   Avery 
1868,   H.    Holland  ;  1869,    T.    Prime  • 

lS/2,  A  Biggs  ;  1873,  J.  Chamberlain  ; 
riu  ',  '^;  Chamberlain;  1875,  J 
Ohamberlain    ;      1876,      G       Baker  ■ 

?s~q'  \  ^^','"'''  '  18'^'  J-  ColliniC.s  ,' 
io/y,     K.     (^hamoerlain  ;       1880    "r 
Chamberlain  ;    ISSl,  T.    Avery  ;  isS"'' 
V).  ^Vhice;  1SS3,  W.  Cook  ;  1884    w' 

Maruneau.  ' 

The  members  of  the  Council  in  1S(J9 

subscribed  £200  (or  the   purchase  of  a 

^   ilayors  Cham,"    the    tirst    to  wear 
tJie  glittering  gaud,"  strange  to  say, 

^eing  a  Quaker,  Charles  Stui|e  to  Jt. 

io  this  Cham  a  valuable   addition  lias 

«oith£loO  presented  to  the  Town 
Council  by  Mr     W.  Spencer,  June  27 

Bummgham,  and  which  was  appro- 
priately mounted.  Forthanameiind 
addiesses  o  the  Aldermen  and  Coun- 
uUors  01  the  various  wards  (chan-es 
taking  place  y.arly)   reference  should 

Lr'tnbr;'^'^^''"""«"^-"^-i 

Mil  also  be  found  a  list  of  all  the 
borough  officials,  &c. 

a.a^inr??P^i°"  StOCk.-Tlie  balance 
ag^iust   the    Bo.ough  m  the  shape  of 

wneu    the    Town    Council    took    over 

il-l.lOO.       By  the    end  of    1864  the 
Borough     debts    stood    at    ^eSs'sSo 
a     varying    rates    of  interest.     Afte; 

Workr^nrtl'''''^^^^  ^"^^^^S 
"Oiks,  and  the  commencement  of  the 

vastly  increased,  the  town's  indebted- 


47 

i.b,„b,14o.  The  old  system  of  ob- 
tdiumg  loans  at  the  market  i)rice  of 
the  day,  and  the  rer,ui,.enumt'  of  the 
i^ocil  Government  Board  that  every 
separate  OHii  should  be  repaid  in  a  cei- 
tanlnnit.d  number  of  yei,.«,  ,vhen"o 
aige  an  amount  as  6^  millions  came  to 

be  handled  necessitated  a  consolidation 
scheme,    which  has   since  been  car-  e 

out    to  the  relief  of  present  ralepay. 
and  a  saving  to  those   who  will  fallow 

Boioughon  loans  were  converted  into 

stoT'T.!' *^""'^' '"^^  ^   half  per  cent. 

htOLk   at  the   commencement  of  1881 

the  operation    being  performed  by  the' 

Bank    ot    England.     The    tenders  for 

same   were  opened  Jan.  18th,  when  ,t 

was  found  that  £1,200,000  had  been  ap. 

plied    tor    at    an.l    slightly    over  tl  e 

minmuim  rate  of  £98  per  £100        The 

remam.ng  £800,000  was  allotted  to  a 

syndicate,  whc    afterwards  applied  fo^ 

t    at  the    minimum    price.      Persons 

having  money  to  invest  cannot  do  better 

tlian  visit  the  Borough  Treasurer,  i\lr 

Hughes,    who  will  give  every  infornia- 

t  on  as  to  the  mode  of  investing  even  a 

f.o?iSti:k:"''^'^"-"^'"^-^-p- 


Council     House.  -See    -FaWr 

■oicilamg^.  ' 

of??i""^^  Areas.-The  total  areas 
01  tins  and  adj,.uiing  counties  are  ■- 
Warwickshire  566,458  acres,  AVorces- 
terslure  4/2,453,  StaHordshire  732,434 
and  Shropshire  841,167. 

County  C0UPt.-First  opened  in 
Binningbam  at  the  Waterloo  Rooms, 
\V aterloo  S  reet,  April  2Sth,  1S47.  R 
G.  Weilord  Esq.,  Q.C.,  acting  as 
.udge  until  Septen.ber,  1872.  He  was 
tolowedbyH.  W.  C^Ie,  Esq.,  QC 
who  died  m  June,  1876  ;  James   Mo^! 

eiam,   Esq.,  Q.C..  who  died  Sept.  19, 
1864:    the    present    judge     being    W. 

?^To^'"'    i^'/l-    ^-C-      The    Ch-cuii 
(No.  21,  includes  the  towns  and  places 
ot  Aston,  Atherstone,    Balsall    Heath 
Curd  worth,  Castle  Bromwich,  Erdincr. 
ton,  Gravelly  Hill,  Handswonh.  Har- 


48 


SHOWELLS    DICTIOXARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


borne.  King's  Heath,  King's  Noiton, 
Lea  JIarston,  Little  Brom.vich,  ilax- 
stoke,  Minworth,  Moseley,  Nether 
Whitacre,  Perry  Barr,  Saltley,  Selly 
Oak,  Sutton  Coldtielii,  Tamworth, 
Water  Orton  and  Wishaw. 

County  Officials.  —For  names  and 
audresses  of  the  Lord  Lieutenant, 
Deputy  Lieutenant,  High  Sheriff, 
.  County  Magistrates,  and  otlier  official 
gentlemen  connected  with  the  county 
of  Warwick,  see  "Red  Book." 

CoUPt  of  Bankruptcy  holden  at 
Rirmingliani  (at  the  County  Court,  in 
Corporatio::  Street)  comprises  all  the 
places  within  the  district  of  the  County 
Court  of  Warwickshire  holden  at  Bir- 
mingham, Tamworth  and  Solihull,  and 
all  the  places  in  the  district  of  the 
County  Court  of  Worcestershire  holden 
at  Redditcii. 

COUPt  of  Judicature  — Birming- 
ham, Wolverhanioton,  Walsall,  and 
Worcester,  are  District  Registries  of 
the  Supreme  Court  of  Judicature. 

Court  Leet— The  origin  of  that 
)ieculiar  kind  of  Local  Government 
]-5oard,  known  in  the  olden  days  as  the 
Court  Leet  of  the  Manor  of  Birming- 
ham, is  lost  in  the  misty  shadows  of 
our  past  histor}'.  Doubtless  there  were 
many  onerous  duties  connected  there- 
with, and  very  possiblj'  the  othcials 
considered  tliemselves  as  "  men  of  high 
degree,"  but  what  those  duties  actually 
were,  and  what  the  rerauneration  for 
their  due  fulfilment,  appears  to  have 
been  matter  of  doubt,  even  so  late  as  a 
hundred  and  a  few  odd  years  ago.  The 
rights,  powers,  and  privileges  of  the 
officers  of  this  Court  had  evidently 
been  questioned  ly  some  of  our  Radical- 
minded  great-grandfathers,  as  we  find 
it  was  deemed  necessary  to  assemble  a 
jury  on  the  20th  day  ot  October,  1779, 
to  "  ascertain  and  present"  the  same, 
and  from  a  little  pamphlet  at  that  time 
published,  we  extract  the  following  :— 

The  OJfi.ce  of  Low  Bailiff.  — '"n\Q 
Jury  find  and  present  that  this  officer 
is  annually  elected  by  the  Jury,  and 
that  liis  oflace  is  in  the  nature  of  Sheriff 


of  the  Manor  ;  that  to  hira  all  the  pro- 
cess of  the  Court  is  to  be  directed,  and 
that  it  is  his  right  and  duty  to  summon 
all  Juries  to  this  court.  And  the  Low 
Bailiff,  at  each  fair,  is  entitled  to  one 
penn  y  for  each  stall  or  standing  pitched 
in  the  said  fairs." 

The  Office  of  High  Bailiff.— "The 
Jury  find  and  present  that  this  Officer 
is  annually  elected  by  the  Jury  ;  and 
that  it  is  his  duty  to  see  that  the  fairs 
be  duly  proclaimed,  and  that  due  order 
be  preserved  in  the  fairs  and  markets  ; 
and  if  he  sees  any  person  in  such  fairs 
or  markets  using  unlawful  games,  to 
the  injury  of  ignorant  persons  and 
thoughtless  youths,  he  may  seize  them 
and  commit  them  to  custody,  to  be 
taken  before  a  proper  magistrate.  That 
it  is  his  duty  to  see  that  all  persons 
exposing  any  wares  for  sale  in  the  fairs 
or  markets,  or  as  shopkeepers  within 
the  manor,  have  legal  weights  and 
measures. " 

Tiie  other  officers  of  the  Court  Leet, 
whose  duties  are  also  defined  in  the 
aforesaid  [lamphlet,  are  the  "Con- 
stables," the  "  Headborough,"  two 
"Atfeirers"  (who  looked  after  the 
rents  and  dues  belonging  to  the  Lord 
of  the  Manor),  two  "  Leather  Sealers" 
(once  important  officers,  when  there 
was  a  Leather  Market,  but  whose  duties 
in  and  about  the  year  named  seemed  to 
be  confined  to  attending  at  the  yearly 
dinners  given  by  the  High  Bailifi), 
two  "  Ale-conners,  otherwise  high 
tasters,"  and  two  "  Flesh-conners, 
otherwise  low  tasters."  From  their 
name  it  might  be  thought  the  duties  of 
the  last  named  officers  were  limited  to 
the  inspection  of  meat  or  flesh,  but  it 
will  be  seen  that  they  were  of  a  more 
comprehensive  character  : — 

"  Their  duty  is  to  see  that  all 
butchers,  fishmongers,  poulterers, 
bakers,  and  other  sellers  of  victuals,  do 
not  sell  or  expose  to  sale  within  this 
Manor  any  unwholesome,  corrupt,  or 
contagious  flesh,  fish,  or  other  victuals; 
and  in  case  any  such  be  exposed  to  sale, 
we  find  that  the  said  Officers,  by  the 
ancient   custom   of    the    Manor    may 


SnOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OK    IJIKMIXGIIAM. 


49 


seize,  burn,  or  destroy  the  same,  or 
otherwise  prescut  tlie  oU'eiiilers  at  the 
next  Court  Leet  to  be  hohleu  for  this 
Manor. " 

As  we  are  now  officered,  inspec- 
tored  and  policed,  and  generally  looked 
after  as  to  our  eating  and  drinking, 
&c.,  in  the  most  improved  modern 
style  ]iossible,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
further  fill  space  by  saying  what  the 
"  Head  borough  "  had  to  do,  or  how 
many  "Constables"  assisted  him. 
The  last  meeting  of  the  Court 
Leet,  long  shorn  of  all  its  honours 
and  privileges,  was  held  October  28, 
1851. 

Court  of  Reeopd.— This  was  also 
(tailed  the  "  Mayor's  Court,"  and  was 
authorised  in  the  Charter  of  Incorpora 
tion  for  the  recovery  of  small  debts 
under  £20,  the  oflicers  consisting  of  a 
Judge,  Registrar,  and  two  Sergeants- 
at-Mace.  'in  1852  (Oct.  26)  the  Town 
Council  petitioned  the  Queen  to  trans- 
fer its  powers  to  tlie  County  Court, 
which  was  acceded  to  in  the  following 
spring. 

Court  of  Requests.— Constituted 

by  Act  of  Parliament  in  1752  this 
Court  for  "  the  more  easy  and  speedy 
recovery  of  small  debts  within  the  town 
of  Birmingham  and  the  adjoining 
hamlet  of  Deiitend"  continued  in 
operation  until  the  present  County 
Court  system  became  the  law  of  the 
land.  Its  powers  were  originally  limited 
to  debts  not  excee<ling  40s.  in  amount 
(which  was  increased  to  £5  by  an  Act 
passed  in  1807),  the  periods  of 
imprisonment  to  which  defaulting 
debtors  were  liable  being  aj^portioned 
out  at  the  rate  of  one  day  in  durance 
for  each  shilling  due,  except  in  special 
cases,  wherein  an  addition  (not  to 
exceed  three  months)  tnight  be  the 
reward  for  fraudulent  concealment  of 
property  from  creditors.  The  "Court" 
consisted  of  no  less  rhau  six  dozen 
judges,  or,  as  the  Act  styled  them, 
"CoHindssioners,"froiu  whosedecisions 
there  was  no  appeal  whatever.  These 
Commissioners  were  at  first  chosen 
from  the  ratepayers    in    a    haphazard 


style,  no  mental  or  property 
qualification  whatever  being  re- 
quired, though  afterwards  it  was 
made  incumbent  that  they  should  be 
possessed  of  an  income  from  real  es- 
tate to  value  of  £50  per  year,  or  be 
worth  £1,000  personalty.  From  the 
writings  of  William  Hutton,  himself 
one  of  the  Commissioners,  and  other 
.sources,  we  gather  that  justice,  or  what 
was  supposed  to  be  ecjuivalent  thereto, 
was  administered  in  a  rough-and-ready 
fashion  of  the  rudest  kind,  the  cases 
being  frequently  disposed  of  at  the  rate 
of  thirty  to  forty  per  hour,  and  when 
we  consider  that  imprisonment  re- 
sulted at  an  average  of  one  case 
in  ten  the  troubles  attendant 
upon  impecuniosity  in  those  days 
may  be  better  imagined  tiien  described. 
The  Court  House,  which  is  now  occu- 
pied by  sundry  tradesmen,  lay  a  little 
back  from  High -street,  nearly  opposite 
New-stieet,  and  in  itself  was  no  mean 
structure,  having  been  (it  is  said), 
erected  about  the  yesiv  1350,  as  the 
town  house  of  John  Jennens,  or  Jenn- 
ings, one  of  the  wealthy  family,  the 
claims  to  whose  estates  have  been 
unending,  as  well  as  unprofitable, 
barring,  of  cour.se,  to  the  long- robed 
and  bewigged  fraternity.  A  narrow 
passage  from  the  right  of  the  entrance 
hall  leads  by  a  dark  winding  staircase 
to  the  cellars,  now  tilled  with  merchan- 
dise, but  which  formerly  constituted 
the  debtors'  prison,  or,  as  it  was  vul- 
garly called,  "The  Louse  Hole,"  and 
doubtless  from  its  frequently-crowde 
and  horribly-dirty  condition,  with  half- 
starved,  though  often  debauched  and 
dissipated,  occupants,  the  nasty  name 
was  not  inappropriately  given.  Shock- 
ing tales  have  been  told  of  the  scenes 
and  practices  here  carried  on,  and  many 
are  still  living  who  can  recollect  the 
miserable  cry  of  "  Remember  the  poor 
debtors,"  which  resounded  morning, 
noon,  and  night  from  the  heavily- 
barred  windows  of  these  underground 
dungeons.  The  last  batch  of  un- 
fortunates her«  confined  were  liberated 
August  16,  1844. 


50 


SHOWELl's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


Creche. — An  institution  which  has 
been  open    in    Bath   Row   for   several 
years,   and  a  great  blessing  to    many- 
poor  mothers  in  its  neighbourliood,  but 
it  IS  so  little  known  that  it  has  not  met 
with  the  support    it  deserves,  and   is 
therefore  crippled  in  its  usefulness  for 
want  of  more  subscribers.     The  object 
of  the  institution  is  to  afford,  during 
the    daytime,   shelter,    warmth,    food, 
and  good  nursing  to  the  infants  and 
young  children   of  poor  mothers  who 
are  compelled  to  be  from  home  at  work. 
This  is  done  at  the  small  charf,'e  of  2d. 
per   day — a   sum  quite  inadequate  to 
defray   the    expenses    of  the    charity. 
The   average    number   of  children    so 
sheltered  is  about  100   per  week,   and 
the  number. might  be  gieatly  increased 
if   there  were   more   funds.      Gifts    of 
coal,   blankets,   linen,     perambulators, 
toys,  pictures,  &c.,  are  greatly  valued, 
and  subscriptions  and    donations  will 
be  gladly  received  by   the  hon.  trea- 
surer. 

Creseent,      Cambridge     Street. — 
When  built  it  was  thought  that  the  in- 
habitants of  the  handsome  edifices  here 
erected  would  always  have  an  extensive 
view  over  gardens  and  green  fields,  and 
certainly  if  chimney  pots  and  slated 
roofs   constitute   a   country   landsca.pe 
the  present  denizens  cannot  complain. 
The  ground  belongs  to  the  Grammar 
School,  the  governors  of  which   leased 
it  in  1789  to  Mr.  Charles  Norton,  for  a 
term  of  120  years,  at  a  ground  rent  of 
£155  10s.  per  year,  the  lessee  to  build 
34  houses  and  spend  £12,000  thereon  ; 
the  yearly  value  now  is  about  £1,800. 
On  the  Crescent  Wharf  is  situated  the 
extensive    stores    of    Messrs.     Walter 
Showell  &  Sons,  from  whence  the  daily 
deliveries  of  Crosswells  Ales  are  issued 
to    their   many    Birmingham    patrons. 
Here  may  be   t.een,  stacked  tier  upon 
tier,    in   long   cool    vistas,  close  upon 
6,000  casks  of  varying  sizes  containing 
these  celebrated  ales,  beers,  and  stouts. 
This  stock  is  kept  up  by  daily  supplies 
from    the    brewery   at   Langley  Green, 
many   boats    being    employed    in    the 
traffic. 


Cricket. — See  "  S2)orls." 

Crime. — A  few  local  writers  like  to 
acknowledge  that  Birmingham  is   any 
worse   than   other    large  towns   in  the 
matter  of  crime  and  criminals,  and  the 
old  adage  respecting  the  bird  that  fouls 
its  own  nest  has  been  more  than  once 
applied  to  the  individuals   who   have 
ventured  to  demur  from  the  boast  that 
ours  is  par  excellence,  a  highly  moral, 
fair-dealing,   sober,    and    superlatively 
honest  community.     Notwithstanding 
the  character  given  it  of  old,  and   the 
everlasting  sneer  that  is  connected  with 
the  term  "  Brummagem,"  the  fast  still 
remains  that  our  cases  of  drunkenness 
are  far  less  than  in  Liverpool,  our  petty 
larcenies  fewer  than  in  Leeds,  our  high- 
way robberies  about  half  compared  with 
Manchester,   malicious  damage  a  long 
way    under    Sheffield,    and    robberies 
from  the  person  not  more  than  a  third 
of  those    reported  in  Glasgow  ;  while 
as  to  smashing  and  coining,  though  it 
has  been  flung    at  us  from  the  time  of 
William  of  Orange   to  the  present  day, 
that  all  the  bad  money  ever  made  must 
be  manufactured  here,  the  truth  is  that 
five-sixths  of  tiie  villainous  crew  who 
deal  in   that  commodity  obtain   their 
supplies  from  London,  and  not  from  our 
little    "hardware  village."     But  alas  ! 
there  is  a  dark  side  to  the  picture,  in- 
deed,  for,  according  t»  the  Registrar- 
General's  return  of  June,  1879  (and  the 
proportionate  ratio,  we  are  sorry  to  .say, 
still  remains  the  same),   Birmingham 
holdstheunenviableposition  of  being  the 
town  where  most  deaths  from  violence 
occur,  the  annual  rate  per  1,000  being 
1-08  in  Birmingham,  0  99  in  Liverpool, 
0-38  in  Sheffiehi,   0-37  in  Portsmouth, 
the  average  for  the  kingdom  being  even 
less  than  that— "the  proportional  fatal- 
ity from  violence  being  almost  invari- 
ably more  than  twice  as  large  in  Bir- 
mingham as  in  Sheffield." 

Cross,— In  the  Bull  Ring,  when 
Hutton  first  came  here,  a  poor  wayfarer 
seeking  employ,  there  was  a  square 
building  standing  on  arches  called 
"  The  Cross,"  or  "  Market  Cross,"  the 


8H0WELLS    DICTIONARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


51 


lower  part  <(ivin,!,'  a  small  shelter  to  the 
few  eountrywdineu  .vho  brouglit  their 
butter  aii(l  eggs  to  market,  while  the 
chamber  above  provideil  accommoda- 
tion for  meetings  of  a  public  character. 
When  the  Corn  Cheaping,  theShambles, 
and  all  the  other  heterogeneous  collec- 
tion of  tumbledown  shanties  and 
domiciles  which  in  the  cour>e  of  cen- 
turies had  been  allowed  to  gatlier  round 
St.  JIartin's  were  cleared  awaj',  the 
Market  Cross  was  demolished,  and  its 
exact  site  is  hardly  ascertainable.  At 
Dale  End  there  was  a  somewhat  similar 
erection  known  as  the  "  Welsh  Cross, " 
taking  its  peculiar  name,  says  Hutton, 
from  the  locality  then  called  "Welsh 
End,"  on  account  of  the  number  of 
Welsh  peo})le  living  on  that  side  of  the 
town  ;  though  why  the  "  Taffies  "  were 
honoured  with  a  distinct  little  market 
house  of  tbeir  own  is  not  made  clear. 
This  building  was  taken  down  in  1803, 
the  3-aial  clock,  weathercock,  &c., 
being  advertised  for  sale,  October  12, 
1802. 

Crown.  —  The  old  Crown  Inn, 
Deritend,  is  one  of  the  very  few  speci- 
mens we  have  of  the  style  of  architec- 
ture adopted  in  the  days  of  old,  when 
timber  was  largely  used  in  place  of  our 
modern  bricks.  Leland  mentions  the 
Crown  Inn  as  existing  in  1538,  and  a 
much  longer  history  than  that  is 
claimed  for  it.  In  1817  there  was  an- 
other Old  Crown  Inn  in  New  Street, 
on  the  spot  where  Hyam's  now  stands, 
access  to  the  Cherry  Orchard  being 
had  through  its  yard,  the  right  of  way 
thus  obtained  being  the  origin  of  the 
present  Union  Passage. 

Crystal  Palaces.— It  was  proposed 

in  August,  1853,  that  the  Corporation 
should  join  with  the  Midland  Railway 
Co.  and  the  Corporation  of  Sutton  in 
the  erection  of  a  "  Sydenham  Palace" 
in  Sutton  Park  :  Birmingham  to  lease 
250  acres  for  999  years,  at  Is.  per  acre, 
lind  from  £20,000  to  £30,000  for  the 
building  and  divide  profits,  the  Mid- 
laud  Railway  Co.  beingwillingto  make 
branch  from  Bromford  and  run  cheap 
trains.     The    scheme   was   highly  ap- 


proved, but  the  Snttonites  killed  the 
goose  tliat  was  to  lay  them  such  golden 
eggs  by  refusing  to  lease  the  land  for 
more  than  ninety-nine  years  and  want- 
ing 20s.  per  acre  reiit.  In  July,  1877, 
a  "  Sutton  Park  Crystal  Palace  Co. 
(Lira. )"  was  registered,  witli  a  capital 
of  £25,000  in  £5  shares,  for  buying  Mr. 
Cole's  Promenade  Gardens,  erecting 
Hotel,  Aquarium,  Skating  Kink,  Con- 
cert Hall,  Winter  Gardens,  &c.,and  the 
shares  were  readily  taken  up.  Addi- 
tional grounds  were  purchased,  and 
though  the  original  plans  have  not  yet 
been  all  carried  out,  a  very  pleasant 
resort  is  to  be  found  there.  Day's,  in 
Sraallbrook  Street,  is  also  called  a 
"Crystal  Palace,"  on  account  of  the 
style  of  decoration,  and  the  immense 
mirror  the  proprietor  purchased  from 
the  Hyde  Park  Exhibition  of  1851. 

CUFZOn  Hall,  built  originally  for 
the  purposes  of  the  Dog  Shows,  was 
opened  in  1S65.  It  is  the  property  of 
a  company,  and  cost  about  £7,500. 
The  building  is  well  suited  and  has 
been  often  used  for  exhibitions,  pano- 
ramas, circus  entertainments,  &c.,  the 
hall  being  103ft.  long  by  91ft.  wide  ; 
the  stage  is  of  the  fullest  width,  with 
a  depth  of  45ft.  There  is  room  for 
3.000  seats. 

Danielites. — A  tribe  who  eschew 
fish,  flesh,  and  fowl,  and  drink  no 
alcohol  ;  neither  do  they  snuff,  smoke, 
or  chew  tobacco.  At  a  fruit  banquet, 
held  on  August,  1877,  it  was  decided 
to  organise  a  "  Garden  of  Danielites  " 
in  Birmingham. 

Dates, — The  most  complete  work 
giving  tlie  dates  of  all  the  leading  events 
in  the  world's  history  is  "Haydn's 
Book  of  Dates,"  the  latest  edition 
bringing  them  down  to  1882.  For 
local  events,  the  only  "  Local  Book  of 
Dates  "  published  is  that  of  1874,  but 
"  Showell's  Dictiouarj'  of  Birmingham" 
(by  the  same  author),  will  be  found  to 
contain  more  reliable  data  than  any 
book  hitherto  issued.  For  information 
of  a  general  character,  respecting  the 
immediate  neighbourhood  and  adjoin- 


52 


SHOWBLL  S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


ing  comities,  our  readers  cannot  do  bet- 
ter than  refer  to  the  files  of  Birming- 
ham newspapers,  preserved  in  the  Re- 
ference Library,  or  write  to  the  present 
editors  of  the  said  papers,  gentlemen 
noted  for  their  nrbanity,  and  readiness 
ti>  tell  anybody  anything. 

Dawson,  George,  See  "Parsons, 
Freachen,  and  Priests,"  and  "Statues." 

Deaf  and  Dumb  Asylum. —Sec 

"  Philanthro2nc  Institutions." 

Debating  Societies.— From  time 

immemorial  the  Crunis  have  had  their 
little  Pnriiaments,  mostly  in  public- 
house  parlours  and  clubrooms,  and  cer- 
tain Sunday  niglits  gathering  at  "  Bob 
Edmonds"  andotherwell-known  houses 
have  acquired  quite  an  historical  in- 
terest ;  but  the  regularly-coustituted 
"  Spouting  Clubs"  of  the  present  day 
cannot  claim  a  very  long  existence, 
the  Birmingham  Debating  Society  hav- 
ing held  their  first  palaver  on  the  3rd 
of  Dec,  1846.  In  1855  they  joined  the 
Edgbastonians.  The  latest  of  the 
kind  started  in  1884,  is  known  as  the 
Birmingham  Parliamentary  Debating 
Society,  and  has  its  premier,  parties, 
and  political  fights,  in  proper  Parlia- 
mentary style. 

Deep  stealers. — There  was  a  taste 
for  venison  in  more  classes  than  one  in 
1765,  for  it  was  found  necessary  tooffer 
rewards  for  the  detection  of  those  per- 
sons who  stole  the  deer  from  Aston 
Park. 


Dental   Hospital— <S'cc 

fals." 


Hospi- 


Deodands.  — Prior  to  the  passing  of 
9  and  10  Vict. ,  1846,  Coroner's  Juries 
had  the  power  of  imposing  a  "deodand" 
or  penalty  on  any  article  or  animal 
which  had  been  instrumental  in  causing 
the  death  of  a  human  being,  the  said 
animal  or  article  being  forfeited  if  the 
owner  did  not  pay. 

DePitend. — In  some  antique  records 
the  name  has  been  .spelt  "  Durate- 
hend."  For  this  and  other  reasons 
it  has  been  thought  to  have  had  its 


origin  rather  from  the  ancient  British, 
as  "  dur  "  is  still  the  Welsh  word  for 
water,  and  its  situation  on  the  Rea  (a 
Gaelic  word signifjnng a  running  stream) 
seems  to  give  a  little  foundation  there- 
for. Mr.  Toulniin  Smith,  in  whose 
family  the  "Old  Crown  House"  has 
descended  from  the  time  it  was  built, 
and  who,  therefore,  is  no  mean  au- 
thority, was  of  opinion  that  the  name 
wasformerly  "Der-j^at-end,"  or  "Deer- 
Gate-End,"  from  the  belief  that  in 
ancient  days  there  was  here  an  ancient 
deer  forest.  Leland  said  he  entered 
the  town  by  "Dirtey,"  so  perhaps 
alter  all  Deritend  only  means  "  the 
dirty  end."  Like  the  name  of  the 
town  itself,  as  well  as  several  other 
parts  of  it,  we  can  only  guess  at  the 
origin. 

Depitend   Bridge.— Old   records 

show  that  some  centuries  back  there 
was  a  bridge  here  of  some  sort,  and 
occasionally  we  find  notes  of  payments 
made  for  repairs  to  the  roads  leading 
to  the  gates  of  the  bridge,  or  to  the 
watchmen  who  had  charge  thereof, 
who  appear  to  have  been  in  the  habit 
of  locking  the  gates  at  night,  a  proce- 
dure whicli  we  fear  our  "  Dirtyent  " 
neighbours  of  to-day  would  be  inclined 
to  resent.  The  Act  for  building  the 
present  bridge  was  obtained  in  1784  ; 
the  work  was  commenced  in  1789,  but 
not  completed  till  1814. 

Dickens,  Charles,  made  his  first 
appearance  amongst  us  at  a  Polytech- 
nic Conversazione  held  Februar}'^  28, 
1844,  liis  last  visit  being  to  distribute 
prizes  to  students  of  the  Midland 
Institute,  January  6,  1870.  In  De- 
cember, 1854,  he  gave  the  proceeds  of 
three  "Readings,"  amounting  to  £227, 
to  the  funds  of  thelnstitnte,  in  which 
he  always  took  great  interest. — See  also 
"Theatrical  Notes,"  <kc. 

Digbeth,  or  Dyke  Path,  or  Ducks' 
Bath,  another  puzzle  to  the  anti- 
quarians. It  was  evidently  a  watery 
place,  and  the  pathway  lay  low,  as 
may  be  seen  at  "Ye  Olde  Leather 
Bottel." 


8H0 well's   dictionary    OF   BIRMINGHAM. 


53 


Dininff  Halls— Our  grandfathers 
were  content  lo  lake  their  bread  and 
cheese  by  the  cosy  fireside  of  a  public- 
house  kitchen  ;  this  was  followed  b}- 
sundry  publicans  reserving  a  better 
room,  in  which  a  joint  was  served  up 
for  their  "topping  customers."  One 
who  got  into  trouble  and  lost  his  li- 
cense, conceived  the  i  lea  of  opposing 
his  successor,  and  .starled  dining-rooms, 
sending  out  lor  beer  as  it  was  required, 
but  not  to  his  old  shop.  This  innova- 
tion took,  and  when  the  railways  l)egan 
bringing  in  their  streams  of  strangers, 
these  dining-rooms  paid  well  (as  seve- 
ral of  the  old  ones  do  still).  The  next 
step  was  the  opening  of  a  large  room 
in  Slanej'  Street  (June  8,  1863),  and 
another  in  Cambridge  Street,  with  the 
imposing  title  of  "  Dining  Halls," 
wherein  all  who  were  hungry  could  be 
fed  at  wholesale  prices — provided 
they  had  the  necessary  cash.  Our 
people,  however,  are  not  sufficiently 
gregarious  to  relish  this  kind  of  feed- 
ing in  flocks,  barrackroom  fashion,  and 
though  the  provisions  were  good  and 
cheap,  the  herding  together  of  all  sorts 
spoilt  the  speculation,  and  Dining 
Halls  closed  when  "  Restaurants  " 
opened, — See  '* Luncheon  Bars." 

Diocese. — Birmingham  is  in  the 
diocese  of  Worcester,  and  in  the 
Archdeaconry  of  Coventry. 

DiPeetOPies.— The  oldest  Birming- 
ham Directory  known  was  printed  in 
1770,  but  there  had  been  one  adver- 
tised a  few  years  earlier,  and  every  now 
and  then  after  this  date  one  or  other 
of  our  few  printers  ventured  to  issue 
what  they  called  a  directar}',  but  the 
procuring  a  coraplefe  list  of  all  and 
every  occupation  carried  on  in  Bir- 
mingham appears  to  have  been  a  feat 
beyond  their  powers,  even  sixty  years 
back.  As  far  as  they  did  go,  however, 
the  olddirectorics  are  notunintereatirlg, 
as  they  give  us  glimpses  of  trade  mu- 
tations and  changes  compared  with 
the  present  time  that  appear  strange 
now  even  to  our  oldest  inhabitants. 
Place    for    instance    the   directory   of 


1824  by  the  side  of  White's  directory 
for  1874  (one  of  the  most  valuable  and 
carefully  com])iled  works  of  the  kind 
yet  issued).     In  t!ie  former  we  find  the 
names  of  4,980  tradesmen,  the  dilfereut 
businesses     under     which     they     are 
allotted  numbering  only  141  ;  in  1874 
the  trades  and  professions  named  tot 
up  to  745,  under  which  appears  no  less 
than  33,462   names.     In    1824.    if  we 
are  to  believe  the  directory,  there  were 
no  factors  here,  no  fancy  repositories, 
no     gardeners     or    florists,     no    pearl 
button  makers,  no  furniture   brokers 
or    pawnbrokers   (!),    no    new.sagents, 
and,  strange  to  say,  no  printer.   Photo- 
g-aphers  and  electro-platers  were  un- 
known,    though     fifty     j'ears      after 
showed  68  of  the  one,  and  77  of  the 
latter.     On  the  other  hand,  in  1824, 
there  were  78auger,  awlblade  and  gim- 
let  makers,    against   19  in   1874  ;    14 
bellows   makers,  against  5  ;  36  buckle 
and  810  button  makers,  against  10  and 
265  ;  52  edge  tool  makers  and  176  lock- 
smiths,   against  18  of  each   in  1874  ; 
hiuge-inakers  were  reduced  from  53  to 
23  ;  gilt  toy  makers,   from  265  to  15. 
(Considering  the  immense  quantity  of 
gilt  trifles  now  sent  out  yearl\',  we  can 
only  account  for  these  figures  by  sup- 
posing   the    pro<lucers    to    have    been 
entered  under  various  other  headings). 
Among  the  trades  that  have  vanished 
altogether,    are    steelyard    makers,  of 
whom    there    were    19  in  1824  ;  saw- 
makers,  of  whom  there  were  26  ;  tool- 
makers,  of  whom  there  were  79,  and 
similorers,  whatever  they  might  have 
been.     Makers  of   the    time-honoured 
snuffers    numbered    46    in    1824,  and 
there  were  even  half-a-dozen  manufac- 
turers left  at  work  in  1874.     The  in- 
troduction of  gas-lighting  only  found 
employ,    in    the  first-named  year,  for 
three  gasfitters  ;    in    1874,  there  were 
close  upon  100.     Pewterers  and  manu- 
facturers of  articles  in  Britannia  metal 
numbered    75    in  1824,  against  19  in 
1874,  wire-drawers  in  ths  sa  ne  period 
coming    down    from    237  to  56.     The 
Directories  of  the  past  ten  years  have 
degenerated    into    mere  buiky  tomes, 


54 


SHOWBLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


cataloguing  names  certainly,  but  pub- 
lished almost  solely  for  the  benefit  (?) 
of  those  tradesmen  who  can  be  coaxed 
into  advertising  iu  their  pages.  To  such 
an  extent  has  this  been  carried,  that  it 
is  well  for  all  advertisers  to  be  careful 
when  giving  their  orders,  that  they  are 
dealingwith  an  established  and  respect- 
able firm,  more  than  one  bogus  Direc- 
tory having  come  under  the  notice  of 
the  writer  during  the  past  year  or  two. 
The  issue  of  a  real  Post  Office  Directory 
for  1882,  for  which  the  name.-i,  trades, 
and  addresses  were  to  be  gathered  by 
the  letter-carriers,  and  no  body  of  men 
could  be  more  suitable  for  the  work,  or 
be  better  trusted,  was  hailed  b}''  local 
tradesmen  as  a  decided  step  in  advance 
(though  little  fault  could  be  found  with 
the  editions  periodically  issued  by 
Kelly),  but  unfortunately  the  proposed 
plan  was  not  succ  issfully  carried  out, 
and  in  future  years  the  volume  will  be 
principally  valued  as  a  curiosity,  the 
wonderfully  stiange  mistakes  being 
made  therein  of  placing  the  honoured 
name  of  Sir  Josiah  Mason  under  the 
head  of  ' '  Next-of-Kin  Enquiry  Agents ," 
and  that,  too,  just  previous  to  the  ex- 
posure of  the  numerous  frauds  carried 
out  by  one  of  the  so-called  agents  and 
its  curiousness  is  considerably  enhanced 
by  the  fact  that  a  like  eiror  had  been 
perpetrated  iu  areceut  edition  of  Kelly's 
Directory. 

Disehapged  Ppisoners'  Aid  So- 
ciety in  1SS2  gave  assistance  to  642 
persons,  at  an  average  cost  of  9s.  9^d. 
each— £315  19s.  4d.     £161  16s.  5d.  of 

Miles. 

Aberdare Ill 

Aberdeen 437-2 

Abergavenny   79 

Abergele  109 

Aberystwith     123^ 

Acock's  Green 4| 

Albrighton  20 

Alcester    24 

Aldershot IIU 

Alnwick    , 52^ 

AlreM'as    26 

Alton  Towers  52^ 

Alvechurch 13h 


Miles. 

Arbroath  310 

Ashbourne     56^ 

Ashby-de-la-Zouch     41^ 
Afthton-under- 

Lyne 84  J 

Aylesbury     84 

Bala  94 

Banbury   42 

Bangor 135 

Barmouth     116 

Barnsley  95| 

Barnstaple    181 

Barnt  Green     12 


this  amount  came  from  the  convicts' 
gratuities,  while  the  cost  of  aiding  and 
helping  them  took  £192  2s. 

Dispensary.— Established  in  1794; 
the  first  stone  of  the  building  in  Union 
Street  was  laid  December  23,  1806, 
and  it  was  opened  for  the  reception  of 
patients  early  in  1808,  the  cost  being 
about  £3,000.  Ic  has  been  one  ©f  the 
most  valuable  institutions  of  the  town 
thousands  receiving  medical  assistance 
every  year,  and  is  supported  by  volun- 
tary subscriptions.  A  branch  Dispen- 
sary was  opened  in  Monument 
Road,  Feb.  27,  1884.  Provident  Dis- 
pensaries, to  wiiich  members  pay  a 
small  monthly  sum  for  medicine  and 
attendance  were  organised  in  1878,  the 
first  branch  being  opened  at  Hockley 
iu  October  of  that  5^ar.  In  the  first 
fifteen  months  3,765  individuals  paid 
subscriptions,  and  about  £577  was  paid 
for  drugs  and  doctors  fees.  There  are 
also  branches  at  Camp  Hill  and  Small 
Heath. 

Dissenters. — In  1836  there  were 
45  places  of  worship  belonging  to 
various  denominations  of  Dissenters 
here  ;  there  are  now  about  145. — See 
"  Places  of  IVorsldp." 

Distances  from  Birmingham  to 
neighbouring  places,  county  towns, 
trade  centres,  watering  places,  &c.  Be- 
ing taken  from  the  shortest  railway 
routes,  this  list  may  be  used  as  a  guide 
to  the  third-class  fares — Reckoned  at 
Id.  per  mile  : — 

Miles. 

Barrow-in-Furness  160 

Basingstoke 108^ 

Bath 98i 

Battersea 115i 

Bedford    82^ 

Beeston  Castle 64-^ 

Belper  50 

Berkswell 13 

Berwick    281 

Bescot  Junction  ...  7h 

Bettws-y-Coed 134"' 

Bewdley   22J 

Bilbton 9| 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


55 


Miles. 

r.irkenhead 90 

Blacjlvburn 113 

Blackpool 124 

Bletchley 65i 

Blisworth 49^ 

Bloxwich 10^ 

Bolton  95| 

Borth.  r 113 

Bourneinoutli 173 

Bradford 120^ 

Brecon 95 

Bredon 40^ 

l)rettle  Lane 12 

Bridgnorth 20 

Bridgewater    127 

Brierley  Hill 11^ 

Brighton 16(5 

Bristol  94 

Bronisgrove  . .  16 

Bromyard 41 

BnckincrhMm  70^ 

BuilthRoad 88" 

Burslem 49 

Burton-on-Treiit...  32 
Bury  St.  Edmunds  133 
Bushbury  Jim'tion     13 

Buxton 79 

Cambridge 111-^ 

Cannock 15^ 

Canterbury 175i 

Cardiff....." 109^ 

Carlisle 196 

Carmarthen 1874 

Carnarvon 143§ 

Castle  Bromwich...       f)j 

Castle  Douglas 248^ 

Chapel -en-le-Frith      89 

Cheadle 77 

Cheddar 115i 

Chelsea 110 

Cheltenham ■  49i 

Chepstow 84" 

Chester 75 

Chesterfield 6.'.-^ 

Chippenham    117 

Chi  jiping  Norton...     60 

Chirk     62i 

Cimrch  Stretton...     54 

Cinderford    83^ 

Cirencester   84i 

Clapham  Junction  113 
Clay  Cross    62 


Miles. 
Cleobury  Mortimer     29 

Clifton  Bridge 97 

Coilbrookdale 30 

Codsall 16i 

Coleford    80" 

Coleshill    11^ 

Colwich      25| 

Colwyu  Bay 115 

Congleton    58 

ConWay    120| 

Coventry  18| 

Cradley 9 

Craven  Arms  61  ^ 

Crewe  Junction  ...     54 

Croylon    ...  123 

Crystal  Palace 120 

Darlaston 9^ 

Darlington  175^ 

Deepfields     9| 

Denbigh   97 

Derby    42^ 

Devizes 143| 

Didcot  76" 

Dolgelly  ;..  106 

Doncaster 96^ 

Dorchester    184 

Dorking    133 

Droit  wich 23 

Dublin 232 

Dudley 8 

Dumfries    229 

Dundee 347 

Dunstable     79 

Durham    198 

Edinburgh    297^ 

Elgin     450 

Ely    127 

Erdington    4^ 

Etrnria 47 

Evercreech  Junct'n  121 

Evesham    34 

Exeter    170 

Falmouth 286J 

Farrington 87 

Fearnail  Heath   ...     25 
Fenny  Compton  ...     34| 
Fenny  Stratford  ...     67 

Festiniog 145 

Filey 178 

Fleetwood     126 

Flint 87i 

Folkestone   202 


Miles. 

Forfar   304 

Forge  Mills  y 

Four  Ashes  19 

Frome  138 

Furness  Abbey    ...   158^ 

Garstang  115 

Glasgow    286 

Glastonbury 140 

Gloucester    56^ 

Gosport     150 

Gravelly    Hill 3 

Great  Barr    4^ 

Great  Biidge    7 

Grimsby   136i 

Guildford 120 

Hagley 13^ 

Halesowen    9 

Halifax 122^ 

Haiiley 47^ 

Harborne 4 

Harlech     126 

Harrowgate. 133 

Harrow 101 

Hartlebury  22 

Hartlepool    186 

Hastings  ..  192^ 

Hatton 17i 

Haverfordwest 218i 

H-ath  Town    12 

Hednesford  ±7h 

Henley-on-Thames   103' 

Hereford  57 

Hertford  108 

Highani  Ferrers  ...     69^ 
High  Wycombe  ...     95 

Hitchin     92 

Holyhead 159^ 

Holywell  91^ 

Huddersfield    105i 

Hull  134 

Hfracombe    195 

Inverness 490 

Ipswich 167 

Ironbridge    30 

James  Bridge  9 

Jedburgh 263 

Keighley  116i- 

Kcndal 148 

Kenil worth  21 

Kidderminster       ..      18^ 

Kilmarnock 278^ 

Kings  Heath    5 


56 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM, 


Miles. 

Kings  Norton  6 

Kingstown    226 

Kingswood    13 

Knowle 10^ 

Lancaster 1272 

Langley  Green f;^ 

Leamington 21 

Ledbiuy    43 

Leeds     115 

Leicester  39^ 

Leominster  80 

Lichfield  18 

Lincoln 91| 

Liverpool 97^ 

Llanberis 143 

Llandudno   123 

Llanelly    167^ 

Llangollen    72^ 

Llanrwst  131 

Llanymynech  69 

London 113 

Longton    48 

Loughborough 50 

Lowestoft 201 

Ludlow 69J 

Lydney   79 

Lye  Waste    IDA 

Lynn 135" 

Macclesfield 66 

Machynllyth    101 

Maidenhead...  105  J 

Maidstone    175| 

Malvern  (Great)  ...     36^ 

Manchester 85 

Margate    187 

Market     Bosvvortli     27^ 
Market  Drayton  ...     48 
Market      Harboro'     46 

Marlborough    133^ 

Marston  Green 6^ 

Maryport 224 

Matlock  Bath  59 

Meuai  Bridge  136 

Merthyr    IIU 

Middlesbro' 176^ 

Milford  Haven 228 

Milverton 21 

Mold 87 

Monmouth  96^ 

Montrose 40l"" 

Moreton-in-Marsh       46 
Moseley    3| 


Miles. 

MnchWenlock 33 

Nantwich 56 

Neath   105i 

Netherton    8 

Newark     71^ 

Newcastle-on-Tyne  215 
Nwcstle-udr-Lyme     47^ 

Newmarket 126 

Newport  (Salop)...  39 

Newport  (Mon.)...  101 

Newton  Road  5 

Newton  Stewart ...  278 

Northallerton 160 

Northampton  49 

Northfield    8| 

North  Shields 21 6^ 

Norwich  181 

Nottingham     58 

Nuneaton 20 

Oakengates  28^ 

Oldburv    5* 

Oldham    85 

Olton     5 

Oswestry  62| 

Oxford  66 

Paisley 286 

Pelsali  11 

Pembroke  Dock  ...  175 

Penkridge     22| 

Peiimaenmawr 125 

Penrith 178 

Penzance  302 

Perry  Barr   4 

Penshore  43 1 

Perth     344 

Peterborough  96i 

Plymouth 222| 

Pontypool     90 

Port  Diiiorwic 139 

Portishead    105^ 

Portmadoc    134 

Portsmouth 162| 

Prestatyn 101 

Princes' End 94 

Prollheli   138 

Queen's  Ferry 82 

Ramsgate 192^ 

Reading    93 

Redcar  ..  189 

Redditch  17 

Reigate 138| 

Rhyl 105 


Miles. 
Riekmansworth  ...     98 

Rochdale  104^ 

Ross  70 

Rotherham  88 

Jiound  Oik  104 

Rowsley    63| 

Ruabon „ 67i 

Kugby  .•    30| 

Rugeley    21^ 

Runcorn   75 

Ruthin 116 

Ryde 160 

St.  Alban's  101 

St.  A«aph Ill 

St.  Helens    85^ 

St.  Leonard's  190-^ 

Sal  ford  Priors 28 

Silisbury 1574 

Saltburn  191" 

Sandbach ,...     58| 

Scarboro'  173 

Stlly  Oak 2^ 

Sliarpness 75 

Sheffield    79 

Shepton  Maliett  ...   152 

Shifnal 25 

Shrewsbyry 42 

Sliustoke 12 

Sniethwick 3^ 

Solihull     64 

Southampton  139 

Southport 1074 

South  Shields 209" 

Spon  Lane    44 

Stdlbrd    29" 

Stamford 72 

Stechford      3i 

Stirchley  Street  ...       3| 

Stirling     336 

Stockport 79 

Stoke 45^- 

Stokes  Bay  150 

Stourbridge      134 

Stourport      22 

Stranraer      301 

Stratfoid-on-Avon      26 

Stroud      70 

Sunderhnd  208 

Sutton  Coldfield  ...       7 

Swansea    156^ 

Swan  VilLige  5^ 

Swindon  100 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    13IUMINGHAM. 


57 


Miles. 

Tarn  worth    18 

Taunton    138^ 

Teignniouth 184 

Tenbury   38 

Tewkesbury 44^ 

Thirsk  Ifd 

Thrapstone  7o| 

Tipton  8 

Torquay    195^ 

Towcester 54 

Trefuant  113 

Trentham 43 

Trowbridge  128 

Truro    275| 

Tunbridge  Wells...  165 

Tunstall    47 

Tutbuvy    37 

Ulverstone   152 

Uppingham 61| 

Upton-on-Severn        49 

Uttoxeter 45^ 

Uxbridge 118 


Miles. 

WakelicM     lOlh 

Walliiigford 84| 

Walsall S 

Warminster 120 

Warrington 78 

AVarwick  21^ 

Water  Orton    7.^ 

Wediiesbury     8 

Wedncstiekl 12 

Woedon     ,..  42 

Welslipool    61 

Wellington  32 

Wells    123 

Wem 52 

West  Bromwich  ...  4 

Weston-supr-Mare  114 

Weymouth  191 

Whitacre  Junction  lOh 

Whitby    187"^ 

AVliitchurch 51 

Whitehaven 193 

Witrau  91 


Miles. 

Willenhall    11 

Willesdcn  Junction  1G7 

Wilnecoie 16^ 

Wincanton  130 

Wiiicliester  127 

Windermere 156 

Windsor    113 

Winson  Green 2^ 

Wirks  worth 56 

Witton 3^ 

Wolnirn  Sands     ...  70 

Wokingham     100 

Wolverhampton  ...  12 

Wolverton     60 

Worcester     27  J 

AVorthington    50 

Wrexham 72 

Wykle  Green    6 

Yarmouth     201 

Yeovil  152 

York 130i 


Dog's. — A  5s.  duty  on  dogs  came 
into  force  April  5,  1867  ;  raised  to 
7s.  6d.  in  June,  1878  ;  This  was  not 
the  first  tax  of  the  kind,  for  a  local 
note  of  the  time  says  that  in  1796  ' '  the 
fields  and  waters  near  the  town  were 
covered  with  the  dead  carcases  of  dogs 
destroyed  hy  their  owners  to  avoid  pay- 
ment of  the  tax."  The  amount  ])aid  per 
year  at  present  for  "dog  licenses"  in 
Birmingham  is  about  £1,800.  The 
using  of  dogs  as  beasts  of  burden  (com- 
mon enough  now  abroad)  was  put  a 
stop  to  in  London  at  the  end  of  Oct. 
1840,  though  it  was  not  until  1854  that 
the  prohibition  became  general.  Prior 
to  the  passing  of  the  Act  in  that  year, 
dogs  were  utilised  as  draught  a  imals 
to  a  very  great  extent  in  this  neigh- 
bourhood by  the  rag-and-bone  gather- 
ers, pedlars,  and  little  nierchants,  as 
many  as  180  of  the  poor  brutes  once 
being  counted  in  five  hours  as  passing  a 
certain  spot  on  the  Westbromwich 
Road.  Tliere  liave  teen  one  or  two 
"homes"  for  stray  dogs  opened,  but  it 
is  best  in  case  of  a  loss  of  tliis  kind  to 
give  early  information  at  the  nearest 
police  station,  ;.s  the  art  of  dog  steal- 
ing has  latterly  been  much  cultivated 
in  this  town,   and    it    should  be  coji- 


sidered  a  duty  to  one's  neighbour  to  aid 
in  putting  a  stop  thereto. 

Dog'  Shows. — The  first  local  Dog 
Show  was  held  in  1860,  but  it  was  not 
until  the  opening  in  Cnrzou  Hall, 
December  4,  1865,  that  the  Show  took 
rank  as  one  of  the  "yearly  institutions" 
of  the  town. — See  "  Exhibitions." 

Domesday  Books.— The  so-called 

Domesday  Bi'dc,  toinpiled  by  order  of 
William  the  Norman  Conqueror,  has 
always  been  considered  a  wonderful 
work,  and  it  must  have  taken  some 
years  compiling.  Some  extracts  touch- 
ing upon  the  holders  of  laud  in  this 
neighbourhood  have  already  been 
given,  and  in  a  sen-e  they  are  very 
interesting,  showing  as  they  do  the 
then  Ijarrenness  of  the  land,  and  the 
paucity  ot  inhabitants.  Though  in 
Henry  VIII. 's  reign  an  inventory  of  all 
properties  in  the  h;inds  of  Churchmen 
was  taken,  it  did  not  include  the 
owners  of  land  in  general,  and  it  was 
not  till  Mr.  John  Bright  in  1873  moved 
for  the  Returns,  that  a  complete 
register  of  the  kind  was  made.  It 
would  not  be  easy,  even  if  space  could 
be  i;iven  to  it,  t.)  give  the  list  of  in- 
dividuals, companies,  and  corporation 


58 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    op    BIRMINGHAM. 


who  claim  to  be  possessors  of  tlie  land 
we  live  on  in  Birin'ngliam  and  neigh- 
bourhood ;  but  a  summary  including 
the  owners  in  this  and  adjoining 
counties  may  be  worth  preserving. 
As  will  be  seen  by  the  annexed  figures, 
Warwick  and  Stafford  rank  hii,'h  in 
tlie  list  of  counties  having  large  num- 
bers of  small  owners  (small  as  to  extent 
of  ground,  though  often  very  valuable 
from  the  erections  thereon).  There 
can  be  no  doubt  that  the  Freehold 
Land  and  Building  Societies  have  had 
much  to  do  with  tnis,  and  as  Birming- 
ham was  for  years  the  headquarters  of 
these  Societies,  the  fact  of  there  being 
nearly  47,000  persons  in  the  county 
(out  of  a  total  population  of  634,189) 
who  own  small  plots  under  one  acre, 
speaks  well  for  the  steady  perseverance 
of  the  Warwickshire  lads.  That  we 
are  not  wrong  in  coming  to  this  con- 
clusion is  shown  by  the  fact  that  leav- 
ing out  the  Metropolitan  Counties, 
Warwick  heads,  in  this  respect,  all  the 
shires  in  the  kingdom. 

Warwickshire. 

Extent  Gross 

of  estimated 
lands,  rentil. 
Owners  of       Nuiiibr.  Acres   £ 

Less  tlian  1  acre 46804   &8S3  1S0SS97 

1  acre  and  under  10  195(5   7727   93792 

10  acres    „    ^0    13'2S  31485  114243 

50  ,,      ,,    100   447  31904   7617S 

100  „      „    500   t)67  137372  398625 

500   ,      ,,   1000    82  55542  134005 

1000  ,,      ,,   2000    47  675S5  208718 

2000  „      „   5000    34  100185  275701 

5000  „      ,,  10000    8  .53380   90848 

10000  „      ,,  20000    4  49953   74085 

No  areas  given 49   —   43205 

Total 51516  541021  3318303 

St.\ffordshire. 

Less  than  la  ore 33672  4289  974133 

1  acre  and  under  10  4062  14164  252714 

10  acres    ,,     50  1891  44351  224505 

50  ,,      ,,    100  544  39015  124731 

100  ,,      „    500  557  111891  381083 

500  „      „   1000  90  62131  177372 

1000  „      „   2000  79  70637  278562 

2000  „      ,,   50  0  28  90907  219792 

5000  ,,     „  10000  13  8251)0  13666S 

10000  „     ,,  21000  7  96700  212526 

20000  „      ,,  50000  1  21433  41560 

No  areas  given 2456  —  606552 

No  rentals  returned ....  1  2  — 

Total 43371  6380S4  3630254 


Worcestershire. 


1  acre  and  r 

inder  10 

2790 

10136 

151922 

10  acres   , 

50 

1305 

31391 

1.38517 

50  „ 

100 

457 

32605 

92257 

100  „ 

500 

589 

118187 

258049 

500  „ 

,   1000 

66 

46420 

122817 

1000  „ 

,   2000 

34 

46794 

89267 

2000  „ 

,   50:JO 

25 

78993 

131886 

5000  ,, 

,  10000 

5 

33353 

54611 

10000  „ 

,  20000 

3 

38343 

88703 

No  areas  given 

522 

— 

-112107 

Total 21S04  441061  1685735 

DuddestOll  Hall,  and  tlie  Holte 
Family.— The  first  record  of  this 
family  we  have  is  towards  the  close  of 
the  thirteenth  century  when  we  find 
mention  of  Sir  Henry  Holte,  whose 
son,  Hugh  del  Holte,  died  in  1322. 
In  1331  Simon  del  Holte,  styled  of 
Birmingham,  jiurchased  the  manor  of 
Nechells  "  in  consideration  of  xl  li  of 
silver."  In  1365  John  atte  Holte  pur- 
chased for  "forty  marks"  the  manor 
of  Duddeston,  and  two  years  later  he 
became  possessed  by  gift  of  the  manor 
of  Aston.  For  many  generations  the 
family  residence  was  at  Duddeston, 
though  their  burial  place  was  at  Aston, 
in  wliich  church  are  many  of  their 
monuments,  the  olde  t  being  that  of 
AVm.  Holte,  who  died  September  28, 
1514.  ThattlieHoltes,  though  untitled, 
were  men  of  mark,  may  be  seen  by  the 
brass  in  the  North  Aisle  of  Aston 
Church  to  the  memory  of  Thomas 
Holte,  "Justice  of  North  Wales,  and 
Lord  of  this  town  of  Aston,"  who  died 
March  23,  1545.  His  goods  and  chat- 
tels at  his  death  were  valued  at  £270 
6s.  2d. — a  very  large  sum  in  those 
days,  and  from  the  inventory  we  find 
that  the  Hall  contained  thirteen  sleep- 
ing apartments,  viz.,  "  the  chambur 
over  the  buttrie,  the  chappel  chambur, 
the  maydes'  chambur,  the  great  cham- 
bur, the  inner  chambur,  to  the  great 
chambur,  the  yatehouse  chambur,  the 
inner  chambur  to  the  same,  the  geston 
chambur,  the  crosse  chambur,  the  inner 
chambur  tothe  same,  the  dark's  chambur 
the  yoemen's  chambur,  and  the  hyne's 
chambur. "  The  other  apartments  were 
"the  hawle,  the  piece,  the  storehouse, 


SH0WELL8   DICTIONARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


59 


the  galarye,  the  butterye,  theketchyn, 
the  laiderhowse,  the  dey-howse,  the 
bakhowse,  the  bultinge  howse,  and  the 
yelingliowse," — tlie  "  chappell  "  being 
also  part  of  the  Hall.  The  principal 
bedrooms  were  hung  with  splendid 
hangings,  those  of  the  great  chamber 
being  "  of  gave  colors,  blewe  and 
vedde, "  the  other  articles  in  accordance 
tlierewilli,  the  contents  of  tliis  one  room 
being  valued  at  xiij  li.  xiv.  s.  iiijd. 
(£13  14s.  4d.)  The  household  linen 
comprised  "  22  daniaske  and  two  dia- 
pur  table  clothes "  worth  4s.  ;  ten 
dozen  table  napkins  (40s.)  ;  a  dozen 
"  fyne  towells,"  20s.  ;  a  dozen  "  course 
towells "  6s.  8d.  ;  thirty  pair  ''fyne 
shetes  "  £5  ;  twenty-three  pair  "  course 
shetes  "  £3  ;  and  twenty-.six  "pillow 
beres"  20/-.  The  kitchen  contained 
"  pottS;  chaforues,  skymmers,  skellets, 
cressets,  gredires,  frying  pannys,  ch- 
fying  dishes,,  a  brazon  niorter  with  a 
pestell,  stone  morters,  strykinge  knives, 
brocbes,  racks,  brandards,  cobberds, 
pot-hangings,  hocks,  a  rack  of  iron, 
bowles,  and  payles. "  The  live  stoclc 
classed  among  the  "moveable  goods, 
consisted  of  19  oxen,  28  kyne,  17 
young  beste,  24  young  calves,  12  gots, 
4  geldings,  2  mares,  2  naggs  and  a  colte, 
229  shepe,  12  swyne,  a  crane,  a  turkey 
cok,  and  a  heune  with  3  chekyns  " — 
the  lot  being  valued  at  £86  Os.  8d. 
Sir  Thomas's  nurriage  with  a  daughter 
of  the  Winnington's  brought  much 
property  into  the  family,  including 
lands,  &c. ,  "within  the  townes,  vil- 
lages, and  fields  of  Aston,  next 
Byrmynghaoi,  and  Wytton,  Mellton 
Moft'lberye  (in  Leicestershire),  Hanse- 
worthe  (which  lands  did  late  belonge 
to  the  dissolved  chambur  of  Aston), 
and  also  the  Priory,  or  Free  Chappell 
of  Byrmyughaui,  with  the  lands  and 
tenements  belonging  thereto,  within 
Byrmyngham  aforesaid,  and  the  lord- 
ship or  manor  of  the  same,  within  the 
lordship  of  Dudeston,  together  with 
the  lauds  and  tenements,  within  the 
lordship  of  Nechells,  Salteley,  some- 
time belonging  to  the  late  dissolved 
Guild  of  Deryteune,"  as  well  as  lands 


at  "  Horborne,  Haleshowen,  Noifielde 
and  Sinitliewicke. "  H^s  sou  Edward, 
who  died  in  1.592,  was  succeeded  by 
Sir  Thomas  Holte  (born  iu  1571  ;  died 
December,  1654),  and  the  most 
prominent  member  of  the  family. 
Being  one  of  the  deputation  to  wel- 
come James  I  to  England,  in  1603, 
he  received  the  honour  of  knighthood  ; 
in  1612  lie  purchased  an  "Ulster 
baronetcy,"  at  a  cost  of  £1,095  [this 
brought  the  "red  hand"  into  his 
shield]  ;  and  in  1599  he  purchased  the 
rectory  of  Aston  for  nearly  £2,000. 
In  April,  1618,  he  commenced  the 
erection  of  Aston  Hall,  taking  up  his 
abode  tliere  in  1631,  though  it  was 
not  finished  till  April,  1635.  In  1642 
he  was  honoured  with  the  presence  of 
Charles  I.,  who  stopped  at  the  Hall 
Sunday  and  MondiV,  October  16 
and  17.  [At  the  battle  of  Edge  Hill 
Edward  Holt,  the  eldest  son,  was 
wounded — he  died  from  fever  on  Aug. 
28,  1643,  during  the  siege  of  Oxford, 
aged  43]  The  day  after  Christmas, 
1643,  the  oLl  squire  was  besieged  by 
about  1,200  Parliamentarians  from 
Birminghana  (with  a  few  soldiers), 
but  having  procured  forty  musketeers 
from  Dudley  Castle,  he  held  the  Hall 
till  the  third  day,  when,  i  aving  killed 
sixty  of  his  assuilants  and  lost  twelve 
of  his  own  men,  he  surrendered.  The 
Hall  was  plundered  and  he  was  im- 
prisoned, and  what  with  fines,  confisca- 
tions, and  compounding,  his  lovalty 
appearstohavecosthiin  nearly  £20,000. 
Sir  Thomas  had  15  children,  but  out- 
lived them  all  save  one.  He  was 
succeeded  iu  his  title  by  his  grandson, 
Sir  Robert,  who  lived  iu  very  straight- 
ened circumstances,  occasioned  by  the 
family  s  losses  during  the  Civil  War, 
but  by  whose  marriage  with  the 
daugliter  of  Lord  Brereton  the  Cheshire 
property  came  to  his  children.  He 
died  Oct.  3,  1679,  agi  d  54,  and  was 
followed  by  Sir  Cliarles,  who  had 
twelve  children  and  lived  tillJuce  15, 
1722,  his  son.  Sir  Clobery,  dying  iu  a 
few  years  after  (Oct.  24,  1729).  Sir 
Lister  Holte,  the  next  barouet,  had  no 


60 


SHOWBLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


issue,  though  twico  married,  and  lie  was 
succeeded  (April  8,.  1770),  by  his  bro- 
ther, Sir  Charles,  witli  whom  the  title 
expired  (March  12,  1782),  the  principal 
estates  going  with  his  daughter  and 
only  child,  to  the  Bracebridge  family, 
as  well  as  a  dowrv  of  £20,000.  In 
1817,  an  Act  of  Parliament  was  ob- 
tained for  the  settlement  and  part  dis- 
posal of  the  whole  of  the  property  of 
this  time-honoured  and  wealthy  fam- 
ily— the  total  acreage  being  8,914a.  2r. 
23p  ,  and  the  then  aunual  rental 
£16,557  Os.  9d.— the  Aston  estate 
alone  extending  from  Prospect  Row  to 
beyond  Erdington  Hall,  and  from 
Nechells  and  Saltley  to  the  Custard 
House  and  Hay  Mill  Brook.  Several 
claims  have  been  put  forward  by  colla- 
teral branches,  both  to  the  title  and 
estates,  but  the  latter  were  finally  dis- 
posed of  in  1849,  when  counsel's  opin- 
ion was  given  in  favour  of  the  settle- 
ments made  by  Sir  Lister  Holte,  which 
enabled  the  property  to  be  disposed  of. 
The  claimants  to  the  title  have  not  yet 
proved  their  title  thereto,  sundry 
registers  and  certificates  of  ancient 
baptisms  and  marriages  being  still 
wanting. 

Duddeston  Wai'd    Hall,— The 

name  tells  what  it  is  for.  The  first 
stone  was  laid  Dee.  15,  1877  ;  it  was 
opened  June  1,  1876  ;  will  seat  about 
300,  and  cost  £3,500,  which  was  fouuii 
by  a  limited  Co. 

Dungeon.— This  very  appropri- 
ate name  was  given  to  the  old 
gaol  formerly  existing  in  Peck 
Lane.  A  writer,  in  1802,  described 
it  as  a  shocking  place,  the  establish- 
ment cousi-ting  of  one  day  room, 
two  underground  dungeons  (in  wliich 
sometiir.es  half-a-dozen  persons  had  to 
sleep),  and  six  or  seven  night-rooms 
some  of  them  constructed  out  of  the 
Gaoler's  stables.  The  prisoners  were 
allowed  4d.  per  day  for  bread  and 
cheese,  which  they  liad  to  buy  from 
the  keeper,  who,  having  a  beer  license, 
allowed  outsiders  to  drink  with  his 
lodgers.  This,  and  the  fact  that  there 
was"  but  one  day  room   for  males  and 


females  alike,  leaves  but  little  to  be 
imagined  as  to  its  horrible,  filthy  con- 
dition. Those  who  could  afford  to  pay 
2s.  6d,  a  week  were  allowed  a  bed  in 
the  gaoler's  house,  but  had  to  put  up 
with  being  chained  by  each  wrist  to  the 
sides  of  the  bedsteads  dl  night,  and 
thus  forced  to  lie  on  their  backs.  Tlie 
poor  wretches  pigged  it  in  straw  on 
tlie  floors  of  the  night  rooms.  See  also 
^^  Gaols"  and  '"'  'risons." 

Dwarfs. — The  first  note  we  have  of 
the  visit  here  of  one  of  these  curiosities 
of  mankind  is  that  of  Count  Borulaw- 
ski,  in  1783  :  though  but  39  inches 
high  it  is  recorded  that  he  had  a  sister 
who  could  stand  under  his  arm.  The 
next  little  one,  Manetta  Stocker,  a 
native  of  Austria,  came  here  in  1819, 
and  remained  with  us,  there  being  a 
tombstone  in  St.  Philip's  churchyard 
bearing  this  inscription  : — 

In  Memory  of  Manetta  Stocker, 

Who   quitted    this    life   the    fourth   day    of 

May,  1819,  at  the.  age  of  thu'ty-nine 

years. 

The  smallest  woman  in  this  kingdom, 

and  one  of  the  most  accomplished. 

She  was  not  more  than  thirty-three  inches 

high. 

She  was  a  native  of  Austria. 

General  Tom  Thumb  (Charles 
Stratton)  was  exhibited  at  Dee's  Royal 
Hotel,  in  Se()tember,  1844.  when  he 
was  about  ten  years  old,  and  several  times 
after  renewed  the  acquaintance.  He 
was  31  inches  high,  and  was  married 
to  Miss  Warren,  a  lady  of  an  extra 
inch.  The  couple  had  ofl'spring,  but 
the  early  death  of  the  chiUlput  an  end 
to  Barnura  s  attempt  to  create  a  race  of 
dwarfs.  Tom  Thumb  died  in  June 
1883.  General  Mite  who  was  exhibited 
here  last  year,  was  even  smaller  than 
Torn  Thumb,  being  but  21  inches  in 
height.  Birmingham,  however,  need 
not  send  abroad  for  specimens  of  this 
kind,  "Robin  Goodfellow  " chronicling 
the  death  on  Nov.  27,  1878,  of 
a  poor  unfortunate  named  Thomas 
Field,  otherwise  the  "Man-baby," 
who,  though  twenty-four  years 
of  age,  was  but  30  inches  high 
and  weighed  little  over  201bs.,  and  who 


SriOWKLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIPMINGIIAM, 


61 


had  never  walked  or  talked.  The 
curious  in  such  matters  may,  on  warm, 
sunnj-  iiKirnints,  ocoasioiially  meet,  in 
the  noi^libourliood  of  Broms;,'rove 
Street,  a  very  intellifrent  little  man 
not  much  if  any  bigKCi'  than  the  cele- 
hrated  Tom  Thumb,  liut  who  has  never 
been  made  a  show  of. 

Dynamite    Manufaetupe.— See 

"Notable  Offences." 

Eap  and  Thpoat  Inflpmary.— 

See  "  Hosinfals." 

Earthquakes  are  not  of  such  fre- 
quent occurrence  in  this  country  as  to 
require  much  notice.  The  tirst  we  find 
recorded  (said  to  be  the  greatest  known 
here)  took  place  in  November,  1318  ; 
others  were  felt  in  this  country  in  May, 
1332  ;  A]>ril,  1,580  ;  November,  1775  ; 
November,  1779  ;  November,  1852, and 
October,  1S63. 

Easy  Row,  or  Easy  Hill,  as  Bas- 
kerville  deli^hte(i  to  call  the  spot  he 
had  chosen  for  a  residence.  "When  Mr. 
Hanson  was  ]ilanning  out  the  Town 
Hall,  there  were  several  large  elm  trees 
still  standing  in  Easy  Row,  by  the 
corner  of  Edmund  Street,  part  of  the 
trees  which  constituted  Baskerville's 
Park,  and  in  the  top  branches  of  which 
the  rooks  still  built  their  nests.  The 
entrance  to  Broad  Street  had  been  nar- 
row, and  bounded  by  a  lawn  enclosed 
with  posts  and  chains,  reaching  'to  the 
elm  trees,  but  the  increase  of  traffic  had 
necessitated  the  removal  (in  1838)  of 
thegrassplots  and  the  fencing,  though 
the  old  trees  were  left  until  1847,  by 
which  time  they  were  little  more  than 
skeletons  of  trees,  the  smoky  atmos- 
phere having  long  since  stoppsd  all 
growth. 

EeeentPies. — There  are  just  a  few 
now  to  be  .ound,  but  in  these  days  of 
heaven-sent  artists  and  special-born 
politicians,  it  would  be  an  invidious 
task  to  chronicle  their  doings,  or 
dilate  on  their  peculiar  idiosyucracies, 
and  we  will  only  note  a  few  of  the 
queer  characters  of  the  past,  leaving  to 
the  future  historian  the  fun  of  laugh- 


ing at  our  men  of  to-day.  In  1828  the 
man  of  mark  was  "Dandie  Parker,"  a 
well-to-do  seedsman,  who,  aping  Beau 
Brummel  in  gait  and  attire,  sought  to 
be  the  leader  ct  fashion.  lie  was 
rivalled,  a  little  while  after,  by  one 
Meyers,  to  see  whom  was  a  sight  worth 
crossing  the  town,  so  firm  and  spruce 
was  he  in  his  favourite  dress  of  white 
hat  and  white  trousers,  dark  green  or 
blue  coat  with  gilt  l)Uttons,  bulf  waist- 
coat, and  itiff  broad  white  neckcloth 
or  stock,  a  gold-headed  cane  always  in 
hand.  By     way      of    contrast     to 

these  worthies,  at  about  the 
same  period  (1828-30)  was  one 
"Muddlepate  Ward,"  the  head  of  a 
family  who  had  located  themselves  in 
a  gravel  jiit  at  the  Lozells,  and  who 
used  to  drive  about  the  town  with  an 
old  carriage  drawn  by  jiairs  of  doiike}^ 
and  ponies,  the  harness  being  composed 
of  Olid  pieces  of  old  rope,  and  the  whi]p 
a  hedgestake  with  a  bit  of  string,  the. 
■whole  turnout  being  as  remarkable  for 
dirt  as  the  first-named  ''  dandies  "  were 
for  cleanliness.  —  "Bill}'  Button"  was 
another  well-known  but  most  inoffen- 
sive character,  wlio  died  here  May  3, 
1838.  His  real  name  was  liever  pub- 
lished, but  he  belonged  to  a  good 
family,  and  early  in  life  he  had  lueen 
an  officer  iu  the  Navy  (sunie  of  his 
biographers  say  "a  commander"),  but 
lost  his  senses  when  returning  from  a 
long  voyage,  on  hearing  of  the  sudden 
death  of  a  young  lady  to  whom  he  was 
to  have  been  married,  and  he  always 
answered  to  her  name,  Jessie.  He 
went  about  singing,  and  the  refrain  of 
one  of  his  favourite  songs — 

"Oyster.s,  sir  !    Oysters,  sir  ! 

Oysters,  sir,  I  cry  ; 
Tliey  are  the  tinest  oysters,  sir, 

That  ever  you  could  buy.'" 

was  for  years  after  "Billy  Button's" 
death  the  nightly  "  cry  "  of  more  than 
one  peripatetic  shellfishmonger.  The 
peculiarity  that  obtained  for  the  poor 
fellow  his  soubriquet  of  "Billy  Button" 
arose  from  the  habit  he  had  of  sticking 
every  button  he  could  get  on  to  his 
coat,  which  at  his  death,    was  covered 


62 


SH0WBLL8    DICTIONARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


SO  thickly  (and  many  buttous  were  of 
rare  patterns),  that  it  is  said  to  ha%'e 
weighed  over  30',bs.  —  "Jemmy  the 
Rockman,"  who  died  here  in  Septem- 
ber, 1866,  in  his  85th  year, was  another 
well-known  figure  in  our  streets-  for 
many  years.  His  real  name  was  James 
Guidney,  and  in  the  course  of  asoldier's 
life,  he  had  seen  strange  countries,  and 
possibly  the  climates  had  not  in  every 
case  agreed  with  him,  for,  according 
to  his  own  account,  he  liad  been  fa- 
voured with  a  celestial  vision,  ami  had 
received  angelic  orders  no  longer  to 
shave,  &c.  He  obtained  his  living 
during  the  latter  portion  of  his  exis- 
tence by  retailing  a  medicinal  sweet, 
which  he  averred  was  good  for  all  sorts 
of  coughs  and  colds.— Robert  Sleath, 
in  1788,  was  collector  at  a  turnpike  gate 
near  Woi'cester,  and,  'tis  said,  made 
George  III.  and  all  his  retinue  pay  toll. 
He  died  herein  November,  1804,  when 
the  following  appeared  in  print :  — 

"  On  Wednesday  last,  old  Robert  Sleath 
Passed  thro'  the  turnpike  gate  of  Death, 
To  him  Death  would  no  toll  abate 
Who  stopped  the  King  at  Wor'stergate." 

EclipS8S,  more  or  less  partial,  are 
of  periodical  occurrence,  though  many 
are  not  observed  in  this  country. 
Malmesbury  wrote  of  one  in  1410, 
when  people  were  so  frightened  that 
they  ran  out  of  their  houses.  Jan.  12, 
1679,  there  was  an  eclipse  so  comiilete 
that  none  could  read  at  i;oon(lay  when 
it  occurred.  May  3,  1715,  gave 
another  instance,  it  being  stated  that 
the  stars  could  be  seen,  and  that  the 
birds  went  to  roost  at  mid-day.  The 
last  total  eclipse  of  the  sun  observed 
by  our  local  astronomers  (if  Birming- 
ham had  such  "  plants  ")  occurred  on 
May  22,  1724.  An  account  of  the  next 
one  will  be  found  in  the  Daily  Mail,  of 
August  12,  1999.  Oa  August  17, 
1868,  there  was  an  eclipse  of  the  sun 
(though  not  noticeable  here)  so  perfect 
that  its  light  was  hidden  for  six 
minutes,  almost  the  maximum  possible 
interval,  and  it  may  be  centuries  be- 
fore it  occurs  again. 


Economy. — Our  grandfathers,  and 
their  fathers,  practised  economy  in 
every  way  possible,  even  to  hiring  out 
the  able-bodied  poor  who  had  to  earn 
the  cost  of  their  keep  by  spinning 
worsted,  &c. ,  and  they  thought  so 
much  of  the  bright  moonlight  that 
they  warehoused  the  oil  lamps  inten- 
ded for  lighting  the  streets  for  a  week 
at  a  time  when  the  moon  was  at  its 
full,  and  never  left  them  bmuiing  after 
eleven  o'clock  at  other  times. 

Edg"baston. — The  name  as  written 
in  the  earliest  known  deeds,  was  at 
first  Celbalilston,  altered  as  time  went 
on  to  Eggebaldston,  Eggehaston,  and 
Eiigbaston.  How  long  the  family 
held  the  manor  before  the  Conquest  is 
unknown  ;  but  when  Doniesilay  Book 
was  written  (1086),  the  occupying 
tenant  was  one  Drogo,  who  had  two 
hides  of  land  and  half  a  mile  of  wood, 
worth  20s.  ;  325  acres  were  set  down  as 
being  cultivated,  though  there  were 
only  ten  residents.  Tlie  Edgbastons 
helil  it  from  the  lords  of  Birmingham, 
and  they,  in  turn,  from  the  lords  of 
Dudley.  Further  than  the  family 
records  the  place  has  no  history,  only 
100  years  ago  Calthorpe  Road  being 
nothing  but  a  fieldpath,  and  Church 
Road,  Vicarage  Road,  and  Westbourne 
Road  merely  narrow  lanes.  After  the 
opening  up  of  these  and  other  roads, 
building  sites  were  eagerly  sought  by 
the  more  moneyed  class  of  our  local 
magnates,  and  the  number  of  inhabit- 
ants now  are  sufficient  to  people  a  fair- 
sized  town.  In  1801  the  population 
was  under  1,000  ;  in  1811,  just  over 
that  number;  in  18fl,  it  was  9,269  ; 
in  1861,  12,900  ;  in  1871,  17,442,  and 
on  last  census  day,  29,951  ;  showing 
an  increase  of  more  than  1,000  a  year 
at  the  present  time  ;  while  what  the 
rentals  may  amount  to  is  only  known 
inside  "the  estate  office."  Some 
writers  say  that  tlie  parish  church 
dates  from  about  the  year  775.  The 
earliest  register  book  is  that  for  1635, 
which  escaped  the  notice  of  Cromwell's 
soldiers,  who  nearly  destroyed  the 
church  in  1648  ;  and  from  an  entry  in 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIliMlNGHAM. 


63 


the  register  of  St.  Sepulchre's  Cluirch, 
Northampton,  for  1659,  it  would 
appear  ttiat  there  were  collections 
made  towards  repairing  the  damage 
done  by  those  wortliies.  This  entry 
quaintly  st.ites  that  "  seven  shillings 
and  sixpence "  was  received  towards 
the  re{)airs  of  the  church  of  Edge 
Barston,  in  the  county  of  Warwick, 
adding  also  tliat  there  was  "never  a 
minister  in  the  said  parish." 

Edgfbaston  Hall.— The  last  of  the 
Edgbastons  was  a  lady  by  whose 
marriage  the  Mid<ilemores  came  into 
possession,  and  for  nearly  three 
hundred  years  the  old  house  echoed 
the  footsreps  of  their  descendants.  In 
the  troublous  times  of  the  Common- 
wealth, Edghaston  House  and  Church 
were  seized  by  Colonel  John  Fox,  the 
latter  bui)<ling  being  used  as  a  stable 
for  his  horses,  and  the  former 
garrisoned  by  the  soldiers  kept  there  to 
over-awe  tlie  gentry  and  loyal  subjects 
of  the  country,  to  whom  "  Tinker 
Fox,"  as  he  was  dubbed,  was  a  con- 
tinual terror.  This  worthy  carried  on 
so  roughly  that  even  the  "  Committee 
of  Safety"  (never  particularly  noted 
for  kindness  or  even  honesty)  were 
ashamed  of  him,  and  restored  the 
place  to  its  owner,  Robert  Middlemore, 
the  last  of  the  name.  By  the 
marriages  of  his  two  grand-daughters 
the  estate  was  divided,  but  the  portion 
including  the  manor  of  Edgbaston  was 
afterwards  purchased  by  Sir  Richard 
Gough,  Knight,  who  gave  £25,000  for 
it.  In  the  meantime  the  old  house 
liad  been  destroyed  by  those  peace- 
loving  Brums,  who,  in  December, 
1688,  razed  to  the  ground  the 
newl3'-built  Catholic  Church  and 
Convent  in  Masshouse  Lane,  their 
excuse  being  that  they  feared  the  hatred 
Papists  would  find  refuge  at  Edgbas- 
ton. Sir  Richard  (who  died  February 
9,  1727)  rebuilt  the  Manor  House 
and  the  Church  in  1717-18,  and  en- 
closed the  Park.  His  son  Henry  was 
created  a  Baronet,  and  had  for  his 
second  wife  the  only  daughter  of 
Reginald  Calthorpe,Esq.,  of  Elvetham, 


in  Hampshire.  Sir  Henry  Oough  died 
June  8,  1774,  and  his  widow  on  the 
13th  of  April,  1782,  and  on  the  latter 
event  taking  place,  tlieirson,  who  suc- 
ceeded to  tliH  estates  of  botli  his 
parents,  took  his  inotlier's  family  name 
of  Cdthorjie,  and  in  1793  was  created 
a  peer  under  the  title  of  Baron  Cal- 
thoipe,  of  Calthorpe,  county  Norfolk. 
Edghaston  Hall  has  not  been  occupied 
by  any  of  the  owners  since  the  decease 
of  Lidy  Gough,  1782. 

Edgbaston  Pool  covers  an  area  of 
twenty-two  acres,  tiiree  roods,  and 
thirty-six  poles. 

Edg-baston  Street.— One  of  the 

most  ancient  streets  in  the  Borough, 
having  been  the  original  road  from  the 
parish  church  and  the  Manor-house  of 
the  fiords  de  Bermingham  to  their 
neighbours  at  Edgbaston.  It  was  the 
first  paved  street  of  the  town,  and  the 
chosen  residence  of  the  principal  and 
most  wealthy  burgesses,  a  fact 
proved  by  its  being  known  in  King 
John's  reign  as  "  Egebaston  Strete,'" 
the  wori.le  "  strete "  in  those  days 
meaning  n  ])aved  way  in  cities  or  towns. 
This  is  fufthei  shown  by  the  small 
plots  into  which  the  land  was  divided 
and  the  number  of  owners  named  from 
time  to  time  in  ancient  deeds,  the 
yearly  rentals,  even  in  Henry  VIII's 
time  being  from  3s.  to  5s.  per  year. 
At  the  back  of  the  lower  side  of  Eilg- 
baston  Street,  were  several  tanneries, 
there  being  a  stream  of  water  running 
from  the  moat  round  the  Parsonage- 
house  to  the  Manor-house  moat,  the 
watercourse  being  now  known  as  Dean 
Street  and  Smitli field  Passage. 

Eleetpie  Light.— The  light  of  the 
future.  The  first  public  exhibition  of 
lighting  by  electricity,  was  introduced 
by  Maccabe,  a  ventriloijuial  entertainer 
of  the  public,  at  the  entrance  of  Cur- 
zon  Hall,  September  30,  1878.  On  the 
28th  of  the  following  month,  the 
noveltyappearedatthe  Lower  Grounds, 
on  the  occasion  of  a  football  match  at 
night,  the  kick  off  and  lighting-np 
taking  place  at  seven  o'clock.     At  the 


64 


SHO well's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


last  Musical  Festival,  the  Town  Hall 
was  lit  up  by  Messrs.  Whitfield,  of 
Cambridge-street,  and  the  novelty  is 
no  longer  a  rarity,  a  company  having 
been  formed  to  supply  the  houses, 
shops,  and  public  buildings  in  the 
centre  of  the  town. 

Electro  Plate.— As  early  as  18.38, 
Messrs.  Elkington  were  in  the  habit  of 
coating  ornanient.-:  with  gold  and  silver 
by  dipping  them  in  various  solutions  of 
those  metals,  and  the  first  patent  taken 
out  for  the  electro  process  apjiears  to 
he  that  of  July  6,  1838,  for  covering 
copper  and  brass  with  zinc.  Mr.  John 
Wright,  a  surgeon,  of  this  town,  was 
the  first  to  use  the  alkaline  cyanides, 
and  the  process  was  included  in  Elkiiig- 
ton's  patent  of  March  25,  1840_.  The 
use  of  electricity  from  magnets  instead 
of  the  voltaic  battery  was  |iatented  by 
J.  S.  AVolrich,  in  August,  1842.  His 
father  was  probably  the  first  person 
who  deposited  metals  for  any  practical 
T)urpose  by  means  of  the  galvanic 
battery.  Mr.  Elkington  applied  the 
electro-deposit  process  to  gilding  and 
silvcrplating  in  1840.— See  "  Trades," 
.{•c, 

Electoral  Returns.— See  "Par- 
liamentary. " 

Emigration.— In  August,  1794, 
Mr.  Russell,  of  Moor  Green,  and  a 
magistrate  fur  the  counties  of  Warwick 
and'Worcester,  with  his  two  brothers 
and  their  families,  Mr.  Humphries,  of 
Camp  Hill  Villa,  with  a  number  of  his 
relatives,  and  over  a  hundred  other 
Birmingham  families  emigrated  to 
America.  Previous  to  this  date  Me  have 
no  record  of  anything  like  an  emigra- 
tion movement  horn  this  town,  though 
it  is  a  matter  of  history  how  strenu- 
ously Matthew  Boultonandothermanu- 
facturers  exerted  themselves  to  2}rerent 
the  emigratioTi  of  artisans  and  work- 
people, fearing  that  our  colonies  would 
be  enriched  at  the  expense  of  the 
mother  country.  How  sadly  the  times 
were  changed  in  1840,  may  be  imagined 
from  the  fact  that  when  free  passages 
to  Australia  were  first  being  offered,  no 


lass  than  10,000  persons  applied  un- 
successfully from  this  town  and  neigh- 
bourhood alone.  At  the  present  time 
itis  calculated  that  passages  toAmerica, 
Canada,  Australia,  &c. ,  are  being  taken 
up  here  at  an  average  of  3,000  a  year. 

Erdington. — Another  of  theancient 
places  (named  in  the  Domesday  Book  as 
Hardingtone)  surrounding  Birmingham 
and  which  ranked  as  high  in  those 
days  of  old,  though  now  but  like  one 
of  our  suburbs,  four  miles  on  the  road 
to  Sutton  Coldfield.  Erdington  Hall, 
in  the  reign  of  Henry  II.,  was  the 
moated  and  fortified  abode  of  the  family 
of  that  name,  and  their  intermarriages 
with  the  De  Berminghams,  &c.,  con- 
nected them  with  our  local  history  in 
many  wa3^s.  Though  the  family, 
according  to  Diigdaleand  others,  had  a 
chapel  ot  their  own.  the  hamlet 
appertained  to  the  parish  of  Aston,  to 
tlie  mother  church  of  which  one  Heniy 
de  Erdington  added  an  isle,  and  the 
family  arms  long  appeared  in  the 
heralilric  tracery  of  its  windows. 
Erdington  Church  (St.  Barnabas)  was 
built  in  1823,  as  a  cluipel  of  ease  to 
Aston,  and  it  was  not  until  1858  that 
the  district  was  formed  into  a  separate 
and  distinct  ecclesiastical  parish,  the 
vicar  of  Aston  being  the  patron  of  the 
living.  In  addition  to  the  chapel  at 
Oscott,  the  Catholics  have  here  one 
of  the  most  handsome  places  of  wor- 
ship in  the  district,  erected  in  1850 
at  a  cost  of  over  £20,000,  a  Monas- 
tery, &c. ,  being  connected  there- 
with. Erdington,  which  has  doubled 
its  population  within  the  last 
twenty  years,  has  its  Public  Hall  and 
Literary  Institute,  erected  in  1864, 
Police  Station,  Post  Office,  and  several 
chapels,  in  addition  to  the  almshouses 
and  orphanage,  erected  by  Sir  Josiah 
Mason,  noticed  in  another  part  of  this 
work.  See  also  ^'  Pojndat ion  Tables," 
&c. 

Estate  Agents.— For  the  purposes 
of  general  business,  Kelly's  Directory 
will  be  found  the  best  reference.  The 
office  for  the  Calthorpe  estate  is  at  65 


SnOWKUj/s    UICTIONAIIY    OK    lilHMINGllAM. 


65 


Hagley  Road  ;  tor  the  William  Dtulloy 
Trust  estates,  at  IinpeiiHl  Chambeis  B, 
Coliiioic  R')\v  ;  for  tl]e  Great  Westi^'ii 
Railway  pr-'ptirtiis at  103, Great  Charles 
Street  ;  tor  tlie  Heathfield  Estate  in 
Heathfii'M  R.md,  ILin(lsw.)rtli  ;  l;;r  the 
Hortoii  (Is;)ac)  properties  at  41,Golinore 
Row  ;  Sir  Joseph  Mason's  estate  at  the 
Orphanage,  Enliiigton. 

Exehangre.  — Corner  of  Stephenson 
Place  and  New  Street,  haviiify  a  front- 
age of  61  feet  to  the  latter,  ami  180  feet 
to  the  forjner.  The  foundation 
stone  was  laid  January  2,  1863,  the 
architect  beinj;  Mr.  Edward  Hohnes, 
and  the  building  was  opened  January 
2,  1865,  the  oric;inal  cost  beinc;  a  little 
under  £20,000.  It  has  since  been 
enlar>,'ed  (1876-78)  to  nearly  twice  the 
original  size,  under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
J.  A.  Chatwin.  The  property  and 
speculation  of  a  private  i-'ompany,  it 
was  (Dece'uher  2,  1830)  incorporated, 
under. the  Joint  Stock  Conii)anies'  Act, 
and  returns  a  fiir  dividend  on  the 
capital  expended.  In  addition  to  the 
Exchange  and  Chamber  of  Commerce 
proper,  with  the  usual  secretarial  and 
coniniittee  rooms  appertaining  thereto, 
refreshment,  billiard,  and  'etiring 
rooms,  &c  ,  there  is  a  large  assembly- 
room,  frequently aseil forbiUs,  I'oncerts, 
and  entertainments  of  a  public  c'larac- 
ter.  The  dimension?  of  the  principal 
hall  are  70  feet  length,  40  feet  width, 
with  a  height  of  23  feet,  the  a-seml)ly- 
room  above  being  same  size,  but  loftier. 
The  central  tower  is  110  feet  high,  the 
turret,  in  which  there  was  placed  a 
clock  made  by  John  lusluiw,  to  be 
moved  by  electro-magnetic  power  (but 
which  is  now  only  noted  for  its  incor- 
rectness), rising  some  45  feet  above  the 
cornice.  Other  portions  of  the  building 
are  let  off  in  offices. 

Excise.— It  is  but  rarely  the  Inland 
Revenue  authorities  give  the  public 
any  information  showing  the  amount 
of  taxes  gritliered  in  by  the  officials, 
and  the  return,  tlierefore,  for  the  year 
ending  ilarcli  31,  1879,  laid  before 
the  House  of  Commons,  is  worth  pre- 


serving, so  far  as  the,  Birmingham 
collection  goes.  Tlie  total  sutn  which 
passed  through  the  local  office 
amounted  to  £89,321,  the  various 
headings  under  wliich  the  payments 
were  entered,  being  :  —  Boer  dealers, 
£2,245  ;  baer  retaiieis,  £7,161  ;  spirit 
dealers.  £1,617  ;  spirit  retailers, 
£S,90l';  wine  dealers,  £874  ;  wine 
retailers,  £2  392;  brevver.s,  £9,518; 
maltsters,  £408  ;  dealers  in  roasted 
malt,  £17  ;  mauufartuiers  of  tobacco, 
£147;  dealers  in  tobacco,  £1,462; 
rectifiers  of  spirits,  £11  ;  makers  of 
methylated  spirits,  £10  :  retailers  of 
methylated  spirits,  £33  ;  vinegar 
makers,  £26 ;  chemists  and  others 
using  stills,  £4  ;  male  servants.  £1,094  ; 
dogs,  £1,786;  carriages,  £4,6i3  ; 
armorial  bearings,  £374  ;  guns,  £116  ; 
to  kill  game,  £1,523  ;  to  deal  in  game, 
£136  ;  refreslmient  houses,  £366  ; 
makers  and  dealers  in  sweets,  £18  ; 
retailers  of  sweets,  £42  ;  hawkers  and 
pedlars,  £68  ;  api)rais_;rs  and  house 
agents,  £132  ;  aucti.jueers,  £1,210  ; 
pawnbrokers,  £1,953  ;  dealers  in 
jilate,  £1,749;  gold  ami  silver  plate 
duty,  £17,691;  medicine  vendor.s, 
£66  ;  inhabited  hous^i  duty,  £21,533. 

The  E.'ccise  (or  Inland  Revenue) 
Offices  are  in  Waterloo  Street,  and  are 
open  daily  from  10  to  4. 

ExeUFSions.  — -Theannnal  trip  to  the 
seaside,  or  the  continent,  or  some  other 
attraciive  spot,  which  has  come  to 
be  considered  almost  an  essential 
necessary  (or  the  due  preservation  of 
health  and  the  sweetening  of  temper, 
was  a  thing  altogether  unknown  to  the 
old  folks  of  our  town,  who,  if  by 
chance  they  could  get  as  far  as  Lich- 
field, Worcester,  or  Coventry  once  in 
their  lives,  never  ceased  to  talk  about 
it  as  something  wonderful.  The 
''outing"  of  a  lot  of  factory  hands 
was  an  event  to  be  chronicled  in  Aris's 
Gazette,  whose  scribes  duly  noted  the 
horses  and  vehicles  (not  forgetting  the 
master  of  the  baud,  without  whom  the 
"  gipsy  party  "  could  not  be  completi), 
and  the  destination  was  seldom  indeed 
further    than  the  Lickey,  or  Marston 


66 


SHOWELl's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


Green,    or    at   rarer   intervals,  Sntton 
Coldfield  or  Ha<;ley.  Well-to-do  trades- 
men   and    en)]i]oyt:is    of    labour  were 
satisfied  with  a  tew  hours  spent  at  some 
oi'  the  old-style   Tea  Gardens,  or  the 
Grown   and    Cushion,   at  Perry    Barr, 
Aston  Cross  or  Tavern,  Kirby's,  or  the 
New    Inn,   at    Handsworth,  &c.     The 
Saturday      half-holiday       movement, 
winch   came   soon  after   the  introduc- 
tion of  the  railways,  may  be   reckoned 
as  starting   the   excursion  era  proper, 
and  the  first  Saturday  afternoon  trip 
(in  1854)  to  the  E  li  of  Bradford's,  at 
Castle    Bromwich,    was    an    eventful 
episode  even  in  the  life  of  George  Daw- 
son, who   accompanied    the    trippites. 
The  railway  trips  of  the  late  pHSt  and 
]iresent   seasons   are  beyond    enumera- 
tion, and  it  needs  not  to  be  said  that 
anyone  with  a  little  spare  cash  can  now 
be"  whisked    where'er    he   wills,  from 
John-o'-Groats  to  the  Land's  End,  for 
a  less  sum  than  our  fathers  paid  to  see 
the      Shrewsbury      Show,      or     Lady 
Godlva's  ride  at  Coventry.      As  it  was 
'a    new    deitarttire,"  and    for    future 
reference,   we  will  note  that   the  first 
five-shilling      Saturday-nigh  t-to-Mou- 
day-morning   trip  to  Llandudno  came 
oti'  on  August  14,  1880.     The   railway 
companies   do  not    fail  to  give  ample 
notice  of  all    long   excuisions,  and  for 
those  who  prefer  the  pleasant  ]>laces  in 
our  own  district,  theie  is  a  njost  inter- 
esting publication    to  be   had  ior  6d., 
entitlecl   "The  Birmingham    Saturday 
Half-holiday    Guide,"    wherein  much 
valuable   information  is  given  respect- 
ing the  nooks  and  corners  of  AVaiwick 
and   "Worcester,    and    their    hills  and 
dales. 

Executions. — In  1729  a  man  was 
hung  on  Gibbett  Hill,  site  of  Oscott 
College,  for  murder  and  highway  rob- 
bery. Catherine  Evans  was  hung 
February  8,  1742,  for  the  murder  of 
her  husband  in  this  town.  At  the 
Summer  Assizes  in  1773,  James  Duck- 
worth, hopfactor  and  grocer,  of  this 
town,  was  sentenced  to  death  for 
counterleiting  and  diminishing  the 
gold  coin.     He  was  supjiosed  to  be  one 


of   the   heaviest  men    in  the  cotinty. 
weighing  over  twentj'-four  stoue.      He 
diedstronglv  protesting  his  innocence, 
On    the  22ud    Nov.,     1780,     Wilfrid 
Barwick,    a   butcher,   was  robbed  and 
murdered   near  the  four  mile  stoue  on 
the  Coleshill  Road.     The  culprits  were 
two  soldiers,    named   John  Hammond 
(an   American  bj'  birth)  and  Thomas 
Pitmore  (a  native  of  Cheshire)  but  well 
known  as  "Jack  and  Tom,"'  drummer 
and  fifer  in  the  recruiting  service  here. 
They      were      brought      before      the 
magistrates  at  the  old  Public  Office  in 
Dale    End  ;  committed ;    and    in    due 
course  tried  and  sentenced  at  AVarwick 
to  be  hanged  and  gibbeted  on  Wash- 
wood  Heath,   near    the   scene   of    the 
murder.       The   sentence    was    carried 
out  April    2,    1781,   the  bodies  hang- 
ing   on   the  gibbet    in  chains  a  short 
time,    until  they  were  surreptitiously 
removed  by  some  hunianitariaii  friends 
who  did  not  approve  of  the  exhibition. 
What    became  of  the    bodies  was  not 
known  until  the  moining  of  Thursday, 
Jan.  20,    1842,    when    the  navvies   em- 
ployed on  the  Biimingham  and  Derby 
(now  ilidlaud)  railway  came  upon  the 
two  skeletons  still  environea  in  chains 
when  they  were  removing  a  quantity 
of      earth      for      tlie      embankment. 
The    skeletons     were    afterwards     re- 
interred    under    an    apple-iree    in    the 
garden  of  the  Adderley  Arms,  Saltley, 
and    the    gibbet-irons    were    taken  as 
rarities  to    the  Aston  Tavern,   where, 
possibly,  inquisitive  relic-mongers  may 
now   see    them.     Four    persons    were 
hung  for  highway  lobbery  near  Aston 
Park,    April    2,     1790.       Seven    men 
were  hung   at  Warwick,   in  1800,  for 
foigery,    and    one    for   sheep-stealing. 
The}'   hung   people  at  that   time    for 
crimes  which  are  now  punished  by  im- 
prisonment or  sliDn  periods  of  penal 
servitude,  but  there    n'as  little  mercy 
combined  with  the  justice  then,  and 
what  small  portion  there  happened  to 
be  was  never  doled  out  in  cases  where 
the  heinous  oll'enceof  forgery  had  been 
proved.  On  Easter  Monday  (April  19), 
1802,  there  was  another  hanging  match 


SHOWE[jLS    dictionary    ok    BIRMINGHAM. 


67 


at  Wasiiwood  Heath,  no  less  than  eight 
unfortunate  wretches  suffering  the 
penalty  of  the  law  for  committing 
forgeries  and  other  crimes  in  this 
neighbourhood.  There  would  seem  to 
have  been  some  little  excitement  in  re- 
spect to  this  wholesale  slaugiiter,  and 
perhaps  fears  of  a  rescue  were  enter- 
tained, for  tliere  were  on  guard  240  of 
the  King's  Dragoon  Guards,  then 
stationed  at  our  Barracks,  under  the 
command  ot  Lieut. -Col.  Toovej'  Haw- 
ley,  besides  a  detachment  sent  Irom 
Coventry  as  escort  with  the  prisoners. 
The  last  public  execution  here  under 
the  old  laws  was  that  of  Pliili[)  Mat- 
sell,  wlio  was  sentenced  to  be  hanged 
for  shooting  a  watchman  named  Twy- 
ford,  on  the  night  of  July  22,  1806. 
An  alibi  was  set  up  in  defence,  and 
though  it  was  unsuccessful,  circum- 
stances afterwards  came  to  light  tend- 
ing to  prove  that  though  llatsell  was 
a  desperado  of  the  worst  kind,  who  had 
long  kept  cleir  of  the  punishments  he 
had  deserved,  in  this  instance  he 
suffered  for  another.  There  was  a  dis- 
reputable gang  with  one  of  wiiom,Kato 
Pedley,  Matsell  had  formed  an  intimate 
connection,  who  had  a  grudge  against 
Twyford  on  account  of  his  interfering 
and  preventing  several  robberies  they 
had  planned,  and  it  is  said  that  it  was 
his  ]iaramour,  Kit  Pedley,  who  really 
shot  Twyford,  having  dressed  herself  in 
Matsell's  clothes  while  he  was  in  a  state 
of  drunkenness.  However,  he  was  con- 
victed and  brought  here  (Aug  23),  from 
Warwick,  sitting  on  his  coffin  in  an 
open  cart,  to  be  executed  at  the  bottom 
of  Great  Charles  Street.  The  scaffold 
was  a  rough  platform  about  ten  feet 
high,  the  gaIlo7/s  rising  from  the  centre 
thereof,  Matsell  having  to  stand  upon 
some  steps  while  the  rope  was  adjusted 
round  his  neck.  During  this  operation 
he  managed  to  kick  his  shoes  off  among 
the  crowd,  having  sworn  that  he  would 
never  die  with  his  shoes  on,  as  he  had 
been  many  a  time  told  would  be  his 
fate.  The  first  execution  at  Winson 
Green  Gaol  was  that  of  Henry  Kimber- 


ley  (March  17,  1885)  for  the  murder  ot 
MVs.  Palmer. 

Exhibitions.— It  has  long  been 
matter  of  wonder  to  intelligent 
foreigners  that  the  "  Toysho])  of  the 
World"  ("Workshop  of  the  World" 
would  be  nearer  the  mark)  has  never 
organised  a  permanent  exhibiiion  of 
its  myriad  manufactures.  Tliere  is  not 
a  city,  or  town,  and  hardly  a  country 
in  the  universe  that  could  better  build, 
fit  up,  or  furnish  such  a  place  than 
Ijirminghain  ;  and  unless  it  is  from  the 
short-sighted  policy  of  keeping  samples 
and  patterns  from  the  view  of  rivals  in 
trade — a  fallacious  idea  in  these  days  of 
commercial  travellers  and  town  agen- 
cies— it  must  be  acknowledgeii  our  mer- 
cliants  and  manufacturers  are  not 
kee[>ing  up  with  the  times  in  this  res- 
pect. Why  should  Birmingham  be 
without  its  Crystal  Palace  of  Indtistry 
when  there  is  hardly  an  article  used  by 
man  or  woman  (save  food  and  dress 
materials)  but  wiiat  is  made  in  her 
worksliops  ?  We  have  the  men,  we 
have  the  iron,  and  we  have  the  money, 
too  !  And  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  ere 
many  years  are  over,  some  of  our  great 
guns  will  see  their  way  to  construct  a 
local  Exliibition  that  shall  attract  peo- 
ple from  the  very  ends  of  the  earth  to 
this  "Mecca"  of  ours.  As  it  is,  from  the 
grand  old  days  of  Boultonand  his  won- 
derful Soho,  down  to  to-day,  there  has 
been  hardly  a  Prince  or  potentate,  white, 
black,  capper,  or  coffee  coloured,  who 
has  visited  England,  but  that  have 
come  to  peep  at  our  workshops,  mayor 
after  mayor  having  the  "  honour  "  to 
toady  to  them  and  trot  tliena  round 
the  back  streets  and  slums  to  where  the 
men  of  the  bench,  the  file,  and  the 
hammer  have  been  diligently  working 
generation  after  generation,  for  the 
fame  and  the  name  of  our  world-known 
town.  As  a  mere  money  speculation 
such  a  show-room  must  pay,  and  the 
first  cost,  though  it  might  "be  heavy, 
would  soon  be  recouped  by  the  influx 
of  visitors,  the  increase  of  orders,  and 
the  advancement  of  trade  that  would 
result.     There  luive  been  a  few  exhibi- 


68 


SHOWJJLl/S    OICTIONAKY    OK     lUKMlNGHAM. 


tioDs  lield  here  of  one  sort  and  another, 
but  nothing  on  the  plan  suggested 
above.  The  first  on  our  file  is  that 
held  at  tlie  Shakespeare  rooms  early 
in  1839,  wlien  a  few  good  pictures  and 
sundry  specimens  of  manufactures  were 
shown.  Tills  was  followed  by  the 
comprehensive  Mechanics'  Institute 
Exhibition  opened  in  NeAvhall  Street, 
December  19th,  same  year,  which 
was  a  success  in  every  way,  the 
collection  of  mechanical  models, 
macliinery,  chemical  and  scientific  pro- 
ductions, curiosities,  &c. ,  bsing  exten- 
sive and  valuable  ;  it  remained  open 
thirteen  weeks.  In  the  following  year 
this  exhibition  was  revived  (August 
11,  1840),  but  so  far  as  the  Institute, 
for  whose  benefit  it  was  intended,  was 
concerned,  it  had  been  better  if  never 
held,  for  it  proved  a  loss,  and  only 
helped  towards  the  collapise  of  the  In- 
stitute, which  closed  in  1841.  Railway 
carriages  and  tramcars  propelled  by 
electricity  are  the  latest  wonders  of 
1883  ;  but  just  three-and-forty  years 
back,  one  of  our  townsmen,  Mr.  Henry 
Shaw,  had  invented  an  "electro- 
galvanic  railway  carriage  and  tender," 
which  formed  one  of  the  attractions  of 
this  Exhibition.  It  weut  very  well 
until  injured  hy  (it  is  supposed)  some 
spiteful  nincompoop  who,  not  having 
the  brain  to  invent  anything  himself, 
tried  to  prevent  others  doing  so.  The 
next  Exiiibition,  or.  to  be  more  strictly 
correct,  "  Exposition  of  Art  and  Manu- 
factures," was  held  in  the  old  residence 
of  the  Lloyd's  family,  known  as 
Bingley  House,  standing  in  its  own 
grounds  a  little  back  from  Broa<l  Street, 
and  on  the  site  of  the  present  l>ingley 
Hall.  This  was  in  1849,  and  from 
the  fact  of  its  being  visited  (Nov.  12) 
by  Prince  Albert,  who  is  generally  cre- 
dited with  being  the  originator  of  Inter- 
national Exhibitions,  it  is  believed  that 
here  he  obtained  the  first  ideas  which 
led   to   the   great    "  World's  Fair  "  of 


1851,  ill  Hyde  Park. — Following  the 
opening  of  Aston  Hall  hy  Her  Majesty 
in  18.58,  !nany  gentlemen  of  position 
placed  tlieir  treasures  of  art  and  art 
manufacture  at  the  dispo.^al  ot  the 
Committee  for  a  time,  and  the  result 
was  the  collecting  together  of  so  rich  a 
store  tliat  the  London  papers  pro- 
nounced it  to  be  after  the  "Great 
Exhibition  "  and  the  Manchester  one, 
the  most  successful,  both  as  regarded 
contents  and  attendance,  of  any  Exhi- 
bition therebefore  held  out  of  the 
Metropolis.  There  were  specimens  i>f 
some  of  the  greatest  achievements  in 
tiie  arts  of  painting,  sculpture,  porce- 
lain and  pottery,  carving  and  enamel- 
ling ;  ancient  and  modern  nietalwork, 
rich  old  furniture,  armour,  &c  ,  that 
had  ever  been  gathered  togetlier,  and 
there  can  be  little  doubt  that  tlie 
advance  which  has  since  taken  place  in 
the  scientific  and  artistic  trade  cii-cles 
of  the  town  spring  in  great  measure 
from  this  Exhibition. — On  the  28th  of 
August,  1865,  an  Industrial  Exiiibition 
was  o}icned  at  Bingley  Hall,  and  so  far 
as  attendance  went,  it  must  take  first 
rank,  160,645  visitors  having  pas.-ed 
the  doors. 

A(jricullm'al  Exhibitions. — The  Bir- 
mingliam  Agricultural  Exhibition  So- 
ciety, who  own  Ijiiigley  Hall,  is  the 
same  body  as  the  old  Cattle  Show 
Society,  the  modern  name  being  adopted 
in  1871.  As  stated  elsewhere,  the  first 
Cattle  Show  was  held  in  Kent  Street, 
Dec.  10,  1849;  tlie  second  in  Binglej' 
Hall,  which  was  erected  almost  solely 
for  the  purposes  of  this  Society,  and 
here  they  have  acquired  the  name  of 
being  the  best  in  tlie  kingdom.  To 
give  the  statistics  of  entries,  sales,  ad- 
missions, and  receipts  at  all  the  Shows 
since  1849,  would  take  more  space  than 
can  be  afforded,  and  though  the  totals 
would  give  an  idea  of  the  immense  in- 
fluence such  Exhibitions  must  have  on 
the  welfare  and  prosperity  of  the  agri- 
cultural community,  the  figures  them- 
selves would  be  but  dry  reading,  and 
those  for  the  past  few  years  will 
suffice. 


SllOWfil.l/s    UlcriO.VAIlY    OF    BimUNGUAM. 


69 


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111  addition  to  the  Christmas  Cattle 
Show,  the  Society  commenced  in 
March,  1869,  a  xeparate  exhibition 
and  sale  of  pure-bred  shorthorns, 
more  than  400  beasts  of  this  class 
being  sent  every  year.  Indeed,  the 
last  sliow  IS  said  to  have  been  tlie 
liirgest  ever  held  in  any  country.  Tlie 
value  of  the  medals,  cups,  and  prizes 
awarded  at  tliese  cattle  shows  averages 
nearly  £2,400  per  year,  many  of  them 
being  either  subscribed  for  or  given  by 
local  iiinis  and  geiitienien  interested  in 
the  breeding  or  rearing  of  live  stock. 
One  of  the  principal  of  these  prizes  is 
the  Elkiiigtoii  Clialienge  Cup,  valued 
at  100  guineas,  whicli,  after  being  won 


by  various  e.xhilutors  during  the  past 
ten  years,  was  secured  at  the  last  show 
bj-  Mr.  John  Price,  who  had  fultilled 
the  requirements  of  the  donors  by 
winning  it  three  times.  Messrs. 
p]ikiiigton  &  Co.  have  most  liberally 
given  another  cup  of  tlie  sinie  value. 
In  1876,  for  the  first  time  since  its 
establishment  in  1839,  the  Royal 
Agricultural  Society  held  its  exhibi- 
tion here,  the  ground  allotted  for  its 
use  being  seventy  acres  at  the  rear  of 
Aston  Hall,  twenty-five  acres  being 
part  of  the  Park  itself.  That  it  was 
most  successful  may  be  gathered  from 
the  fact  that  over  265,000  persons 
visited  the  show,  which  lasted  from 
July  19th  to  24th. 

Poultry  forms  part  of  the  Bingley 
Hall  E.vhibition,  and  numerically  the 
largest  portion  thereof,  as  per  the  table 
of  entries,  which  is  well  worth  pre- 
serviiiiT  also  for  showing  when  new 
classes  of  birds  have  been  first  penned  : 

1876  177  1'7S  179  I'SO  I'Sl  1'82 
Brahma  Pootras  407  2.58  300  37(5  362  4::i)  429 

Doi'kiiit;s 167  178  220  209  194  238  277 

Cocliiii   331  415  412  433  421  431  412 

Laiigshaus    —     —    —    49     60    49    47 

Malay     03     38    49     47     48     3.>     43 

Oreve  Ccem- 93  117    94    38    28     33     24 

Uoiuiaiis  --     — •    —    66    65    54    71 

La  Fleche —     —     —    — ■    —    —     12 

Spani.sli 48     33     45     27     32     31     37 

Aiicialusians. . . .     —      —     —     10     23     29     4.H 

Legliorns —      -    —    25     12    20    17 

Plymouth  Rocks    ——    —     —    —     17     20 

MiiKiicas —     —      7      8      6      0      3 

P.ilisli     78     70     9.S     91     S3     98     03 

Kultaiis —     —    —       6       7       8      6 

Silkies    ______     n       ~ 

Game 351  341  314  241  267  287  353 

A.seels    —     —    —    27     28    20    11 

HamlmfL-lis 148  175  145  159  129  141  1,53 

OMuM- iirei-.ls  ..  35  47  126  20  20  21  7 
Si'lliiii.;Class(.-s..     —     —    _      00     90     03  102 

Baiitam.s   05     63     82     70  105     00  105 

Ducks    100  102  115  137  103  144  141 

Geese     21     21     31     22     31     21     23 

Turkeys     05     90     52     82     67     81     00 

Pigeons 670  629  715  702  815  903  838 

Total ■ — • 

2072  -2.109  2H73  2809  30(V2  3316  3S2J 

Fanciers  give  wonderfully  strange 
j)rices  sometimes.  Cochin  China  fowls 
had  but  lately  been  introduced,  and 
were  therefore  "the  rage"  in  1851-2. 
At  the  Poultry  Show  in  the  latter  year 


70 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


a  pair  of  these  birds  were  sold  for  £30, 
and  at  a  sale  by  auction  afterwards 
two  prize  birds  were  knocked  down  at 
£40  each  :  it  was  said  that  the  sellers 
crowed  louder  than  the  roosters. 

Fine  Art. — The  first  exhibition  of 
pictures  took  place  in  1814,  and  the 
second  in  1827.  In  addition  to  the 
Spring  and  Autumn  Exhibitions  at  the 
New  Street  Rooms,  there  is  now  a 
yearl}'  show  of  pictures  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  "Art  Circle,"  a  society 
established  in  1877,  for  promoting 
friendship  among  young  local  artists  ; 
their  first  opening  was  on  N^v.  28,  at 
19,  Temple  Row.  On  Nov.  17,  1879, 
Mr.  Thrupp  commenced  a  yearly  exhi- 
bition of  China  paintings,  to  which 
the  lady  artists  contributed  243  speci- 
mens of  their  skill  in  decorating  porce- 
lain and  china. 

Horses  and  hounds. — The  first  exhi- 
bition of  these  took  place  at  the  Lower 
Grounds,  Aug.  12,  1879.  There  had 
been  a  Horse  Show  at  Biiigley  Hall  for 
several  years  prior  to  1876,  but  it  had 
dropped  out  lor  want  of  support. 

Birds. — An  exhibition  of  canaries 
and  other  song  birds,  was  held  Aug, 
18,  1874.  Another  was  hehl  in  1882,  at 
the  time  of  the  Cattle  Show. 

Pigeons. — The  first  exhibition  of 
pigeons  in  connection  with  the  Birm- 
ingham Columbarian  Society,  took 
place  in  Dec,  1864.  The  annual  Spring 
pigeon  sliow  at  the  Repository,  opened 
March  20,  1878.  There  have  also  been 
several  at  St.  James'  Hall,  the  first 
dating  Sept.  24,  1874. 

Dogs. — Like  tlie  Cattle  Show,  the 
original  Birmingham  Dog  Show  has 
extended  its  sphere,  and  is  now  known 
as  the  National  Exhibition  of  S[)orting 
and  other  Dogs.  The  show  takes 
place  in  Cuizon  Hall,  and  the  dates 
are  always  the  same  as  for  the  agricul- 
tural show  in  Bingley  Hall.  There  is 
yearly  accommodation  fori, 000  entries, 
and  i:  is  seldom  that  a  less  number  is 
exhibited,  the  prices  being  numerous, 
as  well  as  valuable.     At    the  meeting 


of  the  subscribers  held  July  19,1883,  it 
was  resolved  to  form  a  new  repre- 
sentative body,  to  be  called  the 
National  Dog  Club,  having  for  its 
object  the  improvement  of  dogs,  dog 
shows,  and  dog  trials,  and  the  forma- 
tion of  a  national  court  of  appeal  on  all 
matters  in  disjuite.  It  was  also 
resolved  to  publish  a  revised  and 
correct  stud  book,  to  include  all  exhibi- 
tions where  400  dogs  and  upwardswere 
shown,  and  to  continue  it  annually, 
the  Council  having  guaranteed  £150, 
the  estimated  cost  of  the  publication 
of  the  book.  Tnis  step  was  taken  in 
consequence  of  the  action  of  certain 
members  of  the  Kennel  Club,  who 
passed  what  had  been  called  "  The 
Boycotting  Rules,"  calling  upon  its 
members  to  abstain  from  either  ex- 
hibiting or  judging  at  shows  which 
were  not  under  Kennel  Club  rules,  and 
excluding  winning  dogs  at  such  shows 
from  being  entered  in  the  Kennel  Club 
Stud  Book,  many  of  the  principal 
exhibitors  being  dissatisfied  with  such 
arbitrai-y  proceedings,  evidently  in- 
tended to  injure  the  Birmingham 
shows.  At  each  show  there  are  classes 
for  bloodhounds,  deerliounds,  grey- 
hounds, otterhounds,  beagles,  fox 
terriers,  pointers,  English  setters, 
black-and-tan  setters,  Lish  settei's, 
retrievers,  Lish  spaniels,  water  spaniels 
(best  Irish),  Clumber  spaniels,  Sussex 
spaniels,  spaniels  (black),  ditto 
(other  than  black),  dachshunds, 
bassett  hounds,  foreign  sporting  dogs, 
mastiflfs,  St.  Bernards,  Newfoundlands, 
sheep  dogs,  Dalmatians,  bulldogs, 
bull-terriers,  smooth-haired  terriers, 
black-and-tan  terriers  (large),  small 
ditto  black-and-tan  terriers  with  uncut 
ears,  Skye-terriers,  Dindie  Dinmonts, 
Bedlington  terriers,  Irish  terriers,  Aire- 
dale or  Waterside  terriers,  wire-haired 
terriers,  Scotch  terriers  (hard  haired), 
Yorkshire  terriers,  Pomeranians,  pugs, 
Maltese,  Italian  greyhounds,  Blenliiem 
spaniels.  King  Charles  spaniels, 
smooth-haired  toy  spaniels,  broken- 
haired  ditto,  large  and  small  sized 
foreijjn  dogs. 


SHOWKLL'S    dictionary    ok    BIRMINGHAM. 


71 


o  o  (. 


1876.  1877. 1878.  1S79.  ISSO.  1881. 1882. 
14981 17048 10500 14309 1C796  1684915901 


o  o 


-£064  £740  £820  £5SC  £728  £714  £618 


O   :c    ) 

£  o  h  £550  £367  £485  £554  £580  £474  £405 

In  1879,  the  exhibition  of  guns  and 
sporting  implements  was  introduced, 
an  additional  atti-iction  which  made  no 
difference  finanrially,  or  in  the  number 
of  visitors. 

Siiortina. — Auexhibition  of  requisites 
and  appliaiic'-s  in  connection  with 
sports  and  [iistimes  of  all  kinds  was 
opened  in  B  iig'ey  H  ill,  Aug  28,  1882. 
In  addition  to  guns  and  ammunition, 
bicycles  and  tricycie-,  there  were  ex- 
hibited boats,  carrini^'es,  billiard  tables, 
&c. 

Pairii  Utensils. — Tlie  first  of  these 
exhibitions,  June,  ISSO,  attracted  con- 
siderable attention  lor  its  novelty.  It 
is  held  yearly  in  Bingley  Hill. 

Bees. — An  exhildtion  of  bees,  bee- 
hives, and  other  apiarv  appliances  took 
place  at  the  Botanical  Gardens,  in  Aug. , 
1879. 

Food  and  Drinks. — A  week's  exhibi- 
tion of  fooii,  wines,  spirits,  temperance 
beverages,  brewing  utensils,  machinery, 
fittings,  stoves  and  appliances,  was 
held  in  Bingley  Hall,  December  12-20, 
1881. 

Building. — A  trades  exhibition  of  all 
kinds  of  building  material,  machinery, 
&c.,  wss  lield  in  1882. 

Bicycles,  d-c. — -The  Speedwell  Club 
began  their  annual  exhibition  of 
bicycles,  tricycles,  and  their  accessories 
iu  February,"  1882,  when  about  300 
machines  were  shown.  In  the  follow- 
ing year  the  number  was  nearlv  400  ; 
in  1884.  more  than  500  ;  in  1885,   600. 

Boots. — Messrs.  Webb,  of  Wordsley, 
occupied  Curzon  Hall,  Noveniber  20, 
1878,  with  an  exhibition  of  prize  roots, 
grown  by  their  customers. 

Fruit,  Flowers,  <kc. — The  first 
flower    show    we    have    note    of    was 


on  June  19,  1833.  The  first  chrysan- 
themum show  was  in  1860.  The  first 
Birmingham  rose  show  in  1874  (at 
Aston)  ;  the  secontl,  five  years  later,  iit 
Bingley  Hall.  The  Harborne  goose- 
berry-growers have  sh')wu  up  every 
year  since  1815,  and  the  cultivators  of 
2}oinmes  de  tcrre  in  the  same  neiglibjur- 
hood  fiist  laid  their  tables  iu  public  iu 
Sept.,  1879. 

Exhibitions  of  1851  and  1862. 

— Even  as  liirniingham  may  be  said  tu 
have  given  the  first  idea  for  the  ''Great 
Exhibition  "  of   1851,  so  it  had  most  t-j 
do  with  the  buiLling  thereof,  tlie  great 
palace  in  Hyde  Park  being  commenced 
by  Messrs.  Fox,  Henderson  &  Co. ,  July 
26,  1850,    and  it   was  finished  in  nine 
months   at  a  total  cost  of  £176,031.   In 
its  erection  there  wore  used  4  000  tons 
of  iron,  6,000,000    cubic  feet  of  wood- 
work, and  31  acres  of  sheet  glass,    re- 
quiring the  work  of  1,800  men   to  put 
it  together.      237    local   exiiibitors  ap- 
plied for  space   amounting    to   22,070 
sup    feet,  namely,  10,183  feet  of  floor- 
ing, 4,932  feet  of  table  area,  and  6,255 
feet  of  wall   space.      The   "  glorv  "  of 
tliis   exhibition  was  the    great  crystal 
fountain  in  the    centre,   manufactured 
by   Messrs.    Osier,   of   Broad   Street,   a 
work  of  art  till  then  never  surpassed  in 
the  world's  history  of  glass-making  and 
glass    cutting,   and   which    now    pours 
forth  its  waters  in  one  of  the  lily  tanks 
in  Sydenham  Palace.    j\lany  rare  speci- 
mens of  Birmingham   manufacture  be- 
sides were  there,  and  the  metropolis  of 
the     Midlands      had      cause      to       bo 
proud    of    the    works     of      her    sons 
thus  exhibited.       Fewer  manufacturers 
sent  their  samples  to  the  exhibition  of 
1862,  but   there    was   no  filling  off  in 
their  beauty  or  design.      The  Birming- 
ham Small   Arms   trophy  was  a    great 
attraction. 

Explosions. — That  many  dejilor- 
able  accidents  should  occur  during  the 
course  of  manufacturing  such  danger- 
ous articles  as  gun  caps  and  cartridges 
cannot  be  matter  of  surprise,  and,  per- 
haps, on  the  whole,  those  named  in 
the  following  list  may  be  considered  as 


SHOWELI/S    UIOTIONARY    OF    BIKMINGIIAM. 


not  more  than  the  average  miiiiber  to 
1)6  expected  : — Two  lives  were  lost  by 
explosion  of  fulminating;  powder  in  St. 
Mary's  Square,  Aug.  4,  1823.— Oct.  16, 
sanic!  year,  there  was  a.  gunpowder  ex- 
plosion ill  Lionel  Street. — Two  were 
killed  by  fireworks  at  the  Rocket 
Tavern,  Little  Charles  Street,  May  2, 
1834. — An  explosion  at  Saltley  Car- 
riage Works,  Dec.  20,  1849.— Two  in- 
jured at  the  Proof  House,  Sept.  23, 
1850. — Five  by  detonating  powder  in 
Cheapside,  Feb  14,  1852.— Tliirty-one 
were  iniured  by  gas  explosion  at  Work- 
house, Get.  30,  1855. — Several  from 
same  cause  at  corner  of  Hope  Street, 
March  IJ,  1856. — A  cap  explosion  took 
]ilace  at  Ijudlovv's,  Legge  Street,  July 
28,  1859. — Another  at  Phillips  and 
Pursall's,  Whittall  Street,  Sept.  27, 
1852,  wlien  twenty-one  persons  lost 
their  lives. — Another  in  Graham  Street 
June  21,  1862,  with  eigiit  deaths.— 
Uoiler  burst  at  Spring  Hill,  Nov.  23, 
1859,  injuring  seven. — An  explosion 
in  the  Magazine  at  the  Barracks,  March 
8,  1864,  killed  Quartermaster  McBean. 
— At  Kynoch's,  Witton,  Nov.  17, 
1870,  resulting  in  8  deaths  and  28  in- 
jured.—  At  Ludlow's  aninuinition  I'ac- 
tory,  Dec.  9,  1870,  when  17  were  killed 
and  53  injured,  of  whom  34  more  died 
before  Christmas. — At  Witton,  July  1, 
1872,  when  Wcstley  Kicliards'  manager 
was  killed. — At  Hobb  Lane,  May  11, 
1874. — Gf  gas,  ill  great  Lister  Street, 
Dec.  9,  1874.— Gf  fulminate,  in  the 
Green  Lane,  May  4,  1876,  a  youth  be- 
ing killed. — Gf  gas,  at  St.  James's 
Hall,  Snow  Hill, Dec.  4, and  at  Avery's, 
Moat  Row,  Dec.  31,  1878.— At  a  match 
manufactoiy,  Phillip  Street,  Get.  28, 
1879,  when  Sir.  Bermingham  and  a 
workman  were  injured. 

Eye  HospitaL — See  "Hospitals." 

Fairs. — The  officers  of  the  Court 
Leet,  whose  duty  it  was  to  walk  in 
proces.^iou  and  "  proclaim  "  the  fairs, 
went  through  tlieir  last  performance  of 
the  kind  at  Michaelmas,  1851.  It  was 
proposed  to  abolish  the  fairs  in  1860, 
but  the  final  order  was  not  given  until 


June  8th,  1875.  Gf  late  years  there 
have  been  fairs  held  on  the  open 
grounds  on  the  Aston  outskirts  of  the 
borough,  but  the  "fun  of  the  fair' 
is  altogether  dill'erent  now  to  what  it 
used  to  bd.  The  original  charters  for 
the  holding  of  fairs  at  Whitsuntide 
and  Michaelmas  were  granted  to 
William  de  lleniiinghi'.m  by  Htnry 
in.  in  1251.  These  fairs  were  doubt- 
less at  one  time  of  great  imjiortance, 
but  the  introduction  of  railways  did 
away  with  seven-tenths  of  their  utility 
and  the  remainder  was  more  nuisance 
than  profit.  As  a  note  of  the  trade 
done  at  one  time  we  may  just  preserve 
the  item  tliat  iii  1782  there  were  56 
waggon  loads  of  onions  brouglit  into 
the  fair. 

Family  Fortunes.— Hutton  in  his 

"  History,"  with  that  ipiauit  prolixity 
which  was  his  peculiar  prociivily  gives 
numerous  instances  of  the  rise  and  fall 
of  lamiliesconuected  with  Birmingham. 
Li  addition  to  the  origiual  family  of 
De  Birmingham,  now  utterly  extinct 
he  trai'ed  back  many  others  then  and 
now  well-known  names.  For  instance 
he  tells  us  that  a  predecessor  of  the 
Oolmores  in  Henry  A''IIL's  reign  kejit 
a  nrercer'sshop  at  No.  1,  High  Street; 
that  the  founder  of  the  P>owyer  Adder- 
ley  family  began  life  in  a  small  way 
in  this  his  native  town  in  the  14th  cen- 
tury ;  that  the  Foxalls  sprang  from  a 
Digbeth  tanner  some  480  years  ago  ; 
and  so  of  others.  Plad  he  lived  till 
now  he  might  have  largely  increased 
his  roll  of  local  millionaires  with  such 
names  as  Gillott,  Muntz,  Mason,  Ry- 
lands,  &c.  Gn  the  other  liand  he 
relates  how  some  of  the  old  families, 
whose  names  were  as  household  words 
among  the  ancient  aristocracVj  have 
come  to  nought  ;  how  that  he  had 
himself  charitably  relieved  the  descen- 
dants of  the  Norman  Mountlourds, 
Middemores  and  l>racebridges,  and 
how  that  the  sole  boast  of  a  descen- 
dant of  the  Saxon  Earls  of  Warwick  was 
in  his  day  the  fact  of  his  grandfather 
having   "  kept  several  cows  and  sold 


SIIOWICI.l'^    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


73 


iiiiik. "  It  is  but  a  few  years  bade  since 
the  present  writer  saw  the  last  direct 
<iesce^dant  of  the  Holtes  workiii-,' as  a 
compositor  in  one  of  the  newspaper 
offices  of  this  town,  and  ainiost  any 
(lay  there  was  to  be  seen  in  the  streets 
a  truck  with  the  uanit;  painted  on  of 
"  Charles  IloUe  Bracebridge,,  Licensed 
Hawker  !  " 

Famines. — In  the  year  310,  it  i^ 
said  that,  40,000  persons  died  in  this 
country  fioni  famine.  It  is  not  known 
whethtir  any  "  I'.ruins  "  existed  tlien. 
In  1195  wheat  was  so  scarce  that  it 
sold  for  20s.  the  quarter;  ten  years 
a.iter,  it  was  only  12d.  In  1438,  the 
times  were  so  hard  that  people  eat 
bread  made  from  fern  roots.  In  ir)65, 
a  famine  prevailed  tliroughout  the 
kingdom. 

Fashionable    Quaptep.  —  Edg- 

bision  is  otir  "Wtsv  liliid,"  of  which 
Thomas  Kagg  (beiore  he  was  ordained) 
thus  wrote  : — 

Glorious  suburbs  Iloug 

May  ye  remain  to  bless  the  ancient  town 
Whose  crown    ye    are   ;    rewarder  of  the 

caies 
Of  those  who  toil  amid  the  din  and  smoke 
Of  iron  ribbed  and  liardy  Birmingham. 
And  may  ye  long  be   suburbs,   keeping  still 
Business  at  distance  from  your   green  re- 
treats. 

Feasts,  Feeds,  and  Tea-figrhts. 

— Like  otiier  Engli-hmen,  when  we 
liave  a  good  opinion  of  peo])le  we  ask 
tiiem  to  (iiiiner,  and  the  number  of  pub- 
lic breakfasls,  dinneis,  teas,  and  suppers 
ou  our  record  is  wonderful.  We  give  a 
few  of  the  most  interesting  :— 3,800 
jiersons  dined  with  our  first  M.P.'s., 
Attwood  and  Scholetield,  at  lieards- 
worth's  Repo.-itoiy,  Sept.  15,  183i. 
--A  Ref(;rni  bau(pict  was  the  attrac- 
tion in  the  Town  Hall,  Jan.  28,  1836. 
—Members  and  friends  of  the  '  Chartist 
■Chnrch'kept  their  Christmas  festival,  by 
takingtea'inTown  Hall,  Dee.28, 1841. 
—1,700  Anti-Cornlawites  (John  Bright 
among  them)  did  ditto  Jan.  22,  1843. 
— The  defeat  of  an  obnoxious  Police 
Bill     lead    900     persons    to    banquet 


together  April  9.  1845. — A  banquet  in 
honour  of  Charles  Dickens  opened  the 
year  1853  — Ttie  first  anniversary  of 
the  Loyal  and  Constitutional  Associa- 
tion was  celebrated  by  t!ie  dining  of 
848  loyal  subjects,  Dec.  17,  1855.— 
A  dinner  was  given  to  1,200  poor  folks 
in  i'dnghiy  Hall,  Jan.  25,  1858,  to 
make  tliem  remember  the  marriage  of 
the  Princess  Royal.  Tho-e  who  were 
not  poor  kept  the  game  alive  at  Dee's 
Hotel. — John  Blight  was  dined  in 
Town  Hall,  Oct.  29,  1858. -A 
party  of  New  Zealand  chiefs  were 
stuti'jil  at  same  place,  March  10,  1864 
— To  celei)rate  the  op(  ning  of  a  Dining 
Hall  in  Cambridge  Street,  a  public 
dinner  was  given  on  All  Fools'  Day, 
1864.— On  tho  23rd  Ai>ril  following, 
about  150  gtjntiemen  br.^akfasted  widi 
the  Mayor,  in  honour  of  the  Shakis- 
peare  Lil)rary  b  iug  presented  to  the 
town. — The  [lurchase  of  Aston  Park 
was  celebrated  by  a  banquet,  Sept.  22, 
1864. — Over  a  hundred  beihiugers,  at 
Nock's  Hotel,  1868,  had  their  clappers 
set  wagging  by  Blews  and  Sons,  m 
honour  of  tiie  lirst  jieal  of  bells  cast  by 
them,  and  now  in  Ijishop  Ryder's 
Churcli.— The  Muster  Bakers,  who 
have  b;,'en  baking  dinners  for  the  pub- 
lic so  long,  in  Deiiember,  1874,  com- 
menced an  annual  series  of  dinners 
among  themselves,  at  which  neither 
baked  meats,  nor  even  baked  potatoes, 
are  allowed. — Of  political  and  quasi- 
political  ban(|uets,  there  have  been 
many  of  late  years,  but  as  the  parties 
have,  in  most  cases,  simply  been 
gathered  for  i)arty  purposes,  their  re- 
memljianco  is  not  worth  keeping. — To 
help  piy  for  improvements  at  General 
Hospital,  there  was  a  dinner  at  the 
Great  Western  tlotel,  June  4,  1868, 
and  when  tlie  plate  was  sent  round, 
it  received  £4.000.  That  was  the 
best,  and  there  the  list  must  close. 

Females. — The  fairer  portion  of 
our  local  communitv  number  (census 
1881)  210,050,  as  "against  197,954 
males,  a  preponderance  of  12,096.  In 
1871   the  ladies    outnumbered    us    by 


74 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


8,515,  and  it  would  be  an  interesting 
question  how  this  extra  ratio  arises, 
though  as  cue  half  of  the  super- 
abundant petticoats  are  to  be  tound  in 
Edgbaston  it  may  possibly  onlj'  be 
taken  as  a  mark  of  local  prosperity, 
and  that  more  female  servants  are 
employed  than  formerly. — See  "i'ojntZa- 
tion  "  Tables. 

Fenianism. — It  was  deemed  neces- 
sar}^  in  Jai].,  1881,  to  place  guards  of 
soldiers  at  the  Tower  and  Small  Arms 
Factory,  but  the  Fenians  did  not 
trouble  us  ;  though  later  on  a  very 
pretty  manufactory  of  dynamite  was 
discovered  in  Ledsam  Street. — See 
^'  J^otahlc  Offences." 

FePrars. — Tlie  De  Ferrars  were  at 
one  time  Lords  of  the  Manor,  Edmund 
Je  Ferrars  dying  in  1438.  The  ancient 
public-house  sign  of  "  The  Three 
Horseshoes  "  was  taken  from  their  coat 
of  arms. 

Festivals. — Notes  of  the  past  Tri- 
ennial ]\Iusical  Festivals  for  which 
Birmingham  is  so  famous,  the  per- 
formances, and  the  many  great 
artistes  who  have  taken  part  therein, 
will  be  found  further  on. 

Fetes  were  held  in  Aston  Park 
July  -27,  and  September  15,  1856,  for 
the  benefit  of  the  Queen's  and  General 
Hospitals,  realising  therefor  £2,330. 
The  first  to  "  Save  Aston  Hall "  took 
place  August  17,  1857,  when  a  profit 
of  £570  was  made.  There  have  been 
many  since  then,  but  more  of  the 
private  speculation  class,  Sangers' 
so-called  fete  at  Camp  Hill.  June  27, 
1874,  being  the  tirst  of  their  outdoor 
hippodrome  perfonuancos. 

Fires. — When  Prince  Rupert's  sol- 
diers set  fire  to  the  town,  in  1643,  no 
less  than  155  houses  were  burned. — 
Early  in  1751  about  £500  worth  of 
wool  was  burned  at  Alcock's,  in  Edg- 
baston Street.— i\Iay  24,  1759,  the 
stage  waggon  to  Worcester  was  set  on 
fire  by  the  bursting  of  a  bottle  of  aqua- 
fortis, and  the  contents  of  the  waggon, 
valued  at   £5,000,    were   destroyed. — 


In  November,  1772,  Mr.  Crowne's  hop 
and  cheese  warehouse,  top  of  Carr's 
Lane,  was  lessened  £400  in  value. — 
The  Theatre  Roj'al  was  burned  August 
24,  1791,  ami  again  January  6,  1820.— 
Jerusalem  Temple,  Newhall  Hill,  was 
burned  March  10,  1793.— St.  Peter's 
Church  suffered  January  24,  1831. — 
There  was  a  great  blaze  at  Bolton's 
timber  yard,  Broad  Street,  ^lay  27, 
1841. — At  the  Manor  House,  Balsall 
Heath,  in  1848. — Among  Onion's  bel- 
lows, in  March,  1853. — At  the  General 
Hospital,  December  24,  1853.— At  the 
Spread  Eagle  Concert  Hall,  ^lay  5, 
1855. — At  a  builder's  in Alcester  Street, 
October  4,  1858.— At  Aston  Brook 
Flour  mill,  Jane  1,  1862,  with  £10,000 
damage. — At  Lov\den&  Beeton's,  High 
Street,  January  3,  1863  ;  the  firm  were 
prosecuted  as  incendiaries. — At  Gawie- 
son's  Tavern,  Hill  Street,  Deceiuber  25  , 
1863  ;  si.x  lives  lost. — On  the  stage  at 
Holder's,  July  3,  1865 ;  two  ballet 
dancers  died  from  fright  and  injuries. 
— At  Baskerville  Sawmills,  September 
7,  1867.— In  Sutton  Park,  August  4, 
1868. — In  a  menagerie  in  Carr's  Lane, 
January  25,  1870. — At  Dowler's  Piume 
Works,  March  16. — In  Denmark 
Street,  May  23  ;  two  children  burned. — 
At  Worcester  Wharf,  June  2,  1870  ; 
two  men  burnt. — At  Warwick  Castle, 
Dec.  3,  1871.— At  Smith's  hay  and 
strawyard.  Crescent,  through liglitning, 
July  25,  1872. — In  Sherbourne  Street, 
June  25,  1874,  and  same  day  in  Friston 
Street  ;  two  men  burned. — At  the  hat- 
ter's shop  in  Temple  Street,  Nov.  25, 
1875  — At  Tipper's  Mystery  Works, 
May  16,  and  at  Holford  Mill,  Perry 
Barr,  August  3,  1876. — At  Icke  and 
Co.'s,  Lawley  Street,  May  17,  1877  ; 
£2,500  damage. — At  Adam's  colour 
warehouse,  Suffolk  Street,  October  13, 
1877;  £10,000  damage.— In  Blooms- 
bury  Street,  September  29,  1877  ;  an 
old  man  burned. — In  Lichfield  Road, 
November  26,  1877  ;  two  horses,  a  cow, 
and  25  pigs  roasted. — January  25,  1878, 
was  a  hot  day,  there  being  four  fires  in 
15  hours. — At  Havne'.s  flour  mill,  Ick- 
nield    Port  Road,  "Feb.    2,   1878,   with 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


£10,000  dama<;e  ;  first  time  steam   fire 
engine   was    used. — At    Baker  Bros'., 
match    manufactory,    Freeth     Street, 
February  11. — At  Grew's  and  at  Cund's 
printers,  March  16,  1878  ;   botli  places 
being  set  on  fire   by  a   vengeful   thief ; 
£2,000    joint  damage. — At    corner   of 
Bow  Street,  July  29,   1878.— At   Den- 
nison's  shop,  onposite  Museum  Concert 
Hall,  August  26,  1878,  when  Mrs.;DeM- 
nison,  her  baby,  her  sister,  and  a  ser- 
vant girl  lost  their  lives.     The  inquest 
terminated  on  September  30  (or  rather 
at  one  o'clock  next  morning),   when  a 
verdict    of    "  acciiiental    death"    was 
given   in    the    case  of  the  infant,   who 
had  been  dropped  during  an  attempted 
rescue,  and  with  respect  to  the  others 
that   they   had  died  from    suffocation 
caused  by    a  fire  designedly   lighted, 
but  by  whom  the  jury  had   not   suHi- 
cient  evidence  to  say.      Great  fault  was 
found    with  the  management    of    the 
fire   brigade,    a    conflict   of  authority 
between  t'neni    and  the  ))olice  giving 
rise  to  very    unpleasant   feelings      At 
Cadbury's  cocoa  manufactory,  Novem- 
ber 23,    1878.      In   Legge  Street,  at  a 
gun  imjileiiient  maker's,  December  14, 
1878;  £600  damage. — And  same  day 
at    a  gun  maker's,     Whittall    Street  ; 
£300  damage. — At  Hawkes's  looking- 
glass  mauufactorv,  Bronisgrove  Street, 
January  8,  1879;  £20,000  damage.— 
The   Reference    Library,    January    11, 
1879  (a  most  rueful  day)  ;  damage  in- 
calculable and  irreparable. — At  Hiiiks 
and    Sons'  lamp    works,    January   30, 
1879  ;  £15,000  damage.— At  the  Small 
Arms  Factory,  Adderley  Road,  Novem- 
ber 11,  1879:  a  fireman    injured. — At 
Grimsell    and     Sons',     Tower    Street, 
May  5,  18^0  ;  over  £5,000   damage. — 
Ward's  cabinet  manufactory,    Bissell 
Street,  April  11,  1885. 

FiPeaPms.— See   ''Trades.'" 

Fire  Brigades.— A  volunteer  bri- 
gade, to  help  at  fires,  was  organised 
here  in  February  183G,  but  as  the  seve- 
ral companie.s,  after  iiicrodu..ing  their 
engines,  found  it  best  to  pay  a  regular 
staff  to  work  them,  the  volunteers,  for 


the  time,  went  to  the  "rightabout." 
In  1803  a  more  pretentious  attempt  to 
constitute  a  public  or  volunteer  bri- 
gade of  firemen,  was  made,  tiie  mem- 
bers assembling  for  duty  on  the  21st  of 
February,  the  Not  wicli  Union  engine 
house  being  the  headquarters  ;  but  the 
novelty  wore  olf  as  the  uniforms  got 
shabby,  and  the  work  was  left  to  the 
old  hands,  until  the  Corjioration  took 
the  matter  iu  hand. 

A  Volunteer  Fire  Brigade  iov  Aston 
was  formed  at  the  close  of  1878,  and 
its  rules  approved  by  the  Local  Board 
on  Jan.  7,  1879.  They  attended  and 
did  good  .service  at  tne  burning  of  the 
Reference  Library  on  the  following 
Saturday.  August  23,  1879  the  Aston 
boys,  with  three  and  twenty  other 
brigades  from  various  parts  of  the 
country,  lield  a  kind  of  efficiency 
comjietition  at  the  Lower  Ground.^, 
and  being  so;nething  new  ill  it  attracted 
many.  Tlie  Birniingliam  brigade  were 
kept  at  home,  possibly  on  account 
of  the  anniversary  of  the  Digbeth  fire. 
Balsall  Heath  and  Harborne  are  also 
supplied  with  their  own  brigades,  and 
an  Association  of  Midland  Brigades 
has  lately  been  formed  which  held 
their  first  drill  in  the  Priory,  April  28, 
1883. 

Fire  Engines.  -In  1839  the  Birm- 
ingham Fire  Olfice  had  two  engiiies, 
very  handsome  specimens  of  the  article 
too,  being  profusely  decorated  witii 
wooden  battle  axes,  iron  scroll- woik, 
&c.  One  of  these  engines  was  painted 
in  many  colours  ;  but  the  other  a  plain 
drab,  the  latter  it  was  laughingly  said, 
being  kept  for  the  Society  of  Friends, 
the  former  for  society  at  large. 
The  first  time  a  "portable"  or  hand 
engine  was  used  here  was  on  the 
occurrence  of  a  fire  in  a  tobacconist's 
shop  in  Cheapside  Oct.  29,  1850.  The 
steam  fire  engine  was  brought  here  in 
Oct.  1877. — See  ''Fi'e  Eiuiine Stations" 
under  "Public  Buildings." 

FiPe  Grates.- The  first  oven  grate 
used  in  tins  district  wa^i  introduced  iu 
a   house   at    "the  City   of  Nineveh" 


SnOWELL's    DICTIONAUY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


about  the  year  1818,  and  created  quite 
a  sensation. 

Fire  Insurance  Companies.— 

The  Biiiningliam  dates  Us  estabiish- 
ment  fiom  March  1805.  All  the  com- 
panies now  in  existence  are  more  or 
less  represented  here  by  ajjents,  and 
no  one  need  be  uniDsuied  lonj;,  as  their 
oflices  are  so  thick  on  the  ground  round 
Bennet's  Hill  and  Coimore  Row,  tliat 
it  has  been  seiioush'  suggested  tlie 
latter  thoroughfare  should  be  re- 
cliristened  and  be  called  Insurance 
Street.  It  was  an  agent  who  had  tiie 
assurance  to  propose  the  change. 

Fish. — In  Ajiril,  1838,  a  local  com- 
pany was  floated  for  tiie  jiurpose  of 
bringing  ii^li  .rom  London  and  Liver- 
pool. It  began  swimmingly,  but  fish 
didn't  swim  to  Birmingiiam,  and 
though  several  other  aitempts  have 
been  made  toforni  companies  of  similar 
character,  the  tiade  has  been  keiit  al- 
together ill  private,  hands,  and  to  judge 
from  the  syiarkling  rings  to  be  seen  on 
the  hands  of  the  ladies  who  coi. descend 
to  sell  u.s  our  matutinal  bloaters  in  the 
Market  Hall,  the  business  is  a  prettj' 
good  one — and  who  dare  say  those 
dames  de  talle  are  not  also  pretty  and 
good  ?  The  supply  of  fish  to  this  town, 
as  given  by  tlie  late  Mr.  Hanmau, 
averaged  from  50  to  200  tons  ]ier  day 
(one  day  in  Juue,  1879,  238  tons  came 
from  Grimsby  alone)  or,  each  in  its 
])roper  season,  nearly  as  Ibllows  : — 
Mackerel,  2,000  boxes  of  about  2  cwt 
eacli  ;  herrings,  2,000  bairels  of  1^  cwt. 
each  ;  salmon,  400  boxes  of  2^  cwt. 
eaeli ;  lobsters,  15  to  20  barrels  of  1 
cwt.  each  ;  crabs,  50  to  60  birrels  of  1^ 
cwt.  each  ;  j)laice,  1,500  packages  of  2 
cwt.  each  ;  codfish,  200  'oarrels  of  2 
cwt.  each  ;  conger  eels,  20  barrels  of  2 
cwt.  each  ;  skate,  10  to  20  barrels  of  2 
cwt.  each.  —  See  "  Markets." 

Fishing".-- There  is  very  little  .scope 
for  the  juactice  of  Isaac  Walton's  craft 
near  to  Birmingham,  and  loveis  of  the 
gentle  art  must  go  farther  afield  to 
meet  with  good  sport.  The  only  spots 
within  walking  distance  are  tiie  pools 


at  Aston  Park  and  Lower  Grounds,  at 
Aston  Tavern,  at  Bournbrook  Hotel 
(or,  as  it  is  better  known,  Kirby's), 
and  at  Pebble  Mill,  in  most  of  which 
may  be  foumi  perch,  roa'di,  carp,  and 
pike.  At  Pebble  Mill,  March  20,  last 
j'ear,  a  ])ike  was  captured  40  inches 
long,  and  weighing  22ibs. ,  Init  that  was 
a  finny  rarity, and  not  likely  to  be  met 
with  tiiere  again,  as  the  pool  (so  long 
the  last  resort  of  suicidallyinclined 
mortals  is  to  be  filled  up.  A  little  far- 
ther off  are  waters  at  Sarehole,  at 
Yaniley  Wood,  and  tlie  reservoir  at 
King's  ISTorton,  but  with  these  excep- 
tions anglers  must  travel  to  tlieir  des- 
tinations by  rail.  There  is  good  fishing 
at  Sutton  Coldfield,  Barnt  Green  (for 
re.-ervoir  at  Tardebigge),  Alcester,Slui- 
stoke,  Salford  Priors,  and  other  places 
within  a  score  of  miles,  but  free  iishing 
nowhere.  Anyone  desirous  of  real 
sport  should  join  the  Biriningham  and 
Midland  Piscatorial  Association  (estab- 
lished June,  1878),  which  rents  jiortions 
of  the  river  Trent  and  other  waters. 
This  society  early  in  1880,  tried  their 
hands  at  artificial  sa!mon-hatching,one 
of  the  tanks  of  the  aquarium  at  Aston 
Lower  Grounds  being  jilai'ed  at  their 
disjiosal.  They  were  su'.'cessful  in  bring- 
ing some  thousand  or  moie  of  their  in- 
teresting protegees  from  the  ova  into 
fish  shape,  but  we  cannot  find  the 
market  prices  for  salmon  or  trout  at  all 
reduced. 

Fishmongers'  Hall.— Not  being 

satisfied  witti  the  accommodation  pro- 
vided for  them  in  the  Fish  Market,  the 
Fish  and  Game  Dealeis'  Association, at 
their  first  annual  meeting  (Feb.  13, 
1878),  proposed  to  erect  a  Fishmongers' 
Hall,  but  they  did  not  carry  out  their 
intention. 

Flogging". — In  "  the  good  old 
days,"  when  George  the  Third  was 
King,  it  was  not  very  uncommon  for 
malelactors  to  be  flogged  through  the 
streets,  tied  to  the  tail  end  of  a  cart. 
In  1786  several  persons,  who  had  been 
sentenced  at  the  Assizes,  were  brought 
back    here   and   so    whipped    through 


SIU)\VKm/.S    dictionary    Of    OIRMINGKAM. 


the  town  ;  and  iu  one  iustanic,  whore 
a  younj;  man  li.id  been  iMUght  tilcliing 
froMi  tlie  Mint,  tlie  ciilpiit  was  taken 
to  Soiio  works,  and  in  the  f.ictory  yard, 
there  striiiped  and  iU'gged  by  "  Bhick 
Jack,"  of  the  Dungeon,  as  a  warning 
to  liis  feilow-worknien.  Tin's  style  of 
punislinient  wonld  liardly  do  now,  bnt 
if  some  few  of  tlie  jiresent  race  of 
•'roughs"  conid  be  treated  to  a  dose 
of  "the  cat"  now  and  tiien,  it  niigiit 
add  considerably  to  the  peace  and 
comfort  of  the  borough.  Flogging  by 
proxy  was  not  unknown  in  some  of  the 
old  "scholastic  establishments,  but 
whipping  a  scarecrow  seems  to  have 
been  the  amusement  on  Febrn^ry  26th. 
1842,  when  Sir  Robert  Peel,  at  that 
day  a  sad  delinquent  politically,  was 
publicly  flogged  in  eltlgy. 

Floods. — The  millciains  at  Sutton 
burst  their  banks,  July  24,  1668,  and 
many  houses  wure  sw"pt  awav. — On  the 
24th  November,  1703,  a  three  days' 
storm  arosn  which  ex'endeii  over  tlie 
whole  kingdom;  many  parts  of  the 
Midlands  being  flooded  and  immense 
damage  caused,  farmers'  live  stock 
especially  snfiering.  15,000  sheep  were 
<lrowned  in  one  p-ir;  of  Gloucestershire; 
several  men  and  hundreds  of  sheep 
near  to  Worcest  r  ;  the  losses  in 
Leicestershire  and  Srafford.shire  being 
also  enormous.  Though  there  is  no 
local  record  respecting  it  here,  there 
can  be  little  doubt  that  the  inhnbitants 
had  their  share  of  the  miseries. — July 
2,  1759,  a  man  and  several  horses  were 
drowned  in  a  flood  near  Meriden. — 
Heavy  rains  caused  great  floods  here  in 
January,  1764, — On  April  13,  1792,  a 
waterspout,  at  the  Lickey  Hills,  turned 
the  Kea  iutoa  torrent. — The  lower  parts 
of  the  town  were  flooded  ihrongh  the 
heavy  rain  of  June  26,  1830. — There 
were  floods  in  Deritend  and  Bordesley, 
Nov.  11,  1852.— June  23,  1861,  parts 
of  Aston,  Digbeth,  and  the  Parade 
were  swamped. — Feb.  8,  1865,  Hockley 
was  flooded  through  the  bursting  of 
the  Canal  banks  ;  and  a  similaraccnJent 
to  the  Worcester  Caual,  May  25,  1872, 


laid  tlie  roais  ami  garilens  about 
Wheeley's  R  >a  1  under  watei'.  — Tiiere 
were  very  lie.tvy  rains  in  July  and 
October,  1875,  causing  much  damage 
in  the  lower  parts  of  the  town.  —Aug. 
2  and  3,  1879,  muny  parts  of  the  out- 
skirts were  flooded,  iu  comparatively 
the  sh  )rtesc  time  in  memory. 

FIOUP  Mills.— The  Union  :\Iill  Co. 
(now  known  as  the  Oli  Union,  &c.) 
was  'orined  early  in  1796,  with  a  capital 
of  £7,000  in  £1  shares,  ench  share- 
holder bidng  reijuired  to  take  a  given 
amount  of  bread  i>frweek.  Though  at 
starting  it  was  annoniiced  that  the  un- 
dertaking was  not  intended  for  profit, 
such  were  the  advantages  derive<l  from 
the  operations  of  the  Com  pan  v  tiiat 
the  shareholders,  it  is  said,  in  addition 
to  a  dividend  of  10  per  Cinit. ,  received 
in  the  course  ot  a  conf)le  of  years  a 
benefit  eqnal  to  600  per  cent,  in  the 
shape  of  reduced  prices.  Large  divi- 
dends have  at  times  beeti  received,  but 
a  slightly  tlifferenr,  tab',  is  now  told. — 
The  New  Union  Mill  was  started  in 
1810  ;  the  Saow  Hill  Mill  about.  1781  ; 
the  Britannia  j\Iills  in  1862. 

Fly  Vans.  — "Fly  Boats"  to  the 
various  places  conut-cted  with  Birming- 
ham by  the  canals  were  not  sufficient 
for  our  townspeople  seventy  years  ago, 
and  an  opposition  to  the  coaidies  started 
in  1821,  in  the  shape  of  Flv  Vans  or 
light  Post  Waggons,  wa^  hailt-d  with 
glee.  These  Flv  Vans  le'tthe  Crescent 
Wharf  (where  Showell  and  Sons'  Stores 
are  now)  three  evenings  a  week,  and 
reached  Sheffield  the  following  day. 
This  was  the  first  introduction  of  a 
regular  "parcels'  pist,"  though  the 
authorities  wonld  not  allow  of  any- 
thing like  a  letter  being  sent  with  a 
parcel,  if  t.hey  knew  it. 

Foolish  WageP.— On  July  8, 1758, 
for  a  wager,  a  man  named  ilorson  got 
over  the  battlements  of  the  tower  at  St. 
Martin's,  and  safely  let  himself  down 
to  the  ground  (a  distance  of  73  feet) 
without  rope  or  ladder,  his  strength  of 
muscle    enabling    him  to    reach    from 


78 


SHOWELL  S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM, 


cornerstone  to  cornerstone,  and  cliug 
thereto  as  lie  descended. 

Football.— See  "Sports." 

Forgeries.  —  The  manufacture  of 
bogus  bank-notes  was  carried  on  here, 
at  one  time,  to  an  alaruuug  extent, 
and  even  iiftj'  years  ago,  though  lie 
was  too  slippery  a  fish  lor  tiie  authori- 
ties to  laj'  hold  of,  it  was  well-known 
there  was  a  clever  engraver  in  the 
Inkleys  who  would  copy  anything 
put  before  him  for  the  merest  trifle, 
even  thougli  the  punishment  was  most 
severe.  Under  "Notable  Offences" 
will  he  found  several  cases  of  interest 
in  this  peculiar  line  of  business. 

Forks. — Our  ancestors  did  without 
them,  using  their  fingers.  Queen 
Elizabeth  had  several  sent  to  her  from 
Spain,  but  she  seldom  u.^ed  them,  and 
we  may  be  quite  sure  it  was  long  after 
that  ere  the  taper  fingers  of  tlie  fair 
Brums  ceased  to  convey  the  titbits  to 
their  lips.  Even  that  sapient  sovereign, 
James  I.,  the  Scotch  Solomon,  did  not 
Use  the  foreign  inventior.,  believing 
possibly  with  the  preacher  who  de- 
nounced them  in  the  puipit  that  it  was 
an  insult  to  the  Almighty  to  touch  the 
meat  prepared  for  food  with  anything 
but  one's  own  fingers.  Later  on,  when 
the  coaches  began  to  throng  the  road, 
gentlemen  were  in  the  habit  of  carrying 
with  them  their  own  knife  and  fork  for 
use,  so  seldom  were  the  latter  articles 
to  lie  found  at  the  country  inns,  and 
the  use  of  forks  cannot  be  said  to  have 
become  general  more  than  a  hundred 
years  ago. 

Forward.  —  The  self-appropriated 
motto  of  our  borough,  chosen  at  one  of 
the  earliest  committee  meetings  of  the 
Town  Council  in  1839.  Mr.  William 
Middlemore  i.s  said  to  have  proposed 
the  use  of  the  wor-^  as  being  preferable 
to  any  Latin,  though  "  Vox  populi, 
vox  Dei,"  and  other  like  appropriate 
mottoes,  have  been  suggested.  Like 
all  good  things,/  however,  the  honour 
of  originating  this  motto  has  been  con- 
tested,   the    name   of    Kobert   Crump 


Mason  haring  been  given  as  its 
author. 

Fogs. — Bad  as  it  may  be  now  and 

then  in  the  neighbourhood  of  some  of 
our  works,  it  there  is  one  thing  in 
nature  we  can  boast  of  more  than 
another,  it  is  our  comparatively  clear 
atmosphere,  and  it  is  seldom  that  we 
are  troubled  with  fogs  of  any  kind.  In 
this  respect,  at  ad  events,  the  Midland 
metropolis  is  better  oft"  than  its  ]\Iiddle- 
sex  namesake,  with  its  "  London 
particular,"  as  Mr.  Guppy  calls  it. 
But  there  was  one  day  (17th)  in  De- 
cember, 1879,  when  we  were,  by  some 
atmospheric  phenomena,  treated  to 
such  "  apeasouper  "  that  we  must  note 
it  as  being  the  curio.sity  of  the  day, 
the  street  traffic  being  put  a  stop  to 
while  the  fog  lasted. 

Folk-lore. — Funny  old  snyings  are 
to  be  met  with  among  the  (juips  and 
quirks  of  "  folk-lore  "  that  tickled 
the  fancies  of  our  grandfathers.  The 
fullowing  is  to  be  lound  with  several 
changes,  but  it  is  too  good  to  be 
lost  :-.- 

"Sutton  for  ii.uttoii, 
(  Tamwoftli  for  beeves, 

WaLsall  for  Uiiockknees, 
And  Bruiuiiiagem  for  thieves." 

Fountains.  —  Messrs.  Messenger 
and  Sons  designed,  executed,  and 
erected,  to  order  of  the  Street  Com- 
missioners, in  1851,  a  very  neat,  ami 
for  tlie  situation,  appropriate,  fountain 
in  the  centre  of  the  Market  Hall,  but 
which  has  since  been  rt-moved  to  High- 
gate  Park,  where  it  apjpears  sadly  out 
of  place. 

The  poor  little  boys,  without  any  clothes. 
Looking  in  winter  as  if  they  were  froze. 

A  number  of  small  driuking-fountains 
or  taps  have  been  presented  to  the 
town  by  benevolent  persons  (one  of  the 
neatest  being  tiiat  put  ti})  at  the  ex- 
pense of  Mr.  William  White  in  Bris- 
tol Koad  in  1876),  and  granite  cattle- 
troughs  are  to  be  found  in  Constitution 
Hill,  Icknield  Street,  Easy  Row, 
Albert  Street,  Gosta  Green,  Five  Ways, 
&c.     In  July,  1876,  Miss  Ryland  paid 


SH0WELL8    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


79 


for  the  erection  of  a  very  handsome 
fountain  at  the  bottom  of  Bradford 
Street,  in  near  proximity  to  the  Smith 
lield.  It  is  so  constructed  as  to  be 
available  for  queneliing  the  thirst  not 
only  of  human  travellers,  Init  also  of 
horses,  doi;s,  &c. ,  and  on  this  account 
it  has  been  approjn-iately  handed  over 
to  the  care  of  the  Society  for  the  Pre- 
vention of  Cruelty  to  Animals.  It  is 
composed  of  granite,  and  as  it  is  sur- 
mounted by  a  gas  lamp,  it  is,  in  more 
senses  than  one,  both  useful  and  orna- 
mental.— The  fountain  in  connection 
with  the  Cliamberlain  Memorial,  at 
back  of  Town  Hall,  is  computed  to 
throw  out  live  million  gallons  of  water 
per  annum  (ten  hours  per  day),  a  part 
of  which  is  utilised  at  the  tishstalls  in 
the  markets.  The  AVater  Committee 
have  lately  yut  up  an  ornamental  foun- 
tain in  Hagley  Road,  in  connection 
with  the  pipe  supply  for  that  neigh- 
bourhood. 

Foxalls. — -For  centur.ies  one  of  the 
most  prosperous  of  our  local  families, 
having  large  tanneries  in  Diubeth  as 
far  back  as  1570  ;  afterwards  as  cutlers 
and  ironmongers  down  to  a  hundred 
years  ago.  They  were  also  owners  of 
the  Old  Swan,  the  famous  coaching 
house,  and  which  it  is  believed  was  the 
inn  that  Prince  Rupert  and  his  officers 
came  to  wlien  Thomas,  the  ostler,  was 
ihot,  through  officiously  offering  to  take 
their  horses. 

Fox  Hunts. — With  the  exception 
of  the  annual  exhibition  of  fox-hounds 
and  other  sporting  dogs,  Birmingham 
has  not  much  to  do  with  hunting 
matters,  though  formerly  a  red  coat  or 
two  might  often  have  been  seen  in  the 
outskirts  riding  to  meets  not  far  away. 
On  one  occasion,  however,  as  told  the 
writer  by  one  of  those  old  inhabitants 
whose  memories  are  our  historical  text- 
books, the  inhabitants  of  Digbeth  and 
Deritend  were  treated  to  the  sight  of  a 
hunt  in  full  cry.  It  was  a  nice  winter's 
morning  of  1806,  when  Jlr.  Reynard 
sought  to  save  his  brush  by  taking  a 
straight   course    down    the    Coventry 


Road  right  into  town.  Tiie  astonish- 
ment of  the  shop-koejiers  ma}'  be 
imagined  when  the  rush  of  dogs  and 
horses  passed  rattling  hy.  R.nind  the 
corner,  down  Bordesley  High  Street, 
past  the  Crown  and  Clinrch,  over  the 
bridge  and  away  for  the  Shamldes  and 
Corn  Cheaping  went  the  fox,  and  close 
to  his  heels  followed  the  hounds,  who 
caught  their  prey  at  last  near  to  The 
Board.  "S.D.R.,"  in  one  of  his 
chatty  gossips  auent  the  old  taverns 
of  Birmingham,  tells  of  a  somewhat 
similar  scene  from  the  Quinton  side  of 
the  town,  the  bait,  however,  being  not 
a  fox,  but  the  trail-scent  of  a  strong  red 
herring,  dragged  at  his  stirrup,  in 
wicked  devilry,  by  one  of  the  well- 
known  haunters  of  old  Joe  Lindou's. 
Still,  we  have  had  fox-hunts  of  our 
own,  one  of  the  vuloine  crew  being 
killed  in  St.  Mary's  Churcliyard,  Feb. 
26,  1873,  while  another  was  captured 
(Sept.  11,  1883)  by  some  navvies  at 
work  on  the  extension  of  New  Street 
Station.  The  fox,  which  was  a  voung 
one,  was  found  asleeu  in  one  of  the  sub- 
waj^s,  though  how  he  got  to  such  a 
strange  dormitory  is  a  puzzle,  and  he 
gave  a  quarter-hour's  good  sport  before 
being  secured. 

Freemasons.— See  "  Manonic." 

Freeth,  the  Poet— The  first  time 

Freeth's  name  appears  in  the  public 
prints  is  in  connection  with  a  dinner 
given  at  his  coffee-liouse,  April  17, 
1770,  to  celebrate  Wilkes'  release  from 
prison.  He  died  Se|itember  29,  1808, 
aged  77,  and  was  buried  in  the  Old 
Meeting  House,  the  following  lines 
being  graved  on  his  tombstone  :  — 

1'  Free  and  easy  through  life  'twas  his  wish  to 

proceed. 
Good    men    he   revered,     whatever    their 

creed. 
His  pride  was  a  sociable  evening  to  spend, 
For  uo  man  loved  better  his   pipe  and  his 

friend." 

Friendly   Societies   are   not  of 

modern  origin,  traces  of  many  havinc 
been  found  in  ancient  Greek  inscrip- 
tions.    The  Romans  also  had  similar 


80 


SIIOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


societies,  Mr.  Toiukins,  the  chief  clerk 
of  the  Registrar-General,  having  found 
and  iSeciphered  the  accounts  of  one  at 
Lannvium,  the  entrance  fee  to  which 
was  100  sesterces  (about  15s.),  and  an 
amphora  (or  jar)  of  wine.  The  pay- 
ments were  eijuivalent  to  2s.  a  J'ear, 
or  '2d.  per  month,  the  funeral  money 
being  45s.,  a  fixed  portion,  7>.  6d. 
being  set  apart  for  distribution  at  tlie 
burning  of  the  bmly.  Meniljers  who 
di(i  not  pay  up  promptly  were  struck 
off  the  list,  and  the  secretaries  and 
treasure: s,  wlien  funds  were  short, 
went  to  their  own  pockets. — The  first 
Act  for  regulating  Friendly  Societies 
was  pis-ed  in  1795.  Few  towns  in 
Englanil  have  more  sick  and  benefit 
I'.lu'is  than  Hirniingiiani,  there  not 
being  many  pnblic-hou«es  without  one 
attached  to  them,  and  scarcely  a  man  u- 
factcry  minus  its  special  fund  for  like 
purposes.  The  larger  socii-ties,  of 
course,  liave  many  branchirS  (lodges, 
courts,  &c  ),  au'i  it  would  be  a(li(fi- 
cult  matter  to  i>r.rticularise  them  all.  or 
even  arrive  at  the  aggregate  number  of 
their  members,  which,  however,  cannot 
be  much  less  than  50,000:  and,  if  to 
these  we  add  the  large  number  of  what 
may  be  styled  "annual  gift  clubs" 
(the  money  in  hand  being  divided 
every  year),  we  may  safely  put  the 
total  at  something  like  70,000  persons 
who  take  this  metliod  of  providing  for 
a  rainy  day.  Tlie  folio  win  £;  notes  re- 
specting local  societies  have  been 
culled  from  blue  books,  annual  reports, 
and  private  special  information,  the 
latter  being  difficult  to  arrive  at,  iu 
consequence  of  that  curious  reticence 
observable  in  the  character  of  officials 
of  all  sorts,  cUib  stewarils  included. 

Artisans  at  Large. — In  March,  1868, 
the  Birmingham  artisans  wlio  reported 
on  the  Paris  Exhibition  of  1867,  formed 
themselves  into  a  society  "  to  consider 
and  discuss,  from  an  artisan  point  of 
view,  all  such  subjects  as  specially 
afTect  the  artisan  class  ;  to  promote 
and  seek  to  obtain  all  such  measures, 
legislative  or  otherwise,  as  shall  appear 
beneficial  to  that  class  ;  and  to  render 


to  each  other  mutual  assistance,  coun- 
sel, or  encouragement."  Very  good, 
inieed  !  The  benefits  which  have 
arisen  fronr  the  formation  of  this 
society  are  doubtless  many,  but  as  the 
writer  has  never  yet  seen  a  report,  he 
cannot  record  the  value  of  the  mutual 
assistance  rend'-^red,  or  say  wliat  cay)ital 
is  left  over  of  the  original  fund  of 
counsel  aTul  encouragement. 

Barbers. — -A  few  knights  of  the  razor 
in  1869  met  together  and  formed  a 
"Philanthropic  Society  of  Hair- 
dressers," but  though  these  gentlemen 
are  pioverbial  for  their  gossiping  pro- 
pensities, they  tell  no  tales  out  of 
school,  ami  ot  their  charily  boast  not. 

Butchers  — A  Butchers'  Benefit  and 
Beuevoleiit  Association  was  founded  in 
1877. 

Coa /.dealers. — The  salesmen  of  black 
diamonds  have  a  mutual  benefit  asso- 
ciation, but  as  the  secretary  declines 
to  give  any  information,  we  fear  the 
mutual  benefit  consists  solely  of  help- 
ing eacli  other  to  keep  tlie  ]irioes  up. 

Cannon  Street  M-de  Adult  Frovidcnt, 
Institution  was  established  iu  1841. 
At  tlie  expiration  of  1877  there  were 
8,994  members,  with  a  balance  in  hand 
of  £72,956  I5s.  od.  The  total  receiveil 
from  members  to  that  ilate  amounted 
to  £184,900,  out  of  whicli  £131,400 
had  been  returned  iu  sick  pay  and 
funeral  benefits,  the  iiaymeuts  out 
varying  from  4s.  to  20s.  a  week  in 
sickness,  with  a  funeral  benefit  of  £20, 
£S  being  allowed  on  the  death  of  a 
wife. 

Carr's  Lane  Provident  Institution 
was  commenced  in  1845,  and  has  299 
male  and  323  female  members,  with  a 
capital  of  £5,488,  the  amount  paid  in 
1883  oil  account  of  sickness  being 
£242,  with  £54  funeral  money. 

Chemisiry. — A  Miiiland  Counties' 
Chemists'  Association  was  formed  in 
May,   1869. 

Christ  Church  Provident  Institution 
was  established  iu  1835,  and  at  the  end 
of  1883,  there  were  646  male  and  591 
female  members  ;  during  the  year  £423 
had  been  paid  among  138  members  ou 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


81 


account  of  sicknts;-,  besides  £25  for 
funerals.  Cauital  about  £5,800.  A 
junior  or  Sunday  school  branch  also 
exists. 

Church  of  the  Saviour  Provident 
Institution  was  staited  in  1857. 

Church  School  Teachirs. — The  Bir- 
mingham and  District  Branch  of  the 
Church  Schoolmaster's  and  School- 
mistresses' Benevolent  Institution  was 
formed  in  1866,  and  the  members  con- 
tribute about  £250  per  year  to  the 
funds. 

Druids. — The  order  of  Druids  has 
five  Lod<^es  here,  with  nearly  400  mem- 
bers. The  United  Ancient  Order  of 
Druids  lias  twenty-one  Lodfjes,  and 
about  1,400  members. 

£be)iczcr  Chapel  S'ck  Society  was  es- 
tablished in  1828.  Has  135  members, 
whose  yearij'  payments  average  32s. 
6d. ,  out  of  which  17s.  dividend  at 
Christmas  comes  back,  the  benefits 
being  10s.  a  week  in  sickness  and  £10 
at  death. 

Foresters. — In  1745  a  few  Yorkshire- 
men  started  "The  Ancient  Order  of 
Royal  Foresters,"  under  which  title 
the  associated  Courts  remained  until 
1834,  when  a  split  took  place.  The 
secessionists,  who  gave  the  name  of 
"Honour"  to  their  No.  1  Court  (at 
Ashton-under-Lyne),  declined  the 
honour  of  calling  themselves  "  Royal," 
but  still  adhered  to  the  antique  part  of 
their  cognomen.  The  new  "Ancient 
Order  of  foresters  "  throve  well,  and, 
leaving  their  "  Royal "  friends  far 
away  in  the  background,  now  number 
560,000  members,  who  meet  in  nearly 
7,000  Courts.  In  the  Birmingham 
Midland  District  there  are  62  courts, 
with  about  6,200  members,  the 
Court  funds  amounting  to  £29,900, 
and  tiie  Distiict  funds  to  £2,200. 
The  oldest  Court  in  this  town  is  the 
"Child  of  the  Fonst,"  meeting 
at  the  Gem  Vaults,  Steelhouse  Lane, 
which  was  instituted  in  1839.  The 
other  Courts  meet  at  the  Crown  and 
Anchor,  Gem  Street  ;  Roebuck,  Lower 
Hurst  Street  ;  Queen's  Arms,  £a«y 
Row ;    White   Swan,    Church    Street ; 


Red  Cow,  Horse  Fair  ;  Crown,  Broad 
Street ;  White  Hart,  Warstone  Laue  ; 
Rose  and  Crown,  Summer  Row  ;  Red 
Lion,  Suffolk  Street  ;  Old  Crown, 
Deritend  ;  Hope  and  Anchor,  Coleshill 
Street  ;  Black  Horse,  Ashted  Row  ; 
Colemore  Arms,  Latimer  Street  South  ; 
Anchor,  Bradfo>'d  Street  ;  Army  and 
Navy  Inn,  Great  Brook  Street ;  Red 
Lion,  Smallbrook  Street ;  Union  Mill 
Inn,  Holt  Street  ;  Vine,  Lichfield 
Road  ;  Wellington,  Holliday  Street  ; 
Ryland  Arms,  Ryland  Street  ;  Star  ami 
Garter,  Great  Hampton  Row  ;  Oak 
Tree,  Selly  Oak  ;  Station  Inn,  Saltley 
Road  ;  Drovers'  Arms,  Bradford  Street ; 
Old  Nelson,  Great  Lister  Street ;  Ivy 
Green,  Edward  Street  ;  Iron  House, 
iloor  Street  ;  Green  Man,  Harbornc  ; 
Fountain,  Wrentham  Street  ;  King's 
Arms,  Sherlock  Street ;  Shareholdeis' 
Arms,  Park  Lane  ;  Shakes])eaie'sHead, 
Livery  Street  ;  Criterion,  Hurst  Street ; 
Acorn,  Friston  Street  ;  Hen  and 
Chickens,  Graham  Street  ;  Albion, 
Aston  Road  ;  Dog  and  Partridge,  Tin- 
dal  Street  ;  White  Horse,  Great  Col- 
more  Street  ;  Carpenters'  Arms,  Ade- 
laide Street  ;  Small  Arms  Inn,  Muntz 
Street  ;  Weymouth  Arms,  Gerrard 
Street  ;  General  Hotel,  Touk  Street ; 
Railway  Tavern,  Hockley ;  Noah's  Ark, 
Montague  Street ;  Sportsman, Warwick 
Roail  ;  Roebuck,  Monument  Road  ; 
Bull's  Head,  Moseley  ;  Swan  Inn, 
Coleshill  ;  Hare  and  Hounds,  King's 
Heath  ;  Roebuck,  Erdingtou  ;  Fox  and 
Grapes,  Pensnett  ;  Hazelwell  Tavern, 
Stirchley  Street  ;  Round  Oak  and  New 
Inn,  Brierley  Hill  ;  The  Stores,  Old- 
bury  ;  and  at  the  Crosswells  Inn,  Five 
Ways,  Langley. 

General  Provident  and  Benevolent 
Institution  was  at  first  (1833)  an  amal- 
gamation of  several  Sunday  School 
societies.  It  has  a  number  of  branches, 
and  appears  to  be  in  a  flourishing  con- 
diiion,  the  a.ssets,  at  end  of  1SS3, 
amountii  g  to  over  £48,000,  with  a 
yearly  increment  of  about  £1,400  ;  the 
number  of  members  in  the  medical 
fund  being  5,112. 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


Grocers. — Tliese  gentlemen  organised 
a  Benevole.nt  Societ)',  in  1872. 

Independent  Order  of  EecJiabites. — 
Dwellers  in  tents,  and  drinkers  of  no 
wine,  were  the  original  Recbabites,  and 
there  are  about  a  score  of  "tents"  in 
this  district,  the  oldest  being  pitched 
in  this  town  in  1839,  and,  as  Iriendly 
societies,  they  appear  to  be  doing,  in 
their  way,  good  service,  like  tiieir 
friends  wiio  meet  in  "courts"  and 
"lodges,"  the  original  "tent's"  cash- 
box  having  £675  in  hand  for  cases  of 
sickness,  while  the  combined  camp 
holds  £1,600  wherewith  to  bury  their 
dead. 

Jewellers'  Benevolent  A  ssociaiiondeLt^s 
from  Oct..  25,  1 867. 

Medical. — A  Midland  Medical  Bene- 
volent Society  has  been  in  existence 
since  1821.  The  annual  report  to  end 
of  1883  showed  invested  funds  amount- 
ing to  £10,937,  there  being  265  bene- 
fit members  and  15  honorary. 

Musical. — The  Birmingham  Musical 
Society  consists  almost  solely  of  mem- 
bers of  the  Choral  Societ}',  whose  fines, 
with  small  subscriptions  from  honorary 
members,  furnishes  a  fund  to  cover 
rehearsal,  and  sundry  choir  expenses 
as  well  as  10s    in  cases  of  sickness. 

JVeiv  Electing  Provident  Institution 
was  founded  in  1836,  but  is  now  con- 
nected with  the  Church  of  the  Messiah. 
A  little  over  a  thousand  members,  oiie- 
third  of  whom  are  females. 

Oddfclloios. — The  National  Indepen- 
dent Order  of  Oddfellows,  Birming- 
ham Bracch,  was  started  about  1850. 
At  the  end  of  1879  there  were  1,019 
members,  witli  about  £4,500  accumu- 
lated funds. 

The  Birmingham  District  of  the 
Manchester  Unity  of  Oddfellows  in 
January,  1882,  consisted  of  43  lodges, 
comprising  4,297  members,  the  com- 
bined capital  of  sick  and  funeral  funds 
being  £42,210.  The  oldest  Lodge  in 
the  District  is  the  "  Briton's  Pride," 
which  M'as  opened  in  1827. 

The  first  Oddfellows'  Hall  was  in 
King  Streef,    but    was  removed  when 


Ne>v  Street  Station  was  htiilt.  The  new 
Oddfellows'  Hall  in  Upper  Temple 
Street  was  built  in  1849,  by  Branson 
and  Gwyrher,  from  the  designs  of  Coe 
and  Goodwin  (Lewishani,  Kent),  at  a 
cost  of  £3,000.  The  opening  was 
celebrateil  by  a  dinner  on  December 
3rii,  same  year.  The  "  Hall  "  will  ac- 
commodate 1,000  persons.  The  Odd- 
fellows' Biennial  Iiloveable  Comnuttee 
met  in  tliis  town  on  May  29th,  1871. 

Tlie  M.U.  L'ulges  meet  at  the  follow- 
ing houses  :--Fox,  Fox  Street  ;  White 
Horse,  Congrevo  Street  ;  Swan-with- 
two-Necks,  Great  Brook  Street  ;  Al- 
bion, Cato  Street  North  ;  Hope 
and  Anchor,  Coleshill  Street;  13, 
Tenif'le  Street ;  Wagon  and  Hor- 
ses, Edgb^ston  Street ;  Crystal  Pal- 
ace, Six  Ways,  Smethwick  ;  Tiie 
Vine,  Harborne  ;  Prince  Artiiur,  Ar- 
thur Street,  Small  Heath  ;  George 
Hotel,  High  Street,  Solihull  ;  Bell, 
Phillip  Street  ;  Bull's  Head,  Digbeth  ; 
Edgbaston  Tavern,  Lee  Bank,  Road  ; 
The  Stork,  Fowler  Street,  Nechells  ; 
Three  Tuns,  Digbeth  ;  Town  Hall, 
Sutton  Coldtield  ;  Coffee  House,  Bell 
Street ;  Coacli  and  Horses,  Snow  Hill  ; 
Roe  Buck,  Moor  Street;  Drovers' Arms, 
Bradford  Street;  Co-operative  Meeting 
Room,  Stirchley  Street  ;  Black  Lion, 
Coleshill  Street;  Queen's  Head,  Hands- 
worth  ;  No.  1  Colfee  House,  Rolfe 
Street,  Smethwick  ;  New  Inn,  Seliy 
Oak  ;  Wagon  and  Horses,  Greet ;  Tal- 
bot, Yardley  ;  Saracen's  Head,  Edg- 
baston Street ;  Dolphin,  Unett  Street ; 
Grand  Turk,  Ludgate  Hill  ;  Roebuck, 
Moor  Street;  White  Swan,  Church 
Street  ;  AA'hite  Lion,  Thorpe  Street  ; 
Queen's  Arms,  Easy  Row  ;  Rose  ana 
Crown,  Wheeler  Street,  Lozells. 

The  National  Independent  Order  was 
instituted  in  1845,  and  registered  under 
the  Friendly  Societies'  Act,  1875.  The 
Order  numbers  over  60,000  members, 
but  its  strongholds  appear  to  bo  in 
Yorkshire  and  Lancashire,  which  two 
counties  muster  between  them  nearly 
40,000.  In  Birmingham  district,  there 
are  thirteen  "lodges,"  with  a  total  of 
956  members,  their  locations  being  at 


SHOWKLLS    DICTIONARY    OF   BIRMINGHAM. 


83 


theCriterion,  Hurst  Street :  Bricklayers' 
Anus,  Cheapsiiie  ;  Ryland  Anns, 
Rj'laiul  S'.reet  ;  Sporti^maii,  Moseley 
Street  ;  Iron  Hou^e.  iloor  Street  ; 
Excliange  Inn,  Higli  Street  ;  Red  Lion, 
Smallbrook  Street ;  Woodman.  Summer 
Lane  :  Emily  Amis.  Emily  Street  ; 
Boar's  Head,  Bradford  Street ;  Turk's 
Hea<i,  Duke  Street  :  Bi-d-in-Haud, 
Great  King  Street  ;  Tyburn  House, 
Erdington. 

Old  Meeting  Friendly  F^ind\KKS  com- 
menced in  1819,  and  registered  in  1S24. 
Its  ca]ntal  at  the  close  of  the  first  year, 
was  £5  1-is.  lOid.  ;  at  end  of  the  tenth 
vear  (1828)  it  was  nearly  £26-4  ;  in 
1838,  £646  :in  1848.  £1,609  ;  in  1858, 
£3,419;  1868,  £5,549;  in  1878, 
£8,237 ;  and  at  the  end  of  1883, 
£9,250  16s.  2d.  ; — a  very  fair  sum, 
considering  the  members  only  num- 
bered 446,  the  year's  income  being  £877 
and  the  out-goinirs  £662. 

Railway  Guards'  Friendly  Fund  was 
originated  in  this  town  in  1848.  It  has 
nearly  2,200  members  ;  the  yearly  dis- 
bursements being  about  £6,000,  and 
the  payments  £40  at  death,  with  life 
pensions  of  10s.  and  upwards  per  week 
to  members  disabled  on  tiie  line.  More 
than  £85,000  has  been  thus  distributed 
since  the  commencement. 

lioman  Catholic. — A  local  Friendly 
Societ}'  was  kunided  in  1794,  and  a 
Midland  Association  in  1824. 

Shepherds. — The  Order  of  Shepherds 
dates  from  1S34,  but  we  cannot  get  at 
the  number  of  members,  &:c.  August 
9,  1883  (accoi-diug  to  Daily  Post), 
the  High  Sauct.iary  meeting  of  the 
Order  of  Shepherds  was  held  in  our 
Town  Hall,  when  the  auditor's  report 
showed  total  assets  of  the  general 
!und,  £921  15s.  4d.,  and  liabilities 
£12  6s.  9id.  The  relief  fund  stood  at 
£292  ISs.^Sd.,  being  au  increase  of  £66 
Os.  lid.  on  the  year  ;  and  there  was  a 
balance  of  £6  13s.  9id.  to  the  credit 
of  the  sick  and  funeral  fund. 

St.  Davkl's  Society. — The  members 
held  their  first  meeting  March  1, 
1824. 

St.  Patrick's  Benefit  Society,  dating 


from  1865  as  an  oflfshoot  of  the  Liver- 
pool Society,  had  at  end  of  1882,  3,144 
members,  the  expenditure  of  the  year 
was  £857  (£531  for  funerals),  and  the 
total  value  of  the  society  £2,030. 

Unitarian  Brotherly  Society,  regis 
tered  in  1825,  has  about  500  mcHibers, 
and  a  capital  of  £8,500. 

United  Brothers. — There  are  nearly 
100  lodges  and  10,000  members  o'f 
societies  under  this  name  in  Idrming- 
ham  and  neighbourhood,  some  of  the 
lodges  being  well  provided  for  capital. 
No.  4  having  £8,286  to  186  )nembers. 

United  Family  Life  Assurance  and 
Sick  Benefit  Society  claims  to  have 
some  8,500  members,  750  of  whom  re- 
side in  Biraiingham. 

United  Legal  Burial  Society,  regis- 
tered in  1846,  like  the  above,  is  a 
branch  only. 

Union  Provident  Sick  Society. — 
Founded  1802.  enrolled  in  1826  and 
certitied  in  1871,  had  then  3,519  mem- 
bers and  a  reserve  fund  of  £8,269.  At 
end  of  1883  the  reserve  fund  stood  at 
£15,310  16s.  9d.,  there  having  been 
paid  during  the  3'ear  £4,768  17s.  2d. 
for  sick  p:iy  and  funerals,  besides  15s. 
dividend  to  each  member. 

There  are  15,379  Friendly  Societies 
or  branches  in  the  kingdom,  number- 
ing 4,593,175  members,  and  their 
funds  amounted  to  (by  last  return) 
£12,148,602. 

Fpiends   (The   Society    of).— 

Quakerism  was  publicly  professed  here 
in  1654,  George  Fox  visiting  the  town 
the  following  year  and  in*  1657.  The 
friends  held  their  first  "meetings"  in 
Monmouth  Street  in  1659.  The  meet- 
ing house  in  Bull  Street  was  built  in 
1703,  and  was  enlarged  several  times 
jirior  to  1856,  when  it  was  replaced  by 
the  present  edifice  which  will  seat 
about  800  i)ersons.  The  re-opening 
took  place  January  25,  1857.  The 
burial-ground  in  Monmouth  Street, 
wliere  the  Arcade  is  now,  was  taken 
by  the  Great  Western  Railway  Ce. 
in  1851,  the  remains  of  over  300  de- 
parted  Friends  being  removed  to  the 


84 


SHOWBLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


yard    of   the   ineeting-liouse    in    Bull 
Street. 

FroggePy. — Before  the  New  Street 
Railway  Station  was  built,  a  fair  slice 
of  old  15irriiiiigliam  had  to  be  cleared 
away,  and  fortunately  it  happened  to 
be  one  of  the  unsavoury  portions,  in- 
cluding the  spot  known  as  "  Tiie 
Froggery."  As  there  was  a  Duck  Lane 
close  by,  the  place  most  likely  was 
originally  so  christened  from  its  low- 
lying  and  watery  jiosition,  the  connec- 
tion between  ducks  and  frogs  being 
self-apparent. 

Frosts.— Writing  on  Jan.  27,  ISSl, 
the  late  Mr.  Plant  said  that  in  88  years 
there  had  been  only  four  instances  of 
great  cold  approaching  comparison 
with  the  intense  frost  then  ended  ;  the 
first  was  in  January,  1795  ;  tlie  next 
in  December  and  January,  1813-14  ; 
then  followed  that  of  January,  1820. 
The  fourth  was  in  December  and 
January,  1860  -  61  ;  and,  lastl)', 
January,  1881.  In  1795  the  mean 
temperature  of  the  twenty-one  days 
ending  January  31st  was24'27  degrees; 
in  1813-14,  December  29th  to  January 
ISthj  exclusively,  24  9  degrees;  in 
1820,  January  1st  to  21st,  inclusively, 
237  degrees;  in  1860-61,  December 
20tli  to  January  9th,  inclusively,  21  "5 
degrees  ;  and  in  1881,  January  7th  to 
27th,  inclusively,  23 '2  degrees.  Thus 
the  very  coldest  three  weeks  on  record 
in  this  district,  in  88  j^ears,  is  January, 
1881.  With  the  exception  of  the  long 
frost  of  1813-4,  which  commenced  on 
the  24tli  December  and  lasted  three 
months,  although  so  intense  in  their 
character,  none  of  the  above  seasons 
were  remarkable  for  protracted  dura- 
tion. The  longest  frosts  recorded  in 
the  present  century  were  as  follows  : — 
1813-14,  December  to  ilaich.  13  weeks  ; 
1829-30,  December,  January,  February, 
10  weeks  ;  1838,  Januiry,  February, 
8  weeks  ;  1855,  January,  February,  7 
weeks  ;  1878-79,  December,  January, 
February,  10  weeks. 

Funny      Notions.— The      earliest 
existing;  statutes    iioveruing   our    Free 


Grammar  of  King  Edward  VI.  bear 
the  date  of  1676.  One  of  tliese 
rules  forbids  the  assistant  masters  to 
marry.— In  1663  (temp.  Charles  II.) 
Sir  Robert  Holte,  of  Aston,  received  a 
commission  trom  Lord  Northampton, 
"  Master  of  His  Majesty's  leash,"  to 
take  and  seize  greyhoumJs,  and  certain 
other  dogs,  for  the  use  of  His  Majesty! 
— The  "Dancing  Assembly,"  which 
was  to  meet  on  the  30th  January,  1783, 
loyally  postponed  their  light  fantastic 
toeing,  "  in  consequence  of  that  being 
the  anniver-sary  of  the  martyrdom  of 
Charles  1." — In  1829,  when  the  Act 
was  passed  appointing  Commissioners 
forDuddeston  and  Nechells,  power  was 
given  for  erecting  gasworks,  provided 
they  did  not  extend  over  more  than 
one  acre,  and  that  no  gas  was  sent  into 
the  adjoining  pari.•^h  of  Birmingham. — 
A  writer  in  lUcchanics'  Mngazme  for 
1829,  who  signed  his  name  as  "A. 
Taydhill,  Birmiugham,"  suggested  that 
floor  carpets  should  be  utilized  as  maps 
wherewith  to  teach  children  geography. 
The  same  individual  proposed  that  tne 
inhabitants  of  each  street  should  join 
together  to  buy  a  long  pole,  or  mast, 
with  a  rope  and  pulley,  for  use  as  a  fire- 
escape,  and  recommended  them  to 
convey  their  furniture  in  or  out  of  the 
windows  with  it,  as  "good  practice." — 
A  patent  was  taken  out  by  Eliezer 
Edwards,  in  1S53,  for  a  bedstead  fitted 
with  a  wheel  and  handle,  that  it  might 
be  used  as  a  wheelbarrow. — Sergeant 
Bates,  of  America,  invaded  Birmiug- 
ham, Nov.  21,  1872,  carrying  the 
"stars  and  stripes,"  as  a  test  of  our 
love  for  our  Yankee  cousins. 

Funeral  RefOPm.— An  association 
for  doing  away  with  the  expensive 
customs  so  long  connected  with  the 
burying  of  the  dead,  was  organised  in 
1875,  and  slowly,  but  surely,  are  ac- 
complishing the  task  then  entered 
upon.  At  present  there  are  about  700 
enrolled  members,  but  very  many  more 
families  now  limit  the  trappings  of  woe 
to  a  more  reasonable  as  well  as  econo- 
mical exhibit  of  tailors'  and  milliners' 
black. 


SHOWEIj/8    DICTIJNARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


85 


FUPnitUPe. — Iiulgin^j  from  some 
oM  records  appertaining  to  tlie  liistory 
of  a  very  aneient  family,  who.  until 
the  town  swallowed  it  up,  farmed  a 
Considerable  portion  of  tlie  district 
known  as  the  Lozells,  or  Lowcells,  as 
it  was  once  called,  even  our  well-to-do 
neighbours  would  appear  to  have  been 
rather  short  of  what  we  think  neces- 
Siry  household  fnruitnre.  As  to  chairs 
in  bedrooms,  there  were  often  none  ; 
and  if  the}'  had  chimnies,  only  mov- 
able grates,  formed  of  a  few  bars  rest- 
ing on  "dogs."  Wildow-curtains, 
drawers,  carpets,  and  washing-stands, 
are  not,  according  to  our  recollection, 
anywhere  specified  ;  and  a  warming- 
jian  does  not  occur  till  1604,  and  then 
was  kept  in  the  bed-room.  Tongs 
appear  as  anuexations  of  grates,  with- 
out ])oker  or  shovel  ;  and  the  family 
plate-cliest  was  part  of  bed-room  fiirni 
tnre.  Stools  were  the  substitutes  for 
chairs  in  the  principal  sitting-room,  in 
the  proportion  of  even  twenty  of  tlie 
former  to  two  of  the  latter,  which  were 
evidently  intended,  par  distinction,  for 
tlie  husband  and  wife. 

Gallon. — The  family  name  of  a 
once  well-known  firm  of  gun,  sword, 
and  bayonet  makers,  whose  town- 
house  was  in  Steelhouse  Lane,  opposite 
the  Upper  Priorj'.  Their  works  were 
close  by  in  Weaman  Street,  but  the 
)nill  for  grinding  and  polishing  the 
barrels  ana  blades  was  at  Dmldeston, 
near  to  Dnddeston  Hall,  the  Galton's 
country-house.  It  was  this  firm's 
manufactury  that  Lady  Selbourne  refers 
to  in  her  "Diary,"  wherein  she  states 
that  in  1765  she  went  to  a  Quaker's 
"  to  see  the  making  of  guns."  The 
stiange  feature  of  members  of  the 
peace-loving  Society  of  Friends  being 
concerned  in  the  manufacture  of  such 
death-dealing  implements  was  so  con- 
trary to  their  profession,  that  in  1796, 
the  Friends  strongly  remonstrated 
with  the  Galtons,  leading  to  the  retire- 
ment of  the  senior  partner  from  the 
trade,  and  the  expulsion  of  the  junior 
from  the  bodj'.  The  mansion  in  Steel- 
house  Lane  was  afterwards  converted 


into  a  banking-liouse  ;  then  used  for 
the  purposes  of  the  Polytechnic  Insti- 
tution ;  next,  after  a  period  of  dreary 
emptiue.ss,  fitted  up  as  the  Children's 
Hospital,  after  the  removal  of  which 
to  Bioad  Street,  the  old  house  has  re- 
verted ro  its  original  use,  as  the  private 
abode  of  Dr.  Clay. 

Gambetta.— The  eminent  French 
patriot  was  fined  2.000  francs  for  up- 
holding the  freedom  of  sjwe'jh  and  the 
rights  of  the  press,  two  things  ever  dear 
to  Liberal  Birmingham,  and  it  was 
proposed  to  send  him  the  money  from 
here  as  a  mark  of  esteem  and  sympathy. 
The  Dailij  Post  took  the  matter  in  hand, 
and,  after  appealing  to  its  40,000 
readers  every  day  for  some  weeks,  for- 
warded (November  10,  1877)  a  draft 
for  £80  17s.  6d. 

Gaols.— The  Town  Gaol,  or  Lockup, 
at  the  back  of  the  Public  Ofiice,  in 
Moor-street,  was  first  used  in  Septem- 
ber, 1806.  It  then  consisted  of  a 
court)'ard,  59  ft.  by  30  ft.  (enclosed  by 
a  26ft.  wall)  two  day  rooms  or  kitchens. 
14  ft.  square,  and  sixteen  sleeping 
cells,  8  ft.  by  6  ft.  The  prisoners'  allow 
ance  was  a  ]iennyworth  of  bread  and  a 
slice  of  cheese  twice  a  day,  and  the  use 
of  the  pump.  Rather  short  commons, 
considering  the  41b.  loaf  often  sold  at 
Is.  The  establishment,  which  is  vastly 
improved  and  much  enlarged,  is  now 
used  only  as  a  place  of  teiuporary  deten- 
tion or  lockup,  where  prisoners  are  first 
received,  and  wait  their  introduction 
to  the  gentlemen  of  the  bench. 

The  erection  of  the  Porough  Gaol 
was  commenced  on  October  29,  1845, 
and  it  was  opened  for  the  reception  of 
prisoners,  0 -tober  17,  1849,  the  first 
culprit  being  received  two  da3's  after- 
wards. The  estimated  cost  was  put 
at  £51,447,  but  altogether  it  cost 
the  town  about  £90,000,  about 
£70,000  of  which  has  been  paid  off. 
In  the  year  1877,  three  prisoners  con- 
trived to  escape  ;  one,  John  Sutcliffe, 
who  got  out  on  July  25,  not  being 
recaptured  till  the  22nd  of  January 
following.  The  others  were  soon  taken 
back  home.       The  gaol  was  taken  over 


86 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


by  the  government  as  from  April  1, 
1878,  Mr.  J.  W.  Preston,  being  ap- 
pointed Governor  at  a  salary  of  £510, 
in  place  of  Mr.  Meaden,  who  had  re- 
ceived £450,  with  certain  extras.— See 
"Dungeon"    and    "Prisons." 

The  new  County  Goal  at  Warwick 
was  first  occupied  in  1860. 

Gaol  AtPOeitieS.— The  first  Gover- 
nor appointed  to  the  Borough  Gaol  was 
Captain  Maconochie,  formerly  superin- 
tendent over  the  convicts  at   Norfolk 
Island    in  the   days   of   transportation 
of  criminals.     He  was  permitted  to  try 
as  an  experiment  a  "system  of  marks," 
whereby    a  prisoner,  by  his   good  con- 
duct  and   industry,    could   materially 
lessen   the  duration  of  his  punishment, 
and,  to   a  certain  extent  improve  his 
dietary.    The  experiment,  though  only 
tried    with     prisoners    under    sixteen, 
proved  very  successful,  and  at  one  time 
hopes  were  entertained  that  the  system 
would  become  general  in  all    the  gaols 
of  the  kingdom.     So  far    as    our  gaol 
was    concerned,    however,     it    proved 
rather       unfortunate     that      Captain 
Maconochie,    through     advancing   age 
and  other  causes,  was  obliged  to  resign 
his  position  (July,  1851),  for  upon  the 
appointment    of    his    successor,    Lieu- 
tenant   Austin,    a      totally      opposite 
com-se    of  procedure    was  introducpd, 
a   perfect   reign    of    terror    prevailing 
in  place  of  kindness    and    a    humane 
desire  to  lead  to    the  reformation  of 
criminals.     In  lieu  of  good  marks  for 
'  industry,   the    new  Governor  imposed 
heavy   penal  marks   if  the   tasks    set 
them    were    not    done    to  time,    and 
what     these     tasks     were     may     be 
gathered      from     the     fact     that    in 
sixteen    months   no   less   than    fifteen 
prisoners   were  driven  to  make  an  at- 
tempt  on    their    lives,     through    tlie 
misery  and  torture  to  which  they  were 
exposed,  three  unfortunates  being  only 
too  successful.       Of  course  such  things 
could  not  be  altogether  hushed  ui.,  and 
after  one  or  two   unsatisfactory    ''in- 
quiries "  had  been  held,  a  Royal  Com- 
mission was  sent  down   to    in^-estigate 
matters.     One  case  out  of   many    will 


be    sufficient    sample    of  the   mercies 
dealt  out  by  the  governnr  to  the  poor 
creatures  placed  under  his  care.     Ed- 
ward Andrews,  a  lad  of  15,  was  sent  to 
gaol  for  three  months  (March  28, 1853) 
for  stealing  a  piece  of  beef.     On  the 
second  day  lie  was  put  to  work  at  "the 
crank,"  every  firn  of  which  was  equal 
to  lifting  a   weight    of    ■201bs.,  and  he 
was  required  to  make  2,000  revolutions 
before    he   had   any    breakfast,    4,000 
more  before  dinner,  and  another  4,000 
before  supper,  the  })unishmeiit   for  not 
completing  either  of  these  tasks  being 
the  loss  of  the    meal    following.     The- 
lad  failed  on  many  occasions,  and   was 
fed   almost   solely    on    one    daily,    or, 
rather,  nightly  allowance  of  bread  and 
water.     For   shouting   he  was   braced 
to  a  wall  for  hours  at  a  time,   tightly 
cased  in  a  horrible  jacket  and  leather 
collar,  his  feet  being  only    moveable. 
In     this     posiiion,     when    exhausted 
almost    to    death,   he    was  restored  to 
sensibility  by  having  buckets  of  water 
thrown  over  him.      What  wonder  that 
within  a  month  he  hung  himself.     A 
number  of  similar  cases   of   brutality 
were  proved,  and  the  Governor  thought 
it   best    to   resign,    but    he   was:  not 
allowed  to  escape  altogether  scot  free, 
being    tried    at    Warwick    on   several 
charges    of   cruelty,    and    being    con- 
victed, was  sentenced  by  the  Court^of 
Queen's    Bench    to    a    term    of   three 
months'  iiufuisonment. 

Garibaldi.— At  a  meeting  of  the 
Town  Council,  April  5,  1865,  it  was 
resolved  to  a-ik  Garibaldi  to  pay  a  visit 
to  this  town,  but  he  declined  the 
honour,  as  in  the  year  previous  he  had 
similarly  declined  to  receive  an  offered 
town  subscription. 

GaPPiSOn.— Though  a  strong  force 
was  kept  m  the  Barracks  in  the  old 
days  of  riot  and  turbulence,  it  is  many 
years  since  we  have  been  favoured  with 
more  than  a  single  company  of  red 
coats  at  a  time,  our  peaceful  inland 
town  not  requiring  a  strong  garrison. 

Gardens.— A  hundred  to  150  years 
a^o    there    was    no  town    in    England 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


87 


better  supplied  with  gardens  tliaii 
Bii-!iiiiiglia!ii,  almost  every  house  iu 
what  are  zio^v  the  main  thoroughfares 
having  its  plot  of  garden  ground.  In 
1?31  there  were  many  acres  of  allot- 
ment gardens  (as  they  came  to  be 
called  at  a  later  date)  where  St.  Bar- 
tholomew's Cliurch  now  stands,  and  in 
almost  every  other  direction  similar 
pieces  of  land  were  to  be  seen  under 
cultivation.  Public  tea  gardens  were 
also  to  bo  found  in  several  (juarters  of 
the  outskirts  ;  the  establishment 
known  as  the  Spring  Gardens  closing 
its  doors  July  31,  1801.  The  Apolio 
Tea  Gardens  lingered  on  till  1816,  and 
Beach's  Gardens  closed  in  September, 
1851. 

Gas. — William  Murdoch  is  generally 
credited  with  the  introduction  of  liglit- 
ing  by  gas,  but  it  is  evident  that  the 
inflammability  of  thegasprodueiblefroin 
coal  was  known  long  before  his  day,  as 
the  Rev.  Dr.  John  Clayton,  Dean  of 
Kildare,  mentioned  it  in  a  letter  he 
wrote  to  the  Hon.  Robert  Boyle,  in 
1691.  The  Dr. 's  discovery  was  pro- 
bably made  during  his  stay  in  Virginia, 
and  another  letter  of  his  shows  the 
probability  of  his  being  aware  that  the 
gas  would  pass  through  water  without 
losing  its  lighting  properties.  The 
discovery  has  also  been  claimed  as  that 
of  a  learned  Frenclis«i;a?i<,bur  Murdoch 
must  certainly  take  the  honour  of  being 
the  first  to  bring  gas  into  practical  use 
at  his  residence,  at  Redruth,  in  1792, 
and  it  is  said  that  he  even  made  a  lan- 
tern to  light  the  paths  in  his  evening 
walks,  the  gas  burned  in  which  was 
contained  iu  a  bag  carried  under  his 
arm,  his  rooms  being  also  lit  up  from  a 
bag  of  gas  placed  under  weiglits.  The 
exact  date  of  its  introduction  in  this 
neighbourhood  has  not  been  ascertained 
though  it  is  believed  that  part  of  the 
Soho  Works  were  fitted  with  gas-lights 
in  1798,  and,  on  the  occurrence  of  the 
celebration  of  tiie  Peace  of  Amiens,  in 
1802,  a  public  exhibition  was  made 
of  tlie  new  light,  in  the  illuminatioii 
of  the  works.  The  Gazette  of  April  5, 
1802  (according  to  extract  by  Dr.  Lang- 


ford,  in  his  ■'  Century  of  Birmingham 
Lifa")  described  the  various  devices  iu 
coloured  lamps  and  transparencies,  but 
strangely  enough  does  not  mention  gas 
at  all.  Possibly  gas  was  no  longer  much 
of  \  novelty  at  Soho,  or  the  reporter 
might  not  have  known  the  nature  of  the 
lights  used,  but  there  is  the  evidence 
of  Mr.  Wm.  Matthews,  who,  iu  1827 
published  an  "  Historical  Sketch  of 
Gaslighting,"  in  whicli  he  states  that 
he  had  ''the  inexpressible  gratification 
of  witnessing,  in  1802,  Mr.  Murdoch's 
extraordinary  and  splendid  e.xhibitiou 
of  gaslights  at  Soho."  On  the  other 
hand,  the  pi'esent  writer  was,  some 
years  back,  told  by  one  of  the  few  ohl 
Soho  workmen  then  left  among  us, 
that  on  the  occasion  referred  to  the 
only  display  of  gas  was  in  the  shape  of 
one  large  lamp  placed  at  one  end  of 
the  factory,  and  tlien  called  a  "  Bengal 
light,"  the  gas  for  which  was  brought 
to  the  premises  in  several  bags  from 
Jlr.  Murdoch's  own  house.  Though  it 
has  been  always  believed  that  the  fac- 
tory and  otfices  throughout  were  lighted 
by  gas  in  1S03,  very  soon  alter  the 
Amiens  illumination,  a  correspondent 
to  the  Daily  Post  has  lately  stated 
that  when  certain  of  his  friends  went 
to  Soho,  in  1834,  they  found  no  lights 
in  use,  even  for  blowpipes,  except  oil 
and  candles  and  that  they  had  to  \&j 
on  gas  from  the  mains  of  the  Birming- 
ham and  Statfordshire  Gas  Company  in 
the  Holyhead  Road.  If  correct,  this  is 
a  curious  bit  of  the  history  of  the  cele- 
brated Soho,  as  other  manufacturers 
were  not  at  all  slow  in  introducing  gas 
for  working  purposes  as  well  as  light- 
ing, a  well-known  tradesman,  Benja- 
min Cook  Caroiine  Street,  having 
titted  up  retorts  and  a  gasometer  on  his 
premises  in  1808,  his  first  pipes  being 
composed  of  old  or  waste  gun-barrels, 
and  he  reckoned  to  clear  a  profit  of 
£30  a  year,  as  against  his  former  ex- 
penditure for  candles  and  oil.  The 
glassworks  of  Jones,  Smart,  and  Co., 
of  Aston  Hill,  were  lit  up  by  gas  as 
eariy  as  1810,  120  burners  being  used 
at  a  nightly  cost  of  4s.  6d.,  the  gas 


88 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


being  made  on  the  premises  from  a 
bushel  of  coal  per  day.  The  first  pro- 
posal to  use  gas  iu  lighting  the  streets 
of  Birmingham  was  made  in  July 
1811,  and  here  and  there  a  lamp  soon 
appeared,  but  they  were  supplied  by 
private  firms,  one  of  wliom  afterwards 
supplied  gas  to  light  the  chapel  for- 
merly on  the  site  of  the  present  Assay 
Office,  taking  it  from  tlieir  works  in 
Caroline  Street,  once  those  of  B.  Cook 
before-mentioned.  The  Street  Cotu- 
raissioners  did  not  take  the  matter  in 
liand  till  1815,  on  November  8  of 
which  year  they  advertised  for  tenders 
for  lighting  the  streets  with  gas  in- 
stead of  oil.  The  first  shop  in  which 
gas  was  used  was  that  of  Messrs. 
Poultney,  at  the  corner  of  Moor 
Street,  in  1818,  the  pipes  being  laid 
from  the  works  in  Gas  Street  by  a 
private  individual,  whose  interest 
therein  was  bought  up  by  the  Birming- 
ham Gaslight  Comjiany.  The  principal 
streets  were  first  officially  lighted  by 
gas-lamps  on  April  29,  1826,  but  it  was 
not  uutii  March,  184.3,  that  the  Town 
Council  resolved  that  that  part  of  the 
borough  within  the  parish  of  Edgbas- 
ton  should  be  similarly  favoured. 

Gas   Companies.— The   first,  or 

Birmingham  Gaslight  Co.  was  formed 
in  1817,  incorporated  in  1819,  aud 
commenced  business  b}'  buying  up  the 
private  adventurer  who  built  the  works 
in  Gas  Street.  The  Company  was 
limited  to  the  borougliof  Birmingham, 
and  its  original  capital  was  £32,000, 
which,  by  an  Act  obtained  in  1855, 
was  increased  to  £300,000,  and  borrow- 
ing powers  to  £90,000  more,  the  whole 
of  winch  was  raised  or  paid  up.  In  the 
year  1874  the  company  supplied  gas 
through  17,000  meters,  which  con- 
sumed 798,000,000  cubic  feet  of  gas. 
The  Birmingham  and  Staffordshire  Gas 
Co.  was  established  in  1825,  and  had 
powers  to  lay  tlieir  mains  in  and  out- 
side the  borough.  The  original  Act 
was  repealed  in  1845,  the  company  be- 
ing remodelled  and  started  afresh  with 
a  capital  of  £320,000,  increased  by  fol- 
lowing Acts  to  £670,000  (all  called  up 


by  1874),  and  borrowing  powers  to 
£100,000,  of  which,  by  the  same  year 
£23,000  had  been  raised.  The  con- 
sumption of  gas  in  1874  was 
1,462,000,000  ciibic  feet,  but  how 
much  of  this  was  burnt  by  the  com- 
pany's 19,910  Pjirmingham  customers, 
could  not  be  told.  The  two  companies, 
though  rivals  for  the  ]uiblic  favour, 
did  not  undersell  one  another,  both  of 
them  charging  10/-  per  1,000  feet  in 
the  year  1839,  while  in  1873  large 
consumers  were  only  charged  2/3  per 
1,000  feet,  the  highest  charge  being  2/7. 
The  question  of  baying  out  both  of  the 
Gas  Companies  had  been  frequently 
mooted,  but  it  was  not  until  1874  that 
anj'  definite  step  was  taken  towards  the 
desired  end.  On  April  17th,  1874,  the 
burgesses  recorded  1219  votes  in  favour 
of  Mr.  Joseph  Chamberlain's  proposi- 
tion to  purchase  the  Gas  [and  the 
Water]  Works,  C83  voting  against  it. 
On  Jan.  18th,  1875,  tlie  necessary  Bills 
were  introduced  into  the  House  of  Com- 
mons, and  on  July  15th  and  19th,  the 
two  Acts  were  passed,  though  not  with- 
out some  little  opposition  from  the  out- 
lying parishes  and  townships  heretofore 
supplied  by  the  Birmingham  and  Staf- 
fordshire Co.,  to  satisfy  whom  a  clause 
was  inserted,  under  which  Walsall, 
West  Bromwich,  &c. ,  could  purchase 
the  several  mains  and  works  in  their 
vicinity,  if  desirous  to  do  so.  The 
Birniingham  Gas  Co.  received  from 
the  Corporation  £450,000,  of  which 
£136,890  was  to  be  left  on  loan  at  4%, 
as  Debenture  Stock,  though  £38,850 
thereof  has  been  kept  in  hand,  as  the 
whole  was  redeemable  within  ten  j-ears. 
The  balance  of  £313,000  was  borrowed 
from  the  public  at  4%,  and  in  some 
cases  a  little  less.  The  Birmingham 
and  Staffordshire  Gas  Co.  were  paid  iu 
Perpetual  Annuities,  amounting  to 
£58,290  per  year,  being  the  maximum 
dividends  then  payable  on  the  Co. 's 
shares  £10,906  was  returned  as  capi- 
tal not  bearing  interest,  £15,000  for 
surplus  profits,  £30,000  the  half-year' 
dividend,  and  also£39,944  5s.  4d.  th 
Go's  Reserve  Fund.  The  total  cost  was  pu 


SHOWELLS    DICTIOXAUY    OF    BIUMINGIIAM. 


89 


ilown  as  £1,900,000.  Tlie  Annuities  are 
redeemable  l)j-  a  Sinking  Fund  in  85 
years.  For  their  portion  of  tlie  mains, 
service  pipes,  works,  kc.  formerlj'  be- 
longing to  the  Birmingham  and  Staf- 
fordshire Compan}'.  the  Walsall  autho- 
rities pay  the  Corporation  an  amount 
equivalent  to  annuities  valued  at 
£1,30C  per  year  ;  Oldbury  paid  £22,750, 
Tipton  £34,700  and  West  Bromwich 
£70,750. 

Gas  Fittings.  —  Curious  notions 
appear  to  have  been  at  first  entertained 
as  to  the  explosive  powers  of  the  new 
illuminator,  nothing  less  thin  copper 
orbrass  being  considered  strong  enough 
for  the  commonest  piping,  and  it  was 
tliought  a  great  innovation  when  a 
local  manufacturer,  iu  1812,  took  out 
a  patent  for  lead  pipes  copper-coated. 
Even  Jlurdoch  himself  seems  to  liave 
been  in  dread  of  the  burning  element, 
for  when,  in  after  j'ears,  his  house  at 
Sycamore  Hill  clianged  owners,  it  was 
found  that  the  smaller  gas  pipes  therein 
were  made  of  silver,  possibl}'  used  to 
withstand  the  supposed  corrosive  effects 
of  the  gas.  The  copper-covered  lead 
]iipes  were  patented  in  1819  by  Mr.  W. 
Phipson,  of  the  Dog  Pool  Mills,  the 
present  compo  being  comparatively  a 
modern  introduction.  Messengers,  of 
Broad  Street,  and  Cook,  of  Caroline 
Street  (1810-20),  were  the  first  manu- 
facturers of  gas  fittings  in  this  town, 
and  they  appear  to  have  had  nearly  a 
monopolj'  of  the  trade,  as  there  were 
but  three  others  in  it  in  1833,  and 
only  about  twenty  in  1863  ;  now  their 
name  is  legion,  gas  being  used  for 
an  infinitude  of  purposes,  not  the 
least  of  which  is  by  the  gas  cooking 
stove,  the  idea  of  which  was  so  novel 
at  first  that  the  Secretary  of  the  Gas 
Office  in  the  Jlinories  at  one  time  in- 
troduced it  to  the  notice  of  the  public 
by  having  his  dinner  daily  cooked  in 
a  stove  placed  in  one  of  the  office 
windows.  An  exhibition  of  gas  appa- 
ratus of  all  kinds  was  opened  at  the 
Town  Hall,  June  5,  1878,  and  that 
there  is  still  a  wonderful  future  for 
development   is   shown    by    its    being 


seriously  advocated  that  a  double  set 
of  mains  will  be  desirable,  one  for 
lighting  gas,  and  the  other  for  a  less 
pure  kind  to  be  used  for  heating  pur- 
poses. 

Gas  Works. — See  "  PohUc  Build- 
iiujs." 

Gavazzi.  —  Father  Gavazzi  first 
oratt'd  lure  in  the  Town  Hall,  October 
20,  1851. 

Geographical.— According  to  the 
Ordnance  Survey,  Birmingham  is  situ- 
ated in  latitude  52°  29',  and  longitude 
1°  54'  west. 

Gillott. — See  "  Notevortlvj  Men." 

Girls'  Home. — Eighteen  years  ago 
several  kind-hearted  ladies  opened  a 
ho  se  in  Bath  Row,  for  the  reception 
of  servant  girls  of  the  poorest  class, 
who,  through  their  poverty  and  juven- 
ility, could  not  be  sheltered  in  the 
"Servants'  Home,"  and  that  such  an 
establishment  was  needed,  is  proved  by 
the  fact  that  no  less  than  534  inmates 
were  sheltered  for  a  time  during  1883, 
while  232  others  received  help  iu  cloth- 
ing, &c.,  suited  to  their  wants.  The 
^Midland  Railway  having  taken  Bath 
House,  the  Home  has  lately  been  re- 
moved to  a  larger  house  near  the 
Queen's  Hospital,  where  the  managers 
will  be  glad  to  receive  any  little  aid 
that  can  be  rendered  towards  carrying 
on  their  charitable  operations. 

Glass. — In  the  reign  of  Henry  VI. 
the  commonest  kind  of  glass  was  sold 
at  2s.  the  foot,  a  shilling  in  those  days 
being  of  as  much  value  as  a  crown  of  to- 
day. The  earliest  note  we  can  find  of  glass 
being  made  here  is  the  year  1785,  when 
Isaac  Hawker  built  a  small  glasshouse 
behind  his  shop  at  Edgbaston  Street. 
His  son  built  at  Birmingham  Heath  on 
the  site  now  occupied  by  Lloyd  and 
Suramerfield.  In  1798  Messrs.  Shakes- 
peare and  Johnston  had  a  glasshouse 
in  "Walmer  Lane.  Pressed  glass  seems 
to  have  been  the  introduction  of  Rice 
Harris  about  1832,  though  glass  "pinch- 
ers" (eleven  of  them)  aie  named  in  the 
Directory  of  1780.     In  1827  plate-gla.ss 


90 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARV    OK    BIRVIINGHAM. 


sold  at  12*.  per  foot  ami  in  ISiO  at  6s., 
oi'diiiavy  sheet-glass  being  tlien  l.«.  2d. 
per  foot.  There  was  a  duty  on  ])late- 
glass  prior  to  April  5,1845,  of  2.s.  lO-^il. 
i)er  foot.  The  "  patent  plate  "  was  the 
invention  of  Mr.  James  Chance,  and 
Chance  Brothers  (of  whose  works  a 
notice  will  be  found  in  another  part  of 
this  book)  are  the  only  manufacturers 
in  tills  country  of  glass  for  lighthouse 
purpose^ — See  also   "  Trades,"  &c. 

Godwilling'S.— In  olden  days  when 
our  factors  started  oti  their  tours  for 
orders,  it  v/as  customary  to  send  a  cir- 
cular in  advance  announcing  that  "God 
willing"  they  would  call  upon  their 
customers  on  certain  specified  dates. 
In  the  language  of  the  counting-house 
the  printed  circulars  were  called  "Gotl- 
willings." 

Goldsehmidt,  —  Notes  of  the 
various  visits  of  Madame  Goldsehmidt, 
better  known  by  her  maiden  name  of 
Jenny  Lind,  will  be  found  uuder  the 
heading  of  "  Mivsical  Celebrities." 

Good  Templars.— The  Indepen 
dent  Order  of  Good  Templars,  in  this 
town,  introduced  themselves  in  1868, 
and  they  now  claim  to  have  90,000 
adult  members  in  the  "Grand  Lodge 
of  Etigland." 

Gordon. --LordGeorgeGordon,  whose 
intemperate  actions  caused  theLondou 
Anti-Papist  Riots  of  1780,  was  arrested 
in  this  town  December  7,  1787,  but 
not  for  anything  connected  with  those 
disgraceful  proceedings.  Ho  had  been 
found  guilty  of  a  libel,  and  was  arrested 
on  a  judge's  warrant,  and  taken  from 
here  to  Lomlon,  for  contempt  of  the 
Couit  of  King's  Bench  in  not  ajipear- 
ing  when  called  upon  to  do  so.  It  has 
been  more  than  once  averred  that 
Lord  George  was  circumcised  here,  be- 
fore being  admitted  to  the  Jewish 
community,  whose  rites  and  cere- 
monies, dress  and  manners,  he  strictly 
observed  and  followed  ;  but  he  first 
became  a  Jew  while  residing  in  Hol- 
land, some  time  before  he  took  lodg- 
ings in  such  a  classic  locality  as  our 
old  Dudley-street,  where  he  lay  hidden 


for  nearly  four  months,  a  long  beard 
and  flowing  gaberdine  helping  to  con- 
ceal liis  identity. 

Goilgh.  —  Gough  Eoad,  Gougli 
Street,  and  a  number  of  other  thorougii- 
fares  have  been  named  after  the 
family,  from  whom  the  present  Lori 
Calthorpe,  inherits  his  property. — 
See  "  Edgbaston  Kail." 

Grammar  School.  — See ' 'Schools. ' ' 
Great  Brooke  Street  takes  its 

name  from  Mr.  Brookes,  an  attorney 
of  the  olden  time. 

Great   Eastern   Steamship.— 

The  engines  for  working  the  screw  pro- 
peller, 4  cylinders  and  8,500  horse- 
power (nominal  1,700)  were  sent  out 
trom  the  Soho  Foundry. 

Green's  Village.— Part  of  the  old 

ookeries  iu  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
nkleys. 

Grub  Street.— The  upper  part  of 
Old  Meeting  Street  was  so  called  until 
late  years. 

Guardians.— See  "  Poor  Law." 

Guildhall.— The  operative  builders 
commenced  to  put  u[)  an  edifice  in 
183?.  which  they  intended  to  call  "  The 
Guildhall,"  but  it  was  only  half 
finished  when  the  ground  was  cleared 
for  the  railway.  Some  of  the  local 
antiquaries  strongly  advocated  the 
ailo]itioii  of  the  name  "  GuiMhall  "  for 
the  block  of  municipal  buildings  and 
Council  House,  if  only  in  remembrance 
of  the  ancient  building  on  whose  site, 
in  New^Street,  the  Grammar  School 
now  stands. 

Guild   of    the   Holy   Cross.— 

Founded  in  the  year  1392  by  th 
"Bailiffs  and  Commonalty"  of  the 
town  of  Birmingham  (answering  to 
our  aldermen  and  councillors),  and 
licensed  by  the  Crown,  for  whicii 
the  town  paid  £50,  the  purpose 
being  to  "  make  and  found  a  gild  and 
perpetual  fraternity  of  brethren  and 
sustern  (sisters),  in  honour  of  the 
Holy  Cross,"  and  "to  undertake 
all    works  of  charity,    &c.,    according 


SHOWEI.l's    DICTIONAUY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


91 


to  the  appointnieut  and  iiluasure  of 
the  said  bailiffs  and  conunonaity. "  In 
course  of  time  the  GuiUi  boeame  pos- 
sessed of  all  tiie  powers  then  exercised 
b\'  the  local  corporate  authorities, 
taking  upon  themselves  the  buihlini,'of 
almshouses,  the  relief  and  maintenance 
of  the  poor,  the  making  and  kee])ing 
in  rejiair  of  the  highways  used  by  "  the 
King's  ilajestie's  subjects  passing  to 
and  from  the  niarches  of  Wales,"  look- 
ing to  the  preservation  of  sundry 
bridges  and  fords,  as  well  as  repair 
of  "two  greate  stone  brydges,"  &c., 
&c.  The  Guild  owned  considerable 
portion  of  the  land  on  which  the  pre- 
sent town  is  built,  when  Henry  VIII., 
after  confiscating  the  revenues  aiul  pos- 
sessions of  the  monastic  institutions, 
laid  haniis  on  the  property  of  such 
semi-religious  establishments  as  the 
Guild  of  the  Holy  Cross.  It  has  never 
appeared  that  our  local  Guild  had  done 
anything  to  oli'end  the  King,  and  pos-si- 
bly  it  was  but  the  name  that  he  dis- 
liked. Be  that  as  it  may,  his  son, 
Edward  VI.,  in  1552,  at  the  petition 
of  the  inhabitants,  returned  somewhat 
more  than  half  of  the  property,  then 
valued  at  £21  per  annum,  for  the  sup- 
port and  maintenance  of  a  Free  Gram- 
mar School,  and  it  is  this  i)roperly  trom 
which  the  income  of  the  present  King 
Edward  VI. 's  Grammar  Schools  is  now 
derived,  amounting  to  nearly  twice  as 
many  thousands  a>  pounds  were  liist 
granted.  The  Guila  Hall  or  Town's 
Hall  in  New  Street  (then  only  a  bye 
street),  was  nut  quite  so  large  as 
either  our  pteseiu  Town  Had  or 
the  Council  House,  but  was 
doubtless  considere  i  at  the  time 
a  very  fine  Imildiug,  with  its  anticpie 
carvings  and  stained  glass  \vindows 
emblazoned  with  figures  and  armorial 
bearings  of  the  Lords  right  Ferrers  and 
others.  As  the  Guild  had  an  organist 
in  its  pay,  it  may  be  presumed  tliat 
such  an  instrumenc  was  also  there,  and 
that  alone  go  I'ar  to  prove  the  frater- 
nity were  tolerably  well  off,  as  organs 
in  those  times  were  costly  and  scarce. 
The  old  building,  for  more  than  a  cen- 


tury after  King  Edward's  grant,  was 
used  as  the  school,  but  even  when  re- 
built it  retained  its  name  as  the  Guild 
Hall. 

Guns. — Handguns,  as  they  were 
once  termed,  were  first  introduced  into 
this  country  by  the  Flemings  whom 
Edward  IV.  brought  over  in  1471,  bu^ 
(though  doubtless  occasional  *  si)eci- 
meus  were  made  by  our  townsmen 
before  then)  the  manufacture  of  small 
arms  at  15irmingham  does  not  date 
further  back  tlian  1689,  when  inr)uiries 
were  made  througii  Sir  Richard  Newdi- 
gate  as  to  the  possibility  of  getting 
them  made  here  as  good  as  those  com- 
ing from  abroad.  A  trial  order  given 
by  Government  in  i\Iarch,  1692,  led  to 
the  first  contract  (Jan.  5,  1693)  made 
between  the  "  Olficers  of  Ordnance" 
and  five  local  manufacturers,  for  the 
supply  of  200  '■  snaphance  musquets  ' 
every  month  for  one  year  at  17/-  each, 
an  additionalS/-  per  cwt.  being  allowt-ii 
for  carriage  to  Loudmi.  The  history  oi 
the  trade  since  then  woitld  form  a 
volume  of  itself,  but  a  few  facts  nf 
special  note  and  interest  will  be  given 
in  its  place  among  "'  Trades." 

Gutta    Fereha  was    not  known  in 

Europe  prior  to  1841,  and  the  fir~r 
specimens  were  la'ought  here  in  the 
following  year.  Speaking  tubes  made 
of  gutta  p^rclia  weie  introduced  eurlv 
in  1849. 

Gymnasium.— At  a  meeting  held 
Dec.  IS,  1865,  under  the  iire>idency  of 
tiio  Mayor,  it  was  resolved  to  establish 
a  public  gymnasium  on  a  large  scale, 
bit  at  present  it  is  non-existent,  the 
only  gymnasium  open  being  that  of 
the  Athletic  Clnb  at  Bingiey  Hall. 

Hackney  Coaches  were  intro- 
duced here  in  1775.  Hutton  says  the 
drivers  of  the  first  few  earned  30s.  per 
day  ;  those  of  the  present  day  say  they 
ilo  not  get  half  tlie  sum  now.  Haiisom 
Cabs,  the  invention,  in  1836,  of  the 
architect  and  designer  of  our  Town 
Hall,  were  first  put  on  the  stands  in 
1842. 


92 


SHOWBLLS    DICTIONARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


Half-Holiday.  —  Ten  to  twelve 
hours  a  day,  six  days  a  week,  used  to 
be  the  stint  for  workpeojde  here  and 
elsewhere.  A  Saturday  Half-holiday 
movement  was  begun  in  ISni,  the  first 
employers  to  adopt  the  system  being 
Mr.  John  Frearson.  of  Gas  Street  (late 
of  the  Waverley  Hotel,  Cres(^ent),  and 
Mr.  Richard  Tangye.  Winglields, 
Brown,  j\Iarshall  &  Co.,  and  many 
other  large  firms  began  with  the  year 
1853,  when  it  maj'  be  said  the  plan 
b(  came  general. 

HandsWOPth.  —  Till  within  the 
la.st  tliirty  or  torty  j'ears,  Handsworth 
was  little  more  than  a  pleasant  country 
village,  though  now  a  well-populated 
suburb  of  Birmingham.  The  name  is 
to  be  (bund  in  the  "  Domesdaj'  Book," 
but  the  ancient  history  of  the  parish  is 
meagre  indeed,  and  confined  almost 
solely  to  the  (amilies  of  the  lords  of 
the  manor,  the  Wyrlej's,  Stanford?, 
&.C.,  their  marriages  an<l  intermarriages, 
their  fancies  and  feuds,  and  all  those 
petty  trifles  chroniclers  of  old  were  so 
lond  of  recording.  Alter  the  erection 
of  the  once  world-known,  but  now 
vanished  Soho  Works,  by  Matthew 
Boulton,  a  gradual  change  came  o'er 
the  scene  ;  cultivated  enclosures  taking 
the  place  of  the  commons,  enclosed  in 
1793  ;  Boulton's  park  laid  out,  good 
roads  made,  watercourses  cleared,  and 
houses  and  mansions  springing  up  on 
all  sides,  and  so  continuing  on  until 
now,  when  the  parish  (which  includes 
Birchfield  and  Perr}'  Barr,  an  area  of 
7,680  acres  in  all)  is  nearly  half  covered 
with  streets  and  houses,  churches  and 
chapels,  alms-houses  and  stations, 
shops,  offices,  schools,  and  all  the  other 
necessary  adjuncts  to  a  populous  and 
tliriving  community.  The  Local 
Board  Offices  and  Free  Library,  situate 
^n  Soho  Road,  were  built  in  1878  (first 
stone  laid  October  30th,  1877),  at  a 
cost  of  £20,662,  and  it  is  a  handsome 
pile  of  buildings.  The  library  con- 
tains about  7,000  volumes.  There  is 
talk  of  erecting  jmblic  swimming  and 
other  baths,  and  a  faint  whisper  that 
recreation   grounds   are  not   far   from 


view.  The  1st  Volunteer  Battalion  of 
the  South  Staffordshire  Regiment  have 
their  head -quarters  here.  Old  Hands- 
worth  Church,  which  contained  several 
carved  effigies  and  tombs  of  the  old 
lords,  monuments  of  ilatthew  Boul- 
ton and  James  Watt,  with  bust  of 
William  JIurdoch,  &c. ,  has  been  re- 
built and  enlarged,  the  first  stone  of  the 
new  building  being  laid  in  Aug  ,  1876. 
Five  of  the  bells  in  the  tower  were  cast 
in  1701,  bj' Joseph  Smith,  of  Edgbas- 
ton,  ami  were  the  first  peal  sent  out  of 
his  foundry  ;  the  tenor  is  much  older. 
The  very  appropiiate  inscription  on 
the  fourth  bell  is,  "  God  preserve  the 
Church  of  England  as  by  law  estab- 
lished." 

HarbOPne  is  another  of  our  near 
neighbours  which  a  thousand  years  or 
so  ago  had  a  name  if  nothing  else,  but 
that  name  has  come  down  vo  present 
time  witii  less  change  than  is  usual, 
and,  pos-ilily  through  the  Calthorpe 
estate  blocking  the  way,  the  parish 
itself  has  changed  but  very  slowly, 
considering  its  close  proximity  to  busy, 
bustling  Birmingham.  This  apparent 
stagnation,  however,  has  endeared  it 
to  us  Brums  not  a  little,  on  account  of 
the  many  pleasant  glades  and  sunny 
spots  in  and  around  it.  Harborne 
gardeners  have  long  been  famous  for 
growing  gooseberries,  the  annual 
dinner  of  the  Gooseberr}'  Growers' 
Society  having  been  held  at  the 
Green  Man  ever  since  1815.  But 
Harborne  has  plucked  up  heart  latterly, 
and  will  not  much  longer  be  "out  of  the 
running."  With  its  little  area  of 
1,412  acres,  and  only  a  population  of 
6,600,  it  has  built  itself  an  Institute 
(a  miniature  model  of  the  Midland), 
with  class  rooms  and  reading  rooms, 
with  library  and  with  lecture  halls,  to 
seat  a  thousand,  at  a  cost  of  £6,500, 
and  got  Henry  Irving  to  lay  the 
foundation-stone,  in  1879.  A  Masonic 
Hall  followed  in  1880,  and  a  Fire 
Brigade  Station  soon  after.  It  has  also 
a  local  railway  as  well  as  a  newspaper. 
In  the  parish  church,  which  was 
nearly   all  rebuilt  in  1867,   there  are 


SHOWELL  S    DICTIONARY    UF    LSIKMINGUAM. 


93 


several  mouuiuuiits  of  Dldeii  date,  one 
beinc;  in  renieiiibraLiee  of  a  nieiuber  of 
the  Hinckley  f.iinily,  i'roiu  who.se  iiiiue 
that  of  our  Inkleys  is  deducible  ;  there 
is  also  a  stained  window  ro  tiie  memory 
of  David  Cox.  The  practice  of  giving 
a  Christmas  treat,  comprising  a  good 
dinner,  some  small  presents,  and  an 
enjoyable  entertainmi-nt  to  the  aged 
poor,  was  begun  in  186"),  and  is  still 
kept  up. 

Hard  Times.— Food  was  so  dear 
and  trade  so  bid  in  1757  that  Lord 
Dartmoutli  for  a  long  dine  relieved  500 
a  week  out  of  his  own  pocket.  In  1782 
bread  was  sold  to  tlie  poor  at  one-third 
under  its  market  value.  On  the  1st  of 
July,  1795,  the  lessee  of  the  Theatre 
Royal,  iMr.  .JlcCieady,  gave  the  pro- 
ceeds of  the  nigiit's  performance  (£1(51 
8s.)  for  the  benefit  of  the  [loor.  The 
money  was  expended  in  wheat,  which 
was  sold  free  of  carriage.  Meat  was 
also  very  scarce  on  the  tables  of  the 
poor,  and  a  public  subscription  was 
opened  by  the  High  Bailitf  to  enable 
meat  to  be  sold  at  Id.  per  lb.  under  the 
market  price,  which  then  ruled  at  3d. 
to  6d.  per  lb.  In  November,  1799, 
wheat  was  15s.  per  bushel.  In  Jlay, 
1800,  the  distressed  poor  were  supplied 
with  wheat  at  the  "  reduced  price"  of 
15s.  per  bushtd,  and  potatoes  at  8s.  per 
peck.  Soup  kitchens  for  the  poor  were 
opened  November  30,  1816,  wlien  3,000 
quarts  were  sold  the  tirst  day.  The 
poor-rates,  levied  in  1817,  amounted  to 
£61,928,  and  it  was  computed  that  out 
of  a  population  of  84,000  at  least  27,  COO 
were  in  receipt  of  parish  relief.  In 
1819  £5,500  was  collected  to  relieve  the 
distressed  poor.  The  button  makers 
were  numbered  at  17,000  in  1813,  two- 
thirds  of  them  being  out  of  work.  1825 
and  1836  were  terrible  years  of  poverty 
and  privation  in  tliis  town  and  neigh- 
bourhood. In  1838,  380,000  doles  were 
made  to  poor  people  from  a  fund  raised 
by  publicsubscription.  In  the  summer 
of  IS-iO,  lOcal  trade  was  so  b.id  tliat  we 
have  beeu  told  as  many  as  10,000  per- 
sons applied  at  one  oHice  alone  for  tree 
passages  to  Australia,  and  all    unsuc- 


cessfully. Empty  houses  could  be 
counted  by  the  hundred.  There  was 
great  distress  in  the  winter  of  1853-4, 
considerable  amounts  being  subscribed 
for  charitable  relief.  In  the  lirst  three 
months  of  1855,  there  weie  distribut^^d 
among  the  poor  11,745  loaves  of  bread, 
175,500 pintsof  soup,  and£725  in  cash. 
The  sum  of  £10,328  was  subscribed  for 
and  expended  in  the  relief  of  the  un- 
employed in  the  winterof  1878-79 — the 
number  of  families  receiving  the  same 
being  calculated  at  195,165,  with  a 
total  of  494,731  persons, 

Hapmonies.— See     '' Mitsical    So- 
ielics." 

Hats   and   Hatters.  —  In    1S20 

there  was  but  one  hatter  in  the  town, 
Harry  Evans,  and  his  price  for  best 
'•  beavers"  was  a  guinea  and  a  half, 
"  silks,"  which  first  appearetl  in  1812, 
not  being  popular  and  "  felts  "  un- 
known. Strangers  have  noted  one 
peculiarity  of  the  native  Brums, 
and  that  is  their  innate  dislike  to 
"top  hats,"  few  of  which  are  worn 
here  (in  comparison  to  population) 
except  on  Sunday,  when  respectable 
mechanics  churchward-bound  mount 
the  chimney  pot.  In  the  revolutionary 
days  of  1848,  &;c. ,  when  local  political 
feeling  ran  high  in  favour  of  Pole  and 
Hungarian,  soft  broad-brimmed  felt 
hats,  with  tlowiug  black  feathers  were 
en  reijlc,  and  most  of  the  advanced 
leaders  of  the  day  thus  adorned  them- 
selves. Now,  the  ladies  monopolise 
the  feathers  and  the  glories  thereof. 
According  to  the  scale  measure  used 
by  hatters,  the  average  size  of  hats 
worn  is  that  called  6|,  representing 
one-half  of  the  length  and  breadth  of  a 
man's  head,  but  it  has  beeu  noted 
by  "S.D.R."  that  several  local 
worthies  have  had  much  larger 
craniums,  George  Dawsou  reijuiring  a 
7^  sized  hat,  Mr.  Charles  Geach  a  7^^ 
and  Sir  Josiah  Mason  a  little  over  an 
8.  An  old  Solio  man  once  told  tlie 
writer  that  Matthew  Boulton's  head- 
gear had  to  be  specially  made  for  him, 
and,   to  judge  from  a  bust  of  M.B., 


94 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRM[NGHA.M. 


now  in  his  possession,  the  hat  required 
ninst  have  been  exira  size  indee<i. 

Heapth  Duty.— In  1663,  an  Act 

was  p.t.ised  for  the  better  ordering'  and 
L'ulitcuiig  the  revenue  derived  from 
"  HearcJi  Money,"  and  we  gather  a 
few  figures  from  a  return  then  made, 
a.i  showing  the  comparative  number  of 
the  larger  mansions  whose  owners  were 
liable  to  the  tax.  The  return  for  Bir- 
mingham gives  a  total  of  414  hearths 
and  stoves,  the  account  including  as 
well  those  wliich  are  liable  to  pay  as 
of  those  which  are  not  liable.  Of 
this  number  360  were  charged  with 
•duty,  tlie  house  of  the  celebrated 
Humjihrey  Jeuneus  being  credited 
Avilh  25.  From  Aston  the  return  was 
but  47,  but  of  these  40  were  counted 
in  the  Hall  and  7  in  the  Parsonage. 
Eiigbaston  showed  87,  of  which  22 
-vera  in  the  Hal!.  Erdington  was 
booked  for  27,  and  Sutton  Coldfield  for 
67,  of  which  23  were  in  two  houses  be- 
longing to  the  Willoughliy  iatnily. 
Coleshill  would  a})pear  to  have  been  a 
rather  war.Tier  place  of  abode,  as  thei'e 
are  125  hearths  charged  for  duty,  30 
being  in  the  house  of  Dame  Mary 
Digby. 

Heaihileid, — I'rior  to  1790  the 
whole  oi  this  ueighbourliood  was  ojien 
common-land,  the  celebrated  engineer 
ami  inventor,  James  Watt,  after  the 
passing  of  the  Enclosure  Act.  being  the 
lirst  to  erect  a  residence  thereon,  in 
1791.  By  1794  he  had  acc|uired  rather 
more  than  40  acres,  which  he  then 
planted  and  laid  out  as  a  park.  Heath- 
lield  liouse  maj'  be  called  the  cradle  of 
many  scores  of  inventions,  which, 
'hough  novel  when  first  introduced, 
are  n^.w  but  as  household  words  in  our 
everyday  life.  Watt's  workshop  was 
in  the  garret  of  the  south-east  corner 
of  the  building,  and  may  be  said  to  be 
even  now  in  exactly  the  same  state  as 
when  his  master-hand  last  touched 
the  tools,  but  as  the  estate  was  lotted 
out  for  building  purposes  in  May,  1874, 
and  houses  and  streets  have  been  built 
and  formed  all  round  it,  it  is  most 
likely   tliat  the    "  House  "  itself    will 


soon  lose  all  its  historic  interest, 
and  the  contents  of  the  work- 
shop be  distributed  among  the  cu- 
riosity mongers,  or  hidden  away  on 
the  shelves  of  some  museum.  To 
a  local  chronicler  such  a  room  is  as 
sacred  as  that  in  which  Shakespeare 
was  born,  and  in  rhe  words  of  Mr. 
Sam  Tiinmius,  "to  open  the  door  and 
look  upon  the  strange  relics  there  is  to 
stand  in  the  very  presence  of  the 
mighty  dead.  Everj'thiug  in  the  room 
remains  just  as  it  was  left  by  the  fast 
fa.iling  hands  of  the  octogenarian  en- 
f.',iueer.  His  well-worn,  liuinble  apron 
hangs  dusty  on  the  wall,  the  last  work 
before  him  is  fixed  unfinished  in  the 
lathe,  the  elaborate  machines  over 
which  his  latest  thoughts  were  spent 
are  still  and  silent,  as  if  waiting  only 
for  their  master's  hand  again  to  waken 
them  into  life  and  work.  Uixon  the 
shelves  are  crowds  of  hooks,  whose 
pages  open  no  more  to  those  clear, 
thoughtful  eyes,  and  scattered  in  the 
drawers  and  boxes  are  the  notes  and 
memoranda,  and  jiocket  -  books,  and 
diaries  never  to  be  continued  now.  All 
these  relics  of  the  great  engineer,  the 
skilful  )neL'hanic,  tliestudent  of  science, 
relate  to  his  intellectual  and  public 
life  ;  but  tiiere  is  a  sadder  relic  still. 
An  old  hair-trunk,  carefully  kept  close 
by  the  old  man's  stool,  contains  the 
childish  sketches,  the  early  copy-books 
and  grammars,  the  dictionaries,  the 
school-books,  and  some  of  the  toys  of 
his  dearly-beloved  and  brilliant  son 
Gregory  Watt." 

HeraldPy.— In  the  days  of  the 
mail-ch.d  knights,  who  bore  on  their 
shields  some  quaint  devi  e,  by  which 
friend  or  foe  could  tell  at  sight  whom 
they  slew  or  met  in  light,  doubtlessthe 
"  Kiugs-at-Anns, "  the  "Heralds, "and 
the  "Pursuivants"  of  the  College  of 
Ai'ins  founded  by  Kidiard  III.  were 
functionaries  of  great  utility,  but  their 
duties  nowadays  are  but  few,  and  con- 
sist almost  solely  of  tracing  pedigrees 
for  that  portion  of  the  community 
whom  our  American  cousins  designate 
as  "ahoddv,"  but  who.  having  "made 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


95 


their  pile."    would    fain    be    thouglit 
of  aristocratic   desceiu.        In    such    a 
Radical  town  as  Binniri<j;ham,  the  study 
of  0/-  and  (jiUc.s,  azure  and  vert,  or  any 
of  the  other  significant  terms   used  in 
the  antique  science  of  herahlry,   whs 
not,  of  course,  to  be  ex]iected,  imlessat 
tiie  hands  of  tlio  antiquary  or  tlie  piai-- 
tical   lienihlic   engraver,    both    scarce 
birds  in  our  smoky  town,  but  the  least 
to  be  looked  for    would    be    that  the 
boiough  autho;ities  should  carefully  see 
that  the  borougli  coat  of  arms  was  rightly 
blaznoed.      It  lias  been  proved  that;  the 
towii's-namchas,  at  times,  been  spelt  in 
over  a  gross  of  ditt'erent  ways,    and  if 
any    reader    will  take    the  trouble  to 
look   at    the   public  buildings,   banks, 
and  other  places  where  the  blue,  red, 
and    gold   of  the    Birmiughaui   Arms 
shines  forth,  he  will  soon    bo  able  to 
count    three    to    four   dozen    different 
styles ;    every     carver,    painter,     and 
printer  -  apparently   pleasing     himself 
how  lie  does  it.       It  has  been  said  that 
when  the  question  of  adopting  a  coat 
of  arms  was  on  the  tapis,  the  grave  and 
reverend    seniors    api)oiiited    to   make 
inquiries  thereanent,  calmly  took  copies 
of  the  shields  of  the  De  Berminghams 
and  the  De  Edgbastons,  and  titted  the 
"  bend  lozengy  "  and    the    "parti  j>er 
pale  "   together,   uuiler  the    impression 
that  the  one  noble  family's  cognisance 
was  a  gridiron,  and  the  other  a  curry- 
comb, both  of  which  articles  they  con- 
.-idered  to  be   exceedingly  appropriate 
for    such    a   manufacturing     town    as 
liirmingham.       ^Yiser  in  their   practi- 
cability    than     the    gentlemen      who 
designed   the  present   shield,  thej'  left 
the  currycomb  quarters  in  their  pro]ier 
!>(tble  a.ud  argent  (black  and  white),  and 
the  gridiron  or  and  gules  (a  golden  «;rid 
on  a  red-hot  fire.     For   proper  embla- 
zonment, as  by  Birmingham  law  estab- 
lished,' see  the  cover. 

Heathmill  Lane.— In  1532  there 

was  a  "water  mill  to  grynde  corne," 
called  "  Heth  mill,"  whiidi  in  thatyear 
was  let,  with  certain  lands,  called  the 
*' Conyngry,"    by    the    Lord    of     the 


Manor,  on  a  ninety-nine  years'  lease, 
at  a  rent  of  £6  13s.  4d.  per  year. 

Here     we     are    again  !— The 

London  Chronicle  of  August  14,  1788, 
quoting  from  a  "gentleman"  who  had 
visited  this  town,  says  that  "  the 
people  are  all  diminutive  in  size, 
sickly  in  appearance,  and  sjicinl  their 
Sundays  in  low  debauchery,"  the 
manufacturers  being  noted  for  "  a 
great  deal  of  trick  and  low  cunning  as 
well  as  [irofligacy  !  " 

Hig-hland  Gathering".— The  Bir- 

mingtiam  Celtic  Societ}'  held  their 
tirsC  "  gathering  "  at  Lower  Grounds, 
August  2,  1879,  when  the  ancient 
sports  of  putting  stones,  throwing 
hammers,  etc.,  was  combined  with  a 
little  modern  bicycling,  and  steeple- 
chasing,  to  the  music  of  the  bag- 
pipes. 

Hill  (Sir  Rowland). --See  ''Note- 
loort.ku  Men. " 

Hills. — Like  tin  to  Kome  this  town 
may  be  said  to  be  built  on  seven  hills, 
ibi  are  there  not  Camp  Hill  anii  Con- 
stitution Hill,  Summer  Hill  and  Snow 
Hill,  Ludgate  Hill,  Hockley  Hill, 
and  Holloway  Hill  (or  head).  Turner's 
Hill,  near  Lye  Cross,  Rowley  Regis  is 
over  100ft.  higher  than  Sedgley 
Beacon,  whicli  is  4S6ft.  above  sea 
level.  The  Lickey  Hills  are  about 
800ft.  above  same  level,  but  the 
highest  hill  within  50  miles  of  Bir- 
mingham is  the  Worcestershire  15eacon, 
1395rt.  above  sea  level.  The  liighesc 
mountain  in  England,  Scawfell  Pii^e, 
has  an  elevation  of  3229it. 

Hailstorms. — In  1760  a  fierce  hail- 
storm stripped  the  leaves  and  fruit 
from  nearly  every  tree  in  the  apple 
orchards  in  Worcestershire,  the  hail 
lying  on  the  ground  six  to  eight  inches 
decji,  many  of  the  stones  and  lumps  of 
ice  being  tiireeand  iour  inclics  round. 
In  179S,  many  windows  at  Aston  Hall 
were  broken  by  the  hail.  A  very 
heavy  hailstorm  did  damage  at  the 
Botanical  gardens  and  other  places. 
May  9,  1833.     There  have  been  a  few 


96 


SHOWBLLS    DICTIOXARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


storms   of  later  years,    bat    none  like 
unto  these. 

HeetOP. — The    formation    of    Cor- 
poration Street,   and  the   many  hand- 
some buildini^s  e:eeted  and  ulanued  in 
its  line,  have  improved  otf  tlie  face  of 
the  earth,  more  tlmn  one  classic  spot, 
noted   in    our  local    history,  foremost 
among  whicli  we  must  place  the  house 
of  Mr.    Hector,    the     okl    friend  and 
schoolfellow  of   Dr.   Samuel    Johnson. 
The  great   lexicographer   spent   many 
happy  hours  in  the  abode  of  his  friend, 
and  as  at  one  time  there    was  a  slight 
doubt  on  the  matter,  it  is  as  well   to 
place  on  record  here  that  the  house  in 
which    Hector,     the   surgeon,  resided, 
was  No.  1,  in  tlie  Old  Sijuare,  at  the 
corner     of    the     ]\Iinories,    afterwards 
occupied    by  Mr.  William   Scholetield, 
Messrs.  Jevons  and  Mellor's  handsome 
pile  now  covering  the  spot.       The  old 
rate  books  prove  this  beyond  a  doubt. 
Hector  died  there  on  the   2nd  of  Sep- 
tember,  1794,    afcer   having   practised 
as  a  surgoon,  in  Birmingham,  for  the 
long  period   of  sixty-two  years.        He 
was    buried      in     a    vault     at     Saint 
Philip's   Church,  Birmingham,  where, 
in   the    middle    aisle,     in     the    front 
of  the  north    galler}',  an    elegant   in- 
scription   to  his   memory   was    placed. 
Hector  never  married,  and  Mrs.  Care- 
less,   a   clergyman's     widow,    Hector's 
own      sister,    and     Johnson's     "  lirst 
love,"  resided  with  him,  and  appears 
by  the  burial  register  of  St.  Philip's  to 
have  died  in  October,  1788,  and  to  have 
been    buried    there,    probably   in    the 
vault  in  which    her  brother    was  after- 
wards interred.       In  the  month  of  No- 
vember, 1784,  just  a  month  before  his 
own    decease,    Johnson    passed    a   few 
days    with    his    friend,    Hector,  at   his 
residence  in  the  Old  Sijuure,  who,  in  a 
letter  to   Boswell,  thus   speaks  .of  the 
visit:  —  "He"    (Johnson)     "was    very 
solicitous  with  me,  to  recollect  some  of 
our   mo.st     early  transactions,     and  to 
transmit  them  to  him,  for  I  perceived 
nothing  gave  him  greater  pleasure  than 
calling  to  mind   those  days  of  our  in- 
nocence.    I  complied  with  his  request, 


and  he  only  received  them  a  few  days 
before  his  death.'  Johnson  arrived  in 
London  from  Birmingham  on  the  16th 
of  November,  and  on  the  following  day 
wrote  a  most  affectionate  letter  to  Mr. 
Hector,  which  concludes  as  follows  :  — 

"Let  us  think  seriously  on  our  duty. 
I  send  my  kindest  respects  to  dear 
Mrs.  Careless.  Let  me  have  the 
prayers  of  both.  We  have  all  lived 
long,  and  must  soon  part.  God  have 
mercy  upon  us,  for  the  sake  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  !     Amen  !  " 

This  was  probably  nearly  the  last 
letter  Johnson  wrote,  for  on  the  13th 
of  the  following  month,  just  twenty- 
seven  days  after  his  arrival  in  London 
from  Birmingham,  oppressed  with 
disease,  he  was  numbered  with  the 
dead. 

HinkleyS.  —  Otherwise,  and  for 
very  many  years,  known  as  "  The 
Inkleys,"  the  generally-accepted  deri- 
vation of  the  name  being  taken  from 
the  fact  that  one  Hinks  at  one  time 
was  a  tenant  or  occupier,  under  the 
Smalbroke  famil}-,  of  the  fields  or 
"  leys  "  in  that  locality,  the  two  first 
narrow  roads  across  the  said  farm  being 
respectively  named  the  Upper  and  the 
Nether  Inkleys,  afterwards  changed 
to  the  Old  and  New  Inkleys.  Pos- 
sibly, however,  the  source  may  be 
found  in  tlie  family  name  of  Hiucklej', 
as  seen  in  the  register  of  Harborne.  A 
third  writer  suggests  that  the 
character  of  its  denizens  being  about 
as  black  as  could  be  painted,  the  place 
was  naturally  called  Ink  Leys.  Be 
that  as  it  may,  from  the  earliest  days 
of  iheir  existence,  these  places  teem 
to  liave  been  the  abode  and  habitation 
of  the  queerest  of  the  queer  peoph', 
the  most  aristocratic  resident  in  our 
local  rtcoids  having  lec-n  "  Beau 
Green,"  the  dandy — [see  "  A'cccntrics"] 
— who,  for  some  years,  occupied  the 
chief  building  in  the  Inkleys,  nick- 
named ■''  Rag  Castle,"  otherwise  Hin- 
kley  Hall.  The  beautiful  and  salu- 
brious neighbourhood,  known  as 
"Green's  Village,"    an  oftshoot  of  the 


SIIOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMIJJGUAM. 


y? 


Inkievd,  was  c-illcd  sj  in  houjur  of  the 
*'  Beau." 

Hiring'  a  Husband.— In  isir.,  a 

J'lirininghoiii  cirpeiiter,  after  ill-treat- 
ing his  wife,  leasetl  himself  to  aiioiher 
woman  b\'  a  documeiiC  which  an  un- 
scrupulous attorney  had  the  hardihood 
to  draw  up,  and  for  whieli  he  charged 
thirty-five  shillings.  This  jirecious 
document  bound  the  man  and  the 
woman  to  live  together  permanently, 
and  to  supjiori  and  succour  each  other 
to  the  utmost  of  their  power.  The 
poor  wife  was,  of  couise,  no  consenting 
party  to  this.  She  ajjpealed  to  the 
law  ;  the  appeal  brought  the  "lease" 
before  the  eyes  of  the  judiciary  ;  the 
man  was  brought  to  his  senses  (though 
probably  remaining  a  b.id  husband), 
and  the  attorney  received  a  severe  re- 
buke. 

HiStOPieal-  —  A  local  Historical 
Society  was  inaugurated  with  an  ad- 
dress from  Dr.  Freeman,  Nov.  18, 
1880,  and,  doubtless,  in  a  few  years 
the  reports  and  proceedings  will  be  of 
very  great  value  and  interest.  The 
fact  that  down  to  1752  the  historical 
year  in  Enf,land  commenced  on  January 
1,  while  the  civil,  ecclesiastical,  and 
Ifgal  year  began  on  the  25th  of  ilarch, 
led  to  much  confusion  in  dates,  as  the 
legislature,  the  church,  and  civilians 
referred  every  event  which  took  place 
between  Januarj^  1  and  March  25  to  a 
different  year  from  the  historians. 
Remarkable  examples  of  such  con- 
fusion are  afforded  by  two  well-known 
events  in  English  history  :  Charles  I. 
is  said  by  most  authorities  to  have  been 
beheaded  January  30,  1643,  while 
others,  with  equal  correctness,  say  it 
was  January  30,  1649  ;  and  so  the  re- 
volution which  drove  James  11.  from 
the  throne  is  said  by  some  to  have 
taken  place  in  February,  1688,  and  by 
others  in  February,  1689.  Now,  these 
discrepancies  arise  from  some  using 
the  civil  and  legal,  and  others  the  his- 
torical year,  though  both  would  have 
assigned  any  event  occurring  after  the 
25th  of  March  to  the  same  years — viz., 


1649  and  1689.  To  avoid  as  far  as 
l)oss'ble  mistakes  from  these  two 
modes  of  reckoning,  it  was  usual,  as 
often  seen  in  old  books  or  manuscripts, 
to  add  the  historical  to  the  legal  date, 
\\hen  speaking  of  any  day  between 
Jauuary  1  and  March  25,  thus  : 

o  ,  i.e.  1648,  the  civil  and 

T         on    i^>i    I  [legal  year. 

Jan.  30,  164--^  .       i^,n  ♦!    i  •  *^     •     i 

'         q  I  Z.C.,  lt)49,  the  historical 

^  [year. 

or  thus,  January  30,  1648-9. 
This  practice,  common  as  it  was  for 
niauy  years,  is,  nevertheless,  often 
misunderstood,  and  even  intelligent 
jiersons  are  sometimes  perplexed  by 
dales  so  written.  The  explanation, 
however,  is  very  simple,  for  the  lower 
or  last  figure  always  indicates  the  year 
according  to  our  present  calculation. 

Hockley    Abbey.— Near   to,  and 

overlooking  Boulton's  Pool,  in  the  year 
1799  there  was  a  piece  of  waste  land, 
which  being  let  to  ilr.  Richard  Ford, 
one  of  the  mechanical  worthies  ot  that 
period,  was  so  dealt  with  as  to  make  the 
spot  an  attraction  for  every  visitor. 
Mr.  Ford  employed  a  number  of  hands, 
and  some  of  them  he  observed  were  in 
the  habit  oi  spending  a  great  part  of 
their  wages  and  lime  in  dissipation. 
By  way  ot  example  to  his  workmen  he 
laid  aside  some  12/-  to  15/-  a  week  for 
a  considerable  period,  and  .vhen  trade 
w-as  occasionally  slack  with  him,  and 
he  had  no  other  occupation  for  them, 
he  sent  his  horse  and  cart  to  Aston 
Furnaces  for  loads  of  "  slag,"  gathering 
in  this  way  by  degrees  a  sulhcient  quan- 
tit}'  of  this  strange  building  material 
for  the  erection  of  a  convenient  and 
comfortable  residence.  The  walls  being 
necessarily  constructed  thicker  than 
is  usual  when  mere  stone  or  brick  is 
used,  the  fancy  took  him  to  make  the 
place  represent  a  luiaed  building, 
which  he  christened  "  Hockley  Abbey," 
and  to  carry  out  his  deceptive  notion 
the  date  1473  was  placed  in  front  of  the 
house,  small  pebbles  set  in  cement  being 
used  to  form  the  figures.  In  a  very  few 
years  by   careful   training  nearly  the 


98 


SHOWELiL'tJ    mOTlONAUV    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


whole  of  the  building  was  overorown 
wilh  ivy,  and  few  but  those  in 
the  secret  could  have  guessed 
at  the  history  of  this  ruined 
"abbey."  For  the  house  and  bonie 
iifteen  acres  of  land  £100  rent  was  paid 
by  Mr.  Hubert  Gallon,  in  1S16  and 
following  years,  exclusive  of  taxes,  and 
by  way  of  comfort  to  the  heavily- 
burdeneil  householders  of  to-day,  we 
may  just  add  that,  in  addition  to  all 
those  other  duties  loyal  citizens  were 
then  called  upon  to  provide  for  the 
exigencies  of  the  Government,  the  pa- 
rochial taxes  on  those  premises  from 
Michaelmas,  1816,  to  Michaelmas,  1817, 
included  two  church  rates  at  30s.  each, 
tiiree  highway  rates  at  30s.  each,  and 
thirty-aix  levies  for  the  poor  at  30s. 
each— a  total  ol  £61  10s.  in  the  twelve 
mouths. 

Hollow   Tooth   Yard,— At   one 

time  commonly  calltd  the  "Devil's 
Hollow  Tooth  Yard."  This  was  the 
name  given  to  the  Court  up  the  gate- 
way in  Bull  Street,  nearest  to  Mon- 
mouth Street 

Holt  Street,  Heneage  Street, 
Lister  Street,  &c.,  are  named  after  the 
Holte  family. 

Home  Hitting-.— Tiie  Rev.  John 
Home,  a  Scotch  divine,  who  viciied 
Birmingham  in  1802,  said,  "  it  seemed 
here  a>  if  God  had  created  man  only 
for  making  buituus. " 

Horse  Fair. — Formerly  known  as 
Brick-kiln  Lane,  received  its  present 
name  from  the  fairs  first  held  ihere  in 
1777. 

Horses. — To  find  out  the  number 
of  these  useful  animals  at  present  iu 
Birmingham,  is  an  impossible  task  ; 
but,  in  1873,  the  last  year  before  its 
repeal,  the  amount  paiit  for  "horse 
duty  "  in  the  Borough  was  £3,294  7s. 
6d.,  being  at  the  rate  of  10s.  6d.  on 
6,275  animals. 

Hospital  Saturday.— The  fact  of 

the  contributions  on  Hospital  Sundays 
coming  almost  solely  from  the  middle 
and  more  wealthy  classes, ltd  to  the  sug- 


gestion that  if  i,he  workers  of  the  town 
could  be  organised  they  would  not  biJ 
found  wanting  any  more  than  their 
"  betters."  The  idea  was  <piickly  taken 
up,  committees  formed,  and  cheered  by 
the  munificent  offer  of  £500  from  ]\lr, 
P.  H.  Muutz  towards  the  expenses,  the 
first  collection  was  made  on  March  IStli 
1873,  the  re.sult  being  a  gross  receipt  of 
£4,705  lis.  3d.  Of  this  amount  £490 
8s.  lOd.  was  collected  from  their  cus- 
tomers bj'  the  licensed  victuallers  and 
beerhouse  keepers  ;  the  gross  totals 
of  each  year  to  the  present  time  be- 
ing— 


187:; 

..      ^4,705  11 

;; 

1874 

4,123  15 

2 

1S75 

a,S03  11 

8 

187(i 

3,«B4  13 

8 

1877 

3,200  17 

0 

1S7S 

3,134    5 

0 

187f) 

3,421  10 

2 

1880 

3,760     9 

0 

ISSl 

3,968  18 

7 

1882 

4,8S8  IS 

9 

ISSI! 

5,439     9 

0 

1884 

G,0(i2  10 

6 

After  detlucting  for  expenses,  the 
yearly  amounts  are  divided,  ^jro  r.ata, 
according  to  their  expenditures  among 
tlie  several  hospitals  and  simil  ir  cliariT. 
ties,  the  proportions  in  1883  be-, 
ing:— General  Hospital,  £1,843  4.s.  Id.; 
Queen's  Hospital,  £931  8s.  3d.; 
General  Dispensary.  £561  Is.  7d.  ; 
Children's  Hospital,  £498  Os.  4d.  ;  Eye 
Hospital,  £345  O.-'.  4d.  ;  Birmingham 
and  Midland  Counties'  Sanatoritxm, 
£211  Os.  4d.  ,  Women's  Hospital,  £193 
Is.  9d.  ;  Homcepaihic  Hospital,  £195 
5s.  3d.  ;  Orthopcedic  Ho.'^pital.  £138 
13s,  6d.  ;  Lying-in  Ciiarity,  £67  6s. 
5d.  ;  Skin  and  Li^ck  Hosiutal,  £44  14s. 
8q.  ;  Ear  and  Throat  Infirmary,  £26 
12s.  8d.  ;  Dental  Hospital,  £9  5.s.  3d.  ; 
and  Birmingham  Nursing  District 
Society,  £34  17s.  7d.  The  total  sum 
thus  distributed  iu  the  twelve  years  is 
£48,574  18s.  9d.  '   ', 

Hospital     Sunday.  —  There      is,, 
nothing  new  under  the  sun  !    Birming-  > 
ham  has  tlie  honour  of  being  credited 
as  the  birth-place  of  "Hospital  Sun- 
days,"   but    old    newspapers    tell    us. 


SIJOWEI.I.'s    DICTIONAHY    OF    lUKJIlNCillAM.  99 

that  as  f.ir  l)nck  as  1751,   when   lUth  Hospitals.  —  The  General  Hospital 

was  ill  its  piiiic  ami  <^Uny,  one  Sunday  niay  be  said  to  have  been  coinineiiced 
ill  each  year  was  set  aside  in  that  city  i„  the  year  17(36,  when  the  first  steps 
for    the  collection,    at    every   place  of       were  taken  towards  tlie  erection  of  snch 

worship,   of  funds  for  Bath   Hospital  ;  an  institution,  but  it  was  not  formally 

and  a  correspondent  writiu<,'  to  Aris's  opened  for   the    rece[)tion    of  pitients 

Gazette    reconmiended     the     adoption  until     1779.     The    ori^dnal   outlay   on 

of     a    similar     plan    m     this    town.  the  building  was  £7,140,  but  it  lias  re- 

The   first    sugi,'estion  for    the  j)resent  ceived  many  additions  .siufe  then,  hav- 

looal  yearly  Sunday  collection  for  the  ing  been  enlarged  in  1792,  1830,  1842, 

hospitals      appeared     in     an     article,  1857  (in  wliicli  year  a  n«w  wii'ig  was 

written  by  Mr.  Thos.    BaiKr  Wright,  erected,  nominally  out  of  the   proceeds 

in  the    Midlrind    Counlks    Herald  in  of  a  fete  at  Aston,   which  brou'dit  in 

October,    1S59.     A  collection    of  this  £2,527  6s.  2d.),  1865,  and  during  the 

kind  took  place  on  Sunday,   the  27th  last   few   years    especially.     The    last 

of  that    month,  and    the    lirst    public  additions   to    the    edifice    consist   of  a 

meeting,      when     arrangements     were  separate  "  home"  for  the  staff  of  nurses, 

made   for  its  annual  continuaiicp,  was  utilising  their   former   rooms    for   the 

held  in  the  Town  Hall,  December  14tli  admittance  of  more  patients  ;  also  two 

same  year,  under  the  presidency  of  Dr.  large  wardi^,  for  cases  of  personal  injury 

Miller,     who,     therefrom,     lias     been  from  lire,  as  well  as  a  liiortuary,   with 

generally    accredittd    with    bt^ing  the  dissecting   and    juiy   rooms,    he,   the 

originator  of   the   plan.      The  proceeds  total  cost  of  these  improvements  being 

of  the  first  year's  collection  WL-re  given  nearly   £20,000.     For   a  long  period, 

to  the  General  Hospital,    the    second  this  institution  has  rank eil  as  one  of 

year  to  the  Queen's,  and  the  third  year  the  first  and  noblest  charities  in  the 

divided  aniQiig  the  other  charitable  in-  provinces,    its  doors  being  opened  for 

fctitutions  in  the  town  of  a  like  cliarac-  the  reception  of  cases  from  all  parts  of 

ter,  and  this_  order  of  rotation  lias  been  the  surrounding  counties,    as   \to11  as 

adhered  to  since.  our  own  more  immediate  district.    The 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  gross  long   list    of    names    of   surgeons  and 

amounts  collected   since  the  establish-  physicians,     who    have    bestowed    the 

ment  of  the  movement :—  benefits   of   their    learning   and     skill 

J«rn  n'l'!,',-  ."','S* ^'H-n    fi  ^?  "!'«"  the  unforiunate  sufierers,  brought 

1S60  Queen  s  Hcispiial d,4J,i     b     i  '.i  ■      -i  n       •      i     i  /. 

isoi  AiiKilfraiiuitMCluiritie.s....    2,953  14    0  witlun  its  walls,  includes  many  of  the 

isiii  Oeiifial  Hospital 3.340    4    7  highest  eminence    in    the    profession, 

istia  Queen's  H.psi>iUl 3,293    5    0  locally  aud  Otherwise,   foremost  araonf' 

1804  Aliialgaiiiateit  chanties 3,178     5     0  ,vlinT.i  .,^„uh  1-.0  , >!..,. «,1  »!, ,+     e  T\       *    i '^ 

1805  Ge..ei°aHns,Mtal 4,2-.(;  11  11  ""°'"  '"^^^'^  "^  P'^^^d  that  of  Dr.  Ash, 

1866  Queens II.. s|ital 4,1:13    2  10  tlio  fust  pn3'sician  to  the  institution, 

18(i7  Aiiial^'aiiiaie.i  Charities —    3.6-J4    9    7  and  to  whom  much  of  ;he  honour  of  its 

li^S^n'ilSltal:::;::::::  "^  VI  est.'^ii^i;|-nt  belongs.    The  c^.nec 

1870  Amalgamated  Charities....     4,111    ti    7  tion  Of  tile  General   Hospital  with   the 

1871  General  H.>spital 4,8SG    9    2  Triennial  Musical  Festivals,  which,  for 

1872  Queens  H.ispital.... o,i92    2    z  a  hundred  years,  i,ave  been  held  for  its 

1873  Amal-'amaleil  chanties o.3,0     8     3  l,„„„K,r        1,,..  1„.,K,1  c  ^ 

1874  Geuei"^  Hospital..     5,474  17  11  l>«»efir,       las,      doubtless,     gone       faf 

1875  Queeu's  UoM'ital 5,800    8    8  towards  the  support  of    the    Gharitv, 

1870  Amal^'amated  Charities....     5,265  10  10  very   lu-arly  £112,000  having  been   I'e- 

"^  §u:;:;-sli;;:S;:}:;::::::::  S 1'  lo  ---^  •--  that  source  altogether,  and 

1879  Amalgamat'd  Charities....     5,182    3  10  ^Ue   periodical,  collections  on   Hospital 

1860  General  Hosjiital 4,883    1    8  Sundays    and    Saturdays,     jiave    still 

1881  Queens  Ilo.spital..     t'tf-^  ^\    I  further  aided  thereto,  but  it  is  to  the 

1882  Amalgamated  chanties 4,800  12     b  ,.,^„f,.;K„f;^,  ,    ^c  ,1  ii-  i.     i 

1883  General  H..s,.ital 5.145    0    5  contributions  of  the    public    at    large 

1884  Qieen's  Hospital that  the  governors  of    the  institution 


100 


SHOWELL's    DIGTIOXARY    of    BinMINGHAM. 


are  principally  iiidehteil  for  tlieir  ways 
and  means.     For  the  first  twenty-five 
years,   the  number  of  in-patients  were 
largely    in    excess    of    the     out-door 
patients,     there     being,    during    that 
jieriod,    16, ."188  of   tlie    former    under 
treatment,    to    13,009    of    the    latter. 
Down  to  1861,  rather  more  than  half- 
a-million  cases  of  accident,  illness,  &c., 
had  been  attended  to,  and  to  show  the 
yearly  increasing   demand  made  upon 
the  funds  of  the  Hospital,  it  is  only 
necessary  to  give   a  few  later  dau.s.    In 
1860  the  in-patients  numbeitd  2  850, 
the  out-patients    '20,f>84,  atid  the  ex- 
penditure was  £4,191.      In  1870,  the 
total  number  of  patients  were  24,082, 
and  the    expenditure  £12,207.       The 
next  three  years  showed  an  average  of 
28,007  patients,  and  a  yearly  expendi- 
ture of  £13,900.     During  the  last  four 
years,  the  benefits  of  the  Charity  have 
been    bestowed    upon    an    even    more 
rapidh'-increasing  scale,    the    number 
of  cases  in  1880  having  been  30,785,  in 
1881  36,803,   in   1882   44,623,   and  in 
1883  41,551,  the  annual  outlay  now  re- 
quired being  considerably  over  £20,000 
per   year.       When    the    centenary    ot 
the  Hcspital  was   celebrated  in  1879, 
a  suggestion  was  made  that  an  event 
so     interesting     in      the     history     of 
tlie     charity     would     be     most     fitt- 
ingly    commemorated      by      the      es- 
tal.'lishnient  01  a    Suburban  Hospital, 
where  patients  vhose  diseases  are  of  a 
chronic    character    could    be    treated 
with    advantage    to    themselves,    and 
with   relief  to  the  parent  histilulion, 
wdiich  is  always   so  pressed   for   room 
that   many   patients  have   to  be  sent 
out  earlier  than  the   medical    officers 
like.     The  proposal  was  warmly  taken 
up,  but  no  feasible  way  of  carrying  it 
out  occurred  until  October,  1883,  when 
the   committee   of  the   Hospital    had 
the     pleasure    of    receiving    a    letter 
(dated  Sept.  20),  from  Mr.  John  Jatf- 
ray,  in   which   he  stated  that,   having 
long  felt  the  importance  of  having  a 
Suburban  Hospital,  and  with  a  desire 
to   do  some    amount  of  good  for  the 
community  in  which,  for  many  years, 


he   had    received   so    much    kindness, 
and   to    which,  in    great   measure,    he 
owed  his  prosperit}',  he  had  secured  a 
freehold  site  on  which   he  proposed  to 
erect   a    building,    capable  of    accom- 
modating    fifty     male      and     female 
patients,  with  the  requisite  offices  for 
the    attendants     and     servants,    and 
offered  the  same  as  a  free  gift  to  the 
Governors,    in    trust    for  the  public. 
This    most  welcome    and    munificent 
offer,  it  need  hardly  be  said,  was  grate- 
fully accepted,  and  a  general  appeal  was 
made  for  i'linds  to  properly  endow  the 
"Jallray  Suburban  Hospital,"  so  that 
its     maintenance  and    administration 
shall   not  detract  from  the  extending 
usefulness    of  the    parent  institution. 
The  site  chosen   by   Mr.    Jafliray  is  at 
Gravelly  Hill,   and  it  is  estimated  the 
new  branch  hos))ital,  of  which  the  first 
stone  was  laid  June  4,    1884,  will  cost 
at  least  £15,000  in  erection.     Towards 
the  endowment  fund  there  have  been 
nine  or  ten  donations  of  £1,00C   each 
promised,  and  it  is  hoped  a  fully  suffi- 
cient   amount     will  be    raised   before 
the  building  is  completed,   for,  in  the 
words  of  ilr.  Jafi'ra}',    we  "  have  great 
faith  in  the  liberality    of  the   public 
towards  an  institution — the  oldest  and 
noblest    and    ablest    of    our    medical 
charities — which     for     more     than    a 
century    has    done    so  much   for     the 
relief  of  human  suffering  :  and  tannot 
help  believing  that  there  are  in  Bir- 
mingham many  persons   who,  having 
benefited  by  the  prosperity  of  the  town, 
feel  that  they  owe  a  duty  to  the  com- 
munity, and    Avill   gladly  embrace  this 
opportunity  of  discharging  at  least  some 
part  of  their  obligation."     Patients  are 
said  to  be  admitted  to  the  General  Hos- 
pital by  tickets  from  subscribers  ;  but, 
ill    addition    to  accidents   and  cases  of 
sudden  illness,  to    which  the  doors  are 
open    at   all  hours,  a   large  number  of 
patients   are   admitted   free  on   the  i"e- 
commendation  of  the  medical   officers, 
the   proportion   of  the  cases  thus  ad- 
mitted   being  as   six  to    ten   with  sub- 
scribers' tickets. 


8H0WHI.LS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIUMINGHAM. 


101 


It  is  estimated  that  a  capital  sum  of 
at  least  £00,000  will  be  n-ciuired  to 
produca  a  siidlciently  larf,'e  income  to 
maintain  the  Jatlray  Subuiban  Hos- 
pital, and  donations  liave  been,  and  are 
iroliciteil  for  the  raising  of  that  sum. 
Up  to  the  time  of  ?oing  to  press  with 
the  "Dictionary,"  there  has  been  con- 
trib'ited  nearly  £24,000  of  liie  amount, 
of  which  the  largest  donations  are  : — 

G.  F.  Mmitz,  Esq £2,000  0  0 

The  Ri','lit  Hon.  Lord  Oalthorpe  1,000  0  0 

Trustees  uf  Uu  lley  Trust 1,000  0  0 

W.   B.  Cregoe  Coliuore,  Esq....  1,000  0  0 

Raliili  Ileaton,  Ksq 1,000  0  0 

Jaiues  Hink.s,  Esq    1,000  0  0 

Lloyils' Old  Bank 1,000  0  0 

\V.  iMiildUinore,  Esq i,000  0  0 

Mr.s.  Elizalx'tb  I'liiiisuii 1,000  0  0 

Miss  llylaiul I,0u0  0  0 

Mrs.  Si'iiicox   1,000  0  0 

Messr.s.  Taniiycs  (Limited) 1,000  0  0 

HeDry  \Vis;K'iii,Esq  ,  MP 1,000  0  0 

Mr.  John  Wilkes 1,000  0  0 

About  £5,000  more  has  been  sent  in 
hundreds  and  fifties,  and  doubtless 
many  other  laige  j<ilts  will  follow. 

The.  Queen's  Hospital  was  commenced 
ill  1840,  tlie  tirst  stone  being  laid  by 
Earl  Howe  on  the  18th  of  June.  His 
Royal  Highness  the  Prince  Consort 
was  chosen  as  lirst  president,  and  re- 
mained so  until  liis  death,  the  office 
not  being  tilled  up  again  until  1875, 
when  Lord  Leigh  was  appointeil. 
Many  special  efforts  have  been  made 
to  increase  the  funds  of  this  hospital, 
and  with  great  success  ;  thu-',  on  Dec. 
28,  1848,  Jenny  Lind  sang  for  ir,  the 
recei[)ts  amounting  to  £1,070.  On 
Juiy  27,  1857,  a  fete  at  Aston  Park 
added  £2,527  6s.  2d.  (a  like  sum  being 
given  to  the  General  Hospital).  In 
1859,  ,\lr.  Saud.s  Cox  (to  whom  is  due 
the  merit  of  originating  the  Queen's 
Hospital),  commenced  the  arduous  task 
of  coUeciiiig  a  niillion  postage  stamps, 
equivalent  to  £4,166  ISs.  4d.,  lo  char 
the  theu  liabiliiies,  to  erect  a  chapel, 
and  for  purposes  of  extension.  Her 
Majesty  the  Queen  forwarded  (Feb.  15, 
1859; a  cheipie  for £100  toward  this  fund. 
On  January  16, 1869,  iheworkmeii  of  the 
town  deciueU  to  erect  a  new  wing  to  the 
Hospital,  and  subscribed  so  freely  that 


Lord  Lcigii  laid  the  foundation  stone 
D^ic.  4,  1871,  and  ths  '•Workmen's 
E.Ktensiou "  was  opened  for  patients 
Nov.  7,  1873.  In  1880  a  bizaar 
at  the  Town  H.ill  brought  in  ,£3,G87 
17s.,  increased  by  ilonations  and  new 
subscript'ons  to  £5,969.  The  .system 
of  admission  by  subscribers'  tickets  was 
done  away  with  Nov.  1,  1875,  a  regis- 
tration fee  of  Is.  being  adopted  instead. 
This  fee,  however,  is  not  reipiired  in 
urgent  cases  or  •iccident,  nor  when 
the  patient  is  believed  to  be  too  poor 
to  pay  it.  The  ordinaty  income  for 
the  year  1882  was  £5,580,  as  compared 
with  £1,834  in  the  previou.syear,  when 
the  ordinnry  income  was  s\i|)plemented 
bv  tlie  further  sum  of  £4,356  from  the 
Hospital  Sunday  collection,  which  falls 
to  the  Queen's  Hos()ital  once  in  three 
years.  Tiie  chief  iiems  of  ordinary 
income  were,  subscriptions  1881, 
£2,780;  1882,  £2,788;  .louations, 
1831,  £397  ;  1882,  £237  ;  Hospital 
Siturday,  1881,  £711  ;  1882,  £852  ; 
legacies,  1881,  £208  ;  1882,  £870  ; 
dividends,  1881,  £178  ;  1832,  £199  ; 
registration  fees,  1331,  £538;  1882, 
£597.  The  e.xpemiiture  lor  the  year 
was  £7,264,  as  compared  with  £6,997 
in  1881.  I'lie  number  of  iu-patients 
in  1882  was  1,669,  as  compared  with 
1,663  in  1881  ;  tlie  number  of  out- 
patients was  16,538,  as  compared  with 
14.490  in  the  preceding  year.  Tiie 
cost  of  each  in-patient  was  £3  2s.  3^d. 
Of  the  iu-[)atients,  811  were  admitted 
by  registration,  the  remainder  being 
treated  as  accidents  or  urgent  cases. 
Of  the  out-patieuts,  8,359  were  ad- 
mitted by  registration,  the  remainder, 
namely,  8,179,  were  admitted  free. 

Tlie  Children's  Hospitnl,  founded  in 
1861,  was  first  opeued  for  the  reception 
of  patients  Jan.  1,  1862,  in  the  old 
mansion  in  Steelhouse  Lane,  fronting 
the  Ui>per  Priory.  At  the  commence- 
ment ot  1870  the  Hospital  was  removed 
to  Broad  Street,  to  the  building  for- 
merly known  as  the  Lying-in  Hos[)ital, 
an  out-patient  department,  specially 
erected  at  a  cost  of  about  £3,250,  being 
opened  at    the  same  time  (January)   in 


102 


SHOWBLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


Steelhoiise  Lane,  nearly  opposite  tlie 
mansion  first  used.  The  Broad  Street 
institution  has  acconimoiiation  for 
about  fifty  children  in  addition  to  a 
separate  building  containing  thirty 
beds  for  the  reception  of  fevf-r  cases, 
the  erection  of  which  cost  £7,800  ;  and 
there  is  a  Convalescent  Home  at  Alve- 
church  in  connection  with  this  Hos- 
pital to  which  children  are  sent  direct 
from  the  wards  of  the  Hospital  (fre- 
quently after  surgical  operations)  thus 
obtaining  for  them  a  more  perfect  con- 
valesceiK'c  thanispo'^siblewhentheyare 
leturned  to  their  own  homes,  wliere  in 
too  many  instances  those  important 
aids  to  recovery — pure  air,  cl.anliness, 
and  good  food  are  sadly  wanting.  In 
addition  to  tlie  share  of  the  Sutnrdaj' 
and  Sundaj' yearly  collections,  a  special 
eff'ort  was  made  in  1880  to  assist  the 
Children's  Hospital  by  a  .simultaneous 
collection  in  the  Sunday  Schools  of  the 
town  and  neighbourhood,  and,  like  the 
others,  this  has  become  a  periodical  in- 
stitution. In  1880.  the  sum  thus 
gathered  from  the  juveniles  for  the 
benefit  of  their  little  suffering  breth- 
ren, amounted  to  £307  9s.  lid.  ;  in 
1881,  it  was  £193  10s.  5d.  ;  in  1882, 
£218  5s.  2.1.  ;  in  1883,  £234  3s.  Id. 
The  number  of  patients  during  1883 
were  :  743  in-patients  12,695  out- 
patients, 75  home  patients,  and  475 
casualties— total  13,998.  The  expen- 
diture of  the  year  had  been  £4,399 
Os.  3d.,  and  the  income  but  £4  087 
14s.   2d. 

Dental— This  Hospital,  9,  Broad 
Street,  was  instituted  for  gratuitous 
assistance  to  the  poor  in  all  cases  of 
fiiseases  of  the  teeth,  including  extract- 
ing, stopping,  scaling,  as  well  as  the 
regulation  of  children's  teeth.  Any 

poor  stifferer  can  liave  immediate  at- 
tention without  a  recommendatory 
note,  but  applicants  requiring  special 
operations  must  be  provided  with  a 
note  of  introduction  from  a  governor. 
About  6,000  persons  yearly  take  their 
achers  to  the  estalilishment. 

Ji'a7-  and  Throat  Infirmary,  founded 
in  1844,  and  lormcrly  in  Cherry  Street, 


has  been  removed  to  Newhall  Street, 
wliere  persons  suffering  from  diseases  ot 
the  ear  (deafness,  &c.)  and  throat,  are  at- 
tended to  daily  at  noon.  During  the 
year  ending  Ju;ie,  1883,  6,517  patients 
had  been  under  treatment,  and  1,833 
new  cases  had  been  admitted.  Of  the 
total,  1,389  had  been  cured,  348  relieved 
ami  116  remained  under  treatment.  The 
increase  of  adini.ssions  over  those  of  the 
previous  year  was  181,  and  the  average 
dailyattendance  of  pitients  was  25.  The 
number  of  patients  coming  from  places 
outside  Birmingham  was  577.  The 
income  of  this  institution  is  hardly  up 
to  the  mark,  considering  its  great  use- 
fulness, the  amount  received  from 
yearly  subscribers  being  only  £129 
13s.  6d.,  representing  711  tickets, 
there  being  received  for  875  supple- 
mentary tickets,  £153  2s.  6d..  and 
£15  lis.  from  the  Hospital  Saturday 
collections. 

The  Eye  Hospital  was  originated  in 
1823,  and  the  first  ))atients  were  re- 
ceived in  April,  1824,  at  the  hospital  in 
Cannon  Street.  Some  thirty  years 
afterwards  the  institution  was  nmoved 
to  Steelhouse  Lane,  and  in  1862  to 
Temple  Row,  Dee's  Royal  Hotel  being 
taken  and  remoddled  for  the  purpose 
at  a  cost  of  about  £8,300.  In  1881 
the  number  of  ])atients  treated  was 
12,523  ;  in  1882,  13,448  of  whom  768 
were  in-patients,  making  a  total  of 
over  a  quarter  of  a  million  since  the 
commencement  of  the  charitv.  Adn.is- 
sion  b)'  subscriber's  ticket.  Originally 
an  hotel,  the  building  is  dilapidated 
and  very  unsuitable  to  the  require- 
ments of  the  ho.-pital,  the  space  for 
attendants  and  patients  being  most 
inadequate.  This  has  been  more  and 
more  evident  for  years  i^ast,  and  the 
erection  of  a  new  building  became  an 
absolute  necessity.  The  governors, 
therefore,  have  taken  a  plot  of  land  at 
the  corner  of  Edmund  Street  and 
Church  Street,  upon  a  lease  from  the 
Colmore  family  for  99  years,  and  here- 
on is  being  built  a  commodious  and 
handsome  new  hospital,  from  carefully- 
arranged  plans  suitable  to  the  peculiar 


SHOWELl/S    niCTtONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


103 


necessities  of  an  institution  of  tliis 
nature.  Tlieesti mated  cost  of  the  new 
buil.iing  is  put  at  £20,000,  of  wliioli 
only  about  £8,000  has  yet  been  s'.;b- 
scrilieii  (£5,000  of  it  beini,'  from  a 
single  donor).  In  such  a  town  as 
Kirinin^liani,  and  indeed  in  such  a 
district  as  surround:-'  us,  an  institution 
like  the  Birniiugliani  and  Jlidland  Kyo 
Hospital  is  not  only  useful,  but  posi- 
tively indisppusable,  ami  as  there  are 
no  restrictions  as  to  distance  or 
place  of  abode  in  the  matter  of  patients, 
theapiiealmade  for  the  necessary  build- 
ing funds  should  meet  with  a  quick 
and  generous  response,  not  only  from  a 
few  large-hearted  coiitributiU's,  whose 
names  are  liouseliold  words  but  also 
from  the  many  thousands  who  have 
knowledge  directlv  or  imiirectly  of 
the  vast  benefit  this  hospital  has  con- 
ferred upon  those  stricken  by  disease 
or  accident — to  that  which  is  the  most 
precious  of  all  our  senses.  It  is  in- 
tended that  the  liospital  should  b-^  a 
model  to  the  whole  kingdom  of  wliat 
such  an  institution  ought  to  be  ;  ihe 
latest  and  l)est  of  modern  appliances, 
both  sanitary  and  surgical,  will  be  in- 
troduced. There  will  be  in  and  out 
departments,  comj)letely  isolated  one 
from  the  other,  though  with  a  door  of 
communication.  From  sixty  to  seventy 
1)e<'is  will  lie  provided,  special  wards 
for  a  certain  clas>  of  cases,  adequate 
waiting-rooms  for  out-patients,  and 
the  necessary  rooms  for  the  officers 
and  medical  attendants,  all  being  on  an 
ample  scale. 

Fever  Hospital. — There  was  a  Fever 
Hospital  opened  in  March,  18'28,  but 
we  have  no  note  when  it  was  closed, 
and  possibly  it  may  have  been  only  a 
teinjiorary  institution,  such  as  become 
necessary  now  and  then  even  in  these 
days  of  sanitaiy  science.  For  some 
years  past  fever  patients  requiring 
isolation  have  been  treated  in  the 
Borough  Hospital,  but  the  Health 
Committee  have  lately  ]nirchased  a 
plot  of  land  in  Lodge  Road  of  about 
4^  acres,  at  a  cost  of  £4,500,  and 
haveerectetl  thereon  a  wooden  pavilioUj 


divided  into  male  and  female  wards, 
with  ail  nec^'ssary  bath  rooms,  nurses' 
rooms,  &c. ,  everything  being  done 
which  can  contribute  to  the  comfort 
and  care  of  the  inmates,  while  the 
greitest  attention  has  been  paid  to  the 
ventilation  and  other  necessary  items 
tending  to  their  recovery.  This  pavi- 
lion is  only  a  portion  of  the  scheme 
which  the  committee  propose  to  carry 
out,  it  being  intended  to  build  four,  if 
not  live,  other  wards  of  brick.  A  tem- 
porary block  of  administrative  build- 
ings has  been  erected  at  some  distance 
from  the  pavilion.  There  accommoda- 
tion is  provided  for  the  matron, 
the  resident  medical  superintendent, 
the  nurses  when  off  duty,  and  the 
ordinary  kitchen,  .scullery,  and  other 
offices  are  attached.  When  the 
permanent  offices  have  been  erec- 
ted this  building  will  be  devoted  to 
special  fever  cases,  or,  should  there 
be  a  demand,  private  cases  will  be 
taken  in.  The  cost  of  the  whole 
scheme  is  estimated  at  £20,000,  in- 
cluding the  sum  given  for  the  land. 
It  is  most  devoutly  to  be  wished  that 
this  hospital,  which  is  entirely  free, 
will  be  generally  used  by  families  in 
case  of  a  nieinber  thereof  be  taken  with 
any  nature  of  infectious  fever,  the  most 
certain  remedy  against  an  epidemic  of 
the  kind,  as  well  as  the  most  favour- 
able chance  for  the  patient  being  such 
an  isolation  as  is  here  provided.  The 
hospital  was  opened  September  "11, 
1883,  and  in  cases  of  scarlet  fever  and 
other  disorders  of  an  infections  charac- 
ter, an  immediate  application  should 
be  made  to  the  health  officer  at  the 
Council  House. 

Ilomceoimtldc.  — A  disjiensary  for  the 
distribution  of  hoimeopattiic  remedies 
was  opened  in  this  town  in  1847,  and 
though  the  new  system  met  with  the 
usual  opposition,  it  has  become  fairly 
popular,  an ditsi)ractitioners  have  found 
friends  sufficient  to  induce  them  to 
erect  a  very  neat  ami  convenient  hos- 
pital, in  Easy  Row,  at  a  cost  of  about 
£7,000,  which  w.is  opened  November 
23rd,  1875,  and  may  possibly  soon  be 


104 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BinMINGHAM. 


enlarged.  A  small  paymeut,  weekly, 
is  looked  for,  if  the  patient  can  afford 
it,  but  a  fair  number  are  admitted  free, 
and  a  much  larger  number  visited,  the 
average  number  of  patients  being 
nearly  5,000  per  annum.  Information 
given  on  enquiry, 

Hos2ntal  for     JFomen. — This  estab- 
lishment   in    the    Upper    Priory    was 
opened  in  October,  1871,  fur  the  treat- 
ment of  diseases  special  to  females.   Ko 
note  or  ticket  of  recommendation  is  re- 
quired,   applicants   being  attended    to 
daily  at  two  o'clock,   except  on  Satur- 
day and  Sunday.     If  in  a  position  to 
pay,  a  nominal  sum  ol  2s.  6d.  a  month 
is  expected   as   a    contribution   to  the 
funds,  which   are  not  so  flourishing  as 
can   be   Avished.     The  in-patients'  de- 
partment or  home  at  Sparkhill  has  ac- 
commodation for  25   inmates,  and  it  is 
always  full,  while  some  thousands  are 
treated    at   the    town    establishment. 
The  number  of  new  cases  in  the  out- 
patient department  in  1883  was  2,648, 
showing  an  annual  increase  of  nearly 
250  a  year.     Of  the  281  in-patients  ad- 
ditted  last  year,  205  had  to    undergo 
surgical   operations  of  various   kinds, 
124  being  serious  cases  ;  notwithstand- 
ing which  the  mortality  showed  a  rate 
of  only  5 '6  per  cent.     As  a  rule  many 
weeks  and  months  of  care  and  attention 
are  needed  to  restore  the  general  health 
of  those  who  may  have,  while  in  the 
hos[)ital,   successfully    recovered    from 
an  ojieration,  but  there  has  not  hitherto 
been  the  needful    funds  or  any  organi- 
sation for  following  up  such  cases  after 
they  have  left  Sparkhill.     Such  a  work 
could  be  carried  on  by  a  District  Nurs- 
ing Society  if  there  were  funds  to  de- 
fray the  extra  expensp,and  at  their  last 
annual meetingthe  Managing  Commit- 
tee decided  to  appeal  to  their  friends  for 
assistance  towards  forming  an  endow- 
ment fund  for  the  treatment  of  [)atients 
at    home  during    their    convalescence, 
and  also  for  aiding  nurses  during  times 
of  sickness.     An  anonymous  donation 
of  £1,000   has  been   sent  in,    and   two 
other  donors  have  given  £500each,  but 
the  treasurer  will  be  glad  to  receive  ad- 


ditions thereto,  and  as  early  as  possible, 
foi  sick  women  nor   sick  men  can  wait 
long.      The    total     income    for    1883 
amounted  to    £1,305    16s.    id.,   while 
the  expenditure  was   £1,685  4s.   lid., 
leaving  a  deficit  much  to  be  regretted. 
Lying  in    Ilospilal.  —  Founded    in 
1842,  and  for  many  years  was  located 
in  Broad  Street,  in  the   mansion  since 
formed  into  the  Children's    Hospital. 
In   1868   it   was   deemetl    advisable    to 
close  the  establishment  in  favour  of  the 
present  plan  of  supplying  midwivesand 
nurses  at  the  poor  patients'  homes.   In 
1880  the  number  of  patients  attended 
was    1,020  ;    in    1881,    973 ;  in  1882, 
894  ;  in   1883,   870.      In    each  of  the 
two  latter  years  there  had    been  two 
deaths  ill  morhers  (1  in  441  cases)  about 
the    usual    average  of    charitj'.     The 
number  of  children  born   alive  during 
the  last  year   was  839,    of  whom   419 
were  males,    and   420    females.     Four 
infants     died  ;     37     were      still-born. 
There    were    6    cases    of  twins.     The 
assistance  of   the    honorary    surgeons 
was  called  in   24    times,  or  once  in  37 
cases.     The  linancial  position    of  the 
charity  is  less  satisfactory    than  could 
be  wished,  there  being  again  adeficieucy. 
The  subscriptions  were  £273,    against 
£269  it;  1882  and  £275  in  1881.   There 
was  a  slight  increase  in  theamountof  do- 
nations, but  an  entire  absence  of  legacies, 
wliich,   considering  the  valuable  assist- 
ance   rendered  by    the    :harity   to  so 
many  poor  women,  is  greatly  to  be  de- 
plored.      The    medical     board     have 
the  power  to  grant  to  any  woman  who 
passes  the    examination,   the  subjects 
of  which  are  defined,  a  certificate  as  a 
skilled  midwife,  competent  to  attend 
natural  labours.  One    midwife   and 

four  monthly  nurses  have  already  re- 
ceived certificates,  and  it  is  hoped  that 
niany  more  candidates  will  avail  them- 
selves of  the  opportunity  thus  readily 
afforded  to  them,  and  supply  a  want 
very  generally  felt  among  the  poor  of 
the  town.  Subscribers  have  the  privi- 
lege of  bestowing  the  tickets,  and  the 
olHcesare  at  71,  Newhall  Street. 


SHOWELl's    dictionary    of    lilHMINGHAM. 


105 


Orthopccdic  and  Spinal  Hospital  — 
Was  foundeil  in  Juue,  1817,  ilie  pre- 
sent establishiiieiit  in  Ne\vli;ill  Street 
being  entered  npon  in  Dei'cnibfr,  1877. 
All  kinds  of  bodily  deformity,  hernia, 
club  feet,  spinal  diseases,  nialfornia- 
tioDS,  and  distortions  of  limbs,  &c., 
are  treated  daily  (at  two  o'clo:k)  free 
of  charr;e,  except  wnere  instruments  or 
costly  supports  are  needed,  wbeu  the 
patient  must  be  provided  with  sub- 
scribers' tickets  in  jiroportion  to  the 
cost  thereof.  In  1881  and  1882,  4,116 
cases  received  attention,  2,064  being 
new  cases,  and  678  fiom  outside  Bir- 
mingham. The  variety  of  diseases  was 
very  nunienais,  and  instruments  to  the 
value  of  £420  were  supplied  to  the 
patients. 

Skin  and  Lock  Hospital,  Newhall 
Street,  was  founded  in  1880,  and 
opened  Jan.  10,  1881.  Admission  on 
payment  of  registration  fee,  attend- 
ance being  given  at  two  o'clock  on 
Monday,  Tuesday,  Wednesday,  and 
Thursday  in  each  week. 

Small}  ox  Hospital. — A  few  years 
back,  when  there  was  a  pretty  general 
epidemic  of  smallpox,  a  temporary 
ward  or  addition  was  attached  to  the 
WDrkhouse,  but  many  persons  whose 
intelligence  led  them  to  know  the 
value  of  isolation  in  such  cases,  could 
not  "  cotton  "  to  the  idea  of  going 
themselves  or  sending  tlieir  friends 
there.  The  buildings  in  Weston  Road, 
Winson  Green,  and  now  known  as  the 
Borough  Hospital,  have  no  connection 
whatever  with  the  Workhouse,  and 
were  opened  for  the  reception  of  persons 
sutferiiig  from  smallpox  and  scarlet 
fever  in  Nov.  1874.  The  latter  cases 
are  now  taken  to  the  Hospital  in  Lodge 
Road,  so  that  })resent  accommodation 
can  be  found  in  the  Borough  Hospital 
for  nearly  250  patients  at  a  timeshoiiUl 
it  ever  be  necessary  to  do  so.  Persons 
knowing  of  any  case  of  smallpox  sliould 
at  once  give  notice  to  the  officers  of 
health  at  Council  House. 

Hotels. — This  French-derived  name 
for  inns,  from  what  Hutton  says  on  the 
subject,  would  appear  to  have  been  only 


introduced  in  his  day,  and  even  tlien 
was  con  lined  to  the  large  coaching- 
houses  of  the  town,  many  of  which 
have  long  since  vanished.  The  first 
rkilway  hotel  was  the  Queen's,  at  the 
entrance  of  tlio  old  railway  station, 
Duddeston  Row,  though  originally  built 
and  used  for  ollicers  for  the  company's 
secretaries,  directors' boardroom,  kc.  As 
part  of  the  New  Street  Station,  a  lar 
more  pretentious  establishment  was 
erected,  and  to  this  was  given  the  title 
of  the  "Queen's  Hotel,"  the  Duddes- 
ton  Row  building  reverting  to  its  ori- 
ginal U!-c.  The  Great  Western  Hotel 
was  the  next  to  be  built,  and  the 
success  attending  these  largo  under- 
takings have  led  to  the  erection  of  the 
handsome  Midland  Hotel , opposite  New 
Street  Station,  and  tlie  still  grander 
'■Grand  Hotel,"inCi)lmoieRo\v,  dpened 
Feb.  1,1879.  Theremoval  oftlie  County 
Court  to  C  >rporation  Street,  and  the 
possible  future  erecti'iu  of  Assize  Courts 
near  at  hand,  have  induced  some  specu- 
lators to  embark  in  the  erection  of  y^t 
another  extensive  establishment,  to  be 
called  the  '"  Inns  of  Court  Hotel,"  and 
in  line  course  of  time  we  shall  doubt- 
less have  others  of  a  similar  cliaracter. 
At  any  of  tiie  above,  a  visitor  to  the 
town  (with  money  in  his  purse)  can 
find  histclass  accoininodation,  and  (in 
comparison  with  the  London  hotels 
of  a  like  kind)  at  reasonably  f a  r 
rates.  After  these  come  a  second 
grade,  more  suitable  for  commer- 
cial gentlemen,  or  families  whose 
stay  is  longer,  such  as  the  new  Stork 
Hotel,  the  Alliion,  in  Liveiy  Street, 
Buliivant's,  in  Carr's  Line,  the  Acorn, 
the  Temperance  at  the  Colonnade,  and 
the  Clarendon,  in  Tein[de  Street, 
Dingley's,  iu  Moor  Street,  Knapp's, 
in  Higli  Street,  Nock's,  in  Union 
Passage,  the  Plough  and  Harrow, 
in  Hagley  Road,  the  Swan,  iu 
New  Street,  the  White  Horse,  in 
Congreve  {Street  (opposite  Walter 
Sliowell  and  Sons'  liead  ollices),  the 
Woolpack,  in  Moor  Street,  and  tne 
other  Woolpack,  now  called  St. 
Martin's,   at  the    back  of  the  church. 


106 


showp:lt;s  dictionary  of  Birmingham. 


For  imicli  entertaining  iiiforniation  re- 
specting the  old  taverns  of  Binning- 
liani,  the  liotels  of  former  days,  we  re- 
commend the  reader  to  procure  a  copy 
of  S.  D.  R.'s  little  book  on  the  sub- 
ject, which  is  full  of  anecdotes  respect- 
ing the  frequenters  of  the  then  houses, 
as  well  as  many  quaint  notes  of  the 
past. 

The  Acorn  in  Temple  Street. — The 
favourite  resort  of  the  "men  of  the 
time  "  a  few  score  years  ago.  was  at  one 
period  so  little  surrouiuled  with  houses 
that  anyone  standing  at  its  door  could 
view  a  landscajie  stretching  for  miles, 
while  listening  to  the  song  birds  in 
the  neighbouring  gardens.  It  dates 
from  about  1750,  and  numbers  among 
its  successive  landlords,  Mr.  John 
Roderick,  the  first  auctioneer  of  that 
well-known  name, Mr.  James  Clements, 
and  Mr.  Coleman,  all  men  of  mark. 
The  last-named  liost,  after  making 
man}'  improvements  in  tlie  premises 
anil  renewing  the  lease,  disposed  of  the 
hotel  to  a  L'.miteil  Liability  Company 
for  £15,500.  It  is  at  [iresent  one  of 
the  best-frequented  commercial  houses 
iti  the  town. 

The  Hen  and  Chickmis.—ln  Aris's 
Gazette,  of  December  14,  1741,  there 
appeared  an  advertisement,  that  there 
was  "to  be  let,  in  the  High  Street, 
Birmingham,  a  very  good-accustomed 
Inn,  the  sign  of  the  Hen  and  Chickens, 
with  stables,  &c."  Inasmuch  as  this 
advertisement  also  said  "there  is  a 
very  good  Bowling  (ireen  joining  to 
it,"  it  has  been  quoted  by  almost 
every  writer  of  local  history  as  an 
evidence  of  the  jiopularity  of  those 
j)lices  of  recreation,  or  as  showing 
the  open  aspect  of  the  then  existing 
town.  Tilts  estaV  lishraent  is  believed 
to  have  been  on  the  site  ot  ^Messrs. 
^lanton'.i  cabinet  warehouse,  the  ad- 
ioining  Scotland  Passage  leading  to 
the  stables,  and  possibly  to  "  the 
Bowling  Green. "  In  1798,  the  tenant, 
Mrs.  Lloyd,  removed  to  a  new  house 
in  New  Street,  and  took  the  Hen  and 
Chickens'  title  with  her,  the  i>lace  be- 
coming famous  as  a  posting-liQuse,  and 


afterwards,  under  Mr.  William  Wad- 
dell,  as  one  ot  the  most  e.xtensive 
coaching  establishments  in  the  Mid- 
lands. A  mere  list  only,  of  the  Serene 
Highnesses,  the  Royalties,  Nobility, 
and  celebrated  characters  of  all  kinds, 
who  have  put  up  at  this  hotel,  would 
fill  pages,  and  those  anxious  lor  such 
old-time  gossifi,  must  refer  to  S. D. R.'s 
book,  as  before-mentioned.  At  the 
close  of  1878,  the  jiremises  were  ac- 
quired by  the '■Birmingham  Aquarium 
Co.,  Limited,"  who  proposed  to  erect  a 
handsome  concert-room,  aquarium, 
restaurant,  &c.  The  old  building  has 
been  con  siderably  altered,  and  some- 
what improved  in  appearance,  but  the 
aquarium  and  concert-room  are,  as 
yet,  non  est,  an  Arcade  being  built  in- 
stead. 

The  Midland,  New  Street. — One  of 
the  modern  style  of  hotels,  having 
over  a  hundred  good  bedrooms,  besides 
the  necessary  comi)leiueiit  of  public 
and  private  sitting  and  dining  rooms, 
coffee,  commercial,  smoking  and  bil- 
liard rooni'^,  &c.,  erected  for  Mr.  W. 
J.  Clements  in  1874  ;  it  was  sold  early 
in  1876  to  a  Limited  Company,  whose 
capital  was  fixed  at  £40,000  in  £10 
shares. 

The  Royal,  in  Temple  Row,  was 
erected  on  tlie  tontine  principle  in 
1772,  but  was  not  called  more  than 
"  The  Hotel"  for  a  long  time  afterwards 
the  word  Roval  being  added  in  1805, 
after  His  Royal  Higliness  the  Duke  of 
Gloucester  slept  there  (May  4)  on  his 
way  to  Liverpool.  In  1830  the 
Duchess  ot  Kent,  and  Princess  Vic- 
toria (our  present  Queen)  honoured  it 
by  their  presence.  In  June,  1804,  the 
Assembly  Room  (for  very  many  years 
the  most  popular  place  for  meetings  of 
a  social  cliaiacter)  was  enlarged,  the 
pro]irietors  purchasing  a  small  piece  of 
adjoining  laud  for  the  purpose  at  a 
cost  of  "£250,  being  at  the  rate  of 
£26,000  per  acre,  a  noteworthy  fact  as 
showing  the  then  rapidly  increasing 
value  of  jtroperty  in  the  town.  The 
portico  in  front  of  the  hotel  was  put 
therein  1837,  when  the   building  had 


SHOWRLLS    DICTION  ART    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


107 


to  be  repaired,  in  coiisequonce  of  the 
kind  attentions  of  the  J^>irminglinm 
Lilierals  at  tlie  tinn?  of  tlie  general 
election  then  just  passed.  The  wliole 
of  the  front  ami  main  portion  of  the 
liotel  is  now  used  for  the  purposes  of  tlie 
Eye  Hospital,  the  Assembh'  Rooms, 
kc,  heiiitrstill  public. — Portugal  House, 
in  Xew  Street,  on  the  present  site  of 
the  Colonnade,  prior  to  its  being  taken 
for  the  Excise  and  Post  Offices,  was 
used  for  hotel  purp'^ses,  and  was  also 
called  "  The  Roval." 

Th'-  Slor/.:~The  Directory  of  1800 
is  the  first  which  contains  the  name  of 
the  Stork  Tavern,  No.  3.  The  Sipiare, 
tlie  host  then  being  Mr.  Jtdm  Bingham, 
the  title  of  Hotel  not  being  assumed 
until  1808.  For  a  few  years  the  one 
house  was  sufficient  !or  the  accommo- 
dation required,  but  as  time  juogressed 
it  liecanie  necessary  to  enlarge  it,  and 
this  was  accomplished  by  taking  in  the 
adjoining  houses,  until,  at  last,  the 
hotel  occupied  one  fourth  of  The 
Square,  from  the  corner  of  the  Minories 
to  the  Lower  Priory,  in  whicli  were 
situated  the  stables,  &:c.  It  was  in 
one  of  the  houses  so  annexed  to  tiie 
hotel  (No.  1)  that  Dr.  Hector,  the 
friend  ot  Dr.  Johnson,  resided  ;  and  at 
the  rear  of  another  part  of  tlie  premises 
in  the  Coach  Yard,  there  was  opened 
(in  1833)  the  "The  E<iuicah]e  Labour 
Exchange."  The  whole  of  the  hotel 
buildings  were  sold  by  auction, 
Sept.  26,  1881,  au(i  quickly  razed  to 
the  ground,  which  was  required  for 
Corporation  Street  ;  but  the  Stork, 
like  the  fabulous  Phoenix,  has  risen 
from  its  ashes,  and  in  (dose  proximity 
to  tlie  old  site,  stands  boldly  forth  as 
one  of  the  magnificences  of  that-is-to- 
be  most-magnificent  thoroughfare. 

The  Union,  in  Cherry  Street,  was 
built  in  1790,  but  much  enlarged  in 
1825.  It  was  one  of  the  priiici})al 
coaching  houses,  but  will  be  remem- 
bered mostly  as  furnishing  tlie  chief 
saleroom  in  the  town  for  the  disposal 
of  landed  property.  The  site  being 
required  for  Corporation  Street,  the 
building  was  "knocked  down  "  on  the 
21st  April,  1879. 


The  IVoolpack,  in  Moor  Street,  saw 
many  strange  events,  a'.id  had  in  its 
olden  diys  nil  lergone  some  few  changes 
for  there  are  not  many  sites  in  IJir- 
mingliam  that  can  compare  with  this 
in  regard  to  its  recorded  history,  b'.it 
at  last  it  is  bieiiig  cleareil  to  make  way 
for  a  more  modern  structure.  It  is 
believed  there  was  a  tavern  called  the 
Green  Tree  here  close  upon  500  years 
ago,  and  even  now  there  is  still  to 
be  tracel  the  cjuinb  of  an  ancient 
"  dyche"  running  through  the  premises 
which  was  describ'-d  as  the  boundary 
dividing  certain  properties  in  1340, 
and  forming  part,  of  that  belonging  to 
the  Guild  of  the  Holy  Cro^s.  The 
house  itselfwas  the  residence  of  William 
Leuch,  whose  bf(}ue-ls  to  the  town  are 
historical,  but  when  it  was  turned  into 
a  tavern  is  a  little  uncertain,  as  tlie 
earliest  notice  of  it  as  such  is  dated 
1709,  when  John  Fnsor  was  the  occu- 
pier. It  was  the  house  of  resort  for 
many  Birmingham  worthies,  especially 
those  connected  with  the  law,  even 
befoie  the  election  of  the  Public  Offi.'es, 
and  it  is  said  that  Jolin  Baskerville 
used  to  come  here  lor  his  tankard  of 
ale  and  a  gossip  vith  his  neigh botirs. 
In  the  time  of  the  Reform  agitation  it 
was  frequented  by  the  leaders  of  the 
Liberal  pirty,  and  has  always  been  tlie 
favourite  shelter  of  artists  visiting  the 
town. 

The  Wooliiacl;  in  St.  Martin's  Lane. 
—  Some  eighty  oiVl  years  ago  the  tavern 
standing  at  the  corner  of  Jamaica  Ri)W 
and  St.  Martin's  Lane  was  known  as  the 
Black  Boy  Inn,  from  the  figure  of  a 
young  negro  then  piaced  over  the  door. 
Being  purchased  in  1817  by  the  occu- 
pier of  a  neighbouring  tavern  called  the 
Woolpack,  the  two  names  were  united, 
and  for  a  time  the  house  was  called  the 
"  Black  Boy  and  AV'oolpack,"  the  iirst 
part  being  gradually  allowed  to  fall 
into  disuse.  Prior  to  its  demolition  it 
was  tJte  noted  market  hostelry  for  cattle 
d'jaleis  and  others,  the  respected  land- 
lord, Mr.  John  Gougli,  who  held  the 
premises  from  1848  till  his  death  in 
1877,  being  himself  a  large  wholesale 
dealer.      When  the  Town  Council  de- 


lOS 


SUOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


jiJed  to  enlarge  and  cover  in  tlie 
Smitlitield  Market",  the  old  house  and 
it3  adjuncts  were  purchased  by  thein, 
and  a  new  hotel  of  almost  palatial 
character  has  been  erected  in  its  place, 
the  frontage  extending  nearly  the  en- 
tire leiigtli  of  St.  JIartin's  Line,  and 
the  Black  Boy  and  the  Woolpack  must 
in  fnture  be  called  St.  Martin's  Hotel. 

Hothouses.— Those  at  Frogniore, 
comprising  a  raiig^  of  nearly  1,000  feet 
of  metallic  forcing  houses,  were  erected 
in  1S42-3,  by  .Mr.  Thomas  Clark,  ot 
this  town,  his  manager,  Mr.  John 
Jones,  being  described  by  the  cele- 
brated Mr.  Loudon,  as  "  the  best  hot- 
house builder  in   Britain." 

House  and  Window  Tax.— See 

"  Taxes," 

Howard     Street    Institute.— 

Founded  in  1869.  The  tirst  annual 
meeting,  for  the  distribution  of  prizes, 
was  held  in  Dtceniber,  1872.  The 
many  sources  for  acquiring  knowledge 
now  provided  at  such  institutions  as 
the  Midland  Listitute,  the  Mason  Col- 
lege, &c.,  have  no  doubt  tended  much 
to  the  end,  but,  considering  the 
amount  of  good  derived  by  the  pupils 
from  the  many  classes  held  in  the 
Howard  Street  rooms,  it  is  a  pity  the 
Institute  should  be  allowed  to  drop. 

Humbug". — The  Prince  of  Hum- 
bugs, Phineas  Barnum,  at  the  Town 
Hall,  February  28,  1859,  gave  his 
views  of  whfit  constituted  "  Humbug." 
As  if  the  Brums  didn't  know. 

Humiliation    Days.  —  Febniary 

25,  1807,  was  kept  here  as  a  day  ol  fast- 
ing and  humiliation,  as  was  also  Sep- 
tember 25,  1S32. 

Hundred. — Birmingham  is  in  the 
Hundred  of  Hemlingford. 

Hungary. — The  first  meeting  in 
this  town  to  e.xpress  sympatliy  with 
the  Hungarians  m  their  struggle  with 
Austria,  was  held  '  in  the  Corn  Ex- 
change, May  23,  18'19,  and  several 
speakers  were  in  favour  of  sending 
armed  help,  but  no  volunteers  came 
forward. 


Hunter's  Lane  and  Nursery  Ter- 
race take  their  names  from  the  fact 
that  Mr.  Hunter's  nursery  grounds 
and  gardens  were  here  situated.  The 
"  Line  "  was  the  old  road  to  Wolver- 
hampton, but  has  a  much  older  history 
than  that,  as  it  is  believed  to  have 
been  [)art  of  the  Icknield  Street. 

Hurricanes.- The  late  Mr.  Thos. 
Plant,  in  describing  the  great  storm, 
which  visited  England,  on  the  night 
of  Sunday,  6th  January,  1839,  and 
lasted  all  next  day,  said  it  was  the 
most  tremendous  hurricane  that  had 
occurred  here  for  fifty  years.  A  large 
quantity  of  lead  was  stripped  off  tlie 
roof  of  the  Town  Hall,  the  driving 
force  of  the  gale  being  so  strong,  that 
the  lead  was  carried  a  distance  of  more 
than  sixty  yards  before  it  fell  into  a 
warehouse, 'at  the  back  of  an  ironmon- 
ger's shop  in  Ann  Street.  —  See 
"  Storms  and  Tempests." 

Hurst  Street,  from  Hurst  Hill, 
once  a  wootled  mount  (the  same  being 
the  derivation  of  Ravenhurst  Street), 
was  originally  but  a  passage  way, 
leading  under  an  arch  at  the  side  of 
the  White  Swan  in  Smallbrook  Street 
(now  Day's  t  stablishment).  Up  the 
paasage  was  a  knacker's  yard,  a  shop 
for  the  dyeing  of  felt  hats,  and  a  few 
cottages. 

lelcnield  Street.  —  Britain  was 

foimeriy  traversed  by  four  great  roads, 
usually  called  Roman  roads,  though 
there  are  some  grounds  for  believing 
that  the  Ancient  Britons  themselves 
were  the  pioneers  in  making  these 
trackways,  their  conquerors  only  im- 
pioving  the  roads  as  was  their  wont, 
and  erecting  military  stations  along 
the  line.  'L'hese  roads  were  severally 
called  "  Watling  Strjete,"  which  ran 
from  the  coast  of  Kent,  through  Lou- 
don, to  the  Welsh  coast  in  county 
Cardigan  ;  the  "  Fosse,"  leading  from 
Cornwall  to  Lincoln;  "Erniinge 
Stiicte,"  running  from  St.  David's  to 
Southampton; and  "HikenildeStiiEte," 
leading  through  the  centre  of  England, 
from  St.  David's  to  Tyiumouth.  Part 
ol  the  latter  road,    known  as  Icknield 


SlIOWELLS    UIOTIONARY    OF    lUllMIN'GHAM. 


109 


Street,  is  now  our  Moiuinunt  Lane, 
and  ill  18G5  a  poilion  of  aDcieiit  road 
was  uncovered  near  Chad  Valley  House, 
vvliieli  is  believed  to  have  been  also 
jiart  thereof.  Trooeediiig  in  almost  a 
direct  line  to  the  bottom  of  Hockley 
Hill,  the  Icknield  Street  ran  across 
Handsworth  Parish,  by  way  of  the 
jiresent  Hunter's  Lane,  but  little  fur- 
ther trace  can  be  found  now  until  it 
touches  Sutton  Coldtield  Pa>k,  throujili 
which  it  passes  for  nearly  a  mile-and- 
a  half  at  an  almost  uniform  width  of 
about  60  feet.  It  is  left  for  our  future 
local  antiquarians  to  institute  a  search 
along  the  track  in  the  Park,  but  as  in 
scores  of  other  spots  Koniau  and 
British  remains  have  been  found,  it 
seems  probable  than  au  ellbrt  ot  the 
kind  suggested  would  meet  its  reward, 
and  perhaps  lead  to  the  discovery  of 
some  valuable  relics  of  our  long-gone 
predecessors. 

Illuminations.— When  the  news 
of  Admiral  Rodney's  victory  was  re- 
ceived here,  May  20,  1792,  it  was 
welcomed  by  a  general  illumination, 
as  were  almost  all  the  great  victorie- 
during  the  long  war.  The  Peace  of 
Amiens  in  1802  was  also  celebrated  in 
this  way,  and  the  event  has  become 
historical  from  the  fact  that  for  the 
first  time  in  the  world's  histciy  the 
inflammable  gas  obtained  from  coal 
(now  one  of  the  commonest  necessities 
of  our  advanced  civilisation)  was  used 
for  the  purpose  of  a  j)ublic  illumination 
at  Soho  "Works.  (See  "  Gas")  lu  1813 
the  town  went  into  shining  fcstacies 
four  or  five  times,  and  ditto  in  the 
following  year,  the  chief  events  giving 
rise  thereto  being  the  entry  of  the 
Allies  into  Paris,  and  the  declaration 
of  peace,  the  latter  being  celebrated  (in 
addition  to  two  nights'  lighting  up 
of  the  ]irincipal  buildings,  &c. ),  by 
an  extra  grand  show  of  thousands  of 
lam|)s  at  Soho,  with  the  accompani- 
ment of  fireworks  and  fire-balloons,  the 
roasting  of  sheep  and  oxen,  &c.  Water- 
loo was  the  next  occasion,  but  local 
chroniclers  of  the  news  of  the  day  gave 
but  scant  note  thereof.     From  time  to 


time  there  have  been  illuminations  for 
several  more  peaceal)lc  matters  of  re- 
joicing, but  the  grandest  display  that 
l)irniingliam  has  ever  witnessed  was 
that  to  celebrate  the  nnirriage  of  the 
I'rince  of  Wales,  JIarch  lOih,  1863, 
when  St.  Philip's  Church  was  illum- 
inated on  a  scale  so  colossal  as  to  exceed 
anything  of  the  kind  that  had  ])re- 
viously  been  attemjjted  in  the  illum- 
ination by  gas  ot  public  buildings  ujion 
their  3rchitectural  lines.  Situated  in 
the  centre,  and  upon  the  most  elevated 
ground  in  iSirmingham,  8t  Pliilip's 
measures  upwards  of  170-ft.  from  the 
base  to  the  summit  of  the  cross.  The 
design  for  the  illumination — furnished 
by  Mr.  Peter  Hollins — consisted  of 
gas-tubing,  running  jiarallel  to  the 
principal  lines  of  architecture  from  the 
base  to  the  summit,  pierced  at  dis- 
tances of  3  in.  or  5  in.,  and  fitted  with 
bat  swing  burners.  About  10,000  of 
these  burners  were  used  in  the  illum- 
ination. The  service-pipes  employed 
varied  in  diameter  from  three  inches  to 
three-quarters  of  an  inch,  and 
measured,  in  a  straight  line,  about 
three-(iuarteis  of  a  mile,  being  united 
by  more  than  two  thousand  sockets. 
Separate  mains  conducted  the  gas  to 
the  western  elevation,  the  tower,  the 
dome,  the  cupola,  and  cross  ;  the  latter 
standing  8ft.  above  the  oidinary  cross 
of  the  church,  and  being  ijiclosed  in  a 
frame  of  ruby-colouied  glass.  These 
mains  were  connect,  d  with  a  ten-inch 
main  from  a  heavil\ -weighed  gas- 
ometer at  the  Windsor  Street  works  of 
the  Birmingham  Gas  Company,  which 
was  reserved  for  tlie  sole  use  of  the  il- 
lumination. It  took  forty  men  three 
days  to  put  up  the  scallolding,  but  the 
whole  work  was  finished  and  the 
scaffolding  removed  in  a  week.  It  was 
estimated  that  the  consumption  of  gas 
during  the  period  of  illumination 
reached  very  nearly  three-quarters  of 
a  million  of  cubic  feet  ;  and  the 
entire  expense  of  the  illumination, 
including  the  gas  -  fittings,  was 
somewhat  over  six  hundred  pounds. 
The  illumination    was   seen  for  miles 


no 


SIIOWBLL's    DICTIONAKY    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


round  ii)  every  direction.  From  the 
top  of  Ban-  Beacon,  about  eight  miles 
distant,  a  singular  effect  was  produced 
hy  meansof  aiogcloud  which  'hung  over 
the  town,  and  concealed  the  dome  and 
tower  from  view — a  blood-red  cross 
appearing  to  sliine  in  the  heavens  and 
rest  upon  Birmingham.  As  the  travel- 
ler approached  the  town  on  that  side 
the  opacity  of  the  fog  gradually  di- 
minished until,  when  about  three  miles 
away,  the  broad  lines  of  light  which 
spanned  the  dome  appeared  in  sight, 
and,  magnitied  by  the  thin  vapour 
through  which  they  were  refracted, 
gave  the  idea  of  some  gigantic  monster 
clawing  the  heavens  with  his  fiery 
paws.  All  the  avenues  to  the  church 
and  the  surrounding  streets  were 
crowded  with  nuxsses  of  human  heads, 
in  the  midst  of  which  stood  aglittiring 
fairy  palace.  The  etl'ectwas  heightened 
by  coloured  tires,  which,  under  the 
superintendence  of  Mr.  C.  L.  Hanmer, 
were  introduced  at  intervals  in  burning 
censers,  wreatiiing  their  clouds  of  in- 
cense among  the  urns  upon  the  parapet 
in  the  gallery  of  the  tower,  and  shed- 
ding upon  the  windows  of  the  chuich 
the  rich  tints  of  a  peaceful  southern 
sky  at  sunset.  The  several  gateways 
were  wreathed  in  evergreens,  amongst 
which  nestled  festoons  of  variegated 
lamps.  So  great  was  the  sensation 
[)roduced  throughout  the  town  and 
surrouiuiiiig  districts,  and  such  the 
disappointment  ot  those  who  had  not 
seen  ir,  that  the  committee,  at  a  great 
expanse,  consented  to  reillumine  for 
one  night  more,  which  was  done  on 
the  13th.  The  last  general  illumination 
was  on  the  occasion  of  the  visit  of 
Prince  and  Princess  of  Wales,  Nov.  3, 
1874. 

Imppovement   Schemes.  —See 

"  Town  Imiiruvcincnts." 

Income   Tax— Tliis  impost  was 

first  levied  in  1798,  when  those  who 
had  four  children  were  allowed  an 
abatement  of  10  percent.  ;  eight  chil- 
dren, 15  vier  cent.  ;  ten  or  more  20  per 
cent.     At  the   close  of  the  Peninsular 


cani[)aign  this  tax  was  done  away  with, 
it  being  looked  upon,  even  in  tliose 
heavily  betaxed  times,  as  about  the 
most  oppre.-sive  duty  ever  imposed  by 
an  arbiiraiy  Government  on  loyal  and 
willing  citizens.  When  the  tax  was 
revived,  in  1842,  there  was  a  con- 
siderable outcry,  though  if  fairly  levi.  d 
it  would  set-m  to  be  about  the  most 
just  and  equitable  mode  of  raising 
revenue  that  can  be  devised,  nothwith- 
standing  its  somewhat  inquisitorial 
accompaniments.  The  Act  was  only 
for  three  years  but  it  was  triennially 
renewed  until  1851,  since  when  it  has 
become  "  a  yearly  tenant,"  though  at 
varying  rates,  the  tax  being  as  high  as 
Is.  4d.  in  tile  pound  in  1855,  and  only 
2d.  in  1874.  A  Parlianientarj'  return 
issued  in  18(36  gave  the  assessment  of 
Birmingiiain  to  the  Income  Tax  at 
£1,394,161;  in  1874  it  was  estimated 
at  £1,792,700.  The  present  assess- 
ment is  considerably  over  the  two 
millions,  but  the  peculiar  leticeuce 
generally  connected  with  all  Govern- 
mental offices  prevents  us  giving  the 
exact  figures. 

Indian     Famine.  —  The     total 

amount  subscribed  here  towards  the 
fund  for  the  relief  of  suthirers  by  famine 
in  India  in  1877   was  £7,922  13s.  2d. 

India-rubbep,  in  1770,  was  sold 

at  3s.  per  cuiuc  half-inch,  and  was 
only  used  to  remove  pencil  marks  from 
paper.  Its  present  uses  are  manifold, 
and  varied  m  the  extreme,  from  the 
toy  balloon  of  the  infant  to  railway 
buffers  and  uiisinkable  lifeboats. 

Inflrmaries.— See     "  Ho.fpUals," 

&c. 

Inge. — -The  family  name  of  one  of 
the  large  projierty  owners  of  this  town, 
after  whom  Inge  Street  is  so  called. 
The  last  representative  of  the  family 
lived  to  tlie  rif)e  old  age  of  81,  dying 
in  August,  1881.  Tliongh  very  little 
known  in  the  town  from  vvlieuce  a  large 
portion  of  his  income  was  drawn,  tlie 
Rev.  George  Inge,  rector  of  Thorpe 
(Stallbrdshire),  was  in  his  way  a  man 
of  mark,   a  mighty  Niinrod,   wholol-; 


SUOWELLS    DlCTIONAKir    OF    HIUJUNGllAM. 


Ill 


lowed  the  hounds  t'luiii  the  early  aj,'e  cf 
live,  when  lie  was  carried  on  a  pony  in 
IVont  of  a  gruoin.  until  a  few  weeks 
prior  to  his  death,  havinj;  iiuntedwiih 
tlie  Atherstone  packduring  thenianage- 
uient  of  sixteen  suceeasive  masters 
thereof. 

Insane   Asylums.— See    "  Lun- 

acij." 

Insupanee.— Ill  17S2   a   duty  of 

Is.  6d.  ptr  cent,  was  levied  on  all  fire 
insurances,  wiiich  wa.s  riised  to  2s.  iu 
1797,  to  2s.  ea.  iu  1804,  and  to  3s.  iu 
1815,  remaining  at  that  until  1865, 
when  it  was  lowered  to  Is.  6d.,  being 
removed  altogether  in  1869.  Farming 
stock  was  exempted  ill  1833,  and 
workmen's  tools  in  1860. 

Insurance  Companies. —Their 

name  is  legion,  thuiv  agents  are  a  mul- 
titude, and  a  l;>t  of  their  otiicers  would 
till  a  book.  You  can  insure  your  own 
life,  or  your  wife's,  or  your  children's 
or  anybody  else's,  in  whose  existence 
you  may  have  a  beneticial  interest,  and 
there  are  a  hundred  othcers  ready  to 
receive  the  premiums.  If  you  are 
journeying,  the  Kdilway  Passengers' 
Accident  Co.  will  be  glad  to  guarantee 
your  family  a  solatium  iu  case  you  and 
your  traiucometogriet.and  though  itis 
not  more  than  onein  half-a-million  that 
meets  with  an  accident  on  the  line,  the 
penny  for  a  ticket,  when  at  the  booking 
office,  will  be  well  expended.  Do  you 
employ  clerks,  tr.ere  are  several  Gua- 
rantee Societies  who  will  secure  you 
against  loss  by  defalcation.  Shop- 
keepers and  otiieis  will  do  well  to  in- 
sure their  glass  against  breakage,  and 
all  and  everyone  should  pay  into  a 
"  General  Accident "  Association,  for 
broken  limbs,  like  Iruken  glass,  can- 
not be  foreseen  or  p)revented.  It  is 
not  likely  that  any  of  us  will  be 
"drawn"  for  a  militiamaa  iu  these 
piping  limes  of  peace,  but  that  the 
system  of  iusurauce  was  applied  here  in 
the  last  century  against  the  chances  of 
being  drawn  in  tiie  ballot,  is  evidenced 
by  the  following  carelully-preserved 
and  curious  receipt  : — 


"  Hcceiveil  of  JIatthew  Boiiltoii,  tagiiiaker, 
Snow  Hill,  Ihiee  sliilliiigs  and  sixpence,  for 
wliicli  snia  I  .solennily  engage,  if  he  .sliould 
ln'  chosen  l)y  hit  to  serve  in  the  militia  fur 
this  jiarish,  at  the  liist  meeting  foi-  that  pur- 
pose, to  procure  a  substitute  that  shall  Im." 
approved  of. 

"  Hk.nky  Brookes,  Sergt. 

"  Binunigliani,  Jan.  11,  1702.'' 

Tlie  local  manufacture  of  Insurance 
Societies  has  not  been  on  a  large  scale, 
almost  the  only  ones  being  the  "  Bir- 
mingham NVoikman's  Mutual,"  the 
"  P.ntish  Workman,"  and  the 
"  Wesleyau  and  General."  The 
late  Act  of  I'arliament,  by  which 
in  certain  c^ses,  employers  are  pe- 
cuniarily liable  for  accidents  to 
their  work  people,  has  brought  into 
existence  several  new  Associations, 
prominent  among  which  is  the  com- 
prehensive '■  Employers'  Liability  and 
Workpeople's  Provident  and  Accident 
Insurance  Society,  Limited,"  whoso 
offices  are  at  33,  Iscwhall  Street. 

Interesting  Odds  and  Ends. 

A  fair  was  held  lieie  on  Good  Fridav, 
1793. 

A  fight  of  lion  with  dogs  took  placu 
at  Warwick,  September  4,  1S24. 

The  Orsini  iiomlis  used  in  Paris, 
January  15,  1858,  were  made  here. 

In  1771  meetings  of  the  inhabitauts 
were  called  by  the  tolling  of  a  bell. 

A  larye  a.-sembly  of  Radicals  visited 
Christ  Church,  November  21,  1819,  but 
not  for  prayer. 

A  "  flying  railway"  (the  Centrifugal) 
was  exhibited  at  tiie  Circus  iu  Bradford 
Street,  October  31,  1842. 

The  doors  of  Sloor  Street  prisou  were 
thrown  open,  September  3,  1842,  there 
not  being  then  one  person  in  confine- 
ment. 

JMaich  2,  1877,  a  bull  got  loose  in 
New  Street  Station,  and  ran  througn 
tiie  tunnel  to  Banbury  Street,  where 
he  leaped  over  the  parapet  and  was  made 
into  beef. 

William  Godfrey,  who  died  iu  Riis- 
ton-street,  October  27,  1863,  was  a 
native  of  this  town,  who,  enlisting  at 
eiguteeu,     wjs     sent    out    to    China, 


112 


SCIOWELl's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


where  lie  accumulated  a  fortune  of 
more  than  £1,000,000.  So  said  the 
hinaiiuihavi  Journal,  November  7, 
1863. 

The  De  Bermiiighams  had  no  blan- 
kits  before  the  fourteenth  century, 
when  they  were  brought  from  Bristol. 
None  but  the  very  rich  wore  stockings 
jnior  to  the  year  1589,  and  many  of 
them  had  their  legs  covered  with  bands 
of  cloth. 

A  i)etition  was  presented  to  the 
Prince  of  Wales  (June  26,  1791) 
asking  his  patronage  and  support  foi 
the  starving  buckle-makers  of  Bir- 
mingham. He  ordered  his  suite  to 
wear  buckles  on  their  shoes,  but 
tlie  laces  soon  whipped  them  out  of 
market. 

One  Friday  evening  in  July,  1750, 
a  woman  who  had  laid  informations 
against  150  jtersons  she  had  caught  re- 
tailing spirituous  liijuors  without 
licenses,  was  seized  by  a  mob,  who 
doused,  ducked  and  daubed  her,  and 
then  shoved  her  in  the  Dungeon. 

At  a  parish  meeting,  May  17,  1726, 
it  was  decided  to  put  up  an  organ  in 
St.  Martin's  at  a  cost  of  £300  "and 
upwaids."  At  a  general  meeting  of 
the  inhabitants,  April  3,  1727,  it  was 
ordered  that  a  bell  be  cast  for  St. 
Philip's,  "  to  be  done  with  all  expedi- 
tion." 

In  17S9  it  was  jjroposed  that  the  in- 
mates of  the  woiklouse  should  be  em- 
])loyed  at  making  worsted  and  thread. 
Our  fathers  often  tried  their  inventive 
faculties  in  the  way  of  finding  work  for 
the  inmates.  A  few  years  later  it  was 
proposed  (August  26)  to  lighten  the 
rates  by  erecting  a  steam  mill  for 
grinding  corn. 

On  the  retirement  of  Mr.  William 
Lucy,  in  1850,  from  the  Mayoralty, 
the  iis\ial  vote  of  thanks  was  passed, 
but  with  one  dissentient.  Mi.  Henry 
Hawkes  was  chosen  coroner  July  6, 
1875,  by  forty  votes  to  one.  The  great 
improvement  scheme  was  adopted  by 
the  Town  Council  (November  10, 
1875),  with  but  one  dissentient. 


A  certificate,  dated  March  23,  1683. 
and  signed  by  the  minister  and  church- 
wardens, was  granted  to  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Johu  and  Ann  Dickens, 
"in  order  to  obtain  his  majesty's 
touch  for  the  Evil."  The  "royal 
touch  "  was  administered  to  200  per- 
sons from  this  neighbourhood,  March 
17,  1714  ;  Samuel  Johnson  (the  Dr.) 
being  one  of  those  wliose  ailments,  it 
was  believed,  could  be  thus  easily  re- 
moved. Professor  HoUovvay  did  not 
live  in  those  days. 

Sir  Thomas  Holte  (the  first  baronet) 
is  traditionally  reported  to  have  slain 
his  cook.  He  brought  an  action  for 
libel  against  one  William  Ascrick,  for 
saying  "that  he  did  strike  his  cook 
with  a  cleaver,  so  that  one  moiety  of 
the  head  fell  on  one  shoulder,  and  the 
other  on  the  other  shoulder."  The 
defendant  was  ordered  to  pay  £30 
damages,  but  appealed,  and  success- 
fully ;  the  worthy  lawyers  of  that  day 
deciding  that  though  Sir  Thomas 
might  have  clove  the  cook's  head,  the 
defendant  did  not  say  he  had  killed 
the  man,  and  heuce  had  not  libelled 
the  baronet. 


IntePpPetePS.  —  In  commercial 
circles  it  sometimes  happens  that  the 
foreign  corresponding  clerk  may  be 
out  of  the  way  when  an  important 
business  letter  arrives,  and  we,  there- 
fore, give  the  addresses  of  a  few  gentle- 
men linguists,  viz.  : — Mr.  H.  R. 
Forrest,  46,  Peel  Buildings,  Lower 
Temple  Street  ;  Mr.  L.  Hewson,  30, 
Paradise  Street  ;  Mr.  F.  Julien,  189, 
Monument  Road;  Mr.  Wm.  Krisch, 
3.  Newhall  Street  ;  Mr.  L.  Notelle,  42, 
George  Road,  Edgbaston  ;  and  Mr.  A. 
Vincent,  49,  Islington  Row. 

Invasion. — They  said  the  French 
were  coming  in  February,  1758,  so  the 
patriotic  Brums  put  their  hands  into 
their  pockets  and  contributed  to  a  fund 
"  to  repel  invasion." 

Inventops    and  Inventions.— 

Birmingham,  for  a  hundred  years,  led 
the  van  in  inventions  of  all  kinds,  and 


SHOWELL  3   DICTIONARY    OF   BIRMINGHAM. 


113 


though  to  many  persons  patent  specifi- 
cations may  be  the  driest  of  all  dry 
reading,  there  is  an  infinitude  of 
interesting  matter  to  be  found  in  those 
documents.  Much  of  the  trade  his- 
tory of  tlie  town  is  closely  connected 
with  the  inventions  of  the  patentees  of 
last  century,  including  sucdi  men  as 
Lewis  Paul,  who  first  introduced 
spinning  bj'  rollers,  and  a  machine 
for  the  carding  of  wool  and 
cotton  ;  Baskerville,  tlie  japmner  ; 
Wyatt,  partner  with  Paul  ;  lloulton,  of 
Soho,  and  his  coadjutors.  Watt,  Mur- 
doch, Small,  Keir,  Alston,  and  others. 
Nothing  has  been  too  ponderous  and 
naught  too  trivial  for  the  exercise  of 
the  inventive  faculties  of  our  skilled 
workmen.  All  the  world  knows 
that  hundreds  of  patents  have  been 
taken  out  for  improvements,  and  dis- 
coveries in  connection  witii  steam  ma- 
chinery,but  few  would  credit  that  quite 
an  equal  number  relate  to  such  trifling 
articles  as  buckie-i  and  buttons,  pins 
and  pens,  hooks  and  eyes,  &c.  ;  and 
fortunes  have  been  made  even  more  read- 
ily b\'  the  manufacture  of  the  small 
items  than  the  larger  ones.  Tiie  history 
of  Birmingham  inventors  has  yet  to  be 
written  ;  a  few  notes  ot  some  of  their 
doings  will  be  found  under  "  Patents  " 
and  "  I'rades." 

IPOn.— In  1354  it  was  forbidden  to 
e.^port  iron  from  England.  In  1567  it 
was  brought  here  from  Sweden  and 
Russia.  A  patent  for  snieltini;  iron 
with  pit  coal  was  granted  in  1620  to 
Dud  Dudley,  who  also  patented  the 
tinning  of  iron  in  1661.  Tlie  total 
make  of  iron  in  England  in  1740  was 
but  17,000  tons,  from  59  furnaces,  only 
two  of  which  were  in  Staffordshire, 
turning  out  about  1,000  tons  per  year. 
In  17S8  there  were  nine  blast  furnaces 
in  the  same  county  ;  in  17'-^6,  fourteen  ; 
in  1806,  forty-two  ;  in  1827,  ninety- 
five,  with  an  output  of  216,000  tons, 
the  kingdom's  make  being  690,000  tons 
from  284  furnaces.  This  quantity  in 
1842  was  turned  out  of  the  130  Staf- 
fordshire furnaces  alone,  though  the 
hot-air  blast  was  not  used  prior  to  1835. 


Some  figures  have  lately  been  published 
showing  that  the  present  product  of 
iron  in  the  world  is  close  upon  19^  mil- 
lion tons  per  year,  and  as  iron  and  its 
working-up  has  a  little  to  do  with  the 
prosperity  of  Birmingham,  we  preserve 
them.  Statistics  for  the  more  impor- 
tant countries  are  obtainable  as  late  as 
1881.  For  the  others  it  is  assumed 
that  the  yield  has  not  fallen  off  since 
the  latest  figures  reported.  Under 
"other  countries,"  in  the  table  below, 
are  included  Canada,  Switzerland,  and 
Mexico,  each  producing  about  7,500 
tons  a  year,  and  Norway,  with  4,000 
tons  a  year  : — 

Year.  Gross  Tons. 

Great  Britain issi  8,377,364 

United  States ISSl  4,144,254 

Gei  many ISSl  2,863,400 

France ISSl  1,866,438 

Belgium    ISSl  622,288 

Austro-Hungary    1880  448,685 

Sweden ISSO  399,628 

Luxembourg  ISSl  289,212 

Russia 1881  231,341 

Italy 1876  76,000 

Spain    1S73  73,000 

Turkey —  40,000 

Jaiian    1S77  10,000 

Ail  other  countries  . .  —  46,000 

Total    i9, 487,610 

The  first  four  countries  produce  88  "4 
per  cent,  of  t!ie  world's  iron  supply  ; 
the  first  two,  64 '3  per  cent.  ;  the  first, 
43  iier  cent  The  chief  consumer  is 
the  United  States,  29  per  cent.  ; 
next  Great  Britain,  23 '4  per  cent.  ; 
the.se  two  using  more  than  half  of 
all.  Cast  iron  wares  do  not  appear 
to  have  been  made  here  in  any  quan- 
tity before  1755  ;  malleable  iron  cast- 
ings being  introduced  about  1811.  The 
first  iron  canal  boat  made  its  appear- 
ance here  July  24,  1787.  Iron  pots 
were  first  tinned  in  1779  by  Jonathan 
Taylor's  patented  process,  but  we  have 
no  date  when  vessels  of  iron  were  first 
enamelled,  though  a  French  method 
of  coating  them  with  glass  was  intro- 
duced in  1850  by  Messrs.  T.  G.  Grif- 
fiths and  Co.  In  1809,  Mr.  Benjamin 
Cook,  a  well-known  local  inventor, 
proposed  to  use  iron  for  build- 
ing   purposes,     more    particularly     in 


114 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


the  shape  of  joists,  rafters,  and 
beams,  so  as  to  make  fire-proof  rooms, 
wails,  and  flooring,  as  well  as  iron 
staircases.  This  suggestion  was  a  long 
time  before  it  was  adopted,  for  in  many 
things  Cook  was  far  in  advance  of  his 
age.  Corrugated  iron  for  roofing,  &c  , 
came  into  use  in  1832,  but  it  was  not 
till  the  period  of  the  Australian  gold 
fever — 1S52-4 — that  there  was  any 
great  call  for  iron  houses.  The  first 
iron  church  (made  at  Smethwick)  as 
well  as  iron  barracks  for  the  mounted 
jiolice,  were  sent  out  there,  the  price  at 
Melbourne  for  iron  houses  being  from 
£70  each. — See  "  'Jrades." 

Iron  Bedsteads  are  said  to  have 
been  invented  by  Dr.  Church.  Me- 
tallic bedsteads  of  many  different  kinds 
have  been  made  since  then,  from  the 
simple  iron  stretcher  to  the  elaborately 
guilded  couches  made  for  princes  and 
potentate.'-,  but  the  latest  novelty  in 
this  line  is  a  bedstead  of  solid  silver, 
lately  ordered  for  one  of  the  Indian 
Rajahs. 

Iron  Rods.  —  Among  the  immense 
number  of  semi-religious  tracts  pub- 
lished during  the  Civil  War,  one  ap- 
peared (in  1642)  entitled  "  An  Iron 
Rod  for  the  Naylours  and  Tradesmen 
near  Birmingham,"  by  a  self-styled 
prophet,  who  exhorted  his  neighbours 
to  amend  their  lives  and  give  better 
prices  "twopence  in  the  shilling  at 
the  least  to  poor  workmen."  We 
fancy  the  poor  nailers  of  the  present 
time  would  also  be  glad  of  an  extra 
twopence. 

Jacks. — Roasting  Jacks  of  some 
kind  or  other  were  doubtless  used  by  our 
great-great-giandniothers,  but  their 
kitchen  grates  were  not  supplied  with 
"  bottle-jacks"  till  their  fellow-towns- 
man, Mr.  Fellowes,  of  Gieat  Hamp- 
ton    Street,     made     them     in     1796. 

JennenS. — It  is  almost  certain  that 
the  "Great  Jennens  (or  Jennings) 
Case,"  has  taken  up  more  time  in  our 
law  courts  than  any  other  cause 
brought  before  the  judges.  Charles 
Dickens  is  suppo.'jed  to  have  had  some 


little    knowledge    of    it,  and   to   have 
modelled  his  "  Jarndyce  v.   Jarndyce" 
in  "  Bleak  House  "  therefrom.    It  has  a 
local    interest,     inasmuch    as    several 
members   of   the    family    lived,    pros- 
pered, and  died  here,  and,  in  addition, 
a  fair  proportion    of  the    property    so 
long  disputed,  is  heie  situated.     The 
first   of  the    name  we    hear  of   as    re- 
siding in    Birmingham    was    William 
Jennens,  who   died  in   16C2.      His  .son 
John  became  a  well-to-i!o  ironmonger, 
dying  in  1653.      One   of  John's  son.-, 
Humphrey,    also  waxed  rich,  and  be- 
came possessed   of  considerable  estate, 
having  at  one  time,  it  is  said,  no  less  a 
personage  than  Lord  Conway  as  "game- 
keeper "  over  a  portion  of  his  Warwick- 
shire properly      Probably  the  meaning 
was  that  his  lordship  rented  the  shoot- 
ing.   Ultimately,although  every  brancii 
of  the  family  were  tolerably^  prolific, 
the  bulk   of  the   garnered  wealth   was 
concentrated  in  the  hands  of  William 
Jennings,  bachelor,  who  died  at  Acton 
Place  in  1798,  at  the  age  of  98,  though 
some    have    said    he    was     103.       His 
landed  property  was  calculated  to  be 
worth  £650.000  ;    in  Stock  and  Shares 
he  held  £270,000  ;    at  his  bankers,   in 
cash   and    dividends    due,    there    were 
£247,000  ;  while  at  his  seveial  houses, 
after  his  death,  they  found  close  upon 
£20,000  in  bank  notes,  and  more  than 
that    in    gold.     Dying   intestate,    his 
property  was  administered  to  by  Lady 
Andover,  and  William    Lj-gon,   Esq., 
who  claimed  to  be  next  of  kin  descen- 
ded irom  Humphrey  Jennings,  of  this 
town.       Greatest  part  of  the  properly 
was  claimed  by    these    branches,   and 
several  noble  families    were    enriched 
who,  it  is  said,    weie  never  entitled   to 
anvthing.     The    Cuizun   family    came 
in  tor  a  share,  and   hence    the  connic- 
ticn  of  Earl  Howe  and  others  with  this 
town.      The  collaterals  and    their   des- 
cendants   have,    for   generations,    been 
fighting  for  shares,  alleging  all   kinds 
of  fraud  and  malfeasance  on   the  part 
of  the   pre.sent  holders   and  their  pre- 
decessors,   but    the      claimants      have 
increased     and      multiplied    to      such 


SnOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    niRMINGFIAM. 


115 


aa  exlenV.,  that  if  it  were  possible 
for  them  to  recover  the  whole  of 
the  twelve  million  poumls  they  say  the 
property  is  now  worth,  it  would,  when 
divided,  give  but  small  fortiines  to  any 
of  ihem.  A  meeting;  of  the  little  army 
ofolaimints  was  held  at  the  Temper- 
ance Hall,  March  2,  1875,  and  there 
ha^^  been  several  attempts,  notwith- 
standing the  many  previous  adverse 
decisions,  to  re  open  the  battle  for  the 
pelf,  no  less  than  a  quqrt.,r  of  a 
million,  it  is  believed,  having  already 
been  uselessly  spent  in  that  way. 

Jennen"S    Row  is  named  after  the 
above  family. 

Jewellery. — See  "  Trades." 
Jews. — The  ilescendants  of  Israel 
were  allowel  to  reside  in  this  country 
in  1079,  but  if  we  are  to  believe  history 
their  lot  could  not  have  beeti  a  very 
pleasant  one,  the  poorer  classes  of  our 
countrymen  looking  upon  them  with 
aversion,  while  the  knights  and  squires 
of  high  degree,  though  willing  enough 
to  use  them  when  requiring  loans  for 
their  fierce  forays,  were  equally  ready 
to  plunder  and  oppress  oti  the  slightest 
chance.  Still  England  mn>t  have  even 
then  been  a  kind  of  sheltering  haven, 
for  in  1287,  when  a  sudden  anti- 
Semitic  panic  occurred  to  drive  the 
Jews  out  of  the  kingilom,  it  was  esti- 
mated that  15  660  had  to  cross  the 
silver  streak.  Nominally,  they  were 
not  allowed  to  return  until  Cromwell's 
time,  364  years  a^'ier.  It  was  in  1723 
.lews  were  permitted  to  hold  lands  in 
this  country,  and  thirty  years  after  an 
Act  was  parsed  to  naturalise  them,  but 
it  was  repealed  in  the  following  year. 
Now  the  Jews  are  entitled  to  every 
right  and  privilege  that  a  Christian 
possesses.  It  is  not  possible  to  say 
when  the  Jewish  community  of  this 
town  originated,  but  it  must  have 
been  considerably  more  than  a  hundred 
and  fifty  years  ago,  as  when  Hntton 
wrote  in  1781,  there  was  a  synagogue 
in  the  P'roggery,  "  a  very  questionable 
part  of  the  town,"  and  an  infamous 
locality.  He  quaintly  snys  : — "  We 
have  also  among  us  a  remnant  of  Israel, 


a  people  who,  when  misters  of  their 
own  country,  were  scarcely  ever  known 
to  travel,  and  who  are  now  seldom  em- 
ployed in  anything  else.  But  though 
they  are  ever  moving  they  are  ever  at 
home  ;  who  i>nce  lived  the  favourites 
of  lieaven,  and  fed  tipon  the  cream  of 
the  earth,  but  now  are  little  regarded 
by  either  ;  whose  society  is  entirely 
confined  to  themselves,  except  in  tlie 
commercial  line.  In  the  synagogue, 
situated  in  the  Froggery,  they  still 
preserve  the  faint  resemblance  of  the 
ancient  worship,  their  whole  apparatus 
being  no  more  than  the  drooping 
ensiijns  of  poverty.  The  place  is 
rather  small,  but  tolerably  tilled;  where 
there  appears  less  decorum  than  in  the 
Christian  churches.  The  proverbial 
expression,  '  as  rich  as  a  Jew,'  is  not 
altogether  verified  in  Birmingham  ; 
but,  perhaps,  tim^  is  transterring  it  to 
the  Quakers.  It  is  rather  singular  that 
the  lionesty  of  a  Jew  is  sehiom  ])leaded 
but  by  the  Jew  himself."  No  modern 
historian  would  think  of  usiugsuch  lan- 
guage now-a-days,  respecting  the  Jews 
who  now  abide  with  us,  whose  charitable 
contributions  to  ourpublic  institutions, 
&c. ,  may  bear  comparison  with  those 
of  their  Christian  brethren.  An  in- 
stance of  this  was  given  so  far  back  as 
December  5th,  1805,  the  day  of  general 
thanksgiving  for  the  glorious  victory 
of  Trafalgar.  On  thai  day  collections 
were  made  in  all  places  of  worship  in 
aid  of  the  patriotic  fund  for  the  relief 
of  those  wounded,  and  of  tlie  relatives 
of  those  killed  in  the  war.  It  is  worthy 
of  remark  tiiat  the  parish  church,  St. 
^lariin's,  then  raised  the  sum  ot  £-37 
7s.,  and  the  "Jews'  Synagogue"  £3 
3s.  At  the  yearly  collections  in  aid  of 
the  medical  charities,  now  annually 
held  on  Hospital  Sunday,  St.  Martin's 
gives  between  three  and  four  hnndred 
pounds  ;  the  Jewish  congregation  con- 
tri>iutes  about  one  huiuired  and  fifty. 
If,  then,  the  church  liasthut?  increased 
ten-fold  in  wealth  and  benevolence  in 
the  last  seventy  years,  the  synagogue 
has  increased  fifty-fold. 

Jews'  Board  of  Guardians.— 


116 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM, 


A  committee  of  resident  Jews  was  ap- 
pointed in  1869,  to  look  after  and 
relieve  poor  and  destitute  families 
among  tlie  Israelites  ;  and  though  they 
pay  their  dire  quota  to  the  poor  rates  of 
their  parish,  it  is  much  to  the  credit  of 
the  Jewish  community  that  no  poor 
member  is  permitted  to  go  to  the 
Workhouse  or  want  for  food  and  cloth- 
ing. The  yearly  amount  exjiended  in 
relief  by  this  Hebrew  Board  of  Guar- 
dians is  more  than  £500,  mostly  given 
in  cash  in  conmaratively  large  sums, 
so  as  to  enable  the  recipients  to  become 
self-supporting,  rather  than  continue 
them  as  paupers  raceiving  a  small 
weekly  dole.  There  is  an  increase  in 
the  number  of  poor  latterly,  owing  to 
the  depression  of  trade  and  to  the 
influx  of  poor  families  from  Poland 
during  the  last  few  years.  Another 
cause  of  poverty  among  the  Jews  is  the 
paucity  of  artisans  among  them,  very 
lew  of  them  even  at  the  jiresent  time 
choosing  to  follow  any  of  the  staple 
trades  outside  those  connected  with 
clothing  and  jewellery. 

Jewish  Persecutions  in  Russia. 

— On  Feb.  6,  1882,  a  town's  meeting 
was  called  with  reference  to  the  gross 
persecution  of  the  Jews  in  Russia,  and 
the  collection  of  a  fund  towards  assist- 
ing the  sufferers  was  set  afoot,  £1,800 
being  promised  at  the  meeting. 

John  a'  Dean's  Hole.— A  Hi  tie 

brook  whicii  touk  the  water  from  the 
moat  round  the  old  Manor  House 
(site  of  Smithfield)  was  thus  called, 
from  a  man  named  John  Dean  being 
drowned  tliere  about  Henry  VIII. 's 
time.  This  brook  emptied  into  the 
river  Rea,  near  the  bottom  of  Flood- 
gate Street,  where  a  hundred  and  odd 
years  back,  there  were  two  poolholes, 
with  a  very  narrow  causeway  between 
them,  which  was  especially  dangerous 
at  flood  times  to  chance  wayfarers  who 
chose  the  path  as  a  near  cut  to  their 
dwellings,  several  cases  of  drowning 
being  on  record  as  occurring  at  this 
spot. — See  "Manor  House." 

Johnson,    Dr.    Samuel.  —  Dr. 


Johnson's  connection  with  Birmingham 
has  always  been  a  pleasant  matter  of 
interest  to  the  local  literati,  but  to 
the  general  public  we  fear  it  matters 
naught.  His  visit  to  his  good  frienil 
Dr.  Hector  in  1733  is  historically 
famous  ;  his  translations  and  writings 
while  here  have  been  often  noted  ;  his 
marriage  with  tiie  widow  Porter  duly 
chronicled  ;  but  it  is  due  to  the  I'e- 
searches  of  the  learned  Dr.  Langford 
that  attention  has  been  lately  drawn  to 
the  interesting  fact  that  Johnson,  who 
was  born  in  1709,  actually  came  to 
Birmingham  in  Ids  tenth  year,  on  a 
visit  to  his  uncle  Harri^son,  who  in 
after  j'ears,  in  his  usual  plain-speaking 
style,  Johnson  described  as  "  a  very 
mean  and  vulgar  man,  drunk  every 
night,  but  drunk  with  little  drink, 
verv  peevish,  very  proud,  very  osten- 
tatious, but,  luckily,  not  rich. "  Tliat 
our  local  governors  have  a  due  appre- 
ciation of  tlie  genius  of  the  famed  lexi- 
cographer is  shoan  by  the  fact  of  a 
passage-way  from  Bull  Street  to  the 
Upper  Piiory  being  named  "  Dr. 
Samuel  Johnson's  Passage  !" 

Jubilees. — strange  as  it  may  ap- 
pear to  the  men  of  the  present  day, 
tiieie  has  never  been  a  National  holidiiy 
yet  kept  equal  to  that  known  as  the 
Jubilee  Day  of  George  tlie  Tiiird.  Why 
it  should  have  been  so  seems  a  greiit 
puzzle  now.  The  celelaation  began  in 
this  town  at  midiiigiit  of  the  24th 
October,  1809,  by  the  ringers  ot  St. 
Philip's  giving  "five  times  fifty  claps, 
an  interim  witii  the  same  number  id' 
rounds,  to  honour  the  King,  Queen, 
the  Royal  Family,  the  Nation,  and  the 
loyal  town  of  Birmingham."  At  six 
o'clock  next  morning  tlie  sluggards 
were  aroused  with  a  second  peal,  and 
with  little  rest  the  bells  were  kept 
swinging  the  whole  day  long,  the  finale 
coming  with  a  performance  of  "per- 
petual claps  and  clashings  "  that  must 
have  made  many  a  head  ache.  There 
was  a  Sunday  school  julnlee  eelebrated 
September  14,  1831.  The  fiftieth  year's 
pastorate  of  Rev.  John  Angell  James 
was  kept  September  12,  1855,  and  the 


SIIOWELLa    DICTIJXARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


117 


Jubilee  Day  of  tlie  Cliapel  in  Can's 
Lane,  September  27,  1870  ;  of  Cauuou 
Street  Chapel,  Jul}-  16,  1856  ;  of  the 
Rev.  G.  Cheatle's  pastorate,  at  Lom- 
bard Street  Cliapel,  January  11,  1860  ; 
of  the  ilissiouary  Society,  September 
15,  186-4  ;  of  Pope  Pius  the  Ninth,  in 
1877,  when  the  Roman  Catholicii  of 
tnis  town  sent  Jiim  £1,230,  beinj^  the 
third  largest  contribution  from  Eng- 
land. 

Jubilee  Singers.— This  troupe  of 

coloured  minstrels  gave  their  first 
entertainment  here  in  the  Town  Hall 
April  9,  1874. 

Jury  Lists. — According  to  the  Jury 
Act,  6  George  lY.,  the  churchwardens 
and  overs  ers  of  every  parish  in  Eng- 
land are  recj^uired  to  make  out  an  alpha- 
betical list  b'ifore  the  1st  September  in 
each  year  of  all  men  residing  in  their 
respective  parishes  and  townships 
qualified  to  se''ve  on  juries,  setting 
forth  at  length  their  Christian  and  sur- 
name, kc.  Copies  of  these  lists,  on 
the  three  first  Sundays  in  September, 
are  to  be  li.\;ed  on  the  principal  door  ot 
every  church,  chapel,  antl  other  public 
place  of  religious  worship,  with  a  notice 
subjoined  that  all  appeals  will  be  heard 
at  the  Petty  Sessions,  to  be  held  within 
the  last  day  of  September.  The  jury 
list  for  persons  resident  in  the  borough, 
and  for  several  adjoining  pirislies,  m;iy 
be  se  n  at  the  ofiice  of  Mr  Alfred 
Walter,  solicitor,  Colmore  Row,  so  that 
persons  exempt  may  see  if  their  names 
are  included. 

Justices  of  the  Peace.— The  ear- 
liest named  loi-al  Justices  of  the  Peace 
(March  8,  1327)  are  "  William  of 
Biimingham  "  and  "  John  Murdak  " 
the  only  two  then  named  for  the 
county. — See  "  Mtigistrales." 

Kidneys  (Petpified),— In  olden 

days  our  lootpatlis,  where  paved  at  all, 
were,  as  a  rule,  laid  with  lound,  hard 
pebbles,  and  many  readers  will  be  sur- 
prised to  learn  that  five  years  ago  there 
still  remained  50,000  suuare  yanis  of 
the  said  temper-trying  paving  waiting 
to  be  chaiigei  into  more  modern  bricks 


or  stone.  Little,  however,  as  we  may 
think  of  them,  the  time  has  been  wheu 
the  natives  were  rather  proud  than 
otherwise  of  their  pebbly  paths,  for, 
according  to  Bisset,  when  one  returned 
from  visiting  the  metropolis,  he  said 
he  liked  everything  in  Ijondon  very 
much  "  except  the  pavement,  f*r  the 
stones  were  ail  so  smooth,  there  was  no 
foothold  I  " 

King  Edward's  Place.  —Laid  out 

in  1782  on  a  99  years'  lease,  from  Gram- 
mar School,  at  aground  reut  of  £23, 
there  being  built  31  houses,  and  two 
in  Broad  Street. 

King's  Heatll.— A  little  over  three 
miles  on  llie  Aleester  Road,  in  the 
Parish  of  King's  Norton,  anoutskirt  of 
Mosele}',  and  a  suburb  of  Biriniiigham; 
has  added  a  thousand  to  its  popuiatiou 
in  the  ten  years  from  census  1871  to 
1881,  and  promises  to  more  than 
doubie  it  in  the  next  decennial  period. 
Tlie  King's  Heath  and  Moseley  Insti- 
tute, built  in  1878,  at  the  cost  of  Mr. 
J.  H.  Nettlefoid,  provides  the  residents 
with  a  commodious  hall,  library,  and 
news-room.  There  is  a  station  here 
on  the  Midland  line,  and  the  altera- 
tions now  in  the  course  of  l)eing  made 
on  that  railway  must  re.sult  in  a  con- 
siderable addition  to  tiie  traffic  and 
the  usefulness  of  the  station,  as  a  local 
depot  for  coal,  kc. 

King's  Norton. -Mentioned  iu 
Domesday,  and  in  the  olden  times  was 
evidently  thought  of  equal  standing  (to 
say  tlie  least)  with  its  live-milea-neigh- 
bour,  Biiiningliam,  as  in  James  the 
First's  reign  there  was  a  weekly  market 
(Saturdays)  and  ten  faiis  in  the  twelve- 
months. The  market  the  inhabitants 
now  attend  is  to  be  found  in  this  town, 
and  the  half-score  of  fairs  lias  degene- 
rated to  what  is  known  as  "King's  Nor- 
ton Mop" or  October  statute  lair, for  the 
hiring  of  servants  ami  labourers,  wheu 
the  Lord  of  ^Misrule  holds  sway,  the 
more's  the  i>ity.  The  King's  Norton 
Union  comprises  part  of  the  borough 
of  Birmingham  (Edgbaston),  as  well  as 
Balsall     Heath,     Harborue,     2Ioseley, 


118 


SHOWELL  S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


Nortlitield,  Selly  Oak,  kc,  and  part 
of  it  bills  fair  to  become  a  uianufaiUur- 
iiig  district  of  some  extent,  as  there 
are  already  paner  mills,  rolling'  mills, 
screw  works,  &c. ,  and  the  Smethwiek 
meu  are  rapidly  advaiicini,'  in  its  direc- 
tion— the  Jlidlaiul  Jmictiou  with  the 
West  Suburban  line  being  also  in  the 
parish.  The  fortified  mansion,  known 
as  Hawkesley  House,  in  this  parish, 
was  the  scene  of  a  contest  in  May, 
1645.  between  King  Charles'  forces  and 
the  Parliamentarians,  who  held  it,  the 
result  being  its  capture,  pillage,  and 
destruction  by  lire. 

KiPby'S  Pools. — A  well-known 
and  favourite  resort  on  the  outskirt  of 
the  borough,  on  the  Bristol  Road,  ami 
formerly  one  of  the  celebrated  taverns 
and  tea  gardens  of  past  days.  The  luib- 
lichouse  (the  "  Malt  Shovel  ")  having 
been  extended  and  partially  rebuilt, 
and  tlie  grounds  better  laid  out,  the 
establishment  was  re-christened,  and 
opened  as  the  Bonrnbrook  Hotel,  at 
Wliitsuntide,  1877. 

Kossuth. — Louis  Kossuth,  the  ex- 
dictator  of  Hungary,  was  lionoured 
with  a  })ublic  welcome  and  processi(jji 
of  trades,  &c.,  Nov.  10,  1851,  and  en- 
tertained at  a  banquet  in  Town  Hall 
on  the  12th.  He  afterwards  appeared 
here  May  7  and  8,  1866,  in  the  role  of 
a  public  lecturer. 

KyOtt'S  Lake. — A  ]iool  once  exist- 
ing where  now  is  Grafton  Road,  Camp 
Hill.  There  wa?  another  pool  near  it, 
known  as  Foul  Lake. 

Kyrle  Society. —So  named  after 
the  cliaracter  alluded  to  by  Pope  in  his 
"  Moral  Essays  "  : 

"  Wlio  taught  that  heaveii-direeted  spire  to 
rise  ? 
'The    Mali    of  Koss,'   each    lispiug    babe 
repliuh." 

John  Kyrle,  who  died  Nov.  11,  1724, 
tiiousih  not  a  native,  resided  at  Ross 
nearly  tiie  whole  of  his  long  and  loyal 
life  of  close  on  90  years,  and  Pope,  who 
often  visited  the  neighbourhood,  there 
became  acquainted  with  him    and  his 


good  works,  and  embaltned  liis  niemory 
in  undying  verse  as  an  e.ximple  to 
future  generations.  A  more  bene- 
volent lover  of  his  fellowman  than 
Kyrle  cannot  be  named,  and  a  society 
tor  cultivating  purity  of  taste,  and  a 
delight  in  aiding  the  well-being  of 
others,  is  rightly  called  after  him.  The 
Birnungham  Kj'rle  Society  was  estab- 
lished in  1880,  and  frequent  ])aragraphs 
in  the  local  papers  tell  us  of  their 
doings,  at  one  time  cheering  the  in- 
mates of  the  institutions  where  the 
sick  and  unfortunate  lie,  with  music 
and  song,  and  at  another  distributing 
books,  pictures,  and  flowers,  where 
they  are  luized  by  those  who  are  too 
poor  to  purchase.  The  officers  of  the 
society  will  be  pleased  to  hear  from 
donors,  as  let  contributions  of  flowers 
or  pictures  be  ever  so  many,  the  recip- 
ients are  far  more  numerous.  Mr. 
Walliker,  our  ])hilanthropic  ])0st- 
master,  is  one  of  th  ^  vice-presidents, 
and  the  arrangements  of  the  parcel 
post  are  peculiarly  suited  for  forward- 
ing parcels. 

Lady  Well.  —  There  is  mention  in 
a  document  dated  1347  of  a  "  dwelling 
in  Egebaston  Strete  leading  towards 
God  well  feld,"  and  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  this  was  an  allusion  to  the 
Lady  Well,  or  the  well  dedicated  to  the 
blessed  Virgiii',  close  to  the  old  house 
that  for  centuries  sheltered  the  priests 
that  served  St.  Martin's,  and  which 
afterwards  was  called  the  Parsonage  or 
Rectory.  The  well  spring  was  most 
abundant,  and  was  never  known  to 
fail.  The  stream  from  it  helped  to 
sui^ply  the  moat  round  the  Parsonage, 
and  there,  joined  by  the  waters  from 
the  higher  grounds  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  HoUoway  Head,  and  from  the 
hill  above  the  Pinlold,  it  passed  at  the 
back  of  Edgbaston  Street,  by  the  way 
of  Smithlield  passage  and  Dean 
Street  (formerly  the  course  of  a  brook) 
to  the  Manor  House  moat.  The  Lady- 
well  Baths  were  hi.itorically  famous 
and,  as  stated  by  Huttoii,  were  the 
finest  in  the  kingdom.  The  Holy 
Well  of  the  blessed  Virgin  still  exists, 


SIIOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    niRMINGHAM. 


119 


thou<{h  covered  over  and  its  waters 
allowed  to  flow  into  the  sewers  instead 
of  the  Baths,  and  anj'  visitor  desirous 
of  testing  the  water  once  liallowed  for 
its  (uirity  must  take  his  course  down 
the  mean  alley  known  as  Ladywell 
Wilk,  at  tl)e  b-nd  in  whiidi  he  will 
find  a  dirt3'  passage  lea  ling  to  a  I'usty 
iron  pump,  "  presented  by  Sir  E.  S. 
Ooonh,  Bart.,  to  the  inhabitants  of 
Birniingliam, "  as  commemorated  by  an 
inscription  on  the  dirty  stone  wliich 
covers  the  spring  and  its  well,  God's 
Well  finld  is  covered  with  workshops, 
stables,  dirty  backyards  and  grimy- 
looking  houses,  and  the  Biths  are  a 
timber-yard. 

LambSPt. — Birmingham  liad  some- 
thing to  do  with  the  fattening  of  the 
celebrated  Daniel  Lambert,  the  heaviest 
lump  of  humanity  this  country  has  yet 
produced,  for  lie  was  an  apprentice  to 
!Mr.  John  Taylor,  button  maker,  of 
Crooked  Lane.  His  ind-ntures  were 
cancelled  through  his  becoming  so 
tit  and  unwieldy,  and  he  was  sent 
back  to  his  father,  the  then  governor 
of  Leicester  gaol.  Dmiel  died  June 
'ils"-,  1S09,  at  Stamford,  where  he  was 
buried;  his  age  was  39,  and  he  weighed 
ii2  stone  11  lb.  (at  141b.  the  stone), 
measuring  9ft,.  4in.  round  the  body, 
and  3fc.  lin.  round  the  thick  of  each 
of  his  legs. 

Lancashipe  Distress.— The  ac- 
counts of  the  Local  Fund  raided  fo •■  the 
relief  of  the  cotton  operatives  of  Lan- 
cashire were  publishetl  Aug.  3,  1863, 
showing  receiitts  amounting  £15,115 
4s.  lOd. 

Lamps. — The  number  of  ordinary 
lamps  in  the  liorough,  Huder  the  con- 
trol of  the  Public  Works  Department, 
on  tlie  3lst  of  December,  1882,  was 
6,591,  of  which  numberl,9o0  are  regu- 
lated to  consume  5  "20  cubic  fvict,  and 
the  remainder,  or  4,641,  4  30  cubic 
feet  per  hour  ;  their  cost  respectively 
inclusive  of  lighting,  cleaning,  and 
extinguishing,  was  £2  12.s.  4i)d.,  and 
£2  5s.  2^d.  per  lamp  per  annum.  In 
addition  there  are  93  special  and  53 
iirinal  lamps. 


Lands  — Li  I'irminghamitisbought 
and  sold  by  the  srpiare  yard,  and  very 
pretty  jirices  are  orcasionall}'  paid 
therefor  ;  our  agricultural  friends 
reckon  by  acres,  roods,  and  perches. 
The  Saxon  "  hyde  "  of  land,  as  men- 
tioned in  Domesday  l>ook  and  other 
old  documents,  was  efjuivalent  to  100, 
or,  as  some  read  it,  120  acres  ;  the 
Norman  ' '  Carucase  "  being  similar. 

Land  Agency.  —  An  Ititernational 
Laud  and  babour  Agency  was  estab- 
lished at  Birmingham  by  the  Hon. 
Elihu  Burritt  in'  Onober,  1869  ;  its 
object  being  to  facilitate  the  settle- 
ment of  English  farmers  and  mechanics 
in  the  United  States,  and  also  to  supply 
American  orders  for  English  labourers 
and  (iomestic  servants  of  all  kinds. 
Large  numbers  of  servant-girls  in  Eng 
land,  it  was  thouglit,  would  be  glad  to 
go  to  America,  but  nnable  to  pay  their 
passage-money,  and  unwilling  to  s.tart 
without  knowing  where  they  were  to 
go  on  arriving.  This  agency  advanced 
the  iiassage-money,  to  ha  deducted 
from  the  first  wages  ;  but,  though  the 
scheme  was  good  and  well  meant,  very 
little  advantage  was  taken  of  the 
agency,  and,  like  some  other  of  the 
learned  blacksmith's  notions,  though 
a  fair-looking  tree,  it  bore  very  little 
fruit. 

Land  and  Building  Societies. 

— Tliough  frequently  considered  to  be 
•juite  a  modern  invention,  the  jilan  of 
a  number  uniting  to  ])urcliase  lands 
and  houses  for  after  di,stribution,  is  a 
system  almost  as  old  as  the  hills.  The 
earliest  record  we  have  of  a  local  Build- 
ing Society  dates  from  1781,  though 
no  documents  are  at  hand  to  show  its 
methods  of  working.  On  Jan.  17, 
1837,  the  books  were  ojiened  for  the 
formation  of  a  Freehold  Land  and 
Building  Society  here,  but  its  nselul- 
ness  was  very  limited,  and  its  existence 
short.  It  was  Irfc  to  the  seething  and 
revolutionary  days  of  1847-8,  when 
the  Continental  nations  were  toppling 
over  thrones  and  kicking  out  kings, 
for  sundry  of  our  men  of  light  and 
leading  to  bethink    themselves  of  the 


120 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


immense  political  power  that    lay   in 
the  holding  of  the  land,   and  how,  by 
the  exercise  of   the  old  English  law, 
which  gave  the  holder  of  a  40,s.  free- 
hold the  right  of  voting  for  the   elec- 
tion of  a  "knight  of  the  shire,"  snch 
power  could    be    brought   to    bear   on 
Parliament,    by   the   extension  of    the 
franchise  in  that  direction.     The  times 
were  out  of  joint,  trade  bad,   and  dis- 
content universal,    and   the   possession 
of  a  little   bit  of  the  land  we  live  on 
was     to     be     a     panacea     for     every 
abuse    complained    of,    and    the    sure 
harbinger    of    a    return    of   the  days 
when    every    Jack    had    Jill     at     his 
own  fireside.     The  misery  and  starva- 
tion existing  in  Ireland   where  small 
farms  had  been  divideel  and  subdivided 
until  the  poor  families  could  no  longer 
derive  a  sustenance  from  their  several 
moieties,    was  altogether    overlooked, 
and  "  friends  of  the  ]ieople"  advocated 
the  wholesale  settlement  of  the  unem- 
ployed English  on    somewhat    similar 
small  plots.       Feargus  O'Connor,   the 
Chartist  leader,   started   liis  National 
Land  Society,   and  thousands  paid  in 
their  weekly  mites  in  hopes  of  becom- 
ing "lords  of  the  soil ;  "  estates  here 
and  there  were   pureliased,   allotments 
made,   cottages   built,  and  many  new 
homes  created.       But    as    figs   do  not 
grow  on  thistles,    neither  was  it  to  be 
expected  that  men   from  the   weaving- 
sheds,  or  the  mines,  sliotild  be  able  to 
grow    their  own   corn,    or  even  know 
how  to  turn  it  into  bread  when  grown, 
and  that  Utopian  scheme  was  a  failure. 
More  wise  in  their  generation  were  the 
men    of   Birmingham  :  they  went  not 
for    c  untry     estates,     nor    for    apple 
orr-hards    or    turnip  fields.      The  wise 
sagaciousuess  of  their  leaders,   and  the 
Brums  always    play  well    at    "follow 
my  leading,"  made  them  go  in  for  the 
vote,    the  full   vote,   and   nothing   but 
the   vote.      The  possession  of   a  little 
plot     on     wliich    to    build    a    house, 
though  really  the  most  important,  was 
not  the  first  part  of  the  bargain  by  any 
means  at  the  commencement.    To  get  a 
vote  and  thus  help  upset  something  or 
somebody  was  all  that  was  thought  of 


at  the  time,  though  now  the  case  is 
rather  different,  few  members  of  any  of 
the  many  societies  caring  at  present  so 
much  for  the  franchise  as  for  the 
"  proputty,  propntty,  proputty. "  Mr. 
James  Taylor,  jun. ,  has  been  generally 
dubbed  the  "  the  father  of  the  freehold 
land  societies,"  and  few  men  have  done 
more  than  him  in  their  establishment, 
but  the  honour  of  dividing  the  first 
estate  in  this  neighbourhood,  we 
believe,  must  be  given  to  Mr.  William 
Benjamin  Smith,  whilome  secretary  of 
the  j\Ianchester  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
and  afterwards  publisher  of  the  Bir- 
mingham Mercury  new.spaper.  Being 
possessed  of  a  small  estate  of  about 
eight  acres,  near  to  the  Railway 
Station  at  Perry  Barr,  he  had  it  laid 
out  in  100  lots,  which  were  sold  by 
auction  at  Hawley's  Temperance  Hotel, 
Jan.  10,  1848,  each  lot  being  of 
sufficient  value  to  carry  a  vote  for  the 
shire.  The  purchasers  were  principally 
members  of  an  Investment  and  Per- 
manent Benefit  Building  Society, 
started  January  4,  1847,  in  connection 
with  the  local  branch  of  Oddfellows,  of 
which  Mr.  Smith  was  a  chief  official. 
Franchise  Street,  which  is  supposed  to 
be  the  only  street  of  its  name  in  Eng- 
land, was  the  result  of  this  division 
of  land,  and  as  every  purchaser  pleased 
himself  in  the  matter  of  archi- 
tecture, the  style  of  building  may 
be  called  that  of  "  the  free  and 
easy. "  Many  estates  have  been  divided 
since  then,  thousands  of  acres  in  the 
outskirts  being  covered  with  houses 
wliere  erst  were  green  fields,  and  in  a 
certain  measure  Birmingham  owes  much 
of  its  extension  to  the  admirable  work- 
ing of  the  several  Societies.  As  this 
town  led  the  van  in  the  formation  of 
the  present  style  of  Land  and  Building 
Societies,  it  is  well  to  note  here  their 
present  general  status.  In  1850  there 
were  75  Societies  in  the  kingdom,  with 
about  25,000  members,  holding  among 
them  35,000  shares,  with  paid-up  sub- 
scripti  'US  amounting  to  £164,000.  In 
1880,  the  number  of  societies  in  Eng- 
land was  946,  in  Scotland,  53,  and  in 
Ireland  27.        The  number  of  members 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIHMIXGIIAM. 


121 


n  the  English  societies  was  320,076, 
in  the  scotch  11,902,  and  in  the  Irish 
6,533.  A  return  relating  to  these 
societies  in  England  has  just  been 
issued,  which  shows  that  there  are  now 
1,687  societies  in  existence,  with  a 
membersliip  of  493,271.  The  total 
receipts  during  the  last  financial  year 
amounted  to  £20,919,473.  Tliere  were 
1,528  societies  making  a  return  of 
liabilities,  which  were  to  the  holders 
of  shares  £29,351,611,  and  to  the 
depositors  £16,3.51,611.  There  was  a 
balance  of  unappropriated  profit  to  the 
extent  of  £1,567,942.  The  assets  came 
to  £44,587,718.  In  Scotland  there 
were  15,386  members  of  building  socie- 
ties ;  the  receipts  were  £413,609,  the 
liabilities  to  holders  of  shares  amounted 
to  £679,990,  to  depositors  and  other 
creditors  £268,511 ;  the  assets  consisted 
of  balance  due  on  mortgage  securities 
£987,987,  and  amount  invested  in 
other  securities  and  cash  £67,618.  lu 
Ireland  there  were  9,714  members  of 
building  societies  ;  the  receipts  were 
£778,889,  liabilities  to  the  holders  of 
shares  £684,396,  to  depositors  and 
others  £432,356  ;  the  assets  included 
balance  due  on  mortgage  securities 
£1,051,423,  and  amount  invested  in 
other  securities  £79,812.  There  were 
150  of  the  English  societies  whose 
accounts  showed  deficiencies  amounting 
to  £27,850  ;  two  Scotch  societies  minus 
£862,  but  no  Irish  short.  It  is  a 
pity  to  have  to  record  that  there  have 
been  failures  in  Birmingham,  foremost 
among  them  being  that  of  the  Victoria 
Land  and  Building  Societ\',  which 
came  to  grief  in  1870,  with  liabilities 
amounting  to  £31,550.  The  assets, 
including  £5,627  given  by  the  direc- 
tors and  trustees,  and  £886  contrihureil 
by  other  persons,  realised  £27,972. 
Creditors  jiaid  in  full  took  £9,271,  the 
rest  receiving  8s.  9d.  in  the  {louml,  and 
£4,897  being  swallowed  up  in  costs. 
The  break-up  of  the  Midland  Land  and 
Investment  Corporation  (Limited)  is 
the  latest.  This  Company  was  estab- 
lished in  1864,  and  by  no  means  con- 
fined itself  to  procuring  sites  for 
workmen's  dwellintcs,  or  troubled  about 


getting  them  votes.  According  to  its 
last  advertisement,  the  authorised  capi- 
tal was  £500,000,  of  which  £248.900 
had  been  subscribed,  but  only  £62,225 
called  up,  though  the  reserve  fund  was 
stated  to  he  £80,000.  What  the  divi- 
dend will  be  is  a  matter  for  the  future, 
and  may  not  even  be  guessed  at  at 
present.  The  chief  local  societies,  and 
their  present  status,  areas  follows  : — 

The  Birmingham  Freehold  Land 
Society  was  started  in  1848,  and  the 
aggregate  receipts  up  to  tlie  end  of 
1882  amounted  to  £680,132  12.s.  7d. 
The  year's  receipts  were  £20,978  16s. 
5d.,  of  which  £11,479  represented  pay- 
ments niaiie  by  members  who  had  been 
alloted  land  on  the  estates  divided  by 
the  Society,  there  being,  after  payment 
of  all  expenses,  a  balance  of  £11,779 
12s.  9d.  The  number  of  members  was 
then  772,  and  it  was  calculated  that 
the  whole  of  the  allotments  made  woald 
be  ])aid  off"  in  four  years. 

The  Fncndhj  Benefit  Buildiiuj Society 
was  organised  in  1859,  and  up  to  Mid- 
summer, 1883,  the  sums  paid  in 
amounted  to  £340,000.  The  year's 
receipts  were  £21,834  19s.  6d.,  of 
which  £10,037  came  from  borrowers, 
whose  whole  indebtedness  would  be 
cleared  in  about  Sg  years.  The  mem- 
bers on  the  books  numbered  827,  of 
whom  634  were  investors  and  143  bor- 
rowers. Tlie  reserve  fund  stood  at 
£5,704  5s.  9d  There  is  a  branch  of 
this  Society  connec:ed  with  Severn 
Street  Schools,  and  in  a  flourishing 
condition,  32  members  haviui,'  joined 
during  the  year,  and  £2,800  having 
been  received  as  contribntions.  The 
total  amount  paid  in  since  the  com- 
mencement of  the  branch  in  June, 
1876,  was  £18,181  133.  lid.  The 
Severn  Street  scholars  connected  with 
it  had  secured  property  iluriiig  the 
past  year  valued  at  £2,400. 

The  Incorporated  Building  .'Society 
comprises  the  United,  the  Queen's, 
the  Freeholders',  and  the  Second  Free- 
holders' Societies,  th«  earliest  of  them 
established  in  1849,  the  incorporation 
taking  place  in  1378.  Tiie  aggregate 
receipts  of  these  several  Societies  wouhl 


122 


SHOWKLL  8    DICTIONARY    OJ'    BIRNINGHAM. 


reach  nearly  3|  millions.  The  amounts 
paid  in  since  the  aniala;amatioii  (to  the 
end  of  1882)  being  £1,019,667  As 
might  bs  expeoteii  the  present  Society 
has  a  large  constitneiiej',  numbering 
6,220  members,  693  of  whom  joined 
iu  1882.  Tiie  advances  duiiiig  the 
year  reached  £78,275,  to  150  bor- 
rowers, being  an  average  of  £500  to 
each.  The  amount  due  from  bor- 
rowers was  £482,000,  an  average  of 
£540  each.  The  amount  due  to  in- 
vestors was  ££449,000,  an  average  of 
£84  each.  The  borrowers  repaid  last 
year  £104,000,  and  as  there  was 
£482,000  now  due  on  mortgage 
accounts,  the  whole  capital  of  the 
!-ociety  would  be  turned  over  in  live 
years,  instead  of  thirteen  and  a  half, 
the  period  for  which  the  money  was 
lent.  The   withdrawals    had     been 

£85,409,  which  was  considerably  under 
tlie  average,  as  the  society  had  paid 
away  since  tlie  amalgamation  £520,000, 
or  £104,000  per  annum.  The  amount 
of  interest  credited  to  investors  was 
£19,779.  A  total  of  £100,000  had 
been  credited  in  the  last  five  years. 
The  reserve  fund  now  a'nouiited  to 
£34, 119, which  was  nearly  7^  per  cent. 
«n  the  whole  capital  employed. 

llie  BirmingJiam  Building  Society, 
JS'o.  1,  Avas  established  in  May,  1842, 
and  re-established  in  1853.  It  has  now 
1,580  members,  subscribing  for  shares 
amounting  to  £634  920.  Tlie  last  re- 
port states  that  during  the  existence  of 
ihe  society  over  £500,000  has  been  ad- 
vanced to  members,  and  that  the 
amount  of  "receipts  and  payments" 
have  reached  ttie  sum  of  £1.883,444. 
Reserve  fund  is  put  at  £5,000. 

The  Birmingharn  Building  Society, 
No.  4,  was  established  in  June,  1846, 
and  claims  to  be  the  oldest  society  in 
the  town.  Tlie  report  to  end  of  June, 
1883,  gave  the  number  ot  sliares  as 
801f,  of  which  563^ belong  to  investors, 
and  the  remainder  to  borrowers.  The 
year's  receipts  were  £10  432,  and 
£6,420  was  advanced.  The  balance- 
sheet  showed  the  unallotted  share  fund 
to  be  £18,042,    on  deposit  £3,915,  due 


to  bank  £2,108,  and  balance  in  favour 
of  society  £976.  The  assets  amounted 
to  £25,042,  of  which  £21,163  was  on 
mortgages,  and  £3,818  on  properties  in 
possession. 

St  Philip's  Building  Society  was 
began  ill  January,  1850,  since  when 
(up  to  January,  'l883)  £116,674  had 
been  advanced  on  mortgages,  and 
£28,921  repaid  to  depositing  members. 
Tiie  society  had  then  320  members, 
holding  among  them  1,094J  shai'es. 
The  year's  receipts  were  £13,136,  and 
£7,815  had  been  advanced  in  same 
period.  The  reserve  fund  was  £3,642  ; 
the  assets  £65,940,  of  whi.'h  £54,531 
was  on  mortgages,  £7,987  deferred 
premiums,  and  £2,757  properties  in 
hand. 

Several  societies  have  not  favoured 
us  with  their  reports. 

Law. — There  are  306  solicitors  and 
lawttrmsin  Birmingham,  19  barristers, 
and  a  host  of  students  and  law  clerks, 
eacii  and  every  one  of  whom  doubtless 
dreams  of  becoming  Lord  Chancellor. 
The  Birmingham  Law  Society  vvas 
formed  in  1818,  and  there  is  a  Societj' 
of  Law  Students  besides,  and  a  Law 
Library.  At  present,  our  Law  Courts 
comprise  the  Bankruptcy  and  County 
Courts,  Assize  Courts  (held  ^)ro  tern 
in  the  Council  House),  the  Quarter 
Sessions'  and  Pett}'  Si'ssions'  Courts. 

Leagrue  of  Univepsal  Bpother- 

hood. — Originated  by  Elihu  Barritt, 
in  1846,  while  sitting  in  the  "Angel," 
at  Pershore,  on  his  walk  through  Eng- 
land. He  came  back  to  Joseph  Sturge 
and  here  was  printed  his  little  perio.li- 
cal  called  "Tne  Bond  of  Brotherhood," 
leading  to  many  Literiiational  Ad- 
dresses, Peace  Congresses,  and  Olive- 
Leaf  ]\lissioiis,  but  alas  !  alas  !  !iow 
very  far  off  still  seems  the  "  universal 
jieace "  thus  sought  to  be  brought 
about.  Twenty  thousand  signatures 
were  attached  to  "The  Bond"  in  one 
j'ear.  Far  more  than  that  number 
have  been  slain  in  warfare  every  year 
since. 

Lease  Lane. — Apparently    a    cor- 


SHOWEI.l's    UiCTlOiNAUV    OV    mUAllNGllAM. 


123 


luptiou  of  Lua  or  Leay  LauCjan  aucient 
bye-road  ruiiniiig   at  the  back   of  tlie 
Dog  or  Talbot  Inn, the  Oivuers  of  which, 
some  300  years  ago,  were  uairieJ  Loays. 
Wlieu  the  Market  Hall   was  built  ami 
sewers  were  laid   round  it,   the  work- 
men came  upon   what   was   at  the  time 
iiuigiued    to   be    an   underground  pas- 
sage,   leading    from    the  Guildhall    in 
Kew  Street    lo   the  old  Church  of  St. 
Martin's.     Local  antiquarians    at    the 
time  would   appeur   to    have  been  con- 
spicuous by  their  absence,  as  the  work- 
men Were  allowed    to   close  the  passage 
with  rubbish  without  a  proper  exaniiua- 
tioa  being  made  of  it.     Quite  lately, 
however,  in  digging  out  the  .soil  for  the 
exteusion  of  the  Fish  Market  at  a  point 
ou  the  line  of  Lease  Lane,  about  60ft. 
from    Bell   Street,    tht;  workmen,     on 
leaching  a  depth  of  8ft.  or  9ft.,  struck 
upon  the  same   underground   passage, 
but  of  which  the  original   purpose  was 
uot  very  apparent.     Cut  in    the  soft 
sandstone,  and  devoid  of  any  lining,  it 
ran   almost     at   right  augles   to   Lease 
Laue,  and   proved   to  extend  half  way 
under  that  thoroughfare,  and  some  four 
or  hvc  yards  into  the  excavated  ground. 
Under    Lease    Laue    it     was    blocked 
by  rubbish,  through   which  a  sewer  is 
believed  to  run,  and  therefore  the   ex- 
act ending  of  the  passage  in  one  direc- 
tion caunot  be  traced  ;  in  the  excavated 
ground  it  ended,    on   the  site  of  a  dis- 
mantled   public-house,    in   a    circular 
shaft,    which   may  have  been  that  of  a 
well,  or  that  of  a  cesspool.     The   pas- 
age,    so   far  as   it   was    traceable,    was 
2ift.   long,    7ft.    high,  and  4^fc.  wide. 
As  to  its  use  before   it   was   severed  by 
the  sewerage  of  Lea^e  Lane,  the  conjec- 
ture  is   that  it  alforded  a  secret  means 
of  commuuication  between    two  houses 
seiiarated      above      ground      by     that 
tiioroughfare,   but    for    what    purpose 
must  remain    one    of    the     perplexing 
puzzles  of  the  past.      That   it  had   uo 
connccciou    with    the  Church    or    the 
Grammar    School   (the  site  of  the  old 
Guild  House)  is    ijuite  certain,  as  the 
course  of  the  passage  was  in  a  tlili'ereut 
direction. 


Leasing"  Wives. — In  the  histories 
of  sundry  straiige  lands  we  read  of 
curious  customs  a[ijiertaining  to  mar- 
riage and  the  giving  in  marriage.  Tak- 
ing a  wife  on  trial  is  the  rule  of  juore 
than  one  happy  clime,  but  taking  a 
wile  upon  lea.sc  is  quite  a  lirumniagem 
way  ot  marrying  (using  the  term  iu  the 
mannerof  many  detr.ictor.sofour  town's 
fair  fame).  In  one  of  the  numbers  of 
the  Gentlenian's  Magazine,  for  the  year 
17b8,  Mr.  Sylvanus  Urban,  as  the 
editor  has  always  been  called,  is  ad- 
dres.sed  as  follows  by  a  Birmingham 
correspondent: — "Since  my  residing 
in  this  town  I  have  often  heard  there 
is  a  method  of  obtaining  a  wife's  sister 
upon  lease.  I  never  could  learn  the 
method  to  be  taken  to  get  a  wife 
upon  lease,  or  whether  such  con- 
nections are  sanctioned  by  law  ;  but 
tliere  is  an  eminent  manufacturer  in 
tlie  viciuitj'  of  this  town  who  liad  his 
deceased  wife's  .■-ister  upon  lease  for 
twenty  years  and  upwards  ;  and  I 
know  she  went  by  his  name,  enjoyed 
all  the  privileges,  aud  received  all  the 
honours  due  to  the  respectable  name 
of  wife."  A  later  case  of  marital 
leasing  has  often  been  noted  against 
us  by  thealoresaid  sinirchers  of  cliarac- 
ter  as  occurring  in  1853,  but  in  reality 
it  was  rather  an  instance  of  hiring  a 
liusband. 

Leather  Hall.— As  early  as  the 
Norman  Coiupest  this  town  was 
famed  for  its  tanneries,  and  there  was 
a  considerable  market  for  leather  for 
centuries  after.  Two  of  the  Court 
Leet  officers  were  '' Leather  Sealers," 
and  part  of  the  proclamation  made  by 
the  Crier  of  the  Court  when  it  held  its 
meetings  was  in  these  words,  "All 
whyte  tawers  tliat  sell  not  good 
chaffer  as  they  ought  to  do  reasonably, 
and  bj'e  the  skynnes  in  any  other 
place  than  intowne  or  market,  ye  shall 
do  us  to  weet,"  meaning  that  anyone 
knowing  of  such  otl'ences  on  the  part 
of  the  "whyte  tawers"  or  tanners 
should  give  intormation  at  the  Court 
then  assembled.  New  Street  originally 
was  entered  from   High    Street  under 


124 


SHOWELl's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


an  arched  gatewa)',  ami  here  was  the 
Leather  Hall  (which  was  still  in  exist- 
ence in  Huttou's  time),  where  the 
"Sealers"  performed  their  fanetious. 
It  was  taken  down  when  New  Street 
was  opened  ont,  and  thongh  we  have  an 
extensive  hide  and  skin  market  now, 
we  can  hardly  be  said  to  possess  a 
market  for  leather  other  than  the  boot 
and  shoe  shops,  the  saddlers,  &c. 

Leneh's   TpusL— See    " Fhilan- 
thropic  Institutions' 

Liberal  Association.— Ou  Feb. 

17,    1865,   a  meet-ng   was  hehl  m  the 
committee  room  of  the  Town  Hall   for 
tlie  purpose  of  lorniiiigan  organisation 
which"sliould  "  unite  all  the  Liberals  of 
tlie    town,    and   provide   them   with  a 
regular  and  efficient  method  of    ex&y- 
ci^ing  a.  leg itimcde  influence  in  favour  of 
their^'political  principles.    The  outcome 
of  this  meeting  was  thfl  birth  of  the 
now  tamous    Liberal    "Caucus,"    and 
though  the   names  of   ten    gentlemen 
were°appended    to  the    advertisement 
calling  the  meeting,  the  honour  of  the 
paternity  of    tlie    Liberal    bantling  is 
generally  given  to  Mr.  William  Harris. 
The  governing  body  of  the  a^^sociation 
was  fixed  at  two  dozen,  inclusive  of  the 
president,  vice,  and  secretary  ;  all  per- 
sons subscribing  a  sliilliog  or  more  per 
annum  being  eligible  to  become   mem- 
bers.    The  ''General  Committee,"  for 
some  time  known  as  the  "  Four  Hun- 
dred ■'    was  enlarged    in    1876   to  Six 
Hundred,  and  in  June,  1880,  to  Eight 
Hundred,  the  Executive  Committee,  at 
the  same  tiiue,  being  considerably  in- 
creased.    Tlie   recent  alteration  iu  the 
franchise,     and    the    division    of    the 
borough  and  outskirts  into  seven  elec- 
toral districts,  has  led  to  a  reorganisa- 
tion ot  the  Association,  or  Associations, 
for   each  of  the  seven    divisions   now 
works  by  itself,   though  guided  by  a 
central  Council.— A   "  Women's  Libe- 
ral     Association"      was     fninded    in 
October,  1873,  and  a   "  Juniiu-  Liberal 
Asseciation  "  in  October,  i878. 

Libraries.— The     first    public  ^or 
semi-public    library    founded    iu    Bir- 


mingham,  was    the    Theological.     In 
1733,  the  Rev.     William    Higgs,   first 
Rector  of  St.   Philip's,  left  his  collec- 
tion  of  550    volumes,    and  a    sum  of 
money,  to  found  a  library  for  the    use 
of  clergymen  and  students    The  books, 
many  of  which  are  rare,  are  kept  iu  a 
building  erected  in  1792,    adjacent    to 
the  Rectory,  and  are   accessible  to   all 
for  whom  the   library  was  designed.-— 
A  Circulating    Library  was   opened    in 
Colmore  Row,  in  1763,  and  at  one  time 
there  was  a  second-class  institution  of 
the    kind    at    a  house   up   one    ot   the 
courts      in      Dale     End.— A     "New 
Library"  was  opened  in  Cannon  Street, 
April  26,    1796,  wliich  was  removed  to 
Temple  Row,  iu  1821,  and   afterwards 
united    to    the      Old     Liln-ary.     The 
latter  was  commenced  in  1779,  the  first 
room  for  the    convenience  of  members 
being  opened  in  1782,  and  the   present 
building  in  Union    Street,    erected   in 
1798.     The    report    of    the    committee 
for    the  year  1882    showed   that  there 
were     772    pvoi)rietors,     at     21s.     per 
annum  ;  35  annual  subscribers,  at  31s. 
6d.  per  annum  ;  528  at  21s.  ;    6   quar- 
terly, at  9s.  per  quarter  ;  53  at  6s.  per 
quarter  ;    17     resident     members     of 
subscribers'   families,   at    10s.   per   an- 
num ;    and    118    resident    members  of 
subscribers'    families    (readei's)    at    5s. 
The  total  number  of  members  was  1,479; 
the  year's  subscriptions  bting  £1,594. 
The  price  of  shares  has  been  raised  from 
two  to   three  guineas  during  the   past 
year.     Receipts  from  shares,  fines,  &c., 
amounted  to  about  £480,  making  the 
amount    actually    received     in     1882, 
£2,012  6s.      The  expenditure  had  been 
£1,'818  19s.  9J.,  inclusive  of  £60  carried 
to  the  reserve  fund,  and  £108  paid  on 
account    of   the    new    catalogue  ;    and 
there   remained   a   balance  of  £198  6s. 
Id.  in  hand.     £782  Os.  9J.   had^  been 
expended  on  the  purchase  of  1,560  ad- 
ditional books,  re-binding  others,  &c. , 
making     a     total     of    about     50,000 
vo'  umes.      The  library  needs  extension, 
bar  the  shortness   of  the   lease  (thirty 
yca.'s    only)    and    the    high    value    of 
the  adjoining   land    prevents   any  step 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


125 


being  talceuin  thatilircction  at  present. 
The  Biriniiighaiu  Law  Society's  Library 
was  foumled  in  February,  1831,  by 
Mr.  Arthur  Ryland,  and  has  now 
nearly  6,000  vohmies  of  law  work.s, 
law  reports  (English,  Scoteh,  and 
Irish),  local  ami  personal  Acts,  &c. ,  kc. 
The  present  home  in  "Wellington  Pass 
age  was  opened  August  2,  1876,  being 
far  more  commodious  than  tlie  old 
abode  in  Waterloo-street,  the  "  library" 
itself  being  a  room  35ft.  long,  22ft. 
wide,  and  20ft.  high,  with  a  gallery 
round  it.  There  are  several  extensive 
libraries  connected  with  places  of  wor- 
ship, such,  as  the  Church  of  the  Saviour, 
Edward  Street.  Severn  Street  Schools, 
the  Friends'  ileeting  House,  kc.  and  a 
number  of  valuable  collections  in  the 
hands  of  sonieweli-known  connoisseurs, 
literati,  and  antiquarians,  access  to 
most  of  which  may  be  obtained  on 
proper  introduction. 

Libraries  (Tlie  Free),— The  first 

attemjit  to  found  a  Free  Library  in 
this  town  was  the  holding  of  a  public 
meeting  in  April,  1852,  under  the 
provisions  of  the  Museums  and  Libra- 
ries Act  of  1850,  which  allowed  of  a 
h\.  rate  being  levied  for  the  support  of 
sufh  institutions.  Whether  the  towns- 
folk were  careless  on  the  subject,  or 
extra  careful,  and  therefore,  doubtful 
of  the  sufticienc}'  of  the  ^d.  rate  to 
provide  them,  is  not  certain  ;  but  so 
little  interest  was  shown  in  the  niatter 
that  only  534  persons  voted  for  the 
adoption  of  the  Act,  while  363  voted 
against  it,  and  the  question  for  tlie 
time  was  shelved,  as  the  Act  required 
the  assents  to  be  two-tliirds  of  the 
total  votes  given.  In  1855  tlie  Com- 
missioner of  patents  presented  to  the 
town  some  200  volumes,  conditionallj' 
that  they  should  be  kept  in  a  Free 
Library,  and  about  the  same  time 
another  proposal  was  made  to  c  stablish 
such  a  Library,  but  to  no  effect.  The 
Act  was  altered  so  that  a  penny  rate 
could  be  made,  and  in  October,  1859, 
it  was  again  suggested  to  try  the  bur- 
gessts.  On  February  21,  1860,  the 
meeting  was  held  and  the  adoption  of 


the  Act  carried  by  a  large  majority. 
A  committee  of  si.xteen,  eight  members 
of  the  Council,  and  eight  out  of  it,  was 
chosen,  and  in  a  short  time  their  work 
was  shown  by  the  transfer  of  10,000 
square  feet  of  land  belonging  to  the 
Midland  Institute,  on  whicli  to  erect  a 
central  library,  the  preparations  of 
plans  therefor,  the  jiurchase  of  books, 
and  (A])ril  3,  1861)  the  opening  of 
the  first  branch  library  and  reading 
room  in  Constitution  Hill.  Mr.  E.  M. 
Barry,  the  architect  of  the  Midland 
Institute,  put  in  iiesigiis,  including 
Art  Gallery,  but  his  figures  were  too 
high,  being  £14,250  10s..  the  Town 
Council  havingonly  voted  £10,500.  The 
plans  of  Mr.  W.  Martin,  whose  estimate 
was  £12,000  were  adopted,  the  Council 
added  £1,500,  a  loan  for  the  cash  was 
negotiated,  and  building  commenced 
by  -Messrs.  Branson  and  Murray,  whose 
tender  to  do  the  work  for  £8,600  was 
accejited.  Thirty-two  apiilications  for 
the  chief  librarianship  at  £200  per 
annum  were  sent  in,  the  chosen  man 
being  Mr.  J.  D.  MuHins,  tliough  he 
was  not  the  one  recommended  by  the. 
Committee.  The  Central  Leiulii;g  Li- 
brary (with  10,000  volumes)  and  Read- 
ing-room, with  Art  Gallery,  was  for- 
mally opened  September  6,  1865,  and 
the  Reference  Library  (then  containing 
18,200  volumes)  October  26,  1866.     In 

1869,  the  latter  was  much  enlarged 
by  the  purchase  of  604  square  yards  of 
land  in  Edmuiul  Street,  and  the  total 
cost  of  the  buihiing  came  to  £14,896. 
The  Branch  Library  at  Adderley  Park 
was  opened  .January  11,  1864  ;  that  at 
D>-ritend  Oct.  2,  1866,  and  at  Gosta 
Green    Feb.    1,  1868.      At   the   end   of 

1870,  the  total  number  of  volumes  in 
the  whole  of  the  Libraries  was  56,764, 
of  which  26,590  were  in  the  Reference, 
and  12,595  in  the  Central  Lending 
Library.  By  1877,  the  total  number 
of  volumes  had  reached  86,087,  of 
which  46,520  were  in  the  Relereiice, 
and  17,543  in  the  Central  Lending, 
the  total  number  of  borrowers  being 
8,947  at  the  Central,  4,188  at  Consti- 
tution Hill,  3,002  at  Deritend,   2,668 


126 


SHOWELL'S    dictionary    op    mRMINGHA.M. 


at  Gosta  Green,  and  271  at  Adilerley 
Park.     Meantime  several  new  features 
in  connection  with  the  Reference   Li- 
brary had  appeared.      A  room  liad  been 
fitted  up  and   dedicated  to    tlie  recep- 
tion of  the  "Shakespeare  .Memorial  Li- 
brary," presented  April  23,  186-4  ;  the 
"  CervanttsLibrary,"  presented  by  Mr. 
Brarr£(e,  was  (.pene<l  on  a  .similar  date 
in  1873;  the  -'Staunton   Collection" 
purchased    for    £2,400,    (not    half  its 
value)   was   added   Sept.    1,   1875,  and 
very   many  important    additions    had 
been   made    to    the   Art    Gallery    and 
incipient  Museum.      For    a   long  time, 
the    Free    Libraries'    Committee    had 
under    consideration   the  necessity   of 
extendincr  the  building,   by   adding  a 
wing,  which  should  be  used  not  only 
as   an   Art   Gallery,   but    also    as    an 
Industrial  Museum  ;  the   Art  Gallery 
and  its  treasures  being  located  in  that 
portion    of   the    lavmises    devoted    to 
the    Midland    Institute,     which      was 
found  to   be  a   very    inconvenient   ar- 
rangement.    The  subject  came  under 
the"    notice      of      the      Council      on 
February  19th,   1878,  when  the  com- 
mittee   submitted    plans    of    the    pro- 
posed alterations.      These  included  the 
erection  of   a  new  block  of  builiings 
fronting  Edmund  Street,  to  consist  of 
three  storeys.     The  Town  Council  ap- 
proved the' plans,  and  granted  £11,000 
to  defray  the  cost  of  the  enlargement. 
About  ]\lidsummtr  the  committee  pro- 
ceeded to  carry  out  the  plans,  and  in 
order  to  do  this  it  was  necessary  to  re- 
move   the    old  entrance   ball   and  the 
flight   of   stairs   which   led    up    to  the 
SirakespeareMemorial  Library  and  to  the 
Reference  Library,  and  to  make  sundry 
other  alterations  of  the  buildings.   The 
Library  was  closed  for  several  days,  and 
in  the   meantime  the  walls,  where  the 
entrances  were,  were  pulled  down  and 
wooden  partitions  were  run   up  across 
tie  room,  making  each  department  of 
much    smaller    ana    than    before.      In 
addition  to  this  a  boarded-in  staircase 
was  erected  in  Edmund  Street,  by  which 
persons  were  able  to  gain  access  to  the 
Lending    Library,    which    is    on    the 


ground  floor,  and  to  the  Reference  Li- 
brary, which  was  i^nmediately  above. 
A  similar  staircase  was  made  in  Rat- 
cliiF-place,  near  the  cab  stand,   for  the 
accommodation  of  the  members  of  the 
Midland    Institute,     who    occupy    the^ 
Paradise-street  side  of    the   buildiifi»|j. 
The  space  between  tlie  two  stair^^ii^s^s^ 
was  boarded  up,  in  order  to   ke^-p,  t,lia. 
public  off  the  works  during  th?.  ajtera-., 
tions,   and  the    necessary    gai,  supply- 
pipes,  &c. ,   were  located  outside,,  thpse  , 
wooden    partitions.       The.  ajteratipns^ 
were  well  advanced  by  Christina?,   ai,)di 
everything  bade  fair  for  an, early,  and,, 
satisfactory  completian  of,  the   under- 
taking.     The  weather,   however,    was 
most   severe,   and   now    and    then    the 
moisture  in  the   gas-pipes   exposed   t,"',, 
the  air  became  frozen.     This  occurrc.!.^ 
on  the  afternoon  of  Saturday,  January 
11,  1879,  ami  an  einjdoye  of   the  gas 
office  lit  a  gas  jet  to  thaw  one  of  the  pipes, 
A  shaving  was  blown  by  the  wind  acro-s. 
this  light,  it  blazed  ;  the  flame  caught 
other  shavings,  which  I'ad  been  packed 
round  the  pipe  to  keep  the   frost  out, 
and  in  less  than  a  minute  the  fire  wasi 
inside,  and  in  one   hour  the   Pdrming-. 
ham    Reference    Library    was  doomed 
to    destiuction.     It    was  the  greatest 
loss  the  town  had  ever  suffered,   but  a 
new   building   has  arisen  on  the  site^ 
and    (with    certain    exceptions)    it  is, 
hoped  that  a  more  perfect  and  vaUiabla 
Library  will  be  gathered  to  fill  it.      In 
a    few    days  after  the  lire  it  was  de- 
cided to  ask  the  public  at  large  for  at 
least  £10,000  towards  a  new  collection, 
and    within  a  week  £7,000  had  been 
sent  in,  the  principal  donors  named  in 
the  list  being — 


The  iVIayor  (Mr.  Jesse  Collins) 

Alderinau  Chamberlain,  M.P.  (as 
Trustpe  of  the  late  Mrs.  Chamber- 
lain,  Moor  Green)     . . 

Alderman  Chamberlain,  M.P. 

Alderman  Avery  

Mr.  John  Jaft'ray  

Mr.  A.  Foljett  Osier,  K.R.S 

Mr.  John  Feeney  

Mrs.  Harrold 

Mr.  Timothy  Kenrick 

Mr.  William  Middlemore 

A  Friend  , 


£    s. 
10     0 


1000  0 

500  0 

500  0 

500  0 

500  0. 

250  0 

250  0 

2.'50  0 

250  0 

250  0 


SUOWKLL's    DlCTloNAUr    OK    ISIlfMINQHAM. 


1 


Mr.  Jaiiies  Atkins          i°,  „ 

Lord  Oalll.orpe 1"^  0 

Lord  Teynhaiu JOO  0 

Mr.  Thomas  Gladstone ll"J  " 

Messrs.  William  Tonka  and  Sons      ..  100  0 

Mr.  W.  A.  Watkins        -^-^  a 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  T.  Scruton         ..         •■       J^  ,? 

Dr.  Anthony        {i  ]?, 

Mr.  Oliver  Peniberton  ..  .  ..       5-^10 

Alderman  Baker oO  0 

Alderman  Hanow           -  A 

Messrs.  Cadbmv  Brothers      ..         ..       5i  0 

Mr.  J.  H.  Chamberlain            . .         .  •       50  0 

Alderman  Uevkin           ..         ..         -.      50  0 

Mr.  T.  S.  Fallows          50  0 

Mr.  J.  D.  Onodnian .iO  0 

Councillor  Johnson 50  0 

Mr.  William  Martin       50  0 

Councillor  Th.imas  Martineau           ..       50  0 

Councillor  R   F.  Martineau    ..         ..       50  0 

Mr.  Lawlev  Parker        50  0 

Mrs.  E.  Phipson 50  0 

Messrs.  Player  Brothers          . .         .  -       50  0 

Mr.  Walter  Showell 50  0 

Mr.  Sam  Timnuns         50  0 

The  Rev.  A.  R.  Vardy -'lO  0 

Mr.  J.  S.  Wrii,'ht  and  Sons      ..         ..       50  0 

In  sums  of  £-20,  <fcc 4S0  5 

In  ^ums  of  £10,  &c 217  2 

la  sums  of  £5,  &c 1(53  5 

Smaller  amounts           ..         ..         ..       SS  S 

This  fiiml  has  received  many  noble 
aiiditious  .since  the  above,  the  total, 
withinteresr,  amountini,',  up  to  the  end 
of  1883,  to  no  less  than  £13, .500,  of 
which  there  is  still  in  hanii,  £10,000  for 
the  purchase  of  books.  The  precaiuiou 
of  insuring  such  an  institution  and  its 
contents  had  of  course  been  taken,  and 
most  fortunately  the  requisite  endorse- 
ments on  the  policies  had  been  made 
to  cover  the  extra  ri^k  accruing  from 
the  alteration  in  progress.  The  insur- 
ances were  made  in  the  "  Lancashire  " 
and  "Yorkshire"  offices,  the  buildings 
for  £10,000,  the  Reference  Library  for 
£12,000,  the  Lendii.g  Library  for 
£1.000,  the  Shakespeare  Library  for 
£1,500,  tlie  Prince  Consort  staiue  f>r 
£1,000,  the  models  of  Burke  and 
Goldsmith  for  £100,  and  the  bust  of 
MrTimmins  tor  £100,  making  £25,700 
in  all.  The  two  companies  hardly 
waited  fjr  ihe  claim  to  be  made,  but 
met  it  iu  a  most  generous  manner, 
paying  over  at  once  £20,000,  of  which 
£10,523  has  been  devoted  to  the  build- 
ings and  fittings,  nearly  £500  paid  for 
expenses  and  injury  to  statues,  and  the 


remaining  £9,000  [lut  to  the  book  pur- 
chase fund.      In  the  Reference  Library 
there  were  (juite  48,000  volumes.iu  addi^ 
tion  to  about  4,000  of  patent  specifica- 
tions. Every  great  deparimentof  human 
knowledge  was  represented  by  the  l)est 
known  works.     In  history,  biography, 
voyages,  and  travels,   natural  iiistoiy, 
fine  arts,   all  the  greatest  works,  not 
only    in    English,    but  often    iu    the. 
principal  European  languages,  had  been, 
gathered.      Volumes  of  maps  and  plans,^ 
engravings  ot   all   sorts  of  anti'iuities," 
costumes,  weapons,  transactions  of  ail 
the      chief      learned      societies,      and 
especially     bibliography,     or    "books 
about  books"  had   been  collected  witl^ 
unceasing  care,  the  shelves  being  loaded 
with  costly  and   valuable    works  rarely 
found  out  of  the  great  libraries  of  Lon- 
don, or  Oxford,  Cinibridgp,  Edinburgh, 
or   Glasgow.      Among    the  collections 
lost  were  many  viduraes  relating  to  the 
early  history  of  railways  in   England, 
originally    collected    by     Mr.    Charles 
Brewin,   and  supplemented   by  all  the 
pamphlets  and  tracts  procurable.   Many 
of  those  volumes  were  full   of  cuttings 
from    contemporary    newspapers,    and 
early  reports  of  early  rail  way  companies, 
andof  tlieconiiition  of  canals  and  roads." 
Still  more  valuable  were  many  bundles 
of  papers,  letters,  invoices,  calculations, 
etc.,  concerning  the  early  attempt  to" 
establish    the    cotton    naanufacture    in 
Birmingham  at  tlie   beginning   of  the 
last  century,  including  the  papers  of- 
Warren,  the  printer,  and  some  letters 
of  Dr.  Johnson,  and  others  relating  the 
story  of  the  invention    of  .spinning  by 
rollers — the  work  of  John    VVyatt  and 
Lewis   Paul — long  liefore   Arkwright"s 
time       Among  the  immense   collection 
of  Birmingham  books  and  [)apers   were 
hundreds  of  Acis  of  Parliament,    Bir- 
mingham Almanacs,   Directories  (from 
1770)  most  curiou.s,  valuable,  and  rare  ; 
a  heap  of  pam[)hlets  on    tlie   Grammar 
School,    Birmingham    History,    Topo- 
graphy,    and    Guides  ;     the    political 
pampliletsof  Job  Xott  and  John  Nott, 
some    of   wliich  were  the   only  cojiies 
known,    the    more    ancient   pamphlets 
describing     Prince    Rupert's    Burning. 


128 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


Love  (date  1643)  and  others  of  that 
time  ;  reports  from  the  year  1726  of  the 
.several  local  learnnd  institutions  ;  an 
invaluable  collection  of  maps  ;  pro- 
grammes of  the  Festivals  ;  and  copies 
of  all  the  known  Birniin<;liam  news- 
papers and  periodicals  (some  being 
perfectsets)  etc. ,  etc.  Of  all  the  host  not 
more  than  1,000  volumes  were  saved. 
The  fame  of  the  Shakespeare  Memorial 
Library  at  Birmingham  was  world-wide 
and  to  us  it  had  extra  value  as  emanat- 
nig  from  the  love  which  George  Daw- 
son bore  for  tliememoryof  Shakespeare. 
It  was  his  wish  that  the  library  should 
be  possessed  of  every  known  edition  of 
the  bard's  works  in  every  language,  and 
that  it  should  contain  evei'}'  book  ever 
printed  about  him  or  his  writings.  In 
the  words  of  Mr.  Timmins,  "The  de- 
votion of  George  Dawson  to  Shakespeare 
was  not  based  u})on  literary  reasons 
alone,  nor  did  it  only  rest  upon  his  ad- 
miration and  his  marvel  at  the  wou- 
dious  gifts  bestowed  upon  this  greatest 
of  men,  but  it  was  founded  upon  his 
love  for  one  who  loved  s  >  much.  His 
j'.eart,  which  knew  no  inhumanity,  re- 
joiced in  one  who  was  so  greatly 
human,  and  the  basis  of  his  reverence 
lor  Shakespeare  was  his  own  reverence 
for  man.  It  was  thus,  to  him,  a  con- 
stant pleasure  to  mark  the  increasing 
number  of  the  students  of  Shakespeare, 
and  to  see  how,  hrst  in  one  language 
and  then  in  another,  attempts  were 
made  to  bring  some  knowledge  of  his 
work  to  other  nations  than  the  English- 
speaking  ones  ;  and  the  acquisition  of 
some  of  these  books  by  the  library  was 
received  by  him  with  delight,  not 
merely  ornot  mucii  for  acquisition  sake, 
but  as  another  evidence  of  the  ever- 
wideniiig  influence  of  Shakespeare's 
work.  The  contents  of  this  library 
were  to  Mr.  Dawson  a  great  and  con- 
vincing proof  that  the  greatest  of  all 
English  authors  had  not  lived 
fruitlessly,  and  that  the  widest 
human  heart  the  world  has  known  had 
not  poured  out  its  treasure  in  vain." 
So  successful  had  the  attempts  of  the 
collectors  been   that  nearly  7^000  vol- 


umes had  been  brought  together,  many 
of  them  coming  from  the  most  distant 
parts  of  the  globe.  The  collec:ion  in- 
cluded 336  editions  of  Sliakspeare's 
complete  works  in  English,  17  in 
French,  58  in  German,  3  in  Danish,  1 
in  Dutch,  1  in  Bohemian,  3  in  Italian, 
4  in  Polish,  2  in  Russian,  1  in  Spanish, 
1  in  Swedish  ;  while  in  Frisian,  Ice- 
landic, Hebrew,  Greek,  Servian,  Wal- 
lachiau,  Welsh,  and  Tamil  there  were 
copies  of  many  separate  plays.  The 
English  volumes  numbered  4,500,  the 
German  1,500,  the  French  400.  The 
great  and  costly  editions  of  Boydell  and 
Halliwell,  the  original  folios  of  1632, 
1664,  and  1685,  the  very  rare  quarto 
contemporary  issues  of  various  plays, 
the  valuable  German  editions,  the 
matchless  collection  of  "  ana,"  in  con- 
temporary criticism,  reviews,  &c. ,  and 
llie  interesting  garnering  of  all  the  de- 
tails of  the  Tercentenary  Celebration — 
wall-posters,  tickets,  pamphlets,  cari- 
catures, &c. ,  were  all  to  be  found  here, 
forming  the  largest  and  most  varied 
collection  of  Sliakspeare's  works,  and 
the  English  and  foreign  literature  illus- 
trating them,  which  has  ever  been 
made,  and  the  greatest  literary  memo- 
rial which  any  author  has  ever  yet  re- 
ceived. So  highly  was  the  library 
valued  that  its  contents  were  consulted 
from  Berlin  and  Paris,  and  even  from 
the  United  States,  and  similar  libraries 
have  been  founded  in  other  places. 
Only  500  of  the  books  were  preserved, 
and  many  of  them  were  much  damaged. 
The  loss  of  the  famed  Statmton  or 
Warwickshire  collection  was  even  worse 
than  that  of  the  Shakespearean,  ricii 
and  rare  as  that  was,  for  it  included  the 
results  of  more  than  two  centuries' 
patient  work,  from  the  days  of  Sir 
William  Dugdale  down  to  the  begin- 
ning of  the  present  century.  The 
manuscript  collections  of  Sir  Simon 
Archer,  fellow-labourer  of  Dugdale,  the 
records  of  the  Berkeley,  Digby,  and 
Ferrers  families,  the  valueeland  patient 
gatherings  of  Thomas  Sharpe,  the 
Coventry  antiquarian,  of  William 
Hamper,    the    Birmingham    collector, 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


129 


and  of  William  Staunton  himself,  were 
all  here,  forming  the  most  wonderful 
county  collection  ever  yet  formed,  and 
which  a  hundred  years'  work  will  never 
replace.  The  books,  many  rare  or 
unique,  and  of  extraordinary  value, 
comprised  over  2000  volumes  ;  there 
were  hundreds  of  sketches  and  water- 
colour  drawings  of  buildings  long  since 
destroyed,  and  mure  than  1,500  en- 
gravings of  various  places  in  the  county, 
among  them  being  some  300  relating  to 
Birmingham,  200  to  Coventry,  200  to 
Warwick  Castle,  200  to  Kenilworth 
Castle,  and  more  than  100  to  Stratford- 
on-Avon.  The  thousand  portraits  of 
Warwickshire  Worthies,  more  rare  and 
valuable  still,  included  no  less  than 
267  distinct  portraits  of  Shakes- 
peare, every  one  from  a  different 
block  or  plate.  There  was,  in  fact, 
everything  about  Warwickshire  which 
successive  generations  of  learned  and 
generous  collectors  could  secure. 
Among  other  treasures  were  hundreds 
of  Acts  of  Parliament,  all  pedigrees, 
pamphlets,  &c. ,  about  the  Earls  of 
Warwick  and  the  town  of  Warwick  ; 
the  original  vellum  volume  with  the 
installation  of  Robert  Dudley,  Eirl  of 
Leicester,  to  the  Order  of  St.  JMichael, 
with  his  own  autograph  ;  volumes  of 
rare,  curious  autographs  of  county 
interest ;  county  poll  books,  news- 
papers and  magazines  ;  all  tlie  rare 
Civil  \Var  pamphlets  relating  to  the 
Warwickshire  incidents  ;  ancient  deeds, 
indulgences,  charters,  seals,  rubbings 
of  brasses  long  lost  or  worn  away, 
medals,  coins,  hundreds  in  number  ; 
and  rare  and  invaluable  volumes,  like 
the  Due  de  Nortombria's  "  Arcano  de 
Mare,"  and  two  fine  copies  of  Dugdale's 
Warwickshire;  besides  hundreds  of 
books,  engravings,  caricatures,  pam- 
phlets and  tracts.  The  catalogue  of 
this  precious  collection  had  only  recent- 
ly been  completed,  but  even  that  was 
burnt,  so  that  there  is  nothing  left  to 
show  the  full  e.xtent  of  the  loss  sus- 
tained. The  only  salvage  consisted  of 
three  books, thougli  most  providentially 
one  of    the    three    was    the    splendid 


Cartulary  of  the  Priory  of  St.  Anne,  at 
Knowle,  a  noble  vellum  folio,  richly 
illuminated  by  some  patient  scribe  four 
centuries  ago,  and  j)reserving  not  only 
the  names  of  the  benefactors  of  the 
Priory,  and  details  of  its  ])Ossessions, 
but  alsothe  service  books  of  the  Church, 
with  the  ancient  music  and  illuminated 
initials,  as  fresh  and  perfect  as  when 
first  written.  Of  almost  inestim- 
able value,  it  has  now  an  acquired 
interest  in  the  fact  of  its  being, 
so  to  speak,  all  that  remains  of 
all  the  great  Staunton  collection. 
TheCurvantes Library,  which  had  taken 
him  a  quarter  of  a  century  to  gather 
together,  was  presented  by  Mr.  William 
Bragge.  For  many  years,  even  in  a  busy 
life,  Mr.  Bragge,  in  his  visits  to  Spain 
and  his  travels  all  over  Europe,  had 
been  able  to  collect  nearlyall  the  known 
editions,  not  only  of  "  Don  Quixote," 
but  of  all  the  other  works  of  Cervantes. 
Not  only  editions,  but  translations 
into  any  and  every  language  were 
eagerly  sought ;  and,  after  cherishing 
his  treasures  for  many  years,  Mr.  Bragge 
was  so  impressed  with  the  Shakespeare 
Library  that  he  generously  offered  his 
unrivalled  collection  of  the  great  con- 
temporary author  to  the  town  of  which 
he  is  a  native,  and  in  which  he  after- 
wards came  to  live.  The  collection 
extended  from  editions  published  in 
1605  down  to  our  own  days,  and  in- 
cluded many  very  rare  and  very  costly 
illustrated  volumes,  which  can  never 
be  replaced.  All  the  known  transla- 
tions were  among  theithousand  volumes, 
and  all  the  works  were  in  the  choicest 
condition,  but  only  ten  survived  the 
fire.  — From  the  Lending  Library  about 
10.000  volumes  were  rescued,  and  as 
there  were  nearly  4,000  in  the  hands  of 
readers,  the  loss  here  was  comparatively 
small.Thepresentnuniberofliooksinthc 
Reference  Library  bids  fair  to  surpass 
the  collection  lost,  except,  of  course, 
as  regards  the  Shakespeare,  Cervantes, 
and  Staunton  gatherings,  the  latter  of 
which  it  is  simply  impossible  to  re- 
place, while  it  will  take  many  years  to 
make  up  the  other  two.       There  are 


130 


SHO WELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


now  (March,  1884)  over  54,000  volumes 
on  the  shelv^es,  iucluaing  4,300  sived 
from  the  fire,  about  33,000  I'Urchased, 
and  nearly  17,000  presented.  Among 
tli«  latter  are  many  rare  and  costly 
works  given  to  Birmingham  soon  after 
the  ca'astroiihe  b^y  a  number  of  socie- 
ties and  gentlemen  connected  with  the 
town,  as  well  as  others  at  home  and 
abroad.  To  catalogue  the  names  of  all 
donors  is  im}>ossible,  but  a  few  of 
those  who  first  contributed  may  be 
given.  Foremost,  many  of  the  books 
being  of  local  character,  was  the 
gift  of  Mr.  David  Malins,  which 
included  Schedel's  Nuremberg  Chroni- 
cle, 1492,  one  vol.  ;  Camden's  Britan- 
nia, ed.  Gibson,  1695,  one  vol.  ; 
Ackermann's  London,  Westminster 
AbbL=^y,  Universities  of  Oxford  and 
Cambridge,  &c. ,  ten  vols.  ;  Works  of 
Samuel  Parr,  1828,  eight  vols.  ;  Illus- 
trated Record  of  European  Events, 
1812-1815,  one  vol.  ;  Tliompson's  Sea- 
sons, illustrated  by  Bartolozzi,  and 
other  works,  seventy  vols.  ;  Notes  and 
Queries  (complete  set  of  five  series), 
1850-78,  fifty-seven  vols.  ;  Dugdale's 
Warwickshire,  1656,  and  other  books 
relating  to  Birniingiiam,  Warwickshire 
and  neighbourhood, seventy-four  vols.; 
books  printed  liy Baskervilie,ten  vols.; 
]^)irmingliam-priuted  books,  203  vols.  ; 
books  on  or  by  Birmingham  authors, 
fifty-six  vols. ;  total,  491  vols. ;  in  addi- 
tion to  a  collection  of  about  600  por- 
traits, maps  and  views  relating  to 
Birmingham,  Warwickshire  and  the 
neighbourhood,  including  sixty  por- 
traits of  Shakespeare.  The  Mancliester 
Town  Council  sent  us  from  their  Public 
Library  about  300  volumes,  among 
which  may  be  named  the  edition  of 
laarclay's  Apology  printed  by  Basker- 
ville  (1765)  ;  a  fine  copy  of  the  folio 
edition  of  Ben  Johnson  (1640)  ;  the 
Duke  of  Newcastle's  New  Jletbod  to 
Dress  Horses  (1667)  ;  several  volumes 
of  the  IVI  ait  land  Club  books,  the  cata- 
logue of  the  Harleiau  MSS  (1759)  ; 
two  tracts  of  Socinus  (1618)  ;  the 
Foundations  of  Manchester  (4  vols.)  ; 
Daulby's        Rembrandt       Catalogue  ; 


Weever's  Funeral  iloimmeiits  (1631)  ; 
Visconti's  Egyptian  Antiquities  (1837); 
Heylyn's  History  of  St.  George 
(1633),  and  NichoU's  History  of  Eng- 
lish Poor  Law.  Tiiere  are  also  a  con- 
siderable number  of  works  of  science  and 
general  literatureofa  more  modern  date. 
The  trustees  of  tlie  British  Mtiseum 
gave  about  150  works,  relating  to 
Greek,  Egyptian,  Syriau,  Phoenician, 
and  other  antiouities,  to  various  de- 
partments of  natural  science,  and  other 
interesting  matters,  tlie  whole  con- 
stituting a  valuable  contribution  to- 
wards the  i-estored  library.  The 
Science  and  Art  De[iartment  of  South 
Kensington  sent  a  selection  of  cata- 
logues, chromo-lilhographs,  books  of 
etchings,  photographs,  &c.  Dr.  F.  A. 
Leo,  of  Berlin,  sent  a  splendid  copy  of 
his  valuable  facsimile  of  "Four 
Chapters  of  North's  Plutarch,"  illus- 
trating Shakespeare's  Roman  plays,  to 
replace  his  former  gift-volume  lost  in 
the  calamitous  fire.  The  volume  is 
one  of  twenty-four  copies,  and  the 
learned  Professor  added  a  printed  de- 
dication as  a  record  of  the  fire  and  the 
loss.  Di.  Delius,  of  Bonn,  Herr 
Wilhelm  Oechelhaiiser,  of  Dessau,  and 
other  German  Shakespeare  authors  sent 
copies  of  their  works.  Mr.  J.  Payne 
Collier  oii'ered  copies  of  his  rare  quarto 
reprints  of  Elizabethan  books,  to  re- 
place those  which  had  been  lost.  Mr. 
Gerald  Massey  oii'ered  a  copy  of  his 
rare  volume  on  Sliakespeare's  Sonnets, 
"  because  it  is  a  Free  Library."  Mr.  H. 
Reader  Lack  offered  a  set  of  the  Patent 
Office  volumes  from  the  limited  num- 
ber at  his  disposal  as  Chief  of  the 
Patent  OHice.  Dr.  Kaines,  of  Trinder 
Road,  London,  selected  100  volumes 
from  his  library  for  acceptance  ;  Mrs. 
and  Miss  L.  Toulmin  Smith  sent  all 
they  could  make  up  of  the  works  of 
Mr.  J.  Toulmin  Smitli,  and  of  his 
father,  Mr.  W.  Hawkes  Smith,  both 
natives  of  our  town  ;  Messrs.  Low,  Son, 
and  Co.,  gave  120  excellent  volumes; 
Messrs.  W.  and  R.  Chambers,  Messrs. 
Crosby,  Lock  wood,  and  Co.,  and  other 
publishers,  valuable  books  ;  Mr.  James 


.SHOWELLa    DICTIJNARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


131 


Coleman  his  "Index  to  Pedigisces, " 
'  Sonieiset  House  Registers,"  and 
"  Wi  liani  Penii  Pe  igtees  ;"  Miss  N. 
Bradley  (l>.ili)  the  new  reissue  ot  Pro- 
fessor R  iskin's  worus  ;  Mr.  H.  W. 
Adnitt  (S  irewsliu  y)  his  repri  t  of 
Gough's  cmious  "  History  of  Mydd  e,  " 
and  of  Ciuuchyard's  "  Miserie  •  f 
Flaunders,"  and  ■' T.  e  Fo  r  j\linisters 
of  Salop  :  "  Mr.  H.  F.  Osle  presented 
a  fine  collection  of  Art  l)o:ik.s,ino  nding 
Griiner's  ^rea'  w  ik,  and  Mr.  J.  H. 
Stone  made  a  valuable  donation  f  the 
same  kind.  The  above  are  mere  it  ms 
ill  che  iisc  of  g  uerous  do;  ors,  and 
gives  but  smal.  ilea  of  ihe  many 
ihousands  of  volumes  which  liave 
streamed  in  rom  all  parts.  Many 
indeed  ha>e  be  n  t  e  valuiblu  gd'ts 
and  addiiions  by  ])urchase  since  the 
tire,  one  of  ih-  lite  t  being  near  y  the 
whole  of  the  a.m  st  pricel  ss  collection 
o*"  Birmingham  books,  papers,  &c,, 
belonging  lo  Mr.  Sam.  Timmins.  Tlie 
sum  of  £1,100  was  piid  him  ft,r  a  cer- 
tain portion  of  books,  but  the  number 
he  has  gi  en  at  vaiious  tinie>  isalmost 
past  count.  Imm  '.iate  s  eps  were 
taken  after  the  lire  to  get  the  lending 
department  of  the  Library  into  work 
again,  and  on  tlie  9th  of  June,  1879,  a 
commodious  (though  rather  dark)  read- 
ing room  WdS  opened  in  Eden  Place, 
the  Town  Council  allowing  a  number 
of  rooms  in  the  Municipal  Buildings  to 
be  Used  by  the  Libraries  Committee. 
In  a  little  time  tiie  nucleus  of  the  new 
Reference  gathering  was  also  in  liaiul, 
and  for  three  years  the  institution 
sojourned  with  the  Council.  The  new 
buildings  were  opened  June  1st,  1882, 
and  the  date  should  be  recorded  as  a 
day  of  rejoicing  and  thanksgiving.  The 
Reference  department  wns  opened  to 
readers  on  th;:  26:11  of  the  same  month. 
In  place  of  the  hire  I  rooms  so  long 
used  as  a  library  in  Constitution  Hill, 
there  has  been  erected  in  the  near 
neighbourhood  a  neat  two-storey  build- 
ing which  \\  ill  accommodate  some  2,000 
readers  per  daj',  and  tlie  shelves  are 
supplied  witli  about  7,000  volumes. 
This  new  library  was  opened  July  18, 


1883.  To  summarise  this  brief  history 
of  tiie  Birmingliam  Free  Libraries  it  is 
well  to  state  that  £78,000  has  been 
spent  on  them  of  wiiicii  £3(3,392  has 
been  for  buildings.  Tlie  cost  of  the 
Central  Library  so  far  has  been  £5.5,000, 
the  remaining  £23,000  being  the  ex- 
penditure on  the  branch  libraries. 
The  present  annual  cost  is  £9.372,  of 
which  £3,372  goes  for  interest  and 
sinking  fund,  so  that  an  addition  must 
soon  be  niaife  to  the  Id.  rate,  which 
produces  £6,454.  The  power  to  in- 
crease the  rate  is  given  in  the  last  Act 
of  Parliament  obtained  by  the  Corpora- 
tion. At  the  end  of  1882  the  Reference 
Library  contained  50,000  volumes. 
The  number  of  books  in  the  Central 
Lending  Library  was  21,394,  while  the 
branch  lending  libraries  contained — 
Constitution  Hill,  7,815  ;  Deritend. 
8,295;  Gosta  Green,  8,274;  and 
Adderley  Park,  3,122.  The  aggregate 
of  all  the  libraries  was  98,900  volumes. 
The  issues  of  books  during  1882  were 
as  follows  :  —  Reference  Library, 
202,179;  Central  Lending  Library, 
186,988  ;  Constitution  Hill,  73,705  ; 
Deritend,  70,218  ;;;Go^ta  Green,  56,160; 
Adderley  Park,  8,497  ;  total,  597,747; 
giving  a  daily  average  of  2,127  issues. 
These  figures  are  exclusive  of  the  Sun- 
day issues  at  the  Reference  Library, 
which  numbered  25,095.  The  average 
number  of  readers  in  the  Reference 
Library  on  Sundays  has  been  545  ;  and 
the  average  attendance  at  all  the  libra- 
ries shows  something  like  55,000 
readers  per  week,  133  different  weekly 
and  monthly  periodicals  being  put  on 
the  tables  for  their  use,  besides  the 
books.  At  a  meeting  of  the  School 
Board,  June  4,  1875,  permission  was 
given  to  use  the  several  infants' school- 
rooms connected  with  the  Board  Schools, 
as  evening  reading  rooms  in  connection 
with  the  libraries. 

The  Shakespeare  Memorial  Library, 
though  to  all  intents  and  purposes 
part  and  parcel  of  the  Reference 
Library,  has  a  separate  and  distinct 
history.  Mr.  Sam.  Timmins,  who  is 
generally  credited  with  having  (in  1858) 


132 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


first    suggested    the    formation     of   a 
library,  which  should  consist  solely  of 
Shakespeare's     works,     and     Shakes- 
peareana  of  all  possible  kinds,   said,  at 
the  tercentenary  meeting,  that  the  idea 
originated  with   George  Dawson,    but 
perhaps  the  honour  should  be  divided, 
as    their   mutual   appreciation    of   the 
greatest  poet  whose  genius  has  found 
utterance    in    our    language     is    well 
known.     The  first  practical  step  taken 
was  the  meeting  held  (July  10,  1863) 
of   gentlemen    interested    in    the    ter- 
centenary,   for    the   purpose   of    con- 
sidering  a   proposal   to  celebrate  that 
event  by  the  formation   of  a  Shakes- 
pearean   library.       The  Rev.  Charles 
Evans,  head  master  of  King  Edward's 
School,  presided.     The  following  reso- 
lution,   moved    by    Mr.    G.    Daw.son, 
and  seconded  by  the  Rev.    S.  Bache, 
was  adopted  : — "  That  it  is  desirable  to 
celebrate  the  tercentenary  of  the  birth 
of  Shakespeare  by  the  formation  of  a 
Shakesjiearean  library,  comprising  the 
various  editions  of  the  poet's  works,  and 
the   literature  and  works  of   art  con- 
nected therewith,  and  to  associate  such 
library     with     the    Borough    Central 
Reference  Library,    in    order    that    it 
may   be    permanently   preserved."     A 
hundred    pounds   were    subscribed    at 
this  meeting,  and  a  committee  formed 
to  proceed  with  the  project.     In  a  very 
few    months    funds     rolled     in,     and 
Shakespeareans  from  all  parts  of  the 
world  .sent  willing  contributions  to  this 
the  first    Shakespearean   library    ever 
thought  of.     It  was  determined  to  call 
it  a  "  Memorial  "  library,  in  hoaour  of 
the  tercentenary  of  1864,    and  on   the 
poet's  day  of  that  year,  the  library  was 
formally  presented  to  the  town  at    a 
breakfast  given  at    Nock's    Hotel    by 
the   Mayol-  (Mr.   W.    HoUi.-lay).       Dr. 
Miller,   George    Dawson,    M.    D.    Hill 
(Recorder),  T.  C.  S.  Kynnersley,  R.  W. 
Dale,  Sam.  Timmins.   and  others  took 
part    in    the    proceedings,     and     the 
Mayor,  on  behalf  of  the  Free  Libraries 
Connnittee,   accepted  the  gift  on    the 
terms  agreed  to  by  the  Town  Council, 
viz.,    that    the    Library     should     be 


called  "The  Shakespearean  Memorial 
Library,"     that    a   room     should     be 
specially  and  exclusively  appropriated 
for    the    purposes    thereof ;    that    the 
librar)''    should    be    under    the    same 
regulations  as  the  Reference  Library  ; 
and   that   the    Free    Libraries'     Com- 
mittee should   maintain  and  augment 
it,  and  accept  all  works  appertaining 
to    Shakespeare   that    might    be    pre- 
sented,  kc.     As  George   Dawson  pro- 
phesied on  that   occasion,   the  library 
in  a  few  years  become  the  finest  col- 
lection of  Shakespearean  literature   in 
Europe    therein  l)eiiig  gathered   from 
every  laud   which    the  poet's  fame  had 
reached,    not  only  the  multitudinous 
editions  of  his  works,   but  also  every 
available    scrap  of  literature    bearing 
thereon,    from  the   massive  folios    and 
quaint  quartoes  of  the   old    t'uies    to 
the    veriest   trifle    of    current    gossip 
culled  from  the  columns   of  the    news- 
papers.    Nothing    was  considered  too 
rare  or  too   unimportant,  so  long  as  it 
had  connection  even  remote  to  Shakes- 
peare ;     and  the    very    room    (opened 
April    23,    1868),  in  which  the  books 
were  stored  itself  acquired  a  Shakes- 
pearean value    in  its  carved  and  elabo- 
rately-appropriate    fittings.         When 
started,    it    was    hoped    that    at  least 
5,000  volumes  would  be  got  together, 
but  that  number  was  passed  in  1874, 
and  at  the  end  of  1»78  there  were  mon^ 
than  8,700,    in  addition  to  the  books, 
pictures,    documents,   and    relics  con- 
nected with  Stratford-on-Avon  and  her 
gifted  son  contained  in  the  Staunton 
collection.       How    all    the     treasures 
vanished  has  alftady  been  told.     Much 
has  been  done  to  replace  the  library, 
and  many  valuable  works  have  been 
secured  ;  but,  as  the  figures  last  pub- 
lished show,   the  new  library  is  a  long 
way  behind  as  yet.     It  now  contains 
4,558    volumes,    valued  at  £1,352  9s. 
3d,,     classified    as    follows: — English, 
2,205  volumes  ;  French,  322  ;  German, 
1,639  ;    Boliemian,    14  ;    Danish,   25  ; 
Dutch,   68  ;    Finnish,    4  ;  Frisian,   2  ; 
Greek,     9  ;    Hebrew,    2  ;    Hungarian, 
44  ;  Icelandic,  3  ;  Italian,  94  ;  Polish, 


SIIOWELLS    UICTIONARY    OF    BIIIMINGHAM. 


133 


15;  Portuguese,  3;  Rouiuaniaii,  1  ; 
Kourneliaii,  1  ;  Russian,  5(5 ;  Spanish, 
18  ;  Swe.lisli,  30  ;  Ukiaine,  1  ;  Wal- 
l;icliian,  1   ;  and  Welsh,  1. 

Librapies  Suburban.— The  rate- 
payers of  the  Manor  of  Aston  aiiopted 
the  Free  Lilnaries  Act,  May  15, 
1877,  and  tlieir  Library  fornis^-  part  of 
the  Local  Board  baihhngs  in  Witton 
Road.  At  the  end  of  March,  1883,  the 
number  of  volumes  iu  tiie  reference 
library  was  3,216,  ami  the  issues  during 
the  year  numbered  8,096.  In  the  lend- 
ing department  the  library  consists  of 
5,58"2  volumes,  and  the  total  issues 
during  the  year  were  74,483  ;  giving  a 
daily  average  of  245,  The  number  of 
borrowers  was  3,669. — Aston  and 
Handsworth  being  almost  part  of  Bir- 
mingham, it  would  be  an  act  of  kind- 
ness if  local  gentlemen  having  dupli- 
cites  on  their  library  shelves,  would 
share  them  between  tlie  two. 

Hamlsworth  Free  Library  was  opened 
at  the  Local  !>oard  Offices,  of  which 
building  it  forms  a  part,  on  May  1, 
1880,  with  a  collection  of  about 
5,000  volumes,  which  has  since  been 
increased  to  nearly  7,500.  That  the 
library  is  appreciated  is  shown  bj'  the 
fdct  that  during  last  year  the  issues 
numbered  42,234  volumes,  the  bor- 
rowers being  514  males  and  561  females. 

Snuthwick  Free  Library  and  Reading 
Room  was  opened  Aug.  14,  1880. 

Kings  Norton. — In  or  about  1680, 
the  Rev.  Thomas  Hall,  B.D.,  founded 
a  curious  old  Library  for  the  use  of 
the  parishioners,  and  the  books  are 
preserved  in  the  Grammar  School,  near 
the  Cliurch.  This  is  the  earliest  free 
library  known  in  the  Midlands. 

Licensed  Vietualleps'  Society. 

— See  "  Trade  Protection  Societies." 

Licensed  Vietualleps'  Asylum. 

— See   ^'  Philanthropical  Institution-:." 

Licensed  Vietualleps.— The  fol- 

lowing  table  shows  the  number  of 
licensed  victuallers,  dealers  in  wine, 
beer,  &.C.,  in  the  borough  as  well  as  the 
holders  of  what  are  known  as  outdoor 
licenses  :  — 


1870 

687 

1871 

ti8:i 

1872 

084 

1873 

()S4 

1874 

tiSO 

187r) 

()7»i 

1876 

67.0 

1877 

673 

187S 

672 

1S711 

671 

1880 

670 

1881 

669 

1SS2 

670 

._,  _. 

^ 

io 

"cS 

3 

'i-^ 

o 

m^ 

'o 

3 

~o 

o 

O 

11  f)6 

1853 

.337.982 

1I()5 

184S 

343,690 

1117 

1801 

349,398 

23 

lOS:? 

1767 

355,106 

4 

53 

lOSl 

1761 

360,814 

4 

53 

1057 

1733 

366,522 

7 

73 

10.09 

1734 

372,230 

171 

73 

1054 

1727 

377,938 

223 

74 

1016 

1718 

383,646 

334 

77 

1061 

1732 

389,354 

433 

61 

1060 

1730 

395,062 

454 

63 

1054 

1723 

400,774 

454 

55 

1054 

1724 

406.482 

459 

57 

Lifeboats. — In  1864-65  a  small 
committee,  composed  of  Messrs.  H. 
Fulford,  G.  Groves,  J.  Pearce,  D. 
Moran,  G.  Williams,  R.  Foreshaw,  and 
G.  Lempiere,  aided  l)y  the  Mayor  and 
Dr.  Miller,  raised  about  £500  as  a  con- 
tribution from  liirmingham  to  the 
Royal  National  Lifeboat  Institution. 
Two  boats  were  credited  to  us  in  the 
Society's  books,  one  ciUed  "  Birming- 
ham  "  (launched  at  Soho  Pool,  Novem- 
ber 26,  1864),  and  the  other  the 
"James  Pearce."  These  boats,  placed 
on  the  Lincolnshire  and  Norfolk 
coasts,  were  instrumental  in  the  saving 
of  some  hundreds  of  lives,  but  both 
have,  long  since,  been  worn  out,  and 
it  is  about  tinre  that  Birmingham  re- 
j)laced  them.  Messrs.  C.  and  W.  Bar- 
well,  Pickfortl  Street,  act  as  local  lion. 
sees.  The  "Charles  Ingleby  "  lifeboit, 
at  Hartle[)ool,  was  paid  for,  and  the 
establishment  for  its  maintenance  en- 
dowed, out  of  the  su!n  of  £1,700,  con- 
tributed by  0.  P.  Wragge,  Esq.,  in 
memory  of  the  late  Rev.  Charles 
Ingleby. 

LiffOPd,  in  the  parish  of  King's 
Norton,  once  boasted  of  a  Monastic 
establishment,  which  was  squelched 
by  Bluff  King  Harry,  the  only  remains 
now  to  be  found  consisting  of  a  few 
more  than  half-buried  foundations  and 
watercourses. 

Lighting.  —Oil  lamps  for  giving 
light  in  the  streets  were  in  limited  use 


134 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    op    BIRMINGHAM. 


here^  in  1733,  even  before  an  Act  was 
obtained  to  enforce  payment  of  a  rate 
therefor.  Deritend  and  Bordesley  ob- 
tained light  by  the  Act  passed  in  1791. 
The  Street  Commissioners,  Nov.  8, 
1816,  advertised  for  tenders  for  light- 
ing the  streets  with  gas,  but  it  was 
nearly  ten  years  (April  29,  1826)  be- 
fore the  lamps  were  thus  supplied. 
The  Lighting  Act  was  adopted  at  Salt- 
ley  April  1,  1875.  Lighting  the  streets 
by  electricity  may  come  some  day, 
though,  as  the  Gas  Works  belong  to 
the  town,  it  will,  doubtless,  be  in  the 
days  of  our  grandchildren. 

Lig'hting  by  Eleetpieity.— After 

the  ver}'  successful  ajiplication  of  the 
electric  light  in  the  Town  Hall  on  the 
occasion  of  the  Festival  in  1882,  it  is 
not  surprising  that  an  attempt  should 
be  made  to  give  it  a  more  extended 
trial.  A  scheme  has  been  drawn  out 
by  the  Crompton- Winfield  Company 
for  this  purpose,  and  it  has  received 
the  sanction  of  tlie  Town  Council,  and 
l>een  confirmed  by  the  Board  of  Trad' , 
shopkeepers  in  the  centre  ot  the  town 
may  soon  have  a  choice  of  lights  for  the 
display  of  their  wares.  The  area  fixed 
by  the  scheme  is  described  by  the  fol- 
lowing boundaries  :  —  Great  Charles 
Street  to  Congreve  Street  ;  Congreve 
Street  to  Edmund  Street ;  E  Imund 
Street  to  Newhall  Street  ;  Newhall 
Street  to  Colmore  Row  ;  Colmore  Row 
to  Bull  Street ;  Bull  Street,  High 
Street,  New  Street,  Stephenson  Place, 
Paradise  Street,  and  Easy  Row.  The 
streets  to  be  supplied  with  electric 
mains  witliin  two  years  are  as  follows  : 
— Great  Charles  Street  (to  Congreve 
Street),  Congreve  Street,  New  Street, 
Stephenson  Place,  Easy  Row,  and 
Paradise  Street.  The  Corporation  are 
to  have  powers  of  purchasing  the  under- 
taking at  the  end  of  sixteen  years — 
that  is,  fourteen  years  after  the  expi- 
ration of  the  two  years'  term  allowed 
for  the  experimental  ligliting  of  the 
limited  area.  The  order,  while  fully 
protecting  the  rights  of  the  public  and 
of  tlie  Corporation,  justly  recognises 
the  experimental  character  of  the  pro- 


ject of  electric-lighting  from  a  common 
centre, and  is  much  more  favourable,  in 
many  ways,  to  the  promoters  than  the 
legislation  under  which  gas  under- 
takings are  conducted.  Whether  this 
will  tend  towarMS  reducing  the  price  of 
gas  remains  to  be  seen. 

Ligrhtning-  ConduetOPS  were  in- 
troduced here  in  1765. 

Lindon.— The  Minerva,  in  Peck 
Lane,  was,  circa  1835,  kept  by  "Joe 
Lindon,"  a  host  as  popular  then  as  our 
moilern  "Joe  Hillman,"  up  at  "The 
Stores,"  in  Pa'-adise  Street. 

Litepapy    Associations.  —  The 

Central  Literary  Association  first  met 
Nov.  28,  1856.  The  Moseley  and  Bal- 
sall  Heath,  Oct.  11,  1877. 

LivePy  StPeet— So  called  from 
the  Livery  stables  once  there,  opposite 
Brittle  street,  which  is  now  covered  by 
the  Great  Western  Railway  Station. 

Livingstone.  —  Dr.  Livingstone, 
the  African  traveller,  delivered  an  ad- 
dress in  the  Town  Hall,  October  23, 
1857. 

Loans. — According  to  thcRegistrar- 
GeneraFs  late  report,  there  were  380 
loan  societies  in  the  kingdom,  who  had 
among  them  a  capital  of  £122,160,  the 
members  of  the  said  societies  number- 
ing 33,520,  giving  an  average  lending 
capital  of  £3  12s!  10|d.  each.  That  is 
certainly  not  a  very  large  sum  to  invest 
in  the  money  market,  and  it  is  to  be 
hoped  that  the  score  or  two  of  local 
societies  can  show  better  funds.  What 
the  i)rotits  of  tliis  business  are  fre- 
quently appear  in  the  reports  taken  at 
Police  Courts  and  County  Courts,  wliei  e 
Mr. Cent.-per-Cent.  now  and  then  bash- 
fully acknowledges  that  he  is  some- 
times satisfied  with  a  profit  of  200  per 
cent.  There  arc  respectable  offices  iu 
Biruiingham  where  loans  can  be  ob- 
tained at  «  fair  and  reasonable  rate,  but 
Punch' s-Ai\\\cc  to  those  about  to  marry 
may  well  be  given  in  the  generality 
of  cases,  to  anyone  thinking  of  visiting 
a  loan  office.  YouTig  men  starting  in 
business  may,  irnder  certain  conditions. 


SHOWELl's    dictionary    op    BIRMINGHAM. 


135 


obtain  help  for  tliat  ])iupose  from  tlu' 
"Dudley  Trust."— Sbo  "  FhUaiithro- 
pical  Trusts." 

Loans,    Public— EngHml,    with 

its  National  Debt  of  £77(5,000,000,  is 
about  the  richest  country  in  the.  world, 
and  if  the  amount  of  indebtedness  is 
the  sign  of  pro^^perity,  Birmingham 
must  be  tolerably  well  off.  Uj)  to  the 
end  nf  1882  our  little  loan  account 
stood  thus  : — 


Borrowd 

Repaid 

Owing. 

Baths 

£fi2,4ii:. 

€27743 

£34,682 

Cemetery     . . 

4(3,500 

19,3  n; 

27,184 

Closed  BurialGr'nds 

10,000 

41 

9,959 

Council  House 

13.5,T6-J 

10,208 

125,.554 

Fire  ISri^aile  Station 

6,000 

53 

5,947 

Free  Libraries 

56,050 

7,534 

48,516 

Gaol 

92,350 

79,425 

12,925 

Industrial  School.. 

l:;,710 

2,31U 

11,400 

Asylum,  Wiiison  Gn. 

100,000 

97,020 

2.980 

KuberyHill 

100,012 

5,ys7 

94,125 

Mark  tHalUfe  Marias 

186,04:i 

73,463 

113,479 

Mortuaries  . . 

700 

;03 

597 

Parks 

63,210 

12,347 

50,863 

Paving  reads 

158,100 

30,088 

128,012 

Paving'footways-  . . 

7f,950 

8,113 

71,837 

Police  Stations 

25,231 

9,S39 

15,392 

Public  Office 

23,400 

14.286 

9,115 

Sewers  &  Sewerage 

30o,235 

81,338 

284,897 

Tramways   .. 

65,450 

17,125 

48,325 

Town  Hall  .. 

69,521 

37,885 

31.636 

own  Iniprovem  nts 

348,680 

134,156 

214,524 

2,010,227 

668,278 

1,341,949 

Improvem't  scheme 

1,534,731 

31,987 

1,502,744 

Gaswork.s     . . 

2,184,186 

142,3,59 

2,041,827 

"Waterworks 

1,814,792 

5,086 

1,809,706 

Totals  .. 

7,543,936 

847,710 

6,69G,226 

The  above  large  total,  however,  does 
not  show  all  tiiat  was  owing.  The 
United  Drainage  Board  have  borrowed 
£386,806,  and  as  Birmingham  pays 
£24, 722  out  of  the  year's  expenditure 
of  £3.3,277  of  that  Board,  rather  more 
than  seven-tenths  of  that  debt  must  be 
added  to  the  Borough  account,  say 
£270,000.  The  Board  of  Guardians 
have,  between  June, 1869, and  January, 
1883,  borrowed  on  loan  £130,093,  and 
during  same  period  liave  repaid 
£14.808,  leaving  £115,28.')  due  by 
them,  which  must  also  be  added  to  the 
list  of  the  town's  lebts. 

Local  Acts.— There  have  been  a 
sudicient    number     ot    specially-local 


Acts  of  Parliament  passed  in  connec- 
tion with  this  town  to  fill  a  law  library 
of  considerable  size  Statuti  s,  clauses, 
sections,  and  orders  have  followed  in 
rapid  succes.sion  for  the  last  generation 
or  two.  Our  forefathers  were  satisfitd 
and  gratified  if  they  got  a  regal  of 
parliamentary  notice  of  this  kind  once 
in  a  century,  but  no  sooner  did  the  in- 
habitants find  themselves  under  a 
"  properly-constituted  "  body  of  "head 
men,"  than  the  lawyers'  game  began. 
First  a  law  must  be  got  to  make  a 
street,  another  to  light  it,  a  third  to 
])ave  it,  and  then  one  to  keep  it  clean. 
It  is  a  narrow  street,  and  an  Act  must 
be  obtained  to  widen  it ;  when  widened 
some  wiseacre  thinks  a  market  should 
be  held  in  it,  and  a  law  is  got  for  that, 
and  for  gathering  tolls  ;  after  a  bit, 
another  is  required  to  remove  the 
market,  and  then  the  street  must  be 
"  improved,"  and  somebody  receives 
more  pounds  per  yard  than  he  gave 
pence  lor  the  bit  of  ground  wanted  to 
round  off  the  corners  ;  and  so  the  Bir- 
mingham world  wagged  on  until  the 
towiibecamea  big  town,  andcouldafford 
to  have  a  big  Town  Hall  when  other 
big  towns  couldn't,  and  a  covered  Market 
Hall  and  aSmithtield  of  good  size,  while 
other  places  dwelt  under  bare  skies. 
The  Act  by  which  the  atithority  of  the 
Street  Commissioners  and  Highway 
Surveyors  was  transferred  to  the  Cor- 
poration was  ]>assed  in  1851  ;  the  ex- 
penses of  obtaining  it  reaching  nearly 
£9,000.  It  took  effect  on  New  Year's 
Day  following,  and  the  Commissioners 
were  no  longer  "one  of  the  powers  that 
be,"  but  some  of  the  Commissioners' 
bonds  are  effective  still.  Since  that 
date  there  have  been  twenty  heal 
statutes  and  orders  relating  to  the 
borough  of  Birmingham,  from  the 
Birmingham  Improvement  Act,  1851, 
to  the  Provisional  Order  Confirmation 
Act,  passed  in  1882,  the  twenty  con- 
taining a  thousand  or  more  section.?. 
All  this,  however,  has  recently  been 
altered,  the  powers  that  are  now  having 
(through  the  Town  Clerk,  ilr.  Orl'ord 
Snuth)  rolled  all  the  old  Acts  into  one, 


136 


SHOWBLLS    DICTIONARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


eliminating  useless  and  obsolete 
clauses,  and  inserting  others  necessi- 
tated by  our  liigh  state  of  advanced 
civilisation.  The  new  Art,  which  is 
known  as  the  Birmingham  Corporation 
Consolidation  Act,  came  into  force 
January  1,  1884,  and  all  who  desire 
to  master  our  local  governing  laws 
easily  and  completely  had  better  pro- 
cure a  copy  of  the  book  containing  it, 
with  notes  of  all  tlie  included  statutes, 
compiled  by  the  Town  Clerk,  and  pub- 
lished by  Messrs.  Cornish,  New  Street. 

Local  Epitaphs.  —  Baskerville, 
when  young,  was  a  stone  cutter,  and 
it  was  known  that  there  was  a  grave- 
stone in  Handsworth  churchyard  and 
anotlierinEdgbaston  churchyard  which 
were  cut  by  liim.  The  latter  was  acci- 
dentally broken  many  years  back,  but 
was  moved  and  kept  as  a  curiosity 
until  it  mysteriously  vanished  while 
some  repairs  were  being  done  at  the 
church.  It  is  believed  tliat  Baskerville 
wrote  as  well  as  carved  the  inscription 
which  commemorated  the  death  of 
Edward  Richards  who  was  an  idiot, 
au'l  died  Sept.  21st,  1728,  and  that  it 
ran  thus  : — 

" If  iiinocents  are  the  tav'rites  of  heaven, 
And  God  but  little  asks  where  little's  given, 
Sly  great  Creator  has  for  me  in  store 
Eteinal   joys — What     wise      man     can    ask 
more  ?  " 

The  gravestone  at  Handsworth  was 
V  under  the  chancel  window,"  sixty 
years  ago,  overgrown  with  moss  and 
weeds,  but  inscription  and  stone  have 
long  since  gone.  Baskerville's  own 
epitaph,  on  the  Mausoleum  in  his 
grounds  at  Easy  Hill,  has  often  been 
(juoted  : — 

Stranger, 
Beneath  this  cone,   in   uneonsecrated  ground, 
A  friend  to  the  liberties  of  mankind  directed 

his  body  to  be  inuriied. 
May  the  example  contribute  to   emancipate 

thy  mind 
From  the  idle  fears  of  Superstition, 
And  tlie  wicked  Act  of  Priesthood  ! 

Almost  as  historical  as  the  above,  is  the 
inscription  on  the  tombstone  erected 
over  Mary  Ashford,  at  Sutton  Cold- 
field  :— 


As  a  Warning  to  Female  Virtue, 

And  a  humble  Monument  of  Female  Chastity 

This  Stone  marks  the  Grave 

of 

Mary  Ashford, 

Who,  in  the  SOtli  year  of  her  age, 

Having  incautiously  lepaired 

To  a  scene  of  amusement 

Without  pi'oper  protection. 

Was  brutally  violated  and  murdered, 

On  the  Srtli  May,  1817. 

Lovely  and  chaste  as  is  the  primrose  pale. 
Rifled  of  virgin  sweetness  by  the  gale, 
Mary !     The    wretch    who  thee  remorseless 

slew, 
Will  surely  God's  avenging  wrath  pursue. 

For,  though  the  deed  of  blood  be  veiled  in 

nisht, 
"Will    not   the   Judge   of  all    the    earth  do 

right?" 
Fair,  blighted  flower !    The  muse,  that  weeps 

thy  doom, 
Rears  o'er   thy    sleeping  dust  this  warning 

tomb  ! 

The  following  quaint  inscription  ap- 
pears on  the  tombstone  erected  in 
memory  of  John  Dowler,  the  black- 
smith, in  Aston  churcliyard  : — • 

Sacred  to  the  Memory  of 

John  Dowler, 

Late  of  Castle  Bromwich,  who 

Departed  this  life  December  6th,  1787, 

Aged  42, 

Also  two  of  his  Sons,  J.^mes  and  Charles, 

Who  died  infants. 

My  sledge  and  hammer  lie  recbned, 
My  bellows,  too,  have  lost  their  wind 
My  tire's  extinct,  niy  forge  decayed, 
And  in  the  dust  my  vice  is  laid  ; 
5fy  coal  is  sjient,  my  iron  gone, 
My  nails  are  drove,  my  work  is  done. 

The  latter  part  of  the  above,  like  the 
next  four,  has  appeared  in  many  parts 
of  the  country,  as  well  as  in  the  local 
burial  grounds,  from  which  they  have 
been  copied  : — 

From  St.  Burtholomew's  : 

"  The  bitter  cup  that  death  gave  me 
Is  passing  round  to  come  to  thee.'' 

From  General  Cemetery  : 

"  Life  is  a  city  full  of  crooked  streets, 
Death   is    the  market-place  where  all  men 

meets  ; 
If  life  were  merchandise  which  men  could 

buy, 
The  rich  would  only  live,  the  poor  would 

die." 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


137 


From  Wittoii  Cemetery  : 

"  O  earth,  O  earth  !  observe  this  well  — 
Tliat  earth  to  earth  .sliall  come  to  dwell  ; 
Then  earth  in  earth  shall  close  remain, 
Till  earth  from  earth  shall  rise  again." 

From  St.  Philip's  : 

"Oh,  cruel  death,  how  could  you  be  sotinkind 
To  take  him  before,  and  leave  ine  behind  ? 
You  should  have  taken  bath  of  us,  if  either, 
^\hich  would  have  been  more  jdeasing  to 
the  survivor." 

The  next,  upon  an  infant,  is  superior 
to  the  general  run  of  thi.s  class  of  in- 
scription. It  was  copied  from  a  slab 
intended  to  be  placed  in  Old  Edgbaston 
Churcliyard  : 

"  Beneath  this  stone,  in  sweet  repose, 

Is  laid  a  mother's  dearest  pride  ; 
A  flower  that  scarce  had  waked  to  life, 

And  light  and  beauty,  ere  it  died. 
God  and  Hi.s  wisdom  has  recalled 

The  precious  boou  His  love  has  given  ; 
And  though  the  casket  moulders  liere. 

The  gem  is  sparkling  now  in  heaven." 

Ramblers  may  find  many  quaint  epi- 
taphs in  ueiglibouriiig  village  church- 
yards. In  Shustoke  churcliyard,  or 
rather  on  a  tablet  placed  against  tlie 
wall  of  the  church  over  the  tomb 
of  a  person  named  Hautbach, 
the  date  on  which  is  1712, 
there  is  an  inscription,  remark- 
able not  only  for  lines  almost  iden- 
tical with  those  over  Shakespeare's 
grave,  but  for  couibining  several  other 
favourite  specimens  ot  graveologieal 
literattire,  as  here  bracketed  : 

"  AVhen  Death  shall  cut  the  thread  of  life, 
Both  of  Mee  and  my  living  Wife, 
When  please  God  our  change  shall  bee. 
There  is  a  Tomb  (m-  Mee  and  Shee, 
Wee  fieely  shall  resign  up  all 
To  Him  who  gave,  and  us  doth  call. 

_(  Sleep  here  wee  must,  both  in  the  Dust, 

"(  Till  the  Resurrection  of  the  Just. 

I  Good  friend,  within  these  Railes  forbear 

)  To  dig  the  dust  enclosed  here. 

j  Blest  bee  the  man  who  spares  these  stones 

(  And  Curst  be  he  that  moves  our  bones. 

/  Whilst  living  here,  learn  how  to  die  ; 

)  This  benefit  thoul't  reap  thereby  : 

1  Neither  the  life  er  death  will  bee 

(.Grievous  or  sad,  but  joy  to  thee. 

J  Watch  thoue,  and  pray;  tliy  time  well  spend; 

(  Unknown  is  the  Iiour  of  thy  end. 

(  As  thou  art,  so  once  were  wee, 

(  As  wee  are,  so  must  thou  bee, 

Dumspiramus  Speramus. ' 


It  is  a  collection  of  epitaphs  in  itself, 
even  to  the  last  line,  wliich  is  to  be 
found  in  Durham  Cathedral  on  a 
"brass"  before  the  altar. 

Local  Landowners.— It  is  some- 
what a  ditlicult    matter    to    toll    how 
much  of  the  ground  on  which  the  town 
is  built  belongs  to  any  one  particular 
person,  even  with  the  assistance  of  the 
"Returns"  obtained  by  John    Bright 
of  "  the  owners  of  land   so  called,  pos- 
sessing   estimated    yearly    rentals    of 
£1,000    and    upwards."      That    these 
"Returns"   may  be  useful   to   biassed 
politicians  is  likely  enough,    as    Lord 
Calthorpe    is    put    down  as    owner  of 
2.073  acres  at    an    estimated    renial  of 
£113,707,  while  Mr.  Muntz  appears  as 
owning    2,486    acres    at    an  estimated 
rental^   of    £3,948.        His     lordship's 
£113,707     "estimated"    rental    must 
be    considerably    reduced     when     the 
leaseholders  have  taken  their  share  and 
left  him  only  the  ground  rents.     The 
other  large  ground    landlords  are  the 
Trustees  of  the  Grammar  School,  the 
Trustees  of  the  Colmore,  Good),  Vyse, 
Inge,     Digby,     Gillot,     Robins,     and 
JIason  estates,  &c.,  Earl  Howe,  Lench's 
Trust,  the  Blue  Coat  School,  &c.      The 
Corporation  of  Biriningliani  is  returned 
as  owning  257  acres,  in  addition  to  134 
had  from    the    Waterworks    Co.,    but 
that   does   not   include    the   additions 
male  under  the   Improvemeiit  Scheme, 
&c.      The  manner   in  which  the  estates 
of  tiie  old  Lords  of  the  J\Iauor,  of  the 
Guild   of  Holy  Cross,  and    the   posses- 
sions of  the   ancient  Priorj,  have  been 
divided  and  portioned   out  by  descent, 
marriage,  forfeiture,  plunder,  and  pur- 
chase   is  interesting  matter  of  history, 
but   rather   of  a  private    than    public 
nature. 

Local  Notes  and  Quepies.— The 

gathering  of  odd  scraps  of  past  local 
Jiistory,  notes  of  men  and  manners  of  a 
bygone  time,  and  the  stray  (and  some- 
times strange)  bits  of  folklore  garnered 
alone  in  the  recollections  of  greybeards, 
has  been  an  interesting  occupation  for 
more  than  one  during  the  past  score  or 


138 


SHOWBLl's    dictionary    op    BIRMINGHAM 


two  of  years.  The  first  series  of  "Local 
Notes  and  Queries  "  in  our  newspapers 
appeared  in  the  Gazette, commtinciug  in 
Feb.,  1856,  and  was  continued  till 
Sept.,  1860.  There  was  a  somewhat 
similar  but  short  series  running  in  the 
columns  of  tlie  Journal  from  August, 
1861,  to  May,  1862.  The  Daily  Post 
took  it  up  in  Jan.,  1863,  and  devoted 
a  column  per  week  to  ' '  Notes  "  up  to 
March,  1865.  resuming  at  intervals 
from  1867  to  1872.  The  series  now(1884) 
appearing  in  the  Weekly  Post  was  com- 
menced on  the  first  Saturday  (Jan.  6) 
in  1877. 

Local  Taxation.— See  "Munici- 
pal Expenditure." 

Locks.— The  making  of  locks  must 
have  been  one  of  the  earliest  of  our  local 
trades,  as  we  read  of  one  at  Throck- 
morton ot  very  quaint  design,  but  rare 
workmanship,  with  the  name  thereon 
of  "Johannes  Wilkes,  Birmingham," 
towards  the  end  of  the  17tli  century. 
In  182i  there  were  186  locksmiths 
named  in  the  Directory. 

Loclg-eP  Franchise.- Considering 
the  vast  amount  of  interest  taken  in  all 
matters  connected  with  local  Parlia- 
mentary representation,  and  the  peri- 
odical battles  of  bile  and  banter  earned 
on  in  the  Revision  Courts  over  the  lists 
of  voters,  it  is  somewhat  carious  to 
note  how  little  advantage  has  been 
taken  of  the  clause  in  the  last  Reform 
Bill  which  I'ives  the  right  of  voting  to 
lodgers.  The  qualitication  required 
is  simply  tlie  exclusive  occupation  of 
lodgings" which,  if  let  unfurnished,  are 
of  tlie  clear  yearly  value  ol  £10  ; 
and  there  must  be  many  hundreds  of 
gentle;nen  in  the  borough  residing  in 
apartments  who  would  come  under 
this  liead.  Out  of  a  total  of  63,221 
electors  in  18S3  there  were  only 
72  who  had  claimed  their  right  to 
vote.  In  many  other  boroughs  the 
same  di.-crepaucy  exists,  though  here 
and  there  the  [.olitical  wire-pullers  have 
evidently  seen  how  to  use  the  lodger 
franchise  to  much  better  effect,  as  in 
the    case   of  Worcester    for    instance, 


where  there  are  59  lodger  voters  out 
of  a  total  of  6,362.— See  "  Parliainm- 
tary  Elections.^' 

London   'Prentice  Street,  was 

called  Western  Street  or  Westley's 
Row  on  the  old  maps,  its  continuation, 
the  Coach  Yard,  being  then  Fember- 
ton's  Yard.  How  the  name  of  London 
'Prentice  Street  came  to  be  given  to 
the  delectable  thoroughfare  is  one  o^f 
•'those  things  no  fei  low  canunderstand  " 
At  one  time  there  was  a  .school-room 
there,  the  boys  being  taught  good 
manners  upstairs,  while  they  could 
learn  lessons  of  d.'pravity  below.  With 
the  anxious  desire  of  patting  the  best 
face  on  everything  that  characterises 
the  present  local  "  fathers  of  the 
people,"  the  London  'Prentice  has  been 
sent  to  the  right-about,  and  the  nasty 
dirty  stinking  thoroughfare  is  now 
called  "Dalton  Street." 

Loveday    Street,    from    Loveday 
Croft,   a   field   given    in    Good    Queen  , 
P.ess's   reign,    by  John    Cooper,    as    a 
trysting-place  for  the  Brummagem  lads 
and  lasses  when  on  wooing  bent. 

Low  Rents.  — Areturn  of  unassessed 
houses  in  the  pirish  of  Birmingham, 
taken  October  19,  1790,  showed  2,000 
at  a  rental  under  £5,  2,000  others 
under  £6,  3,000  under  £7,  2,000' 
under  £8,  500  under  £9,  and  500' 
under  £10. 

LozellS.— In  the  lease  of  a  farm  of 
138  acres,  sold  by  auction,  June  24, 
1793,  it  was  written  "Lowcells." 
Possibly  the  name  is  derived  from  the 
Saxon  "lowc"  (hill)  and  "cole"  (cold 
or  chill)  making  it  "  the  cold  hill." 

Lunacy. — Whether  it  arises  from 
political  heat,  religioits  ecstacies,  in- 
temperance, or  the  cares  and  worry  of 
the  universal  hunt  for  wealth,  it  is 
certaiiily  a  painful  fact  to  chronic'e 
that  in  proportion  to  population  in- 
sanity is  far  more  prevalent  now  than 
it  was  fifty  years  ago,  and  I'irmingham 
has  no  more  share  in  such  exces.s  than 
other  parts  of  the  kingdom.  Possibly, 
the    figures    show    mure    prominently 


SIIOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIMIINGUAM. 


139 


from  the  action  of  the  wise  rules  that 
enforce  the  gathering  of  the  insane 
into  public  institutions,  instead  of 
leaving  the  unfortunates  to  tlie  care 
(or  carelessness)  of  their  relatives  as  in 
past  days,  when  the  wards  of  the  poor- 
houses  were  the  only  receptacles  for 
those  who  had  no  relatives  to  shelter 
them.  The  erection  of  the  Borough 
Asylum,  at  Wuismi  Green,  was  com- 
menced in  1846,  and  it  was  finislied  in 
1851.  The  house  and  grounds  covered 
an  area  of  about  twenty  acres,  the 
building  being  arranged  to  accommo- 
date 330  patients.  Great  as  this  num- 
ber appearetl  to  be,  not  many  years 
passed  before  the  necessity  of  enlarge- 
ment was  perc'-ived,  and,  ultimately, 
it  became  evident  the  Winson 
Green  estal)lishment  must  either  be 
doubled  in  size  or  that  a  second  Asylum 
must  be  erected  on  another  site.  An 
estate  of  1.50  acres  on  the  southeastHrn 
slopes  of  Rnbery  Hill,  on  the  right- 
hand  side  of  the  turnpike  road  from 
here  to  Bromsc;rovi',  was  purchased  by 
the  Corporation,  and  a  new  Asylum, 
which  will  accommodate  616  patients,' 
has  there  been  erected.  For  the  house 
and  its  immediate  grounds,  70  acres 
have  been  aitportioned,  the  remainder 
being  kept  for  the  purposes  of  a  farm, 
where  those  of  the  inmates  tit  for  work 
can  be  employed,  and  where  the  sew- 
age from  the  asylum  will  be  utilised. 
The  cost  of  the  land  was  £6,576  8s.  5d. , 
and  that  of  the  buildings,  the  furnish- 
ing, and  tlie  laying  out  of  the  grounds, 
£133,495  5s.  8d.  The  report  of  the 
Lunatic  Asylums  Committee  for  1882 
state]  that  the  numlier  of  patients,  in- 
cluding thosy  boarded  under  contract 
at  other  asylums,  on  the  first  of  Jan., 
1882.  was  839.  There  were  admitte(l 
to  Winson  Green  and  Rubery  Hill 
during  the  year  349.  There  were  dis- 
charged during  the  year  94,  and  there 
died  124,  leaving,  on  the  31st  D.c. , 
970.  The  whole  of  the  970  were  then 
at  the  borough  asylums,  and  were 
chargeable  as  follows: — To  Birmingham 
parish,  644  ;  to  Birmingham  borough, 
8  ;  to  Aston   Union,   in  the  borough, 


168  ;  to  King's  Norton,  16  ;  to  other 
unions  under  contract,  98  ;  the  remain- 
ing 36  patients  not  being  paupers.  The 
income  of  the  asylums  fir  the  year  was 
— from  Birmingham  patients  £20,748 
Is.  9.;  from  pauper  patients  under 
contract,  and  from  patients  notpiupers, 
£2,989  9s.  5d. ;  fro-n  iroods  sold,  £680 
Is.  5d. ;  total,  £24,417  12s.  7d.  The 
expenditure  on  mainti'uance  account 
was  £21,964  4s.,  and  on  building 
capital  account  £2,966  7s.  7d. — 
total,  £24,915  lis.  7d.  ;  showing  a 
balance  against  the  asylums  of  £497 
19s.  The  nett  average  weekly  cost  for 
tlie  vear  was  9s.  6id.  per  head.  j\lr.  E. 
B.  Whitcombe,  meilical  superintendent 
at  Winson  Green,  says  that  among  the 
causes  of  insanity  in  those  admitted  it 
is  satisfactory  to  note  a  large  decrease 
ill  the  number  from  intemperance,  the 
percentage  for  the  year  being  7 '7,  as 
compared  witli  18  and  21  per  cent,  in 
ISSl  and  1880  respectively.  The  pro- 
]iortion  of  recoveries  to  admissions  was 
in  the  males  27  7,  in  the  femiles  36, 
and  in  tlie  total  32 '3  percent.  This  is 
below  the  average,  and  is  due  to  a  large 
number  of  chronic  and  uni'avourable 
cases  admitted.  At  Rubery  Hill 
Asylum,  Dr.  Lyle  reports  that  out  of 
the  first  450  admissions  there  were  six 
patients  discharged  as  recovered. — The 
Midland  Counties'  Idiot  Asylum,  at 
Knowle,  opened  in  1867,  also  finds 
shelter  for  some  of  Birmingham's  un- 
fortunate children.  The  Asylum  pro- 
vides a  home  for  about  50,  but  it  is  in 
contemplation  to  consideralily  enlarge 
it.  At  the  end  of  1882  there  were  28 
males  and  21  females,  47  being  tlie 
average  number  of  inmat<'S  during  the 
year,  the  cost  per  head  being  £41 
13s.  6d.  Of  the  limited  number 
of  inmates  in  the  institution  no 
fewer  than  thirteen  came  from  Bir- 
mingham, and  altogethur  as  many  as 
thirty-tive  candidates  had  been  elected 
from  Birniingham.  The  income  from 
all  sources,  exclusive  of  contributions 
to  the  building  fund,  amounted  to 
£2,033  3s.  8d.,  and  the  total  expendi- 
ture 'including  £193  3s.  4d.  written  off 


140 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHA.M. 


for  depreciation  of  buildino;s)  to 
£1,763  los.  7d. ,  leavins  a  balance  in 
hand  of  £269  8.s.  Id.  The  fund  which 
is  being  laised  for  the  enlargement  of 
the  institution  then  amounted  to  £605 
15s.,  the  sum  required  being  £5,000. 
The  society's  cajiital  was  then  £10.850 
12s.  8d.  o'f  which  £7,358  12s.  5.1.  had 
been  laid  out  in  lands  and  buildings. 
^Ir.  Tait,  the  medical  othcer,  was  of 
opinion  that  one-fourth  of  the  children 
were  capable  of  becoming  productive 
workers  under  kindly  (iirectioii  and 
supervision,  the  progress  made  by  some 
of  the  boj's  in  basket-making  being  very 
marked. 

Lunar  Society.— So  cUled  from 

the  meetings  being  held  at  the  full  of 
the  moon  that  the  members  might 
have  light  nights  to  drive  home,  but 
from  which  tliey  were  nicknamed 
"  tlie  lunatics."  Originally  commenced 
about  1765,  it  included  among  its 
members  Haskerville,  Boulton,  Watt, 
Priestley,  Thomas  Day,  Samuel  Gal- 
ton,  R.  L.  Edgeworth,  Dr.  "Withering, 
Dr.  Small,  Dr.  Darwin,  Wedgwood, 
Keir,  and  indeed  almost  every  man  of 
intellectual  note  of  the  time.  It  died 
down  as  death  took  tlie  leaders,  but 
it  may  be  said  to  have  left  traces  in 
many  learned  .societies  of  later  date. 

Luncheon  Bars.— The  honour  of 

introducing  the  modern  style  of  lun- 
cheon bar  must  ba  awarded  to  the 
landlord  of  the  Acorn,  in  Temple  Street, 
who,  having  seen  something  of  the 
kind  in  one  of  the  Channel  Islands, 
imported  the  notion  to  Birmingham. 
The  lumber  rooms  and  stables  at  back 
of  his  house  were  cleaied  and  fitted  up 
as  smoke  rooms,  and  bre^d  and  cheese, 
and  beer,  &c. ,  dealt  out  over  the 
countei.  Here  it  was  that  Mr.  Hill- 
,  man  took  his  degree  as  popular  waiter, 
and  from  the  .Acorn  also  he  took  a 
wife  to  help  him  start  "The  Stores," 
in  Paradise  Street.  ]\lr.  Thomas  Han- 
son was  not  long  behind  Hillman 
before  lie  opened  up  "  The  Corner 
Stores,"  in  Union  Passage,  following 
that  with  the  "  St.    James  "  in  New 


Street,  and  several  others  in  various 
parts  of  the  town.  The  "Bars"  are 
now  an  "institution"  that  has  be- 
come absolutelj'  indispensable,  even 
for  the  class  who  prefer  the  semi- 
privacy  of  the  "Restaurants,"  as  the 
proprietois  of  the  more  select  Bars  like 
to  call  their  establishments. 

Magistrates.— By  direction  of  the 
Queen's  Council,  in  1569,  all  magis- 
trates had  to  send  up  "  bonds  "  that 
they  would  subscribe  to  the  then  re- 
cently passed  Act  for  the  Uniformity  of 
Common  Praj'ers  and  Services  in  the 
Church,  and  the  Administration  of  the 
Sacraments.  The  local  name  of  Middle- 
more  appears  among  the  few  in  this 
county  who  objected  to  do  so,  and  most 
likely  his  descendants  would  do  the 
same.  The  first  twenty-five  of  our 
borough  magistrates  were  appointed 
about  nine  weeks  after  the  date  of  the 
Charter  of  Incorporation,  1839.  In 
1841,  1849,  1856,  and  1859,  other 
gentlenren  were  placed  on  the  roll,  and 
in  April,  1880,  ten  more  names  were 
added  to  the  list,  having  been  sent  up 
to  the  Lord  Chancellor  a  few  days 
before  he  vacated  office,  by  some  know- 
ing gentlemen  who  had  conceived  a 
notion  that  the  Conservative  element 
was  hardl}^  strong  enough  among  the 
occupants  of  the  Bench.  There  are 
now  52,  in  addition  to  the  Stipendiary 
Magistrate  and  the  Recorder,  and  as 
polities  must  enter  into  every  matter 
connected  with  public  life  in  Birming- 
ham, we  record  the  interesting  fact  that 
31  of  these  gentlemen  are  Liberals  and 
21  Conservatives.  Mr.  T.  C.  S.  Kyn- 
nersley  first  acted  as  Stipendiar^'^,  April, 
19,  1856. 

Magazines. — ^ee"  Newspapers  and 

Periodicals." 

Manor  House. — How  few  of  the 

thousands  who  pass  Smithfield  every 
day  know  that  they  are  treading  upon 
ground  where  once  the  Barons  of 
Birmingham  kept  house  in  feudal 
grandeur.  Whether  the  ancient  Castle, 
destroyed  in  the  time  of  Stephen,  pre- 
occupied the  site  of  the  Alanor  House 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


141 


(or,   as  it  was  of  late   years  calletl — 
the   iloat  House),  is  more  than  anti- 
quarians have  yet  found  out,  any  more 
than  they  can  tell  us  when  the  latter 
building  was  erected,  or  when  it  was 
demolished.       Hutton     says:     "The 
first  certain    account  we  meet  of  the 
moat  (wliich  surrounded  the  island  on 
which   the  erections  were  built)  is  in 
the  reign  of  Henry  the  Second,  1154, 
whenPeterdo  Benningham,  then  lord  of 
the  fee,  had  a  castle  here,  and  lived  in 
splendour.     All    the   succeeding    lords 
resided  upon  the  same  island  till  their 
cruel    expulsion    b}'    John,    Duke    of 
Northumberland,    in    1537.     The    old 
castle  followetl  its  lords,  and  is  buried 
in  the  ruins  of  time.      Ui>on   the  spot, 
about  fifty   years  ago    [1730],    rose    a 
house  in    the  modern   style,   occupied 
bj'  a  manufacturer  (Thomas  Francis)  ; 
in  one  of  the  outbuildings  is  shown  the 
apartment  where  the  ancient  lords  kept 
their  court  leet.   Tlie  trench  being  filled 
with  water  has  neatly  the  same  appear- 
ance now  as  perhaps  a  thousand  years 
ago  ;  but  not  altogether  the  same  use. 
It  then  served  to  protect   its  master, 
but    now    to    turn    a    thread    mill." 
Moat  Lane  and  Mill  Lane  are  the  only 
names  by  which  the  memory  of  the  old 
house   is    now   retained.     The  thread 
mill  spoken  of  by  Hutton  gave  place 
to  a  brass  or  iron    foundry,    and  the 
property  being  ptirchased  by  the  Com- 
missioners,  the  whole  was  cleared  off 
the  ground  in  1815  or  1816,  the  sale  of 
the    building   materials,    &c. ,    taking 
place  July  5,  1815.   Among  the  "lots" 
sold,  the  iloat  House  and   offices  ad- 
joining realised  £290  ;  the  large  gates 
at  the  entrance  with  the  brick  pillars, 
£16 ;    the    bridge,    £11  ;    the    timber 
trees,  £25  ;  a  fire  engine  with  carriage, 
&c.,    £6    15s.    (possibly   some   sort  of 
steam  engine,  then  called  fire  engines)  ; 
the  total  produce,   including  counting- 
house,     warehouse,    casting,     tinning, 
burnishing,  blacking,  and  blacksmiths' 
shops,    a   horse    mill,    scouring    mill, 
and  a  quantity  of  wood  sheds  and  pali- 
sading,   amounted   to   nearly  £1,150. 
The  prosaic  minds  of  the  Commission- 


ers evidently  did  not  lead  them  to  value 
"  the  apartments  whore  the  ancient 
lords  kept  their  court,"  or  it  had 
been  turned  into  a  scouring  or  tinning 
shop,  for  no  mention  was  made  of  it 
in  the  catalogue  of  sale,  and  as  the  old 
Castle  disappeared,  so  did  the  Manor 
House,  leaving  not  a  stone  behind. 
Mr.  William  Hamper  took  a  skc^tch  of 
the  old  house,  in  May,  1814,  and  he 
then  wrote  of  the  oldest  part  of  the 
building,  that  it  was  "half-timbered," 
and  seemingly  of  about  Henry  VIIL's 
time,  or  perhaps  a  little  later,  but 
some  of  tlie  timbers  had  evidently  been 
used  in  a  former  building  (probably 
the  old  ilanorial  residence)  as  the  olil 
mortices  were  to  be  seen  in  several  of 
the  beams  and  uprights.  The  house 
itself  was  cleared  away  in  May,  1816, 
and  the  last  of  the  outbtiildings  in  the 
following  month.  So  perfect  was  the 
clearance,  that  not  even  any  of  the 
foundations  have  been  turned  up  dur- 
ing the  alterations  lately  effected  in 
Smithfield  Market.  In'  1746,  the 
"  manorial  rights  "  were  purchased  by 
Thomas  Archer,  of  Umberslade,  from 
whose  descendants  they  were  acquired 
by  the  Commissioners,  in  1812,  under 
an  Act  of  Parliament  obtained  for  the 
purpose,  the  price  given  for  the  Manor 
House,  moat,  and  ground,  being 
£5,672,  in  addition  to  £12,500,  for 
"  nrirket  tolls,"  &c. 

ManufaetUPes.— For  a  few  notes 
respecting  the  manufactures  carried  on 
in  Birmiugliam,  see  "  Trades." 

Maps  of  Bipmingham.— West- 
ley's  "  Plan  of  Birmingham,  .surveyed 
in  the  year  1731,"  is  the  earliest  pub- 
lished map  yet  met  with  ;  Bradford's 
in  1750,  is  the  next.  Hanson's  of 
1778,  was  reduced  for  Hutton's  work, 
in  1781.  For  the  third  edition,  1792, 
Pye's  map  was  used,  and  it  was  added 
to  in  1795.  1800  saw  Bissett's  "  Mag- 
nificent Directory  "  ])ublished,  with  a 
map  ;  and  in  1815  Kempson's  survey 
was  taken,  and,  as  well  as  Pye's,  was 
several  times  issued  with  sligiit  altera- 
tions, as  required.      In    1825,    Pigott 


142 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


Smith's  valuable  map,  with  names  of 
landowners  (and  a  miniature  copy  of 
Westley's  in  upper  left-hand  corner), 
was  issued,  and  for  many  years  it  was 
the  n)o.st  reliable  authority  that  coukl 
brt  referred  to.  1834  was  prolilic  in 
maps  ;  Arrowsmith's,  Wrightson  and 
Webb's,  Guest's,  and  Hunt's,  appear- 
ing, the  best  of  tliem  being  the  first- 
named.  The  Useful  Knowledge  So- 
ciety's map,  with  views  of  public 
buildings,  was  issued  in  1844,  and 
again  in  1849.  In  1S4S,  Fowler  and 
Sou  pul)lished  a  finely-engraved  map, 
6S^iii.  by  50^iu.,  of  the  parish  of 
Aston,  with  the  Duddeston-cumNe- 
chells,  Deritend,  and  Bordesley  wards, 
and  the  hamlets  of  Erdingtou,  Castle 
Bromwich,  Little  Broniwich,  Saltley, 
and  Wash  wood  Heath.  Water  Orton, 
and  Witton.  The  Board  of  Health 
map  was  issued  in  1849  ;  Guest's  re- 
issued in  1850;  Blood's  "ten-mile 
map"  in  1853;  and  the  Post-office 
Directory  map  in  1854.  In  the  next 
>'ear,  the  Town  Council  street  map  (by 
Pigott  Smith)  was  published,  followed 
by  Moody's  in  1858,  Cornish's  and 
•Granger's  in  1860,  and  also  a  corrected 
and  enlarged  edition  of  the  Post-office 
Directory  map.  A  variety,  though 
mostly  of  the  nature  of  street  maps, 
have  appeared  since  then,  the  latest, 
most  useful,  and  correct  (being 
brought  down  to  the  latest  date)  being 
that  issued  to  their  friends,  mounted 
lor  use,  by  Messrs.  Walter  Showell 
and  Sons,  at  whose  head  offices  in  Great 
Charles  Street  copies  can  be  obtained. 
— In  1882  the  Corporation  reproduced 
and  issued  a  series  of  ancient  and 
hitherto  private  maps  of  the  town  and 
neighbourhood,  which  are  of  great 
value  to  the  histoiian  and  everyone 
interested  in  the  land  on  which  Bir- 
mingham and  its  suburbs  arc  built. 
The  first  of  these  maps  in  point  of  date 
is  that  of  the  Manor  of  Edgbaston 
1718,  followed  by  that  of  the  Manor 
of  Aaton  1758,  Little  Bromwich 
Manor  1759,  Bordesley  Manor  1760, 
Saltley   Manor  1760,    Duddeston   and 


Nechells  Manors  1778,  and  of  Bir- 
mingham parish  1779.  The  last- 
named  was  the  work  of  a  local 
surveyor,  John  Snape,  and  it  is  said 
that  he  used  a  camera  obscura  of  his 
own  construction  to  enable  him  to 
make  his  v^-ork  so  perfect  that  it  served 
as  correct  guide  to  the  map  makers  for 
fifty  years  after. 

Markets. — Some  writers  have  dated 
the  existence  of  Birmingham  as  a  mar- 
ket town  as  l)eing  prior  to  the  Norman 
Conquest,  charters  (they  say)  for  the 
holding  of  markets  having  been  grant- 
ed by  both  Saxou  and  Danisli  Kings. 
That  market  was  held  here  at  an 
early  period  is  evident  from  the  fact  of 
the  charter  therefore  being  renewed  by 
Richard  I.,  who  visited  the  De  Ber- 
minghains  in  1189.  The  market  day 
has  never  been  changed  from  Thursday, 
though  Tuesday  and  Saturday  besides 
are  now  not  enough  ;  in  fact,  every  day 
may  be  called  market  day,  though  Thurs- 
day attracts  more  of  our  friends  from 
the  country.  The  opening  of  Smith- 
field  (May  29,  1817)  was  the  means  of 
concentrating  tlie  markets  lor  horses, 
pigs,  cattle,  sheep,  and  farm  produce, 
which  for  years  previously  had  been 
offi^red  for  sale  in  New  Street,  Ann 
Street,  High  Street,  and  Dale  End. 
The  Market  tolls,  for  which  £12,500 
was  paid  in  1812,  produced  £5,706  10s, 
5d.  in  the  year  1840. 

Caltlc  Market.— Vx\ov  to  1769  cattle 
were  sold  in  High  Street  ;  in  that  year 
their  standings  were  removed  to  Dale 
End,  and  in  1776  (Oct.  28.)  to  Derit- 
end. Pigs  and  sheep  were  sold  in 
New  Street  up  to  the  openii;g  of  Sndth- 
field.  Some  five-and-twenty  years  back 
a  movement  was  set  on  foot  for  tlie 
removal  of  the  Cattle  Market  to  the 
Old  Vauxhall  neighbourhood,  but  the 
cost  frightened  the  peojde,  and  the  pro- 
ject was  shelved.  The  "town  im- 
provers "  or  to-day,  who  ]il  ly  with 
thousands  of  pounds  as  children  used 
to  do  at  chuck-farthing,  are  not  so 
easily  baulked,  and  the  tsixpayeis  will 
doubtless  soon  have  to  find  the  cash 


SHOWEI.LS    DICTIONARY    OF    lilHMINGHAM. 


143 


for  a  very  iiiucli  lar<;er  Cattle  Market 
ill  some  other  part  oC  the  borongli.  A 
site  has  iieeii  iixeil  upon  in  Rupert 
Street  by  the  "  louls  in  Coiiveiitioii," 
Imt  u\)  to  now  (Jlarch,  1885),  the 
i|ue.-:tion  is  not  quile  settled. 

Corn  Market. — The  ancient  market 
for  corn,  or  "  Corn  Ciieaping,"  lormeu 
part  of  "  le  Bui  ryng  "  which  at  one 
time  was  almost  the  sole  place  of  traffic 
of  our  forefatliers.  At  first  an  open 
space,  as  the  market  f^ianted  by  the 
early  Norman  Kings  grew  in  extent,  the 
custom  arose  of  seitin£;  up  stalls,  the 
right  to  do  which  was  doubtless  bought 
of  the  Lords  of  the  Manor.  These 
grew  into  permanent  tenements,  and 
stallages,  "freeboards,"  sliainbles,  and 
even  houses  (some  with  small  gardens 
abutting  on  the  uiiienced  cliurcbyard), 
gradually  covered  the  whole  ground, 
and  it  ultimately  cost  the  town  a  large 
sum  to  clear  it,  the  Coinmi-sioners,  m 
1806-7,  piying  nearly  £2r),000  for  the 
purpose.  The  larmers  of  a  hundred 
years  ago  used  to  asst-mble  with  their 
samnles  of  grain  round  the  Old  Cross, 
or  High  Cross,  standing  nearly  oppo- 
site the  present  JIarket  Hall  steps,  and 
in  times  of  scarcity,  when  bread  was 
dear,  they  needed  the  protection  of 
special  constables. 

Fish  Market.— In  April,  1851,  the 
fishmongers'  stalls  were  removed  from 
C'le  End,  and  the  sale  was  confined  to 
the  Market  Hall,  but  consequent  on 
the  increase  of  population,  and  there- 
fore of  consumption,  a  separate  market, 
at  corner  of  IJell  Street,  was  opened  in 
1870,  and  that  is  now  being  enlarged. 

Hide  and  tikin  3Iarket. — The  sale  of 
these  not  particularly  sweet-smelling 
animal  products  was  formerly  carried 
on  in  tlie  open  at  Smithtield,  but  a 
special  market  for  them  and  for  tallow 
was  opened  May  25,  1850  ;  the  same 
building  beiir:^  utilised  as  a  wool  mar- 
ket July  29,  1851. 

Vegetable  Market,  so  long  held  in  the 
Bull  Ring,  is  now  principally  held  in 
the  covered  portion  of  Smithtield,  which 
promises  to  lae  soon  a  huge  wholesale 
market. 


Marriag-es.— This  is  the  style  in 
whicJi  thrse  interesting  events  used  to 
chronicled  ; — 

"Sept.  30,  1751.  On  Monday  last, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  "Willes,  a  relation  of  the 
Lord  Chief  Justice  Willes,  was  married 
to  Miss  Wilkins,  daughter  ol  an  emi- 
nent grocer  of  this  town,  a  young  lady 
of  sjreat  merit,  and  handsome  lortnne." 

"  Kov.  23,  1751.  On  Tuesday  last, 
was  manied  at  St.  Mary-le-Bow,  in 
Cheapside,  Mr.  W,  "Welch,  an  eminent 
hardware  man  of  Birmingham,  to  Aliss 
Nancy  Morton,  of  Sheffield,  hii  agiee- 
able  j'ouDg  lady,  with  a  handsome  for- 
tune." 

"June  4,  1772  (and  not  before  as 
mentioned  by  mistake)  at  St.  Philip's 
Church  in  this  town,  Mr.  Thomas 
Snuillwood,  an  eminent  wine  merchant, 
to  ]\liss  Harris,  a  young  lady  of  dis- 
tinguished accomplishments,  with  a 
fortune  of +'1,500. " 

Masshouse  Lane.— Takes  its  name 
from   the  Roman   Catholic  Chnich  (or 
Mass  House,  as  such  edifices  were  then 
called)   erected   in  1687,  and  dedicated 
to  St.  Mary  Magdalen  and  St.  Francis. 
The  ioundation  stone  was  laid  March 
23,    in   the  above  year,   and  on    16th 
August,    1688,    the    first    stone    of  a 
Franciscan  Convent  was  laiii  adjoining 
to  the  Church,  which  latter  was  con- 
secrated   Sept.    4.       Tlie  Church    was 
95ft     long  by  33ft.  wide,  and  towards 
the    building   of  it  and  the  Convent, 
James  H.  gave  125  "tuns  of  timber," 
which   were  sold  for  £180  ;  Sir  John 
Gage  gave  timber  valued  at  £140  ;  the 
Dowager   Queen    Catherine   gave    £10 
15s. ;  and  a   Mrs.  Anne  Gregg,  £250. 
This  would  appear  to  liave  been   the 
first   place  of   worship  put  up  here  by 
the  Romish   Church  since  the   time  of 
Henry  Vlil.,  and  it  was  not  allowed  to 
stand  long,  for  the  Church  and  what 
part  of  tiie  Convent  was  built  (in  the 
words  of  the  Franciscan  priest  who  laid 
the  first  stone)  "was  first  defaced,  and 
most  of  it  burrent  within  to  near  ye 
valine  of  4001b.,  by  ye  Lord  Dellamor's 
order  upon  ye  26  of  November,  1688, 
and    ye   day   sevennight   following  ye 


144 


SHOWBLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


rabble  of  Birmingham  begon  to  piil  ye 
Cliurcli  and  Convent  down,  and  saesed 
not  until  they  had  pulled  up  ye  lauda- 
tions. They  sold  ye  materials,  of 
which  Tnany  houses  and  parts  of  houses 
are  built  in  ye  town  of  Hirminghani,  ye 
townsmen  of  ye  better  sort  not  resisting 
ye  rabble,  but  quietly  permitting,  if 
not  prompting  them  to  doe  itt."  The 
poor  priests  found  shelter  at  Harhorne, 
where  there  is  anotlier  Masshonse  Lane, 
their  "  Masshonse "  being  a  little 
further  on  in  Pritchett's  Lane,  where 
for  nearly  a  century  the  double  work  of 
conducting  a  school  and  ministering  to 
their  scattered  Catholic  flock  was 
carried  on,  the  next  local  place  of  wor- 
ship built  hero  being  "  St.  Peters's 
Chapel,"  off  Broad  Street,  erected  about 
1786.  It  is  believed  that  St.  Bartholo- 
mew's Church  covers  the  site  of  the 
,    short-lived  "Mass  House." 

Masonic. — That  the  Freemasons 
are  many  among  us  is  proved  by  the 
number  of  their  Lodges,  but  the  writer 
has  no  record  throwing  light  on  their 
past  local  history,  though  mention  is 
found  now  and  then  in  old  newspapers 
of  their  taking  part  in  the  ceremonies 
attending  the  erection  of  more  than 
one  of  our  public  buildings.  Of  their 
local  acts  of  benevolence  they  sayeth 
naught,  though,  as  is  well-known, 
their  charity  is  never  found  wanting. 
The  three  Masonic  charitable  insti- 
tutions which  are  supported  by  the 
voluntary  contributions  of  the  craft 
during  1883  realised  a  total  income  of 
£55,994  14s.  3d.  Of  this  sum  the 
boys'  school  received  £24.895  7s.  Id.  ; 
the  Benevolent  Institution,  £18,449 
6s.  ;  and  the  girls'  school,  £12,650  Is. 
2d.  The  largest  total  attained  pre- 
vious to  1883  was  in  1880,  when  the 
sum  amounted  to  £49,763.  The  boys' 
school,  which  is  now  at  the  head  of 
the  list,  is  boarding,  housing  clothing, 
and  educating  221  boys  ;  the  Benevo- 
lent Institution,  the  second  on  the 
list,  is  granting  annuities  of  £40 
each  to  172  men  and  £32  each  to 
167  widows  ;  and  the  girls'  school 
houses,  boards,  clothes,    and  educates 


239  girls,  between  the  ages  of 
seven  and  sixteen.  The  boys  leave 
school  at  flfteen.  During  the  year 
£8,675  has  been  granted  to  334  cases 
of  distress  from  the  Fund  of  Bene- 
volence, which  is  composed  of  4s.  a 
year  takan  from  every  London  Mason's 
subscription  to  his  lodge  ami  2s.  a 
year  from  every  country  Mason's  sub- 
scription. The  local  lodges  meet  as 
follows  : — At  the  Masonic  Hall,  Neir 
Street :  St.  Paul's  LoJge,  No.  43  ;  the 
Faithful  Lodge,  No.  473  ;  the  Howe 
Lodge,  No.  587  ;  the  Howe  R.  A. 
Chapter  ;  the  Howe  Mark  Master'.s 
Lodge  ;  the  Howe  Preceptory  of 
Knight  Templars  ;  the  Temperance 
Lodge,  No.  739  ;  the  Leigh  Lodge, 
No.  887  ;  the  Bedford  Lodge,  No. 
925;  the  Bedford  R.A.  Chapter;  the 
Grosvenor  Lodge,  No.  938  ;  the  Gros- 
venor  R.A.  Chapter  ;  the  Elkington 
Lodge,  No  1,016  ;  the  Elkington  R.A. 
Chapter  ;  the  Fletcher  Lodge,  No. 
1,031  ;  the  Fletcher  R.A.  Chapter  ; 
the  Lodge  of  Emulation,  No.  1,163  ; 
the  Forward  Lodge,  No.  1.180  ;  the 
Lodge  of  Charity,  No.  1,551  ;  ami  the 
Alma  Mater  Lodge,  No.  1,644.  Atthc 
Masonic  Hall,  Secern  Street :  TheAthol 
Lodge,  No.  74  ;  the  Athol  R.A.  Chap- 
ter ;  the  Athol  Mark  Master's  Lodge  ; 
and  the  Lodge  of  Israel,  No.  1,474. 
At  the  Great  Western  Hotel :  The  Lodge 
of  Light,  No.  468;  the  R  A.  Chapter 
of  Fortitude  ;  and  the  Vernon  Cliapter 
ofS.P.KC.  of  H.R.D.M.,  No.  5.  At 
the  Holte  Hotel,  Aston:  The  Holte 
Lodge,  No.  1,246. 

Matches. — Baker's  are  best,  the 
maker  says.  Lucifer  matches  were  the 
invention  of  a  young  German  patriot, 
named  Kammerer,  who  beguiled  his 
time  in  prison  (in  1832)  with  chemical 
experiments,  tliough  a  North  of  Eng- 
land apothecary.  Walker,  lays  claim  to 
the  invention.  They  were  tiist  made 
in  Birmingham  in  1852,  but  they 
have  not,  as  yet,  completely  driven 
the  old-fashioned,  and  now-despised 
tinder-box  out  of  the  world,  as  many 
of  the  latter  are  still  manufactured  in 
this  town  for  sundry  foreign  parts. 


SHOWELl's    DICTIJNARY    op    BIRMINGHAM. 


145 


Mecca.  —The  late  Mr.  J.  TI. 
Chambeikii),  sliortly  before  his  death, 
said  that  he  looked  upon  Biriuiugham, 
"  perhaps  with  a  foolish  pride,"  as  the 
Holy  City,  the  Mecca  of  England  ; 
where  life  was  fidler  of  possibilities  of 
uiility — happier,  broader,  wiser,  and 
a  thousand  times  better  than  it 
was  in  any  other  town  in  the  United 
Kingdom. 

Mechanical    Eng"ineei's.  —  The 

Institution  of  .Mechanical  Eu^ineers 
was  organise  I  in  this  town,  in  October 
1847,  but  its  headquarter.^  were  re- 
moved to  Loudon,  in  1877. 

Mechanics'  Institute.— The  pro- 
posal to  loim  a  local  institution  of  a 
popular  nature,  for  the  encouragement 
of  learning  among  our  workers,  like 
unto  others  which  had  been  estab- 
lished in  several  la'ge  places  el.'-ewhere, 
was  published  in  June,  1825,  and 
several  meetings  were  held  before 
December  27,  when  officers  were 
chosen,  and  entry  mide  of  nearly  200 
members,  to  start  with,  the  subscrip- 
tion being  5/-  per  quaiter.  The  for- 
mal opening  took  place  March  21, 
1826,  the  members  assembling  in 
Mount  Zion  Chapel,  to  hear  an  address 
from  Mr.  B.  Cook,  the  vice  president. 
The  class-rooms,  library,  and  reading- 
rooms,  were  at  the  school  attached  to 
the  Old  Meeting  House,  and  here  the 
Institution,  to  far  as  the  conduct  of 
classes,  and  the  imparting  of  know- 
ledge went,  thrived  and  prospered. 
Financially,  however,  though  at  one 
rime  there  were  nearly  5C0  members, 
it  was  never  sticcessful,  possibly 
through  lack  of  assistance  that  might 
have  been  expected  fiom  the  manu- 
fa^'tu'crs  and  large  emploj^ers,  for,  hide 
it  as  we  may,  with  a  f-w  honouiable 
exceptions,  tuat  class,  fifiy  years  ago, 
preferred  strong  men  to  wise  ones,  and 
rather  set  their  ba  ks  against  opening 
the  doors  of  knowledge  to  their  work- 
peojde,  or  their  children.  It  was  a 
dozen  years  before  the  Institution 
was  able  to  remove  to  a  home  of 
its     ov.-n    in      Newhall     Street,     but 


it  rapidly  got  into  a  liopeless  state  of 
debt.  To  lessen  this  incubus,  and  pro- 
vide fun<is  for  some  needed  alterations, 
the  committee  decided  to  hold  an 
exhibition  of  "  manufactures,  the  line 
arts,  and  oljects  illustrative  of  experi- 
mental philosophy,  &c."  The  exhibi- 
tion was  opened  Dec.  19,  1839,  and  in 
all  ways  was  a  splendid  success,  a 
fairly-large  sum  of  money  being 
real'sed.  Unfortunately,  a  second 
e.vhibition  was  held  in  the  following 
ycirs,  when  all  the  profits  of  the  former 
were  not  only  lost,  but  so  heavy  an 
addition  made  to  the  debt,  that  it  may 
be  said  to  have  ruined  the  institution 
completely.  Creditors  took  possession 
of  the  ])remises  in  January,  1S42,  and 
in  June  operations  were  suspended, 
and,  notwithstanding  several  attempts 
to  revive  the  institution,  it  died  out 
altogether.  As  the  only  popular 
educational  establishment  open  to  the 
young  men  of  the  time,  it  did  good 
work,  many  of  its  pupils  having  made 
their  mark  in  the  paths  of  literature, 
art,  and  science. 

Medical  Associations.— Accord- 
ing to  the  "  Medical  Register"  there  are 
35  phj'sicians  and  210  surgeons  resi- 
dent in  the  borough,  and  there  are 
rather  more  than  300  chemists  and 
druggists.  According  to  a  summary 
of  the  census  tables,  the  medical  pro- 
fession "and  their  subordinates  "  nnm-. 
her  in  Birnmigham  and  Aston  940,  of 
whom  376  are  males  and  564  females. 
In  1834,  at  Worcester,  under  the 
presidency  of  Dr.  Johnson,  of  this 
town,  the  Provincial  Medical  and 
Surgii-al  Association  was  formed  for  en- 
couraging scientific  research,  improving 
the  piactice  of  medicine,  and  g^neially 
looking  after  the  interests  of  tiie  pro- 
fession. In  1856  the  name  was 
changed  to  The  Briti-h  Medical  As- 
sociation, with  head  offices  in  London, 
bat  prior  to  that  branches  had  been 
established  in  various  large  towns,  the 
Birmingham  and  Midland  Counties' 
branch  being  foremost,  holding  its 
first  meeting  at  Dee's  Hotel,  in  Decem- 
ber, 1854.     The  society  has  now  about 


146 


SHOWBLl's    dictionary   op   BIRMINGHAM. 


9,000  members,  with  a  reserve  fund  of 
£10,000  ;  in  the  lo  'al  branch  there  are 
359  nieinbers,  who  subsciibe  about 
£150  per  annum, — The  Birmingliam 
Medical  Institute  was  lannched  Feb. 
5,  1876,  but  the  question  of  admitting 
homeopathists  as  members  waa  nearly 
the  upsetting  of  the  craft  at  the 
first  meeting ;  tlianks  to  the  sails 
being  trimmed  witli  a  little  common 
sense,  however,  the  difficulty  was  tided 
over.  The  opening  of  the  Insti- 
tute in  Edmund  Street  took  place 
December  17,  1880.  The  cost  of  the 
building  was  ahout  £6,000,  and  the 
purposes  to  which  it  is  applied  are  the 
providing  accommod-ition  for  meetings 
of  the  profri.-siou  and  the  housing  of 
the  valuable  medical  libiaiy  of  over 
6,000  books.  As  something  worthy  of 
note,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  the 
Institute  was  opened  tree  from  debt, 
the  whole  cost  being  previously  sub- 
scribed. 

Memorials  and  Monuments.- 

See  ^^  Statues,"  <Cr. 

Men    of    Worth.— The     "Toy- 

sho])    of    the  Worhi,"    the    home    of 
workers,     free     from    the    blue  blood 
of    titled    families,    and    having    but 
few  reapers  of  "  unearui'd  increment," 
is  hardly  the  place  to  look  for   "  men 
of   worth    or     v.ilue"    in  a  monetary 
point  of  view,  but   we   have  not  been 
without    them.       A  writer  in  Gazette, 
September  1,    1828,    reckoned   up  120 
inhabitants  who  were  each  worth  over 
£10,000  each  ;  50  worth  over  £20,000; 
16  worih  over  £50,000  ;  9   worth  over 
£100,000  ;  3   worth    over  £200,000  ;  2 
worth  over  £300,000  each,  and  1  worth 
over    £400,000.     Taking    certain    In- 
come Tax  Returns  ami  other  informa- 
tion for  his  basis, another  man  of  figures 
in  1878  made  calculations  showing  that 
there    were  then  among  ns  some  800 
persons  worth  more  than  £5,000  eacli, 
200  worth  over  £10,000,  50  worih  over 
£20,000,   35   worth    over  £50,000,    26 
worth  over  £100,000,    12    woith  over 
£250,000,  5  worth  over  £500,000,  and 
2  worth  over  or  near  £1,000,000  each. 


Mercia. — In  585,  this  neighbour- 
hood formed  part  of  the  Heptarchic 
kingdom  of  Meicia,  under  CriJda  ;  in 
697,  Mercia  was  divided  into  four  dio- 
ceses ;  this  district  being  included  iu 
that  of  LicliHeld  ;  in  878,  Mercia  was 
merged  in  the  kingdom  of  England. 
According  to  Bode  and  the  Saxon 
Chronicles,  Beorned  was,  in  757,  king 
of  Mercia, of  which  Bit  mingham  formed 
part,  and  ia  Canute's  reign  there  was 
an  Earl  Beorn,  the  king's  nephew,  and 
it  has  been  fancifully  suggested  that  in 
this  name  Beorn  may  he  the  much- 
sought  root  for  the  etymology  of  the 
town's  name.  Beorn,  or  Bern,  being 
derived  from  bcr,  a  bear  or  boar,  it 
might  be  arranged  thusly  : — 

Ber,  bear  or  boar  ;  inovg,  many  ;  Tumi, 
ilwelliiig — tlie  whole  maliing  Bcr- 
vucnijhuin,  (he  dwelling  of  mauy 
bears,  or  the  home  of  uiauy  pigs  ! 

Metehley  Camp.  —  At  Metchley 

Park,  about  three  miles  from  town, 
near  to  Harborne,  there  are  the  re- 
mains of  an  old  camp  or  station  which 
Hutton  attributes  to  "  those  pilfering 
vermin,  the  Danes,"  other  writers 
thinking  it  was  constructed  by  the 
Romans,  but  it  is  hardly  possible  that 
anundertakirg  r«t|uiring  such  immense 
labour  as  this  must  have  done,  could 
have  been  overlooked  in  any  history  of 
the  Roman  occupation.  More  likelj' 
it  was  a  stronghold  of  th3  native 
Britons  who  opjiosed  their  advance,  a 
sncerstition  bjrne  out  ))y  its  being  ad- 
jacent to  their  line  of  Icknield  Street, 
and  near  t!ie  heart  of  England.  From 
a  measurement  made  in  1822,  the 
camp  appeals  to  have  covered  an  area 
of  about  15^  acres.  Huitnn  gives  it  as 
30  acres,  and  describes  a  third  embank- 
ment. Tlie  present  outer  vallum  was 
330  yircis  long  ly  228  wide,  and  the 
inteiior  camp  187  yanis  long  by  165 
wide.  The  ancient  vallum  and  fosse 
have  sufi'.  red  much  by  the  lapse  of 
time,  by  the  occupiers  partially  level- 
ling the  ground,  and  by  the  passing 
through  it  of  the  Worcester  and  Bir- 
nriugham  caual,   to  make  the    banks 


SH0WELL8    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


147 


of  which  the  southern  extremity  of 
the  camp  was  completely  destroyed. 
Some  few  pieces  of  amient  weapons, 
swords  and  bittle-axes,  and  portions 
of  bucklers,  have  heeu  found  here,  but 
nothing  of  a  distinctively  Roman  or 
Danish  cliaractei-.  As  the  fortifu'a- 
tion  was  of  such  great  size  and  strength, 
and  evidently  formed  for  no  mere 
temporary  occupation,  had  eitlicr  of 
those  passers-by  been  the  constructors 
we  shouhl  natmally  have  expected  that 
more  positive  trac-s  of  their  nationality 
would  have  been  found. 

Methodism.  —  The  introduction 
here  must  date  from  Weslev's  first  visit 
in  March,  1738.  In  1764,  Moor  Street 
Theatre  was  taken  as  a  meeting  ])lace, 
and  John  Wesley  opened  it  March  21. 
The  new  sect  afterwards  occupied  the 
King  Street  Thettre.  Hutton  says  : — 
"The  Methodists  oceuit'ed  fur  many 
years  a  place  in  Steelhouse  Lane, 
wlicre  the  wags  of  the  age  ob;eived, 
'they  were  eaten  out  by  the  bugs.' 
They  tlicrefore  procured  the  cast-off 
Theatre  in  Moor  Street,  Avhere  they 
continued  to  t-xliibit  tid  178'2,  when, 
qnitliug  the  stage,  they  erected  a  sup- 
erb meeting  house  in  Clierry  Street,  at 
the  expense  of  £1,200.  This  was 
opened,  July  7,  by  John  Wesley,  the 
chief  priest,  whose  exten-ive  knowledge 
and  unblemi  hed  niannHrs  give  us  a 
tolerable  pi'-tnre  of  ajiostolic  purity, 
who  believed  as  if  he  were  to  be  .'aved 
by  faith,  an  I  who  lab)ured  as  if  he 
were  to  be  saved  by  works."  Tiie  note 
made  by  Wrsley,  who  was  in  his  80th 
year,  respeciing  the  opening  of  (Jlieiry 
Street  Cli'ipHl,  has  bee'i  preserved.  He 
says:  —  "July  6th,  1782,  I  came  to 
Birmingham,  and  preached  once  more 
in  the  old  ilieiry  preachiug-honse. 
The  next  day  I  opened  the  new  house 
at  eight,  and  it  contained  the  people 
well,  but  not  in  the  eveiuiig,  many 
mora  then  constrained  to  go  away.  In 
the  middle  of  the  sermon  a  huge  noise 
was  heard,  c^n-e  1  by  the  breaking  of  a 
bench  on  which  some  people  stood. 
None  of  them  were  hurt  ;  yet  it  occa- 
sioned a  general  panic  at  first,  but  in  a 


few  minutes  all  was  quiet."  Four  years 
after  the  opening,  Wesley  preached  in 
the  chapel  again,  and  found  great 
prosperity.  "At  first,"  he  wrote, 
"  the  preaching-house  would  not  near 
contain  the  congregation,  Afcerwards 
I  administered  the  Ijord'a  Supper  to 
about  500  communicants. "  Old  as  he 
then  was,  the  ap;istle  of  Methodism 
came  h  re  a  time  or  two  after  that,  his 
la-it  visit  being  in  1790.  Many 
talented  men  have  since  served  the 
Wesleyan  body  in  this  town,  and  the 
society  holds  a  str>iiig  position  among 
onr  Dissenting  brethren.  The  minutes 
of  the  Wesleyan  Conference  last  issued 
give  the  following  stvtiscics  of  the 
Birmingham  and  Shrewsbury  District : 
— Church  members,  18,875  ;  on  trial 
for  membership,  1,537  ;  members  of 
junior  classes,  2,143 ;  number  of 
ministerial  class  leaders,  72  ;  lay 
class  leaders,  1,269  ;  locil  or  lay 
preachers,  769  (the  la'-gest  num- 
ber in  any  district  except  Nottingham 
and  Derby,  which  has  798).  Tiiere  are 
40  circuits  in  the  district,  of  whicli  27 
report  an  increase  of  membersliip,  and 
13a  decrease. — See  ^'Places  of  IVor- 
sJiip." 

Methodism,    Primitive.  —  The 

origin  of  the  Primitive  Methodist 
Connexion  dates  from  1808,  and  it 
sprung  solely  from  the  custom  (intro- 
duced by  Lorenzo  Dow,  from  America, 
in  the  previous  year)  of  holding  "camp 
meetings,"  which  the  Wol.iyan  Con- 
ference decided  to  be  "  highly  im- 
proper in  England,  even  if  allowable 
in  America,  and  likely  to  be  proilnctive 
of  considerable  mischief,"  expelling 
the  preachers  who  conducted  tliem. 
A  new  society  was  the  result,  and  the 
first  service  in  this  town  was  held  in 
Moor  S.reet,  in  the  open  air,  nf-ar  to 
the  Public  Office,  in  the  summer  of 
1824.  The  first  "lovefoast"  took 
place,  March  6,  1825,  and  the  first 
"  camp  meeting,"  a  few  months  later. 
A  circuit  was  formed,  the  first  minister 
being  the  Rev.  T.  Nelson,  and  in 
1826,  a  chapel  was  opened  in  Bordoa- 
ley   Street,    others    following   in    duo 


148 


SHOWBLL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


course  of  time,  as  the  Primitives  in- 
creased ill  mimber.  The  Binniiigham 
circuit  coutaius  about  800  members, 
with  over  2,000  Suuday  School 
scholars,  and  250  teachuis.  —  See 
'^Places  of  JV or  ship." 

Metric  System.— This,  the  sim- 
plest deeiniHl  system  of  computation 
yet  legalised  is  in  use  in  France,  Bel- 
gium, Holland,  Itaij^  Spain,  and  other 
parts  of  Europe,  as  well  as  in  Chili, 
Peru,  Mexico,  &c. ,  and  by  27  and  28 
Vic,  cap.  117,  its  rise  has  been  ren- 
dered legal  in  this  country.  As  our 
local  trade  with  the  above  and  other 
countries  is  increasing  (unfortunately  in 
some  respects),  rules  for  working  out 
the  metric  measures  into  English  and 
vice  versa  may  be  useful.  The  unit  of 
length  is  the  metre  (equal  to  39 '37 
inches)  ;  it  is  diviiled  into  tenths  (de- 
cimetres), hundredths  (centimetres), 
and  thousamiths  (millimetres),  and  it  is 
multiplied  by  decimals  in  like  way  into 
hectometres,  kilometres,  and  myrio- 
metre-:.  The  unit  of  weight  is  the 
gramme,  divided  as  the  metre  into 
decigrammes,  centigrammes,  and  milli- 
grammes ;  multiplied  into  decagram- 
mes, hecto^-'rammes,  and  kilogrammes. 
The  unit  of  capa'ity  is  the  litre,  di- 
vided and  multiplied  like  the  others. 
1  inch  equals  2^  centimetres. 
1  foot  equals  3  decimetres. 
1  mile  eqnals  If  kilometres. 
1  cwt.  equals  50*8  kilogrammes. 

1  ounce  (troj)  equals  31  grammes. 

1  pound  (troy)  equals  372  decagram- 
mes. 

1  gallon  equals  4^  litres. 

1  quart  equals  IjV  litres. 

1  metre  equals  39  37  inches. 

1  hectometre  equals  109^  yards. 

1  cubic     metre     equals    61,027    cubic 
inches. 

1  kilometre  equals  1,093  yards. 

1  decigramme  equals  1^  grains. 

1  gramme  equals  15  grains. 

1  kilogramme  equals  2?  pounds  (avoir- 
dupois). 

1  litre  equals  1|  pints. 

To  turn  inches  into  millimetres  add 

the  figures  00  to  the  number  of  inches, 


divide  by  4,  and  add  the  result  two- 
fifths  of  the  original  number  of  inches. 

To  turn  millimetres  to  inches  add  the 
figure  0  and  divide  by  254. 

To  make  culiic  inches  into  cubic 
centimetres  multiply  by  721  and  divide 
by  44  ;  cubic  centimetres  into  cubic 
inches  multiply  by  44  and  divide  by 
721. 

To  turn  grains  into  grammes,  mul- 
tiply the  number  by  648  and  divide  the 
product  by  10,000. 

To  turn  giammes  into  grains,  mul- 
tiply by  10,000,  dividing  the  result 
by  648. 

The  metric  system  is  especially  use- 
ful in  our  local  jewellery  and  other 
trades,  but  it  is  veiy  slowly  making  its 
way  against  the  old  English  foot  and 
yard,  even  such  a  learned  man  as 
Professor  Rankine  poking  fun  at  the 
foreign  measures  in  a  comic  song  of 
which  two  veraes  run  : — 

Some  talk  of  iiiillinictres,  and  some  of  kilo- 
grammes, 

And  .some  of  dccillitres  to  measure  beer  and 
drams  : 

But  I'm  an  English  workman,  too  old  to  go 
to  school, 

So  by  jiounds  I'll  eat,  by  quarts  I'll  drink, 
and  work  by  my  iwo-foot  rule. 

A  party  of  astronomers  went  measuring  of  the 

earth, 
And  forty  million  metres  they  took  to  be  its 

girth  ; 
Five  hundred  million  inches  now  go  through 

from  pole  to  pole. 
So  we'll  stick  to  inches,  feet,  and  yards,  and 

our  own  old  two-foot  rule. 

Mid-England.— Meriden,  wear  Co- 
ventry, is  believed  to  be  about  the 
centre  spot  of  England. 

Midland  Institute.— Suggestions 

of  some  such  an  institution,  to  take  the 
place  of  the  defunct  Jlechanics',  had 
several  time  appeared  in  print,  but 
nothing  detinite  was  done  in  the  matter 
until  the  subject  was  discussed  (June 
4,  1852)  over  the  dinner  table  of 
Mr.  Arthur  Ryliud.  Practical  shape 
being  given  to  the  ideas  then  advanced, 
a  town's  meeting  on  Dec.  3,  1853, 
sanctioned  the  grant  by  the  Council  of 
the  land  uecehsary  for  the  erection  of  a 


SHOWELLS    DICTIOMAIiY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


149 


proper  buildin!,',  ami  aa  Ai;t  of  Incor- 
poration was  obt  lined  in  tlie  following 
Parliamentary  session.  In  December 
1854,  Charles  Dickens  gave  tliree  read- 
inf.'s  in  tlie  Town  Hall,  in  l)elmlf  of  tlio 
building  fund,  whereby  £227  13.s.  9d. 
was  realiseil,  tl'e  donations  then 
amounting  to  £8,467.  Tiie  founda- 
tion stone  was  laid  by  Prince  Albert, 
on  Nor.  22,  18.55,  an  1  the  contract 
for  the  first  pure  of  the  building  given 
to  Messrs.  B.-anston  and  Gwjnher  for 
£12,000.  The  lecture  theatre  was 
opened  Oct.  13,  1857,  when  aldresses 
were  delivered  by  Lord  Brougham, 
Lord  Russei!,  and  Lord  Statiley,  the 
latter  delivering  the  prizes  to  the  stu- 
dents who  had  attended  the  classes, 
which  were  first  started  in  October, 
1854,  at  the  Philosophical  Institute. 
In  1859,  the  portrait  of  David  Cox 
was  presenteil  to  the  Institute, 
forming  the  first  contribution  to 
the  Fine  Art  Ga'lery,  which  was 
built  on  portion  of  the  land  oiigiiially 
given  to  the  Institute,  the  whole  of  the 
buildings  being  designed  by  Mr.  E.  M. 
Barry.  The  anioun';  subscribed  to  the 
buihiing  fund  was  about  £18,000,  and 
the  cost,  including  furniture  aii'l  ap- 
paratus more  thin  £16,000.  Great 
extension  has  been  ma^le  since  then,  on 
the  Paradise  Street  .--ide,  and  mmy 
thousands  spent  on  the  enlargement, 
branch  classes  b.ing  also  held  at  several 
of  tiie  Board  Sch'>ols  to  relieve  the 
pressure  on  th-^  Institute.  In  1S64, 
the  members  of  tbe  Institute  nitmbered 
660,  and  the  students  880,  with  an 
income  of  £998  ;  in  J^nuaty,  1874, 
there  were  1  591  me-n^'er-;,  73  J  family 
ticket  holders  2,172  st  ideuts,  and  an 
income  of  £2,580.  At  the  end  of 
1833,  the  number  of"  anntiil  subscribers 
was  1,900,  and  IrcturH  ticket-holdeis 
838.  In  the  Indnstriil  De  artment 
there  were4, 334  ^tiidnts  ;  the  Arclneo- 
logical  Section  nnni))eied  226  members, 
and  the  mns  cal  Section  183.  108 
students  attended  the  Laws  of  Health 
classes,  220  the  Lad'es  classes,  and  36 
the  classes  for  prepirati^n  fur  matricu- 
lation.    The  benefits  derived  from  the 


establishment  of  the  Midlancl  Insti- 
tute, and  the  amount  of  useful,  practi- 
cal, and  scientific  knowl'dge  di.ssami- 
nated  by  meius  of  its  classes  among 
the  intellitjeat  working  m^n  of  the 
town  and  the  rising  g-neration,  is  in- 
calculable. These  clii.sses,  many  of 
which  are  open  at  the  low  fee  of  Id., 
and  some  others  speoiilly  for  females, 
now  nclude  the  whole  of  the  (oUowing 
subjects  :--EnL;lis'\  linyuagH  and  litera- 
ture, Eiig'ishliistory,  French,  G^-ruian, 
Latin,  Greek,  and  Spanish,  alg^-bra, 
geometry,  mensuration,  trignometr}'', 
and  arithmetic,  music,  drawing,  writ- 
ing, Englisli  ;;ratnmar,  and  composition, 
botany,  chemistry,  experiiueiital  pliy- 
sics,  practical  mecdianics,  and  metal- 
lurgy, elementary  singing,  physical 
geography, animal  physiology,  ueidogy, 
practical  plane  and  solid  geomi'try,  &c. 
The  general  position  of  the  Institute 
with  regird  to  finance  was  as  follows  : — 
Gross  receipts  in  General  Di  partnient, 
£3,281  5s.  6d.  ;  expenditure  in  tiiisde- 
partuiont  (including  £993  Is.  6d.  defi- 
ciency at  the  close  of  the  year  1882), 
£3,088  17.S.  21.  ;  bilanee  in  favour  of 
the  General  Depirtment,  £192  8-..  4d. 
Gross receipisin  Industrial  D.-pai  tnient, 
£1,747  13s. ;  ex[)eiidiuire  in  thisdefiart- 
raent,£3,l73  7s.  lOd.  ;deli.jien.;y,£l,425 
14s.  lOd.,  met  by  a  transfer  trom  the 
funds  of  the  General  Dot)artinent.  The 
total  result  of  the  year's  operations  in 
both  departmeiit.s  left  a  deficiency  of 
£1,233  6s.  6  1.  The  amount  due  to  ban- 
kers ou  the  General  Fund  was  £863  13s. 
6d  ;  and  the  amount  stiiuiing  to  the 
credit  of  the  Institute  ou  tlie  Repairs 
Account  is  £140  12s.  2d.  It  is  much 
to  be  regretted  that  there  is  a  total 
debt  on  the  Institute,  amounting  to 
£19,000,  the  paying  of  lute  est;  on 
wliicli  sadly  retanls  its  usefulness. 
Many  munificent  donations  have  been 
male  to  tha  funds  of  the  In.stitute  from 
time  to  time,  one  being  the  sum  of 
£3,000,  given  by  an  anonymous  donor 
in  186  ,  "in  memory  of  Arthur  Kyi  md." 
In  A  n,"i>.t,  .same  yctr,  it  was  announ- 
ced that  the  late  Mr.  Alfred  Wilkes 
had  bequeathed  the  bulk  of  his  estate, 


150 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


estimated  at  about  £100,000,  in  trust 
for  his  two  sisteis  daring  their  lives, 
with  reversion  in  equal  shares  to  the 
General  Hospital  wnd  the  Midland  In- 
stitute, bi-'ing  a  deferred  benelactiou  of 
£50,000  to  each. 

Midland  MetPOpoliS.  —Birming- 
ham was  so  entitled  because  it  was  tiie 
largest  town,  and  lias  more  inhabi- 
tants than  any  town  in  the  centre  of 
England.  To  use  a  Yanketism,  it  is 
"tliehub"  of  the  Kingdom  ;  here  is 
the  throbbing  heart  of  all  that  is 
Liberal  in  the  polilical  life  of  Europe  ; 
this  is  the  workshop  of  the  world,  the 
birth-spot  of  the  steam-engine,  and 
the  home  of  mock  jewellery.  In  all 
matters  ])olitical,  social,  and  national, 
it  takes  tlie  lea'l,  and  if  London  is  the 
Metropolis  of  all  that  is  effete  and  aris- 
tocratic, Birmingham  has  the  moving- 
power  ot  all  that  is  progresi-ive,  re- 
cuperative and  advancing.  When 
Macaulay's  New  Zealander  sits  sally 
viewing  the  silent  ruins  of  the  once 
gigantic  city  on  the  Thames,  he  will 
have  the  consolation  of  knowing  that 
the  pulse-beats  of  his  progenitors  will 
still  be  found  in  the  ^Mid-England 
Metro[)olis,  once  known  as  the  town  of 
Burningsham  or  Birmingham. 

Mild  Winters.— The  winter  of 
1658-9  was  very  mild,  there  being 
neither  snow  or  frost.  In  1748  honey- 
suckles, in  fall  bloom,  were  gathered 
near  Worcester,  in  February.  In  the 
first  four  months  of  1779  there  was  not 
a  day's  rain  or  snow,  and  on  the  25th 
of  March  the  cherrj,  ])lum,  and  pear 
trees  were  in  full  bloom.  An  extra- 
ordinary mild  winter  was  that  of  1782- 
3.  A  lose  was  plucked  in  an  open  gar- 
den, in  New  Street,  on  30th  December, 
1820,  lu  December,  1857,  a  wren's 
nest,  with  two  eggs  in  it  was  found 
near  Selly  Oak,  and  ripe  raspberries 
were  gathered  in  the  Christmas  week 
at  Astwood  Bank.  The  winter  of 
1883-4  is  worthy  of  note,  tor  rose  trees 
were  budding  in  December,  lambs 
frisking  about  in  January,  and  black- 
birds sitting  in  February. 


Milk.— The  reports  of  the  Borough 
Analyst  f.)r  several  successive  years, 
1879  to  1882,  showed  that  nearly  one- 
half  the  samples  of  milk  examined 
were  adulteratrfd,  the  average  adultera- 
tion of  each  being  as  mucli  as  20  per 
cent. ;  and  a  calculation  lias  been  made 
that  the  Brums  pay  £20,000  a  year  for 
the  water  added  to  their  milk  !  Next 
to  the  bread  we  eat,  there  is  no  article 
that  should  bo  kept  freer  from  adul- 
teration than  mi.k,  and  the  formation 
of  a  Dairy  Company,  in  April,  1882, 
was  hailed  as  a  boon  by  many.  The 
Com])anystarted  witha nominal  capital 
of  £50,000  in  £5  shaie^,  and  it  rigidly 
pro-eeutes  any  farmer  who  puts  the 
milk  of  the  "  wooden  cow  "  into  their 
cans. 

MinorieS. — Once  known  as  Upper 
and  Lower  Minories,  the  latter  n-tme 
being  given  to  what,  at  other  times, 
has  been  called  "  Peinberton's  Yard" 
or  the  "Coach  Yard."  The  names 
give  their  own  meaning,  the  roads 
leading  to  the  Piiory. 

Mints. —  See  "  Trades." 

MiSSionapy  WOPk.— Abouta  mil- 
lion and  a  (jiiaiter  sterling  is  yearly 
contributed  in  England  to  P'oreign, 
Colonial,  and  Home  Missionary  Socie- 
ties, and  Birn.ingham  sends  its  share 
very  fairly.  The  local  Auxiliary,  to  the 
Church  Missionary  Society,  in  1882, 
gathered  £2,133  8s.  6d.  ;  in  1883  (to 
June  both  years)  it  reached  £2,774 
17s.  8d.,  of  which  £2  336  6s  lid.  was 
from  collections  in  the  local  churches. 
The  Auxiliary  to  the  London  iMission- 
ary  Society  gathered  £1,050,  of  which 
£991  was  collected  in  churches  and 
chapels.  Tiie  Ba|)tist  Missionary  So- 
ciety was  founded  in  October,  1792, 
and  branch  was  started  here  a  few 
months  afterward-*,  the  first  fruits 
totting  up  to  the  very  respectable 
amount  of  £70.  A  branch  of  the 
Wesleyau  Missionary  Society  was 
formed  here  in  1814  "lor  the  Birming- 
ham and  Shrewsbury  district,  and  the 
amounts  gathered  in  18S2  totalled 
£4,829  10s.  3d.      To  the  Society   for 


SnOWELLS   DICTIONARY   OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


lal 


promoting  Cliristianity  among  the 
Jews,  the  Rirmui^'liain  Aiixili^iries  in 
1883  sent  £323.  There  are  also  Auxilia- 
ries of  the  Churoli  of  England  Ziuana, 
of  the  South  Ameiicm,  and  of  one 
or  two  other  Missonarj'  Societies. 
The  Rev.  J.  B.  Barmdile,  wlio  died  in 
China,  early  in  1879,  while  relieving 
sutlerers  from  famine,  was  educated  at 
Spring  Hill  C>dlege.  He  was  sent  ont 
by  the  London  Mis!-i  mary  Society,  and 
his  death  was  preceded  by  that  of  his 
wife  and  only  child,  who  died  a  few 
weeks  before  iiim,  all  from  fever  ciught 
while  helping  poor  Chinamen. 

Moated  Houses.— Tne  Pirsonage, 

as  well  as  the  Manor  House  (as  noted 
elsewhere),  were  each  surrounded  by  its 
moat,  and,  possibly,  no  portion  of  the 
United  Kingdom  conld  show  more 
family  mansions,  and  country  resi- 
dences, protected  in  this  manner,  than 
the  immediate  district  surrounding 
Birmingham.  JIany  more  or-less-pre- 
served  specimen*  of  tliese  old-fashioned 
honses,  with  their  water  guards  round 
them,  are  to  be  met  with  by  the 
rambler,  as  at  Astwood  Bink,  Eiding- 
ton,  Inkberrow,  Yardley,  Wyrley,  &c. 
Perhaps,  the  two  best  are  ilaxtoke 
Castle,  near  Coleshill,  and  the  New 
Hall,  Sutton  Coldtield. 

Modern     Monastepies    —  The 

foundation-stone  of  St.  Thomas's 
Priory,  at  Erdington,  for  the  accom- 
modation of  the  ilonks  of  the  Order 
of  St.  Benedict,  was  laid  on  Aug.  5, 
1879,  by  the  Prior,  the  Rev.  Hilde- 
brand  de  Hemptinne.  Alter  the  date, 
and  the  realer  might  fancj'  himself 
living  in  Mediaeval  times. 

Monument  — The  high  tower  erec- 
ted near  the  Reservoir  has  long  borne 
the  name  of  •'  The  Monument,"  though 
it  has  been  said  it  was  built  more  as  a 
strange  kind  of  pleasure-house,  where 
the  owner,  a  Jlr.  Perrott,  could  pass 
his  leisure  hours  witnessing  coursing 
in  the  day-time,  or  making  astronomi- 
cal observations  at  night  Hence  it 
was  ofcen  called  "  Perrotl's  Folly."  It 
dates  from  1758  —See  also  '^Statues," 
kc. 


MoodyandSankey.— These  Ame- 
rican Evangtdi-ts,or  Revivalists,  vi-ited 
here  in  Jiu.  187o,  their  first  meeting 
being  held  in  the  Town  Hill,  on  the 
17th,  the  remiiud'r  of  th'dr  services  (to 
Februarj'  7)  bjing  g  ven  in  Bingley 
Hall.  They  came  also  in  February, 
1883,  wh  n  the  last-named  place  again 
acommodated  them. 

MOOP  Street.— Rivalling   Elgbas- 
ton  Street  in  its  anti(juity,  its  name  has 
long  given  rise  to  del)ate  as  to  origin, 
but    the    most    likely  solution  of  the 
puzzle   is  this  :  On    the   sloping  land 
near   here,    in   the   14th   century,    and 
perhaps  earlier,  there  was  a  mill,  prob- 
ably the  Town  Mdl,  and  bv  the  con- 
traction   of  the  Litin,  ALoUiuliiuiria, 
the    miller   wou'd   be   called   John   le 
Molenlin,    or    John    le    Monl.      The 
phonetic  .-tvle  of  writing  by  sound  was 
in   great   mea-ured    pnctised    by   the 
scriveners,  and  tlius  we  rtmi,  as  time 
went  on,  the  stnu^t  of  the  mill  became, 
ilout,    Miule,    Mowle,     Molle,    Moll, 
Jlore,    and   Moor   Street.       A   stream 
crossed  the  street  near  the  Woolpack, 
over  which  was  a  wooden  bridge,  and 
further  on  was  another  bridge  of  more 
substantial  character,  cillel  "Cirter's 
Bridge."       In  fl  )od  times.  Cars  Lane 
also    brought   fron    the   hiLrher   lands 
copious  streams  of  water,  and  the  keep- 
ing of  M')or  Street  tidy  often  gave  cause 
to  mention  these  spots  in  old  records, 
thus  : — 

.£    s.  .1. 
1637— Paid  Walter  Taylor  for  riikling 

the  gutters  in  M  )i>r  Street    0    0  11 
1665— Zacliary  GisVioiiie  42  loails  of 

iiniiid  out  of  M  lore  Street..     0    0     7 
1676 — J.    Bridgens    keepiiige    o])en 
passage  and  tourneing  water 
from  Oars  Lane  tleit  it  did 
not  runne  into  More  Street 
for  a  yeare      . .         . .         ..040 

169S — Paid  mending  Carter's  Bridge 

timber  and  worke     ..  ..050 

1690— John, for  mending  MooreStreet 

Bridg 0    0  10 

Moor  Street,  from  the  earliest  date, 
was  the  chosen  place  of  residence  for 
many  of  the  old  families,  the  Cirless, 
Smilbroke,  Ward,  Sh-ldon,  Fiavell, 
Stiduiau,  and  other  names,  continually 
cropping  up    in    deeds  ;   some  of  the 


152 


SHOWBLLS    DICTIONARY   OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


rents  paid  to  the  Lord  of  the  Manor, 
contrasting  cnriousiy  with  the  rentals 
of  to-day.  For  three  properties  ad- 
joining ill  More  Street,  anu  which  were 
so  paid  until  a  comparatively  modern 
date,  the  rents  were  : — 

"One    pouiie  of  pepper  by  Goldsmytlie  and 

Lencli, 
Two  piiuuds  of  pepper  by  the  master  of  the 

Gih!, 
One  pound  of  cumin  seed,  one  bow,  and  six 

barbed    bolts,  or  anow   heads   by  John 

Sheldon." 

Moseley. — One  of  the  popidar,  and 
soon  will  be  populons  suburbs,  con- 
nected as  it  is  f-o  closely  to  us  by 
Balsall  Heath.  It  is  one  of  the  old 
Domesday-mentioned  s})ots,  but  has 
little  history  other  tliau  connected 
with  the  one  or  two  families  who  chose 
it  for  their  residence  a^es  ago.  It  is 
supposed  the  old  church  was  erected 
prior  to  the  year  1500,  a  tower 
being  added  to  it  in  Henry  VIII. 's 
reign,  but  the  parish  register  dates 
only  from  the  miiidle  of  last  century, 
possibly  older  entries  b^ing  made  at 
King's  Norton  (from  which  Moseley 
was  ecclesiastically  divided  in  1852). 
Moseley  does  not  appear  to  have  been 
named  from,  or  to  have  given  name  to, 
any  particular  family,  the  earliest  we 
have  any  note  about  being  Greves,  or 
Grevis,  who.'-e  tombs  are  in  King's 
Norton  Church,  one  of  the  epitaphs 
being  this  : — 

"  Ascension  day  on  ninth  of  May, 
Third  year  of  King  James'  reine, 
To  end  my  time  and  steal  my  Cdiu, 
I  Williatn  Greves  was  slain.    1005." 

Hutton  says  that  the  old  custom  of 
"  heriot  "  was  practised  here  ;  which  is 
not  improbable,  as  instances  have 
occurred  in  neighbourhood  of  Broms- 
grove  and  other  parts  of  the  count}' 
within  the  past  few  years.  This  relic 
of  feudalism,  or  barbarism,  consists  of 
the  demamling  for  tlie  lord  of  the 
manor  the  best  movable  article,  live 
or  dead,  that  any  tenant  happens 
to  be  possessed  of  at  the  time  of  his 
death. 

Moseley  Hall.  —  Hutton    relates 


that  on  July  21,  1786,  one  Henshaw 
Grevis  came  before  him  in  tlie  court 
of  Requests,  as  a  poor  debtor,  who, 
thirty  years  b  fore,  he  had  seen  "com- 
jiletely  mounted  and  dressed  in  green 
velvet,  with  a  hunter's  cap  and  girdle, 
at  the  head  of  the  pack."  This  poor 
fellow  was  the  last  member  of  a  family 
who  had  held  the  IMo'-eley  Hall  estate 
from  the  time  of  the  Conquest.  In 
the  riots  of  1791  the  Hall  was  burnt 
down,  being  rebuilt  ten  years  after. 

Motheping-  Sunday,  or  Mid-Lent 

Sunday,  has  its  p-'culiaiities  according 
to  districts.  In  Ijirminghain  the  good 
people  who  like  to  keep  up  old  cus- 
toms sit  down  to  veal  and  custard. 
At  Draycot-le- Moors  they  eat  pies  made 
of  tigs.  The  practice  of  visiting  the 
parents'  home  on  this  day  was  one  of 
those  old-time  customs  so  p  .pularinthe 
days  of  our  grandfathers  and  great- 
grandfathers (but  which,  with  many 
otiurs  have  fallen  hito  disuse),  and 
this  is  supposed  to  have  given  rise  to 
the  "  Mothering  Sunday"  name.  Prior 
to  the  Reformation,  the  Catholics  kept 
the  day  as  a  holy  day,  in  honour  of  the 
Mother  of  Jesus,  it  being  a  Protestant 
invention  to  turn  the  fast-day  into  one 
of  feasting. 

Mount  Misery.— At  the  close  of 

the  great  war,  which  culminated  at 
Waterloo,  it  was  long  before  the  bles- 
sings of  peace  brougiit  comfort  to  the 
homes  of  tlie  poor.  The  first  eflects 
of  the  sheathing  of  the  sword  was  a 
collapse  in  prices  of  all  kinds,  and  a 
geneial  stagnation  of  trade,  of  which 
Birmingham,  made  prosperous  through 
the  demand  for  its  gun«,  &c., 
felt  the  full  force.  Bad  trade  was  fol- 
lowed by  bad  harvests,  and  the  com- 
mercial history  of  the  next  dozen 
years  is  but  one  huge  chronicle  of 
disaster,  shops  and  mills  closing  fast, 
and  poverty  following  faster.  How  to 
employ  the  hundreds  of  able-bodied 
men  dependent  on  the  rates  was  a 
continual  puzzle  to  the  Overseers,  until 
someone,  wise  in  his  generation,  hit 
upon    the    plan    of  paying  the  unfor- 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    op    BIRMINGHAM. 


153 


tunates  to  wheel  sand  from  the  bank 
then  in  front  of  Key  Hill  House  up 
to  the  canal  siile,  a  liis'ance  of  H 
miles,  the  payment  being  at  the  rate 
of  one  penny  per  borrow  load.  This 
fearful  *'lal)our  test"  was  continued 
for  a  long  time,  aiid  wlien  we  reckon 
that  each  man  would  I'ave  to  wheel 
his  harrow  backwards  and  forwards  for 
nearly  20  miles  to  eun  a  shilling, 
moving  more  than  a  ton  of  sand  in 
the  process  we  cannot  wonder  at  the 
place  receiving  sucli  a  woeful  name  as 
Mount  Misery. 

M.P.'S  fOP  Borough.  —See  "  For- 
liamentarij." 

Mules.  — •  These  animals  are  not 
often  seen  about  town  now,  but  in 
the  politically-exciting  days  of  1815 
they  apparently  were  not  strangers  in 
our  streets,  as  ^Ir.  Richard  Spooner 
(who,  like  our  ge  ial  Alderman  Avery, 
was  fond  of  "tooling"  his  own  cattle), 
was  in  the  habit  of  driving  his  own 
mail-drag  into  town,  to  which  four 
mules  were  hariiessid.  AVith  I\Ir. 
Thomas  Potts,  a  well-to-do  merchant, 
a  "bigoted  Baptist,"  and  ultra- 
Radical,  Mr.  Spooner  and  Mr.  T. 
Attwood  took  part  in  a  deputation  to 
London,  giving  occasion  to  one  of  the 
street-songs  of  the  daj' : — 

"  Toraniy  Potts  lias  gone  to  town 
To  join  the  (leputati.m  ; 
He  is  a  man  of  great  renown, 
And  tit  to  save  the  nation. 

Yaiiliee  doodle  do, 
•  Yankee  doodle  dandy. 

Dicky  Spoonei-'s  also  there, 

And  Tom  the  Banker,  too  ; 
If  in  glory  they  slionld  share, 
We'll  sing  tiiem  'Cock-a  dnodle-doo.' 
Yankee  doodle  do, 
Y'ankee  doodle  dandy. 

Dicky  Spooner  is  Dicky  Hinle, 
Ti)m  Attwood  is  Tnni  Fool; 
And  Potts  an  emjity  kettle, 
With  lots  of  bl.^h  and  rattle. 

Yaiiuee  doodle  do, 
Yankee  doodls  dandy." 

Another  of  the  doggerel  verses, 
slluding  to  Mr.  Spooner's  mule?,  ran  — 


"  Tommy  Potts  wnnt  up  to  town, 
Bright  Tom,  who  all  snrpasses, 
Was  drawn  by  hmses  out  of  town, 
And  in  again  l)y  asses. 

With  their  Yankee  doodle  do, 
Yankee  doodle  dandy." 

Municipal  Expenditure.— For- 
tunately till  populati  ■n  of  iJiiniiiigham 
is  going  ahead  rapiily,  and  the  nure 
the  children  multiply  the  more 
"  luads  of  families  "  we  may  naturally 
hope  there  will  be  noted  down  as  rate- 
payers by  the  heads  of  the  gather-the- 
tin  ofiice.  The  cost  of  governing  onr 
little  town  is  not  at  all  heavy,  and 
when  divided  out  at  per  head  of  the 
inhabitant-*  it  seems  I'ut  a  meie  baga- 
telle. Mr.  J.  Powell  Williams,  Avho 
takes  credit  for  being  a  financier  and 
man  of  figures,  said  in  18S4  that  the 
totals  of  our  municipal  expenditure 
for  the  past  few  years  were  as  fol- 
lows : — 

In   lS7!t  it  was  £354,000  or  18/3  per  head 


18S0       „ 

343,ti00  , 

,   lV/5 

1881       „ 

3(n,.j00  , 

,  18/0 

1882      „ 

374,000  , 

,  IS '4 

18S:i       „ 

385,000  , 

.  lS/7 

1SS4       „ 

385,000  , 

,  18/3 

The  bachelors  who  live  m  apartments 
will  surely  be  tempted  to  begin  house- 
keeping when  they  see  how  low  a  sum 
it  takes  to  pay  for  all  the  blessings 
conferred  upon  us  by  a  Liberal  Corpo- 
ration ;  but  what  the  Pater  of  half-a- 
dozen  olive  branches  may  think  about 
the  matter  is  altogether  a  different 
thing,  especially  when  he  finds  that  to 
the  above  lS/2  per  head  must  be  added 
2/7^  per  head  tor  the  School  Board, 
and  Is.  2<1.  per  head  for  the  Drainage 
Board,  besides  poor-rates.  Government 
taxes,  gas,  water,  and  all  these  other 
little  nothings  that  empty  the  jmrse. 

Murder  and  Manslaughter.— 

It  would  be  too  black  a  catalogue  to 
give  all  the  horrible  cases  of  this  nature 
which  the  local  journals  have  chronicled 
in  past  years,  those  here  noted  being 
only  ."-uch  as  have  a  certain  historical 
interest. 

"Tom    and    Jack." — ''See    Execu- 
tions." 


154 


BHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


Sergean  t  William  Cavtwright,  of 
the  CoLlsfream  Guards,  was  killed  in 
Townsend's  Yard  by  a  deserter,  Sep- 
tember 13,  1796. 

A  desperate  attempt  was  male  to 
murder  a  young  woman  in  Bull  Street 
in  the  evening  of  a  fair  day,  Juue  9, 
1797. 

Philip  Matsell  was  hanged  August 
22,  1806,  at  the  bottom  of  Snow  Hill, 
for  attempting  to  murder  a  watchman. 
— See  ' '  Executions.  " 

A  Mr.  Pennington,  of  London,  was 
murdered  at  Vauxhall,  Feb.  6.  1817. 

Ashford,  Mar}',  May  27,  1817,  mur- 
dered at  Sutton  Ooldfield. 

F.  Adams  was  murdered  by  T.  John- 
son, in  London  'Prentice  Street,  Aug. 
5,  1821. 

Mr.  R.  Perry  was  killed  in  Mary  Ann 
Street,  by  Michael  Ford,  December  6, 
1825.     Execution,  March  7,  1826 

J.  Fitter  was  tried  and  acquitted 
August  11,  1834,  on  a  charge  of  having 
murdered  Margaret  Webb,  in  Lawley 
Street,  on  7th  April  preceding. 

Mr.  W.  Painter,  a  tax  collector,  was 
robbed  and  murdered  in  the  old  Par- 
sonage grounds  (near  what  is  now  the 
bottom  of  Worcester  Streetl,  February 
17,  1835. 

William  Devey  murdered  Mr.  Daven- 
port in  a  shop  in  Snow  Hill,  April  5, 
1838. 

Mrs.  Steapenhill  shot  by  her  hus- 
band in  Heneags  Street,  January  7, 
1842. 

Mrs.  Davis  killed  bv  her  husband  in 
Moor  Street,  March,  1848. 

Mrs.  Wilkes  murdered  her  four 
children  in  Cheapside,  Octobpr  23, 
1847  ;  also  comnitting  suiciiie. 

Francis  Price  was  executed  at  War- 
wick, Anrrust  20,  1860,  for  murdering 
Sarah  Pratt,  April  18. 

Elizabeth  Brooks  was  shot  by  Far- 
quhar,  at  Small  Heath,  August  29, 
1861.  He  was  sentenced  to  imprison- 
ment for  a  long  term,  but  was  liberated 
in  April,  1866. 

Thompson,  Tanter  Street,  killed  his 
wife,  September  23,  1861  ;  hung 
December  30. 


Henry  Carter,  aged  17,  who  had 
killed  his  sweetheart,  was  hung  April 
11,  1863. 

George  Hill  shot  his  unfaithful  wife 
on  Dartmouth  Street  Bridge,  February 
16,  1864,  and  was  sentenced  to  death, 
but  reprieved.  He  was  released  March 
5,  1884. 

JIurder  and  su'cide  in  Nursery  Ter- 
race, November  28,  1866. 

Mr.  Pryse  was  murdered  by  James 
Scott  in  Aston  Street,  April  6,  1867. 

Mary  Milbourn  was  murdered  in 
Hencage  Street,  January  21,  1868, 

Murder  and  .suioid.)  in  Garrison 
Street,  November  25,  1871. 

Richard  Smith  was  killed  by  his  fel- 
low-lodger, in  Adam  Street,  January 
7,  1872. 

Thomas  Picken,  of  St.  Luke  Street, 
killed  his  wife,  January  22,  1872.  He 
was  found  next  morning  hanging  to  a 
lamp-post,  at  Camp  Hill  Station. 

Jeremiih  Corkery  stibbed  Policeman 
Lines,  March  7  ;  was  condemned  to 
death  July  9,  and  hung  July  27,  1875. 

Patrick  O'Donnghue  was  kicked  and 
killed  at  the  Fi^ying  Horse,  Little 
Hampton  Street,  August  7,  1875. 
Moran  and  Caulfield,  the  kickers,  were 
sent  to  penal  servitude  for  ten  years. 

A  woman,  resisting  indecent  assault, 
was  thrown  into  the  canal,  October  3, 
1875,  and  died  from  effects. 

Emma  Luke,  Hop^  streat,  killed  her 
infant  and  herself,  0  tober  23,  1875. 

Simuel  Toiid,  a  deaf-mute,  killed 
William  Brislin,  in  a  fit  of  passion, 
December  31,  1875. — Fifteen  years' 
penal  servitude. 

George  Uudeihill  shot  Alfred  Price, 
in  Stephenson  place,  January  12,  1876, 
being  in  drink  at  the  time,  and  think- 
ing he  was  going  to  be  robbed.  Price 
died,  and  Underbill  was  imprisoned 
for  twelve  months. 

Frederick  Lipscombe  killed  his  wife 
because  she  did  not  get  his  meals  ready 
to  the  time  he  wished,  July  18, 1876. 

Miry  Siunders,  Aston,  had  her 
throat  cut  by  F.  E.  Baker,  her  lodger, 
January  16,  1877.  He  was  hung 
April  17. 


SHOWELL'h    dictionary    op    BIRMINGHAM. 


155 


John  Nicholson  killed  Miry  (or 
Minnie)  Fanthain,  inNavigition  Street, 
February  23rd,  1877,  conunitting  sui- 
cide himself.  He  was  buried  as  a  felo 
dc  se. 

Francis  ilason,  Litinier  Street, 
stabbed  his  wife,  June  25,  1867,  but 
the  jury  callc  i  it  mansUughter,  and 
he  was  allowed  to  retire  for  tivo  years. 
William  Toy,  a  glasscutter,  was 
killed  in  the  Plasterers'  Arms,  Lupin 
Street,  July  20,  1878,  in  a  drunken 
row. 

Edward  Johnson,  a  retired  butcher, 
of  this  town,  killed  his  wife  and 
drowned  himself  at  Erdington,  July  27, 
1878. 

Sarah  Alice  Vernon,  married  woman, 
aged  26,  was  first  stabbed  and  tiien 
flung  into  the  canal,  at  S|>riiig  Hill,  by 
lier  paramour,  John  Ralph,  a  hawker 
of  fancy  basket.*,  early  in  the  morning 
of  May  31,  1879.  He  was  hung 
August  26, 

Caroline  Brooks,  a  young  woman  of 
20,  was  fatally  stabbed  on  the  night  of 
June  28,  1879,  while  walking  with  her 
sweetheart,  but  the  man  who  killed 
her  escaped. 

Alfred  Wagstaffe,  of  Nechell's  Green, 
kicked  his  wife  f  t  pawning  his  shirt, 
on  October  25,  1879.  She  died  a  week 
alter,  and  he  was  sent  to  penal  servi- 
tude for  ten  years. 

An  Irishmtn,  named  John  Gateley, 
was  shot  en  Saturday,  December  5, 
1880,  in  a  beerhouse  at  Solihull,  by  a 
country  man  who  got  away  ;  the  mur- 
dered man  had  been  connected  with  the 
Irish  Land  League. 

Mrs.  Ellen  Ja^ikson,  a  widow,  34 
yeais  of  age,  through  poverty  and  des- 
pondency, poisoned  herself  and  two 
children,  'gei  seven  and  nine,  on 
Sunday,  November  27,  1881.  One 
child  recovered. 

Frederick  Sarnian,  at  the  Four 
Dwellings,  near  Saltley,  Nov.  22,  1883, 
shot  Angelina  Yarwoud,  and  poisoned 
himself,  becinsi  the  woman  would  not 
live  longer  with  him  "  to  be  clemmed." 
James  Lloyd,  Jan.  6,  1884,  stabbed 
his  wife  Martha,  because  she  liad  not 


met  him  the  previous  afternoon. 
She  died  four  d  lys  after,  and  he  was 
sentenced  to  death,  but  reprieved. 

Mrs.  P-ilmer  an  i  Mrs.  Stiwirr  were 
shot  bv  Henry  Kiniberlevat  the  White 
Hart,  Paradise  Street,  D  !0.  28,  1884. 
Mrs.  Palmer  died,  and  Kiniberluy  was 
hung  at  Winson  Green,  March  17,  1885. 

James  Davis,  policeman,  wliile  on 
his  belt  at  Alvecliurch,  was  murdered 
Feb.  28,  1885,  by  Mo-es  Shriniuton,  a 
Birmingham  poai  her  and  thief. 

Elizibeth  Buntin?,  a  girl  of  16,  was 
murdered  at  Hauds.vortii,  April  20, 
1885,  by  her  uncle.  Thorn  is  Boulton. 

Museums.— No  place  in  England 
ought  to  have  a  better  collection  of 
coins  and  medals,  but  there  is  no  Nu- 
mismatic Museum  in  Birmingham. 
Few  towns  can  show  such  a  list  of  pa- 
tentees and  inventors,  bu:  we  have  no 
Patent  Museum  wherein  to  preserve 
the  outcome  of  their  i(b.as.  Tiiough 
the  town's  very  name  cannot  be  traced 
through  the  mis  s  of  dim  antiquity, 
the  must  ancient  thing  we  can  show  is 
the  Old  Crown  public-house.  Romans 
and  Noinnu'^,  Britons  and  Saxons, 
have  all  tro  I  the  same  ground  as  our- 
selves, but  we  preserve  no  relics  of 
them  Though  we  have  suiiplied  the 
whole  earth  with  firearms,  it  was  left 
to  Mr.  Marshall,  of  Leeis,  to  gather 
together  a  Gun  Museum.  p\)rtHnately 
the  Guardians  of  the  Proof  House  were 
liberal  and,  buying  the  collection  for 
£1,550,  nude  many  valuable  additions 
to  it,  and  after  exhibiting  it  for  a  time 
at  5,  Newhall  Sireet,  presented  it  to 
the  town  in  Atigust,  1876.  There  is  a 
curious  miscellany  of  articles  on  exhi- 
bition at  Aston  Hall,  which  some  may 
call  a  "  Museum,"  and  a  few  cates  of 
birds,  sundry  stuffed  animals,  &c. ,  but 
we  must  wait  until  the  Art  Gallery 
now  in  course  of  erecti  >n,  is  finished 
before  the  Jlidland  iletropolis  can 
boast  ff  owning  a  real  Museum. 
At  various  times,  some  rich  ex- 
amples of  industrial  art  have 
been  exhibited  in  the  temporary 
Art  Gallery  adjoining  the  Midland 
Institute,  and  now,  in  one  of  the  rooms 


156 


SHOWBLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


of  the  Free  Library,  there  are  sufficient 
to  form  tlie  nm  lens  of  a  good  ^luseiim. 
We  iTiav,  therefore,  hoi>e  that,  in  time, 
we  shall  have  a  collection  that  we  may 
be  proud  of.  Mr.  Joseph  Chamberlain 
(April  26,  1875)  gave  £1,000  to  pur- 
chase objects  of  industrial  art,  and  it 
has  been  expended  in  the  purchase  of 
a  collection  of  gems  and  precious 
stones,  than  which  n  thing  could  be 
more  suitable  in  this  centre  of  the 
jewellery  trade.  Possibly,  on  the 
opening  of  the  new  Art  Gallery,  we 
shall  hear  of  other  "  thousands "  as 
forthcoming. 

Musical   Associations.  —  There 

were,  of  course,  the  choirs  attached  to 
the  churches  previous,  but  the  earliest 
Musical  Soc'ety  is  believed  to  be  that 
established  by  James  Kenip=on,  in  1762, 
at  Cooke's,  in  the  Cherry  Orchard,  and 
the  founding  of  which  led  to  the 
Musical  Festivals.  The  members  met 
for  practice,  and  evidently  enjoyed 
their  pipes  and  glasses,  their  nightly 
song  being  : — 

"To  our  Musical  Club  here's  long  life  and 
prosperity  ; 

May  it  flourish  with  us,  and  so  on  to  pos- 
terity. 

May  concord  and  harmony  always  abound. 

And  division  here  only  i  .  music  be  found. 

May  tlie  catcli  and  the  glass  go  about  a'  d 
about. 

And  another  succeed  to  the  bottle  that's  out '' 

This  society  was  appropriately  known 
as  the  JMu-ical  and  Amicable  Society 
from  which  spruncr  the  Choral  Society 
in  1776,  though  the  present  Festival 
Choial  Society  only  claims  to  be  in 
its  thirty  eighth  year.  The  Birming- 
ham Mi-Ksical  Society  dates  from  1840  ; 
the  Amateur  Harmonic  Association 
from  Januar}^  1856  ;  tlie  Edghaston 
Musical  Uni.n  from  1874;  and  the 
Philharmonic  Union  from  1870.  The 
Church  Schools  Choral  Union,  the 
Sunday  Schools  Union  Festival  Choir, 
and  the  Birmingham  Musical  Asso- 
ciation, with  one  or  two  others,  are  the 
progeny  of  later  vears  ;  the  last  on  the 
list  of  musical  institutions  being  the 
Clef   Club   (in    Exchange    Buildings), 


established  March  21it,  1882,  for  the 
promotion  of  musical  culture  by  "pro- 
viding a  central  resort  for  the  study 
and  practice  of  vocal  and  instrumental 
music,  with  the  social  advantages  of  a 
club." 

Musical    Festivals.— The    credit 

of  suggesting  the  first  Musicil  Festival 
in  aiil  of  the  funds  of  the  General 
Hospital,  his  been  assigned  to  Mr. 
Kempson  a  local  musician,  who,  with 
his  fiiends,  fonueil  a  Glee  and  Catch 
Club  at  Cooke's,  in  the  Cherry 
Orchard.  The  minutes-book  of  the 
Hospital  under  date  of  May  3,  1768, 
records  that  a  resolution  was  passed 
that  "a  mu-ical  entertainment"  should 
be  arranged,  and  it  was  held  accor- 
dingly on  the  7th,  8th,  and  9th  of 
September  in  that  year,  part  of  the 
performances  taking  place  at  St. 
Philii)'s  Church,  and  part  at  the  Thea- 
tre, then  in  King  Street,  the  Festival 
being  wound  up  with  a  ball  "  at 
Mrs.  Sawyer's,  in  the  Square, " 
Church,  Theatre,  and  Ball  was  the 
order  of  the  dav  for  many  succeeding 
Festivals,  the  Town  Hall,  which  may 
be  said  to  have  been  built  almost  pur- 
posely for  these  performances,  not 
being  ready  until  1834.  The  Theatre 
was  only  utilised  for  one  evening  each 
Festival  after  until  1843,  when  three 
concerts  were  held  therein,  but  since 
that  date  the  Town  Hall  has  been  found 
suflicient.  The  Festival  Balls  were 
long  a  great  attraction  (no  less  than 
1,700  attending  in  18341,  but,  possibly 
fiom  a  too  free  admixture  of  tlie  gene- 
ral public,  the  aristocratic  patronage 
thereof  graditally  de  dined  until  1858, 
when  on!  y  300  tickets  having  been  taken, 
the  Ball  night  wis  struck  out  of  the 
future  programmes.  Tiie  first  Festival 
performances  were  b}''  purely  local 
artistes,  and  on  several  0;^.casion8  after- 
Avanls  they  formed  the  bulk  of  the 
performers,  but  as  the  fame  of  our 
Festivals  increased  so  did  the  inflow  of 
the  foreign  element  until  at  one  period 
not  more  than  half-a-dozen  local  names 
could  be  found  in  anj'  programme. 
This  has  been  altered  to  a  considerable 


SHOWELI/S    DICriONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


157 


extent  of  late  years,  so  mucli  so  that 
at  the  last  Festival  nearly  tlie  wiiole 
of  the  chorus  of  voices  was  coinposeil 
of  members  of  our  local  Musical 
Societies,  and  a  fair  sprinkling  of  the 
iustrumentiii-ts  a'so.  A  big  book 
would  be  rcciuired  for  a  full  history  ot 
tlie  Birmiiij^ham  Trienniil  Festivals, 
descriptive  of  their  rise  and  progress, 
the  hundreds  of  uiiiscil  novelties  in- 
troduce!, the  many  scores  of  tale  ited 
artistes  wlio  have  taken  (i*rt«,  tlie  lords 
and  ladies  who  have  attended,  and  the 
thousand  odd  notes  appertaining  to 
them  all.  In  the  following  notes  are 
briefly  chronicled  the  "til^st  appear- 
ances," kc,  with  the  results  and  other 
items  for  reference. 

1768,  Sept.  7  to  9.  The  oratorios  of 
"II  Penseroso  "  and  "Alexander's 
Feast  "  were  performed  at  the  Theatre 
in  King  Street  ;  Handel's  '•  Te  Deum  " 
and  "Jubilate"  with  the  "Messiah," 
at  St.  Philip's  Church.  The  principal 
singers  were  Mrs,  Pinto,  first  soprano, 
and  Jlr.  Charles  Norris,  tenor ;  the 
orchestra  numbered  about  70,  the  con- 
ductor being  iMr.  Ca}iel  JJoml  of 
Coventry,  with  Mr.  Pinto  as  leader  of 
the  baud.  Tlie  tickets  of  admission 
were  5s.  each,  the  receipts  (with  dona- 
tions) amounting  to  about  £800,  and 
the  profits  to  £299. 

1778,  Sept.  2  to  4.  Tiie  perform- 
ances this  time  (and  tor  fifteen  festivals 
after),  were  at  St.  Philip's  Church,  and 
■\t  the  newly-built  theatre  in  Xew 
Street,  the  oratorios,  &c.,  inclmiing 
"'Judas  Maccabreus,"  the  ■"ilessiah," 
Handel's  "  To  Deum,"  "  Jubilate," 
"  Acis  and  Galatea,"  &c.  Principal 
performers  :  Jliss  ilalion,  iliss  Salmon, 
Mr.  C.  Norris,  and  Cervttto,  a  cele- 
brated violoncellist,  the  leader  of  the 
band  being  ]\Ir.  William  Cramer,  a 
poj)ular  violinist.  The  choir  had  the 
assistance  of  "the  celtbrAte<l  women 
chorus  singers  from  Lancashire."  The 
receipts  were  again  about  £800,  and 
the  profits  £340,  which  sum  was 
divided  between  the  Hospitil  and  the 
building  fund  for  St.  Paul  s. 

1784,  Sept.    22   to   24.     President  : 


Lord  Dudley  and  AVard.  Following 
after  the  celebrated  Handel  Connnenio- 
ration  the  programme  was  tilled 
almo-t  solely  with  selections  from 
Handel's  works,  the  only  novelty 
being  the  oratorio  of  '•  Goliath," 
composed  by  Mr.  Atterbury,  which 
according  to  one  modem  musical  critic, 
has  never  be^^^n  heard  of  since.  Master 
Bartlemaii,  who  afterwards  became  the 
leading  bass  singer  of  the  day,  was  the 
novelty  among  the  pert'oimers.  Re- 
ceipts, ^1,325  ;  profits,  ATOS. 

1787,  Aug.  22  to  24.  President, 
the  Earl  of  Aylesford.  In  addition  to 
the  miscellaneous  (mostly  Haiidelian) 
pieces,  the  oratories  performed  were 
"Israel  in  Egypt  "  and  the  "Messiah," 
the  latter  being  so  remarkably  success- 
ful that  an  extra  performance  of  it  was 
given  on  the  Saturday  following. 
Among  the  perfL^nners  were  Mrs. 
Billington  (first  soprano),  Mr.  Samuel 
Harrison  (ou-'e  of  the  finest  tenor  singers 
ever  heard  in  England),  and  JMr,  John 
Sale  (a  rich-toned  bass),  and  the 
"women  chorus."  Receipts  about 
£2,000  ;  profits,  ,€964. 

1790,  Aug.  25  to  27.  President, 
LordDudley  and  Ward.  The  "  .Mes- 
s.ah,"  with  miscellaneous  selections, 
tlie  principal  performers  b^ing  Madame 
]\hua,  ilr.  Reinhold,  and  Mr.  Charles 
Knyvett,  with  Jean  JMara  (violoncel- 
list )-iud  J  oil  n  Chris  tianFi6cher(oboeist) 
The  prices  of  admission  were  raised  at 
this  Festival  to  10s.  6d.  and  7s.  • 
Theatre  boxes  7s.  6  1,  pit  5-.,  gallery 
3s.  6  1.  Receipts  £1,965  15s.  f  jn-o- 
fits  £958  14s. 

1796,  Aug.  31  to  Sept.  2,  President, 
the  Earl  of  Alyesford.  'J  he  [lerform- 
ances  were  like  those  of  1790,  of  a. 
general  character,  besides  the  "Mes- 
siah ;"  while  the  two  principal  so- 
pranos were  the  Misses  Fletcher, 
daughters  of  a  local  iimsician.  Tlie 
trombone  was  introduced  at  this 
Festival  for  the  first  time.  Receipts 
£2,043  18.S.   ;  profits  £897. 

1792,  September  IS  to  20.  President, 
the  Earl  oi  Warwick.  Tlie  "Me.-siah/' 
with  vocal  and  instrumental  selections 


158 


8H0WELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


of  the  usual  character.  Miss  Poole  and 
Master  Elliott  among  the  vocalisfs, 
with  Mr.  Holmes  (has.soonist)  and  Sig- 
ner Mariotti  (tronihoiie  player),  were 
chief  of  the  uewlj -introduced  pcform- 
ers.      Receipts,  £->,550  ;  p-ofits,  £1,470. 

1802,  Sep'ember  22  to  24.  President, 
the  Earl  of  Dartmouth.  For  the  first 
time  in  this  town  Haydn's  "  Creation  " 
was  performed,  in  addition  to  the 
"Messiah,"  &c.  Among  the  vocalists 
were  INIadame  Dussek,  Mrs.  Mountain, 
John  Braham  {the  Piraham  of  undjing 
fame),  and  Mr.  William  Knyvett ;  Mr. 
Francois  Cramer,  leader  of  tlie  hand 
(and  at  every  festival  until  1843), 
had  with  him  Andrew  Ashe  (flautist), 
Aufossi  (double  biss),  &c.,  with  over 
100  in  the  orchestra.  Receipts, 
£3,820  17s.  0|d.  ;  profits,  £2,380. 

1805,  Oct.  2  to  4.  President,  the 
Earl  of  Aylestord.  The  "  Messiah  " 
was  given  tor  the  first  time  here  with 
Mozart's  accompaniments  ;  part  of  the 
"  Creation"  &c.  Mr.  Tiionias  A^aughan 
was  among  the  singers  (and  he  took 
part  in  eveiy  Festival  until  1840),  and 
Signor  Domenico  Dragouetti  (double 
bass)  and  the  Brotbeis  Petrides  (horn 
players)  with  the  instruments.  Re- 
ceipts, £4,222  ;  i)rofiis,  £2,202. 

1808,  Oct.  5  to  7.  President,  the 
Right  Hon.  Lord  Guernsey.  Nearly 
200  performe  s,  including  Master  Bug- 
gins  (a  Birmingham  hoy  alto)  Mr.  J.J. 
Goss  (counter  lenor),  Signor  Joseph 
Naldi  (buffo),  and  Dr.  Crotch,  the 
conductor,  organi-t  and  pianist.  The 
last-named  was  a  good  player  when  only 
3^  years  ohl.  Receipts,  £5,511  12s.  ; 
profits,  £3,257. 

1811,  Oct.  2  to  4.  President,  Lord 
Bradford.  Madame  Catdni,  Mrs. 
Bianchi,  and  Mr.  T.  L.  Belamy  firat 
appeared  here,  as  well  as  Mr.  Samuel 
Wesley  (John  Wesley's  neiihew),  as 
conductor  and  organist.  Prires  agiin 
raised,  morning  tickets  being  20<.  and 
10s.,  with  10s.  6d.  pit  a'lo  5v  gallery 
at  Theatre.  Receipts,  £6,680  ;  p.ofits, 
£3,6-29. 

1814,  Oct.  5  to  7.  Piesident,  the 
Earl  ^of  Plymouth.     Miss     Slephens 


(afterwards  Countess  of  Essex),  Miss 
Travis,  Vincent  Novello  (the  publisher 
of  after  years),  andGriesbach  (oboeist), 
were  among  tlie  "first  ajipearances. " 
Receipts,  £7,171  12s.  ;  profits,  £3,629, 

1817,  Oct.  1  to  3.  Piesident,  the 
Hon.  Sir  Charles  Greville,  K.C.B. 
Mrs.  Salmon,  Madame  C^mporese,  Mr. 
Hobbs  (tenor).  Monsieur  Drouet 
(flautist),  Mr.  T.  Harper  (trumpet), 
and  Mr.  Probin  (horn),  took  part  iu 
the  performances.  Receipts,  £8,476  ; 
Iirofits,  £4,296  10s. 

1820,  Oct.  3  to  6.  President,  the 
Hon.  Heneage  Legge.  The  principal 
performers  included  Madame  Vestris, 
Siguora  Corri,  Miss  Symcnds  (a  native 
of  this  town,  and  who  continued  to 
sing  here  occasionally  for  twenty  years), 
Signor  Begrez  (tenor),  Signor  Ambro- 
getti  (buffo  bass),  Mr.  R.  N.  C.  Bocusa 
(harpist),  Mr.  Slia  gool  (violinist),  Mr. 
Stanier  (ffiutist),  and  Mr.  Munde  . 
(viola  player).  The  last  two  gentle- 
men were  connected  with  this  town 
until  very  late  years.  The  chief 
novelty  was  the  English  version  of 
Haydn's  "  Seasons,"  written  by  the 
Rev.  John  Webb,  a  local  clergyman. 
Receipts,  £9,483  ;  profits,  £5,0Ul  lis. 

1823,  Oct.  7  to  10.  President,  Sir 
Francis  Lawley,  Bart.  Among  the 
fiesh  faces  wore  tliose  of  Miss  Heaton 
(afterwards  Mrs.  T.  C.  Salt),  Signor 
Placci  (biritone),  Mr.  Thome  (bass), 
Mr.  Nicholson  (flute),  and  Signor 
Puzzi  (horn).  The  Rev.  John  Webb 
wrote  for  this  occasion,  "  Tfie  Triumph 
of  Gideon,"  an  Euuli^h  adaptation  of 
Winter's  "Timotos."'  R'?ceiots, £11,115 
10s.  ;  profits,  £5,806  12s. 

1826,  Oct.  4  to  7.  President,  Earl 
Howe.  The  programmes  this  year 
were  more  varied  than  at  any  previous 
festival,  the  peif-jrinances,  in  addition 
to  the  "  Messiali,"  ivcluding  the  ora- 
torio "Jose|)h,"  I'y  jMihul,  selections 
fiom  Graun's  "  Der  Tod  Jesu,"  Han- 
del's "Judas  Maccabeus,"  Haydn's 
"  Seasons,"  &('.  A  number  of  the  per- 
formers appeared  here  for  their  first 
time,  iucluaing  Madame  C^radori,  Miss 
Paton,  Miss  BiCon,  Henry  Phillips  (the 


SHOWELl's    dictionary    op    BIRMINGHAM. 


159 


veteran  and  popular  singer  of  la'er 
days,  but  who  was  then  only  in  his 
25th  year),  Signor  Cuiioni  (said  to 
have  borne  a  womierfnl  resemblance  to 
Shakespeare  in  his  figurehead  and  fea- 
tures), Signer  de  Begins,  Mr.  John 
Baptiste  Cramer,  C.  G.  Kiesewetter 
(who  (lied  the  following  year),  Charles 
Augustus  de  Beiiot  (who  married 
Madame  Malibran-Garcia),  and  quite  a 
host  of  local  instrumentalists  who  were 
long  chief  among  onr  Birmingham 
musicians.  Receipts  £10,104  ;  profits 
£4,592 

1829,  Oct.  6  to  9.  President,  the 
Earl  of  Bradford.  This  was  the  Jubilee 
Year  of  the  Geneial  Hospital,  and 
conspicuous  in  the  programme  was  the 
"Jubilee  Anthem"  in  commemoration 
of  the  fiftieth  year  of  its  establishment, 
the  words  being  adapted  to  the  music 
composed  by  Cherubini  for  Clnrles  X.s 
coronation.  This  was  also  the  last 
year  in  which  the  Festival  performances 
took  place  in  St  Philip's  Church  or 
(except  several  single  nights  of  operatic 
selections)  at  tlic  Theatre.  Besides  the 
"Jubilee  Anthem,"  there  were  novel- 
ties in  the  shape  of  Z'ngarelli's  "  Can- 
tata Sacra  "  (describ«d  in  a  musical 
publication  as  a  "tame,  insipid,  heap 
of  commonplare  trash"),  and  the  in- 
troduction of  "  operatic  selections  "  at 
the  evening  concerts.  Anjorgst  the  per- 
formers who  made  their  debut  in  Bir- 
mingham were  Madame  Malibran- 
Garcia,  Mdlle.  Blasis,  Miss  Fanny 
Aytou,  Signor  Costa,  Signer  Guihelei, 
Mrs.  Andersnn  (who  gave  pianoforte 
lessons  to  Princess  Victoiia),  and  ilr. 
Charles  Lucas  (violoiicelln).  Receipts, 
£9,771  ;  profits,  £3,806  17s. 

1834.  Ott.  7  to  10.  President,  the 
Earl  of  Aylesford.  This  being  the 
first  Festival  held  in  the  Town  Hall  it 
may  be  noted  that  the  prices  of  ad- 
mission were  for  the  morning  perfor- 
mances, 21/-  for  reserved  and  10/6 
unreserved  seats  ;  in  the  evening,  15/- 
and  8/-  ;  at  the  Tlieatre,  bo.xes  a'.i  d 
pit,  15/-,  gallery,  7/  ;  ball  on  Fiiday, 
10/6.  There  were  14  principal  vocalists, 
33  in  the  semi-chorus,  187  in   the  full 


chorus,  147  instrumental  performers, 
2  conductors,  2  organists,  and  1 
]pianist.  Besides  the  "  Messiah," 
there  was  the  new  oratorio,  "  David," 
by  Nerkomin  (the  fiist  that  was 
originally  composed  for  our  Festivals), 
selections  from  the  same  author's 
"Mount  Sinai,"  from  Spohr's  "Last 
Judgment,"  from  Handel's  "  Lsrael  in 
Egy|)t,"  and  an  arrangi'inent  of  Hnm- 
niel's  "  Motet,"  &c.  This  was  the  first 
introduction  to  the  Ftstivais  of  Miss 
Clara  Novello  (afterwaids  Countess 
Giglincci),  Madame  Stockhansen  and 
her  husband  (harpist),  Ignaz  Mos- 
chele^^,  Mr.  William  Macli'n  (a  towns- 
man), Miss  Aston  and  iliss  Bate  (both 
Birmingham  ladies),  Mr.  George  Hol- 
lius  (the  first  appointed  Town  Hall 
organist),  and  others.  Receipts, 
£13,527  ;  profit?,  £4,035. 

1837,  Sept.  19  to  22.  President, 
Lord  AYilloughby  de  Broke.  Mendels- 
sohn's new  oratorio,  "St.  Paul" 
(oft  mistakenly  supposed  to  have  been 
specially  written  for  the  occasion),  was 
the  most  important  production,  but 
Neukomm'.s  "Ascension,"  Hieser's 
"  Triumph  of  Faith,"  and  several 
other  new  compositions  were  performed 
on  this  occasion.  In  addition  to 
Mendelssohn's  first  appearance  here 
as  conductor,  there  were  other  new 
f-ices,  among  them  being  Madame 
Ginla  Grisi,  JIadame  Emma  Alber- 
tazzi,  Mrs.  Albert  ShaW,  Signor  An- 
tonio Tamburini,  Mr.  Alfred  Mellon 
(in  his  17th  year,  but  even  then  leader 
of  the  band  at  tho  Theatre),  Signor 
Regoudi  (concertina  ]ilayer),  &c.  Re- 
ceipts, £11,900,  but,  as  besides  mote 
than  usually  heavy  expenses,  £1,200 
was  paid  for  building  the  recess  in 
which  the  organ  was  pLceu,  the  profits 
werd  only  £2,776. 

1840,  Sept.  22  to  25.  President, 
Lord  Lfigh.  The  oratorio,  "Israelii! 
EsyP^"  '^y  Handcl,  selections  from 
his  "Jephtha,"  and  "Jesbua,"  and 
Mendelssohn's  "  Hymn  of  Praise," 
were  the  great  features  of  thisFestival^ 
at  which  appeared  for  the  first  time 
Madame      Dorus-Gras,    Miss     M.     B. 


160 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


Hawes,  Signer  Lonis  Lablache,  with 
Mr.  T.  Cooke,  and  Mr.  H.  G.  Elagiove 
(two  c'ever  violinists).  Receipts, 
£11,613  ;  profits,  £4,503. 

1843,  Sept.  19  to  22.  President, 
Earl  Craven.  The  perforniancts  at 
the  Town  Hall  included  Handel's 
oratorio,  "Deborah,"  Dr.  Croteh's 
"Palestine,"  aiul  Rossini's  "  Sta'oat 
Mater,"  the  introdncii.n  of  the  latter 
causing  a  considerable  flutter  among 
some  ot  the  local  clergy,  one  of  whom 
described  it  as  the  most  idolatrous 
and  anti-Christian  composition  that 
could  be  met  with.  The  Tlieatre  this 
j-ear  was  used  for  three  evening  con- 
certs, &e.  Among  the  new  vocalists 
w6re  Miss  Rainforth,  Siguor  Mario, 
Signer  Fornasaii,  and  Mr.  Manvers. 
The  organists  were  Dr.  Samuel  Sebas- 
tian Wesley  and  our  Mr.  James 
Stimpson,  who  had  succeeded  Mr. 
George  Hollins  as  Town  Hall  organist 
in  the  ]irevious  vear.  Receipts, 
£8,822  ;  profits,  £2,916. 

1846,  Aug.  25  to  28.  President, 
Lord  Wrottesle}'.  This  is  known  as 
"The  Elijah  Festival,"  from  the  pro- 
duction of  Mendelssohn's  chef  d'ccuvre 
the  "Elijah"  oratorio.  The  perfor- 
mers were  mostly  those  who  had  been 
here  before,  save  Miss  Bassano,  the 
Misses  Williams,  Mr.  Lockey,  and 
Herr  Joseph  Staudigl.  Receipts, 
£11,638  ;  profits,  £5,508. 

1849,  Sept.  4  to  7.  President,  Lord 
Guernsey.  This  Festival  is  especially 
noteworthy  as  being  the  first  conducted 
by  Sir  ilichael  Costa,  also  for  the 
number  of  "  principals  "  wlio  had  not 
jirevioii^ly  taken  part  in  the  Festivals, 
for  the  extreme  length  of  the  evening 
programmes,  each  lasting  till  after 
midnight  ;  and,  lastly,  from  the  fact, 
that  out  of  a  bod^'  of  130  instrnmeutal- 
ists,  only  eight  or  nine  Birmingham 
musicians  could  be  found  to  please  the 
unacstro's  taste.  The  oratorios  of  the 
"Messiah,"  "Elijah,"  and  "  Israel  iu 
Egypt,"  were  the  jirincipal  pieces,  with 
Mendelssohn's  "First  Walpurgis 
Niglit,"  and  Prince  Albert's  "  L'Livo- 
•cazioue  dell' Armouia;"  the  remainder 


being  of  the  most  varied  character. 
The  first  ap[iearrtnces  included  Madame 
Sontag,  Madame  Castellan,  Miss  Cathe- 
rine Hayes,  M'ille.  Alboui,  Miss 
Stevens  (af  erwards  jMrs.  Hale),  Mdlle. 
Jetty  de  Trtlfz,  Sims  Reeves,  Herr 
Piscliek  (baritone  basso).  Signer  Botte- 
sini  (double  bass),  M.  Sigismund  Thal- 
berg  (pianist),  iL  Prospere  Sainton 
(violinist),  &c.  Receipts  £10,334  ; 
profi:s,  £2,443. 

1852,  Sept.  7  to  10.  President,  Lord 
Leigh.  Hand'^l's  oi'atorio,  "Samson," 
and  Mendelssohn's  unfinished  "  Chris- 
tus,"  were  the  cliief  new  works  ;  and 
the  principal  strangers  were  Madame 
Viardot-Garcia,  Mi.-s  Dolby,  Signer 
Tamberlik,  Herr  Formes,  Signer 
Belletti,  Mr.  Weiss,  Signer  Piatti 
(violoncello).  Signer  Botttsini  (double 
bass),  and  Herr  Kuhe  (pianoforte) 
Receipts  £11,925  ;  profits  £4,704. 

1855,  Aug.  28  to  31.  President, 
Lord  Willoughby  de  Bieke,  The  pro- 
gramme included  Costa's  "Eli"  (com- 
|)osed  for  the  occasion),  Beethoven's 
''Mount  of  Olives,"  Glover's  "Tarn 
O'Shanter,"  Macfarren's  cantata  "  Le- 
nora,"  and  Mozart's  "Requiem  ;"  the 
Iresh  artistes  being  Madame  Ruders- 
dcrf,  Signer  Gardoiii,  and  Herr 
Rcichardt.  Receipts  £12,745  ;  profits, 
£3,108,  in  addition  to  £1,000  spent  en 
decorating,  &c. ,  the  Hail  and  organ. 

1858,  Aug.  31  to  Sept.  3.  President, 
the  Earl  of  Dartmouth.  The  novelties 
included  ilendelssohn's  Hymn  "Praise 
Jehovah,"  Beethoven's  "  j\Iass  in  C," 
Leslie's  Cantata  "Judith,"  Mendels- 
sohn's Cantata  "  To  the  Sons  of  Art,' 
Costa's  serenata  "  The  Dream,"  &c. 
First  appearani^es  were  made  by 
Mdlle.  Victorie  Balfe,  Signer  Roncoui, 
Mr.  Mentein  Smith,  about  a  dozen  in- 
strumentalists belonging  to  the  Fes- 
tival Choral  S  jciety.  and  nearly 
seventv  members  of  the  Amateur 
Harmonic  Association,  Mr.  W.  C. 
Stockley  filling  the  post  of  general 
chorus-master.  This  was  the  last  year 
of  the  "  Festival  Balls."  Receipts, 
£11,141  ;  profits,  £2,731. 

1861,  Aug.  27  to  30.     President,  the 


SHOWKLL's    DlCTKINARl'    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


161 


Fiarl  of  S!new>buiy  and  Talbot.  Tlu^ 
new  introdiu'lioiis  conipiisetl  MdlUv 
Titiens,  Mdlle.  Adeliiia  Patti,  Mdlk-. 
rjemmens-Shcrringcoii,  Miss  PalniL-r, 
Signer  Gin;.!lini,  Mr.  SHntley,  and  Mi.-s 
Arabella  Goddard.  Beethoven's  "  Mass 
in  D,"  and  Humniel's  Motett  "  Alma 
Virgo"  were  y&vt  of  the  {>ro- 
^^rarasne,  which  included  not  only  the 
"Messiah"  and  "Elijah,"  bnt  also 
"Samson"  and  "  The  Creation,"  Sec. 
Keceipts,  £11,453  ;  piofits,  £3,043. 

1864,  Sept,  6  to  9.  President,  the 
Earl  of  Lichfield.  Costa's  "jSTaamaii," 
Sallivan'.s  "  Kcuilworth,"  Gnolienil'.s 
"  OfFcrtoriuiu,"andMozart's  "Twelfth 
ilass "  wore  produced.  5lr.  "SV.  H. 
Cunimings  made  his  fir.st  appearauci'. 
Receipts,  £13,777  ;  profits,  £5,256. 

1867,  Aug.  27  to  29.  President, 
Eiirl  Beauchanip.  The  novelties  wen- 
Bennett's  "  Woman  of  Samaria," 
Gounod's  "  Messe  Solonnelle,"  Bene- 
dict's "  Legend  of  St.  Cecilia,"  and 
Barnett's  "Ancient  Mariner."  The 
new  singers  were  Mdlle.  Cliristine 
Nilsson  and  Madame  Patey-Whyloek. 
Receipts,  £14,397  ;  profits,  £5,541. 

1870,  Aug.  30  to  Sept.  2.  President, 
the  Earl  of  I'radford.  The  new  works 
were  Barnett's  "Paradiseaud  the  Peri," 
Benedicc'.s  "  St.  Peter,"  and  Killer's 
"Nala  and  Damayanti,"  Mdlle. 
lima  de  Murska,  Mdlle.  Drasdil, 
Miss  Edith  Wynne  (Eos  Cymru), 
Signor  Foil,  and  Mr.  Vernon 
Rigby  making  their  debtit  as  Festival 
.singer?.  Receipts,  £14,635  ;  profits, 
£6,195. 

1873,  Aug.  25  to  28.  President,  the 
Earl  of  Shrewsbury  and  Talbot.  The 
most  important  of  the  novelties  were 
Sullivan's  "Light  ot  the  World,"  and 
Schira's  "  Lord  of  Burleigh,"  but  the 
greatest  attraction  of  all  was  the  pa- 
tronising presence  of  royalty  in  the  per- 
son of  the  Duke  of  Edinburgh.  Re- 
ceipts, £16,097  ;  profits,  £6,391. 

1876,  Aug.  29  to  Sept.  1.  President^ 
the  Marquis  of  Hertford.  Herr 
Wagner's  "Holy  Supper,"  Mr.  Mac- 


farren'.-5  "  Resurrection,"  Mr.  F.  H. 
Cowen's  "Corsair,"  and  Herr  Gade's 
"  Zioii  "  and  "  Crn.saders  "  were  the 
pieces  now  first  introduced,  the  artistes 
being  all  old  friends,  with  the  excep 
tion'^of  Mr.  E.  Lloyd.  Receipts, 
£15,160  ;  profits,  £5,823. 

1879,  Aug.  26  to  29.  President, 
Lord  Norton.  The  fresli  comnositions 
consisted  of  Herr  Max  Brueh's  "  Lay 
of  the  Bell,  '  Rossini's  "  Moses  in 
Egypt,"  Saint-Saens'  "The  Lyn-  and 
HaVp,  "  and  T)r.  C.  S.  Heap's  "Over- 
ture in  F."  Fir.st  appearances  included 
Madame  Gerster,  Miss  Anna  Williams, 
Mr.  Joseph  Maas,  and  Herr  Hen.schel, 
Reeeii.ts,  £11,729  ;  profits,  £4,500. 

1882,  Aug.  29  to  Sep.  1.  Pre.sident, 
Lord  Windsor.  On  this  occasion 
Madame  Roze-Mapleson,  Miss  Eleanor 
Farnr.1,  Mr.  Horrex,Mr.  Campion,  and 
Mr.  Woodhali,  first  came  before  a 
Festival  audience.  Thi^  list  of  new 
works  comprised  Gounod's  "  Redemp- 
tion," Ganl's  "  Holy  City,"  Gade's 
"Psyche,"  Benedict's  '•  Graziella," 
j\lr.  C.  H.  Parry's  "  Symphony  in  G 
Major,"  Brahm's  "Triumphed,"  with 
a  new  song  and  a  new  march  bv  Gounod. 
Receipts,  £15,011  ;  profits,  £4,704. 

1885,Ang.25  to28.— President :  Lord 
Brooke.  The  principal  performers 
were  Madame  Aibani,  Mrs.  Hutchinson, 
Mi.ss  Anna  Williams,  Madame  Patey, 
Madame  Trebelli  ;  Messr.s.  Edward 
Lloyl,  Joseph  Maas,  Santley,  Signor 
Foli.  Herr  Richter  was  the  conductor. 
Works  performed  were  : — Oratorio, 
"Elijah";  new  Cantata,  "Sleeping 
Beauty "  ;  new  Oratorio.  "  Mors  et 
Vita"  ;  new  cantata,  "Yule  Tide"  ; 
Oratorio,  "  Mes.siah  "  ;  new  Cantata, 
"The  Spectre's  Bride"  ;  new  Oratorio, 
"  The  Three  Holy  Children." 

Music  Halls.— Mr.  Henry  Holder 
is  often  said  to  have  been  the  fir.-t  who 
opened  a  public  room  of  this  kind,  but 
there  had  been  one  some  years  before 
at  the  George  and  Dragon,  corner  of 
Weaman  Street,  Steelhonse  Lane,  wliich 
was  both  popular  and  respectably  con- 
ducted.— See  "Concert  Balls." 


162 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OK    BIRMINGHAM. 


Musical      Instruments.  —  Our 

grandtatliers  ami  graiidmotheis  were 
content  with  tlieir  harps  and  harpsi- 
chords, their  big  and  little  fiddles, 
with  trumpets  and  drums,  horns,  oboes, 
bassoons,  and  pipes.  Clarionets  were 
not  introduced  into  the  Festival  bands 
until  1778  ;  the  double-bass  kettle 
drums  came  in  1784  ;  trombones  in 
1790  ;  flutes,  with  six  or  more  keys, 
were  not  known  until  1802  ;  serpents 
appeared  in  1820  ;  flageolets  in  1823  ; 
theophicleide  was  brought  in  1829,  and 
the  monster  specimens  in  1834,  which 
year  also  s^w  the  introduction  of  the 
piccolo  ;  the  bombardon  not  coming 
until  1843.  Pianofortes  were  first 
known  in  England  in  1767,  but  when 
first  played  in  Birmingham  is  uncer- 
tain ;  the  first  time  the  instrument  is 
named  in  a  Festival  programme  was 
1808,  but  the  loan  of  a  grand  by  Mr. 
Tomkinson,  a  London  maker,  in  1817, 
was  an  event  thought  deserving  of  a 
special  vote  of  thanks. 

Musical  Notabilities  of  the  high- 
est calibre  have  been  frequent  visitors 
here,  at  the  Festivals  and  ai  the  Thea- 
tres, though  the  native- liorn  sons  of 
song  who  have  attained  high  rank  in 
the  profession  number  but  few.  Under 
'^Musical  Festivals  "  appear  the  names 
of  all  the  leading  artistes  who  have  taken 
part  in  those  world-known  perform- 
ances, the  dates  of  their  first  appear- 
ances being  only  given,  and  in  like 
manner  in  the  notice  of  our  "  Theatres  " 
and  ^'Theatrical  Celebrities"  will  be 
chronicled  the  advents  of  many  cele- 
brated "stars"  who  have  trod  our 
local  boards.  Considering  the  position 
he  long  held  in  the  musical  worl  I,  the 
introduction  of  Sir  Michael  Costa  to 
Birmingham  has  sufficient  interest  to 
be  here  noted.  Signor  Costa  had  been 
sent  by  his  friend  Zingarelli  to  conduct 
his  "  Cantata  Sacra  "  at  the  Festival 
of  1829.  Tlie  managers,  liowever, 
thought  so  very  little  of  the  young 
gentleman's  appearance  (lie  was  but 
nineteen)  that  they  absolutely  refused 
him  permission  to  do  so,  only  allowing 
his  expenses  on  condition  that  he  went 


among  the  .singers.  It  was  of  no  use 
his  telling  them  that  he  was  a  con- 
ductor and  not  a  singer,  and  he  had 
nervously  to  take  the  part  assigned 
him.  On  returning  to  Lomlon,  he 
quickly  "  made  his  mark,"  and  fell 
into  his  right  place  of  honour  and 
credit. 

Musical  Services.  —The  first  of  a 

series  of  week- night  musical  services 
for  the  people  took  place  at  St.  Luke's 
Church,  September  10,  1877,  the  instru- 
ments used  being  the  organ,  two  kettle- 
drums, two  trumpets,  and  two  trom- 
bones. This  was  by  no  means  an 
original  idea,  for  the  followers  of 
Swedenborg  had  similar  services  as 
well  in  their  Chapel  in  Paradise  Street 
(on  site  of  Queen's  College),  a^  in  New- 
hall  Street  and  Summer  Lane. 

Mysteries  of  Past  History.— It 

was  believed  that  a  qiiantiiy  of  arms 
were  provided  here  by  certain  gentle- 
men favourable  to  the  Pretender's 
cause  in  1745,  and  that  on  the  rebels 
failing  to  reach  Birmingham,  the  said 
arms  were  buried  on  the  premises  of  a 
certain  manufacturer,  who  for  the  good 
of  his  health  fled  to  Portugal.  The 
fact  of  the  weapons  being  hidden  came 
to  the  knowledge  of  the  Government 
some  sixty  years  after,  and  a  search  for 
them  was  intended,  but  though  the 
name  of  the  manufacturer  was  found 
in  the  rate  books  of  the  period,  and 
down  to  1750,  the  site  of  his  premises 
could  not  be  assertained,  the  street 
addresses  not  being  inserted,  onlj'  the 

quarter  of  the  town,  thus:   "T.  S. 

Digbeth  (quarter."  The  swords,  &.C., 
have  remained  undiscovered  to  the 
present  day.— M  10,  1864,  while 
excavations  were  being  made  in  the 
old  "Castle  Yard,"  in  High  Street 
the  .skeletons  of  three  human  beings 
were  found  in  a  huddled  jiositiou 
about  2^lt.  from  the  surface. — The  Old 
Inkleys  were  noted  for  the  peculiar 
character  (or  want  thereof)  of  its  in- 
habitants, though  why  they  buried 
their  dead  beneath  tlieir  cellar  floors 
must  remain  a   mystery.     On  October 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


163 


'29,  1879,  the  skeleton  of  a  full-grown 
man  was  found  underneath  what  had 
oiiite  btcii  the  site  of  a  house  in  Court 
No.  25  of  the  Old  Inklcys,  where  it 
must  have  lain  at  least  20  years. 

Nail  Making.— See  "  Trades." 

Natural    History    and     .Micro- 

sco))'c>il  Society  was  formed  in  Januar}', 
1858.  The  first  meeting  of  the  Mid- 
land Union  of  Natural  History,  Philo- 
sophical, and  Archreological  Societies 
and  Field  Clubs  was  held  at  the  Mid- 
land Institute,  May  27,  1878. 

Nechells. — There  is,  or  was,  a  year 
or  two  back,  a  very  old  house,  "  Ne- 
chells Hall,"  still  in  existence,  where 
at  one  period  of  their  history,  some  of 
the  Holte  family  resided. 

Needless  Alley  is  said  to  have 
been  originally  called  Needles  Alley 
from  a  ['in  and  needle  makers'  shop 
there. 

Nelson. — Boukon  struck  a  tine 
nieflal  in  commemoration  of  the  Battle 
of  Trafalgar,  and  by  permission  of  the 
Government  gave  one  to  every  person 
who  took  part  in  the  action  ;  flag- 
ofticers  andeommanders receiving  copies 
in  gohi,  lieutenants,  &c. ,  in  silver,  and 
the  men,  bronze.  Being  struck  for  this 
purpose  only,  and  not  for  sale,  the 
metial  is  very  scarce. — See  "Statues." 

New  Hall. — One  of  the  residences 
of  the  Colmore  family,  demolished 
in  1787,  the  advertisement  announcing 
the  sale  of  its  materials  appearing  July 
2  that  year.  It  is  generally  believed 
that  the  house  stood  in  exact  line  with 
Newhall  Street,  and  at  its  juncture 
with  Great  Charles  Street ;  the  houses 
with  the  steps  to  them  showing  that 
the  site  between,  whereon  the  Hall 
stood,  was  lowered  after  its  clearance. 

Newhall  Hill— Famous  for  ever 
in  our  history  lor  the  gatherings 
which  have  at  times  taken  place 
thereon,  the  most  important  of  which 
are  those  of  1819,  July  12,  to  elect  a 
"representative  "  who  should  devia7i,d 
admittance  to,  and  a  seat  in,  theHouse 


of  Commons,  whether  the  Commons 
would  let  him  or  no.  For  taking  part  in 
this  meeting,  George  Edmonds,  Major 
Cartwright,  and  some  otliers,  were  put 
on  their  trial  A  "true  bill"  was 
found  on  August  9th,  but  the  indict- 
ment being  removed  to  King's  Bench, 
the  trial  did  not  take  place  till  August 
7,  1820,  the  sentence  of  12  months' 
imprisonment  being  passed  May  28, 
1821.— In  1832,  May  14,  nearly 
200,000  persons  present,  Mr.  Thomas 
Attwood  presiding.  This  is  the  meet 
ing  described  as  "one  of  the  most 
solemn  spectacles  ever  seen  in  tlie 
world,"  when  the  whole  mighty  as- 
semblage took  the  vow  of  the  Political 
Union,  to  "devote  themselves  and 
theirchildren  to  their  country's  cause." 
—In  1833,  May  20,  at  which  the 
Government  was  censured  for  passing  a 
Coerciau  Bill  for  Ireland,  for  keeping 
on  the  window  and  house  taxes,  for 
not  abolishing  the  Corn  Laws,  and  for 
not  allowing  vote  by  ballot. 

Newhall  Lane  was  the  original 
name  for  that  part  of  Colmore  Row 
situate  between  Newhall  Street  and 
Livery  Street. 

New  John  Street,  for  a  long  time, 
was  considered  the  longest  street  in 
the  borough,  being  1  mile  and  200  yards 
long. 

New    Market    Street.  —  Some 

ground  was  set  out  here,  years  ago,  for 
a  market  ;  lience  the  name. 

Newspapers  and  Magazines.— 

In  1719  there  were  many  small  "  .sheets 
of  news  "  published  in  London,  but  the 
imposition  of  a  hallpenny  stamp 
finished  the  career  of  the  majority.  In 
1797  a  34d.  stamp,  and  in  1815  a  4d. 
stamp  was  required.  In  1836  it  was 
reduced  to  Id.,  and  in  1855,  after  a 
long  agitation,  the  newsjiaper  duty 
was  abolished  altogether.  About  1830 
the  trick  of  printing  a  calico  sheet  of 
news  was  tried,  the  letter  of  the  law 
being  that  duty  must  be  paid  on  news- 
■papers,  but  the  Somerset  House  people 
soon  stopped  it.  In  Oct.,  1834,  among 
many  others.     James    Guest,  Thomas 


164 


SHOWEI-LS    OIUTIONAUY    OF    BIRMlNGtlAM. 


Watts,  and  William  Plastaus,  news- 
vendors  of  this  town,  were  coiuniitteii 
to  Warwick  Gaol  for  the  offence  of 
selling  unstamped  papers.  In  1840, 
the  total  circulation  of  all  the  local 
papers  did  not  reach  14,000  copies  per 
week,  a  great  contra.st  to  the  present 
day,  when  one  ollice  alone  semis  out 
mere  than  150,000  in  the  like  time. 
Durintr  the  Churtist  agitation  there 
were  fre([uently  as  many  as  5,000  to 
tJ.OOO  copies  of  Feargus  O'Connor's 
Xortlwrn  Star  sold  here,  and  many 
hundreds  a  week  of  the  lyeckhj  DU- 
patch,  a  great  favourite  with  "  the 
people  "  then.  Cacocthes  sciihcndi,  or 
the  scribbling  itch,  is  a  complaint 
many  local  people  have  suffered  from, 
but  to  give  a  list  of  all  the  magMzines, 
newspapers,  journals,  and  periodicals 
that  have  been  published  here  is  im- 
pc-isible.  Many  like  garden  Uowers 
have  bloomed,  fruited,  and  lived  their 
little  day,  others  have  proved  sturdy 
plants  and  stood  their  ground  for  years, 
but  the  majority  only  just  budded  into 
life  before  the  cola  fro.sts  of  public 
neglect  struck  at  their  roots  and 
withered  them  up,  not  a  leaf  being 
left  to  tell  even  the  date  of  their 
death.  Notes  of  a  few  are  here 
given: — 

Advertiser.  —First  uumlier  appeared 
Oct.  10,  1833. 

Argi's. — Started  as  a  monthly  Aug. 
1,  1828.— See  "  Allday  "under  "  Aoic- 
iwrthy  Afen." 

Ariss  Gazette. — The  oldest  of  our 
present  local  papers  was  first  published 
Nov.  16,  1741.  Like  all  other  papers 
of  that  period,  it  was  but  a  dwarf  in 
comparison  with  the  present  broad- 
sheet, and  the  whole  of  the  local  news 
given  in  its  first  number  was  comprised 
in  five  lines,  announcing  the  celebra- 
tion of  Admiral  Vernon's  birthday.  Its 
Founder,  Thos.  Aris,  died  July  4,  1761. 
Since  tiiat  date  it  had  seen  but  few 
changes  in  its  proprietorship  until 
1872,  when  it  was  taken  by  a  Limited 
Liability  Company,  its  politics  remain 
ing  staunchly  Conservative.  On  May 
12th,   1862,  it  was  issued  as  a  daily. 


the  Saturday's  publication  still  bearing 
the  old  familiar  name. 

Afhtetr. --Yirat  issued  as  the  "Mid- 
land Athlete,"  .lanuary,  1879. 

Bazaar. — A  quarto  seiial  of  1823-25. 
Birtiiincjham  Magazine. — A  literary 
and  scientific  publication  edited  by 
Rev.  Hugh  Hutton.  First  appeared 
in  Nov.  1827,  running  only  nine  num- 
bers. 

Brum. — A  .*o-ealled  satirical,  but 
slightly  .scurrilous,  sheet  issued  in 
1869,  for  a  brief  period. 

Central  Literar\)  Ma.ijazinc. — First 
No.  in  Jar.  1873. 

Chronicle. — First  published  in  1765 
by  Myles  Swinney,  who  continued  to 
edit  the  paper  until  his  death  in  1812. 
It  was  sold  March  15,  1819,  as  well  as 
the  type  foundry  whicli  had  been  car- 
ried on  by  Mr.  Swinney,  a-  business 
then  noteworthy,  as  there  was  but  one 
other  of  the  kind  in  Englaml  out  of 
London. 

Daily  Globe. — A  Conservative  ^d. 
evening  paper,  commencing  Nov.  17, 
1879,  and  dying  Oct.  30,  1880. 

Daily  Mail. — P^veningid.  paper;  an 
offshoot  from  tiie  Daily  Fost,  and  now 
printed  on  adjoining  premises.  First 
jmblished  Sept.  7,  1870. 

Daily  Post. — First  published  Dec. 
4,  1857,  by  the  proprietors  of  the 
Journal.  From  the  first  it  "took" 
well,  and  it  is  the  leading  daily  paper 
of  tlie  Jlidland  Counties. 

Daily  Press. — The  first  daily  paper 
issued  in  Birmingham  appeared  on 
May  7,  1855.  Like  many  other 
"  new  inventions,"  however,  it  did  not 
succeed  in  making  a  firm  footing  and 
succumbed  in  November,  1858. 

Dart.  —  A  well-conducted  comic 
weekly  paper.  Commencod  Oct.  28, 
1876. 

Edgbaston  Advertiser.  —  Published 
monthly  by  Mr.  Thos.  Britten,  Lady- 
wood.  As  its  name  implies,  this  pub- 
lication is  more  of  the  character  of  an 
advertising  sheet  than  a  newspaper, 
but  it  often  contains  choice  literary 
pieces  which  make  it  a  favourite. 

Edgbastonid. — A    monthly,     full    of 


8H0WKLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINOBAM. 


160 


quaint  and  curious  notes,  los-al  bio<,ra- 
phios,  &c. ,  i.ssuoil  liy  Mr.  Eliezer  Ed- 
wards, tlie  Well-known  "S.D.K." 
Fir.-t  -sent  out  May,  1881. 

Edmonds'  Weekly  Recorder. — First 
published  by  Geori;;e  Edmonds,  June 
18,  1819.  it  was  alive  in  1823,  but 
date  of  1  lit  issue  is  uncertain. 

German. — A  newspaper  printed  in 
the  German  language  made  its  appear- 
ance here  Aug.  7,  1866,  but  did  not 
live  long. 

Graphic. — A  penny  illustrated  oni- 
menced  Ftb.  21,  18S3,  but  its  growth 
was  not  sullicionth-  hard;/  to  keep  it 
alive  more  than  two  fiiimmcrs. 

Gridiron. — "A  grill  for  saints  and 
sinners,"  according  to  No.  1  (.luae  14, 
1879),  and  if  bitter  biting  personalities 
can  be  called  fun,  the  |)ublication  was 
certainly  an  amusing  one,  so  long  as  it 
lasted. 

Hardware  Lion.  —  Rather  a  curious 
name  for  the  monthly  advertising 
sheet  first  published  Dec,  1880,  but  it 
did  not  long  survive. 

Illustrated  Midland  News.  —  The 
publication  of  this  paper,  Sefit.  4,  1869, 
was  a  spirited  attemjit-  by  Mr.  .Joseph 
Hattou  to  rival  th-  Illustrated  London 
News  ;  but  the  fates  were  against  him, 
and  the  la>t  uuvnber  was  that  of  March 
11,  1871. 

Inspector. — A  political  sheet,  whicli 
only  appeared  a  few  times  in  1815. 

Iris. — A  few  iiumbersofa  literary 
magazine  thus  named  were  issued  in 
1830. 

JabcCs  Ucrald. — A  wjjekly  paper, 
published  1808,  but  not  of  I'-.ng  exist- 
ence. 

Journul. — A  paper  with  this  name 
was  published  in  1733,  but  there  are 
no  files  extant  to  show  how  long  it 
catered  for  tlie  public.  A  copy  of  its 
18th  number,  Monday,  May  21,  1733, 
a  small  4to  of  4  i>ages,  with  the  ^d. 
red  stamp,  is  in  the  possessio'i  of  the 
j)roprictors  of  the  Daily  Post,  Tiie 
Journal  of  later  days  first  appeared 
June     4      182.J,     and     coutiuued     to 


be  published  as  a  Saturday  weekly 
\intil  1873,  when  it  was  incorporated 
with  the  Daily  Post. 

Liberal  Review.  —  First  number 
Maich  20,  1880,  and  a  few  numbers 
ended  it. 

Looker-Oil — A  quizzical  critical  sheet 
of  theatrical  items  of  the  year  1823. 

Literary  PJuenix.—K  miscellany  of 
literary  litter  swept  together  by  -Mr. 
Henry  Hawkes  in  1820,  but  ^ooii 
tlropped. 

Lion.  — Anotlier  of  the  modern  "  sat- 
irical "  shortlived  sheets,  started  Jan. 
4,  1877. 

Mercury .  —  The  Birmiwiltani  Mer- 
cury and  JFarwickshire  and  Stafford- 
shire Advertiser  was  the  title  of  an.nvs. 
paper  of  which  the  first  copy  was  dated 
November  24,  1820.  The  title  oi Mer- 
cury was  revived  in  1848,  on  the  lOtL 
December  of  which  year  Mr.  Wm. 
B.  Sniitii  brought  out  his  paper  of  that 
name.  It  commenced  with  eclat, 
but  soon  lost  its  good  name,  and  ulti- 
mately, after  a  lingering  existence  (as 
a  daily  at  last),  it  died  out  August  24, 
1857. 

Middle  School  Mirror. — A  monthly, 
editet,  written,  and  published  by  the 
boys  of  the  Middle  School  of  King  Ed- 
ward the  Sixth,  siione  forth  in  Deem- 
ber,  1880. 

Midland  Antiqii^cry. — First  number 
for  Ojt.,  1882.  A  well-eilited  chro- 
nicle  of  matters  interesting  to  our 
"  Old  Mortality  "  boys. 

Midland  Counties  Herald.  — •  First 
published  July  26,  1836,  by  Messrs. 
Wright  and  Dain.  Its  circulation, 
though  almost  gratuitous  is  extensive 
and  from  its  liigh  character  as  a  me- 
diam  for  certain  classes  of  advertise- 
ments it  0''<!asionally  has  appeared  in 
the  novel  shine  of  a  newspaoer  witli- 
out  Huy  news,  the  advert  sers  taking 
up  all  the  space. 

Midland  Eelw  — Halfpenny  evening 
paper,  commenced  Feb.  26,  1883,  as  an 
extra-superfine  Liberal  organ.  Ceased 
to  appear  as  a  local  pap^r  early  in 
1885. 

Midlaivi    Metropolitan    Ma(jazine. — 


166 


8HOWELL3    DICTIONARY     OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


This  heavily-named  aionthly  lasted 
just  one  year,  from  Dec,  1852. 

Midland  Naturalifit.  — Commenced 
.Ian.  1,  1878. 

Morning  Netos. — Daily  paper,  in 
jiolitics  a  Nonconformist  Liberal  ;  first 
published  Jan.  2,  1871,  under  the 
editorship  of  George  Dawson  until  the 
expiration  of  1873.  On  Aug.  16,  1875, 
it  was  issued  as  a  morning  and  even- 
ing paper  at  ^d.  ;  but  the  copy  for  May 
27,  1876,  contained  its  oavu  death 
notice. 

Monse  Trap. — The  title  of  a  little 
paper  of  playful  badinage,  issued  for  a 
month  or  two  in  the  autumn  of  1824. 

Naiumlist.s'  Ga~dtr.— In  Seitt.  1882, 
the  Birmingham  naturalists  began  a 
gazette  of  their  own. 

Old  cold,  JVeir  Birmiivjham  was 
])ublislied  in  monthly  parts,  the  first 
being  issued  June  1,  1878. 

Owl. — A  weekly  pennyworth  of 
self-announced  "wit  and  wisdom" 
first  issued  Jan.  30,  1879. 

Penrnj  Magazine.  —  This  popular 
periodical,  the  fore-runner  of  all  the 
cheap  literature  of  the  day,  may  be 
said  to  have  had  a  Birmingham  origin, 
as  it  was  first  suggested  to  Charles 
Knight  by  ilr.  M.  D.  Hill  in  1832. 

rhilanthrojnd. — First  published  (as 
The  Reformer)  April  16,  1§35,  by 
Benjamin  Hudson,  IS,  Bull  Street  ; 
weekly,  four  pages,  price  7d.,  but  in 
the  following  September  lowered  to 
4|d.,  the  stamp  duty  of  4d.  beitig  at 
that  time  redured  to  Id.  In  politics  it 
was  Lilwral,  and  a  staunch  supporter 
of  the  Dissenters,  who  only  supported 
it  for  about  two  years. 

lladAcal  Times.  —  Came  into  existence 
Sept.  30,  1876,  but  being  too  rabidly 
Radical,  even  for  "the  600,"  whose 
leading-strings  it  shirked,  it  did  not 
thrive  for  long. 

liCgififer  or  Entcrtainiiuj  Museum. — 
With  the  prefix  of  the  town's  name, 
this  monthly  periodical  lived  one  year 
from  May  10,  1764.  This  was  one  of 
the  earliest  London-printed  country 
papers,    the  only    local  portion  being 


the  outside  pages,  so  that  it  suited  for 
a  number  of  places. 

Reporter  and  Ecvievj. — Principally 
devoted  to  the  doings  on  the  local 
stage,  and  jiublished  fcr  a  brief  period 
during  June,  &c.,  1823. 

Saturday  Evening  Post. — A  weekly 
"  make-up  "  from  the  Daily  Post  (with 
a  few  distinctive  features)  and  came 
into  being  with  that  paper  ;  price  l^d. 
Originally  issued  at  noon  on  Saturday, 
but  latterly  it  has  appeared  simul- 
taneous with  the  Daily,  and  is  known 
as  the  Weekly  Post,  its  price  lately 
having  been  reduced  to  Id. 

Saturdai/  Night. — First  published, 
Sept.  30,  1882. 

SatnrdMy's  Register.  —  Another  of 
George  Edmunds'  political  papers, 
which  appeared  for  a  few  months  in 
1820. 

Spectator. — A  literary  and  dramatic 
monthly,  of  which  seven  parts  were 
published  in  1824. 

Sunday  Echo. — First  number  came 
out  May  21,  1882. 

Sunday  Express. — Started  August, 
1884,  and  died  August,  1885. 

Sunday  Telegram. —  Started  May, 
1883. 

Sunrise. — Rose  Nov.  18,  1882,  at 
the  price  of  one-halfpenny,  and  lasted 
a  few  weeks  only. 

Tattler. — April  1817  saw  the  first 
appearance  of  t'li?  tittle-tattle- tale- 
telling  monthly  tease  to  all  lovers  of 
theatrical  order,  and  August  saw  the 
last. 

Theatrical  Argus. — -Of  May  and 
following  months  of  1830.  A  two- 
penny-worth ot  hotch-potch, principally 
scandal. 

Thcatricfil  John  P>ull. — Published 
in  May,  1824,  lasting  for  the  season 
only. 

Theatrical  Note  Book. --Ki'v&\  to 
above  in  June,  1824,  and  going  off  the 
staffe  same  time. 

Toicn  Crier. — This  respectable  speci- 
men of  a  local  comic  appeared  first  in 
September,  1861,  and  it  deserves  a  long 
life,  if  onlv  for  keeping  clear  of  scandal 
and  scurrility 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


167 


Warwick  and  SlaJ'unlshiir  Journal. 
— Thout,'h  iiriiited  Iiere,  tlie  town  was 
not  tlioiight  capable  of  filling  its 
oolunni.s  ;  a  little  experience  snowed 
the  two  counties  to  be  as  bad,  and  sub- 
scribers were  tempted  to  luiy  by  the 
issue  of  an  Illustrated  Bible  and 
Prayer  Book  sent  out  in  parts  with  the 
paper.  The  tir-t  No.  was  that  of  Aug. 
20,  1737,  and  it  continued  till  the  end 
of  Revelations,  a  large  number  of  co]i- 
perplate  engravings  being  given  with 
the  Bible,  though  the  price  of  the 
paper  was  but  2d. 

Wcekhj  Mercury.  — Commenced  Nov- 
ember, 1884. 

Weekhj  News. — A  weak  attempt  at 
a  weekly  paper,  lasted  from  May  to 
September,  1882. 

Newsrooms.  —The  first  to  open  a 
newsroom  were  Messrs.  Thomson  and 
Wrightson,  booksellers,  who  on  Aug. 
22,  1807,  admitted  the  public  to  its 
tables.  In  1825  a  handsome  newsroom 
was  erected  in  Bennett's  Hill,  the  site 
of  which  was  sold  in  1858  for  the 
County  Court,  previous  to  its  removal 
to  Waterloo  Street. 

New  Street  once  called  "  Beast 
Market,"  was  in  Hntton's  time 
approa(;hed  from  High  Street  through 
an  archway,  the  rooms  over  being 
in  his  occupation.  In  1817  there 
were  several  walled  -  in  gardens 
on  the  Bennett's  Hill  side  of 
the  street,  and  it  is  on  record  that  one 
house  at  least  was  let  at  the  lowrent  of 
5f.  6d.  per  week.  The  old  "Grajies" 
public-house  was  pulled  down  just 
after  the  Queen's  visit,  being  the  last 
of  the  houses  removed  on  account  cf 
the  railway  station.  Though  it  has 
long  been  the  principal  business  street 
of  the  town.  New  street  was  at  one 
time  devoted  to  the  ignoble  purposes  of 
abeast  market,  and  where  the  fair  ladies 
of  to-day  lightly  tread  the  flags  when 
on  shopping  bent,  the  swine  did  wait 
the  butcher's  knife  New  S'reet  is 
561  yards  in  length  ;  between  Temple 
Street  and  Bennett's  Hill  it  is  46^  feet 
wide,  and  near  Worcester  Steeet  65  ft. 
4  in.  wide. 


Nonconformists.  -The  so-called 
Ace  of  Uniformity  of  1662  deprived 
nearly  2,000  of  the  clergy  of  their 
livings,  and  a  few  of  them  came  to 
Birmingham  as  a  place  of  refuge, 
ministering  among  the  Dissenters,  wlio 
then  had  no  buildings  for  regular 
worship  Tiiere  were  many  documents 
in  the  lost  Staunton  Collection  relating 
to  some  of  the.se  clergymen,  who,  how- 
ever, did  not  find  altogether  comfort- 
able (juarters  even  here,  one  George 
Long,  M.D. ,  who  had  fled  from  his 
persecutors  in  Staffordshire,  finding  no 
peace  in  Birmingham,  removed  to 
Ireland  ;  others,  though  they  came 
here  by  stealth  to  minister,  had  to  re- 
side in  country  parts.  A  Central  Non- 
conformist Committee  was  formed  here 
March  3,  1870. 

Nonjurors. — Among  tlie  name 
of  the  Roman  Catholics,  or  "Non- 
jurors," who  refused  to  take  the  oath 
of  allegiajice  to  George  I. ,  appeard  that 
of  John  Styeh,  of  Birmingham,  whose 
forfeited  estate  was,  in  1715,  valued  at 
£12. 

Northfield.^Four  and  a-half  miles 
from  Birmingham.  There  was  a  Church 
here  at  the  time  of  the  Norman  survey, 
and  some  troices  of  its  Saxon  oiigin, 
students  of  architecture  said,  could  once 
be  found  in  the  ancient  doorway  on 
the  north  side  of  the  buihling.  Some 
forty  years  ago  the  psalmody  of  the 
congregation  and  choir  received  assist- 
ance from  the  mel  lifluous  strains  ground 
outof  a  barrel  organ,  which  instrument 
is  still  prcserveil  as  a  curiosity  by  a 
gentleman  of  the  neighbourhood.  They 
had  an  indelible  way  at  one  time  of 
recording  local  proceedin.s  in  matters 
connected  with  the  Church  here.  The 
inscriptions  on  the  six  bells  cast  in  1 730 
being  :  — 

Treble.-  We  are  now  six,  tlion;^Ii   once   but 

five, 
2urt.— Though  against  our  casting  some  did 

strive, 
3rd.— But  when  a  day  for   meeting  they  did 

fix, 
4th. — There apjieared  but  nine aftaiiist  twenty 

six. 


168 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHA.M. 


fttii. —Samuel     Palmer     and     Tliomas      Silk 

Churchwardens. 
Tenor.— Thomas  Kettle  and  William  Jorvoise 

did  contrive 

To  make  us  sis  that  were  but  live. 

Notable  Offences.— In  olden  days 

very  heavy  iiuuisiuiieuls  were  dealt 
out  for  what  we  now  tliiuk  hut  secon- 
dary offences,  three  men  being  sen- 
tence I  to  deatii  ar  the  A.ssizes,  held 
March  31,  1742,  one  An^tey  for  bur- 
glary, Townsend  tor  shef-ii-stealioi.', 
and'Wilmot  for  iiij^h  way  robbery.  The 
laws  also  took  cognisance  of  what  to  us 
are  strange  crimes,  a  woman  in  179C 
being  imprisotied  here  for  .selling 
almanacks  without  the  Gov>;riiment 
stamp  on  them  ;  sundry  tradesmen  also 
being  heavily  fined  for  dealing  in 
covered  buttons.  The  following  are  a 
few  ether  notable  oifences  that  have 
been  chronicled  for  reference  : — 

Bigamy. — The  Rev.  Thomas  Alorris 
Hughes  was,  Nov.  15,  1883,  si^aenced 
to  seven  year.s'  penal  servitude  for  this 
offence.  He  had  been  pieviously 
punished  for  making  a  false  registra- 
tion of  the  hirrh  of  a  child,  the  mother 
of  which  was  his  own  stepdaughter. 

JJurglary. — On  Christmas  eve,  1800, 
five  men  broke  into  the  coucting-house 
at  Soho,  stealing  therefrom  150 
guineas  and  a  lot  of  silver,  hut  Matthew 
Boulton  captured  four  of  them,  who 
were  transporteii.  —  The  National 
School  at  Hands  worth,  was  broken 
into  and  robbed  for  the  hfth  time  Sept. 
5,  1827.- — A  wateliouse  in  lirailford 
Street  was  robbed  Jan.  9,  1856,  of  an 
iron  sate,  weighing  nearly  4cwt. ,  and 
containing  £140  in  cash. — A  burglary 
was  committed  in  tiie  Bull  King,  July 
5,  1862,  tor  whicli  seveu  persons  were 
convicted. 

Cmning. — Booth,  the  i  oted  coiner 
and  forger,  was  captured  at  Peri}'  Harr, 
JNlarch  28,  1812,  iiis  liouse  being  sur- 
rounded by  constables  and  soluiers.  lu 
addition  to  a  number  of  forged  notes 
and  £600  in  counterfeit  silver,  the 
captors  found  200  guineas  in  gold  and 
nearly  £3,000  in  good  notes,  but  they 
did  not  save  Booth  Irom  being  hanged. 
Booth  had  many  hi'iingplaoes  for  his 


peculiar  iroductions,  parcels  of  si)Urious 
coins  having  several  rimes  been  found 
iu  hedgerow  banks  and  elsewhere  ;  the 
latest  find  (in  April,  1884)  consisted  ot 
engraved  couper-plates  for  Bank  of 
England  £1  and  £2  notes. — There 
have  been  hundreus  of  coiners  pun- 
ished since  his  day.  The  latest  tiick 
is  getting  reallygcoddiesforsovereigns, 
for  which  Ingram  Iklborough,  an  old 
man  of  three  score  and  six,  got  seven 
years'  pt-nal  servitude,   Nov,  15    1883. 

Deserters.— Oil  24  July,  1742,  a 
.soldier  deserted  from  his  regiment  in 
this  town.  Followed,  and  resisting,  he 
was  shot  at  Tettenhali  Wood. — A  ser- 
geant of  the  Coldstream  Guards  was 
shot  here  wliile  trying  to  capture  a  de- 
serier,  September  13,  1796. 

Dynamite  making.— Oim  of  the  most, 
serious  oifence-s  committed  in  Bir- 
mingham was  discovered  when  Alfred 
Whitehead  was  arrested  April  5,  1883, 
on  the  cliarge  of  manufacturing  nitro- 
glycerine, or  dynamite,  at  123,  Ledsam 
Street.  Whitehead  was  one  of  the 
Irish-American  or  American-Irish  party 
of  the  Land  Leaguers  or  Home  Ruler.s, 
who  entertain  tlie  idea  that  by  com- 
mitting horrible  outrages  in  England. 
they  will  succeed  iu  making  Ireland 
''free  from  the  galling  yoke  of  Saxon 
tyranny "  and  every  Irishman  inde- 
pendent of  everybody  and  everything 
everywhere.  Well  supplied  witli  fundi 
from  New  York,  Whitehead  quietly 
arranged  his  little  manufactory,  buy- 
ing glycerine  fi'oni  one  firm  and  nitric 
and  sulphuric  acids  from  others,  certain 
members  of  the  conspiracy  conrlng  from 
London  to  take  away  the  stulf  wlien  it 
was  completely  mixed.  The  delivt^ries 
of  the  peculiar  ingredients  attracteii 
the  attention  of  Mr,  Gilbert  Pritchaid, 
whose  chemical  knowledge  led  him  to 
guess  what  they  were  required  for  ;  he 
infoimed  his  friend,  Sergeant  Price,  ot 
his  suspicions  ;  Price  and  liis  superior 
officers  macie  nightly  visits  to  Ledsam 
Street,  getting  into  the  i)'eiiuses,  and 
taking  sam[jles  for  examinatimi  ;  and 
on  the  morning  named  Whitehead's 
gamewasover,  ttiough  not  before  he  had 
been  watched  iu  sendini:  off  two  lotsot 


8Ui)WKL(.'s    DICTIJNAIIY    OF    B1KMIN<JHAM. 


169 


the  ilatige:  ouhly  i  xjilosive  stufT  to  Lon- 
don. There  was,  liowever,  no  less  than 
2001bs,  weij,'ht  touii'l  still  on  tlie  pro- 
mises. The  men  who  carried  it  to 
London  were  quickly  cauijht  witli 
the  dyna'nite  in  tlicir  possession, 
and  wi'h  Wliitehead  were  hrousiht 
to  trial  and  each  of  them  sen- 
tenced to  penal  servitude  fjr  lit".-. 
The  distribiuion  of  rewards  in  eoniiec- 
tiuii  with  the  "  d3'nai!Uteoutraf,'es,"  so 
far  as  Birniingham  p'>ople  were  eon- 
';erned,  was  somewhat  on  a  similar 
scale  to  that  described  by  the  old 
sailor,  when  lie  said  "prize-money" 
was  distributed  through  a  ladder,  all 
passing  through  going  to  the  otUt-ers, 
while  any  sticking  to  the  wood  was 
divided  among  the  men.  Mr.  Farn- 
dale,  the  Chief  of  Police,  was  graufed 
an  addition  to  his  salary  of  £100  jier 
ytar ;  Inspector  Black  was  promoted 
to  the  rank  of  SaperiiiLeiident,  adding 
£50  a  year  to  his  .salary,  au'i  was  pre- 
sented with  £100  from  Government  ; 
Sergeant  Price  became  Inspector,  wicli 
a  rise  of  £41  12s.  a  year,  and  received 
a  bonus  of  £200  ;  Inspector  Rees' 
salary  was  raised  lo  two  guineas  a 
week,  with  a  gift  of  £50  ;  wliile  Mr. 
Pritchard.  to  whom  lielonged  the  con- 
spicuous service  of  having  given  the 
information  which  led  the  police  to 
act,  was  rewarded  (!)  with  £50,  having 
lost  his  situation  througli  his  services 
to  the  public. 

EinbezzlcJitcnls. — In  1871,  W.  Harri- 
son, the  Secretary  of  tlie  liinning- 
ham  Gas  Conifiany,  skedaddled,  his 
books  showing  di-falcations  to  the 
amount  of  £18,000  When  the  coni- 
])any  was  dissolved,  £100  was  left  in  a 
bank  for  Jlr.  Secretary's  prosecution, 
should  he  return  to  this  country. — July 
12,  1877,  the  secretary  of  the  Moseley 
Skating  Rink  Company  was  awarded 
twelve  mouths,  and  the  secretary  of  the 
Butcher's  Hide  and  Skin  Company  six 
mouths,  for  similar  otl'ences,  but  for 
small  amounts. 

Forgcrir.s. — In  the  year  1800,  seven 
men  were  liungat  Warwick  for  forgery. 


and  with  them  one  for  sh'op-stcaling. 
The  manufacture  of  forged  bank-notes 
was  formerly  quite  a  business  here,  and 
many  cases  are  on  re(!i)rd  of  the 
detection  and  punishment  of  the 
oHenders. — June  28,  1879,  the  Joint 
Stock  Bank  were  losers  of  £2,130 
through  casliing  three  forged  cheques 
bearing  the  signature  of  W.  C.  B.  Cave, 
the  clover  artist  getting  rcu  years. — 
Nov.  15,  18S3,  John  Al'rcd  Burgui. 
maiugtrrof  the  Union  Bank,  for  forging 
and  uttering  a  certain  order,  and 
fidsifying  his  books,  the  amounts  em- 
liezzled  reaching  £9,000,  was  sentenced 
to  fifteen  years'  penal  servitide. — Ou 
the  ]irevious  day  Benjamin  Robert 
Danks  was  similarly  punished  lor  for- 
geries on  his  cnployer,  Mr.  Jesse 
Herbert,  barrister,  who  hid  bnon  ex- 
ceedingly kind  to  him  — Zwingli  Sar- 
gent, solicitor,  was  sentenced  to  live 
years'  penal  servitude,  April  28,  1885, 
for  foi gery  and  misa[iproprialiiig  money 
belonging  to  clients. 

Forlionclelliiuj  is  still  far  from  being 
ail  unconimon  offeufc,  bat  "  Methrat- 
ton,"  the  "  Greit  Seer  of  England," 
alias  John  Hartwell,  wlio,  on  March 
28,  1883,  was  sentenced  to  nine  mouths 
hard  labour,  must  rank  as  being  at 
the  top  of  the  peculiar  profession. 
Though  a  "  Great  Seer"  he  coald  not 
foresee  his  own   fate. 

Hkihicaijmca. — The  "gentlemen  ©■ 
the  road  "  took  their  tolls  in  a  very 
free  manner  in  the  earlier  coaching 
days,  notwithstanding  that  the 
pu'.iisbment  dealt  out  was  fr'iqiiently 
that  o:'  death  or,  in  mild  cases,  trans- 
p^rtation  for  life.  The  Birmingham 
stage  coach  was  stoppaii  and  robbed 
near  Banbury,  May  18,  1743,  by  two 
highwaymen,  who,  however,  w 're  cap- 
tured same  diy,  and  were  afterwards 
hung. — Mr.  Whetley,  of  Edgbaston, 
was  stopped  in  a  lane  near  his  own 
house,  and  robbed  of  20  guiieas  by  a 
footpad.  May  30,  1785. — An  attempt 
to  rob  and  murder  Mr.  Evans  v.as  ma  le 
near  Aston  Park.  July  25, 1789. — Henry 
Wolseley,  Esq.  (third  .-^on  of  Sir  W. 
Wolseley,  Bart.),  was  robbed    by  high- 


170 


SHOWELL  S    DICTIONAUY    OF    BIRMIXGHAM. 


wa3'meii  near  E''dingtoii,  Nov  5,1793. 
— Soni(3  liigliwayinnn  robbed  a  Mr. 
Benton  of  £90  near  Aston  Brook,  April 
6,  1797.— Tlie  coach  from  Slieliield 
was  .stopped  by  footpads  near  A^ton 
Park,  March  1,  1798,  and  the  pas- 
sengers robbed.  —  The  "Balloon" 
coach  was  robbed  of  £S, 000,  Dec.  11, 
1822,  and  the  Warwick  mail  was  robbed 
of  no  less  than  £20,000  in  Itank  notes, 
Nov.  28.  1827. 

H(/rrihlc.. — The  bodies  of  eleven 
children  were  fonn;l  buried  at  back  of 
&?•,  Long  Acre,  Nechells,  where  lived 
Ann  Fin>on,  a  midwife,  who  said  they 
were  all  still-born,  July,  1878. 

Lovg  Finns. — A  term  applied  to 
rogues,  who,  by  pretending  to  be  in 
busines>,  procure  goods  by  wliolesale, 
and  dispose  of  them  fraudulently.  W. 
H.  Stc])lienson,  of  this  town,  a  great 
patron  of  the.K'  gentry,  was  sentenced 
to  seven  years'  penal  servitude,  Nov. 
22,  1877,  for  tliepart  he  had  taken  in 
one  of  tliese  swindling  transactions, 
according  to  account  by  far  fiom 
being  the  iirst  of  the  kind  he  liad  had  a 
hand  iti. 

Next-of-Kiii  Fraud. —M^ny  good 
people  imagine  they  are  entitled  to 
property  now  in  other  hands,  or  laid 
up  in  Cliancery,  and  to  accommodate 
their  very  natural  desire  to  obtain  in- 
formation that  would  lead  to  their 
getting  possession  of  same,  a  "  Ne.xt- 
of-Kiu  Agency"  was  opened  in  Bur- 
lington Passage  at  the  beginning  of 
1882.  Tha  modus  oprravdi  \va.s  of  the 
simplest :  the  Hrm  advertised  that 
Brown,  Jones,  and  Robinson  were 
wanted  ;  Brown,  Jones,  and  Robinson 
turned  up,  and  a  good  many  of  them; 
they  paid  the  enquiry  fees,  and  called 
again.  Tliey  were  assured  (every  man 
Jack  of  them)  they  were  rigiit  owners, 
and  all  they  had  to  do  was  to  instruct 
the  Hrm  to  recover.  More  fees,  and 
heavy  ones  ;  the  Court  must  be 
petitioned  —  more  fees  ;  counsel  en- 
gaged—more fees  ;  case  entered  for 
hearing — more  fees,  and  so  on,  as  long 
as  the  poor  patients  would  stand 
bleeding.         Several      instances     were 


known  of  peonle  selling  their  goods  to 
meet  the  harpies'  demands  ;  clergy- 
men and  widows,  colliers  and  washer- 
women, all  alike  were  in  the  net.  It 
became  too  hot  at  last,  and  Roger.-, 
Beeton  aud  Co.,  were  provided  with 
berths  in  the  gaol.  At  Manchestei 
Assizes,  July  18,  1882,  J.  S.  Roger, 
got  two  years'  liaid  labour,  A.  Alac- 
kenzie  and  J.  H.  Shakespear  (a 
solicitor)  each  21  months;  and  E.  A. 
Beeton,  after  being  in  gaol  si.x  month-. 
was  ordered  to  stop  a  fnrtlier  twelve, 
the  latter'.s  conviction  being  from  thi^ 
town. 

Novel  T/tff/s. — A  youth  of  nineteen 
helped  himself  to  £128  from  a  safe  at 
General  Hospital,  and  spent  £13  of  it 
betoie  the  magistrates  (Jan.  15,  1875) 
could  give  him  six  months'  lodgings 
at  the  gaol. — Tliree  policemen  were 
sent  to  penal  servitude  for  five  years 
for  thieving  July  8,  1876. — Sept.  19, 
1882,  some  labourers  engaged  in  laying 
sewage  pipes  near  Newton  Street,  Cor- 
poration Street,  came  across  some  tele- 
graph cables,  and  under  the  iinpression 
tliat  tliey  were  "dead"  wires,  hiiched 
a  horse  th'ereto  and  succeeded  in  drag 
ging  out  about  a  dozen  yards  of  no  less 
than  33  different  cables  connecting  this 
town  with  Ireland,  tiie  Continent,  aud 
America.  Their  prize  was  sold  for  4s. 
6d.,  but  the  inconvenience  cati.-ed  was. 
very  serious.  Henry  Jones,  who  was 
tiied  for  tlie  trick,  pleaded  ignorance, 
and  was  let  off. —  \t  Quarter  Sessions, 
Ernest  Lotze,  got  six  months  for  steal- 
ing, Dec.  12,  1892,  from  liis  employer 
S71b.  weight  of  liuman  hair,  valued  at 
£300. 

Personal  Outrages. — Maria  Ward  was 
sentenced  to  penal  servitude  December 
18,  1873,  for  mutilating  htr  liusbaml 
in  a  shocking  manner. — At  Warwick 
Assizes,  December  19,  1874,  one 
man  was  sentenced  to  15  years,  and 
four  others  to  7  j^ears'  penal  servitude 
for  outraging  a  woman  in  Shadwell 
Street. — George  Moriarty,  {dasterer, 
pushed  his  wite  through  the  chamber 
window,  and  on  lier  clinging  to  the 
ledge  beat  her  hands  with  a  hammer 


8H0WELLS   DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


171 


till  she  fell  and  broke  her  \e<:,  May 
31,  1875.  It  was  three  months  be- 
fore slic  could  appear  a<^ainst  hi:i),  and 
he  had  then  to  wait  three  niouthsi  for 
his  trial,  which  resulted  in  a  twenty 
years'  sentence. 

Sacrilege. — In  158o  St.  Martin's 
Church  was  robbed  of  velvet  "  paul 
cloathes,"  and  also  some  money  be- 
longing to  the  Uramniar  School. — 
Handsworth  Church  was  robbed  of  its 
sacramental  plate,  February  10, 
1784  ;  and  Aston  Cliurch  was  .similarly 
liespoiled,  April  21,  1788. — A  gross 
sacrilege  was  committed  in  Edgbaston 
Church,  December  15,  1816. — Four 
Churches  were  broken  into  on  tlie 
night  of  January  3,   1873. 

Sedition  arid  Treason.  —  George 
Kagg,  printer,  was  imprisoned  for 
sedition,  February  12,  1821. — George 
Thompson,  gun  maker,  31,  Whittall 
Street,  was  imprisoned,  Augu.st  7, 
1839,  for  selling  guns  to  the  Chartists. 

Shop  Robberies. — Diamonds  worth 
£400  were  stolen  from  Mr.  Wray's 
shop,  November  27,  1872. — A  jewel- 
ler's window  in  New  Street  was 
smashed  January  23,  1875,  the  damage 
and  loss  amounting  to  £300. — A  bowl 


containing  400  "lion  sixpences"  was 
stolen  from  Mr.  Thomas's  window,  in 
New  Street,  April  5,  1878.— Mr. 
^lole's  jeweller's  shop,  Pligh  Street, 
was  phindereil  of  £500  worth,  A[iril 
13th,  1881.  Some  of  the  works  of  the 
watches  taken  were  afterwards  fi.shed 
up  from  the  bottom  of  the  Mersey,  at 
Liverpool. 

Short  JFcighL— Jan.  2,  1792,  there 
was  a  general  "  raid  "  made  on  the 
dealers  in  the  market,  when  many 
short- weit'lit  people  came  to  grief. 

Street  Shouting. — The  Watch  Com- 
mittee passed  a  bye-law,  May  14,  1878, 
to  stop  the  \adv  shouting' ^3fail,  Mail," 
but  they  go  on  doing  it. 

Sirindlcs. — Maitland  Boon  Hamilton, 
a  gentleuian  with  a  cork  leg,  was  given 
six  months  ■  n  July  25,  1877,  for 
fleecing  ilr.  Llarsh,  the  jeweller,  out  of 
some  diamonds.  — James  Beutley,  for 
the  "  Christnias  hamper  swindle,"  was 
sentenced  to  seven  years  at  the  Quar 
ter  Sessions,  May  1,  1878. 

The  following  tables  show  the  num- 
ber of  ollences  dealt  with  by  the 
authorities  during  the  live  years  ending 
with  1882  (the  charges,  of  which  only 
a  small  number  have  been  reported, 
being  omitted)  : — 

The  total  number  of  crimes  reported  under  the  head  of  "  indictable  offences  " 
— namely,  Sessions  and  Assizes  cases — the  number  apprehended,  and  how  dealt 
with,  will  be  gathered  from  the  following  summary  :  — 


Year.               Crimes. 

Apprehended. 

Com. 

for  trial. 

1878    1746     .... 

495 
474 
451 
435 
515 

349 

1879    1358     .... 

399 

1880    1187     .... 

340 

1881    1343     .... 

351 

1882    1467     

401 

Natuur  of  Ckime. 

Number 

of  Offences  Rejiorted. 

1878. 

1879. 

1880. 

1881.          1882. 

Murder 

11 

11      ... 

5       .. 

.      5       ...       4 

Shooting,  wouiuling, stabbing,  &c. 

30 

23       ... 

8       .. 

.    21       ...     28 

Manslaughter 

4 

3 

•    13      .. 

.      6       ...       8 

Rape,  assaults  with  intent,   &c. 

6 

1       ... 

1 

.      9       ...       4 

Bigamy     ...          

8 

0      ... 

1 

4      ...       7 

Assaults  on  peace  officers 

0 

4       ... 

0      .. 

1       ...        2 

Burglary,  housebreaking,  &c 

6 

112      ... 

80      .. 

.     83       ...   131 

Breaking  into  shops,  kc. 

4 

94      .. 

56 

.  109       ...  120 

Robbery    

— 

9      ... 

6      .. 

.     10      ...       9 

Larcenies  (various)         

1146 

959      ... 

845      .. 

.  935      ...  931 

172 


SHOWELLS    DICriOXARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


Natuhe  of  Crime. 

1878. 

Receiving  stolen  goods 22 

Frauds  and  obtaining   by   false 

pretences  ...         ...         ..  eg 

Forgery  ami  uttering  forged  in- 

Btruments         ...         ...         ...  f, 

Uttering,  &(;.,  counterfeit  coin...  48 

Suicide  (attempting)      ..  ...  20 


Number  of  Offences  Reported. 
1879.  1880.  1881  1882. 

3       ...     16      ...       8      ...       6 


45 

9 

17 


53 


43 
19 


37 

4 
37 
16 


6S» 


The  following  are  the  details  of  the  more  important  olfeiices  dealt   with  .sum- 
marily by  the  magi.strdtes  ciuring  the  list  live  years  :  — 


Offences  Punishable 

BY  Justices. 
Assanlts  (aggravated)  on  women 
and  children  ..  ...  ...       78 

Assauirs  on  ptace- officers,  resist- 
in.?,  &''.  479 

Assaultrs,  common         ...  ...   15r)4 

Breaches  of  peace,  want  of  sure- 
ties, &c.  ...         ...  ...     426 

Cruelty  to  animals         154 

E!e:Mentiry       Education      Act, 
oflrtnces   against         ..  ...   1928 

Employers  and  Work.shops   Act, 
1875      ...  ...         ...         ...     224 

Factory  Acts       ...  ...  ...       ]2 

Licensing  Acts  otiences 267 

Drunkenness,    drunk    and     dis- 
orderly  2851 

Lord's  Dav  oll'euces        ...  ...        46 


iNumber  oi  i.ersojis  proceeded  agniiust. 
1878         1879'.         1880.  1881.  1382. 


390 
1242 

381 
( 7 

2114 

198 

263 

242S 
4 


.     68 

.  340 
.1293 

.  287 
.   129 

.1.^89 

..  ISf) 
,.  17 
..   132 


..   340 
..1207 

..  219 
..   128 

..1501 


155 

11 

254 


.2218       ...2345 
1       ...       0 


.  3S.-5 
..1269 

..  244 
..     94 

..175.''> 

..  154 
..  62 
..  297 

...2413 
0 


1878. 
Local  Act?i  and  Bye-law-!,  ollen- 

ces  against       4872 

Malicious  anil  wilful  damige  ...  187 
Public     Heilth      Act,     smoke, 

etc ;!17 

Poor  Law  Acts,  offences  against  203 

Stealing  or  uttempts  (larcenies)  1094 

Vagrant  Act,  olfences  under     ...  614 

Other  olfences     214 

The  following  are  the  totals  of  the 
summarj^  ottences  for  the  .same  period, 
and  the  manner  in  whicli  thev  were 
disposed  of : — 


Number  of  persons  pr.)ceedcd  against, 


1879 

4327 
163 

172 
220 
1222 
622 
174 


1880. 

.4127 
.    163 


1881. 


1882. 


.3702      ...3603 
.  214       ...  225 


.   104  ...  104  ...  161 

.251  ...  243  ...  325 

.1434  ...1253  ...1235 

.   624  ...   611  ...  783 

.   172  ...  211  ...  386 


Ypar. 

1878 
187i> 
1880 
1881 
1882 


Cases. 
16,610 
14,475 
13,589 
1:5,007 
ia,788 


Convicted. 
12,707 
10,904 
9,917 
9,408 
10,171 


Fined. 

8,940 

7,473 

6,730 

6,41J 

0,372 


Similar  statisticb  for  1883  have  uot 
yet  been  made  up,  but  a  return  up  to 
December  31  of  that  y^ar  shows  that 
the  number  ■  of  i)ersons  committed 
during  the  jear  to  the  l>oroiu,di  (laol, 
or,  as  ir  is  now  termed,  her  Majfrsty's 
Pri.son  ;it  Win.sou  Green,  were  3,044 
mahs  and  1,045  f-^males  I'rom  the 
borough,    and    1,772    males   and    521 


SHOWKI.l,  !S    nrCTION'AUY    OK    fURMlNOM  AJI. 


173 


females  from  cHstricts,  niakiujr  a  total 
of  6,382  as  atraiiist  6,565  in  1882.  In 
the  hoi'Oiigii  731  m.iies  and  193 
t'eniaies  had  boeii  oominittel  (ov 
tV.louy,  1,040  nialiib  and  290  females 
for  misdemeanuur,  707  males  aud  329 
females  roiMii-iinkunnuss,  and  243  males 
and  121  fem;iles  for  vatfiaucy.  Of 
prisDiier.s  sixteen  \-ears  old  and  uiulor 
there  were  193  males  aud  21  female.--. 

Noteworthy  Men  of  the  Past. 

— Thoii^di  in  the  aiuiiili  of  Birming- 
ham history  tlie  names  cd"  very  many 
men  of  note  in  art,  seieiice,  and  litera- 
ture, commerce  and  politics,  are  to  be 
found,  comparatively  speaking  there 
are  few  of  real  native  origin.  Most  of 
our  best  men  have  come  from  other 
]>arts,  as  will  be  seen  on  looking  over 
the  notices  which  follow  this.  IJnder 
the  heading  of  "  Parsoiis,  Preachers, 
ami  Priests,"  will  be  found  others  of 
different  calibre. 

Allday. — The  "Stormy  Petrel"  of 
modern  Birmiugham  was  Joseph,  or, 
as  he  was  better  known,  Joey  Allday, 
whose  hand  at  one  time,  was  again-t 
every  man,  and  every  man's  hand 
against  Joe.  Born  in  1798,  Mr.  Ai 
day,  on  arriving  at  years  of  maturit}', 
joined  his  brothers  iu  the  wire-drawing 
business,  but  tliough  it  is  a  painful 
.sight  to  see  (as  Dr.  Watts  says)  children 
of  one  family  do  very  often  disagree, 
even  if  they  do  not  fall  out  aud  chide 
and  fight  ;  but  Josefdi  was  fond  of 
fighting  (though  not  with  his  fists), and 
after  quarelling  and  dissolving  part- 
nership, as  one  of  his  brothers  pub- 
lished a  little  paper  .so  must  he.  This 
was  in  1824,  and  Joey  styled  his 
periodical  Tlte  Mousctra}),  footing  his 
owu  articles  with  the  name  of  "  Argui^." 
How  many  Mousetraps  Allday  sent  to 
TMarket  is  uncertain,  as  but  one  or  two 
copies  only  are  known  to  bo  in  existence, 
and  equally  uncertain  is  it  whether  the 
speculation  was  a  paying  one.  His 
next  literary  notion,  however,  if  not 
pecuniarilv  successful,  was  most  as- 
suredly popular,  as  well  as  notorious, 
it  being  the  rauch-talked-of  Argus. 
The  dozen  or  fifteen  years  following 


1820  were  ratlier  {(rMlih-  in  embryo 
publications  and  periodicals  of  otic  kind 
and  another,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  dilFi- 
eulty  to  a> certain  now  the  exact  parti- 
culars re.^i)ecting  many  of  tiiem.  All- 
day'.s  venture,  which  was  originally 
called  Tlic  Monlldti  Argus,  first 
saw  the  light  in  August,  1828.  and, 
considering  the  time-,  it  was  a  toler- 
ably well-conducted  sheet  of  iter- 
ary  mis-ellany,  prominence  being 
given  to  local  theatrical  mat  ers  and 
similar  sutgects,  which  were  fairly 
criticised.  Ten  numbers  followed,  iu 
due  monthly  order,  but  the  volume  for 
the  year  was  not  completed,  as  in 
July,  1830,  a  new  series  of  TA<'  Argus 
was  commeneed  in  Magizine  shape 
and  published  at  a  shilling.  The 
editor  of  this  new  series  had  evidently 
turned  over  a  new  leaf,  but  he  must 
have  done  so  with  a  dungfurc,  for  the 
publication  became  nothing  better 
than  the  receptacle  of  rancour,  si)ite, 
and  calumny,  public  men  and  private 
individuals  alike  being  attacked,  and 
often  in  the  mo.>t  scurrilous  manner. 
The  printer  (who  was  still  alive  a  few- 
years  b'ick)  was  William  Chidlow  and 
on  his  head,  of  course,  fell  all  the 
wrath  of  the  people  libelled  and  de- 
famed. George  Frederick  Muntz  horse 
whipped  him,  others  sued  him  for 
damages,  and  even  George  Edmonds 
(none  too  tender-tougued  himself)  could 
not  stand  the  jibes  and  jeers  of  Tlic 
Argit-s.  The  poor  [irinter  was  arrested 
on  a  warrant  for  libel  ;  his  types  and 
presses  were  confiscated  under  a  par 
ticular  section  of  the  Act  for  rei;ulating 
newspapers,  and  Allday  himself  at 
the  March  A.ssizes  in  1831  was  found 
guilty  on  several  indictments  for  libel, 
and  sentenced  to  ten  months'  impri- 
sonment. A  third  series  of  The  Argiis 
was  started  June  1st,  1832,  soon  after 
Allday 's  release  from  Warwick,  and  as 
the  vile  scurrility  of  the  earlier  paper 
was  abandoned  to  a  great  extent,  it 
was  permitted  to  appear  as  long  as 
customers  could  be  found  to  support 
it,  ultimately  dying  out  with  the 
last      month"    of      1834.       To      Mr. 


174 


SHOWKLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


Joseph  Allday  ni'ist  credit  be 
given  for  the  exposure  of  namerons 
abuses  existing  in  liis  day.  He  Iiad 
but  to  get  proper  insight  into  any- 
thing going  on  wrong  than  he  at  once 
attacked  it,  tootli  and  nail,  no  matter 
who  stooil  in  the  roa(],  or  wlio  suffered 
from  his  blows.  His  efforts  to  put  a 
stop  to  the  cruelties  connected  with 
the  old  sysem  of  itnprisonnient  and 
distraint  for  debt  led  to  the  abolition 
of  theincal  Courts  of  Requests  ;  and  his 
wrathful  indignation  on  learning  the 
shocking  manner  in  which  prisoners  at 
the  goal  were  tieated  by  the  Governor, 
Lieutenant  Austin,  in  1852-53,  led  to 
tiie  well-remembered  "Gaol  Atrocity 
Enquiry,"  and  earned  for  liim  the 
thanks  of  the  Commissioners  appointed 
by  Government  to  make  the  en(juiry. 
As  a  Town  Councillor  and  Alderman, 
as  a  Poor  Law  Guardian  and  Chairman 
of  the  Board,  as  Par  sh  Warden  for  St. 
Martin's  and  an  opponent  of  church- 
rates  (while  being  a  good  son  of 
Mother  Church),  as  founder  of  the 
Ratepayers'  Protecti  n  Society  and  a 
popular  leader  of  the  Conservative 
party,  it  needs  not  saying  that  Mr. 
Allday  lial  many  enemies  at  all 
periods  of  his  life,  but  there  were  very 
few  to  speak  ill  of  him  at  the  time  of 
his  death,  which  resulted  from  injuries 
received  in  a  fall  on  Oct.  2iid,  1861. 

Allen,  J. — Local  portrait  painter  of 
some  repute  from  1802  to  1820. 

Aston,  John,  who  died  Sept.  12, 
1882,  in  his  82nd  year,  at  one  time 
took  a  leading  share  in  local  affairs. 
He  was  High  Baihff  in  1841,  a  J. P. 
for  tlie  county,  for  40  years  a  Governor 
of  the  Grammar  School,  and  on  the 
boards  of  management  of  a  number  of 
religious  and  charitable  institutions. 
A  consistent  Churchman,  he  was  one 
of  the  original  trustees  of  the  "Ten 
Churches  Fund,"  one  of  the  earliest 
works  of  church  extension  in  Bir- 
mingham ;  he  was  also  the  chief  pro- 
moter of  the  Church  of  P]ngl;uid 
■Cemeterj',  and  the  handsome  church 
of  St.  Michael,  which  stands  m  the 
Cemetery  grounds,  was  largely  due  to 


his  efforts.  In  politics  Mr.  Aston  was 
a  staunch  Conservative,  and  was  one 
of  the  trustees  of  the  once  notable 
Constitutional  Association 

Attwoad. — The  foremost  name  of  the 
(lavs  of  Reform,  when  the  voice  of 
Libttral  Birmingham  male  itself  heard 
through  its  leaders  was  that  of  Thomas 
Attwood.  A  native  of  Salop,  born 
Oct.  (5,  1783,  he  becime  a  resident  here 
soon  after  coining  of  age,  havingjoined 
Messrs.  Spooner's  Bank,  thence  and 
afterwards  known  as  Spooner  and  Att- 
wood's.  At  tlie  early  age  of  28  he  was 
chosen  High  Bailiff',  and  soon  made 
his  mark  by  opposing  the  renewal  of 
the  Eist  Lidia  Co. 's  charter,  and  by 
his  exertions  to  obtain  the  withdrawal 
of  the  "Orders  in  Council,"  which  in 
1812,  had  paralysed  the  trade  of  the 
country'  with  America.  The  part  he 
took  in  the  great  Reform  meetings,  his 
triumplunt  reception  after  the  passing 
of  the  Bill,  and  his  being  sent  to  Par- 
liament as  one  of  the  first  representa- 
tives for  the  borough,  are  matters 
which  have  been  too  many  times  di- 
lated upon  to  neeil  recapitulation.  Mr. 
Attwood  had  peculiar  views  on  the 
currency  question,  and  pertinaciously 
pressing  them  on  his  fellow  members 
in  the  House  of  Commons  he  was 
not  liked,  and  only  held  his  seat 
until  the  end  of  Dec,  1839,  the 
last  jH'ominent  act  of  his  political 
life  being  the  presentation  of  a  monster 
Chartist  petition  in  the  previous  June. 
He  afterwards  retired  into  private  life, 
ultima'ely  dying  at  Malvern,  March  6, 
1856,  bemg  then  73  years  of  age. 
Clinies  Attwood,  a  brother,  but  who 
look  lesi  pirt  in  ])olitics,  retiring  from 
the  Political  Union  when  he  thought 
Thomas  and  his  friends  were  verging 
on  the  precipice  of  revolution,  was  well 
known  in  the  north  of  England  iron 
and  steel  trade.  He  died  Feb.  24, 
1875,  in  his  84th  year.  Another 
brother  Benjamin,  who  left  politics 
alone,  died  Nov.  22,  1874,  aged  80. 
No  greater  contrast  could  possibly  be 
drawn  than  that  shown  in  the  career  of 
these  three  gentlemen.     The  youngest 


SllOWELI^S    DICTIONARY    oK    BIRMINGHAM. 


175 


brother  wiio  iiulnstfioiisly  attemled  to 
liis  b;i.siiie-s  till  he  had  acijiiireil  a 
coiinieteiit  fortune,  also  inherited  onor- 
mous  wealth  fiMin  a  nejthew,  ami  after 
his  death  he  was  proved  to  have  been 
the  long  unknown  but  inucli  soujiht 
after  anonymous  donor  of  the  £1,000 
notes  so  eoDtinunusly  acknowledged  in 
the  Timri  as  having  been  si-nt  to  Lon- 
don hospitals  and  cliarities.  It  was 
said  that  Uynjaniin  Attwood  distri- 
buted nearly  £300,000  in  this  unosten- 
tatious manner,  and  his  name  will  be 
ever  blessed.  Charles  Attwood  was 
described  as  a  great  and  f,ood  man,  and 
a  henefaefor  to  liis  race.  His  di-co- 
veries  in  the  nianufaeture  of  glass  and 
steel,  and  liis  opening  u[)  of  the  Cleve- 
laud  iron  district,  has  given  employ- 
ment to  thousands,  ami  as  one  wlio 
knew  him  well  sai'i,  "  If  he  had  cared 
more  about  money,  and  less  about 
science,  he  could  have  been  one  of  the 
richest  commoners  in  England  ;"  but 
he  was  unseltish,  and  let  other  reap 
the  benefit  of  his  best  patents.  What 
the  elder  brother  was,  most  Brums 
know  ;  he  worked  hard  in  tlie  cause  of 
Liberalism,  he  was  almost  idolis-d 
here,  and  his  statue  stands  not  far 
from  the  site  of  the  Bank  with  which 
his  name  was  unfortunately  connected, 
and  the  failure  of  which  is  still  a  stain 
on  local  commercial  history. 

Baldioin,  James. — Born  in  the  first 
month  of  the  present  century,  came 
liere  early  in  his  teens,  worked  at  a 
printer's,  saved  his  money,  an  em- 
ployer at  2h,  made  a  speciality  of 
"grocer's  printing,"  fought  hard  in 
the  battle  against  the  "  taxes  on 
knowled<;e,"  becduie  Alderman  and 
Mayor,  and  ultimately  settled  down 
on  a  farm  near  his  own  paper  mills  at 
King's  Norton,  where,  Dec.  10,  1871, 
he  finished  a  practically  useful  life, 
regretted  by  many. 

Bayley,  C.  H. — A  Worcestershire 
man  and  a  Staffordshire  resident ;  a 
persevering  collector  of  past  local  and 
county  records,  and  an  active  member 
of  the  Archaeological  section  of  the 
Midland  Institute.      Mr.    Biyley    was 


also  a  member  of  the  Stalfbrdshire 
Archffiological  Society,  and  took 
si)ecial  interest  in  the  William  Salt 
Library  at  Stafford,  whose  trea-suree 
were  familiar  to  him,  atid  whose  con- 
tents he  Wis  ever  ready  to  search  and 
report  on  far  any  of  his  friends.  In 
18t59  lie  issued  the  first  of  some  pro- 
jiosed  reprints  of  .some  of  his  own  rari- 
ties, in  "A  True  Relation  of  the 
Terrible  Earthquake  at  West  Brum- 
niidge,  in  Staffordshire,"  &,c. ,  printed 
in  167(5  ;  and  early  in  1882  (the  year 
()(  his  death)  "  The  Rent  Rolls  of  Lord 
Dudley  and  Ward  in  1701  " — a  very 
curious  con  ribution  to  local  history, 
and  full  of  general  interest  also. 

Bealc,  Simuel.— At  one  period  a 
most  prominent  man  among  our  local 
worthies,  one  of  tlie  first  Town  Coun- 
cillors, and  Mayor  in  1841.  He  was 
Chairman  of  the  Midland  Railway,  a 
dirertor  of  the  Birmingham  and  Mid- 
land I'ank,  and  sat  as  M.P.  for  Derby 
from  1857  to  1865.  He  died  Sept.  11, 
1876,  aged  71. 

Bcalc,  W.  J.-- A  member  of  the 
legal  firm  of  Beale,  Marigold,  and 
Beale.  Mr.  Beale'.s  chief  Tmblic  ser- 
vice was  rendered  in  connection  with 
tlie  General  Hospital  and  the  Musical 
Festivals.  He  was  for  many  years  a 
member  of  the  Orchestral  Coiiuuittee 
of  the  Festivals,  and  in  1870  he  suc- 
ceeded Mr.  J.  0.  Mason  as  chairman  ; 
retaining  this  position  until  after  the 
Festival  of  1876.  His  death  took  place 
in  July,  1880,  he  then  being  in  his 
7(ith  \'ear. 

BiUuifr,  Martin.— Founder  of  the 
firm  of  .Martin  Billing,  Sons,  k  Co. 
Livery  Street,  died  July  17,  1883,  at 
tiie  age  of  71.  He  commenced  life 
under  his  uncle,  Alderman  Baldwin, 
and  was  the  first  to  introduce  steam 
lirinting  machines  into  Birmingham. 
The  colossal  structure  which  f  ces  the 
Great  Western  Railway  Station  was 
erected  about  twenty-nine  years  ago. 

Bissct,  James,  was  the  publisher  of 
the  "  Magnificent  Directory  "  and 
"  Poetic  Survey  "  of  Birmingham,  pre- 


176 


8HOWKf.l.8    DiOTIONARV    OF    BinMlNGlJAM. 


seuted     to    tlie     pnblic,     -laiiuuij'     1, 
1800, 

Bovlij,  Vj.  0. — A  native,  self-tan^ht 
artist,  whose  pictures  now  fetch  rapidly- 
incroasin<,'  sums,  thouiili  for  the  best 
part  of  liis  long  life  (iealcr.s  and  tlie 
general  run  of  art  patrons,  vvhih'  ac- 
knowleiloinL''  the  excellence  of  the 
work.<,  would  not  buy  them.  Mr. 
Bowly,  however,  lived  sutlieiently  long 
to  know  that  the  few  gentlemen  who 
honoured  him  in  his  younger  years, 
were  well  recompeii.^ed  for  their  kind 
recognition  of  his  talent,  t  ough  it 
came  too  late  to  be  of  service  to  him- 
self. His  death  oeciaTed  Feb.  1,  1876, 
iu  liis  70th  year. 

Briggs. — Major  W.  B.  Briggs,  who 
was  struck  otf  tiie  world's  roster  Jan. 
25,  1877,  was  one  of  the  earliest  and 
most  ardent  supporters  of  the  Volun- 
teer movement  in  Biriningliani,  being 
gazetted  ensign  of  the  2nd  Company 
iu  November,  1859.  He  was  a  hearty 
kindly  man,  and  much  esteemed  iu 
and  out  of  tlie  ranks. 

Burritt,  Elihu,  tlie  American 
"learned  biacksmith,"  having  made 
himself  {)roticient  iu  fifteen  (iifferent 
languages.  He  first  addressed  the 
•'  Friends  of  Peace  "  iu  this  town,  Dec. 
15,  184(5,  when  on  a  tour  through  the 
country.  He  afterwards  returntd,  and 
resided  iu  England  for  nearly  twenty- 
five  year;;,  being  for  a  considerable 
time  United  Stites  Consul  at  Birming- 
ham, which  he  left  in  1868.  During 
his  residence  here  he  took  an  active 
share  in  the  work  of  did'asing  tie  prin- 
ciples of  toraperance  and  peace,  both 
by  lecturing  and  by  his  writings. 

Bynncr,  Heury.— A  native  of  the 
town  ;  forty- five  years  British  Consul 
at  Trieste  ;  returned  here  in  1842,  and 
died  in  1867.  He  learned  shorthand 
writing  of  Dr.  Priestley,  and  was  the 
ijr3t  to  use  it  in  a  law  court  in  this 
county. 

Gailbury,  Richard  Tapper. — A  draper 
and  haberdasher,  wiio  started  business 
here  in  1794.  One  of  the  Board  of 
Guardians,  and  afterwards  Cliairman 
(for  15  years)  of  the  Commissioners  of 


the  Streets,  uutil  tliat  body  was  done 
away  with.  Mr.  Cadbury  was  one  of 
the  most  respected  and  best  known 
men  of  the  town.  He  died  March  13, 
1860,  iu  liis  92nd  year,  being  buried 
in  Bull  Street  among  liis  d'ejiarted 
friends. 

Caper II,  Edward. —Sometimes  called 
the  "poet-[)ostman,"  is  a  Devonshire 
man,  but  resided  for  a  considerable 
time  at  Harborue.  He  deserves  a 
jilace  among  our  noteworthy  men,  if 
only  for  his  sweet  lines  on  the  old 
Love  lane  at  Edgbaston,  now  known 
as  Richmond  Hill. 

"  But  no  vestige  of  the  bankside  lingers  now 

or  j;ate  to  show 
The  track  of   the  old  vanisljed  lane  of  love's 

.sweet  long  ago." 

Cnrcu,  Rev.  Henry  Francis,  au\tive 
of  this  town  (boru  in  1772),  vicar  of 
Bromley  Abbots,  Staffordshire,  him- 
self a  poet  of  nc  mean  order,  trans 
lated  in  blank  verse  Dante's  "Inferno," 
the  "  Divinn  Commedia,"  &c.,  his 
works  running  rapidly  through  several 
editions.  For  some  time  he  was  assis- 
tant librarian  at  the  British  Museum, 
and  afterwards  received  a  pension  of 
£200  a  year.  Diet!  in  1844,  and  lies 
in  "Poet's  Corner,"  Westminster 
Abbey. 

Chamberlain,  John  Henry. — Came 
to  Birmingham  in  1856,  and  died 
suddenly  on  the  evening  of  Oct.  22, 
1883,  after  delivering  a  lecture  in  the 
Midland  InsiitutfS  on  "Exotic  Art." 
An  architect  of  most  brilliant  talent, 
it  is  almost  impossible  to  record  the 
buildings  with  which  (in  conjunction 
with  his  partner,  Mr.  \\  m.  Martin)  he 
has  adorned  our  town.  Among  them 
are  the  new  Free  Libraries,  the  extension 
of  the  Midland  Institute,  the  Hospitals 
f(;r  Women  and  Children,  the  many 
Board  Schools,  the  Church  of  St. 
David,  and  that  at  Selly  Hill  the 
Rubery  Asylum,  the  Fire  BrigaJe 
Station,  the  Constitution  Hill  Library, 
Monument  Lane  Baths,  the  Chamber- 
lain Memorial,  the  Canopy  over  Daw- 
sou's  Statue,  several  Police  Stations, 
with     shops    and   private    houses    in- 


SHOWBLL'a    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


177 


numerable.  He  was  a  true  artist  in 
every  sense  of  the  wcinl,  an  eloquent 
speaker,  and  one  of  the  most  sincere, 
tlioutrhtful,  and  lovingly-earnest  men 
that  Birmingliam  has  ever  been  blessed 
with. 

Clegg. — SaTnuel  Clegg  was  born  at 
Manchester,  March  2,  1781,  but  Ids 
early  years  were  passed  at  the  Soho 
Works,  where  he  was  assistant  to  Mr. 
Murdoch  in  the  gradual  introduction 
of  ligliting  with  gas.  In  1807  Mr. 
Clegg  first  used  lime  as  a  puiitier  and 
in  1815  he  patented  the  water  meter. 
In  addition  to  his  many  inventions 
connected  with  the  manufacture  and 
supply  of  gas.  Mr.  Clegg  tnu't  be 
credited  with  the  iutroiiuction  of  the 
atmospheric  railways,  which  attracted 
so  much  attention  some  five-and -forty 
years  ago,  and  also  with  many  im- 
provements ill  steam  engines. 

Oollins. — Mr.  John  Collins,  an  ex- 
ceedingly popular  man  in  his  day,  and 
quite  a  local  author,  made  his  first 
appearance  here  Jan.  16,  1793,  at 
"The  Gentlemen's  Private  Theatre," 
in  Livery  Street,  with  an  eutertain- 
nient  called  "Collins'  New  Embel- 
lished Evening  Brush,  for  Rubbing  oft" 
the  Ruse  of  care."  This  became  a 
great  favourite,  and  we  find  Collins  for 
years  after,  giving  similarperlormances, 
many  of  them  beiuij  for  the  purpose  of 
paying  for  "'soup  for  the  poor"  in 
the  distressful  winters  of  1799,  1800, 
and  1801.  Not  so  much,  however,  on 
account  of  his  charity,  or  his  unique 
entertainment,  must  Mr.  Collins  be 
ranked  among  local  worthies,  as  for 
'*  A  Poetical  History  of  Birmingham  " 
written  (or  rather  partly  written)  by 
him,  which  was  published  in  Swiiuiey's 
Chronicle.  Six  chapters  in  verse  ap- 
peared (Feb.  25  to  April  7,  1796), 
when  unfortunately  the  poet's  muse 
seems  to  have  failed  him.  As  a  sa;ni)le 
of  the  fun  contained  in  the  seven  or 
eight  dozen  verses,  we  quote  the 
first — 


"  Of  Birmingham's  name,  tlio'a  deal  lias  been 
said, 
Yet  a  little,  we  doubt,  to  the  purpose, 
As  wlieu  "hocus    pocus  "   was   jaif^ou'd    in- 
stead 
Of  the  Catholic  text  "  hoc  est  coijjks." 

For  it,  doubtless,  for  ages  was  Biomwichara 
called, 
But  liistorians,  their  readers  to  bam. 
Have    Brum,    Wicli,  and  Uain  so  cunupted 
and  maiil'd. 
That    their  strictures  have    all    proved    a 
tlam. 

That  Brom  implies  Broom  none  will  dare  to 
deny, 
And    liat  Wich  means  a  Village  or  Farm  ; 
Or  a  Slope,    or  a  Saltwork,    the  last    may 
imply, 
And  to  read  Ham  for  Town  is  no  harm. 

But  when  jumbled  together,  like    stones  in 
a  bag, 
To  make  it  a  Broom-sloping  town. 
Credulity's    pace    at    such    'iiggling     must 
flag, 
And  the  critic  indignant  will  frown. 

Tis  so  much  like  the  Gazetteer's  riddle-my- 
TL-e, 
Who,  iriitw.sting  Antiquity's  cable, 
Makes   Barnstaple's  town  with  its    name  to 
agree. 
Take  its  rise  from  a  Barn  and  a  Stable. 

Collins'  own  comical  notion  gives  the 
name  as  "  Briniininghaui,"  from  the 
brimming  goblets  so  freel}'  quaffed  by 
our  local  sons  of  Vulcan.  Digbeth  ho 
makes  out  to  be  a  "dug  bath,"  or 
horsepond  for  the  farriers  ;  Deritend, 
from  der  (water). 

"Took  its  name  from  the  swamp  where  th» 
hamlet  was  seated, 
And  imi)ly'd  'twas  the  water-wet-eud  of  the 
town.'' 

Cox,  David — On  the  29  th  of  April, 
1783,  this  great  painter — the  man 
whose  works  have  made  Bifiningliara 
famous  in  art — was  born  in  a  liumblo 
dwelling  in  Heath  Mill  Lane,  Deritend, 
where  his  father  carried  on  tiie  trade 
of  a  smitli.  Some  memorials  of  him 
we  have — in  the  noble  gift  of  a  luur 
ber  of  his  pictures  in  oil,  presented  to 
the  town  by  the  late  J\Ir.  Joseph 
Nettlefjld  ;  in  the  portrait  by  Mr.  J. 
Watson  G  ndon,  and  the  bust  by  Mr. 
Peter  Hollins  ;  in  the  two  lii^graphies 
of  him — both    of    them    Birmingham 


178 


SHOWBLLS    DICTIONARY    OK    BIRMINGHAM, 


works — the  earlier  by  Mr.  Neal  Solly, 
and  the  more  recent  one   by  the   late 
Mr.     William  Hall  ;    besides    the  me- 
morial   window    put     up     by    loving 
Iriends  in  the  Parish  Church  of  Har- 
borne,   where    the   latter    part    of   the 
artist's    life    was    passed,  and    in    the 
churi;hy«rd  of  which  his  remains  were 
laid.     He    bade  his    pictures    and  the 
world  good-bye   on  the    9th   of  June, 
1859.     A  sale    of  some    of  "  dear  old 
David's"     works,     in    London,    May, 
1873,    realised    for    the    owners    over 
£25,000,  but  what    the  artist  himself 
originally      had     for    thern     may     be 
gathered    from    the    instancB    of    his 
•' Lancaster  Castle,"  otherwise  known 
as  "  Peace  and  War,"  a    harvest-field 
scene,  with  troops  marching  by,  only 
24in.   by  18in.  in  size.      This  picture 
he    gave    to    a    friend    at    first,    but 
bought     it      back      lor     £20,     at     a 
time    when    his  friend    wanted  cash  ; 
he    sold     it    for    the    same     amount, 
and  it   afterwards  got  into  the  po.-ses- 
sion  of  Joseph  Gillott,  the  pen  maker, 
at  the  sale  of  whose  collection  "  Lan- 
caster Castle  "  was  knocked  down   for 
£3,601   10s.     The  highest    price    Cox 
ever  received   for  a  picture,  and  that 
on  one  single  occasion  only,  was  £100  ; 
in  another  case  he  had  £95  ;  his  siver- 
age  prices  for  large  pictures  were  rather 
under     than  over  £50  a  piece   in  his 
best  days.      "  The  Sea  Shore  at  Rhyl," 
for  whicli  he  received  £100,   has  been 
since  sold  for  £2,300;   "The  Vale  of 
Clwyd,"  for  which  he  accepted   £95, 
brought    £2,500.      Two    pictures    for 
which  he  received  £40  each  in  1847, 
were  sold  in  1872  for  £1,575  and  £1,550 
respectivelv.     Two  others  at  £40  each 
have  sold  since  for  £2,300  and  £2,315 
5s.  respectively.  His  church  at  "Bettws- 
y-Coed  "  one  of  the  finest  of  his  paint- 
ings, fetched  £2,500  at  a  sale  in  Lon- 
don,  in  March,   1884.     In  the  hall  of 
the    Royal    Oak  Inn,     Bettwsy-Coed 
(David's  favourite  place),  there  is  fixed 
a  famous  irignboard  which  Cox  painted 
for  the  house  in  1847,  and  which  gave 
rise  to  considerable  litigation  as  to  its 
ownership  being  vested  in  the  tenant 


or  tlie  owner,  the  decision  being  in  the 
latter's  favour. 

Cox,    William    Sands,    F.R.S.     and 
F.R.C.S.,   the  son   of  a  local  surgeon, 
was  born   in    1801.      After  "walking 
the  hospitals  "  in  London  and  Paris,  he 
settled   here  in   1825,  being  appointed 
surgeon  to  the  Dispens-ary,  and  in  1828, 
with    the    co-operation     of    the     late 
Doctors   Johnstone    and    Booth,    and 
otlujr  influeniial  friends,  succee(ied  in 
organising     the     Birmingham     Royal 
School  of  Medicine  and  Surgery,  which 
proved  eminently  successful  until,  by 
the  munificent  aid   of  the    Rev.    Dr. 
Warneford,     it    was     converted    into 
Queen's  College  by  a  charter  of  incor- 
poration,  which  was  granted  in  1843. 
The  Queen's  Hospital  was  also  founded 
mainly  through  the  exertions  of  Mr. 
Sands  Cox,  for  the  education    of  the 
medical  students  of  the  College.     In 
1863  Mr.    Cox  retired   from    practice, 
and    went  to  reside    near   Tarnworth, 
afterwards   removing    to    Leamington 
and  Kenil worth,  at  which  latter  place 
he  died,   December  23rd,    1875.       He 
was    buried    in    the    family    vault    at 
Aston,  the  coffin  being  carried  to  the 
grave    by    six    old    students    at    the 
College,   funeial  .'carfs,  hatbands,  and 
"  other    such    ]iiecss    of    muinmery " 
being    dispensed    with,    according    to 
the   deceased's   wish.     He   left    many 
chnritable  legacies,  among  them  being 
£15,000,    to    be    dealt    with    in    the 
following      manner  : — £3,000     to     be 
applied    in    building  and  endowing  a 
cluu'ch  tlsen  in  course  of    erection  at 
Balsall  Heath,  and  to  be  known  as  St. 
Thomas-in-flie-Moors,  and  the  remain- 
ing £12,000  to  be  devoted  to  the  erec- 
tion and  endowment  of  three  dispen- 
saries— one    at    Balsall  Heatli,  one  at 
Aston,  and  the  other  at  Hockley.   Two 
sums    of   £3,000    were    left    to    found 
dispensaries  at  Trmworth   and  Kenil- 
worth,    and    a    cottage     hospital     at 
Moreton-in-theMarsh      his       m  dical 
library  and  a  number  cf  other  articles 
being    also    left    for    the    last-nanied 
institution. 

Davits,  Dr.  Birt. — By  birth  a  Hamp- 


SHOWELl's    dictionary    of    mUMJNGHAM. 


179 


shire  man,  i»y  deycciit  a  Welshman, 
coining  to  Biimingha'u  in  1823,  Dr. 
Davies  Ko;)n  hecaTue  a  man  of  local 
not?.  As  a  politician  in  tlie  pre-Re- 
fonn  (lays,  as  a  ])hysician  of  p.miiKmce, 
and  as  liorougli  Coroner  tor  three 
dozen  yeais,  he  occapicd  a  prominent 
position,  well  jastitied  by  his  capacity 
and  force  of  character.  Ho  took  an 
active  part  in  the  founding  of  the 
Birmingham  School  of  ]\Iedicine,  the 
forernnuer  of  the  Queen's  College,  and 
was  elected  one  of  the  three  lirst 
physicians  to  the  Queen's  Hospital, 
being  its  senior  physician  for  sixteen 
years.  When  the  Charter  of  Incor- 
poration was  granted,  Dr.  Davies  was 
chosen  by  the  Town  Council  as  the 
first  Coroner,  which  ofEce  he  held 
until  June  8th,  1875,  when  he  re- 
signed, having,  as  he  wrote  to  the 
Council,  on  the  29th  of  May  termi- 
nated his  36th  year  of  office,  and  76tli 
year  of  his  age.  Though  an  ardent 
politician,  it  is  from  his  Coronership 
that  he  will  be  remembered  most, 
having  held  about  30,000  inquests 
ill  his  long  term  of  office,  during  the 
whole  of  v/hich  time,  it  has  been  said, 
he  never  took  a  holid;iy,  appointed  u 
deputy,  or  slept  out  of  the  borough. 
His  official  dignity  sat  heavily  upon 
him,  his  temper  of  Lite  j'ears  often  led 
him  into  conflict  with  jurors  and  medi- 
cal witnesses,  but  he  was  well  respected 
by  all  who  knew  the  (juiet  unpretend- 
ing benevolence  of  his  character,  never 
better  exhibited  than  at  the  time  of 
the  cholera  panic  in  1832.  The  doctor 
had  estiblislied  a  Fever  Hospital  in 
Bath  Row,  ;ind  here  he  received  and 
treateil,  by  himself,  the  only  cases  of 
Asiatic  idiolera  im[iorted  into  tlie 
town.  He  died  December  11th, 
1878. 

De  Lys,  Dr. — One  of  the  physicians 
to  the  General  Hospital,  and  the  })ro 
poser  of  tlie  Deaf  and  Dumb  Institu- 
tion. A  native  of  Brittany,  and  one 
of  several  French  refugees  who  settled 
here  when  driven  from  their  own 
country,  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution, 
Dr.  De  Lys  remained  with  us  till  his 


death,  August  24r,h,  1831,  being  then 
in  his  48 til  year. 

Dighy,  John,  made  Lord  Digby  in 
1618,  and  Etrl  of  Bristol  in  1622,  was 
born  at  Col^shill  in  15S0.  He  was 
sent  Ambassador  to  Spain  by  James  I. 
to  negotiate  a  marriage  between  Prince 
Charles  and  the  Infan'a.  He,  went 
abroad  when  the  Civil  War  broke  out, 
and  died  at  Paris  in  16i>3. 

JSdmonds. — George  Edmonds,  was  a 
son  of  the  Baptist  minister  of  Bond 
Street  Chapel,  and  was  born  in  1788. 
For  many  years  after  he  grew  up 
George  kept  a  school,  but  afterwards 
devoted  himself  to  the  Law,  and  was 
appointed  Clerk  of  the  Peice  on  the 
incorporation  of  the  borough.  For 
taking  part  in  what  Government  chose 
to  consider  an  illegal  meeting  Mr. 
Edmonds  had  to  sufier  12  months'  im- 
prisonment, but  it  only  increased  his 
jiopnlavity  and  made  him  recognised 
as  leader  of  the  Radical  party.  During 
the  great  Reform  movements  he  was 
always  to  the  fore,  and  there  can  be 
little  doubt  ttiat  it  was  to  his  untiling 
energy  tliat  the  Political  Union  owed 
much  of  its  success.  In  his  later  years 
he  printed  (partly  with  his  own  hands) 
one  of  the  strangest  works  ever  issued 
from  the  press,  being  nothiug  less 
than  an  alphabet,  grammar,  and  dic- 
tionary of  a  new  and  universil  lan- 
guage. On  this  he  must  have  spent  an 
immense  amount  of  philosophical  and 
philological  rcseandi  tluiing  the  busiest 
years  of  his  active  life,  but  like  other 
schemes  of  a  similar  character  it  came 
into  the  world  some  scores  of  genera- 
tions too  soon.  His  death  took  place 
(hastened  by  his  owm  hand)  July  1, 
1868. 

Everitt,  Allen  Edward. — Artist,  anti- 
quarian, and  archasologist.  It  is  re- 
ported that  his  portfolio  contained  more 
ihau  a  thousand  sketches  of  hisown  tak- 
ing, ofold  churches,  mansions,  cottages, 
or  barns  in  the  Midland  Counties.  Born 
here  in  1824  Mr.  Everitt  had  reached 
his  55th  year  before  taking  to  himself 
a  wife,  whom  he  left  a  widow  June  11, 
1882,  through  catching  a  cold  while  on 


180 


8H0WELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM 


a  sketching  tour.  He  was  mneh  loved 
in  all  artistic  circles,  having  been  (for 
twenty-four  years)  hen.  sec.  to  the 
Society  of  Artists,  a  most  zealous  coad- 
jutor of  the  Free  Libraries  Committee, 
and  honorary  curator  of  the  Art  Gal- 
lery ;  in  private  or  public  life  he  spoke 
ill  of  no  man,  nor  could  any  speak  of 
him  with  aught  but  affection  and  re- 
spect. 

Fletcher,  George. — Author  of  the 
"  Provincialist "  and  other  poems,  a 
journeyman  printer,  and  mucli  re- 
spected for  his  genial  character  and 
honest  kind-heartedness.  Died  Feb. 
20,  1874,  aged  64. 

Fothergill,  John. — Taken  into  part- 
nership by  Matthew  Boulton  in  1762, 
devoting  himself  ])rincipally  to  the 
foreign  agencies.  Many  of  the  branches 
of  trade  in  which  he  was  connected 
proved  failures,  and  he  died  insolvent 
in  1782,  while  IJculton  breasted  the 
storm,  and  secured  fortune  by  means 
of  his  steam  engines.  He  did  nor, 
however,  forget  his  first  partner's  widow 
acd  children. 

Fax,  Charles  Fox,  of  the  firm  of  Fox, 
Henderson  and  Co.,  was  born  at  Derby, 
March  11,  1810.  His  first  connection 
with  this  town  arose  from  his  being 
engaged  with  Stephenson  on  the  con- 
struction of  the  Birmingham  and  Livei"- 
pool  line.  He  was  knighted  in  1851, 
in  recognition  of  his  wonderful  skill  as 
shown  in  the  erection  of  the  Inter- 
national Exhibition  of  that  year,  and 
we  have  a  local  monument  to  his  fame 
in  the  roof  which  spans  the  New  Street 
Station.  Hedied  inl874,  andwasburied 
at  Nunhead  Cemetery,  London.  Tiie 
firm  of  Fox,  Henderson  and  Co.,  was 
originally  Bramah  and  Fox,  Mr.  Hen- 
derson not  coming  in  till  tlie  death  of 
Mr.  Bramah,  a  well-known  ironmaster 
of  this  neighbourhood,  and  whose 
name  is  world-famous  for  his  cele- 
brated locks. 

Gcach. — Charles  Geach  was  a  Cornish- 
man,  born  in  1808,  and  came  to  Bir- 
mingham in  1826  as  one  of  tlie  chirks 
in  the  Branch  Bank  of  England,  then 
opened.     In  1836  he  was  instrumental 


n  the  formation  of  two  of  our  local 
banks,  and  became  the  manager  of  one 
of  them, the  Birmingham  and  Midland. 
In  1842  he  made  a  fortunate  specula 
tion  in  the  purchase  of  some  extensive 
ironworks  at  Rotherham  just  previous 
to  the  days  of  "the  railway  mania." 
The  profits  on  iron  at  that  time  were 
something  wonderful  ;  as  a  proof  of 
which  it  I'.as  been  stated  that  on  one 
Ofcasiou  Mr.  Geach  took  orders  for 
30,000  tons  at  £12,  the'cost  to  him  not 
being  more  than  half  that  sum  !  The 
Patent  Shaft  "Works  may  be  said  to 
have  owed  its  origin  also  to  this  gentle- 
man. Mr.  Geach  was  chosen  mayor 
for  1847,  and  in  1851  was  returned  to 
Parliament  for  Coventry.  His  death 
occurred  Nov.  1,  1854.  A  full-length 
portrait  hangs  in  the  board-room  of 
the  bank,  of  which  he  retained  the 
managing-directorship  for  many  years. 
•  Gem,  Major  Thomas  Henry. — The 
well-known  Clerk  to  the  Magistrates, 
born  Mav  21,  1819,  was  the  ))ioneer 
of  the  Volunteer  movement  in  this 
town,  as  well  as  the  originator  of  the 
fashionable  game  of  lawn  tennis.  A 
splendid  horseman,  and  an  adept  at 
all  manly  games,  he  also  ranked 
high  as  a  dramatic  author,  and  no 
amateur  theatricals  could  be  got 
through  without  his  aid  and  presence. 
His  death,  November  4,  1881,  re- 
sulted from  an  accident  which  occurred 
on  June  25  previous,  at  the  camp  in 
Sutton  Park. 

Gillutt. — Jo?eph  Gillott  was  born  at 
Sheffield  in  1799,  but  through  want  of 
work  found  his  way  here  in  1822, 
spending  his  last  penny  in  refreshments 
at  the  old  publicfiouse  then  standing 
at  corner  of  Park  Street,  where  the 
Museum  Concert  Hall  exists.  His  first 
employment  was  buckle  making,  and 
being  steady  he  soon  took  a  garret  in 
Bread  Street  and  became  his  own  master 
in  the  manufacture  of  buckles  and  other 
"  steel  toys."  The  merchant  who  used 
to  buy  of  him  said  "  Gillott  made  very 
excellent  goods,  and  came  for  his 
money  every  week."  It  was  that 
making  of  excellent  goods  and  his  un- 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


181 


tiring  perseverance  tliat  secured  him 
success.  His  sweetlieart  was  sister  to 
William  and  John  Mitchell,  and  it  is 
questionable  whether  Gillott's  first 
efforts  at  making  steel  pens  did  not 
spring  from  the  knowledge  he  gained 
from  her  as  to  what  the  Mitchells  were 
doing  in  that  line.  The  Sheffield 
blade,  however,  was  the  first  to  bring 
the  "  press"  into  the  process  of  making 
the  pens,  and  that  secret  he  must  have 
kept  pretty  closely  from  all  but  his 
lass,  as  Mr.  J.  Gillott  often  told,  in 
after  life,  how,  on  the  morning  of  his 
marriage,  he  began  and  finished  a  gross 
of  pens,  and  sold  them  ior  £7  4s.  before 
they  went  to  church.  The  accumula- 
tion of  his  fortune  began  from  that  day, 
the  name  of  Gillott  in  a  very  few  years 
being  known  the  wide  world  over.  The 
penmaker  was  a  great  patron  of  the 
artists,  gathering  a  famous  collection 
which  at  his  death  realised  £170,000. 
His  first  interview  with  Turner  was 
described  in  an  American  journal  a  few 
years  back.  Gillott  having  rudely 
pushed  his  way  into  the  studio  and 
turning  the  pictures  about  without 
the  artist  deigning  to  notice  the  in- 
truder, tried  to  attract  attention  by  ask- 
ing thepricesof  three  paintings.  Turner 
carelessly  answered  "4,000  guineas," 
"  £3,000,"  and  "  1,500  guineas."  "  I'll 
take  the  three,"  said  Gilloit.  Then 
Turner  rose,  with  "  Who  the  devil  are 
you  to  intrude  here  against  my  orders  ? 
You  must  be  a  queer  sort  of  a  beggar, 
I  fancy."  "You're  another  queer 
beggar"  was  the  reply.  "I  am  Gillott, 
the  penmaker.  M}'  banker  tells  me 
you  are  clever,  and  1  have  come  to  buy 
some  pictures."  "By  George!"  quoth 
Turner,  "you  are  a  droll  fellow,  I  must 
say."  "  You're  another,"  said  Gillott. 
"But  do  you  really  want  to  purchase 
those  pictures,"  asked  Turner.  "Yes, 
in  course  I  do,  or  I  would  not  have 
climheii  those  blessed  stairs  this  morn- 
ing," was  the  answer.  Turner  mar- 
velled at  the  man,  and  explained  that 
he  had  fixed  the  prices  named  under 
the  idea  that  he  had  only  got  an  im- 
pertinent intruder  to  deal  with,   that 


two  of  the  pictures  were  already  sold, 
but  that  his  visitor  could  have  the  first 
for  £1,000.  "I'll  take  it,"  said  the 
prince  of  penmakers,  "'  and  you  must 
make  me  three  or  four  more  at  your 
own  price."  If  other  artists  did  as  well 
with  Mr.  Gillott  they  could  have  had 
but  little  cause  of  complaint.  .Another 
hobby  of  Mr.  Gillott's  was  collecting 
fiddles,  his  specimens,  of  which  he  once 
said  he  had  a  "boat  load,"  realising 
£4,000  ;  while  his  cabinet  of  precious 
stones  was  of  immense  value.  The 
millionaire  died  Jan.  5,  1872,  leaving 
£3,000  to  local  charities. 

Guest,  James. — Originally  a  brass- 
founder,  but  imbued  with  the  principles 
of  Robert  Owen,  he  became  an  active 
member  of  the  Political  Union  and  other 
"freedom-seeking  "societies,  and  opened 
in  Steelhouse  Lane  a  shop  for  the  sa'e 
of  that  kind  of  literature  suited  to 
ardent  workers  in  the  Radical  cause, 
ilr.  Guest  believed  that  "  all  bad  laws 
must  be  broken  before  they  could  be 
mended,"  and  for  years  he  follow  ;d  out 
that  idea  so  far  as  the  taxes  on  know- 
ledge were  concerned.  He  was  the 
first  to  sell  unstamped  papers  here  and 
in  the  Black  Country,  and,  notwith- 
standing heavy  fines,  and  even  im- 
prisonment, he  ke[)t  to  his  principles 
as  long  as  tlie  law  stood  as  it  was.  In 
1830  he  published  Hutton  "History 
of  Birmingham "  in  cheap  numbers, 
unfortunately  mixing  with  it  many 
chapters  about  the  Political  Union,  the 
right  of  a  Free  Press,  &c.,in  a  confusing 
manner.  The  book,  however,  was  very 
popular,  and  has  been  reprinted  from 
the  original  stereoplates  several  times. 
Mr.  Guest  died  Jan.  17,  1881,  in  his 
78th  year. 

Hill,  Rowland. — The  oiiginator  of 
the  present  postal  system,  born  at  Kid- 
derminster, December  3,  1795,  coming 
to  Birmingham  with  his  parents  when 
about  seven  years  old.  His  father 
opened  a  school  at  the  corner  of  Gough 
Street  and  Blucher  Street,  which  was 
afterwards  (in  1819)  removed  to  the 
Hagley  Road,  where,  as  "  Hazlewood 
School  "  it  became  more  than  locally 


182 


8H0WBLLS    DIOTIONARt    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


famous.  In  1825  it  was  again  re- 
moved, and  further  off,  this  time  being 
taken  to  Bruce  Castle,  Tottenham, 
where  the  family  yet  resides.  Rowland 
and  his  brother,  Matthew  Davenport 
Hill,  afterwards  Recorder  of  r>irming- 
hani,  who  took  part  in  the  manage- 
ment of  the  school,  went  with  it,  and 
personally  Rowlami  Hill's  connection 
with  our  town  may  be  said  to  have 
ceased.  Early  in  1837  Mr.  Hill  pub- 
lished his  proposed  plans  of  Post  Office 
reform,  but  which  for  a  long  time  met 
with  no  favour  from  either  of  the  great 
political  yiartirs,  or  in  official  quarters, 
where,  it  has  been  said,  he  was  snubbed 
as  a  woald-be  interloper,  and  cursed  as 
"  a  fellow  from  Birmingham  coming  to 
teach  people  their  business" — ■ 

"All  office  doors  were  closed  against hira — 
Iiard 

All  ofllce  heads  were  closed  against  him 
too, 

'He  had  but  worked,  like  others,  for  re- 
ward,' 

'  The  thing  was  all  a  dream.'  '  It  would  not 
do." 

In  1839,  more  tli,>n  ■2,0''0  petitions 
were  presented  to  Parliament  in  favour 
of  Mr.  Hill's  plans,  and  eventually 
they  were  adopted  and  became  law  by 
the  3rd  and  4th  Vict.,  cap.  96.  The 
new  postage  law  by  which  the  uniform 
rate  of  fourpenee  per  letter  was  tried  as 
an  experiment,  came  into  operation  on 
the  5th  of  December,  1S39,  and  on  the 
10th  January,  1840,  the  reduced  uni- 
form rate  of  Id.  per  letter  of  half-an- 
ounce  weight  was  commenced.  Under 
the  new  system  the  privilege  of  frank- 
ing letters  enjoyed  by  members  of 
Parliament  was  abolished,  facilities  of 
prepayment  were  afforded  by  tiie  intro- 
liuction  of  postage  stamps,  double  post- 
age was  levied  on  letters  not  prepaid, 
and  arrangements  were  made  for  the 
registration  of  letters.  Mr.  Hill  re- 
ceived an  appointment  in  the  Treasury, 
but  in  1841,  he  was  told  his  services 
were  no  longer  required  This  flagrant 
injustice  caused  great  indignation,  and 
a  national  testimonial  of  £15,000  was 
presented  to  him  June  17,  1846.  On 
a  change  of  Government  Mr.    Hill  was 


appointed  Secretary  to  the  Postmaster 
General,  and,  in  1854,  Secretary  to  tlie 
Post  Office,  a  position  which  he  re- 
tained until  failing  health  caused  him 
to  resign  in  March,  1864,  the  Treasury 
awardine  him  for  life  his  salary  of 
£2,000  per  year.  In  the  same  year  he 
received  a  Parliamentary  grant  of 
£20,000,  and  in  1860,  ho  was  made  a 
K. O.B.,  other  honours  from  Oxford, 
&c.,  following.  Sir  Rowland  was  pre- 
sented with  the  freedom  of  the  City  by 
the  London  Court  of  Common  Council, 
June  6,  1879,  the  document  bcdtig  con- 
tained in  a  suitable  gold  casket.  It 
was  incidentally  mentioned  in  the 
course  of  the  proceedings,  that  at  tlie 
time  Sir  Rowland  Hill's  system  was  in- 
augurated the  annual  amount  of  cor- 
respondence was  79  millions,  or  three 
letters  per  head  of  the  population  ; 
while  then  it  exceeded  1,000  millions 
of  letters,  100  millions  of  postcards, 
and  320  millions  of  newspapers,  and 
the  gross  receipt  in  respect  of  it  was 
£6,000,000  sterling.  Sir  Rowland 
Hill  died  Aut;.  27,  1879,  leaving  but 
oue  son,  "  Pearson  Hill,"  late  of  the 
Post  Office. 

Hollins,  George  — -The  first  appoin- 
ted organist  of  the  Town  Hall  (in 
1834),  liaving  been  previously  organist 
at  St.  Paul's,  in  the  graveyard  of  which 
church  he  was  buried  in  1841,  the 
funeral  being  attended  by  hundreds  of 
friends,  musicians,  and  .--iagers  of  the 
town  and  neiglibourhoocl. 

Holt,  Thomas  Littleton. — A  Press 
man,  whose  death  (Sept.  14, 1879)  at  the 
age  of  85,  severed  one  of  the  very  few  re- 
maining links  connecting  the  journal  ism 
of  the  past  with  the  present.  It  was  to 
him  that  the  late  Mr.  Dickens  owed 
his  introduction  to  Dr.  Black,  then 
the  editor  of  the  Morning  Chronicle. 
Mr.  Holt  was  proprietor  of  the  Iron 
Times,  wliich  started  during  the  rail- 
way mania.  When  his  friend  Leigh 
Hunt  was  imprisoned  for  libelling  ihe 
Prince  Regent,  he  was  the  fiist  to  visit 
liim.  He  took  an  active  part  in  popu- 
larising chea[>  literature,  and  it  was 
greatly  owing  to  him  that  the  adver- 


SHOWELL'h    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


183 


tisementdutywasrepealed.  He  also  took 
an  active  part  in  the  abolition  of  the 
paper  duty.  Besides  starting;  many 
papers  in  London  in  the  latter  p;;vioi 
of  his  life,  he  returned  to  his  n:\tive 
town,  Birraing'iam,  where  he  start"d 
Ri/Uiiid's  Iron  Trade  Oircul'ir,  to  the 
success  of  which  his  writings  largely 
contributed. 

Humphreys,  Henry  Noel. — This 
eminent  naturalist  and  archaeologist's 
career  closed  in  June,  1879.  A  son  of 
the  bite  Mr.  James  Humphreys,  lie 
was  born  in  Uirmingham  in  1809,  and 
was  educated  at  the  Grammar  School 
here.  He  was  the  author  of  many  in- 
teresting works  connected  with  his 
zoological  and  antiquarian  researches. 
Among  the  most  important  of  the  latter 
class  may  be  specified  : — "  Illustraiions 
of  Froissart's  C'nronicles,"  "The 
Parables  of  our  Lord  Illustrated," 
"The  Coins  of  England."  "Ancient 
Coins  and  Medals,"  •"Tiie  Illuminated 
Books  of  the  Medisevai  Period,"  the 
"Coin  Collector's  Manual,"  the  "Coin- 
age of  the  British  Empir-^,"  "  Stories 
by  an  Archseologist,"  and  especially  his 
magna  opera,  so  to  speak,  "The  Art 
of  Illumination,"  and  "Tne  History  of 
the  Art  of  Writing  from  the  Hierog'y- 
phic  Period  down  to  the  introdnction 
of  Alphabets." 

Jam/:s,  William. — A  Warwickshire 
engineer,  born  at  Henley-in-Arden, 
June,  1.3,  1771.  Mr  James  has  been 
cilled  the  first  projector  of  railways,  as 
there  was  none  started  previous  to  his 
laying  out  a  line  from  here  to  Wolver- 
hampton, which  was  given  up  in  favour 
of  the  Canal  Companies.  The  wharves 
in  Newhall  Street  were  constructed  on 
the  .site  of  his  proposed  railway  station. 
He  alterwards  projected  an<l  surveyed 
raanj'other  linosiuiluding  Birniinghiia 
to  Mancliester  through  Derbyshire. 
the  Birmingham  and  London,  etc. 
West  Bromwich  owes  no  little  of  its 
prosperity  to  this  gentleman,  who 
opened  many  collieries  in  its  no'gh- 
bourhood.  At  one  time  Mr.  Jamc-s 
was  said  to  have  been  worth  £150,000, 
besides  £10,000  a  year  coming  in  from 


his  profession,  but  he   lost  nearly  all 
before  his  death. 

Je fery.  —Gsor'^o  Edward  JefTtrv, 
who"  died  Dec.  29th,  1877,  aged  33, 
was  a  local  writgr  who  promised  ti'* 
make  a  name  had  he  lived  longer. 

Johnstone,  Dr.  Jolm,  a  distin 
guished  local  physician,  was  born  at 
Worcester  in  1768.  Though  he 
acquired  a  high  reputation  for  his 
treatment  of  diseases,  it  was  noticeable 
that  he  made  a  very  sparing  use  of 
medicines.     Died  in  1836. 

Johnston",  John,  whose  death  wa-< 
the  result  of  being  knocked  down  by 
a  cab  in  Broad  S::rcet  in  Oct.  1875, 
was  one  of  those  all-round  iavenlive 
characters  who  have  done  so  much  for 
the  trades  of  this  town.  He  was  born 
in  Dumfriesshire  in  1301,  and  was 
apprenticed  to  a  builder,  coming  to 
this  town  in  1823.  He  was  soon 
noticed  as  the  first  architectural 
draughtsman  of  his  day,  but  his  genius 
was  not  confined  to  any  one  line.  He 
was  the  first  to  introduce  photographic 
vignettes,  he  invented  tlie  peculiar 
lamp  used  in  railway  carriages,  he  im  ■ 
proved  several  agricultural  implements, 
he  could  lay  out  plans  for  public 
buiMings  or  a  machine  for  raakin;^ 
hooks  and  eyes,  anii  many  well-to-do 
ftmilies  owe  their  rise  in  the  world  to 
acting  on  the  ideas  put  before  them  by 
Mr.  JoV.nstone.  In  the  latter  portion 
of  his  life  he  was  engaged  at  the  Cam- 
bridge Street  Works  as  consulter  in 
general. 

Kempsoii,  James — In  one  of  those 
gossiping  accounts  of  the  "  Old 
Taverns"  of  Birmingham  which 
"S.  D.  R. '■  has  written,  mntion  is 
made  of  a  little  old  man,  dear  to  the 
musiciaus  under  the  name  of  "  Diddy 
Kempson,"  who  appears  to  have  been 
theoriginator  of  our  Triennial  Musical 
Festivals  in  1768,  aud  who  cjuducted 
a  performance  at  St.  Paul's  as  lato*  as 
the  year  1821,  he  being  then  80  years 
of  ag:-. 

Klichler,  C.  H.  —A  medalist,  for 
many  years  in  the  employ  of  Boulton, 
for  whom  he  sunk  the  dies  f  »r  part  o 


184 


SHOWBLL's   dictionary    of   BIRMINGHAM. 


the  copper  coinage  of  1797,  &c.  The 
2(3.  piece  is  by  liim.  He  was  buried  in 
Haudsworth  Churchyard. 

Lightfoot.  —  Lieut. -General  Thomas 
Lightfoot,  C.B.,  Colonel  of  the  62nd 
Regiment,  who  died  at  his  residence, 
Barbourne  House,  Worcester,  Nov. 
15,  1858,  in  his  84th  year,  and  who 
entered  the  British  army  very  early  in 
life,  was  the  last  surviving  officer  of 
the  famous  45;h,  the  "  Fire-eaters"  as 
they  were  called,  that  went  to  the 
Peninsula  with  Moore  and  left  it  with 
Wellington.  Lightfoot  was  in  Holland 
in  1799.  He  was  present  in  almost 
every  engagement  of  the  Peninsular 
War.  He  received  seven  wounds  ;  a 
ball  which  caused  one  of  these  re- 
mained in  his  body  till  his  death.  He 
obtained  three  gold  and  eleven  silver 
medals,  being  one  more  than  even 
those  of  his  illustrious  commander, 
the  Duke  of  Wellington.  One  silver 
medal  was  given  him  by  the  Duke 
himself,  who  said  on  the  cccasion  he 
was  glad  to  so  decorate  one  of  the  brave 
45th.  Lightfoot  was  made  a  C.  B.  in 
1815.  Before  he  became  Major-Gene- 
ral  he  was  Aide-de-Camp  to  William 
IV.  and  Queen  Victoria,  and  as  such 
rode  immediately  before  her  Ma- 
jesty in  her  coronation  procession. 
LieutenantGencral  Lightfoot  was  a 
native  of  this  town,  and  was  buried  in 
the  family  vault  in  St.  Bartholomew's 
Church,  his  remains  being  escorted  to 
the  tomb  by  the  4th  (Queen's  Own) 
Light  Dragoons,  commanded  by  Colonel 
Low. 

Lloyd. — The  founder  of  the  well- 
known  banking  firm  of  Lloyds  appears 
to  have  been  Charles  Lloyd,  for  some 
time  a  minister  of  tlie  Society  of 
Friends,  who  died  in  1698, 

Machin,  William. — Born  here  in 
1798,  began  his  musical  career  (while 
apjirenticed  to  papier-mache  making), 
as  a  member  at  the  choir  at  Cannon 
Street  Chapel.  As  a  favourite  bass 
singer  he  was  engaged  at  maiij'  of  the 
festivals  from  1834  to  that  of  1849. 
His  death  occurred  in  September, 
1870. 


Malins,  David. — Brassfounder,  who 
in  course  of  his  life  filled  several  of  the 
chief  offices  of  our  local  governing 
bodies.  Born  June  5,  1803  ;  died 
December,  1881.  Antiquarian  and 
persevering  collector  of  all  works 
threwing  light  upon  or  having  con- 
nection with  Birmingham  or  Warwick- 
shire history.  Mr.  Malins,  after  the 
burning  of  the  Free  Library,  generously 
gave  the  whole  of  his  collection  to  the 
formation  of  the  New  Reference 
Library,  many  of  the  books  being 
most  rare  and  valuable,  and  of  some  of 
which  no  other  copies  are  known  to 
exist. 

Mellon,  Alfred. — Tliongh  actually 
born  in  London,  Mr.  Mellon's  parents 
(his  father  was  a  Frenchman)  were 
residents  in  Birmingham,  and  we  must 
claim  this  popular  conductor  as  a  local 
musician  ot  note.  He  was  only  twelve 
whenhejoinedthe  Theatre  Royal  band, 
but  at  sixteen  he  was  the  leader  and 
remained  so  Tor  eight  vears,  removing 
to  London  in  1844.  "  In  1856  Mr. 
Mellon  conducted  the  opening  per- 
formances at  the  Music  Hall  in  Broad 
Street  (now  Prince  of  Wales's  Theatre)  : 
and  will  be  long  remembered  for  the 
"Promenade  Concerts"  he  gave  at 
Covent  Garden  and  in  the  provinces. 
He  died  from  tlie  breaking  of  a  blood- 
vessel, March  27,  1867. 

Mogridge,  George,  born  at  Ashted 
Feb.  17th,  1787,  and  brought  up  as  a 
japanner,  was  the  original  "Old 
Humphrey"  of  our  childhood's  days, 
the  author  of  "Grandfather  Grey," 
"Old  Humphrey's  Walks  in  London," 
"Old  Humphrey's  Country  Strolls," 
and  other  juvenile  woiks,  of  Avhich 
many  millions  of  copies  have  been 
sold  in  England,  America,  and  the 
Colonies.  "Peter  Parley '.s  Tales" 
have  been  also  ascribed  to  our  towns- 
man, who  died  Nov.  2,  1854. 

Muvdeji,  T.— In  the  year  1818,  Mr. 
ilunden  (born  in  London  in  1798) 
came  to  this  town  as  organist  of  Christ 
Church,  and  was  also  chosen  as  teacher 
of  the  Oratorio  Choral  Society,  and  to 
this  day  it  may  be  said  that  the  repu- 


SHOWELL'S    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


185 


tatiou  of  cur  Festival  Choir  is  mostly 
based  on  the  instruction  given  by  him 
during  liis  long  residence  among  us. 
From  1823  till  1849  Jlr.  Munden  acted 
as  Assistant-conductor  at  the  Festivals, 
retiring  from  publiclife  in  1853. 

Micntz. — The  Revolution  in  1792 
drove  the  Muntz  family  to  emigrate 
from  their  aristocratic  abode  in  France, 
and  a  younger  son  came  to  this  town, 
where  he  married  a  Miss  Purden,  and 
established  himself  in  business.  From 
this  alliance  sprung  our  race  of  the 
Muntaes.  George  Frederic,  the  eldest, 
was  born  in  November,  1794,  an<i 
losing  his  father  in  early  life,  was  head 
of  the  family  in  his  18th  year.  He 
devoted  liimself  for  many  years,  and 
with  great  success,  to  mercantile 
affairs,  but  his  most  fortunate  under- 
taking, and  which  has  made  his  name 
kuown  all  over  the  world,  was  the 
manufacture  of  sheathing  metal  for 
ships  bottoms.  It  has  been  doulited 
whether  he  did  any  more  than  revive 
another  man's  lapsed  patent,  but  it  has 
never  been  questioned  that  he  made  a 
vast  sum  of  money  out  of  the  "yellow- 
metal."  In  politics,  G.  F.  M.  took  a 
very  active  part,  even  before  the  forn  a- 
tiou  of  the  Political  Union  in  1830, 
and  for  many  years  he  was  the  idol  of 
his  fellow-townsmen.  He  was  elected 
M.P.  for  Birmingham,  in  January, 
1840,  and  held  the  seat  till  the  day  of 
his  death,  which  took  place  July  30, 
1857.  His  name  will  be  found  on 
many  a  page  of  our  local  history,  even 
though  a  statue  of  him  is  not  yet  posed 
on  a  pedestal. 

Murdoch,  William. — Born  at  Bellow 
Mill,  near  Old  Cumnock,  Ayrshire,  in 
1750,  and  brought  up  as  a  millwright, 
came  here  in  search  of  work  in  1777. 
He  was  employed  by  Boultou  at  15s. 
per  week  for  the  first  two  3'ears,  but  he 
soon  became  the  most  trusted  of  all  the 
many  engaged  at  Soho,  and  never  left 
there  though  offered  £1,000  a  year  to 
do  so.  The  first  steam  engine  applied 
to  drawing  carriages  was  constructed 
by  him  in  the  shape  of  a  model  which 
ran  round  a  room  in  his  house  at  Red- 


ruth in  1784,  and  which  is  still  in 
existence.  As  an  inventor,  he  was 
second  only  to  Watt,  his  introduction 
of  gas  lighting  being  almost  equal  to 
that  of  the  steam  engine.  He  livedtJ 
be  85,  dying  November  15,  1839,  at 
his  residence,  Sycamore  Hill,  Hands- 
worth.  His  remains  lie  near  those  of 
his  loved  employers,  Boulton  and  Watt, 
in  the  parish  church. 

PcliiiL—llv.  Joseph  Pottitt,  who 
died  Sept.  9,  1882,  in  his  70th  year, 
was  a  local  artist  of  note,  a  member  of 
the  Society  of  Artists,  and  for  many 
years  a  regular  exhibitor  at  the  Royal 
Academy,  our  local,  and  other  exhibi- 
tions. In  his  younger  years  Mr. 
Pettitt  was  employed  in  the  papier- 
mache  trade,  a  business  peculiarly 
suited  to  persons  gifted  with  artisti* 
faculties.  His  earliest  specimens  ol 
landscape  attracted  attention,  and  Mr. 
Joseph  Gillott  commissioned  the 
painter  to  furnish  a  number  of  Swiss 
views  for  the  collection  of  pictures  he 
had  began  to  gather,  ilr.  Pettitt 
pleased  the  penmaker,  and  .'^oon  made 
a  name  for  himself,  his  works  being 
characterised  by  fine  colour  and  broad 
vigorous  handling. 

Phillips,  Aldermau,  died  Feb.  25, 
1876.  A  member  of  the  first  Town 
Council,  and  Mayor  in  1844.  Mr. 
Phillips  long  took  active  })art  in  muni- 
cipal matters,  and  was  the  founder  of 
the  Licensed  Victuallers'  Asylum. 

Pickard,  James.  —  A  Biimingham 
button  maker,  who  patented,  Aug.  23, 
1780,  the  use  of  the  crank  in  the  steam 
engine  to  procure  rotary  motion.  He 
is  supposed  to  have  got  the  idea  from 
overhearing  the  conversation  01  some 
Soho  workmen  while  at  their  cups. 
The  first  engine  in  which  it  was  used 
(and  the  fly-wheel)  was  for  a  manu- 
facturer in  Snow  Hill,  and  wis  put  up 
by  Matthew  Washborough,  of  Bristol. 

Plant— llr.  T.  L.  Plant,  who  died 
very  suddenly  in  a  railway  carriage  in 
which  he  was  coming  into  town  on  the 
morning  of  August  31,  1SS3,  came  to 
Birmingham  in  1840.  As  a  meteorolo- 
gist, who  for  more  than  forty  years  had 


186 


SHOWELI.  S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIKMINGHAM. 


kept  ulosu  reoori  uf  wind  aiiJ  weather, 
he  Wis  well  known  ;  liis  letters  to  the 
newspapers  on  tliis  ami  kindred  sub- 
jects were  always  interestiiig,  and  the 
part  htt  took  in  advanced  sanitary 
questions  gained  him  the  friendship  of 
all.  Mr.  Plant  was  a  native  of  York- 
shire, and  was  in  his  61th  year  ac  the 
time  of  his  death. 

Playfcur,  William  (brother  of  the 
eminent  Scotch  mathematician)  was 
engaged  as  a  draughtsman  at  the  Solio 
Works,  alter  serving  apj>renticeship  as 
a  millwriglit.  He  patented  various  in- 
ventions, and  was  well  known  as  a 
political  writer,  &c.  Born,  1759  ;  died, 
1823. 

Pofitgate,  John. — This  name  should 
be  honoured  in  every  houseiudil  for  a 
life's  exertion  in  the  obtainmerit  of 
purity  in  what  we  eat  and  drink.  B.'- 
ginuing  life  as  a  grocer's  boy,  lie  saw 
the  most  gross  auultcntion  carried  on 
in  all  the  varie  ies  of  articles  sold  by 
his  employers,  and  afterwards  being 
with  a  medic,il  firm,  he  studied 
chemistry,  and  devoted  his  life  to 
analysing  foo  I  and  drugs.  Coming  to 
this  town  in  1854.  he  obtained  tlie 
assistance  of  ilr.  Win.  Schok-ficld,  by 
whose  means  the  first  Parlianientar}' 
Committee  of  Enquiry  was  appointed  ; 
the  revelations  were  astounding, 
but  it  was  not  till  1875  that  anything 
like  a  stringent  Act  was  passed 
whereby  the  adulterators  could  be 
prop?rly  punished.  The  author  of 
this  great  national  benefit  was  alloweii 
to  die  almost  in  poverty,  uucared  for 
by  his  countiymen  at  large,  or  bj"- his 
adopted  townsmen  of  Birmingham. 
Born  October  21,  1820,  Mr.  Postgate 
died  in  July,  1881. 

Ragj,  Rev.  Thomas. — Once  a  book- 
seller and  printer,  editor  and  publisher 
of  the  Birmingham  Advertiser,  .ind 
author  of  several  work-,  one  of  which 
secured  for  him  tlio  goodwill  of  the 
Bishop  of  Roche.ster,  who  ordained 
him  a  minister  of  the  Estahlislied 
Church  in  1858.  He  died  December 
3rd,  1881,  in  his  74th  year,  at  Lawley, 
Salop,  having    been    perpetual   curate 


thereof  from  1865.  His  nirishioners 
and  friends  subscribed  for  a  memorial 
window,  aud  a  fund  of  a  little  over 
£200  was  raised  for  the  benefit  of  the 
widow,  but  a  very  small  p^tit  thereof 
wenL  fiom  Birmingliam. 

Ratcliffe. —^Ir.  John  Ritcliffe,  who 
had  in  past  years  been  a  Town  Com- 
missioner, a  Low  Bailiff,  a  Town  Coun- 
cillor, and  Alderman,  was  chosen  as 
Mayor  in  1856,  aud,  being  jiopular  as 
well  as  wealthy,  got  reappointed  yearly 
until  1859.  In  the  first-named  year, 
H.R.  H.  the  Duke  of  Cambridge  was 
the  Mayor's  guest  when  lie  came  to 
open  Galthorpe  Park.  When  rhe  Prin- 
cess Royal  was  married,  in  1858,  the 
Mayor  celebrated  the  auspicious  event 
by  giving  a  dinner  to  more  than  a  thou- 
sand poor  people,  and  h'-  headed  the 
deputation  which  was  sent  from  here 
to  present  England's  royal  da\ighter 
with  some  articles  of  Birmingham 
manufacture.  On  the  occasion  of  the 
Queen's  visit  to  open  Aston  Park,  Mr. 
Mayor  received  the  iionour  of  Knight- 
hood, and  became  Sir  .John,  dying  in 
1864,  in  his  67th  year. 

Re.Hiiic,  John. — Tii3  celebrateii  en- 
gineer and  architect,  who  built  Water- 
loo and  Soutliwark  Bridg.-s,  Plymouth 
Breakwater,  &c.,  was  for  a  short  time 
in  the  eniplov  of  Boulton  and  Watt. 

Roebuck,  Dr.  John,  grandfather  of 
the  late  John  Arthur  Roebuck,  M.  P. 
was  born  at  Sheffield  in  1718  ;  came  to 
Birmingham  in  1745.  He  introduced 
bjtte.r  methods  of  refining  gold 
and  silver,  originated  more  econ- 
omical styles  of  manufacturing  the 
chemicals  tised  in  trade  (especially 
oil  of  vitriol),  and  revived  the  use  of  pit 
coal  in  smelting  iron.  .After  leaving 
this  town  ho  started  t'.ie  Cirron  Iron- 
woiks  on  the  Clyde,  and  in  1768  joined 
James  Watt  in  bringing  out  tlie  latter's 
steam  engine.  Some  mining  invest- 
ments tailed  before  the  engine  was  per- 
fected, and  his  interest  tliereon  was 
transferred  to  Mr.  Boulton,  the  doctor 
dying  in  1794  a  poor  man. 

Rogers. — John  Rogers,  one  of  "  the 
glorious  army  of  martyrs,"  was  burnt 


8H0WKLL3    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


187 


at  Sinitblield  (London)  on  February  4. 
1555.  He  was  born  in  Deritend  about 
the  year  1500,  and  assistetl  in  i  he  trans- 
lation and  printing  of  the  Bible  into 
English.  He  was  one  of  the  Preben- 
daries of  St.  Paul's,  Loudon,  but  afcer 
Queen  Mary  came  to  the  tlirone  he  give 
offence  by  preacliing  against  idolatry 
and  superstition,  and  was  kspt  im- 
lirisoned  for  eighteen  months  prior  to 
comlemnation  and  ex3cutioii,  being  the 
first  martyr  of  the  Reformation.  He 
left  a  wife  and  eleven  children.  See 
"  Statues  and  Mcynorials." 

Russell. — -Wiiliani  Congrevo  Rus.seII, 
Esq.,  J. P.,  and  in  1832  Ldected  M.P. 
for  Eist  Worcestershire,  who  died  Nov. 
30,  1850,  aged  72,  was  the  last  of  a 
family  whose  seat  was  at  Moor  Green 
for  many  generations. 

Rym,  Dr.  Johii.— The  first  head- 
master of  the  EJgbaston  Proprietary 
School,  which  openeii  under  his  super 
intendeiice  in  January,  1838,  his  con- 
nection therewith  conuauiiig  till 
Christmas,  1816.  Ho  \f\H  a  man  of 
great  learning,  with  a  remarkable  com- 
mand of  lang.  age,  and  a  singularly 
accurate  writer.  Born  March  11,  1806, 
his  intellectual  ac(iuireinents  expanded 
.so  rapidly  that  at  sixteen  he  was  able  to 
support  iiimself,  and,  passing  with  the 
highest  honours,  he  had  taken  liis 
degree  and  accepted  the  head  master- 
ship of  Truro  Grammar  School  before 
his  21st  birthday.  For  the  last  30 
years  of  his  life  lie  filled  the  i)csc  of 
VicePie.sident  of  Queen's  College, 
Cork,  departing  to  a  better  sphere 
June  21,  1875.' 

Ryla.id,  Arthur. — Descendant  of  a 
locally  long-honoured  I'amily  this 
gentleman,  a  lawyer,  added  consider- 
ably to  the  prestige  of  the  name  b}-  the 
prominent  position  lie  took  ia  every 
work  leading  to  the  advancement  of 
his  townsmen,  social,  moral,  and  poli- 
tical. Connected  with  almost  every 
institution  in  tlie  borough,  many  of 
which  he  aided  to  establish  or  develop, 
lilr.  Ryland's  name  is  placed  foremost 
among  the  fouuderi  of  the  Birmingham 
and  Midland  Institute,  the  Art  Gallery, 
the  public  Libraries,  the  Hospitals  for 


Women  and  Children,  the  Sanatorium, 
&c. ,  while  he  was  oue  of  the  greatest 
friends  to  the  Volunteer  movement 
and  the  adoption  of  the  School  Board's 
system  of  education.  During  life  he 
was  appointed  to  all  the  loading  offices 
of  citizenship,  in  addition  to  being 
chosen  President  of  the  Law  Society 
and  other  bodies.  He  died  at  Cannes, 
March  23,  1877,  in  his  70th  year. 

Scliolejield,  William. —Son  of  Joshua 
Scholefield,  was  chosen  as  the  first 
Mayor  after  the  incorporation,  having 
previously  been  the  High  Biilitfof  the 
Court  Leet.  In  1847  he  was  elected 
M. P.,  holding  that  office  through  five 
Parliaments  and  until  his  (Liatli  July 
9,  1867  (in  his  5Sth  year;.  In  the 
House,  as  well  as  in  :1s  private  life  and 
business  ciri.des,  he  was  much  esteemed 
for  the  honest  fixity  of  jiurpose  which 
characterised  all  his  life. 

Sluiio,  Cliarios,  commonly  known  as 
"Charley"  Shaw,  was  a  large  manu- 
facturing merchant,  and  held  high 
position  as  a  moneyed  man  for  many 
years  down  to  Lis  death.  He  was  a.s 
hard  as  a  nail,  rough  as  a  bear,  and 
many  funny  tales  have  been  told  about 
him,  but  he  i-  worth  a  place  in  local 
history,  if  only  for  the  fact  that  it  was 
principally  through  his  exertions  that 
the  great  monetary  panic  of  1837  was 
prevented  from  becoming  almost  a 
national  collapse. 

Sherlock. — "Though  not  to  be  counted 
exactly  as  one  of  our  Birmingham  men, 
Thomas  Sherlock,  Bishop  of  Lou'.'on, 
who  purchased  the  manor  estates  in  or 
about  1730,  must  have  a  place  among 
the  "noteworthies."  Hutton  states 
that  when  the  Bi.shopmade  his  bargain 
the  estate  brought  in  about  £400  per 
annum,  but  that  in  another  tliiriy  years 
or  so  it  had  increased  to  twice  the 
value.  The  historian  goes  on  t>)  say 
that  "  thu  pious  old  Bishop  was  fre- 
quenth'  solicited  t )  grant  building 
leases,  but  answered,  '  his  lauii  was 
valuable,  and  if  built  upon,  his  suc- 
cessor, at  the  expiration  of  the  term, 
would  have  t'ue  rubbish  to  carry  off:  ' 
he  therefore  not  only  refused,  but  pro- 
hibited   hLs    successor    from    granting 


188 


SHOWBLLS    DICTIONARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


such  leases.  But  Sir  Thomas  Gooch, 
who  succeeded  him,  seeing  the  great 
improvement  of  the  neighbouring 
estates,  and  wiselyjadging  fiity  pounds 
per  acre  [terlerable  to  live,  procured  an 
Act  in  about  1766,  to  set  aside  the  pro- 
hibiting clause  in  the  Bisliop's  will. 
Since  which,  a  considerable  town  may 
be  said  to  liave  been  erected  upon  his 
property,  now  (1787)  about  £2,400  per 
annum."  Bishop  and  historian  alike, 
would  be  a  little  astonished  at  the  pre- 
sent value  of  the  property,  could  they 
see  it. 

Sinall,  Dr.  William. — A  friend  of 
Boulton,  Watt,  and  Priestley,  and  one 
of  the  famous  Lunar  Society,  born  in 
county  Angus,  Scotland,  in  1734, 
dying  here  in  1778.  A  physician  of 
most  extensive  knowledge,  during  a 
residence  in  America  he  filled  the  chair 
of  Professor  of  Natural  Philosophy  at 
the  University  of  Williamsburg,  Vir- 
ginia. In  the  beautiful  pleasure  grounds 
of  Soho  House,  when  Matthew  Boul- 
ton lived,  there  was  an  urn  inscribed  to 
the  memory  of  Dr.  Small,  on  which  ap- 
peared some  impressive  lines  written 
by  Dr.  Darwin,  of  Derby  : — 

"Here,    wliile    no   titled    dust,   no  sainted 
bone, 
No  lover  weeping  over  beauty's  bier. 
No  warrior  fi'owniiig  in  historic  stone, 
Extorts  your  praises,    or  requests  your 
tear  ; 
Cold  Contemplation  leans  her  aching  head, 
On  huiuaii    woe    her    steady    eye    she 
turns. 
Waves  her  meek  hand,  and  sighs  for  Science 
dead. 
For  Science,  Virtue,  and  for  Small  she 
mourns." 

Smith. — Mr.  Brooke  Smith  (of  the 
well-known  firm  of  Martineau  and 
Smith),  a  valuea  supporter  of  Peuu 
Street  and  Dale  Street  Industrial 
Schools,  the  Graham  Street  Charity, 
and  other  institutions  connected  with 
the  welfare  of  the  young,  die(i  in  April, 
1876,  in  his  78th  year.  A  Liberal  in 
every  way,  the  sound  common  sense  of 
Mr.  Brooke  Smith,  who  wis  noted  for 
an  unvarying  courtesy  to  all  parties 
and  creeds,  kept  him  from  taking  any 
active    share    in    local  politics    where 


urbanity  and  kindliness  is  heavily  dis- 
couuted. 

Sturge,  Joseph.  — Born  August  2, 
1793,  at  Alberton,  a  village  on  the 
.Severn,  was  intended  for  a  farmer,  but 
commenced  trading  as  a  cornfactor  at 
Bewdley,  in  1814,  his  brother  Charles 
joining  him  in  1822,  in  which  year 
they  also  came  to  Birmingham.  Mr. 
Sturge  was  chosen  a  Town  Commis 
sioner,  but  resigned  in  1830,  being  op- 
posed to  the  use  of  the  Town  Hall  being 
granted  for  oratorios.  He  was  one  of 
the  directors  of  the  London  and  Bir- 
mingliam  Railway  when  it  was  opened 
in  1836,  but  objecting  to  the  running 
of  Sunday  trains,  witlidrew  from  ths 
board.  In  1838  he  wis  elected  Alder- 
man for  St.  Thomas's  Ward,  but  would 
not  subscribe  to  the  required  declara- 
tion respecting  the  Established  religion. 
At  a  very  early  date  he  took  an  active 
part  in  the  Anti-slavery  movement, 
and  his  visit  to  the  West  Indies  and 
subsequent  reports  thereon  had  much 
to  do  with  hastening  the  abolition  of 
slavery.  When  the  working-classes 
were  struggling  for  electoral  freedom 
and  "  the  Charter,"  Mr.  Sturge  was 
one  of  the  few  found  willing  to  help 
them,  though  his  peace-loving  disposi- 
tion failed  to  induce  them  lo  give  up 
the  idea  of  "forcing"  their  rights. 
Having  a  wish  to  take  part  in  the 
making  of  the  laws,  he  issued  an  ad- 
dress to  the  electors  of  Birmingham  in 
1840,  but  was  induced  to  retire  ;  in 
August,  1842,  he  contested  Notting- 
ham, receiving  1,801  votes  against  his 
opponent's  1885  ;  in  1844  he  put  up 
for  Birmingham,  l)ut  only  364  votes 
were  given  him  ;  and  he  again  failed  at 
Leeds  in  1847,  though  he  polled  1,976 
voters.  In  1850  he  visited  Schleswig- 
Holsteiu  and  Denmark,  and  in  Febru- 
ary, 1854,  St.  Petersburgh,  each  time 
in  hopes  of  doing  something  to  prevent 
the  wars  then  commencing,  but  failure 
did  not  keep  him  from  Finland  in  1856 
with  relief  for  the  sufferers.  In  1851 
he  took  a  house  in  Ryland  Road  and 
fitted  it  up  as  a  reformatory,  which 
afterwards  led  to  the  establishment  at 


SHOWEIil/tJ     DICTIONARY    OK    BIRMINGHAM. 


189 


Stoke  Prior.  Mr.  Sturge  died  on  May 
14,  1859,  and  wat  buried  on  the  20tli 
in  Bull  Street.  Hi.s  character  needs 
no  comment,  for  hi^  was  a  Christian  in 
iiis  walk  as  well  as  in  his  talk. 

Taylor,  Jolm.— Died  in  1775,  aijed 
til,  leaving  a  fortune  of  over  £200,000, 
acquired  in  the  manufacture  of  metal 
buttons,  japanned  ware,  snuff  bnxei^, 
&c.  It  is  stated  that  he  sent  out  £800 
worth  of  buttons  weekly,  and  that  one 
of  his  workmen  earueil  70s.  per  week 
by  paintinji;  snuff  boxes  at  ^d.  each. 
Mr.  Taylor  must  have  had  a  niouopoly 
in  the  latter,  for  this  one  hand  at  the 
rate  named  must  have  decorated  some 
170,000  boxes  per  aTinuni. 

Tomluis.  —Samuel  Boulton  Tomlins, 
the  sou  of  a  local  iron  merchant  (who 
was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Birming- 
ham Excb.ange)  and  Mary  Harvey 
Boulton  (a  near  relative  to  Matthew) 
was  born  September  28,  1797,  at  Park 
House,  in  Park  Street,  then  a  vine- 
covered  residenre  surrounded  by 
gardens.  His  mother  was  so  great  a 
favourite  with  Baskerville  that  the 
celebrated  printer  gave  her  one  of  two 
specially-printed  Bibles,  retaining  the 
other  for  himself.  After  serving  an 
apprenticeship  to  a  bookseller,  Mr. 
Tomlins  was  taken  into  Lloyd's  Bank 
as  a  clerk,  but  was  soon  promoted 
to  be  manager  of  the  branch  tiien  at 
Stockport,  but  wliiidi  was  taken  over 
afterwards  by  a  Manchester  Bulking 
Company,  with  whom  Mr.  Tomlins 
stayed  until  1873,  dying  September  8, 
1879. 

Ulwin. — Though  nearly  last  in  our 
list,  Uhvin,  or  Alwyne,  the  son  of 
AVigOil,  and  thegrandson  of  Woolgeat, 
the  Danish  Earl  of  Warwick,  must 
rank  first  among  our  noteworthy  men, 
if  only  from  the  fact  that  his  name  is 
absolutely  the  first  found  in  historical 
records  as  having  anything  to  do  with 
Birmingham.  This  was  in  King 
Edward  the  Confessor's  time,  when 
Alwyno  was  Sheriff  (vice-comes)  and 
through  his  son  Turchill,  who  came 
to  be  Earl  of  Warwick,  the  Ardens  and 


the  Bracobridgcs  trace  their  descent 
from  the  old  Saxon  kings,  Alwyne's 
mother  being  sister  to  Lcofric,  III., 
Eirl  of  Mercia.  Whether  Alwyne 
thrived  on  his  unearned  ineronent  or 
not,  the  politicians  of  the  time  have 
not  told  us,  but  the  possessions  that 
cinie  to  him  by  the  Dano-Saxon 
marriage  of  his  parents  seems  to  have 
been  rather  extensive,  as  it  is  written 
that  he  owned  not  only  the  manor  of 
Birmingham,  but  also  Halesowen, 
Escelie,  Hagley,  and  Swinford  in 
Wirecescire  (Worcestershire),  Great 
Barr,  Handsworth,  Penn,  Kushall  and 
Walsall,  in  Staffordshire,  as  well  as 
Aston,  Witton,  Erdington,  and  Edg- 
baston.  The  modern  name  of  Allen  is 
deducible  from  Alwyne,  and  the  bearers 
thereof,  if  so  inclined,  may  thus  be 
enabled  to  also  claim  a  kingly  descent, 
and  much  good  may  it  do  them. 

Underwood,  Thoma.s,  —  Tlie  first 
printer  to  introduce  the  art  of  litho- 
graphy into  Birminghani,  and  he  is  also 
creiiited  with  being  the  discoverer  of 
chromo-litho,  and  the  first  to  publish 
coloured  almanacks  ani  calendars. 
He  did  much  to  foster  the  taste  for 
art,  but  will  probably  be  most  generally 
recollected  by  the  number  of  views  of 
old  Birmingham  and  reproductions  of 
pictures  and  maps  of  local  interest 
that  he  published.  Mr.  Underwood 
died  March  14,  1882,  in  his  73rd  year. 

Van  JVart. — Henry  Van  Wart,  was 
born  iieir  New  York,  Sei)t.  25,  1783, 
and  took  up  his  abode  with  us  in  1808. 
By  birth  an  American,  by  descent  a 
Diitchinaii,  he  became  a  Brum 
through  being  naturalised  by  ."-pecial 
Act  of  Parliament,  and  for  nearly 
seventy  years  was  one  of  our  principal 
merchants.  He  was  also  one  of  the 
fn-'-t  Aldermen  chosen  for  the  borough. 
Died  Feb.  15,  1873,  in  his  90th  year, 

IFard.  —  Humble  Wan!,  son  of 
Cliarles  I.'s  jeweller,  who  mirried 
the  daughter  of  the  Earl  of  Dudley, 
Avas  created  Baron  Ward  of  Birming- 
ham. Their  son  Edward  thus  came  to 
the  title  of  Lord  Dudley  and  Ward  in 
1697. 


190 


SHOWBLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


Warren.- — Thomas  Warren  was  a 
well-known  local  bookseller  of  the  last 
century.  He  joined  Wyatt  and  Paul 
in  their  endeavonrs  to  establish  the 
■Cotton  Spinning  Mill,  putting  £1,000 
into  the  speculation,  which  unfortu- 
nately landed  him  iti  bankruptcy. 
He  afterwards  became  an  auctioneer, 
and  ill  1788  had  the  pleasure  of  selling 
the  TTiachinery  of  the  mill  in  which 
forty  years  ]irev!Ous  his  money  had 
been  lost. 

Wait,  James,  was  born  at  Greenock, 
Jan.  19,  1736,  and  (if  we  are  to  credit 
the  somewhat  apocrypiial  anecdote  of 
his  testing  the  power  of  steam  as  it 
issued  from  his  aunt's  teakettle  when  a 
little  lad  barely  breeched)  at  an  early 
age  he  gave  evidence  of  what  sort  of  a 
man  he  would  be.  In  such  a  con- 
densed work  as  the  present  book,  it  is 
impossible  to  give  much  of  the  life  of 
this  celebrated  genius  ;  but  fortunately 
there  are  many  biographies  ot  him  to 
which  the  student  can  refer,  as  well  as 
scientific  and  other  tomes,  in  which  his 
manifold  inventions  have  been  re- 
corded, and  in  no  corner  of  the  earth 
where  the  steam-engine  has  been  intro- 
duced can  his  name  be  unknown. 
After  many  years'  labour  to  bring  the 
new  motive  power  into  practical  use, 
Watt,  helped  by  hisfricnd  Dr.  Roebuck, 
took  out  his  first  patent  in  1769. 
Roebuck's  share  was  transferred  to 
Matthew  Boulton  in  1773,  and  in  the 
following  year  James  Watt  came  to 
Birmingham.  An  Act  of  Parliament 
prolonging  the  patent  for  a  ti-rm  of 
twenty-four  years  was  obtained  in  May. 
1775,  and  on  the  hrst  of  June  was  com- 
menced the  world-famous  partnership 
of  Boulton  au'i  Watt.  Up  to  this  date 
the  only  engine  made  to  work  was  the 
one  brought  by  Watr  from  Scotland, 
though  more  than  nine  years  had  been 
spent  on  it,  and  thousands  of  pounds 
expended  in  experiments,  improve- 
ments, and  alterations.  Watt's  first 
residence  here  was  in  Regent's  Place, 
Harper's  Hill,  to  which  (Aug.  17,1775) 
he  brought  his  second  wife.  He 
afterwards     removed     to     Heathfield, 


whei'fi  the  workshop  in  which  he 
occupied  his  latest  years  still  re- 
mains, as  on  the  day  of  his  death. 
In  1785,  he  was  elected  a  Fellow  of  the 
Royal  Society;  in  1806,  the  University 
of  Glasgow  conferred  the  degree  of 
LL.  D.  upon  him,  and  in  1808  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  National  In- 
stitute of  France.  One  of  the  latest 
inventions  of  James  Watt  was  a  ma- 
chine for  the  mechanical  copying  of 
sculpture  and  statuary,  its  production 
being  the  amusemen:  of  his  octocrena- 
rian  years,  for,  like  his  partner  Boul- 
ton, Watt  was  permitted  to  stay  on  the 
earth  for  longer  than  the  so-called 
allotteil  term,  his  death  taking  place 
on  the  19th  of  August,  1819,  when  he 
was  in  his  83rd  year.  He  was  buried 
in  Handsworth  Chuich,  where  th-re  is 
a  monument,  the  features  of  which  are 
said  to  be  very  like  him.  A  sta- 
tue was  erected  to  his  memory  in 
Westminster  Abbey  •  in  1824,  and 
others  have  been  set  up  in  Bir- 
mingham, .Manchester,  Greenock, 
and  Glasgow.  The  following  is  the  in- 
scription (written  by  Lord  Brougham) 
on  the  tomb  of  Watt  in  Westminster 
Abbey,  towards  the  cost  of  which 
George  IV.  contributed  £500  : — 

"  Not  to  perpetuate  a  name  which  must 
endnre  wliiletlie  peacfnl  arts  flourish,  but  to 
show  tliat  mankind  liave  learned  to  honour 
those  who  best  deserve  their  gratituiie,  the 
King,  his  ministers,  and  many  of  the  nobles 
and  commoners  of  the  realm,  raised  this 
monument  to  James  Watt,  wiio,  directinj; 
the  force  of  an  original  genius,  early  exer- 
cised in  iihilosophical  research,  to  the  im- 
provement of  X\\A  steam-engine,  enlarged  the 
resources  of  his  country,  increased  the  power 
of  man,  and  rose  to  an  eminent  place  among 
tlie  most  illnstriims  followers  of  science  and 
the  real  benefnctors  of  the  world.  Born  at 
Greenock,  1736;  died  at  Heathfield,  in 
StatTordshire,  1819." 

One  of  James  Watt's  sons,  Gregory, 
who  devoted  himself  to  science  and 
literature,  died  in  1804,  at  the  early 
age  of  27.  Jame.s,  born  Feb.  5,  1769, 
resided  for  a  number  of  years  at  Aston 
Hall,  where  he  died  in  1848.  In 
1817  he  voyaged  to  Holland  in 
the  firdt  steam  vessel  that  left  an 
English  port,  the  engines  having  been 


BI1C)WEI.LS    DICTIONARY    OF    I3IUM1NGHAM. 


191 


maiiufai'tured  at  Solio.  He.  was  of  a 
very  rytiiini^  iJispositiou,  and  not  par- 
licularly  pojuilar  with  the  public, 
thouL'li  valued  iiud  appreciated  by  tliose 
admitted  to  cloyer  intimacy. 

Jl'est. — Though  he  did  not  come  to 
Birniiiighaiu  until  clos;e  upon  sixty 
years  of  age,  being  born  in  1770, 
Williaiu  West,  in  his  "History  of 
Warwickshire,"  publislieil  one  of  the 
best  descriptions  of  tliis  town  ever  yet 
prepared.  He  had  establishnients  in 
London  and  Cork,  and  was  tlia  autlior 
of  several  amusing  and  inteiesting 
works,  sach  as  "Tavern  Anecdotes," 
"  Fifty  Years'  Recollections  of  an  Old 
Bookseller,"  &c.,  now  scarce,  though 
"  West's  Warwickshire  "  may  often  be 
met  witli  at  tlie  "  Chaucer's  Head," 
and  other  old  borkshojis. 

Williams,  Fleetwood,  who  died  in 
1836,  at  the  esirly  age  of  29,  was  the 
author  of  sundry  locally  interesting 
prose  wojks  and  poetical  "skits."  He 
was  connected  with  several  debating 
clubs,  and  showed  talent  that  promised 
future  distinction. 

Willmore.  — James  Tibbets  Will- 
more,  a  native  of  Handsworth,  was  an 
eminent  lamlscape  engraver,  famed  for 
his  reproductions  of  Turner's  works. 
His  death  occurred  in  March,  1863,  in 
his  63rd  year. 

Winfidd.—MT.  Robert  Walter  Win- 
field,  though  he  took  comparatively 
little  part  iu  the  public  life  of  our 
town,  deserves  a  prominent  place 
among  our  men  of  note  as  a  manufac- 
turer who  did  much  towards  securing 
Birmingham  a  somewhat  better  name 
than  has  occasionally  been  given  it,  in 
respect  to  the  quality  of  the  work  sent 
out.  Starting  early  in  life,  in  the 
nnlitarj'  ornament  line,  Jlr.  Winfield 
began  in  a  somewhat  small  way 
on  the  site  of  the  present  exten- 
sive block  of  buildings  known  as 
Cambridge  Street  Works,  wdiicli  has 
now  dftveloped  into  an  establishment 
covering  several  acres  of  land.  Here 
have  been  manufactured  some  of  the 
choicest  specimens  of  brass  foundry 
work  that  could  he  desired,  no  expense 


being  spared  at  any  time  in  tlie  pro- 
curing of  the  best  patterns,  and  which 
is  of  almost  equal  importance)  the 
emidoyment  of  the  best  workmen.  Tiie 
goods  sent  from  Cambridge  Street  to 
tiie  first  (Jreat  Exhibition,  18.5],  ob- 
tained the  highest  award,  the  Council's 
Gold  Medal,  for  excellence  <d'  work- 
manship, beauty  of  design  and  general 
treatment,  and  the  house  retains  its 
position.  Mr.  AVinfield  was  a  true 
man,  Conservative  in  politics,  but 
most  truly  libsral  in  all  matters  con- 
nected with  his  work-people  ami  their 
faruilies.  In  the  education  and  ad- 
vancement of  the  younger  hands  he 
took  the  deepest  interest,  spending 
thousands  in  the  erection  of  schools 
and  the  anpointment  of  teachers  tor 
them,  and  not  a  few  of  our  present 
leading  men  have  to  thank  him  for 
their  first  step  in  hfe.  The  death  of 
his  only  son,  Mr.  J.  F.  Winfield,  in 
1861,  was  a  great  blow  to  the  father, 
and  caused  him  tr>  retire  from  active 
business  through  failing  health.  His 
death  (Dec.  16,  1869),  was  generally 
felt  as  a  loss  to  the  town. 

1 1' i/atL— J  ohu  Wyatt,  one  of  Bir- 
mingham's most  ingenious  sons,  in- 
vented (in  1738)  the  spinning  of  cotton 
by  means  of  rollers,  hut  unlike  Richard 
Arkwright,  who  afterwards  introduced 
a  more  perfect  machine  and  made  a 
fortune,  the  process  was  never  other 
than  a  source  of  loss  to  the  original  in- 
ventor and  his  partners,  who  vainly 
tried  to  make  it  a  staple  manufacture 
of  the  town.  The  weighing  m.a^hine 
was  also  the  work  of  Wyatt's  brain, 
though  he  did  not  live"  to  see  the 
machina  in  use,  dying  Nov.  29,  1766, 
l)roken  down  by  misfortune,  but 
honoured  by  such  men  as  Biskerville 
and  Boulton  wdio,  then  rising  them- 
selves, knew  the  worth  of  the  man 
whose  loss  they  deplored.  Wvatt's 
grave  is  on  the  Blue  Coat  School  side 
of  St.  Fhilij)'s  churchyard. 

Wyon.—K  celebrated  local  family  of 
die-sinkers  and  medalists.  William 
Wyon  (born  in  1795)  receiving  the 
gold  medal  of  the  Society  of  Arts,  for 


192 


SHOWELL's    BICTIONARY    of    BIRMINGHA.M. 


his  medal  of  Ceres,  obtained  in  1816 
the  post  of  second  engraver  at  the  Mint, 
his  cousin,  Thomas  Wyon,  being  then 
the  cliief.  One  of  the  finest  medals 
engraved  by  him  was  that  of  Boulton, 
struck  by  Thomasoii,  in  high  relief, 
and  4in.  in  diameter.  He  died  in  1851, 
having  produced  all  the  coins  and 
medals  for  Queen  Victoria  and  William 
IV.,  part  of  George  IV.'s,  and  prize 
medals  for  many  societies.  His  son, 
Leonard  Wyon,  produced  the  Exhi- 
bition medals  in  1851. 

The  preceding  are  really  but  a  few  or 
the  men  of  note  whose  connection  with 
Birmingham  has  been  of  historical  in- 
terest, and  the  catalogue  might  be  ex- 
tended to  great  length  with  the  names 
of  the  Da  Birminghams,  the  Smal- 
brokes,  Middlemorea,  Colmores,  and 
others  of  the  old  families  alone.  Scores 
of  pages  would  not  suffice  to  give  even 
the  shortest  biographies  of  the  many 
who,  by  their  inventive  genius  and 
persistent  labour,  placed  our  town  at 
the  head  of  the  world's  workshops,  the 
assistants  and  followers  of  the  great 
men  of  Soho,  the  Thomasons,  Taylnrs, 
and  others  living  in  tlie  early  part  of 
the  century,orthe  Elkingtons, Chances, 
&c.,  of  later  days.  A  volume  might 
easily  be  filled  with  lives  of  scientific 
and  literary  men  of  the  past,  Hutton 
the  historian,  Morfitt,  poet  and  bar- 
rister ;  Beiiby,  Hodgetts,  Hudson,  and 
other  bookmen,  to  say  naught  of  the 
many  Fre.«s  writers  (who  in  their  day 
added  not  a  little  to  the  advancement 
of  their  fellow-townsmen),  or  the  vener- 
able doctors,  the  school  teachers  and 
scholars,  the  pastors  and  masters  of 
the  old  School  and  the  old  Hospital. 
Mention  is  made  of  a  few  here  and 
there  in  this  book  ;  of  others  tliere  have 
been  special  histories  published,  and, 
perchance  some  day  "  Birmingliam 
men "  will  form  the  title  of  a  more 
comprehensive  work. 

Novel  Sight.  — The  appearance  in 
the  streets  of  Birmingham  of  a  real 
war  vessel  would  be  a  wonderful  thing 
even  in  these  days  of  railwi3's  and 
iteam.     Sir  Rowland  Hill,  speaking  of 


his  childhood's  days,  said  he  could 
recollect  once  during  the  war  with 
Jfapoleou  tliat  a  French  gunboat  wa.s 
dragf(ed  across  the  country,  and  shown 
in  Birmingham  at  a  small  charge.  He 
had  never  then  seen  any  vessel  bigger 
than  a  coal  barge,  but  this  was  a  real 
ship,  with  real  anchor  and  real  ship 
gun,. 

Numbering-    of     Houses.— We 

are  rapidly  improving  in  many  ways, 
and  the  gradual  introduction  of  the 
system  of  alternate  numbering,  the  odd 
numbers  on  one  side  of  the  street,  and 
the  evens  on  the  other,  is  an  advance 
in  the  right  direction.  Still,  the  fixing 
of  the  diminutive  figure  plate  on  the 
sideposts  of  a  door,  or,  as  is  frequently 
found  to  be  the  case,  in  the  shadow  of 
a  porch,  is  very  tantalising,  especially 
to  the  stranger.  Householders  should 
see  that  the  No.  is  placed  in  a  con- 
spicuous spot,  and  have  the  figures 
painted  so  that  they  can  be  well  seen 
even  on  a  dusky  evening. 

NunnePies.  —     See       "Religious 

Associations." 

NuPSerieS.— The  outskirts,  and 
indeed  many  parts  of  the  town,  leas 
than  a  century  back  were  studded 
with  gardens,  but  the  flower.s  have  had 
to  give  place  to  the  more  prosaic  bricks 
and  mortar,  and  householders  desirous 
of  floral  ornaments  have  now  in  a  great 
measure  to  resort  to  the  nursery 
grounds  of  the  professed  horticulturists. 
Foremost  among  the  nurseries  of  the 
neighbourhood  are  those  o  Mr.  R.  H. 
Vertegans,  Chad  Valley,  Edgbastoh 
which  were  laid  out  some  thirty-five 
yeais  ago.  The  same  gentleman  has 
another  establishment  of  even  older 
d.ite  at  Malvern,  and  a  third  at 
Metchley.  The  grounds  of  Messrs. 
Pope  and  Sons,  at  King's  Norton,  are 
also  extensive  and  worthy  of  a  visit. 
There  are  other  nurseries  at  Solihull 
(Mr.  Hewitt's),  at  Spark  hill  (Mr. 
Tomki'is'),  at  Handsworth  (Mr.  South- 
hall's),  and  in  several  other  parts  of  the 
suburbs.  The  Qardencrs'  Chronicle, 
the  editor  of  which  is  supposed  to  be 


8H0WELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIKMINQHAM. 


193 


a  good  judge,  saul  that  the  floral 
arrangements  at  the  opening  of  the 
ilason  Science  College  surpassed  any- 
thing of  the  kind  ever  seen  in  Birniing- 
liani,  Mr.  Vertegans  having  su])plied 
not  less  than  thirty  van  loads,  com- 
prising over  5,000  of  the  choicest 
exotic  flowers  and  evergreens. 

Oak  Leaf  Day.— in  the  adjoining 
counties,  and  to  a  certain  extent  in 
B:rmingliam  itself,  it  has  been  the 
custom  for  carters  and  coaciimen  to 
decorate  their  horses'  heads  and  their 
own  hats  with  sprays  of  oak  leaves  on 
the  29th  of  May,  anil  99  out  of  the  100 
would  tell  you  tliey  did  so  to  com- 
memorate Charles  II.  hiiiing  in  the 
oak  tree  near  to  Boscobel  House.  It 
is  curious  to  note  how  long  an  erro- 
neous idea  will  last.  The  hunted  King 
would  not  have  found  much  shelter  in 
his  historical  oak  in  the  month  of  May, 
as  tiie  trees  would  hardly  have  been 
sufficiently  in  leaf  to  have  screened 
him,  and,  as  it  happened,  it  was  the  4th 
of  September  and  not  the  29th  of  .'day 
when  the  event  occurred.  The  popu- 
lar mistake  is  supposed  to  have  arisen 
from  the  fact  that  Ciiarles  made  his 
public  entry  into  London  on  May  29, 
which  was  also  his  birthday,  when  the 
Royalists  decked  themselves  with  oak 
in  remembrance  of  that  tree  having 
been  instrunuiutal  in  the  King's  res- 
toration. 

Obsolete  Street  Names.— Town 

improvements  of  one  sort  and  another 
have  necessitated  the  entire  clearance 
of  many  streets  whose  names  may  be 
found  inscribed  on  the  old  maps,  anti 
their  very  sites  will  in  time  be  for- 
gotten. Changes  in  name  have  also 
occurred  more  Irec^uently  perhaps  than 
may  be  imagined,  and  it  will  be  well  to 
note  a  few.  As  will  be  seen,  several 
streets  have  been  christened  and  re- 
christened  more  than  once. 
Baskerville-street  is  now  Easy-row. 
Bath-road  is  Bristol-street. 
Beast  Market  was  that  part  of  High- 
street  contiguous  to  New-street  ;  also 
called  English  Market, 


Bewdley-street,  afterwards  Ann-street, 

now  Colmore-row. 
Birch  Hole-street   has    been  improved 

to  Birchall  street. 
]>lack  Boy  Yard  is  now  Jamaica-row. 
Brick  Kiln  lane  is  the  Horse  Fair. 
Broad-street — -Dale  End  was  so  called 

in  the  15th  century. 
Buckle-row.    Between  Silver-steeet  and 

Thomas-street. 
Button    Alley  —  Bishop-street,    Mass- 
house-lane. 
l>utts  lane — Tanter-street  ;  The  Butts 

being  Stafford-street. 
Catherine-street — -Whittal-street. 
Cawsey  (The    Canseway) — Lower   part 

of  Digbeth. 
Ciiapel-street — Bull-street  was  so  called 

in  the  14th  century. 
Chappel-row — Jennens'-row  and  Back- 
street. 
Charles  or  Little    Cliarles-street — Now 

part  of  New  Edmund-street. 
Coci<-street--Upper  part   of  Digbeth  ; 

also  called  Well-street. 
Col  more-street — From  Worcester-street 

to  Peck-lane. 
Cony  Greve   street   is    now    Congreve- 

street. 
Cooper's  Mill-lane  is  Heathmill-lane. 
Corbett's  Alley — Union-street. 
Corn    Gheaping   or    Corn    Market   was 

part  of  the  Bull  Ring. 
Court-lane — Moat-lane. 
Cottage- lane — Slieepcote-laue. 
Crescent-street — Part  of  King  Edward's 

Road. 
Cross-street — Vanxhall-street. 
Crown-street,  afterwards  Nelson-street 

is  now  Sheepcote-street. 
Deadman's  Lane — -Wars tone-lane. 
Ditch— The  Gullet  was  The  Ditch. 
Dock  Alley — New  Inkleys. 
Dud  wall -lane — Dudley-street 
Farmer- street — Sand-street. 
Ferney  Fields — Great  Hampton-street 
Feck-lane    or   Peck-lane — Covered    bj- 

New-street  Station, 
(iod's  Cart-lane — Carrs-lane. 
Grindstone-lane — Westfield-road. 
Ilangman's-lane,  or  Hay  Barns-lane  — 

Great  Hampton-row. 
Harlow-.street — Edmund-street. 


194 


SlIOWBLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


Hayniarket — one    of   the  names  givtn 

to  Ann-street. 
High  Town — Upper  part  of  Bull  Ring. 
Hill-street — Little  Charles-  street. 
Jennings-street — Fox-street. 
King-street  ant]  Queen-street,  as  well  as 

Great  Queen-street,  have  made  way 

for  New-street  Station. 
Lake   Meadow-hill  —  Bonle.-ley-street 

ami  Fazeley  stieet. 
Lamb- yard — Crooked-lane. 
Long-lane— Harborne-road. 
Ludgate-hill     was     pare     of    Clmvph- 

street. 
Martin-street — Victoria-street. 
Mercer-street,  or  Spicer-street — Spiceal- 

street. 
Monnt  Plessant — Ann-street. 
New  road — Summer-row. 
Old    Meeting-street     has     at     various 

pciiods  been  known   as  Grub-street, 

Littleworth  street,     New-row,      and 

Phillips-street. 
Pemberton's-yard,  Lower  Minories,  or 

Coach -yard — Dal  ton-street. 
Pitt-street  and  Porter-street  were  por- 
tions of  Old  Cro:-s-stieet. 
Priors  Conigree-lane,  or  Whitealls-lane 

is  now  Steelhouse-laiic. 
Pri o;  y -Ian e  ^^! on ni outb -street . 
Rother    JIarkct— New-street    next    to 

High-street  and  Pligh-street  next  to 

New-street  was  once  so  called. 
Sandy-lane— Snow    Hill    in    the    16th 

century.      Lee    Bank-road    has  also 

been  called  Sandy-lane. 
Shambles — Part  of  Bull  Ring. 
Swan  Alley — Worcester-street. 
Swinford-street — Upper   end    of  New- 

strcct. 
Temple  Alley,  also  called  Toij'-row — 

Tern  pie -row. 
Walmer-lane     (in    the     15th    century 

"Wold  Moors) — Lancaster-street. 
Water-street — Floodgate-street. 
Welch    End   or  Welch  JIarket— Junc- 
tion of  Birll-street,  High -street,  and 

Dale  End. 
Wcstley's-row,       Westley-street,       or 

London,     'Prentice-street  forms  part 

of  Dalton-street. 
Withering-street — Uni'?n -street. 
Wyllattcs  Green — Prospect  Row. 


Old  Coek  Pump. --This  was  the  old 

pump  formerly  under  St.  Martin's 
Churchyard  wall,  from  whicli  the 
water-carriers  and  others  obtained  their 
siipph'  of  drinking  water.  The  rule  of 
the  pump  was  "  last  come  last  sewed,' 
and  frequently  a  long  string  of  men, 
women,  and  children  might  be  seen 
waiting  tlieir  turn.  Many  of  us  can 
recollect  the  old  Digbeth  men,  with 
tiieir  shoulder-yoke  and  two  buckets, 
ploiiding  along  to  find  customers  for 
their  "  Warta  ;  "  and  certain  elderly 
ladies  are  still  in  existence  who  would 
fear  tlic  shorteiun?  of  their  lives  were 
their  tea-kettles  filled  with  aught  but 
the  pure  Digbeth  water,  though  it  does 
not  come  from  the  pump  at  St. 
Martin's,  for  that  was  removed  in  1873. 
It  has  been  written  that  on  one  occa- 
sion (in  the  days  before  waterworks 
were  practicable,  and  the  old  pump 
was  a  real  blessing),  when  the  poor 
fcdks  came  to  fill  their  cans  early  in  tlie 
morning,  they  found  the  handle  gone, 
and  great  was  the  outcry  thereat.  It 
soon  afterwards  transpired  that  a 
blacksmith,  sliort  of  iron,  had  taken 
the  handle  to  make  into  horseshoes. 

Old   Meeting-    House    Yard.— 

The  name  gives  its  own  origin.  One 
of  the  earliest  built  of  our  Dissenting 
places  of  worshij)  was  here  situated. 

Old  Square.— There  are  grounds 
for  believing  that  this  was  the  site  of 
the  Hospital  or  Priory  of  St.  Thomas 
the  Apostle  ;  the  reason  of  no  founda- 
tions or  relics  of  tliat  building  liaviug 
been  come  across  arising  from  its  having 
been  erected  on  a  knoll  or  mount  there, 
iind  which  would  be  the  highest  bit  of 
land  in  Birmingham.  This  ojiinion  is 
borne  out  by  the  fact  tliat  the  Square 
was  originally  called  The  Priory,  and 
doubtless  the  Upper  and  Lower  Priories 
and  tlie  Minories  of  later  years  were 
at  first  but  the  entrance  roads  to  the 
old  Hospital,  as  it  was  most  frequentl}' 
styled  in  deeils  and  documents.  Mr. 
John  Pemberton,  who  purchased  this 
portion  of  tlie  Priory  lands  in  1697, 
and  laid    it    out    for    building,  would 


8H0WELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


195 


naturally  liave  it  levelleii,  aud,  uot 
uulikely  from  a  reveieut  feeling,  so 
planned  that  the  old  site  of  the  reli- 
gious houses  should  remain  clear  and 
uadesecrated.  From  old  conveyances 
we  find  that  20s.  j)er  yard  frontage  was 
paid  for  the  site  of  some  of  the  houses 
in  the  square,  and  up  to  40s.  ia  Bull 
Street  ;  the  back  plots,  including  the 
Friends' burial  ground  (once  gardens  to 
the  front  houses)  being  valued  at  Is.  to 
2s.  per  yard.  Some  of  the  covenants 
between  the  vendor  and  the  purchaseis 
are  very  curious,  such  as  that  the 
latter  "shall  and  will  for  ever 
hereafter  putt  and  keep  good  bars  of 
iron  or  wood,  or  otherwise  secure  all 
the  lights  and  windows  that  are  or  shall 
bs,  that  soe  any  children  or  others  may 
uot  or  cannot  creep  through,  gett,  or 
come  through  such  lights  or  windows 
into  or  upou  the  same  piece  of  land." 
Here  appears  the  motive  for  the  erec- 
tion ol  the  iron  railings  so  closely 
placed  in  front  of  the  old  houses. 
Another  covenant  was  against  "  put- 
ting there  any  muckhill  or  dunghill 
places,  pigstyes  or  workhouses,  shojips 
or  y)laces  that  sliall  be  noysome  or 
stink,  or  ba  uautioase  or  troublesouie," 
and  also  to  have  there  "  no  butcher's  or 
smith's  slang'aler  house  or  smithey 
harth."  One  of  the  corner  houses, 
originally  calied  "  the  Angle  House," 
was  soLl  in  1791  for  £420  ;  in  1S05  it 
realised  £970;  in  1S43,  £1,330  ?  and 
in  1853,  £-2,515.  The  centre  of  the 
Square  was  enclosed  ami  neatly  kept  as 
a  garden  with  wa'.ks  across,  for  the  use 
of  the  inhabitants  there,  but  (possibly 
it  was  "nobody's  business")  in  course 
of  time  it  became  neglected,  and  we 
have  at  least  one  instance,  in  1832,  of 
its  being  the  scene  of  a  public  demon- 
stration. About  the  time  of  tlie  Par- 
liamentary election  in  that  year,  the 
carriagewa)'  round  the  Square  had  been 
newly  macadamised,  and  on  the  pol- 
ling day,  when  Dempster  Heming  op- 
posed William  Stratfoid  Dugdale,  the 
stones  were  found  verj-  handy,  and 
were  made  liberal  use  of,  as  per  the 
usual  order  of  the  dav  at  that  time  on 


such  ocjasious.  The  trees  and  railings 
were  removed  in  1836  or  1837  in  con- 
sequence of  many  accidents  occurring 
there,  the  roadways  being  narrow 
and  very  dangerous  from  the  numerous 
angles,  the  Street  Commi.-sioners 
undertaking  to  give  the  inhabitants  a 
wide  and  handsome  flagging  as  a  foot- 
path on  all  sides  of  the  square,  con- 
ditionally with  the  freeholders  of  the 
property  giving  up  their  rights  to  and 
share  in  the  enclosure. 

Omnibuses.— The  fust  omnibus 
was  started  in  1828,  hj  Mr.  Doughty, 
a  fishmonger,  and  its  route  lay  be- 
tween the  While  Swan,  Snow  Hill,  to 
the  Sun,  in  Bristol  Road.  In  1836  an 
"Omnibus  Conve3'ance  Co,"  was  pro- 
posed, with  a  magnificent  capital  of 
£5,000.  The  projectors  would  have 
been  a  little  startled  if  they  could  have 
seen  the  prospectuses  of  some  ot  our 
modern  conveyance  companies. — See 
"  'Tramways. " 

Open  Spaces.— March  8,  1883, 
saw  tlie  formation  of  the  Birmingham 
As.iociation  for  the  Prevention  of  Open 
Spaces  and  Public  Footpaths,  the  ob- 
ject of  which  is  to  be  the  securing  of 
the  rights  of  the  public  to  the  open 
spots,  footpaths,  and  green  places, 
which,  for  generations,  have  belonged 
to  them.  There  are  few  such  left  in 
the  borough  now,  but  the  Association 
may  fi^id  ])lenty  lo  do  in  the  near  neigh- 
bourhood, and  if  its  members  can  but 
save  us  one  or  two  of  the  old  country 
walk.i  they  will  do  good  .service  to  the 
communit}'. 

Orang'e  Tree.— This  public-house 

was  built  in  1780,  the  neighbourhood 
being  then  known  as  "  Boswell 
Heath."  A  walk  to  the  Orange  Tree 
over  the  "hilly  fields,"  wiiere  Cony- 
bere  arid  otiier  streets  now  are,  was  a 
pleasant  Sunday  morning  ramble  even 
forty  years  back. 

OratOPy.  —Sqq'' Places  of  II  orship. " 

Organs. — According  to  tlio  oft- 
quoteil  extract  from  the  Halesowen 
Churchwardens'  books — "1497.     Paid 


196 


SHOWELl's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


for  repeylint;  the  organs  to  the  organ 
maker  at   Bromycham    10s,"— organ- 
building  must   have  been  one   of  the 
few  recognised  trades  of  this   town  at 
a  very    early  date.     It  is   a   pity  the 
same  accounts  do  not  give  the  maker  s 
name  of  the  instruments  for  which  in 
1539    they    "paid  my   lord    Abbot  4 
marks,"  or  name  the  parties  who  were 
then  employed  and  paid  for  "  mending 
and    setting    the     organs     up,     4Us. 
Whether  any   of  the    most  celebrated 
orcans  in   the  country   have,   or  ha,ve 
no"t,  been  made  here,  is  quite  uncertain, 
though  the  Directories  and  papers  ot 
all  dates  tell  us  that  makers  thereot 
have  never  been  wanting.      In    1/rfU, 
one     Thomas     Swarbrick     made     the 
organ  for  St.  Mary's  Church,  Warwick, 
and  the  Directory  for  1836  gives  the 
name  of   Isaac  Craddock  (the  original 
maker  of  the  taper  penholder),    who 
repaired  and  in  several  cases  enlarged 
the  instruments  at  many  of  our  places 
ot  worship,  as   well  as  supplying  the 
beautiful     organ     for    St.    Marys     at 
Coventry.— The   tale   has    often    been 
told     of      the      consternation     caused 
by  the  introduction  of  a  barrel  organ 
into  a  church,  when  from  some  catch 
or  other  it  would  not  stop  at  the  fanish 
of  the  first  tune,  and  had  to  be  carried 
outside,  while  theremainder  of  its  reper- 
toire pealed  forth,  but  such  instruments 
were  not  unknown  in  sacred  edihces  in 
this  neighbourhood  but   a  short  time 
back  [see  ^' Northfield"l-A  s^Mid 
orcran    was    erected    in    Broad    Street 
Music  Hall  when  it  was  opened,  and  it 
was    said    to    be    the    second    largest 
in      England,      costing      £2,000;      it 
wa?     afterwards     purchased     lor     bt. 
Pancras'       Church,       London.  —  ihe 
organ  in  the  Town  Hall,  constructed 
by  Mr.    Hill,   of  London,  cost   nearly 
£4.000    and,  when  put  up,    was  con- 
sidered to  be  one  of  the  finest  and  most 
powerful  in  the  world,  and  it  cannot 
nave  lost  much  of  its  prestige,  as  many 
improvements  have  since  been  made  in 
it      The  outer  case  is  45ft.  high,    40tt. 
wide,  and  I7ft.  deep,   and  the  timber 
used  in  the  construction  of  the  organ 


weighed  nearly  30  tons.     There  are  4 
keyboards,  71    draw  stops,    and    over 
4,000  pipes  of  various  forms  and  sizes, 
some  long,  some  short,  some  trumpet- 
like  in  shape,  and  others  cylindrical, 
while  in  size  they  range  from  two  or 
three   inches  in    length    to  the   great 
pedal  pipe,  32ft.   high  and  a  yard  in 
width,  with  an  interior  capacity  ot  I'M 
cubic    feet.     In    the  "great    organ 
there  are  18  stops,  viz.  :  Clarion  (2tt.), 
ditto  (4ft.),    posanne,    trumpet,    prin- 
cipal (1    and  2).    gamba,    stopped  dia- 
pason, four  open  d  apasons,  donblette, 
harmonic       flute,      mixture      sesqui- 
altra,      fifteenth,    and    twelfth,     con- 
taining   altogether    1,338    pipes.     In 
the     "choir    organ"    there    are    nine 
stops      viz.  :     Wald    flute,     fifteenth 
stopped    flute,     oboe  flute,    principal, 
stoppeddiapason,hohl  flute,  cornopean, 
and  open    diapason,  making  together 
486  pipes.     The    "swell   organ"   con- 
tains 10  stops,  viz.  :  Hautbois,  trum- 
pet, horn,  fifteenth,  sesquialtra,  prin- 
cipal,   stopped    diapason,     open    dia- 
pason,   clarion,  and   boureon  and  dul 
ciana.  the  whole    requiring  702  pipes 
In    tiie     "  solo    organ  "  the  principal 
stops  are  the  harmonica,  krum,  horn, 
and  flageolet,  but  many  of  the  stops  in 
the  swell   and   choir    organs  work  in 
connection    with    the    solo.       In    the 
"pedal    organ"    are    12  stops,  viz.  : 
Open   diapason  16ft.    (bottom  octave) 
wood,  ditto,  16ft.,   metal,    ditto,  16ft. 
(bottom      oclave)      metal,      boiirdon 
principal,  twelfth,  fifteenth,sesqnialtra 
mixture,    posanne,   8fc.   trumpet,    and 
4ft.  trumpet.     There  are  besides,  three 
32ft.  stops,  one  wood,  one  metal,  and 
one  trombone.     There  are  four  bellows 
attacled  to  the  organ,  and  they  are  ot 
crreat  size,  one  being  for  the  32tt.  pipes 
alone.     The  Town  Hall  organ  had  its 
first    public    trial    August    29,    18^54, 
when  the  Birmingham  Choral  Society 
vvent  through  a  selection  of  choruses, 
as  a  kind  of  advance  note  of  the  then 
coming  Festival. 


Orphanages.— The  first  local  es- 
tablishment of  the  nature  of  an  orphan- 
acre  was  the  so  called  Orphan  Asylum 


SHOWJJLL  S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


197 


in  Summer  Line,  built  iu  1797  for  the 
rearing  of  poor  children  from  the  Work- 
house. It  was  a  very  useful  institution 
up  to  the  time  of  its  close  iu  1852,  but 
like  the  Homes  at  Marston  Green, 
wiiere  the  young  unfortunates  from  the 
present  Workhouse  are  reared  and 
irainod  to  industriil  habits,  it  was  al- 
most a  misnomer  to  dub  it  an  "orphan 
asylum." — An  Orphanage  at  Erding- 
ton  was  begun  by  the  late  Sir  Josiah 
Mason,  iu  1858,  in  connection  with  ins 
Almshouses  there,  it  being  his  then  in- 
tention to  find  shelter  for  some  three 
score  of  the  aged  and  infantile  "  waifs 
and  strays"  oi  humanity.  In  1860  he 
extended  his  design  so  far  as  to  com- 
mence the  pres3ut  Orphanage,  the 
loundation  stone  of  which  was  laid  by 
himself  Sept.  19  in  that  year,  the  buihi- 
ing  being  finished  and  first  occupied 
iu  1863.  In  addition  to  the  expendi- 
ture ot  £60,000  on  the  buildings,  the 
founder  endowed  the  institution  with 
land  and  property  to  the  value  of 
£250,000.  No  publicity  was  given  to 
tliis  munificent  benevolence  until  the 
twelvemonths  prescribjd  by  the  statute 
had  elapsed  after  the  date  of  the  deed, 
when,  on  the  29th  of  July,  1869,  the 
Orphanage  and  estates  were  handed 
over  to  seven  tru-stees,  who,  togetlier 
with  Sir  Josiah  himself,  formed  the 
first  Board  of  Management.  At  his 
death,  as  provided  by  the  trust  deed, 
seven  other  trustees  chosen  by  the  Bir- 
mingham Town  Council  were  added  to 
the  Board.  The  inmates  of  the  Or- 
phanage are  lo  iged,  clothed,  fed,  main- 
tained, educated,  anel  brought  up  at  the 
exclusive  cost  of  th  institution,  tliere 
being  no  restriction  whatever  as  to  lo- 
cality, nationality,  or  religious  persua- 
.sion  of  parents  or  friends.  In  1374 
the  building  was  enlarged,  so  as  to  ac- 
commodate 300  girls,  150  boys,  and  60 
infants,  the  original  part  being  reserved 
for  the  girls  and  infants  and  a  new 
wing  built  for  the  boys.  The  two  are 
connected  by  the  loft\'  dining  hall, 
200ft.  long,  with  tables  and  .seats  for 
500  children.  Every  part  of  the  es- 
blishment    is    on    a  liberal    scale  and 


fitted  with  the  best  appliances ; 
each  child  has  its  separate  bed,  and 
the  plavgrounds  are  most  extensive. — 
The  Princess  Alice  Orphanage,  of  which 
the  foundation-stone  wa.s  laid  Sept.  19, 
1882,  has  rather  more  than  a  Birming- 
ham interest,  as  it  is  intended  in  the 
first  instance  for  the  reception  of 
children  from  all  parts  of  the  country 
whose  parent.s  have  been  Wesleyans. 
In  connection  with  the  Wesleyan 
Tlianksgiving  Fund,  Mr.  Solomon 
Jevons,  of  tliis  town,  made  an  offer  to 
the  committee  that  if  from  the  fund 
they  would  nuke  a  grant  of  £10,000 
towards  establishing  an  orphanage  in 
the  neighbourhoo  1  of  Birmingham,  he 
would  supplement  it  by  a  donation  of 
£10,000.  After  due  consideration  the 
otfer  was  accepted.  Plans  were  pre- 
pared by  Mr.  J.  L,  Ball  for  as  much  of 
the  building  as  it  was  proposed  imme- 
diately to  erect,  and  the  contract  was 
let  to  jMessrs.  J.  AVilson  and  Sons,  of 
Handsworth.  The  sanction  of  her 
Majesty  the  Queen  was  obtained  to  call 
the  building  the  "Princess  Alioe " 
Orphanage,  in  memory  of  her  lamented 
da  ghter,  the  late  Princess  of  Hesse. 
The  site  cliosen  is  about  halfway  be- 
tween Erdington  and  Sutton  Coldfield 
on  the  Chester  Road,  and  very  near  to 
the  "'Beggar's  Bush."  Facing  the 
road,  though  forty  yards  from  it,  is  the 
central  block  of  buildings,  250  feet  in 
length,  including  the  master's  house, 
board  room  and  offices,  store  rooms, 
&c. ,  with  a  large  hall,  90  feet  by  33  I'eet, 
for  use  as  a  dining  hall,  general 
gatherings,  morning  prayers,  &c. ,  the 
children's  homes  being  in  cottages 
at  varying  distances,  so  that  when  the 
whole  twentj'-four  homes  (twelve  each 
for  boys  and  girls)  are  erected  it  will  be 
like  a  miniature  village,  sundry  farm 
buildings  and  workshops  being  inter- 
spersed here  and  there.  Each  cottage 
is  inteneled  to  be  the  home  of  about 
twenty  children,  but  at  first,  and  until 
the  hinds  for  tlie  maintenance  of  the 
orjihanage  have  been  increased,  the 
inmates  will  be  limited  to  the  accom- 
modation that  can  be  provided  at  the 


198 


SHOWELl's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


central  blcck  and  the  nearest  two  or 
three  homes,  the  rest  being  built  as 
occasion  offers. 

Oseott  CoUesre.— See",S'c/i(;o/.s-,"&c. 

Oxford,  (Edward).— The  boy  Ox- 
ford who  shot  at  the  Queen,  on  June 
10,  1840,  was  born  here  and  had 
worked  at  several  shops  in  the  town. 

Oxygen.— It  was  on  the  first  of 
August,  1774,  tliat  Dr.  Priestley  dis- 
covered the  nature  ofoxyf^eu  or  "deph- 
logisticated  air."  If  he  could  visit 
Oxygen  Street  in  this  towii  in  August 
of  any  year,  he  would  probably  say 
that  the  air  tliere  to  be  breathed  re- 
quired dephlogisticating  over  and  over 
again. 

PaekhOPSeS.— In  and  about  the 
year  1750  the  only  method  of  convey- 
ing parcels  Of  goods  from  here  to 
London  was  by  means  of  packhorses, 
the  charge  being  at  the  rate  of  £7  to 
£9  per  ton  ;  to  Liverpool  and  Bristol, 
£5. 

Panorama.— A  circular  erection 
in  New  Street,  and  nov,-  partly  in- 
corporated in  the  Society  of  Artists 
building,  where  early  in  the  century 
panoramas  of  various  kinds  were 
exhibited. 

Panoramic    View.— A    piculiar 

view  of  this  town  was  published  in 
1847  by  Ackermann  of  London,  and 
was  thufs  called,  es  it  pnrporteii  to  give 
the  thoroughfan  s  pictorially,  showing 
the  houses  as  they  would  appear  from 
a  balloon  over  Moseley  Street.  The  size 
was  27i  in.  by  14^  in.  As  a  curiosity 
it  is  prizable,  but  its  correctness  of 
delineation  is  marred  very  much  by 
the  plan  adopted. 

Panteehnetheea.— A  iarge  place 

ol  general  business,  opened  in  18'24,  at 
the  New-street  end  of  Union-passage. 
In  1817,  there  stood  on  this  spot  a 
publichouse,  known  as  the  "  Old 
Crown,"  the  entrance  to  which  was  in 
a  large,  open  gateway  at  its  side, 
through  wliudia  path  led  to  the  cherry 
orchard.      The     Panteehnetheea    was 


one  of  "  tlie  siehts"  i,f  tlie  town,  the 
exteiior  being  ornamented  with  pillars 
and  statues  ;  wliile  the  name  was  not 
only  a  puzzle  to  the  "  Black  Country  " 
visitors,  but  quite  a  subject  of  dispute 
as  to  its  etymology  among  the  Greek 
scholars  of  the  Grammar  School 
opposite. 

Paradise  Street.- The  footpath 

on  the  Town  Hall  side  used  to  be 
several  feet  higher  than  the  causeway, 
and  was  supplied  with  iron  railings. 
If  the  name  had  been  given  in  late 
years,  it  might  be  supposed  to  have 
been  chosen  because  the  doors  of  the 
Parish  Offices  are  in  the  street. 

Parish^  Offices.  —  See    "  Public 

Buildings." 

Parkesine  --A  material  used  for 
knife  handles  aiul  other  purposes,  so 
named  after  its  maker,  Alexander 
Parkes,  a  well-known  local  manufac- 
turer, wlio  said  it  was  made  from  refuse 
vegetable  fibre,  pyroxyline,  oil,  naph- 
tha, and  chloride  of  sulphur. 

Park  Lane. — From  Aston  Cross 
Tavern  to  Llie  Biichfield  Road,  origin- 
ally being  the  road  outaide  the  wall  of 
Aibton  Park.  Tlie  fir.^t  lots  of  land  for 
building  that  were  sold  were  those 
fronting  Church  Lane,  and  they  fetcheil 
an  average  price  of  2s.  2il.  per  yaid, 
each  lot  being  12  yards  by  60  yards. 
Tiie  next  were  tin  lots  marked  out  by 
the  side  of  Park  Lane,  and  it  was  at 
about  the  middle  of  Park  Laie  that 
the  first  house  was  built  in  Aston  Parlv 
in  1854  or  1855. 

Park  Road. — Leading  over  tlie  hill 
from  Aston  Cross  to  Aston  Church,  was 
the  fiist  laid  out,  and  the  first  o))ened 
to  the  public  (Easter  Monday,  1855) 
through  the  old  grounds  belonging  to 
the  Holts. 

Parks. — Thanks  to  tlie  munificence 
of  iMiss  Rvland,  Lord  Calthurpe,  Sir 
Charles  Ad'derley,  ami  Mr.  W.  Middle- 
more,  with  the  concurrent  geneiosity 
of  the  Church  authorities,  in  whom  the 
freehold  of  our  chnrchyanis  was  in- 
vested, Birmingham  cannot  be  said  to 


SHOWELl.  S    UICTIOXAUY    OK    BIRMiXGHAM. 


199 


be  slioi't  of  parks  and  public  giounds, 
though  witli  all  put  together  the  aroa 
is  nothing  like  tliat  taken  from  the  in- 
habitants nuiier  the  Enclosures  Acts  of 
last  century.  The  iiist  movement  for 
the  acquisition  of  public  parks  took 
tlie  shan,>  (if  a  t  wn's  meeting,  Dec. 
22,  1853,  when  the  burgesses  approved 
the  purcliase,  and  in  1854  an  Act  was 
obtained  for  the  formation  thereof. 
The  first  to  be  opened  was  Adderley 
Park,  Aug.  30,  1856,  the  gift  of  Sir 
Charles  Adderley.  Its  art-a  is  IOa. 
Or.  22r. ,  and  it  is  held  nominally  on  a 
999  years'  lea'e,  at  a  rental  of  5s.  per 
year.  Calthorpe  Park  was  opened 
June  1,  1857  ;  its  area  being  31a.  1r. 
13p. ,  and  it  is  held  under  a  grant  by 
the  Calthorpe  family  that  is  equivalent 
to  a  conveyance  in  fee.  Aston  Park 
was  opened  Sept.  22,  1864  ;  its  area  is 
•i9A.  2r.  8p. ,  and  it  belongi  to  the 
town  by  purcha  e.  Camron  Hill 
Park,  the  gift  of  Miss  Ryland,  was 
opened  Sept.  I,  1S73  ;  its  area  being 
o7a.  1r.  9p.  In  1874,  the  Town 
Council  gave  the  Trustees  of  Holliers' 
Charity  the  sum  of  £8,300  for  the  8 A. 
8lt.  28p.  of  land  situated  between  the 
Mosaley  Road  and  Alcester  Street,  and 
after  expending  over  £5, 400  inlaying 
out,  fencing,  and  planting,  opeufd  it  as 
Highgate  Park  June  2,  1876.  In  1876 
Summerheld  House  and  groun^is  cover- 
ing 12a.  Or  20p.  were  pui.hased  from 
Mr.  Henry  Wess  for  £9,000,  and  after 
fencing.  &c.,  was  tlirown  open  as  Sutn- 
merfield  Park,  July  29,  1S76.  In  the  fol- 
lowing year,  Mr.  William  Midilemore 
presented  to  the  town  a  plot  of  ground, 
4.\.  lu  3p.  ine.'ctenr,  in  Burbury Street, 
having  spent  about  £3,500  in  fencing 
and  laying  it  out,  principally  as  a  rec- 
reation ground  for  chihlren  (the  total 
value  being  over  £12,000),  and  it  was 
opened  as  Hockley  Park,  December  I, 
1877.— Small  Heach  Park,  comprising 
41a.  3r.  34p. ,  is  another  of  the  gifts  of 
Miss  Rvland,  who  presented  it  to  the 
town  June  2,  1876,  and  in  addition 
provided  £4,000  of  the  £10,000  the 
Town  Council  expended  in  lajdng  it 
oat.      The   foi-mal  opening  ceremony 


took  place  April  5,  1879.  There  are 
still  several  points  of  the  compass  di- 
recting to  suburbs  which  would  be 
benehted  by  the  appropriation  of  a 
little  breathing  place  or  two,  and 
possibly  in  due  time  they  will  he  ac- 
quired. The  Xechells  peoj  le  have  iiad 
laid  out  for  their  delectation  the  waste 
ground  near  the  gas  works  which  may 
be  called  Necheils  Park  for  the  time 
being.  The  Earl  of  Dartmoutli  in  June, 
1878,  gave  56  acres  out  of  Sandwell 
Park  to  the  inhabitants  of  We.st  Broni- 
wich,  and  the}'  call  it  Dartmouth 
Park. 

PaPk  Street  takes  its  name  from 
the  small  park  or  wood  .surrounding 
Park  House,  once  existing  somewhere 
near  to  the  burial  ground. 

Park  Street  Gardens— As   they 

are  now  called,  comprise  the  Park 
Street  Burial  Ground  and  St.  Bar- 
tholomew's Churchyard,  the  possession 
of  which  (under  a  nominal  lease  for 
999  years)  was  given  by  the  Rectors  of 
St.  -Martin's  and  Sr.  Bartholomew's  to 
the  Corporation  according  to  the  pro- 
visionsof  theCiojed  BurialGrounds  Act. 
The  whoie  area  included  a  little  over 
live  acres,  anil  tlie  sie  tluis  given  was 
valued  at  £50,000.  About  half  an  acre 
was  devoted  to  tiie  widening  of  the 
surrounding  streets,  th)  remainder 
being  properly  fenced  in  and  laid  out 
as  reeieating  grounds  and  gardens. 
The  opening  ceremony  took  place, 
June  25,  1880. 

Parliamentapy      Elections.— 

Notwith.-,tan  '.mg  tlie  safeguards  pro- 
vided by  the  Ballot  Act,  and  all  the 
deterrent  measures  '  enacted  against 
bribery  and  intimidation,  and  those 
peculiar  tactics  known  as  "  getting  up 
steam,"  the  period  of  an  election  for 
Parliamentary  representatives  is  a 
time  of  great  excitement  even  in  these 
days.  But  it  is  comparatively  naught 
to  what  it  used  to  be,  when  the  art  of 
kidnapping  Tory  voters,  or  "  bottling" 
Wiiigs,  was  consi'lored  as  only  a  small 
part  of  the  education  required  by 
aspiring    political     agents.        Leading 


200 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


burly  prizefighters  to  clear  the  hustings 
on    noininatiou    day,     upsetting    car- 
riages containing  voters  going  to  poll, 
and  such  like  practical  jokes  were  all 
en   regie,    and    as    such    "goings-on" 
were  to  be  founil  as  much  on   the  one 
side  as  the  other,  neither  party's  pot 
had    a    right   to    call    the    opponent's 
kettle  black.     Prior  to  the  enfranchise- 
ment of  the  borough,  one  of  the  most 
exciting  elections  in  which  the  Brums 
had  been  engaged  wasthatfor  the  county 
of  Warwick  in  1774,  when  Sir  Charles 
Holte,     of  Aston  Hall,   was  returned. 
The  nomination  took  place  Oct.  13,  the 
candidates  being  Mr.  Shipworth  (a  pre- 
vious member,   Mr.    (afterwards  Lord) 
Mordaunt,  and    Sir   Charles,  who  for 
once  pleased  the  Birmingham  folks  by 
calling    himself    an     "Independent." 
The  polling,  which   commenced  on  the 
20th,  was  continued  for  ten  days,  clos- 
ing on  the  31st,  ami  as  ]\Ir.   Mordaunt 
had  the  lead  for  many  days  the  excite- 
ment was  intense,    and   the  rejoicings 
proportionate  at  the  end  when  the  local 
candidate  came  in  with  flying  colours. 
The    voting  ran  : — Shipwith,    2,954  ; 
Holte,    1,845;     Mordaunt,    1,787.— A 
Birmingham     man    was    a    candidate 
at     the     next    great    county  contest, 
forty-six  years    after.     Tliis    was  Mr. 
Richard  Spooner,   then  (1820)  a  young 
man  and  of  rather  Radical  temiencies. 
His   opponent,   Mr.     Francis    Lawley, 
was  of  the  old-fashioned   Whig  party, 
and  the  treatment  his   sujiporters  re- 
ceived at  the  hands  of  the  Birmingham 
and  Coventry  people   was  disgraceful. 
Hundreds  ol  special  constables  had  to 
be   sworn  in  at  Warwick   during  the 
fourteen  days'  polling,   business  being 
suspended     for     days     together,     but 
Radical  Richard's   roughs  failed   to  in- 
fluence the  election,  as  Mr.  Lawley  ob- 
tained 2,153vote«against  Mr.  Spooner's 
970.      As   Mr.     Spooner  grew   older  he 
became  more  prominent  in  comn.ercial 
circles,  and  was  peculiarlj'^  aic  fait  in 
all   currencv-  matters,  but  he  lost  his 
hold  on  local  electors  bj'  turning  to  the 
Conservative  side  of  politics.     Of  this 
he   was   more  than   once   reminded  in 


after  years,  when  speaking  in  the  Town 
Hall,  by  individuals  taking  off  their 
coats,  turning  them  inside  out,  and 
having  put  them  on  again,  standing 
prominently  in  front  of  "Yellow  Dick" 
as  they  then  called  him. 

That    the    inhabitants  of    Birming- 
ham, so  rapidly  increasing  in  numbers 
and  wealth,  sliould  be  desirous  of  direct 
representation  in  the    House  of  Com- 
mons, could  be   no  wonder  even  to  the 
most  bigoted  politicians  of  the  last  and 
early    part    of    the    present    century. 
Possibly,  had    there    been    '91    Riots, 
nor  quite  so  much    "  tall    talk,"    the 
Legislature  might  have  vouchsafed  us 
a   share    in    the  manufacture   of    our 
country's  laws  a  little  earlier  than  they 
did,  and  the  attemjit  to  forces  member 
through  the  doors  of  the  House  could 
not    have    added    to    any  desire    that 
may  have  existed  in  the  minds  of  the 
gentlemen    inside  to  admit  the  repre- 
sentative of  Birmingham.     The  New- 
hall  Hill  meeting  of  July    12th,  1819, 
may  be  reckoned  as  the  first   pitched 
battle  between  the  invaders  and  defend- 
ers of  tlie  then  existing  Parliamentary 
Constitution.       Tiie    appointment    of 
Sir  Charles  Wolesey  as   "  Legislatorial 
Attorne}^    and     Representative,"  with 
instructions  to  take  his  seat  as  M.P. 
for  the  town  (and  many  so  styled  him, 
even    though  made   at  a    meeting    of 
20,000    would-be    electors,     does    not 
appear  to  have  been    the    wisest   way 
to  have  gone  to  work,  notwithstanding 
the  fact  tliat  Sir  Charles  hiniself   said 
he  had  no  doubt  of  their  right  to  semi 
him    up    as    their    Member.       Prose- 
cution     of     the      leaders      followed, 
as  a  matter  of  course,  and  if  the  twenty- 
and-odd-thousmds   of    the   local   Con- 
servative electors  of  to-day  were  thus  to 
try  to  obtain  their  due  share  of  represen- 
tation in   the   House,  most  likely  the 
leaders  of  such  a   movement  would   be 
as  liberally  dealt  with.     The  "battle 
of  freedom,"  as  the  great  Reform  move- 
ment came  lo  be  called,  has  often  been 
described,  and  honour  been  given  to  all 
who  took  part  in  it.     The  old  soldiers 
of  the  campaign  should  be  allowed,  if 


SHOWBLL'S    dictionary,  of    BIRMINGHAM. 


201 


they  choose,  to  "figlit  their  hatth's  o'er 
attain,"  as  long  as  they  live,  but  it  is 
ab)uttime  that  the  hatchet  of  party 
spite, (hitherto  so  freely  used  in  local  po- 
litical warfare)  was  buried  out  of  sight, 
and  all  sides  be  as  willing  to  give  ecpial 
rights  us  their  fathers  were  to  fight  for 
theirs.     Birmingham,      however,    was 
not   without   some   friends   in    Parlia- 
ment, and  on  the  occasion  of  the  dis- 
franchisement of  the  borough  of  East 
Retford   in    1827,  it  was  propo.sed  by 
Mr.    Charles  Tennyson  that    the   two 
seats   thus   voided  should  be  given  to 
Birmingham.   Mr.  George  Attwood  was 
High    BailifT  at  the  time,  and  he  at 
once  called  a  public  meeting  to  sup- 
port   Mr.    Tennyson's  proposition    by 
petition.      The  Public   Office  was  not 
lirge   enough  for  those  who  attended 
the  meeting  (June  22,  1827)  and  they 
adjourned    to    Beardsworth's    Reposi- 
tory,   where  speeches    were    delivered 
1)\'       the       leading       men       of       all 
parties.       Petitions    to     both    Houses 
were       drawn        up        and        signed, 
the   county  members,  Dugdale  Strat- 
ford   Dugdale    and    Francis    Lawley, 
Esqrs.,  being    asked   to  introduce  the 
one  to  the    House    of  Commons,  and 
Lord   Dudley    and    Ward    (Baron    of 
iiirmingham)    and    Lord  Cilthorpe  to 
support  the  petitioners'  praj'er  in  the 
Upper   House.      Mr.    Tennyson    (who 
afterwards    took    the  name  of  D'Eyn- 
court)  brought  in  his  Bill,  but  notwith- 
standing all  that  could  be  said  or  done 
by  the  friends  of  the  town  they  were 
outvoted    (March  21,    1828),    and  the 
Bill  was  thrown  out.     The  next  four 
years  were  full  of  trouble,  and  the  news 
of  the  passing  of  the  Reform  Bill  (June 
7,  1832),  which  at  last  gave  Birming- 
liam    its    long-sought    political   rights 
was  most  welcom-;  indeed.     The   first 
election   day  was   fixed    for  December 
12,  and  for  some  time  it  was  rumoured 
that  Mr.  Richard  Spooner  would  stand 
in  opposition  to   Messr.s.   Thomas  Att- 
wood and  Joshua  Scholefield,  the  chosen 
representatives  of  the  Liberals  ;  but  the 
Conservative    party,    deeming    it    but 
right  that  those  who    liad    borne  the 


brunt  of  the  constitutional  fight  should 
be   allowed    the  first    honours    of .  the 
local  victor}^,  declin  d  to  oppose  those 
gentlemen,    and  they  were  accordingly 
returned    without     opj>osii;ion.        The 
hustings    had    been    erected  on  a  plot 
of  land  opposite  the  Public  Offices  and 
here  the  nominations  took  place  at  the 
early  hour  of  8  a.m.    The  proceedings 
were     over     by     nine     o'clock,      but 
the       "victory,"      as      the      popular 
party   chose  to    consider    it,    did    not 
satisfy     them,     and     as     there     was 
an    election    on   at    Walsall  the    same 
day  it  was  determined  thit  the   Bir- 
mingham  Liberals  should  go  there  to 
help    Mr.    f'osco  Attwood   in  his  con- 
test with  Mr.  Foster.     A  procession  of 
some  thousand-;,  with  bands   and  ban- 
ners,   according    marched    the    whole 
of  the  distance  so  Walsall,  and  if  their 
behaviour  there  represented  what  they 
were  prepared  to  do  at  home  hid  they 
not  been  allowed   to  have    their    own 
way,  it  was  well  for  Biruiinghani  they 
were  not  opposed.     Long  before  even- 
ing this  town   was  in  the  most  fearful 
excitement,  the  passengers  and  guards 
of    the    various    coaches    which    had 
passei  through    Walsill  bringing  the 
direst  news    of   fire    ani    riot,    mixed 
with    reports    of    the     military    being 
called  out  and   firing  on  the    people, 
numbers  being  killed,  &c.    Fortunately 
there  was  much  exaggeration  in  these 
tales,  and  b}'  degrees  most   of  the  Bir- 
mingham men  found  their  way  home, 
though    manj''     were    in     sal     plight 
through    the  outrageous  behaviour  of 
themselves  and  the  "  victorious  "  crew 
who  went  ofT  so  gaily  with  them  in  the 
morning.     The  elections  in  after  years 
may  be  briefly  chronicled. 
1835. — At  the  general  election,  which 
occu'red  this  year,   the  Town   Hall 
was  first  used  as  the  place  of  nomi- 
nation (Jan.  7th).      During  the  pro- 
ceedings the   front  of  the  gnat  gal- 
lery gave  way  and  precipitated  those 
sitting  there  on  to  the  heads  of  the 
people    below,    but    providentially, 
the   injuries  received   were  not  of  a 
serious   cha'acter.     Mr.    R.  Spooner 


202 


SHOWELl'w    dictionary    of    BIKMIXGHAM. 


was  most  impatiently  heaiHl,  and 
the  show  of  hands  was  dccidedlv 
against  him.  The  state  of  tha  poll 
showed  : — ■ 

Thomas  Attwood      1,718  votes  )    p^ptm-jieil. 
Joshua  Scholefieia    1,G60      ,,     ) 
Richard  Spoonev  '.H5      ,, 

1837,  August.— At  tliis  election  the 
late  sitting  members  were  opposed 
by  Mr.  A.  G.  Stapleton,  but,  un- 
successfully, the  voting  being 


Thomas  Attwodd 
Joshua  Scholelield 
A.  G.  Stapleton 


2.|45  )  Returned. 

-,114  ) 

1,04(5 


1840,  January.— Mr.  Attwood  having 
resigned,  Sir  Cliarles  Wetherell  ap- 
peared in  the  Conservative  interest 
against  Mr.  G.  F.  Muntz.  Mr. 
Josajdi  Sturgp,  who  also  issued  an 
address  to  the  electors,  retiring  on 
the  solicitation  of  his  friemis,  on  the 
understanding  that  the  whole  Liberal 
party  Avould  support  him  at  the  next 
vacancy.  The  result  was  in  favour 
of  Mr.  "Muntz,  tlius— 


Geo.  Fred.  Muiitz 
SirC,  Wetherell 


1,45-1— Retuvntd 
915 


1841,  July.— Mr.  Richard  Spoouer, 
who  op|iosed  Messrs.  liluutz  and 
Scholefield,  was  again  defeated, 
tlirough  receiving  the  suffrages  of 
double  the  number  of  electors  who 
voted  for  hiin  in  1835.  The  returns 
were — 


Geo.  Fred.  Muntz 
Joshua  Scholelield 
Richard  Spoouer 


•^.1^6  {Returned. 
1,825 


1842,  -August.— Mr.  Joseph  Sturge 
fou-lit  Mr.  Walter  (of  Tlie  Times)  for 
the'houour  of  representing  Notting- 
ham, but  tlie  plucky  "  Bivmimjliam 
Quaker  Ghariist,"  as  The  Times 
calli'd  liim,  came  off  second  best,  the 
votes  given  bsiug  1,799  for  Walter, 
and  1,725  for  Sturge. 

1843,  March.— Mr.  Newdegate  was  first 
returned  for  North  Warwickshire, 
and  he  retains  his  seat  to  the  present 
day. 


1844,  July.— On  the  death  of  Mr. 
Sciioleiield,  his  sou  William  was 
nominated  to  fill  the  vacant  seat  for 
Birmingham.  Mr.  Sturge,  _  relying 
on  the  promisss  made  him  in  1840, 
also  put  in  a  claim,  but  his  connec- 
tion with  the  working  classes,  atnl 
his  "complete  suffrage"  dream,  had 
estranged  many  of  his  friends,  an  1 
the  split  in  the  party  eiiabled  Mr. 
Spooner  at  last  to  b.cad  the  poll,  and 
for  the  first  and  only  time  (up  to  June 
1885)  a  Conservative  member  went 
to  the  Hou.'^e  as  representative  for 
Birmingham. 

Richard  Spoouer       . .     .  -2,095  \  Returned. 
William  Scholelield  ..     •■bj^^-'a  * 
Joseph  Sturge  ..     ••    34!> 

1847    August— Mr.  Spooner  this  time 
had  to  nuikeway  forMr.  Scholefield  ; 
Mr.  Serjeant  Alien,    who   also  tued, 
being    '''nowhere"   in   the  running, 
the  figures  being  :— 
Geo.  Fred.  Muntz     . .     ••  2,8^^0  ^  Returned. 
William  Scholefield  ..       --'"-f 
Richard  Spooner       ..     .."2,302 
Serjeant  Allen  ..     ■•      ^'^ 

Mr.  Spooner  was  soon  consoled  for 
liis  defeat  here  bv  being  returned  for 
North  Warwickshire  along  with  Mr. 
Newdegate,  though  not  without  a 
liard  struggle,  his  opponent,  the 
Hon.  W.  H.  Leigh,  polling  2,2/8 
votes  against  Spoouer's  2,454,  and 
Newdcgate's  2,915.  Mr.  Spoouer 
retained  his  seat  for  Norlh  Warwick 
until  his  death  in  18G4. 

1852,  July.— No  one  oppo.?ed  the  re- 
election of  Mes-r.s.  Muntz  and  Schoh  - 
field. 

1857,  March.— The  same  gentlemen 
we're  again  returned  without  oppo- 
sition. ,        <•   -VI 

i857,  August.— On  the  deith  of  Mr. 
Muntz,  though  the  names  ot  George 
Dawson  aiid"^oth-rs  were  whisi)ered, 
the  unauimouj  choice  fell  upon  Mr. 
John  Brisht,  "  the  rejected  of  Man- 
chester," and  it  may  be  truly  said  he 
was  at  that  time  the  chosen  of  the 
people.  Birnungham  meu  of  all 
shades  of    politics  appreciating    his 


SUOWIOl.LS    DICTIONARY    OH"    lUUMlNGflAM. 


203 


elcquenoe  and  aitiiiiiin<,'  his  sterling 
liouesi)',  though  many  differed  with 
liis  opinions.  Aildresses  were  early 
issiud  by  Bit  on  Dijkensnn  "Webster 
and  Mr.  M'Geachy,  but  both  were  at 
once  withdrawn  when  Mr.  Bright 
consented  to  stand  and  /(i'.9  addiess 
appeared. 
1S59,  April).— At  the  election  of  this- 
year,  tliough  defeat  must  have  been 
a  foregone  conclusion,  Mr.  Thomas 
D.  Acland  waged  battle  with  ilessrs. 
Scholefield  and  Bright,  and  the  re- 
sult was  :  — 


William  Scholefield 


"-.'i  •  Heturned. 


John  Bright       -1,282  » 

T.  D.  Acland      1,514 

1864,  December.— Ou  the  de-ith  of  Mr. 
Spoouer,  Mr.  Daveiiport-Bronilcy, 
(alterwards  Bromley-Davenport)  was 
elected  un -opposed,  and  retained  h.is 
seat  until  his  death,  June  15,  1884. 

1854. — Householders,  whose  rates  were 
compounded  for  by  their  laudlonis, 
had  hitherto  not  been  allowed  to 
exercise  their  right  of  voting,  bat 
the  decision  given  in  their  favour, 
Feb.  17,  18G4,  was  the  means  of 
raising  t!ie  number  of  voters'  names 
on  the  register  to  over  40,000. 

1865,  July.— Whether  from  fertrof  the 
nevly-formed  Liberal  As-^ociition 
(which  was  inaugurated  in  FeViruary 
for  the  avowed  purpose  of  controlling 
the  Pari iamen tar}'  eleciions  in  the 
borough  and  adjoining  county 
divisions),  or  thelacdcof  asuffieiently 
popular  local  man,  tliere  was  no 
opposition  offered  to  the  return  ol 
JMessrs.  Scholefield  and  Bright  at  the 
election  of  this  year. 

1807,  July.— On  the  death  of  Mr. 
ScholeheM,  Mr.  George  Dixon  was 
nominated  by  the  Libernls  ami 
opposed  by  Mr.  Sampson  S.  Lloyd 
The  result  was  :  — 

Geo.  i>ixon .5,819     Retunied. 

S.  S.  Lloyd i,2U 

1868,  November. — This  was  the  fir.^t 
election  after  the  passing  of  the 
Reform  Bill  of  1867,  by  wl.ich   Bir- 


mingham   became  entitled  to    senil 
three    members    to    the    House    oi 
Commons  ;  and  as  the  Bill  contained 
a  proviso   (generally  known   as    the 
"  minority  clau.se  ")  that  each  voter 
should  be  limited  to  giving  his  sup- 
port to  two  only  of  tlio   candidates, 
an  immense  amount  of  interest  was 
taken  in   the  intei-est  that  ensued. 
The  Conservatives  brought  forward 
Mr.    Sampson    S      Lloyd   and     Mr. 
Sebastian  Evans,  theLiberal  Associa- 
tion nominating  Messrs.  John  Blight, 
Goorge    Dixon    and    Philip    H.-nry 
Muntz  (brother  to  the  old  member 
G.    F.     Muntz).     The   election    has 
become  historical  from   the   cleverly- 
'.nauipulateil   scheme   devised    by   the 
Liheral    Association,    and    the    strict 
enforcement  of  thfiir  "  vote-as-you're- 
told "    policy,    by    which,    abnegating 
all   personal    freedom  or  choice  in  the 
matter    the    electors    under    the     in- 
lluenco      of      the      Associtition     were 
moved    at     the    will    of  the  chiefs  of 
their     part}'.       That    the  new  tactics 
\vere     successful     is     shown     by    the 
returns  : — 

George  "Dixon 15,188  ■) 

P.  H.  Muntz     14,riU  VKelmned. 

Jolui  Ui-ight      14,60;  j 

S.  S.  I.loyd        ..      ....  S,700 

S.  Evans     T,Ool 

186S,  Dec.  21.— Mr.  Bright  having 
been  appointed  President  oP  the 
Board  of  Trade,  was  re-electe  l  with- 
out opposition.  He  held  office  till 
the  clo.se  of  1870,  but  for  a  long  time 
w;is  absent  from  Parliament  through 
i  I'll  ess 

1873,  Aug.  6. — Mr.  John  Jalfray,  one 
ot  the  proprietors  of  the  Daihi  Post, 
contested  Eist  Statfordshire  against 
Mr.  AUsopp,  but  he  only  obained 
2,893  votes,  as  against  Mr.  Allsopp's 
3.630. 

1873,  Oct.  18. — Soon  after  recovery  of 
h-:alth  Mr.  Bright  returned  to  his 
seat,  and  being  appointed  to  the 
ofKce  of  the  Chancellor  of  the  Duchy 
of  Lancaster,  was  re-elect.'d  in  due 
courfe. 


204 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


1874,  Jan,  30. — No  ojiposition  was 
made  to  the  re-election  of  Messrs. 
Blight,  Dixon,  and  Muntz. 

1876,  June  27.— Mr.  Joseph  Chamber- 
lain was  elected  without  opposition 
on  tlie  resifinatioii  of  Mr.  Dixon. 

1880,  March  31.— Thou.^h  free  from  all 
theriotingand  possiblebloodshedthat 
would  have  attended  sncli  au  occasion 
a  hundred  years  ago,  the  election  of 
1880  was  the  most  exciting  and 
hardest-fought  battle  between  the 
two  great  political  ])arties  of  the 
town  j'et  recorded  in  local  history. 
The  caudiilaies  were  Messrs.  John 
Bright,  Joseph  Chambeilaiu  and 
Philip  Henry  Muntz,  the  previous 
members  and  nominees  of  the  Liberal 
Association,  and  Major  Bnrnahy  and 
the  Hon.  A.  C.  G.  Calthorpe,  Conser- 
vatives. There  were  139  polling 
stations,  and  no  less  than  47,776 
out  of  the  63,398  jiersons  whose 
names  were  on  the  register,  recorded 
their  votes  under  the  protection 
of  the  Ballot  Act  of  1870,  now 
first  brought  into  use  at  a  Parlia- 
mentary election.  The  usual  cour- 
tesies (!)  appertaining  to  ]iolitical 
contests  were  indulged  in  to  con- 
siderable extent,  and  personalities  of 
all  sorts  much  too  freel}'  bandied 
about,  but  the  election  altogether 
pas-el  off  in  the  most  creditable 
manner.  The  returns  of  the  polling 
stood  thus — 

Pliilip  Henry  Muntz  . .  22,803  ) 

Jdhn  Bii^'ht 21,986  v  Returned. 

Jost'iili  Cliainberlain  ..  19,476) 

Major  Burnaliy    ..     ..  15,716 

Hon.  A.  C.  G.  Caltliorpe  14,270 

An  analysis  of  the  polling  issued  by 
the  Mayor  about  a  week  after  the 
election  showed  that  16.098  voters 
supported  the  Conservative  candi- 
dates and  33,302  the  Liberals. 
Deducting  the  2,004  who  "split" 
their  n  otes  between  the  parties,  and 
380  whose  papers  were  either  rejected 
or  not  counted  as  being  doubtful, 
tlie  total  gives  47,396  as  the  actual 
uumlier  whose  votes  decided  the 
election.         As     a     curiosity    and     a 


puzzle  for  future  politicians,  the 
Mayor's  analysis  is  worth  preserving, 
as  here  re-analysed  :  — 

Plumpers. 

Calthorpe  only  ..  ..  42 

Buinaby  only  . .  . .  164      20'i 

Cliambbvlaiii  only  ..  ..  50 

Jluntzoiily  ..  ..  199 

Bright  only  . .  . .  86      335 

Split  Votes. 

Caltliorpe  and  Miintz  ..  153 

Calth.irpe  and  Clianiberlain  83 

Burnaby  and  Muntz  ..  1,239 

Burnaby  and  Chamberlain..  182 

Bright  and  Calthorpe  ..  104 

Bright  and  Burnaby  . .  243    2,0  )4 

Con.  Party  Votrs, 

Burnaby  and  Calthorpe    . .  13,888     13,888 

Liberal  Party  Votes. 

Chamberlain  and  Muntz..  9,410 
Bright  and  Muntz  ..  ..  11,802 
Bi'ight  and  Chamberlain . .    9,751     30,963 


Voting  papers  rejected 
and  doubtful 


380 


Total  number  of  voters 
polled 47,776 

Mr.  Bright  having  been  again  ap- 
pointed Chancellor  of  the  Duchy  of 
Lancaster,  and  Mr.  Chamberlain 
chosen  as  President  of  the  Board  of 
Trade,  tliey  were  re  electci,  without 
opposition,  early  in  May  following 
the  election.  Three  other  local 
Liberal  gentlemen  were  returned  to 
Parliament  during  this  general 
election,  viz.  :— Mr.  Jesse  Collings 
for  Ipswich  (receiving  3,074  votes), 
m-.  H.  Wiggiu  for  E^st  Stafford- 
shire (4,617  votes),  and  Mr.  J.  S. 
Wright  for  Nottingham  (8,085 
votes),  The  last-named,  however, 
did  not  live  to  take  his  seat,  dying 
very  suddenly  while  attending  a 
committee-meeting  at  the  Council 
House,  Birmingham,  on  the  15th 
April. — See  "  Statues,"  &c 
According  to  the  published  returns  of 
January,  1884,  Birniinghani  was  then 
the  largest  borough  constituency  in 
Englanil,  the  number  of  electors  on 
the  register  then  in  force  being 
63,221  ;    Liverpool  coming  next  with 


SHOWBLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    lUUMINGHAM. 


205 


61,336  ;  and  Lambeth  third,  witli 
55,588  ;  but  Glasgow  was  tlie  largest  in 
the  United  Kingdom,  with  68,0'25. 
The  largest  county  constitucncj'iii  Eng- 
land and  Wales  was  ]\Iiddlesex,  with 
41,299  electors  ;  the  next  being  South- 
West  Lancashire,  with  30,624  ;  the 
third,  South-East  Lancashire,  with 
28,728  ;  and  the  fourth,  the  southern 
division  of  the  West  Riding,  with 
27.625.  The  total  electorate  for  Eng- 
land and  Wales,  was  2,660,444  ;  Scot- 
land, 331,264  ;    and  Ireland,  230,156. 


The  lollowing  statistics  have  been 
taken  from  the  returns  named,  show- 
ing in  respect  of  each  constituency  in 
this  neighbourhood,  the  area  of  each 
borough,  city,  or  county  division,  the 
poi.ulation,  the  number  of  inhabited 
houses,  the  number  of  voters  and  their 
qualifications,  and  the  Members  sent  to 
Parliament  i>rior  to  the  i)as->ing  of  the 
Fiancliise  and  Redistribution  Bills  of 
1885,  and  are  woith  preserving  for 
future  local  reference  : — 


City  or  Borough 
Electors. 


County. 
Electors 


Borough,     City,j'jJ  — 
or  County      |  «S 
Division        ,<j 


lUrmingham. . . . 

Bewtlley    | 

iiridgnorth    ! 

Coventry   i 

Droitwich     

Dudley  i 

E.  Stafl'ordshire 
K.  Worcestershr. 

FiVeshaiii    ; 

Kidderminster. .' 

I.ichlield    1 

Newcastle  (Sttt.) 
N.  Statl'orJshire 
N.  Warwickshire 
>i.  Warwickshire 

Staflord  

iStoke-ou-Trent 

Tarn  worth 

Walsall   

Warwick    

Wednesbury. . .. 
W.  Statlordshire 
AV.  Worcestershr 
Wolverhampton 
Worcester 


13 

Hi 

17 

10 
43 

12 

218 
L124 
3^ 


Population 
in  I  in 
1871       18S1 


a4;!,r87 

7,614 

7,317 

41,348 

9,510 

S2,249 
101, 5B4 
147,tiS 
4,888 

20,814 

7,;;47 


irj,9i 

120,21 

1:J4,723 

!tO,905 

15,1140 

130,575 

11,403 

40,018 

8i|   10,080 

17|n0,809 

434  |100,413 

341      00,419 

29Pr  150,978 

5"|  .38,110 


400,774 
8,078 
7,212 

40,563 
9,858 

87,527 

138,439 

177,257 

5,112 

25,033 
S,34'1 

17,493 
132,081 
170,081: 

99,592 

18,904 
152,. 394 

14,101 

59,402 

11,800 
124,43' 
117,73' 

07,139 
104,332 

40,3541 


Inhabited 
Houses 


1871  1     1881 


GS,532 

1,717 

1,505^ 

9,334 

1,931| 

15,985! 

19,960| 

30, 551  i 

1,001 

4,292 

1,543 

3,180 

24,194 

29,032 

20,803 

2,939 

24,582 

2,3.57 

0,506 

2,418 

22,621 

20,134 

13,895 

30,424 

8,043 


3  =  2 
5     " 


78,301  63, 

1,839 

1,.52 
10,18-5j   4- 

2,006|  1 
16,SS9li4 
20,0031 
35,781 

1,0501 

5,002 

1,078 

3,393i 
20,403 
35,151 
21,485 

3,385 
2S,350j21, 

2,71 
11,140 

2,518 
23,443 
23,261 
13,928 
31,475 

8,539 


.559131 
,948'59 


5,106 
4,745 


3,008 

5,878 

,501 


2,715 
1,142 


Ik    f^ 


141  0,481 
507,6,931 


1,071|7,141 
516:5,00.- 
688  3,253 


001 
1,033 


8,  .570 
4,420 


218 
740 
410 
834 
728 
243 
825 
903 
242 
115 
220 
,097 
502 
584 
,144[ 
229 
,824' 
701| 
810 
946 
,001 
690 
,362 


Parsonage.  — The  Old  Parsonage, 
at  tlie  corner  of  Smallbrook  Street  and 
Pershore  Street,  an  old-fashioned  two- 
storey  gabled  house,  was  moated  round 
and  almost  hidden  ny  trees,  and  has 
been  preserved  for  future  historians  in 
one  of  David  Cox's  sketches,  which  re- 
mains as  a  curious  memento  of  the  once 


rural  appearanceof  whatare  now  some  of 
the  busiest  spots  in  town.  The  house 
was  pulled  down  in  1826. 

Papson  and    Clepk.  -A    noted 

publichouso  on  the  old  Chester  Road  is 
the  Royal  Oak,  better  known  as  "The 
Parson  and  Clerk."  An  old  pamphlet 
thus   gives    the    whv   and    wherefore : 


206 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


"  There  had  used  to  be  on  the  top  of 
the  house  two  figm-es — one  of  a  parson 
leaning  his  head  i:i  prdver,  while  the 
clerk  was  behind  him  with  uplifted 
axe,  going  to  chop  off  his  head.  Tliese 
two  hgiires  were  placed  there  by  John 
Gough,  Esq.,  of  Perry  Hall,  to  com- 
memorate a  law  suit  between  him  and 
the  Rev.  T.  Lane,  each  having  an- 
noyed the  other.  Mr.  Lanu  had  kept 
the  Squire  out  of  possession  of  this 
house,  and  had  withheld  the  liciuses, 
while  the  latter  had  compelled  the 
clergyman  to  officiate  daily  in  the 
church,  by  sending  his  servants  to 
form  a  congiegition.  Squire  Gougli 
won  the  day,  re-built  the  house  in 
1788,  and  put  up  the  figures  to  annoy 
Parson  Lane,  parsons  of  all  sorts  bdiug 
out  of  his  good  books." 

Parsons,       Preachers,      and 
Priests  of  the  Past.  —  It  would 

b(i  a  lengthy  list  or  make  note  of  all 
the  worthy  and  reverend  gentlemen 
who  liave,  from  pnlnit  or  })latform, 
lectured  an<l  preached  to  the  jieople  in 
our  town,  or  who  have  aided  in  the 
intellectual  advancement  and  educa- 
,  tion  of  the  rising  generation  of  their 
time.  Church  and  Chapel  alike  have 
had  their  good  men  and  true,  and 
n-ither  can  claim  a  monopoly  of  talent, 
or  boa'^t  much  of  their  superiority  in 
Christian  fellowship  or  love  of  their 
kind.  JIany  she))herds  have  been 
taken  from  their  i-oclled  flocks 
whose  jilaces  at  the  time  it  was  thought 
could  never  bo  filled,  but  whos?  very 
names  are  now  only  to  be  found  on 
their  tombs,  or  mentioned  in  old 
magazines  or  newspapers.  Some  few 
are  here  recalled  as  of  interest  from 
their  position,  peculiarities,  kc. 

John  Angcll  James. — A  Wiltshire 
man  was  John  Angell  James,  Avho, 
after  a  short  course  of  itincrar}'  preach- 
ing came  lo  Birmingham,  and  for  more 
than  fifty  years  was  the  iioHsed 
minister  of  Carr's  Lane  congregation. 
He  was  a  good  man  and  eloquent, 
having  a  ceilain  attractive  way  which 
endeared  him  to  many.  He  lived,  and 
was  loved  by  those  who  liked  liim,  till 


he  had  reached  the  age  of  74,  dying 
Oct.  1,  1859,  his  remains  being  buried 
like  those  of  a  saint,  under  the  pulpit 
from  which  he  had  so  long  preached. 
Samuel  Bac'ie. — Couiing  as  a  Christ- 
luas-box  to  his  parents  in  1804,  anii 
early  trained  for  the  pulpit,  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Bache  joined  the  Rev.  John 
Kentish  in  his  ministrations  to  the 
Unitarian  flock  in  1832,  and  remained 
With  us  until  1868.  Loved  in  his 
own  communit}'  for  faithfully  preach- 
ing their  ()eculiar  doctrines,  Mr.  Bache 
proved  himself  a  man  of  broad  and 
enlightened  .sympathies  ;  one  who 
coidd  appreciate  an  i  support  anything 
and  everything  that  tended  to  elevate 
the  people  in  their  amusements  as  well 
as  in  matti'rs  connected  with  education. 

George  Croft. — The  Lectureship  of 
St.  Martin's  in  the  first  year  of  the 
jiresent  century  was  vested  in  Dr. 
George  Crofr-,  one  of  the  good  old  sort 
of  Church  and  King  parsons,  orthodox 
to  the  bickbone,  but  from  sundry 
peculiarities  not  particularly  popular 
with  the  major  portion  of  his  parish- 
ioners.    He  died  in  1809. 

George  Diwson.  —  Born  in  London, 
Febiuary  24,  1821,  George  Dawson 
studied  at  Glasgow  tor  the  Baptist 
ministry,  and  came  to  this  town  in 
18i4  to  take  the  charge  of  Mount  Zion 
chapel.  The  cribbed  and  crabbed 
restraints  of  denontinational  church 
government  failed,  however,  to  satisfy 
his  independent  heart,  and  in  little 
more  than  two  years  his  connection 
with  the  Mount  Zion  congregation 
ceased  (June  24,  1846).  The  Church 
of  the  Saviour  was  soon  after  erected 
for  him,  and  here  he  drew  together 
worshippers  of  many  shades  of  leligious 
belief,  and  ministered  unto  them  till  his 
death,  .^s  a  lecturer  he  was  known 
everywhere,  anel  there  are  but  few 
towns  in  the  kingdom  that  he  did  not 
visit,  while  his  tour  in  America,  in  the 
Autumn  of  1874,  was  a  great  success. 
His  connection  with  the  public  insti- 
tutions of  this  town  is  part  of  our 
modern  history,  and  no  man  yet  ever 
exercised  such  influence  or  did  more  to 
advance  the   intelligence   and   culturo 


SHOWKLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


207 


of  the  people,  and,  as  John  Bri<,'ht 
ouce  said  of  Cobdeii  "it  was  not 
until  we  had  lost  him  that  we 
knew  how  mucli  we  loved  him."  Tlie 
sincerity  and  honesty  of  ymrpose  right 
ihroiigh  his  life,  and  exhibited  in  all 
liis  actions,  won  the  hiirhest  esteem  of 
even  those  who  dilfered  from  him,  and 
the  announcement  of  liis  sudden  death 
(Nov.  30,  1876)  was  felt  as  a  blow  by 
men  of  all  creeds  or  politics  who  had 
ever  known  him  or  heard  him.  To  him 
the  world  owes  the  formation  of  the 
first  Shakesperian  Library  — to  have 
witnessed  i  s  destructioa  would  indeed 
have  been  bitter  agony  to  the  man  who 
(in  October,  1866)  had  been  chosen  to 
deliver  the  inaugural  address  at  the 
opening  of  the  Free  Reference  Library, 
to  which  he,  with  friends,  made  such 
an  addition.  As  a  preaclier,  he  was 
gifted  witli  remarkable  powers  ;  ns  a 
lecturer,  he  was  unsurpassed  ;  in  social 
matters,  he  was  the  friend  of  all,  with 
ever-open  hand  to  those  in  need  ;  as  a 
politician,  though  keen  at  rei^arteeand 
a  hard  hitter,  he  was  straightforward, 
and  no  time-server  ;  and  in  the  word 
of  his  favourite  author,  "Take  him  all 
in  all,  we  ne'er  shall  look  on  his  like 
again." — See  "Statues,"  &c. 

jr.  D.  Long.—Tha  Rev.  Wm  Dun- 
can Long  (who  died  at  Godilmiug, 
April  12,  187S),  according  to  the 
Record,  was  "  a  good  man,  and  full  of 
the  Holy  Ghosc  and  of  faith."  In  our 
local  records  I.e  is  uotecl  as  being  dis- 
tinguished for  liard  work  among  the 
poor  of  St.  Bartholomew's,  of  which 
parish  he  was  minister  for  many  years 
prior  to  1851. 

Thomas  Swami. — The  Re  v.  Thomis 
Swanu,  who  eame  here  in  January 
1829,  after  a  few  years'  sojourn  in 
India,  served  the  Cannon  Street  body 
for  28  year.s,  during  which  time  he 
baptised  966  persons,  admitting  into 
membership  a  total  of  1,233.  Jlr. 
Swaun  liad  an  attack  of  apoplexy, 
while  in  Glasgow,  on  Sunday,  llarch 
7,  1857,  and  died  two  days  afterward?. 
His  remains  were  brought  to  Birming- 
Laui,   and  were  followed  to  the  grave 


(.M.irch  16)  by  a  large  concourse  of 
person-!,  a  number  of  ministers  taking 
part  in  the  fiuieral  service. 

IF.  L.  ffi^cs.— The  Rn-.  W.  Leese 
Giles,  wiio  filled  the  puli>it  in  Cannon 
Stree:  from  O.-t,  1863,  t  >  July,  1872, 
was  peculiarly  successful  in  his  minis- 
trations, esp-cially  among  the  young. 

Lewis  Chapmin.. — The  Rev.  Lewis 
Chapman  (taken  to  hi>  fathers  0.;t.  2, 
1877,  at  the  age  of  81),  after  jjcrforming 
the  duties  and  functions  of  Rabbi  to 
the  local  Jewish  community  lor  more 
than  forty-five  years,  was,  from  his 
amiability  an  I  benevolence,  character- 
ised by  many  Gentile  friends  as  "an 
Israelite  indend,  in  whom  is  no  guile." 

Hon.  G.  M.  Forkc. — Brother  to  the 
late  Earl  of  Hardvvicke,  and  born  in 
1809,  Mr.  Yorke,  on  finishing  his 
University  education,  entered  the 
arm)-,  obtaining  a  commission  in  the 
Fourth  Dragoons:  and,  considering  his 
stibsequent  connection  with  Birmiug- 
iiaui  in  a  widely  dilferent  character,  it 
is  curious  that  his  first  visit  here  should 
have  been  paid  as  an  oliicer  of  dragoons 
in  the  Chartist  riots  of  1839.  Mr. 
Yorke's  personal  tastes,  however,  led 
him  to  prefer  the  Church  to  the  arm\-, 
and  he  entered  into  holy  ordeis,  the 
Bishop  of  Worcester,  in  1844,  lu-esent- 
ing  him  to  the  rectory  of  St.  Philip's  : 
and  at  2  later  [leriod  he  wai  nominated 
Rural  Dean.  Mr.  Yorke  held  the 
living  of  St.  Piiilip's  for  the  long 
period  of  thirty  years — until  1874 — 
when  the  Prime  Minister  appointed 
him  Dean  of  Worcester.  During  his 
residence  in  Birmingham  Mr.  Yorke 
did  much  public  service  in  connection 
with  various  educational  in-^titutions. 
He  promoted  good  schools  in  St. 
Philip's  parish,  and  was  an  active  mem- 
ber of  the  committee  of  the  Educa- 
tional Prize  Scheme,  and  then  of  the 
Education  Aid  Society,  both  of  them 
institutions  which  were  of  great  value 
in  their  day.  He  also  took  a  strong 
interest  in  the  affairs  of  Queen's 
College,  of  which  he  was  for  many 
years  the  Vice-president.  In  the  Dio- 
cesan Training  College,  at  Saliley,  he 


:?08 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


likewise  took  part  as  a  member  of  the 
managing  body  and  lie  was  interested 
in  the  School  of  Art  and  the  Midland 
Institute.  AVherever,  indeed,  there 
was  educational  work  to  be  done,  tlie 
Rector  of  St.  Philip's  was  sure  to  be 
found  helping  in  it  ;  and  though  there 
have  been  many  Rectors  at  the  church 
it  can  be  trul.y  S'id  tliat  none  left 
more  regretted  by  the  poor,  notwith- 
standing the  aristocratic  handle  to  his 
name,  than  did  Mr.  Yorke.  The 
Hon.  and  Rev.  gentleman  died  at 
Worcester,  Oct.  2,  1879. 

J.C.  J/iWcr.— The  Rev.  John Cale  Mil- 
ler (born  at  Margate,  in  1814),  tliough 
only  thirty-two,  had  already  at- 
tracte  I  tlie  notice  of  the  Evangelical 
party  in  the  Church,  and  his  appoint- 
ment to  St.  Martin's  (Sept.  1846), 
gave  general  satisfaction.  His  reputa- 
tion as  a  preaclier  had  preceiied  him, 
and  he  soon  diffused  a  knowledge  of  his 
vigour  as  a  worker,  and  his  capacity 
as  an  administrator.  Few  men  have 
entered  so  quickly  into  popular  favour 
as  Dr.  Miller  did,  which  may,  })er- 
haps,  be  accounted  for  by  tlie  fact 
that  he  not  only  showed  a  sincere 
desire  to  live  in  harmony  with  the 
Dissenters  of  all  shades,  but  that 
he  was  prepared  to  take  his  full  share 
in  tlie  public  work  of  the  town, 
and  determined  to  be  the  minister 
— not  of  any  section  of  the  people, 
but  of  tire  parish  altogether. 
Under  his  direction  St.  Martin's  b  came 
a  model  parish.  New  facilities  were  af- 
forded for  public  worship,  schools  were 
established,  ])arochial  institutions  mul- 
tiplied under  his  hand,  an  ample  stall' 
of  curates  and  scripture-readers  took 
their  share  of  labour,  and  the  ener- 
gies of  the  lay  members  of  the  congre- 
gation were  called  into  active  exercise. 
To  the  Grammar  School,  the  Midland 
Institute,  the  Free  Libraries,  the 
Hospitals  and  Charities  of  the  town, 
the  Volunteer  movement,  &c. ,  he  gave 
most  assiduous  attention,  and  as  long 
as  he  remained  with  us,  his  interest 
in  all  public  matters  never  failed.  In 
the  early  part  of  1866,  Dr.  Miller  uas 


presented  to  tlie  living  at  Greenwich, 
taking  his  farewell  of  the  townspeople 
of  Birmingham  at  a  meeting  in  the 
Town  Hall,  April  21,  when  substantial 
proof  of  the  public  goodwill  towards 
him  was  given  by  a  crowded  auiiience 
of  all  creeds  and  all  classes.  A 
handsome  service  of  plate  and  a 
purse  of  600  guineas  were  pre- 
sented to  him,  along  with  addresses 
from  the  congregation  of  St,  Martin's, 
the  Charity  Collections  Committee,  the 
Rifle  Volunteers  (to  whom  he  had  been 
Char)lain),  the  Committees  of  the  Hos- 
pital--, and  from  the  town  at  large.  The 
farewell  sermon  to  St.  Martin's  con- 
gregation was  preached  April  29.  In 
1871  Dr.  Jliller  was  appointed  residen- 
tial Canon  of  Worcester,  which  prefer- 
ment he  soon  afterwards  exchanged  for 
a  Canonry  at  Rochester  as  being  nearer 
to  his  home,  other  honours  also  falling 
to  him  before  his  death,  which  took 
place  on  the  night  of  Sunday,  July  11, 
1880. 

GeoTLjc  PcaJcc. — The  Rev.  G.  Peake, 
Vicar  of  Aston,  from  1852  to  his 
death,  July  9,  1876,  was  a  ripe  scholar 
and  archaeologist,  a  kind-hearted 
pastor,    and     an     effective     preacher. 

Isaiah  Birt. — Mr.  Isaiah  Birt,  a 
native  of  Coleford,  undertook  the 
pastorship  of  Cannon  Street  in  1800, 
holding  it  until  Christmas,  1825, 
when  from  ill-health  he  resigned.  The 
congregation  allowed  Mr.  Birt  an 
annuity  of  £100  until  his  death,  in 
1837,  when  he  liad  reached  80  years  of 
age. 

Thomas  Folis. — The  Rev.  Thomas 
Potts,  who  died  in  the  early  part  of 
December,  1819,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
aud-six,  wa^,  according  to  the  printed 
funeral  oration  pronounced  at  the  time, 
"an  accurate,  profouml,  and  cautious 
theologian,"  who  had  conducted  the 
classical  studies  at  Oscott  College  for 
five-and-tweiity  years  with  vigour  and 
enthusiasm,  and  "a  grandeur  of  ability 
peculiarly  his  own." 

Sacheveral. — Dr.  Sacheveral,  the 
noted  and  noisy  worthy  who 
kicked  up  such  a  rumpus    in  the  days 


SH0WELL8    DICTIONAlir    OF    BIUMINGIIAM. 


209 


of"  Queen  Anne,  was  a  native  of  Sutton 
Coldlield,  and  his  passing  throiigli  liir- 
niinghani  in  1709  was  consideretl  such 
an  event  of  consequence  that  the  names 
of  the  fellows  who  cheered  him  in  the 
streets  were  reported   to  Governnitnt. 

Pcrtrcc— Ordained  pastor  of  Cannon 
Street,  Aug.  18,  1790.  Mr.  Pearce,  in 
the  course  of  a  sliort  life,  made  him- 
self one  of  the  most  prominent  Baptist 
divines  of  the  day,  the  church  under 
liis  charge  increasing  so  rapidly  that 
it  became  the  source  of  great  un- 
easiness to  tlie  deacons,  ilr.  Pearce 
took  great  interest  in  the  missionary 
cause,  iireaching  liere  the  first  sermon 
on  behalf  of  the  Baptist  JMissiontry 
Societv  (Oct.,  1792),  on  which  cci;a- 
sioa  £70  was  handed  in  ;  he  also 
volunteered  to  go  lo  India  himself. 
Suffering  from  consumption  he  preached 
his  last  serjiion  Dec.  2,  1798,  lingering 
on  till  the  10th  of  October  following, 
aud  liyiiig  at  the  early  age  of  33.  He 
was  huriud  at  the  foot  of  the  pul[)it 
stairs. 

Slater. — ^Hutton  says  tliatan  a])othe- 
cary  named  Siater  made  himself  Rec- 
tor of  St.  Martin's  during  the  ilays  of 
the  Commonwealth,  and  that  when  the 
authorities  came  to  turn  him  out  he 
hid  himself  in  a  dark  corner.  This  i^ 
the  individual  named  in  Houghton's 
"  History  of  Rdigiou  iu  England"  as 
being  brought  before  the  Court  of 
Arches  cliar:^ed  with  liaving  forged  his 
letters  of  orders,  with  preaching  ammig 
the  Quakers,  railing  in  the  pulpit  at 
the  parishioners,  swearing,  gambling, 
aud  other  more  scandalous  offences. 

Scholcfiehl. — The  pastor  of  the  Old 
Meeting  Congregation  iu  1787  was 
named  Scholelield,  and  he  was  the 
first  to  properly  organise  Sunilay 
Schools  in  couuectiou  with  Dissenting 
places  of  worship. 

Robert  Taylor. — The  horrible  title 
of  "  The  Devil's  Chaplain  "  was  given 
tlie  Rev.  Robert  Taylor,  B.A. ,  who  iu 
1819-20  was  for  short  periods  curate  at 
Yardley  and  at  St.  Paul's  in  this  tow^n. 
He  had  been  educated  for  the  Churcli, 
and    matiiculated   well,    but    adopted 


such  Deistical  opinions  that  lie  was 
ultimately  e.'cpelled  the  Church,  and 
more  than  once  after  leaving  here  was 
inipiisoned  for  blas|>hemy. 

Charles  Vince.  — Charles  Vince  was 
the  son  of  a  carpenter,  and  was  a  native 
of  Surrey,  being  born  at  Farnham  in 
1823.  F'lr  some  years  after  leacliing 
manhood  Mr.  Vince  was  a  Chartist 
lecturer,  but  was  chosen  minister  of 
Mount  Zion  Chapel  in  1851,  aud 
remained  with  us  till  Oct.  22,  1874, 
when  he  was  removed  to  the  •  world 
above.  His  death  was  a  loss  to  the 
whole  community,  among  whom  lie 
had  none  but  fi lends. 

John  JFebb. — ^The  Rev.  John  Webb, 
who  about  1802  was  appointed  Lee 
tuier  at  St.  Martin's  and  Minister  cf 
St.  Bartholomew's  was  an  antiquarian 
scholar  of  some  celebrity  ;  but  was 
specially  valued  here  (though  his  stay 
was  nut  lont,')  on  account  of  his  friend- 
ship with  JMendelssohn  and  Neukomni, 
and  for  the  valued  services  he  rendered 
at  ^  everal  Festivals.  He  wrote  the  Eng- 
lisii  adaptation  of  Winter's  "  Timoteo," 
or  "Triumph  of  Gideon,"  per.'ormedat 
the  Festival  of  1823,  and  other  effec- 
tive pieces  beibre  and  after  that 
date,  interesting  iiimself  in  the  suc- 
cess of  the  Triennials  for  many  years. 
He  died  Febiuary  IS,  1869,  in  Here- 
fordshire. 

JFilliam  IVollaston. — That  eminent 
English  divine,  tlie  Rev.  William 
Wollaston,  who  was  born  in  the  neigh- 
bouring county  of  Stafford,  in  1U59, 
was  for  several  years  assistant,  and 
afterwards  head  master  at  our  Free 
(Irammar  School,  but,  coming  into  a 
rii;h  inlieritauce,  retired.  Pie  died  in 
1724. 

And  so  the  list  might  go  on,  with 
such  names  as  the  Rev.  Charbs  Curtis, 
of  St.  Martin's  (1784)  the  Rev.  E. 
Barn,  of  St.  Mary's  (1818),  the  Rev. 
John  Cook,  of  St.  Bartholomew's 
(1820\  the  Rev.  W.  F.  Hook,  of  Mose- 
ky  (1822),  afterwards  Dean  of  Christ- 
church  ;  Dr.  Outratn,  of  St.  Philip's 
(who  died  in  1821)  ;  Rann  Kenned v, 
of    St.    Paul's;    G.     S.    Bull,    of    Sl 


210 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    B1RW1NGHA.M. 


Thoma'-'s  ;  witb    I.  C    Btriatt,   of   St 

Mary's,  and  many  otlier  clei'gyimii 
and  ministers,  who  have  deparnd  in 
those  Liter  years. 

Patents. — The  first  patent  granted 
to  a  Birmingliani  inventor  is  dared  May 
'12,  1722,  it  being  granted  to  Richard 
Baddeley  for  having  "  witli  iiiufli 
pains,  labour,  and  expense,  invented 
and  brought  to  perfection  '  An  Art  for 
making  streaks  for  binding  Cart  and 
Wagon  Wheels  and  Box  Smoothing 
Irons  '  (never  yet  ]iractised  in  this  our 
kingdom)  wliich  will  be  more  durable 
and  do  tliree  time.-*  the  service  of  those 
made  of  bar  iron."  &(;. ,  &c.  It  is  not 
particularly  wonderful  that  tiio  toy- 
shop of  England  should  stand  first  on 
the  list  as  regards  the  nnmlter  of  patent 
grants  applied  for  and  taken  out.  As 
Bisset  said — 

InventioiLS  curious,  various  kinds  o("  toys, 
Engage  the  time  of  women,  men,  and  buy,s  ; 
And  Royal  patents  here  are  found  in  scores, 
For  articles  minute— or  pond'rons  ores. 

By  the  end  of  1799  the  list  shows  that 
92  patents  had  been  granted  lo  IMr- 
mingham  men  after  Richard  Baddeley 
had  brought  out  his  "patent  streaks," 
and  during  the  present  century  there 
have  been  many  hundreds  of  designs 
patented  or  I'egistereci,  scores  of  for- 
tunes being  made  and  thousands 
of  hands  employed,  but  often 
tlie  inventors  themselves  have  sold 
their  rights  for  trifling  amounts 
or  succumbed  to  tlie  dilficulties 
that  stood  in  the  way  of  bringing  their 
brainw^ork  into  practical  use.  Could 
the  records  of  our  Count}'  A.sylums  lie 
thoroughly  inspected,  it  is  to  be  ieared 
that  disappointtd  inventors  would  be 
found  more  numerous  than  any  other 
class  of  inmates.  The  costs  of  taking 
out,  renewing,  and  i)rotecting  patents 
were  formerly  so  enormousas  jiractically 
to  prevent  any  great  improvements 
where  cipital  was  sliort,  and  scores  of 
our  local  workers  emigrated  to  America 
and  elsewhere  for  a  clearer  field  where  n 
to  exercise  their  inventive  faculties 
without    being   so    weighted  down  by 


patent  liws.  Tiie  Patent  Law  Amend- 
nteut  Act  of  1852  was  hailed  with 
rejoicing,  but  even  the  requirements  of 
that  Act  were  found  much  too  heavy, 
'file  Act  which  came  into  force  Jan.  1, 
1884,  ])roniises  to  remedy  many  of  the 
evils  hitherto  existing.  By  this  Act, 
tne  fees  payable  on  patents  are  as  fol- 
low : — On  application  for  proviiional 
specification,  £1  ;  on  filing  complete 
specification,  £3  ;  or,  on  iiling  com- 
plete specificitiou  with  the  first 
application,  £4.  These  are  all  the  fees 
up  to  the  date  of  granting  a  i)ateut. 
After  granting,  the  following  fees  are 
payable  :  B.-fore  fotir  years  from  date 
of  patent,  £50  ;  and  before  the  emi  of 
eight  vears  from  the  date  of  patent, 
£100.  "  In  lieu  of  the  £50  and  the  £100 
pajments,  the  folio iving  annual  fees 
may  be  paid  :  liefore  the  end  of  the 
fourth,  fifth,  sixth,  and  seventh  years, 
£10  each  year  ;  before  the  end  of  the 
eighth  and  ninth  years,  £15  each  year  ; 
and  befoie  th  ■  end  of  the  tenth, 
eleventh,  twelfth,  and  thirteenth  years, 
£20  each  year. — If  the  number  of  words 
contained  in  the  specifications  consti- 
tutes the  value  of  a  patent,  that  taken 
out  by  our  townsman,  James  Hardy 
(Marcli  28,  1844),  for  au  improvement 
in  tube-rolling  must  have  been  one  of 
the  most  valuable  ever  known.  The 
specifications  filled  176  folios,  :n  addi- 
tion to  a  large  sheet  of  drawings,  tlie 
cost  of  an  "  oflrice  copy  "  being  no  less 
than  £12  ISs.  !  The  Mechanics'  Maga- 
zine sail!  it  could  have  all  been  described 
in  176  woids. 

PatPiotie  Fund.— The  local  col- 
lection for  this  tumi  was  comuienced 
October,  25,  1854,  and  closeii  February 
22,  1858,  with  a  total  of  £12,936 
17s.  3d. 

Paving-.— A  "patent"  was  ob- 
tained in  1319,  12th  Edw.  II.,  to 
"take  toll  on  all  vendible  commodi- 
ties for  three  years,  to  pave  the  to-\vu 
(if  Birmingham;"  and  as  the  funds 
thu-i  raised  were  not  snfficient  for  .such 
a  "town  improvement,"  another 
"patent"  for  the  jmrpose  was  pro- 
cured in   1333,  7Lh  Edw.  III.,   the  toll 


SHOWKLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


211 


bsiiig  fixed  at  one  f-Hrthing  on  every 
eij^ht  bublielb  of  corn.  AVhat  the  pav- 
ing was  in  the  early  part  of  the  present 
'•entury  is  best  told  in  the  ibl lowing 
extract  from  Bissett's  "  Magnificent 
Directory,"  published  in  ISOO  :  — 

'J'lie  streets  are  pav'd,  'tis  true,  but   all    tlie 

stjiies 
Ars  8i;t  the  wrong  end  up,  in  shape  of  cones  ; 
And    strangers    limp    along   the    best  pav'd 

street, 
As  it'  parch'd  peas  were  strew'd  beneath  their 

tV.et, 
Whilst  custom  makes   the    Natives  scarcely 

feel 
Sharp-pointed  jiebbles  press  the  toe  or  heel. 

About  1819-20  the  loadways  were 
snoued  with  the  aid  of  a  .steam  paviug- 
(iiQ;iue,  supplied  with  a  row  of  six 
iieavy  rammers,  which  dro[>ped  ou  the 
uaeven  stones  and  drove  them  into  the 
loads,  the  engine  moving  about  a  foot 
;:fter  each  series  of  blows.  A  wood 
roadway  was  lani  in  Moor  Street  in 
April,  1873  ;  and  in  June,  1874,  the 
Council  decided  also  so  to  pave  New 
.Street,  High  Street,  and  Bull  Street. 
At  their  meeting,  June  1876,  it  was 
resolved  to  s[)cnd  £30,000  a  yetr  for 
:ix  years  in  paving  streets,  and  they 
liave  done  all  that. 

Pawnbrokers.  —  In  December, 
1789,  a  Bill  was  prepared  for  presenta- 
tion to  Parliament  "to  suppress  all 
pawnbrokers  within  the  town."  and  to 
establish  in  lieu  a  general  office  for 
pledges.  Wonder  what  ottr  uncles 
thought  of  it. 

Peace.— A  branch  of  tlie  Work- 
men's Peace  Association  was  formed 
December  18,  1871. 

Pebble  Mill  Pool.— The  last  few 

years  a  f'avouiite  spot  for  suicides,  no 
less  than  tliirty-niue  jiersons  having 
drowned  tliemselvc*  there  since  1875. 
Strangely  enough  there  was  not  a  single 
similar  case  in  the  four  years  preced- 
ing, and  only  three  cases  of  accidental 
dro»vnings  in  tiie  last  27  years. 

Peek  Lane.— Originally  called 
Feck  Lane,  leading  out  of  New  Street, 
next  to  the  Grammar  School,  was 
closed   and   cleared    for    the    Railway 


Station.  Steep  and  narrow  as  the  old 
thoroughfare  was,  it  was  at  one  time 
thought  quite  as  much  of  as  Bull 
Strejt. 

Pearls  and  Pearl  Fisheries.  —A 

few  small  pearls  are  occasionally  found 
enclosed  in  the  nacre(or  mother-of-pearl) 
of  shells  cut  up  fur  butt'MJS,  &c.,  but 
seldom  of  much  value,  though  it  is 
related  that  a  few  j^c-ars  back  a  pearl 
thus  discovered  by  a  workman,  and 
handed  over  to  his  employer,  was  sold 
for  £40,  realising  £150  afxTwards.  In 
March,  1884,  Mr.  James  Webb,  Por- 
Chester  Street,  hai  the  good  fortune  to 
find  a  p^^arl  weighing  31  gr:iins  in  an 
Australian  shell  he  was  cutting  up, 
and  it  has  been  valued  at  £100.  As 
there  i.s  a  good  market  here  for  pearls, 
no  doubt  many  others  have  been  found 
that  "have  not  come  to  light."  A 
few  years  back,  ''pearl  fisheries"  of 
ra*,heran  extraordinary  kind  v/ere  here 
and  there  to  be  found  in  the  out.skirts, 
the  j'li-iccs  of  good  workable  shell  hav- 
ing ris  n  to  such  an  extent  that  it  paid 
to  hunt  for  and  dig  up  the  scrap  flung 
away  in  former  years,  as  much  as  15s. 
to  20s.  per  bag  being  obtained  tor  some 
of  these  finds.  One  smart  little  mas- 
ter who  recollected  where  his  scrap  was 
dqiosited  some  years  before,  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  St.  Luke's,  p:iid  tiie 
spot  a  visit,  and  fiudin^'  it  still  unbudt 
upon,  set  to  work,  and  carted  most  of 
it  back,  and  having  improved  tools, 
mnde  a  handsome  profit  by  this  resur- 
rection movement. — See  "  Trades." 

Pens. — The  question  as  to  who  made 
the  first  steel  pen  has  often  been  de- 
bated ;  but  though  Perry  and  Mason, 
Mitchell  and  Gillo:t,  and  others 
besides,  have  been  named  as  the  real 
original, it  is  evident  that  someone  had 
come  bv;fore  thoni  ;  for,  in  a  letter 
written  at  least  200  years  back  (lately 
jiublislied  by  the  Camden  Society),  the 
writer,  Mary  Matton,  offered  to  ])rocure 
some  pens  made  of  steel  for  her  brother, 
as  "neither  the  glass  pens  uor  any 
other  sort  was  near  so  good. "  Silver 
pens  were  advertised   for    sale   in  the 


212 


SHOWKLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


Morning  Chronicle,  in  June,  17S8,  as 
well  as  "  fountain  pens  ;  "  ana  it  lias 
been  claimed  tliatan  Anieiican  supplied 
his  friends  with  metallic  pens  a  dozen 
years  prior  to  that  date.  There  was 
a  Sheffield  artisan,  too,  before  ourlocnl 
men  came  to  the  iroiit,  who  made  some 
pens  on  the  principle  ot  the  quill,  a 
long  hollow  birrel,  pointed  ami  split  ; 
but  they  were  consitleied  more  in  the 
light  of  curiosities  than  for  use,  and 
fetched  prices  accordingly.  Mr.  James 
Perry  is  said  to  have  given  his  work- 
men 5s.  each  for  making  pens,  as  late 
as  1824  ;  and  Mr.  Gillott  got  Is.  each 
lor  a  gross  he  made  on  the  morning  of 
his  marriage.  In  1835,  the  lowest 
wholesale  price  was  fis.  per  gross  ;  now 
they  can  be  had  at  a  tntle  over  Id.  per 
gross.  Even  after  the  introdiictioii  of 
presses  for  the  manufacture  of  steel 
pens  (in  1829),  there  was  considerable 
quantities  of  little  machines  made  here 
for  cutting  quill  pens,  the  "grey  goose 
quill  "  being  in  the  market  for  school 
use  as  late  as  1855,  and  many  hankers 
and  others  have  no:  yet  discarded  them. 
In  May,  1853,  a  quantity  of  machinery 
was  sent  out  to  America,  where  many 
skilled  workmen  had  gone  pre- 
viously ;  and  now  our  Yankee  cousins 
not  only  make  their  own  pens,  and  run 
us  close  in  all  foreign  markets,  but 
actually  send  their  productions  to  Bir- 
mingham itself.  —  See  "  Trades." 

People's  Hall. — The  foundation 
stone  of  the  IV-ople's  Hall,  corner  of 
Loveday  andPiincip  Streets,  was  laid  on 
Easter  Monday,  1841,  ly  General  (then 
Colonel)  Perronet  Thompson.  The  cost 
of  the  building  was  £2,400,  and,  as  its 
name  imjilies,  it  was  intendfd,  and  lor 
a  short  time  used,  as  a  place  for  assem- 
blies, balls,  and  otht-r  public  purposes. 
Like  a  number  if  other  "institutions 
for  the  people,"  it  came  to  grief,  and 
haslong  been  npthing  more  than  a  ware- 
house. 

Pepshore  Road  was  lai.i  out  in 

1825. 

j    Perry  BaPP. — Three  milesfrom  Bir- 
mingham, on  the  road   to  Lichfield,  is 


one  of  the  ancient  places  that  can 
claim  a  note  iu  Domesdaj'.  Prior  to 
the  eighteenth  century  there  had  been 
a  wooden  bridge  over  the  Tame,  the 
present  curiously-built  .stone  erection, 
with  its  recesses  to  protect  the  way- 
farers from  contact  witli  ciossing  vehi- 
cles, lieing  ]iut  up  in  1711-12  by  Sir 
Henry  Gou-h,  who  receiveil  £200  from 
the  county,  and  contributions  from 
tt  e  neighbouring  paiishes,  towards  the 
cost.  The  date  oi  the  early  church  is 
unknown,  the  present  one  being  built 
and  endowed  by  Squire  Gough  in  1832. 
Like  other  suburbs  Perry  Barr  bids  lair 
to  become  little  more  than  an  otl'shoot 
to  Birmingham,  the  road  thereto  fast 
tilling  up  with  villa  and  other  resi- 
dences, while  churches,  chapels,  and 
schools  may  be  seen  on  all  hands.  The 
Literary  Institute,  built  in  1874,  at  a 
cost  of  £2,000,  contains  reading  and 
class  rooms,  lecture  hall,  &c.,  while  not 
far  off  is  a  station  on  the  L.  and  N.W. 
line.  Ferry  Hall,  the  seatoi  the  Hon. 
A.  C.  G.  Calthorpe,  has  been  the  hoire 
of  the  Lords  of  the  Manor  for  many 
generations. 

Pest  and  Plague.— The  year  1665 
is  generally  given  as  the  date  of  "the 
great  plague "  being  here  ;  but  the 
register  of  St.  Martin's  Church  doe.s 
not  record  any  extraordinary  mortality 
in  that  year.  In  some  of  the  "  news 
sheets"  of  the  17tli  centuiy  a  note  has 
been  met  wiih  (dated  Sept.  28,  1631), 
in  which  the  Justices  of  the  Peace 
inform  the  Sheriff  that  "the  plague 
had  broken  out  in  Deritend,  in  the 
parish  of  Aston,  and  spread  far  more 
dangerciusly  into  Birmingham,  ag  tat 
market  town."  St.  Martin's  registers 
of  burials  are  missing  from  1631  to 
1655,  and  those  of  Aston  are  not  get- 
at-able,  and  as  the  latter  woula  record 
the  deaths  in  Deritend,  there  does  not 
appear  any  certain  data  to  go  upon, 
except  that  the  plague  was  not  a  casual 
visitor,  having  visited  Coventry  in 
1603  and  1625,  Tarn  worth  in  1606 
and  1625,  and  Worcester  in  1825  and 
1645,  the  date  generally  given  (1665) 
being  that  of  the  year  when  the  most 


SHOWELL  d    DlCTIONAUr    OF    BIUMINGUAM, 


213 


deaths  68,596,  occurred  in  London. 
The  tradition  is  that  the  plague  con- 
tagion was  brought  here  in  a  box  of 
clothes  conveyed  hv  a  carrier  from 
Loudon.  It  is  said  that  so  many 
]'ersons  died  in  this  town  that  the 
churchyard  would  not  hold  the  bodies, 
and  the  di-a  i  were  taken  to  a  one-acre 
jiiec  •■  of  waste  land  at  Ladywood 
Green,  hence  known  for  many  gener- 
ations as  the  "PeSD  Ground."  The 
site  has  Ijng  been  built  over,  Inn  no 
t.at^es  of  any  kind  of  sepulture  were 
loaud  wiien  house  foundations  were 
being  laid. 

Pewter. — To  have  briglit  pewter 
plites  and  dishes  raugid  on  their 
kitchen  shelves  was  once  the  delight 
aud  the  pride  of  all  well-to-do  house- 
wives, and  even  the  tables  of  royalty 
did  noc  disdain  tlie  pewter.  At  the 
giaud  dinner  on  George  IV. 's  Coroua- 
ti)n-day,  thougli  gold  and  silver  plate 
was  there  in  abundance  for  the  most 
n')ble  of  the  noble  guests,  tiie  majority 
Were  served  on  brightly-burnished 
p-^vvter,  supplied  from  Thomasou's  of 
Birmingham.  Tlie  niital  is  seldom 
s.'-n  now  e.xcept  in  the  shape  of  cups 
aud  measures  used  by  publicans. 

Philanthpopic     Collections.  — 

Tue  following  are  a  few  not  mentioned 
in  previous  pages: — A  locil  fund  for 
tlie  relief  of  sufferers  by  famine  in  Asia 
Mmor  was  opened  May  6,  1875,  the 
amount  coUecced  being  £682. — In 
1875,  a  little  over  £1,700  was  gathered 
to  aid  the  sutlerers  from  the  inunda- 
tions in  France  tliat  year. — November 
25,  1878,  at  a  meeting  held  to 
iympathise  with  the  losers  through 
tne  failure  of  the  Glasgow  Bank  more 
than  £1,000  was  subscribed  ;  £750 
being  gathered  afterwards.  —  The 
ilavor's  Relief  Fund,  m  the  winter-time 
of  1878-79.^  totalled  up  to  £10,2-12,  of 
wliich  £9,500  Wds  expended  in  relief, 
£537  in  expenses,  aud  the  balance 
du'idei  between  the  Hospitdls.  The 
liumber  of  separate  gifts  or  donations 
tv  the  poor  was  500,187,  ecjuivalent  to 
relieving  once  103,630  families. 


Philanthropic    Societies.— Are 

as  numerous  as  they  are  various,  and 
the  amount  of  money,  and  money's 
worth,  distributed  each  year  is  some- 
thing surprising.  The  following  are 
the  princi])il  ones  : — 

Aged  Woiiicii. — A  society  was  com- 
menced here  in  1824  for  therelief  of  poor 
women  over  60  j'ears  of  age,  aud  tiiere 
are  now  on  the  books  the  names  of 
nearly  200  who  receive,  during  the 
year,  in  small  amounts,  an  average  of 
17s  10  ISs.  each.  Miss  Southail,  73, 
AVellington  Road,  is  one  of  the  Hon. 
Sees. ,  who  will  be  pleased  to  receive 
additional  subscriptions.  Fifty  ociier 
aged  women  are  vearlj'  benefitted 
tiirough  Fentham's  Trust. — See  ^^  Blue 
Coat  School." 

Arckiteds. — There  is  a  Benevolent 
Society  in  connection  with  the  Royal 
IisuLute  of  British  Architects,  for  re- 
lieving poor  members  of  the  profession, 
their  widows,  or  orphans.  Tne  local 
re[iresentative  is  Mr.  F.  Cross,  14a, 
Temple  Row. 

Aunt  Judy's  JFurk  Society. — On  the 
plan  of  one  started  in  Loudon  a  few 
years  back  ;  the  object  being  to  provide 
clothesfor  poorchiidieuin  the  Hos[)iials 
The  secretary  is  Mrs.  W.  Lord,  liraken- 
dale,  Faiqutiar  Rond,  Eigbastou. 

Bibles,  J:c. — Th«.  B.rmiugham  De- 
positorv  of  the  Biitish  aU'l  Foreign 
Bibie  Society  is  at  40,  Paradise  Street  ; 
and  tiiat  ot  the  Cliristiau  Knowledge 
Society  is  at  92,    New  Street. 

Boiirding-out  Poor  Children.  —  A 
Ladies'  Society  for  Befriending  Pauper 
Children  liy  taking  them  from  the 
Workhouse  and  boarding  them  out 
anioug  cottagers  and  others  in  the 
country,  hid  been  quietly  at  work  for 
some  dozen  years  belore  the  Marston 
Green  Homes  were  built,  but  whether 
the  latter  rule-of-thuinb  experiment 
will  prove  more  successful  than  tliat  of 
the  ladies,  thougu  far  more  costly,  the 
coming  generation  muse  decide. 

Boat. men's  Friend  Society. — A  branch 
of  the  liritish  Seamen's  and  Boatmen  s 
Friend  Society,  principally  for  the 
supply   of   leiigioua   education  to  th 


2U 


SHOWBLLS    DICnOXARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM 


boiitmen  ami  their  families  on  the 
canals,  the  distribution  among  t)iera  of 
healthy  literature,  ani  the  support  of 
the  work  ciirried  on  at  the  Boatmen's 
Hill,  Worcester  Wharf,  where  the  Su- 
perintendent (Rev.  R.  W.  Cusworth) 
may  bo  found.  The  subscriptions  in 
1882  amounted  to  £416. 

Ghurch  Pantoral  Aid  Socic'y. — The 
name  tells  what  subscriptions  are  re- 
quired for,  and  the  Rev.  J.  G  Dixon, 
Rector  of  St.  George's,  vn'll  bo  glad  to 
receive  them.  The  grants  of  the  Parent 
Society  to  Birmingham  in  1882 
amounted  to  £3,560,  while  the  local 
subscriptions  were  only  £1,520. 

Clergymen  s  indows. — The  Society 
for  Necessitous  Clerg}'  within  the  Arch- 
deaconry of  Coventry,  whose  ofiice  's 
at  10,  Cherry  Street,  has  an  income 
from  subs  riptions,  &c. ,  of  about  £320 
per  yeai',  which  is  mainly  devoted  to 
grants  to  widows  an(i  orph;ins  of  clergy- 
men, with  occasional  donations  to 
disi.bled  wearers  of  tlie  cloth. 

Deritend  Visitimj  and  Parochial 
Society,  establisheii  in  1856.  Meeting 
at  the  Mission  Ha  1,  Hei'hnull  Lane, 
where  Sunday  Schools,  Bible  clnsses. 
Mothers'  Meetings,  &c. ,  are  comhuted. 
The  income  for  1883  was  £185  7s.  4.1., 
and  the  cxpeinliture  £216  16s.  7d. , 
leaving  a  I'alarce  to  be  raised. 

District  Nursing  Society,  56,  New- 
hall  Street,  has  for  its  object  the  nurs- 
ing of  sick  poor  at  their  own  hmnes  in 
cases  of  necessity.  In  1883  the  num- 
ber of  cases  attMidfcd  I'y  the  Society's 
nurses  was  312,  requirii  g  8,344  visits. 
Domestic  Missions,  of  one  kind  and 
another,  are  coun(cied  with  all  the 
principal  places  of  worship,  and  it 
would  be  a  difficult  task  to  enumerate 
them.  One  of  the  earliest  is  the 
Hurst  Street  Unitarian,  dating  frt'in 
1839. 

Flower  Mission. — At  No.  3,  Great 
Charles  Street,  ladies  attend  every 
Friday  to  receive  donation  of  flowers, 
&c.,  for  liistribution  in  the  wards  of 
the  Hospit  Is,  suitable  texts  and 
passages  of  Scriviture  accompanying 
the  gifts  to  the  patients. 


Girls'  Friendly  Society. — The  local 
Branch,  of  which  there  are  several  sub 
(or  parochial)  branches,  has  on  its 
books  near  upon  1,400  names  of  young 
women  in  service,  &c. ,  whose  welfare 
and  interests  arelookedaTter  by  a  num- 
ber of  clergymen  and  ladies  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Church  of  England. 

Humane  Society. — A  Branch  on  the 
plan  of  the  London  Society  was  estab- 
lished here  in  1790,  but  it  was  found 
bfst  to  incorporate  it  with  the  General 
Hospital  in  1803. 

India. — A  Branch  of  the  Christian 
Vernacular  Eilucation  Society  for  India 
was  formed  here  in  1874.  There  are 
several  branches  in  this  town  and 
neighbourhood  of  the  Indian  Female 
Normal  Scliool  and  Instruction  Society 
for  making  known  the  Gospel  to  the 
wonien  of  India,  and  about  £600  per 
year  is  gathered  here. 

Iron,  Hardware,  and  Metal  Trades' 
Pension  Society  was  commenced  in  this 
town  in  1842.  Its  head  offices  are  now 
in  London  ;  the  local  collector  being 
Mr.  A.  Forrest,  32,  Union  Street. 

Jews  and  Gentiles. — There  are  local 
Auxiliary  Branclns  here  of  the  Ang'o- 
Jewish  Association,  the  Society  for 
Promoting  Christ ianitj'  among  tlie 
Jews,  and  the  British  Society  for  Pro- 
pagating the  Gospel  among  Jews,  the 
amounts  subscribed  to  each  in  1882 
being  £72,  £223,  and  £29  repectively. 
Kindness  to  Animals. — Mainly  by 
the  influence  and  efforts  of  Aliss  Julia 
Goddanl,  in  1875,  a  plan  w.asstarto.l  "f 
giving  prizes  among  the  scholars  aTid 
pupil  teachers  of  the  Board  Scluiols  for 
the  best  written  papeis  tending  to  pru- 
mo'e  kindness  to  animals.  As  mativ 
as  3,000  pupils  and  60  teach"rs  send 
papers  in  every  year,  and  the  di-trihu- 
tion  of  500  yirizes  is  annuall}'^  looked 
forward  to  with  interest.  Among  the 
prizes  are  several  silver  medals — me 
(the  champion)  being  given  in  niemoi  y 
of  JMr.  Charles  Darwin,  another  iu 
memorvofMr.  E.  F.  Flower,  a  third 
(given  by  Mr.  J.  H.  Chamberlain)  m 
memory  of  Mr.  George  Dawson,  anil  a 
fourth  given  by  the  xVIayor. 


SHOWELL.S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


215 


Ladies'  Useful  Work  Association. — 
Establislieil  in  1877  for  the  iiiculcnting 
habits  of  thrift  ami  the  improveinent 
of  domestic  life  among  mothers  of 
families  and  young  people  commencing 
married  life.  A  start  was  mide  (Oct. 
4)  in  the  shape  of  a  series  of  "Cookery 
Lessons,"  which  were  excee^lingly  well 
attendo  i.  Series  of  usslul  lectures  and 
lessons  liave  followed  since,  all  beaiing 
on  liome  life,  and  as  it  has  been  shown 
that  nearly  one-half  of  the  annual 
number  of  deaths  in  Birmingham  are 
those  of  childi'en  under  5  years  of  age, 
it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  "useful 
work "  the  laiUes  of  the  Association 
have  undertaken  may  be  resultive  in 
at  least  decreasing  such  infantile 
mortalit}'.  Office,  No.  1,  Broad  Street 
Corner.  In  March,  1883,  the  ladies 
had  a  balance  in  hand  of  £88 

Needlework  Guild. — -Another  Ladies' 
Association  of  a  similar  characier  to 
the  above  was  established  April  30, 
1883. 

Neiirocs'  Friends. — "When  slavery 
was  as  much  a  British  as  American  in- 
stitution it  was  not  surprising  that  a 
number  of  lady  residents  should  form 
themselves,  in  1825,  into  a  Negroes' 
Friend  Society.  The  funds  now  col- 
lected, nearly  £170  a  year,  are  given  in 
grants  to  schools  on  the  "West  Coast  of 
Africa  and  the  "West  Indies,  and  in 
donations  to  the  Freedmen's  Aid  Society, 
the  Anti-Slavery  Society,  &c. 

Old  Folks  Tea  Party.— In  1857, 
a  few  old  people  were  given  a  treat 
just  piior  10  Christmas,  and  the  good 
folks  who  got  it  up  determined  to 
repeat  it.  The  next  gatherings  were 
assembled  at  the  Priory  Room^,  but  in 
a  few  years  it  becune  needful  to  en- 
gage the  Town  Hall,  and  there  tliese 
treats,  which  are  given  biennially,  are 
periodically  held.  At  the  last  gatlier- 
ing  there  attended  over  700,  not  one  of 
whom  was  under  sixty  years  of  age, 
while  some  were  long  past  their  three- 
score iiud  ten,  and  a  few  bordered  on 
ninety.  The  Innds  are  raised  by  the 
sale  of  tickets  (to  be  given  by  the  pur- 
chasers  to   such  old  people  they  think 


deserve  it),  and  by  subscriptions,  the 
recipients  of  the  treat  not  only  having 
that  enjoyment,  but  also  take  home 
with  tiieni  warm  clothing  and  other 
usefuls  suite  1  to  their  time  of  life. 

Prevention  of  Cnceltij  lo  Animals. — 
A  Birmingham  Society  for  this  pur- 
pose was  established  in  1852,  and 
its  officers  have  frequently  been  the 
means  of  punishing  inhuman  brutes 
who  cruelly  treated  the  animals  en- 
trusted to  thfir  care.  Cases  of  this 
kind  should  be  reported  to  Mr.  B. 
Scott,  the  Society's  Secretary,  31, 
IJennett's  Hill.  In  1882,  125  persons 
were  summoned,  and  107  of  them 
convicted,  the  year's  expenditure  being 
£344. 

Relicjious  Tract  Soeieti/.  — •  A  local 
auxiliary  was  established  here  in  1853 
in  which  year  £409  were  realised,  by  the 
sale  of  book-,  tracts,  and  religious 
periodicals  ;  in  1863  tliat  amount  was 
quadrupled  ;  in  1873  the  receipts  were 
nearly  £2,000.  Last  year  (1883)  the 
valuf  of  the  sales  r.-ached  £2,597,  and, 
in  addition,  there  hid  been  tree  grants 
made  ot  more  than  13,000  tracts  and 
magazines — the  Hospitals,  Lunatic 
Asylums,  Workhouses,  Police  Stations, 
Cabmen's  Rests,  &c.,  being  supplied 
gratuitously. 

i;>^.  John  Ambulance  Association. — 
The  jjirmingham  Branch  of  this  Asso- 
ciation was  organised  in  1881,  and  some 
hundreds  of  both  sexes  have  since  then 
passeil  the  examination,  and  obtained 
certificates  of  their  proficiency  in  am- 
bulance work,  and  in  the  treatment  of 
ordinary  cases  of  accident  cr  sudden 
illness.  It  would  be  a  good  thing  if 
every  man  and  woman  in  the  town  had 
similar  knowledge,  and  would  make 
use  of  it  when  occasions  require  (juick 
thought  and  ready  hand.  The  secre- 
tary is  Mr.  ,J.  K.  Patten,  105,  Colmore 
Row. 

St.  Thomas  s  Bay  Charity. — A  very 
old  custom  in  Edgbaston  has  been  the 
collection  of  donations  for  a  Christ- 
mas distribution  to  the  poor  and  old  of 
the  parish.  Regular  accounts  havn 
been   booked  for  over  fifty  years,   but 


216 


SHOWELL.S    DICTIOXARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


how  much  longer  the  custom  has 
existed  is  uncertain.  At  first,  money 
only  was  given,  afterwards  part  was 
given  in  bread  and  packets  of  tea, 
while  of  later  years  a  stock  of  about 
fiOO  blankets  lias  been  provided  for 
lending  out.  The  receipts  per  year 
are  abiut  £200. 

True  Blues. — In  1805  a  number 
ot  young  men  who  had  been  hi  ought 
up  at  the  Blue  Coat  School  and  who 
called  themselves  the  "  Grateful 
Society,"  united  their  contributions 
and  presented  that  charity  with  £52 
]0s.  3d.  in  gratitude  for  the  benetits 
tiiey  had  received,  a  worthy  plan  which 
was  followed  for  several  years.  These 
same  young  men  originated  the 
"United  Society  of  True  Blues"  (com- 
posed of  members  who  had  been  reared 
in  the  School)  for  the  purpose  of  form- 
ing a  fund  for  the  relief  of  such  of 
their  number  as  might  be  in  distress, 
and  further  to  raise  ])eriodical  subscrip- 
tions for  their  old  school,  part  of  which 
is  yearly  expended  in  prizes  among  the 
children. 

Philanthropic  and  Benevolent 

Institutions —  J^irmingham  cannot 
be  Slid  ever  to  have  wanted  for  charit- 
aljle  citizens,  as  the  following  list  of 
philanthropic  institutions,  societies, 
and  trusts  will  show  : — 

Blind  Institution,  Carpenter  Road, 
E<lgbaston. — The  first  establishment 
ill  this  town  for  teaching  the  blind  was 
opened  at  113,  Broad  Street,  in  March, 
1847,  with  five  boarders  and  twelve 
<iay  pupils.  At  Midsummer,  in  the 
fcjilowing  j'ear,  Islington  House  was 
taken,  with  accommodation  for  thirteen 
resident  and  twelve  day  scholars,  but 
so  well  did  the  public  meet  tlie  wishes 
of  the  patrons  and  committee  of  the 
Institution,  that  the  latter  were  soon 
in  a  position  to  take  upon  lease  a  site 
for  a  permanent  building  (two  acres,  at 
£40  a  year  for  99  years),  and  on  the 
23rd  of  April,  1S51,  the  co:ner-stone 
was  laid  of  the  present  handsome  esta- 
blishment near  to  Church  Road,  the 
total  cost  of  completion  being  about 
£7,000.      Nearly  another  £7,000   has 


since  been  expended  in  the  erection  of 
workrooms,  master's  residence,  in  fur- 
niture, mus'cal  instruments,  tools,  &c,, 
and  the  Institution  may  be  considered 
in  as  flourishing  a  condition  as  any  in 
the  town  The  37th  annual  report  (to 
Lady-day,  1884),  stated  that  the  num- 
ber of  in-door  pupils  during  the  past 
year  had  been  86 — viz.,  51  males  and 
35  females.  In  the  same  period  4  paid 
teachers,  15  out-Joor  blind  teichers 
and  workmen,  and  4  females  had  been 
employeil.  The  number  of  adult  blind 
residing  at  their  own  homes,  and  visited 
bv  the  blind  teachers  engaged  in  this 
department  of  the  work  was  253.  The 
total  number  of  persons  benefited  by 
the  institution  was  therefore  362.  The 
financial  statement  showed  that  the 
expenditure  had  been  £6,067  2s.  7d., 
of  wliich  £1,800  had  been  invested  in 
Birmingham  Corporation  Stock.  The 
receii'ts  amounted  to  £6,403  7s.  9d., 
leaving  a  balance  of  £336  5s.  2d.  in 
the  treasurer's  hands.  The  statement 
of  receipts  and  payments  on  behalf  of 
the  adult  blind  iiome-teaching  branch, 
which  are  kept  separately,  showed  a 
balance  due  to  the  treasurer  of  £71  5s. 
9d. 

Bloom<ihiav;  Institution.  — Commen- 
cing in  1860  with  a  small  school,  Mr. 
David  Smith  has  gradually  founded  at 
Bloomsburj'  an  institution  which  com- 
bines editcational,  evangelistic,  and 
missionary  agencies  of  great  value  to 
the  locality.  The  premises  include  a 
mission  hall,  lecture  room,  class  rooms, 
&c.,  in  addition  to  Cottage  Homes  for 
orphan  and  destitute  children,  who  are 
taught  and  trained  in  a  manner  suited 
to  the  future  intended  for  them  in 
Canada.  The  expenditure  of  the  In- 
stitution is  now  about  £1,500  a  year, 
bat  an  amount  equal  to  that  is  wanted 
for  enlargement  of  buildiugs,  and  other 
philanthropists  will  do  well  to  call 
upon  their  brother  Smith. 

Children's  Day  Nursery,  The  Ter- 
race, Bishojigate  Street,  was  first 
opened  in  1870,  to  take  care  of  the 
children  in  cases  where  the  mothers,  or 
other  guardians,    have  to  go  to  work. 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


217 


About  6,000  of  the  little  ones  are 
yearly  looke  1  after,  at  a  cost  of  somo- 
wliat  uiuler  £200.  Parties  wishing  to 
tlius  shelter  tlieir  children  must  prove 
the  latter'.s  legitimacy,  ami  bring  a  ro- 
comniendation  from  employer  or  some 
one  known  to  the  manager. 

Children's  Emigration  Jlomc^,  St. 
Luke's  Roid. — Tiiough  ranking  among 
our  public  institutions,  the  pliilan- 
t'lropic  movement  of  picking  up  the 
human  waifs  and  strays  of  our  dirt}' 
bu'k  st^^ets  maj'  bs  said  to  l.ave 
hiiliTto  been  almost  solely  the  private 
W'rk  of  our  benevolent  townsman, 
Mr.  iliddlemore.  The  first  inmate 
received  at  the  Homes  (in  1872)  was  a 
b  >y  who  liad  already  been  in  prison 
three  times,  and  the  fact  that  that  boy 
is  now  a  prosperous  man  and  the 
0  vner  of  a  lar-e  farm  in  Canada, 
should  be  the  best  of  all  claims  to  tha 
sympathy  and  co  operation  of  tlie 
pulilic  in  the  beneficent  work  of 
pacing  our  "Street  Arabs"  in  new 
homes  where  they  will  have  equal 
chances  of  getting  on  in  the  world. 
The  batch  of  children  leaving  this 
town  (June  11,  1884),  comprised  110 
boys  and  50  girls,  making  the  total 
number  of  912  sent  out  b}'  Mr.  Middle- 
more  in  the  twelve  years. — In  con- 
nection with  the  Bloomsbury  Insti- 
tunon  there  is  also  a  Children's  Home, 
from'  which  23  children  have  been  sent 
to  Canada,  and  at  which  some  30 
others  are  at  present  being  trained 
rea'ly  to  go. 

Deaf  and  Dxonh  Inttituiion,  Church 
Roid,  Edgbaston. — This  is  the  only 
institution  of  its  kindAvithin  a  radius 
of  a  hundred  mi.es,  and  was  the  second 
estaHished  in  England  Its  lounder 
was  Dr.  De  Lys,  an  eminent  physician, 
resident  here  in  1810,  in  which  year  a 
society  was  established  for  its  forma- 
tion. The  tirst  house  occupied  was  in 
Calthorpe  Road  (1812),  Lord  Calthorpe 
giving  the  use  of  the  premises  until 
the  erection  of  the  institution  in 
Church  Road,  in  1814.  The  school, 
at  first,  would  accommodate  only  a 
score  of  pupils,  but  from  time  to  lime 


additi  JUS  were  made,  ami  in  18.58  the 
whole  estab'ishmant  was  remodelled 
and  enlarged,  at  a  cost  of  £3,000,  so 
that  now  there  is  room  for  120.  Tlie 
number  on  the  books  at  Midsummi-r, 
1883,  was  109—64  boys  and  45  girls. 
The  year's  receipt's  amounted  to 
£3,1 .02  12-.  4d. .  and  the  expenditure 
to  £2.982  12s.  8d.  The  children,  who 
are  elected  at  the  annual  meeting  of 
subscvib-rs  in  September,  are  received 
from  all  parts  of  the  kingdo'U,  but 
must  no:  bs  under  eiirht  or  over  thir- 
teen years  of  age.  Subscribers  of  a 
guinei  have  the  right  of  voting  at  the 
elections,  and  the  committee  have 
also  power  to  admit  children,  on  an 
annual  payment  of  £25.  The  parents 
or  guardians  of  the  elected  candidates, 
must  pav  £6  per  year  towards 
clothing,  kc.  Tlie  offi'^e  of  the  Secre- 
tary is  at  City  Chambers,  82  New 
Street. 

Friendless  Girls. — The  Ladies'  As- 
socii;i)ii  (established  1878)  for  the 
recovery  of  girls  who  have  given  way 
to  temptation  for  a  short  time,  or  who 
have  been  convicted  of  a  fir.it  oll'ence, 
has  been  the  means  of  rescuing  many 
from  the  streets  and  from  a  life  of 
crime.  The  Home  is  in  Spring  Road, 
and  ilrs.  Pike,  Sir  Harry's  Road,  is 
the  treasurer,  to  whom  contributions 
can  b^  sent  ;  and  that  they  will  be 
welcome  is  shown  by  the  I'act  that 
there  is  a  balance  at  present  against 
the  Institution's  funds. 

Girls'  Home,  Bath  Row,  established 
in  1851,  to  provide  shelter  for  young 
women  of  good  charactei',  when  out  of 
situations.  A  free  registiy  is  kept, 
and  over  300  girls  avail  themselves  of 
the  Home  every  year. 

Girls'  Training  Institution.  George 
Road,  Edgbas'on,  was  opene  I  in  1862, 
to  prepare  young  girls  from  twelve  to 
fifteen,  for  domestic  service. 

Industrial  and  Reformatory  Schools. 
— Gem  Street  Industrial  School,  for 
the  re.:over}'  of  boys  who  had  b''gan  a 
life  of  c-ime,  was  opened  in  1850,  and 
at  the  close  of  1883  it  contained  149 
boys,  under  the  charge  of  nine  ofRcera. 


218 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


According  to  the  report  of   Her   Ma- 
jesty's Inspector,  the  boys  cost  7s.   8J. 
per  head  per  week,  but  tliire  was  an 
iiuhiscrial     profit     ef     £601   lis.    4d  , 
£309  Os.  lid.  having  been  received  I'or 
hire  of    boys'    liboiir.     The   Treasury 
paid  £1,350  14s.,  therates  no  less  than 
£1,007   18s.    lid.,    and    subsc.iptions 
brought  in  £83  13s.   Of  125diseharges, 
only  40  per  cent,  were  reported  to  be 
doing  well,  4  per  cent,   convicted,  16 
per  ctnt.  doubtful,   and  as  many  as  40 
per     cent,     nnknown.  —  Peiin     Street 
School,  an  establishment  of  a   similar 
character,  was  certified  in  Jan.,   1863. 
There  were  60  boys  and  5  officers.    The 
boys  cost  only    5s.    6d.    par  head  per 
week.     The  school  received  £673  16s. 
lid.  from  the  Treasury,  £275  Os.   lOd. 
Ironi  the  rates,   £93  2s.   from  sub^crip- 
lions,  and  £100  9s.  3d.  front   tlie  hire 
of  boy  labour.     There  is  an  industrial 
profit  of  £136   193.   lid.     Of   37  dis- 
charges 70  per  cent,  are  said  to  be  doing 
well,  6  per  cent,   to  be  re-convicted,   3 
per  cent,  dead,    and  21   per  cent,    un- 
known.— At  Shustoke  School,    eertilied 
in    February,    1868,     there   were    130 
boys,  under  11  officer.s.     Tiie  Itoys  cost 
6s.    8d.    per   he*d   per   week.     £1,580 
I7s.  lid    had  been  le^eived  from  the 
Treasury  ;  £1,741   16s.   from  the  laieF, 
of  which,   however,   £1,100   liad    been 
snenc    in    building,    &c.  ;     industrial 
profit,  £109  3s.  7d.     Of  27  discharges 
74  per  cent,  were  reported   to  be  doing 
well,    18  per  cent,  to    be  convicted,    4 
per   cent,     to   be    doubtful,   and  4   per 
cent,  to  be  unknown. — Saltley  Reforma- 
tory was  established  ir.   1852.     There 
were  91  boys  under  deteniion  and   16 
on  license  at  the  time  of  the  inspector's 
visit  ;  9  officers.     Tiiis  school  received 
£1,371    14s.    3d.    from    the    Treasury, 
£254  lys.  Id.  from  the  rates,  and  £99 
16s.  6ii.  from  subscriptions.     The  boys 
cost   6s     8d.    per   head  per  week,   and 
there   was   £117    9s.     lOd.     industrial 
profit,    representing    the    produce     of 
their  laoour.      Of  74  boys   discharged 
in  1879-81,  69  per  cent  are  reported  to 
be  doing  well,  19   per  cent,  to  be  re- 
convicted, and   12  per  cent,  unknown. 


— At  Stoke  Farm  Reformatory,  estal)- 
lished  in  1853,  there  were  78  boys 
under  detention,  in  charge  of  10  ofii- 
Ct;rs ;  and  19  on  license.  Stoke  received 
£1,182  19s.  8d.  from  the  Treisury, 
£102  17s.  6d.  from  the  rates,  and  £100 
from  subscriptions.  The  boys  cost 
6s.  lid.  per  head  per  week,  and  therj 
was  an  industrial  profit  of  £18  14s.  llil. 
Of  62  boys  discharged  in  1879-81,  76 
per  cent,  were  reported  to  by  doiny; 
well,  16  pel  cent,  to  be  convicteil  of 
crime,  5  per  cent  doubtful,  1^  per 
cent,  dead,  1^  per  cent,  unknown. 

Licensed  Victuallers  Asylum,  Bristol 
Road,  founded  in  1848,  to  receive  and 
maintain  for  life  distressed  members  of 
the  tra<le  and  their  wives  or  widows. — 
The  Secretary  is  Mr.  H.  C.  Edwards, 
The  Quadrant,  New  Street.  —  See. 
"  Trade  Societies.^' 

Little  Sisters'  Home. — Founded  iu 
1864,  by  three  French  and  two  English 
members  of  the  Catholic  "Order  of 
Little  Sisters  of  the  Poor,"  the  first 
home  being  at  one  of  tlie  large  houses 
in  the  Crescent,  where  they  sheltered, 
fed,  and  clothed  about  80  aged  "r 
broken-down  men  and  women.  In 
1874  the  Sisters  removed  to  tiieir  pre- 
sent establishment,  at  Harborne,  where 
they  minister  to  nsarly  double  the 
number.  The  whole  of  this  larg'i 
family  are  provide.!  for  out  of  the 
scrafis  and  odds-and-ends  gathered  by 
the  Sisters  from  private  hoLises,  shoi>s, 
hotels,  restaurants,  and  bars  of  the 
town,  the  smallest  scraps  of  mateiial 
crusts  of  b-ead,  remains  of  meat,  even 
to  cigar  ends,  all  btiug  acceptable  to 
the  black  robed  ladies  oi'  charity  daily 
seen  in  the  town  on  their  errand  "f 
mercy.  Though  essenti^iUy  a  Catholic 
institution,  the  "Little  Sistei-s"  l)e- 
stow  their  charity  irrespective  of  creed, 
Protestants  being  admitted  and  allowed 
freely  to  follow  their  own  religious 
notions,  the  only  preference  made 
being  in  favour  of  the  most  aged  and 
destitute. 

Magdalen  Asylum  andRefuge.  —  First 
established  in  1828,  the  cliapel  in 
Bioad   Street  being   opened    in    1S39. 


SlIOWELLS    DIL'TIONARY    OK    BIKMINGHAii. 


219 


Rumove  I  to  Ciareiuloii  RoaJ,  E'lsj- 
baston,  iu  1860.  Tliere  ■iv'^  usually 
fro'ii  35  to  40  inmates,  whoss  Inbour 
provide-t  for  great  part  of  the  yearly 
exp'Miditure  ;  and  ic  is  well  thnt  it  is 
so,  for  the  subscriptions  and  donations 
from  the  public  are  not  sent  in  so 
freely  as  could  be  wished.  The  trea- 
surer is  Mr.  S.  S.  Lloyd. 

Medical  MiRxion.. — Opened  in  Fiooil- 
gate  Street,  Deritend,  in  1875.  Whila 
resemblin;?  other  medical  charities  for 
the  relief  of  bodih-  sickness,  this 
mission  has  for  its  chief  aim  the  teadi- 
ing  of  the  Gosp 4  to  ilie  sick  poor,  and 
in  every  house  that  may  be  visited. 
That  the  more  wnr'dly  j)art  of  the 
mission  is  not  necjlected  is  shown  hy 
the  fact  that  the  expenditure  for  the 
year  emling  Michaelmas,  1S8.3.  readied 
£64:3. 

ynjh'  R'fagcfi.—'SU.  A.  V.  F')rdyee, 
in  July,  1880,  opened  a  night  asylum 
in  Princess  Road,  for  the  shelter  of 
homeless  and  destitute  boys,  who  were 
supplied  with  bed  and  breakfast.  The 
necessity  for  such  an  institution  was 
soon  made  apparent  hy  larger  jiremises 
being  require  I,  and  the  old  police  sta- 
tion, corner  of  Bradford  Street  and 
Alci'Ster  Street,  was  taken.  This  has 
been  turneil  into  a  "Home,"  and  it  is 
never  short  of  occupants,  other  pre- 
mises being  opened  in  1883,  close  to 
Deritend  Bridge,  for  the  casual  night- 
birds,  the  most  promising  of  whom  are 
transferred  to  the  Home  after  a  few 
days'  testins.'.  A  samewliat  similar 
Refuge  for  Girls  has  also  been  estab- 
lished, and  if  j)roperIy  snpnorted  by 
the  public,  tlie-e  institutions  must 
result  in  much  good. 

Nurses. — The  Birmingham  and  .Mid- 
land Counties'  Training  Institution  'or 
Nnr.ses,  organised  in  1868,  has  its 
"Home"  in  the  Crescent.  It  was 
founded  f >r  the  purpise  of  bringing 
skilled  nursing  to  the  homes  of  tlio-e 
who  would  otherwise  be  unab'e  to 
obtain  intelligent  aid  in  carrying  out 
the  instructions  of  their  medical  at- 
tendants. The  sub  criptioii  li>t  for 
1882  ar/iounted  to  £282  Is.,  and  the 


sum  to  the  credit  of  the  nur.ses'  pension 
fund  to  £525  \<.  Tiio  committee 
earnestly  appeal  for  increased  support, 
to  enable  them  to  extend  the  work  of 
the  institution,  from  wliich  at  present 
tlie  services  of  four  nurses  are  granted 
to  the  District  Xursing  Society.  New- 
hail  Street,  lor  attendance  on  the  sick 
jioor.  The  staff  included  66  trained 
nur  es,  wiili  18  probitiouers,  tlie  latter 
passing  for  their  trainii.g  through  the 
General,  Chiidren'.s,  and  Homeoojiathic 
Ho.spitals.  The  nursas  from  the 
"  Hoine  "  a' tend  on  an  average  over 
500  families  in  the  year,  those  from 
the  District  Society  conferring  their 
s^-rvices  on  nearly  200  other  fimilies. 

Protestant  Dissenting  Cliarity  School, 
Graham  Street. — -This  is  one  of  thw 
oldest  of  our  philanthrojiical  inst  - 
tutions,  having  been  established  in 
1760 — the  ftrsr  general  meetint;  of  suli- 
Kcrib^is  being  h"ld  June  22,  1761.  The 
first  house  taken  for  the  purposes  of 
the  charity  was  in  New  jMeeting  Street, 
and  both  hoys  and  girls  were  admitted, 
but  since  1313  only  girls  have  receivetl 
its  benefits.  Tna-e  are  taken  from 
an}'  locali'v,  and  of  any  Protestant 
deiiominauoii,  being  hou-ed,  fed, 
clothed,  educated  and  trained  for 
domestic  servants.  There  are  usually 
about  45  to  48  inmates,  t'la  cost  per 
c*iild  averaging  in  1883  (tor  56  girls) 
nearly  £20  per  liead.  At  the  centenary 
in  1861  a  fund  of  nenrly  £1,500  was 
raised  by  imldic  subscription  in  aid  of 
the  institution,  wliicli  has  but  a  .smill 
income  from  investments.  Subscribers 
of  a  guinea  per  year  liave  the  right 
of  nominating  and  voting  for  the  ad- 
missi'm  of  one  child  everj'-  yeu'.  The 
present  home  in  Graham  Street  was 
erected  in  1839,  and  application  should 
be  made  to  the  matron  for  iu  for. nation 
or  for  serv  nt  giils. 

Sanatorium,  situat-'d  at  Blaidcvve'l, 
near  B)'omsgroV3.  —  This  establi.-^h- 
ment,  whicli  cost  £15,750,  of  which 
£2,000  was  given  by  Miss  Ryland,  was 
built  to  provide  a  temporary  home, 
with  pure  ai'',  rest,  and  nourishing 
diet    for    convalescent    patients,     who 


2-20 


SnOWELT/S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


otherwise  might  have  had  to  pine 
away  in  the  close-built  quarters  of 
this  and  neighbouriiiEj  towns.  The 
buiLIiiigs,  which  will  accommodate 
sixty  persons,  were  opened  April  16, 
1873,  and  take  the  place  of  a  smaller 
establishment  to  whioli  ^Miss  Ryland 
hid  devoted  for  some  j'ears  a  house 
at  Sparkbrook.  The  average  number 
of  inmates  is  put  at  fifty,  and  the 
number  who  pissed  through  the  house 
in  1883  was  1,052.  tlie  expendiuire  for 
The  year  being  £1,780  8s.  The  in- 
come was  derived  from  annual  sub- 
i-criptions,  £901  10s.  ;  special  sub- 
scription.s,  £347  lis.  6d.  ;  paid  by 
hospitals  for  maintenance  of  patients, 
£192  6s.  ;  grant  from  the  General 
Hospital,  £26  5s.  ;  share  of  Hospital 
Siturdaj'  collection,  £211  Os.  4d. 
The  Secretary,  from  whom  all  infor- 
mation can  be  received  as  to  terms  of 
special  and  other  tickets,  is  Mr.  E.  J. 
Bigwoo  1,  3,  Temple  Row  West. 

Servants'  Home  and  Training  Insti- 
tution, establislied  in  1860,  finds 
shelter  for  ^  time  to  as  many  as  210 
young  women  in  tiie  course  of  a  year, 
many  looking  upon  it  as  the  only  home 
they  have  when  out  of  a  situation. 
In  connection  with  it  is  a  "training 
S'diool"  and  laundrj',  where  a  score  or 
more  girls  are  taught.  Bo'.h  parts  of 
the  institution  pay  thoir  way,  receipts 
and  expenditure  (£180  and  £350  re- 
spectively) generally  balancing.  The 
Servants'  Home  is  at  30,  Bith  Row, 
where  there  is  a  Registry  for  servants, 
and  also  for  sick  and  mouthlj'  nurses. 

Town  Slission  — Established  in  1837, 
and  re-modelled  in  1850.  This  insti- 
tution seeks  work  in  a  variety  of  ways, 
its  agents  visiting  the  homes  of  the 
]ioor,  the  wards  of  the  Hospitals,  the 
it'dging-houses,  and  even  the  bedsides 
of  the  patients  in  the  smallpox  and 
fever  hospitals.  In  addition  to  the 
providing  and  looking  after  the  "  Cab- 
men's Rtists,"  of  which  there  are  six- 
teen in  the  town,  the  Mission  employs 
a  Scripture  reader  specially  to  deal 
with  the  deaf  and  dumb  members  of 
the  community,  about  200  in  number. 


At  the  Noel  Road  R-sfuge  (op-^ned  in 
1859)  about  40  inmates  are  received 
yearly,  and  at  Tindal  House  (opened 
in  1864)  about  half  that  number,  the 
two  institutions  having  (to  end  of 
1883)  sheltered  1,331  females,  of  whom 
nearly  a  thousand  have  boen  brought 
back  to  moral  and  industrious  habits. 
The  income  of  the  Society  for  1883  wis 
£1,690  17s.  3d.,  the  expenditure  beiug 
a  little  over  that  amount,  though  the 
laundries  connected  with  the  Refuges 
more  than  pay  their  wa}''.  The  office 
is  at  tlie  Educational  Chambers,  90, 
New  Street. 

Young  Mens  Cliristian  Association. 
— Instituted  in  1849  ;  incorp  u-ated  in 
1873.  For  many  years  its  meetings 
were  held  at  tlie  Clarendon  Chambers, 
but  when  th?  notorious  "  Sultan 
Divan"  was  closed  in  Needless  Alley, 
it  was  taken  for  the  purposes  of  this 
institution,  the  most  appropriate 
change  of  tenancy  that  could  possibly 
be  desired,  the  attractions  of  the  glar- 
ing dancing-rooms  and  low-lived  racket 
giving  place  to  comfortable  reading- 
rooms,  a  cosy  library,  and  healthy 
amusements.  Young  men  of  all  creeds 
may  here  find  a  welcome,  and  strangers 
to  the  town  will  meet  friends  to  guide 
them  in  choice  of  companions,  or  in 
securing  eorafortalile  homes. — A  simi- 
lar Association  is  that  of  the  Church  of 
England  Y.MC.A.,  at  30,  Paradise 
StrciPt,  which  was  commenced  in  1849, 
and  numbers  several  hundred  members. 
—At  a  Conf.'reiice  held  Nov.  24,  1880, 
it  was  iJecided  to  form  a  Midlami  Dis- 
trict Union  of  Y. M. C  A. s  in  this  and 
the  surrounding  counties. 

Young  IVomen's  Christian  Associa- 
tion, 3,  Great  Charles  Street. — The 
idea  of  forming  an  institute  for  young 
women  was  first  mooted  iu  1874,  a 
house  being  taken  for  the  purpose  in 
C  dmore  R  av  in  1876,  but  it  was  re- 
moved to  Great  Charles  Street  in  1882, 
where  lodgings  maj'  be  obtained  for 
2s.  6d.  a  week.  From  re'urns  sent  in 
from  various  branches  in  connection 
with  the  As-ociation,  it  would  appear 
that  the  nnmbar  of  members  in  Bir- 


SHOWKLLS    l>l(JT10NAUr    01*'    lilUMINGUAM. 


221 


iningluiin  was  1,500,  wliicli  si3"s  iiiuch 
for  its  populHiitv  aiiioug  the  class  it 
was  inteiideil  t'j  benetit. 

Philanthpopie  Trust  Funds.— 

That  our  prcutcv-sors  lurgot  not 
charity  is  well  proved,  though  some  of 
the  "  Trusts  "  read,  strangely  iu  these 
days. 

Apprenticing  Poor  Boys. — A  favourite 
bequest  iu  past  days  was  the  leaving  of 
funds  for  apprenticing  poor  lads  to 
useful  trades,  and  when  workmeii  were 
so  scarce  and  valuable  that  the  strong 
arm  of  the  law  was  brought  in  to 
prevent  their  emigrating  or  removing, 
doub'.less  it  w^is  a  useful  charity 
enough.  Now-a-days  the  mujorilj'  of 
masters  do  not  care  about  the  small 
premiums  usually  paid  out  of  these 
trusts,  and  several  such  charities  have 
been  lost  sight  of  or  become  amal- 
gamated with  otheis.  The  funds,  how- 
ever, left  by  George  Jackson,  1696,  and 
by  Richard  Scotr,  1634,  are  still  in  the 
hands  of  trustees,  and  to  those  whom 
it  may  concern,  Mes!!r>.  Horlon  and 
Lee,  Newhall  street,  solicitor-  to  both 
trusts,  will  give  all  needful  informa- 
tion. 

Banner's  CJuiri'y.  —  Rich  ird  and 
Samuel  Banner,  iu  1716,  left  some 
land  at  Erding:ou,  towards  providing 
clothing  for  two  old  widows  and  half- 
a-dozen  old  men,  the  balance,  if  any, 
to  be  used  in  apprenticing  poor  boys  iu 
Birmingham, 

Biulley  Trust.— 'Slv.  William  Dud- 
ley, at  his  decease  in  1876  left 
£100,000  on  trust  for  the  purpose  of 
assisting  young  tradesmen  commeucing 
business  on  their  own  account,  to  re- 
lieve aged  tradesmen  of  the  town  who 
had  not  succeeded  iu  life,  and  lastly  to 
beuefit  the  charities  of  the  town. 
The  rules  requiie  that  applicants  must 
be  under  fifty  j^ears  ot  age  ;  that  they 
must  reside  within  the  limits  of  the 
borough  ;  that  they  nuist  not  have 
been  set  up  iu  businebs  more  than 
three  years  ;  that  they  must  give 
satisfactory  proof  of  their  honesty, 
sobriety,  and  industry  ;  and  that  they 
must  give  satislactory  security  to  the 


Trusiets,  either  personal,  viz.,  by  boa  I 
with  two  or  more  sureties  [each  surety 
must  give  two  or  three  reference.s],  o;- 
upon  freehold,  copyhold,  or  lea.'-ehold 
propertie.s.  All  these  (ondiuiiis  being 
satisfactorily  met,  the  loans,  which  will 
be  made  Iree  of  cost,  will  bear  interest 
at  2^  per  cent,  per  annum,  paj'able 
half-yearly,  and  must  be  repaid  within 
live  year.^,  and  if  the  monej'  is  wanted 
for  more  than  two  years,  repaymeuis 
by  in.ital'.uents  must  then  cumnience. 
The  benefactions  to  aged  persons  take 
the  shape  of  grants,  annual  or  other- 
wise, not  exceeding  £20  in  any  one 
year,  in  favour  of  persons  who  fulfil 
the  following  requirements:  They  must 
be  of  the  age  of  sixty  years  at  least, 
they  must  have  been  tradesmen  within 
the  limits  of  the  borough  ;  and  they 
must  i'e  able  to  show*  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  Trustees  that  they  are  of  good 
character  and  need  assistant  e,  and  that 
they  have  not  received  auy  parochial 
relief.  The  Tru.stees  have  made  several 
large  grants  to  charitible  institutions. 
Offices  :  20,  Temjde  Row. 

Fentlmm's  Charity. — In  1712  George 
Fenthatu  left  about  one  hundred  acres 
of  land  iu  Handsworth  and  Erdingtou 
Parishes,  in  trust,  to  teach  poor  chil- 
dreu  to  read,  and  to  clothe  poor 
widows.  The  projierty,  when  devised, 
was  worth  £20  per  year.  At  the  end 
of  the  century  it  was  valued  at  £100 
per  year  ;  and  it  now  brings  iu  nearly 
£460.  Til-  twentr  children  receiving 
the  benefits  of  this  chanty  are  ad- 
mitted to  the  Blue  Cuat  School,  and 
are  distinguished  by  their  dress  of 
dark  green.  Some  filty  widows  yearly 
share  in  the  clothing  gifts. 

Food  and  Clothing. — John  Crowley, 
in  1709,  bequeathed  an  annuity  o  20s. 
chargeable  on  propeity  iu  the  Lower 
Priory,  to  be  expended  in  '•  sixpenny 
bread  "  for  the  poor  at  Christmas. — 
Some  Luid  at  Sutton  Coldfield  was  left, 
in  1681,  by  John  Hoj^kius,  to  provide 
clothing  and  food  lor  tlie  poor  of  St. 
Martin's. — Palmer's  Charity,  1867, finds 
about  £40  per  annum,  which  is  dis- 
tributed     among      eighty     rccipieuts 


222 


SKO^\'ELL's    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


^.elected  bj'  the  Town  Council,  the 
majority  being  poor  oW  wonieu,  who 
go  fur  their  doles  Dec.  12th. ^la  addi- 
tion to  the  above  theic  have  been  a 
number  of  minor  charities  left  to  the 
chureliwaidens  (or  providing  food  and 
idothiug  wliich  have  either  been  Lj.st 
sight  of,  or  mixed  up  with  otliers,  some 
dating  as  far  back  as  1629-30. 

George  Hill's  Charity  is  now  of  the 
value  of  nearly  £5,000,  bringing  in 
about  £120  yearly.  Of  tliis  52s.  goes 
to  the  churchwardens  of  the  parish 
churcii  to  provi'ie  bread  for  the  most, 
necessitous  and  aged  poor  ;  20s.  io_  the 
incumbent  of  Deritemi,  and  the  residue 
in  pensions  of  not  more  than  £20  to 
decayed  schoolnia>ters  and  school- 
mistresses. 

Holliers  Charity  was  devised  ia 
1789,  the  land  now  known  as  Higii- 
gite  Park  (oiiginally  10  acres)  being 
left  to  clothe,  aunuallv,  twenty  poor 
persons,  twelve  from  Birmingham  and 
eight  from  Aston.  The  purchase 
money  paid  by  the  Cor[.oration  has 
bei-n  invested,  and,  under  the  direction 
of  thy  Chari.y  Commi.^^ioners,  the  in- 
come of  this  cliaruy  is  appropriated 
thus  :— £50  for  clothing  for  twelve 
poor  men  or  women  of  iiirniingham, 
and  eight  di:to  of  Aston  ;  £25  for  re- 
lieving deserving  and  necessitous  per- 
sons (Uscbarged  fium  Borough  Lunatic 
Asylum  ;  £150  to  the  Dispensaries  of 
Hirniingham  and  Aston  ;  £25  each  to 
the  Children's  Hospital  and  the  Sana- 
torium ;  and  tlie  remainder  to  the 
<j>;neral  Hospital. 

James's  Trust,  of  1869,  which 
realises  about  £1,000  per  year,  was 
left  to  provide  homes  and  pensions  tor 
deserving  widows  and  others  ;  five 
annuities  for  poor  and  decayed  gentle- 
women ;  and  a  scholarship  at  the 
Gi'animar  School  The  Secretary  is 
tlie  Vicar  of  St.  Clement's,  Nechelis. 

Kylcup2KS  Charily.— ^i'^t.  19,  1611. 
Richard  Kjdcuppe  devised  certain  land 
at  Sparkbrook  lor  charitable  purposes, 
the  income  of  which  is  now  handed  to 
the  General  Hospital  and  General  Dis- 


pensary, as  nearly  as  possible  following 
the  testator's  wishes. 

Lench's  Trust,  which  dates  from 
1539,  is  one  of  the  most  important 
charitirs  of  the  town,  and  has  an  in- 
come of  over  £3,000  a  year  at  present. 
The  original  ohjeets  of  the  trust  were 
repairing  the  streets  of  the  town  and 
relief  to  the  poor.  From  time  to  time 
other  charities  have  been  incorporated, 
and  th.e  funds  administered  with  those 
of  Lench's  Trust.  Among  these  are 
the  "Bell  Rope"  fund  for  purchasing 
ropes  for  S:.  Martin's  Beltry,  the  donor 
of  which  is  not  known  ;  Colmore's 
Charity,  dating  from  1565,  for  reliev- 
ino-  the  poor  and  repairing  streets ; 
Redhill's  and  Shilton's  (about  1520), 
for  like  purposes  ;  Kylcuppe's  1610, 
lor  the  poor,  and  a  small  sum  towards 
repairing  the  church  ;  Vesey's  1583, 
known  as  the  "  Loveday  Crofr  "  gilt  ; 
Ward's  1573,  and  Wrexam's,  1568, 
both  for  gifts  to  the  poor  on  Good 
Friday  ;  Ann  Scott's,  1808,  providing 
small  amoimts  to  be  given  to  the  in- 
nuteo  of  the  Almshouses,  &c.  The 
Trust  now  maintains  four  sets  of  alms- 
hnises  (Conybere  Street,  Hospital 
Street,  Ravenhurst  Street,  and  L^idy- 
wood)  accotnniodating  18i  inmates,  all 
women,  who  receive  5s.  a  week  each, 
with  tiring,  medical  advice  and  medi- 
cines wiien  necessary,  and  sundry  other 
small  comforts  beloved  by  old  grannies. 
The  solicito.'s  to  the  Trust  are  Messrs, 
Horton  a  d  Lee,  Newha'.l  Street 
The  income  of  Lench's  Tiust  for  the 
year  1883  amounted  to  £3,321  10s.,  of 
whicii  £1,825  14s.  went  to  the  aluis- 
women,  £749  Is.  8d.  for  matrons, 
doctors,  and  expenses  at  the  alms- 
houses, £437  9s.  4d.  for  repairs,  in- 
surance, rates,  and  taxes,  and  £309  5s. 
for  clerks,  collectors,  auditors,  law  and 
surveyor's  charges,  piinting,   &c. 

j\lilicards  Charity. — John  Milward 
in  1654  left  property  then  Avorth  £26 
per  annum  and  the  Red  Lion  public- 
house  (worth  another  £26,  but  which 
could  never  be  traced  out),  to  be  de- 
vided  between  the  governors  of  the 
Free  Grammar  Schools  of  Birmingliam 


SHOWJiLL  S    DICTlONfAUY    OF    lUltM  IXGII  AM. 


223 


and  Haverfonnvest  and  Brazeiiiiose 
College,  for  the  support  ai  the  ssid 
coilegt)  of  one  student  Irom  tiie  al).)\'(i 
f-chools  iu  rotation.  The  Red  Liou 
having  been  .swadowed  up  at  a  gulp, 
the  other  ]n'operty  would  appear  to 
have  bef-u  kept  as  a  nibbling-cike,  for 
till  tli'5  Ciiarity  Comnii.s.siouer.s  visited 
liere  in  1827  no  .scholar  liad  ever  been 
-sent  to  ccdlege  by  Us  means.  The 
rulways  and  canals  hive  taken  mo  it 
of  the  property  of  this  trust,  thy  in- 
vested capital  ari.sing  from  the  sales 
bringing  in  now  about  £650  per  year, 
which  is  divided  between  the  two 
schods  ami  the  collogo  above  named, 
tlie  Biruiingiiain  portion  being  suf- 
ficient to  piy  for  two  scholar.-liips 
yearly. 

The  Nichol  Charity  provruies  for  the 
distribution  o\  bread  and  coali  to 
A);out  100  [»eople  on  Neu'  Year's  Day, 
by  the  vicar  and  cluuchwardens  of 
rit.  David's. 

Old  Maids  and  Widows. —  Vbout 
£40  per  year  are  dii'idcd  by  the  Rector 
and  Churchwardens  of  St.  I'liilip's 
auiongstten  old  niaiils  "or  single,  women 
of  virtuous  character,"  and  twelve  poor 
widows  attending  divine  service  there, 
the  invested  money  arisii:g  fiom  Shel- 
don's Charity,  1826,  and  Wilkinson's 
Cuarity,  1830. — Tliomas  Pargeter  (of 
Foxcote)  iu  1S67,  left  money  in  trust, 
to  provide  annuities  of  .-£20  each,  to 
unmarried  ladies  of  fifty-five  or  UKjre, 
})ro  essing  Unitarianism,  and  ahout 
100  are  now  reapinj;  the  fiuit  of  his 
charity.  Mo-sr.-5.  Harding  and  Son, 
Wateiloo  Street,  are  the  solicitors. 

Piddiick's  Trust,  for  putting  poor 
boys  cut  aj>preutice,  was  devised  in 
1728,  the  i)ropercy  consisting  of  a 
farm  at  Winson  Green.  By  direction 
of  the  Court  of  Chancery,  the  income 
i-i  now  diri'ied,  £70  to  Gem  Street 
Free  Industrial  School,  and  £20  to  the 
British  Schoal,  Severn  Street.  The 
I  rustees  include  the  Mayor,  the 
Rectors  of  St.  Martin's,  St.  Philip's, 
iSr.  Thomas's,  St.  George's,  several 
Nonconformist  ministers,  and  the 
Registrar  of  the  Society  of  Friends. 


Frcachiiig  Sermont.  —  By  Silu-ibury's 
Chirity,  1726,  the  R-ctors  of  Sr.  Mar- 
tin's aiid  St.  Philip's  are  entit  ed  to 
the  sum  of  15  >.  to  preach  serin  ins  once 
aycrir  for  the  benelit  of  the  Bkn  Cjat 
Schojl — Ingram's  Charity,  1818,  con- 
sisting of  the  yearly  interest  of  £500 
4  par  cent.  India  Scovk,  was  intendjd 
to  insure  the  preadiiiig  of  a  i  annual 
sennoa  ou  the  subject  of  kin  liiess  to 
aiiiniils  (especially  to  the  horse)  by  a 
lical  clergyman  of  the  Esta'dished 
C'lurch,  but  the  Governors  of  King 
E  i'.v.irl's  S(dio>!,  w'ao  are  the  trustees, 
have  obtained  the  sanction  of  the 
CliMrity  Coinmissinier.-.  to  a  scheme 
under  which  sermons  on  kiu'iness  to 
animil--  may  take  the  form  of  one  or 
more  free  lectures  on  the  kiod  tr^at- 
niont  of  animals,  and  especially  cd'  the 
horse,  to  be  delivered  in  an}-  place  of 
public  worship,  or  other  building  or 
room  ap[)roved  bj'  the  triustees,  and  not 
neces-iarily,  as  heretofore,  by  a  clergy- 
nia'i  of  the  Established  Churjh,  and  in 
a  c!iurch. 

ScrijJture  Reading.— In  1853  Ad- 
niiril  Da(f  left  a  sum  of  money,  wdiich 
brings  in  abjut  £15  per  year,  for  the 
maintenance  of  a  Scripture  Rjaler  for 
the  town  of  Birininghain.  Tne  trustee 
of  this  lund  is  ihi'  Aliyor  for  the  time 
being,  and  the  Scripture  Reader  may 
hi  heard  of  at  tlie  Town  Clerk's  office. 

The  Whitiiagham  Oharily ,  distri- 
buted at  St  James '.s,  Aslited,  in  ^larch, 
furnishes  gifts  to  about  eighty  poor 
people  (principally  widows),  who  re- 
ceive b'ankets,  sheets,  quilts,  flannel, 
&c.,  in  addition  to  breatl  and  coal. 

Philosophical  Society.  A  so- 
ciety with  this  name  Wiis  formed  in 
1794,  for  the  promulgation  of  scientific 
principles  among  mechanics.  Its  nteet- 
ings  wer  ■  held  in  an  old  warehouse  in 
the  Coach  Yard,  and  from  the  I'act 
that  many  workmen  from  the  Eagle 
Foundry  attended  the  lectures,  deli- 
vered mainly  by  Mr.  Thomas  Clarke, 
the  tnembers  acquired  the  name  of  "the 
cast-iron  philosophers."  Another  so- 
ciety was  formed  iu  1800,  for  the  difTn- 
siou  of  scientific  knowledge  amongst  the 


224 


SHUWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


middle  and  liiglier  classes,  and  by  the 
year  1814  it  was  j^ossessed  of  a  hand- 
some Lertnre  Theatre,  a  lartre  ^Iiiseuiii, 
with  good  collections  of  fossils  and 
minerals,  a  Library,  Reaiiiut?  Room, 
&c.,  in  Ciinnou  Street.  Like  many 
other  useful  iustitutious  of  former 
days,  the  jihilosophical  has  had  to  i,'ive 
way  to  the  realistic,  its  libiary  of  dead 
men's  writings,  and  its  fossils  of  the 
ancient  world,  vanishing  in  face  of  the 
reporters  of  to-day's  doings,  the  ubiqui- 
tous thiobs  of  the  "Walter"  and 
"Hoe"  steam  presses  resounding 
where  erst  the  voice  of  Science  in 
chronicling  the  past  iorLshadowed  the 
future. 

PillOPy.— This  ancient  machine  for 
the  iniuishment  of  prigs  formerly  stood 
in  Hi"h  Street.  The  last  time  it  was 
used  wa.s  in  1813.  We  pillory  people 
in  print  now,  and  pelt  them  with  pen 
and  ink.  The  Act  for  abolishing  this 
method  of  punishment  was  not  i)assed 
until  June  30,  1837.  What  became  of 
the  pillcry  here  is  not  known,  hut 
there  is,  or  was  lately,  a  renovated 
specimen  of  the  article  at  Coleshill. 

Pinfold  Street  takts  its  name 
from  the  "  pound  "  or  "  pinfold  "  that 
existed  there  prior  to  1752.  There 
used  to  be  another  of  these  receptacles 
for  straying  animals  near  to  the  I'lough 
and  Harrow  in  Haglev  Road,  and  a 
small  corner  of  Sniithfield  was  railed 
off  for  the  like  purpose  when  the 
Cattle  market  was  there  established. 
The  "Jacob  Wilsons"  of  a  i)revious 
date  held  a  field  under  the  Lords  of 
the  Manor  wherein  to  graze  thtir  cap- 
tured catt  e,  but  one  of  the  Town 
Criers  mortgaged  it,  and  his  successors 
lost  their  riyht  to  the  land  which  was 
somewhere  about  Caroline  Street. 

Places  of  Wovshi\).—i:sUillished 

Church.— In  1620  tliere  were  358 
churches  in  Warwickshire,  130  in 
Stallbrdshire,  and  150  in  Worcester- 
shire ;  but  Sr.  Martin's,  Edgbaston, 
Aston,  Deri  tend,  and  Handsworth, 
churches  were  all  that  Birmingham 
could  boast  of  at  the  beginning  of  last 


century,  and  the  number  had  not  been 
increased  to  a  very  large  extent  even 
by  tlie  year  1800.  As  will  be  seen  from 
the  dates  given  in  following  page-', 
however,  there  was  a  goodly  number 
of  churciie.s  erected  in  the  first  half  of 
this  century,  about  the  end  of  which 
period  a  "Church  extension"  move- 
ment was  set  on  foot.  Tlie  success 
was  so  apparent  tliat  a  society  was 
formed  (Jan.,  1865),  and  in  March, 
1867,  it  was  resolveil  lo  raise  a  fund  of 
£50,000,  for  the  jiurpose  of  at  once 
erecting  eight  other  new  churches  in 
the  hoiough.  Miss  Ryland  heading  the 
list  of  clonations  witli  the  munificent 
gift  of  £10,000.  It  is  difficult  to 
arrive  at  the  amount  expended  on 
ciiurches  previous  to  1840,  but  the  an- 
nexed list  of  churches,  built,  enlarged, 
or  repaired  in  this  neighbourhood  from 
1810  to  1875,  will  give  an  approximate 
idea  of  the  large  sums  tlias  invested, 
the  whole  of  which  was  raised  solely  by 
voluntary  contributions. 

Acock'sGreen        ...         ...  £6,405 

Aston  Brook          5,000 

Balsall  Heath       8,500 

Bishop  Ryder's     ..           ..  886 

Christ  Church       1,000 

Christ  Church,  Sparkbrook  9,163 

Edghaston 2,200 

Hay  Mills 6,500 

Immanuel  ...          ...         ...  4,600 

King's  Heath         3,900 

King's  Nurton        .           ...  5,092 

Moseley     2,491 

Saltley       7,139 

St.  Alban's            2,800 

St.  Andrew'.-         4,500 

St,  Anne's 2,700 

St.  Anne's,  Moseley         ...  7,500 

St.  Asaph's           7,700 

St.  Augustine's     7,800 

St.  Barnabas'        3,500 

St.    Bartholomew's           ...  1,260 

St.  Clement's        3,925 

St.  Cuthbert's       5,000 

St.  David's            6,185 

St.  Gabritl's          4,307 

St.  George's  Edgbaston   ...  1,583 

St.  James's  Edgbaston     ...  6,000 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMIXGIIAM. 


225 


St.  John's,  LidywooJ      ...  7,200 

St.  Luvieuce's      4,380 

St.  Lnke'- 6,286 

St.  Maiiiu's           30,13-t 

St.  Matthew's       4,850 

St.  Matthias's       5,361 

St.  Mary's 4,503 

St.  Mary's,  Sclly  Oak      ...  5,400 

St.  Nieliolas'          4,288 

St.  Paul's ■  1,400 

St.  Philip's           Q,9S7 

St.  Saviour's          5,273 

St.  Silas's 4,677 

St.  Stephen's         3,200 

St.  Stephen'.s,  Selly  Oak...  3,771 

To  ihe  above  tocal  of  £228,336  ex- 
peudo'l  on  clm;'ches  in  or  close  to  the 
borough,  there  should  be  added  £57,640 
expended  in  the  erection,  &c. ,  of 
churches  close  at  hand  in  the  a^ij  lining 
diocese  of  Lichfield  ;  £25,000  laid  out 
at  Coleshill,  Nortlifield,  and  Solihull 
(the  principal  residents  being  from 
Binninghaui)  ;  and  a  still  further  sum 
of  £150,000  spent  on  Church-school 
buildings.  These  figures  e^'en  do  not 
include  the  vast  amounts  invested  for 
the  endowments  of  the  several  churches 
and  schools,  nor  is  aught  reckoned  for 
the  value  of  the  land  or  building  ma- 
terials where  given,  nor  for  the  orna- 
mental decorations,  fonts,  pulpits, 
■windows,  and  farnishings  so  munifi- 
cently lavished  on  our  local  churches. 
Since  the  year  1875  il:  has  been  calcu- 
lated that  more  than  £100,000  has  been 
devote  1  to  similar  Jocalchurch-buiidiug 
purpo.ses,  frO  that  in  less  than  fifty  years 
much  more  than  halfa-nallioa  sterling 
has  been  voluntarily  subscribed  by  the 
Churchmen  of  tlie  neighbourhood  for 
the  religious  welfare  and  benefit  of  their 
fellow  men.  Still  there  is  loom  for 
more  churches  and  for  more  preachers, 
and  the  Church  Extension  Society  are 
hoping  that  others  will  follow  the  ex- 
ample of  the  "Landowner,"  who,  in 
the  early  jiart  of  the  year  (1884)  placed 
£10,000  in  the  hands  of  the  Bishop 
towards  meeting  the  urgent  need  of 
additional  provision  fur  the  spiritual 
wants  of  the  inhabitants. — Short  notes 


of  the  several  churches  can  alone    be 
given. 

All  Saints',  in  the  street  of  that 
name,  leading  out  of  Lodge  Road,  is  a 
brick  erection  of  fifty  \  ears'  date,  lie- 
ing  consecrated  September  28,  1833. 
It  was  built  to  acconimodite  about  700 
and  cost  £3,850,  but  in  1881  it  was 
enlarged  and  otherwise  improved  at  an  • 
outlay  of  over  £1,500,  and  now  finds 
sittiiigs  for  1,760,  a  thousand  of  the 
seats  being  free.  The  E-^v.  P.  E. 
Wilson,  JI.A.,  is  the  Rector  and 
Surrogate,  and  the  living  (value  £400) 
is  in  the  gift  of  the  BirminghaniTrust, 
The  Nineveh  schoo:room  is  used  for 
services  on  Sunday  and  Thursday 
evenings  in  connection  with  All 
Saints. 

All  Saints',  King's  Heith,  is  built 
of  scone  in  the  perpendicular  Gothic 
styl3,  and  cost  £3,200,  the  consecra- 
tion taking  place  on  Apiil  27ih,  1860. 
There  are  sittings  for  620,  one  half 
being  free.  The  Rev.  J.  "Webster, 
M.A. ,  is  th3  Vicar;  the  living  (value 
£220)  being  in  the  gift  of  the  Vicar  of 
Moseley,  King's  Heath  ecclesiastical 
parish  being  formed  out  of  Mossley 
pa'.ish  in  1863. 

All  Saints',  Small  Heath.— Rev.  G. 
F.  B.  Cross,  M. A.,  Vicar.  Soon  after 
the  death  of  the  Rev.  J.  Oldknow, 
D.D. ,  of  Holy  Trinity,  in  1874,  it  was 
resolved  to  carry  out  liis  ilying  wishes 
by  erecting  a  church  in  the  fast-filling 
district  of^  Small  Heath.  At  first  the 
iron  building  formerly  used  as  a  place 
of  worship  in  Cannon  Hill  Park  was 
put  up,  and  the  Vicar  was  instituted 
in  October,  1875.  The  foundation- 
stone  of  a  permanent  buihUng  was 
laid  Sept.  8,  1882,  which  accommo- 
dates over  1,000  worshippers.  That 
part  of  the  future  "Oldknow  Me- 
morial Church"  at  present  finished, 
comprising  the  nave^  north  aisle,  and 
north  transept,  with  seating  for  nearly 
700  (all  free),  was  consecrated  July 
28,  1883.  The  patronage  is  vested  in 
trustees,  the  incumbent's  stipend  being 
£150. 

All  Saints' ,  Stechford. — A  temporar 


226 


SHOWELL's    dictionary   of    BIRMINGHAM. 


cluircli  of  iron  hiuI  wooil,  erected  at  a 
cost  of  £620,  to  accommodate  320  per- 
sons, all  seats  being  free,  was  dedicated 
Dec.'  18,  1877. 

Aston  Church. -It  is  impossible  to 
fix  the  date    of   erection  ot    the  tiist 
church  for  the  parish    of   Aston,  but 
that  it  must  have  been  at  a  very  early 
period  is  shown  by   the   entry  in  the 
Domesday  Book  relative  to  the  manor 
The    parish    itself  formerly    included 
Bordesley  aud  Deritend,  Nechells  and 
Saltlev,  Erdin^ton  and  Witton,  Castle 
Bromwich,    Ward    End,    and    \\ater 
Orton,  an  area  so  extensive  that  the 
ecclesiastical  income  was  very  consider- 
able.    In  Henry  III.'«  reign  the  Dean 
and    Chapter    of     Lichfield     received 
twenty  marks  yearly  out  of  the   fruits 
of   the  rectory,  the    annual    value    ot 
which      was      sufficient      to      furnish 
£26  13s  4d.  over  and  above  the  twenty 
marks.     Records  are  in  existence  show- 
in^' that  the  church   (which  was  deui- 
cated  to  St.    Peter  and  St.    Paul)  was 
considerably  enlarged  about  300  years 
after  the  Conquest,    and   a  renovation 
was  carried  out  nearly  a  century  back, 
but    the    alterations  made   during   the 
last  few  yenrs  (1878-84)  have  been   so 
extensive   that    practically  it^nay  be 
said  the  edifice  has  been  rebuilt.       ihe 
seating  capacity  of  the  old  cluircli  was 
limited  to  about  500,   but  three  trmes 
that  number  of  persons  will,  in  future, 
find   accommodation,    the   cost  ot   tlie 
extensions  and  alterations  having  been 
nearlv    £10,000.      The  ancient   monu- 
ments, windows,  and  tablets  have  all 
been   carefully   replaced    in     positions 
correspoudin-  to  those  they  tilled  tor- 
merly,     with    many  additions    in   the 
shape  of  coloured  glass,    heraldic    em- 
blazonments,   and   chaste  carvings   in 
wood  and  stone.     The  old  church,    for 
generations  past,  has  been  the  centre- 
point    of    interest     with     local     anti- 
quarians,   as   it    was,   in  the  days  tar 
gone,  the  chosen    last  restmg-placo  ot 
so  many    connected    with    our   ancient 
l,istory-the    Holtes,  the    Eidingtons, 
the    Devereux,   the    AixUns    the  Har- 
courts,   the    Bracebridges,    Clodshalls, 


Bagots,  &c.     Heie   still   may  be    seen 
the°stone  and  alabaster  effigies  of  lords 
and  ladies  who  lived  in  the  time  of  the 
Wars  of   the    Roses,  two  showing  by 
their  dress  that  while  one  was  Lancas- 
terian,  the  other  followed  the  fortunes 
of  York.     The  tablets   of    the   Holte' 
family,    temp.   Elizabeth  and   Charles, 
and   tlie   Devereux    monument  of  the 
Jacobean  era,  are  well  preserved,  while 
all  around  the  shields  and  arms  ot  the 
ancient    families,     with    their     many 
quarterings,    form    the    best    heraldic 
collection  anywhere  near  Birmingham. 
The  parish  registers  date  from  the  16lh 
century,      and      the      churchwardens 
accounts  are  preserved   from  the  year 
1652.     Among    the    facts    recorded  m 
the  former  we  may  note  the  burial  of 
the  dozen  or  so  Royalist  soldiers  who 
lost  their  lives  while  defending  Aston 
Hall  from   the  attacks  made  on  it  by 
the    Birmingham    men  in    December, 
1643  ;  while  in  both  there  are  quaint 
eutrits     innumerable,     and      full     of 
curious    interest    to    the   student  and 
historian.     The  Rev.  W.  Eliot,  M.A., 
the    present  vicar,    was  instituted    in 
1876     (commencing     duty     Feb.     25, 
1877),  the  living  (£1,600  value)  being 
in    the    presentation    ot   trustees.     In 
connection  with  the  Church    there  are 
Mission  Rooms  in  Tower  Road  and  m 
Alfred  Street,    with    Sumiay  Schools, 
Bible  classes,  Dorcas,  and  other  socie- 
ties.    The    first    portion    ot    the    late 
additions    to    the    Church  was  conse- 
crated   July    5,  1880  _;  the  new  chan- 
cel   on    Sept.    8,    1883 

Bisho})     Rider's,    a     square-towered 
brick  edifice  in  Gem  Street,  was  built 
in  1837-38,    the  laying  of  the  founda- 
tion   stone    (August   23,    1837)    being 
characterised  by  the  almost  unheard-of 
conduct    of    the    low    denizens  of  the 
neighbourhood,  who  pelted  the  Bishop 
of  Liclifield  Avith  mud  on  the  occasion. 
The  consecration  took  place  Dec.   18, 
1838  andthebuilding  cost£4,600.  The 
living,  valued  at  £300,  is  in  the  hands 
of  trustees,  the  present  vicar  being  the 
Rev.  J.    P.  Gardiner.     The  vicarage. 


SUOWELLS    DICTIONAllY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


227 


whicli  wa«  nompleted  in  1S62  at  a  cost 
of  £2,240,  is  ill  Snttoii  Stieet,  Aatoii 
Road — too  near  a  residence  to  the 
church  not  being  deemed  advisable 
even  five-aud-twenty  years  after  the 
openincf  ceremony  of  1837.  In  1879 
the  galleries  were  removed,  and  the 
church  re-pewed  and  otherwise  reno- 
vated, the  re-opening  taking  place 
July  28,  there  being  now  860  free 
sittings. 

Christ  Church,  New  Street. — At  first 
known  as  ''The  Free  Ciiurch,"  this 
eiiificu  was  for  no  less  than  ten  years  in 
the  hands  of  t);e  builders.  The  corner- 
stone was  laid  July  22,  1805,  by 
Lord  Dartmouth,  in  the  absence  of 
George  III.,  who  had  promised,  but 
was  too  ill,  to  be  present.  His  Majesty, 
however,  s«nt  £1,000  towards  the 
building  fund.  It  was  consecrated 
July  13,  1813  ;  finished  in  1816  ;  clock 
put  in  1817.  The  patron  is  the 
Bishop  of  Woicester,  and  to  the  living 
(valued  at  £350),  is  attached  a  Preben- 
dary in  Lichfield  Cathedral.  The  pre- 
sent Vicar,  since  1881,  is  the  Rev.  E. 
R.  llHson,  j\I  A.  There  is  accommoda- 
tion for  1,500,  all  the  seats  being  free, 
but  at  one  time  the  worshipjiers  were 
limited  in  their  freedom  of  sitting  by 
the  males  having  to  take  their  places 
on  one  side  and  the  females  on  the 
other,  a  custom  which  gave  rise  to  the 
following  epigram  : 

"  Our    churclies  and    chapels    we    generally 

find 
Are  the  jilaces  where  men  to  the  women  are 

joined  ; 
But  at  Christ  Church,  it  seems,   they  are 

more  cruelhearted, 
For  men  and  their  wives  go  there  and  get 

parted." 

Mission  services  in  connection  with 
Chiist  Church  are  held  in  the  Pinfold 
Street  and  Fleet  Street  Schoolrooms. 

Christ  Church,  Gillott  Road,  Sum- 
mei  field.  The  foundation  stone  of  a 
church  to  be  erected  to  the  memory  of 
the  late  Rev.  George  Lea  (for  43  years 
connected  with  Christ  Church  and  St. 
George's,  Ecgbaston)  was  laid  Nov.  27, 


1883.  It  is  intended  to  accommodate 
850  persons,and  will  (-ostabout  £8,000, 
excluiive  of  a  tower  110ft.  high  which 
will  be  added  alterwards  at  a  lurther 
cost  of  £1,200. 

Christ  Church,  Quintoii,  was  erected 
in  1S41,  at  a  cost  of  £2,500,  and  will 
seat  600,  two-thirds  being  free.  The 
living  is  valued  at  £200,  is  in  the  gift 
of  the  Rector  ol  Halesowen  (in  whose 
parish  Quinton  was  formerly  included), 
and  is  held  by  the  Rev.  C.  H.  Oldfield, 
B.A. 

Christ  Church,  Sparkbrook,  is  a 
handsome  Gothic  erection,  built  on 
laud  given  by  Mr.  S.  S.  Lloyd,  the 
first  stone  being  laid  April  5,  1866, 
and  the  opening  ceremony  on  October 
1,  1867,  The  living,  a  perpetual 
curacy,  is  in  the  gift  of  trustees,  and 
is  valued  at  £350  per  annum,  and  has 
been  held  hitherto  by  the  Rev.  G. 
Tonge,  M.A.  The  building  of  the 
church  cost  nearlj' £10,000,  the  accom- 
modation being  sufficient  for  900  per- 
sons, one-half  th;  seats  being  free. 
The  stained  window  in  chancel  to  the 
memory  of  Mrs.  S.  S.  Lloyd,  is  said 
by  some  to  be  the  most  beautiful  in 
Birmingham,  the  subject  being  the 
Resurrection.  There  are  Mission  Rooms 
and  Sunday  Schools  in  Dolobran  Road, 
Montpellier  Street,  Long  Street,  and 
Stratford  Road,  several  thousands  hav- 
ing been  spent  in  their  erection. 

Christ  Church,  Yardley  Wood,  was 
built  and  endowed  by  the  late  John 
Taylor,  Esq.,  in  1848,  the  consecration 
taking  ]:)lace  Agril  4,  1849.  Vicaiage, 
value  £185  ;  patrons,  trustees  ;  Vicar, 
Rev.  C.  E.  Beeby,  B.A.  Seats  260, 
the  60  being  free. 

Udgbccston  Old  Church. — It  is  not 
known  when  the  first  church  was  built 
on  this  site,  some  writers  having  gon 
so  far  back  as  to  fix  the  year  777  as  the 
probable  date.  The  present  edifice, 
though  it  incorporates  some  few  re- 
mains of  former  erections,  and  will 
always  be  known  as  the  "old" 
church,  really  dates  but  from  1809-10, 
when  it  was  re-built  (opened  Sept  10, 
1810)    but,  as  the  Edgbastonians  began 


228 


SHOWELL  S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


to  increase  and  multiplj'  rapiJl}'  after 
that  time,  it  was  foumi  necessary  to 
add  a  nave  and  aisle  in  1857.  There 
is  niiw  only  accommodation  for  670, 
and  hut  a  hundred  or  so  of  the  seats 
are  free,  so  that  possibly  iu  a  few  more 
years  the  renovators  and  restorers  will 
be  busy  providiiif;  another  new  old 
church  for  us.  The  patron  is  Lord 
Calthorpe,  and  the  living  is  valued  at 
£542,  but  the  power  of  presenting  has 
only  been  exercised  three  times  during 
the  last  124  years,  I  he  Rev.  John 
Prynne  Parkes  Pixeli,  who  was  ap- 
pointed vicar  in  1760,  being  succeeded 
by  his  son  in  1794,  who  held  the  living 
fifty-four  years.  At  his  death,  iu  1S48, 
the  Rev.  Isaac  Spooner,  who  had  for 
the  eleven  previous  years  been  the  first 
incumbent  of  St.  Georgt^'s,  EJgbaston, 
was  inducted,  and  remained  vicar  till 
his  death,  July,  1884.  In  ihe  Church 
there  are  several  monuments  to  mem- 
bers of  the  Calthorpe  family,  and  one 
in  memory  of  Mr.  Joshua  Scholefie'd,  the 
first  M.P.  for  Birmingham,  and  alto 
some  richly-coloured  windows  and 
ancient-dated  tablets  connected  with 
the  oldest  families  of  the  Midd'.emores 
and  others. 

Hall  Green  Church  was  built  in 
Queen  Anne's  reign,  and  has  seats  for 
475,  half  free.  It  is  a  vicarage  (value 
£175),  in  the  gifc  of  trustees,  and  now 
held  by  the  Rev.  R.  Jones,  B.A. 

Eand&U'Orih  Church. — St.  Mary's, 
the  mother  church  of  the  parish,  \iss 
probably  erected  in  the  twelfth  cen- 
tury, but  has  undergcne  time's  inevit- 
able changes  of  cnlargen:ents,  altera- 
tions, and  rcbuildings,  until  little,  if 
any;  of  the  original  structure  could 
possibly  be  shown.  Great  alterations 
were  made  during  the  15th  and  I7th 
centuries,  and  again  about  1759,  and 
in  1820  ;  the  last  of  all  being  those  of 
our  own  days.  During  the  couise  of 
the  "  restoration,"  now  completed,  an 
oval  tablet  was  taken  down  from  Ihe 
pediment  over  the  south  porc'li,  bf Br- 
ing the  inscription  ol  "John  Hall  aid 
John  Hopkins,  churchwardens,  1759," 
whose    economising    notions   had    led 


them  to  cut  ths  said  tablet  out  of  an 
old  gravestone,  the  side  built  into  the 
wall  having  inscribed  on  its  lace,  "The 
bodye  of  Thomas  Lindon,  who  departed 
this  life  the  10  ot  April,  1675,  and 
was  yeares  of  age  88."  The  cost  of  the 
rebuilding  has  been  nearly  £11,000, 
the  whole  of  wliich  h^s  been  sub- 
scribed, the  reopening  taking  place 
Sept.  28,  1878.  Tliere  are  several 
ancient  monuments  iu  fair  preserva- 
tion, and  also  Chantrej''s  celebrated 
statue  of  Watls.  The  living  is  valued 
at  £1,500,  the  Rector,  the  Rev.  W. 
Randall,  M.A  ,  being  his  own  patron. 
The  sittings  in  the  church  are  (with 
a  few  exceptioi  s  only)  all  free  and 
number  over  1,000,  Sunday  and  other 
services  being  also  lield  in  a  Mission 
Room  at  Hamstead. 

Holy  Trinity. — The  first  stone  of 
the  Church  ot  the  Holy  Trinity  iu 
Caui})  Hill,  was  placed  in  position 
Sei.t.  29,  1820.  The  building  was  " 
con.>~(cratcd  Jan.  23,  1823,  and  opened 
for  services  March  16  following.  The 
cost  was  £14,325,  and  the  number  of 
sittings  provided  1,500,  half  to  be  free. 
The  services  have  from  the  first  been 
markedly  of  a  Ritualistic  character, 
and  the  ornate  decorations  of  the 
church  have  been  therefore  most  ap- 
j)rcpriate.  The  living  (value  £230)  is 
a  vicarage  in  the  gift  of  trustee.-i,  and 
is  at  present  held  by  the  Rev.  A.  H. 
Watts,  who  succeeded  the  Rev.  R.  W. 
Enraght  after  the  latter's  suspension 
and  imprisonment. — See  "  Jiilualisvi." 
Holy  Trinity,  Birehtields.— Fir.-t 
stone  jilaced  Mav  26.  1863  ;  consecrated 
May  17,  1864.  '  Cost  about  £5,000. 
The  living  (value  £320)  i.s  a  vicarage 
in  the  gilt  of  the  Rector  of  Hands- 
worlh,  and  is  now  held  by  the  Rev. 
P.  T.  Maitland,  who  "leadhimscU  in  " 
May  16,  1875. 

Holy  Trinity,  North  Harborne,  was 
built  in  1838-39  at  a  cost  of  £3,750,  and 
will  seat  700,  one  half  being  fret-. 
The  living  (value  £300)  is  in  the  gift 
of  the  Dean  and  Chap'er  of  Lichfield. 
Imniitnuel  Church,  Broad  Street. — 
The  foundation  stone    was   laid   July 


SHOWKLLS    DICTIONAUY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


229 


12,  1864  ;  the  consecration  took  place 
May  7,  1865  ;  the  cost  of  ere'^tiou  was 
,1  little  ovtr  £4,009;  there  are  sea's  lor 
800,  of  wliicli  600  are  free  ;  and  tlie 
living  (vahie<l  at  £300),  lias  been  held 
natil  now  by  the  Rev.  G.  H.  Coleman, 
the  ])resentHtion  beinc;  in  the  bands  of 
trustees.  The  ''Magdalen"  Giiaiiel  was 
formerly  on  the  site. 

Iron  Churches. — May  22,  1S74,  an 
edifice  built  of  iron  was  opened  for 
religious  purposes  in  Canon  Hill  Park, 
but  the  congregation  tliat  assembled 
were  so  scanty  that  in  July,  1875,  it  was 
deem;;d  expedient  to  remove  it  to  Small 
Heath  where  it  was  used  as  a  temporary 
'■  Oldknow  Memorial  "  Church.  Other 
iron  chiirclies  have  been  utilised  in  the 
siil)urbs  since  then,  and  there  is  now 
no  novelty  in  such  erections,  a  score 
of  which  may  be  found  within  half  the 
number  of  miles. 

St.  Agnes' ,  Moselej',  off  Wake  Green 
Road. — The  foundation  stone  was  laid 
October  3,  1883,  and  its  estimated  cost 
is  put  at  about  £8,000.  At  present 
only  a  [)art  sufficient  to  accommodate 
400  per.'^ons  is  b^ing  i)roceeded  with, 
but  when  completed  the  edifice  will 
hold  double  that  number,  and  will  be 
127tt.  long  by  48ft.  wide,  a  tower  and 
spire  rising  from  the  centre  of  the  west 
end  to  a  lieight  of  137ft. 

St.  Albans.  —  A  Jlission  chapel, 
deilicated  to  St.  Alban,  was  opened  in 
Leopold  Street  in  September,  1865. 
This  now  forms  a  school  belonging  to 
the  adjoining  church,  which  was 
opened  5larch  7.  1872.  The  curacy  is 
held  by  the  ReVds.  J.  S.  and  T.  B. 
Pollock,  but  the  friends  of  those 
gentlemen  have  since  e  Ci^tcil  a  far 
handsomer  edifice,  the  Church  of  St. 
Aiban  the  Martyr,  at  the  coriier  of 
Conybere  Street  and  Ryland  Street,  at 
a  cost  estimated  at  £20,000— £1  500 
being  paiii  for  the  site.  The  first  stone 
of  tnis  magnificent  building  was  laid 
January  31,  1880,  the  opening  service 
taking  place  at  6.30  a.m..  May  3, 
1881.  There  is  free  seating  for  1,000 
in  the  new  church,  for  460  in  St. 
Albau's,    Leopold   Street,    and    for    a 


furth'-r  400  in  the  Mission  Room — th.e 
services  being  entirely  dfpeudent  on 
the  gifts  to  the  offertory,  &c.  On  the 
Saint's  day  the  special  collections 
have  for  years  been  most  remarkable, 
seldom  less  than  £1,000  being  given, 
while  occasionally  the  amount  has  been 
more  than  four  times  that  sum, 
The  services  are  "High  Church," 
with  three  daily  celebrations  and  seven 
on  Sunday. 

St.  Andrew's,  Bordesk'.y. — The  foun- 
dation-stone was  laid  July  23,  1844, 
and  consecration  took  place,  Sept.  30, 
1846.  The  cost  of  the  building  was 
about  £5,000,  the  site  being  given. 
The  value  of  the  living  is  £320,  the 
Bishop  and  trustees  having  the  right 
of  preferment  alternately.  Thiire  is 
accommodation  for  800,  one-fourth  of 
the  seats  being  free.  The  present  Vicar 
is  the  Rev.  J.  Williamson,  M.A.  The 
iron-built  church  of  S.  Oswald,  oppo- 
site Small  Heath  Park,  Coventry-road, 
is  attached  to  S.  Andrew's. 

St.  Annes,  Daddeston,  consecrated 
Oct.  22,  1869,  is  a  brick  building, 
giving  accommodation  fiu'  810,  half 
the  seats  being  free.  The  Bishop  pre- 
sents the  living,  being  of  the  nett  value 
of  £260.  Rev.  T.  J.  Haworth  is  the 
Vicar.  Services  also  at  the  Jlission 
Room,  Great  Francis  Street. 

St.  Anne's,  Park  Hill,  Moseley. — 
This  Chapclnf-Ease  to  iloseley  was 
built  at  the  e.xpense  of  Miss  Amlerton, 
of  Moseley  Wake  Green,  the  consecra- 
tion taking  place  Sept.  22,  1874.  The 
living  is  valued  at  £150,  and  is  in  iho 
gift  of  the  Vicar  of  Moseley,  the  present 
incumbent  being  the  Rev.  J.  Leverett, 
il.A.      Half  the  400  seats  are  Iree. 

St.  Asaph's,  Great  Colniore  Street, 
— the  freehold  of  the  site  was  given 
by  Mr.  Cregie  Colmore,  and  the  erec- 
tion of  the  church,  which  yet  want 
the  tower  and  s^are,  co'^t  £5,450.  The 
cornerstone  was  laid  Aug.  22,  1867, 
and  the  building  was  consecrated  Dec. 
3,  1868.  There  are  950  sittings,  of 
which  500  are  free.  Trustees  present. 
The  living,  value  £300,  being  now  held 
by  the  Rev.  R.  Fletcher,  M.A. 


230 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


St.  Aii'jnsfines,  Hagley  Road,  the 
foundation  stone  i  f  which  was  laid 
Oct.  14,  1867,  was  consecrated  Sep- 
tember 12,  1868,  the  first  cost  being 
a  little  over  £9,000,  but  a  tower  and 
spire  (185ft.  high)  was  added  in  1876 
at  a  further  cost  of  £4,000.  It  is  a 
Chapel-of-ease  to  Edgbaston,  in  the 
gift  of  the  Bishop.  Value  £500.  Held 
by  Rev.  J.  C.  Blissard,  M.  A.  Seats,  650. 
St.  Barnabas',  Erdington. — This 
church,  ori.inally  built  in  1823,  at  a 
cost  of  about  £6,000,  witli  accommo- 
dation for  700  only,  has  lately  been 
enlarged  so  as  to  ]irovide  1,100  sittings 
(600  Iree) — £2,700  being  expended  on 
the  improvements.  The  Vicar  of  Aston 
is  jiatron,  and  the  living  is  valued  at 
£300.  The  re-opening  took  place 
June  11,  1883.  Rev.  H.  H.  Rose, 
M.A. ,  has  been  Vicar  since  1850. 

St.  Barnabas',  Rylaud  Street. — First 
stone  laid  Aug.  1,  1859  ;  consecrated 
Oct.  24,  1860;  renovated  in  1882. 
Has  sittings  fir  1,050,  of  which  650  are 
free.  Value  £300,  in  the  gift  of  trustees. 
Present  Vicar,  Rev.  P.  Waller.  Ser- 
vices also  at  Mission  Room,  Sheepcote 
Street. 

St.  Bartholomew's. — The  building  of 
this  church  was  commenced  in  1749, 
the  site  being  given  liy  William 
Jennens,  Esq.,  and  £1,000  towards 
the  building  by  his  mother,  Mr.--.  Aune 
Jennens.  Lord  Fielding  also  gave 
£120  to  pa}'-  for  an  altar-piece,  which 
is  greatly  admired.  Surrounded  for 
very  many  j^ears  by  a  barren-looking 
graveyard,  tlie  huge  brick- built  edifice 
was  very  unsightly,  and  being  close  to 
the  Park  Street  burial  ground  it  was 
nicknamed  "the  paujiers'  church." 
Since  the  laying  out  of  the  grounds, 
however,  it  has  much  improved  iu 
appearance.  The  Rector  of  St.  Martin's 
presents,  and  the  living  is  valued  at 
£280.  There  are  1,800  sittings,  1,000 
being  free.  Week-night  services  are 
also  hell  in  Mission  Room,  Fox  Street. 
St.  Catherine's,  Nechells. — Founda- 
tion stone  laid  July  27,  1877  ;  conse- 
crated November  8,  1878  ;  cost 
nearly  £7,000  ;    seats  750,  more  than 


half  being  free.  Yearly  value  £230  ; 
in  the  gift  of  trus  ees.  Present  vicar, 
Rev.  T.  H.  Nock,  M.A. 

St.  Catherine's  Rotton  Park.  — Tlie 
Mission  Room  in  Coplow  St. ,  in  connec- 
tion with  St.  John's,  Ladywood,  is  the 
precursor  of  this  church  yet  to  be  built. 
St.  Clement's,  Nt-chells. — First  stone 
laid,  October  27,  1857  ;  consecrated 
August  30,  1859.  Seats  850  (475 
free).  Vicarage,  value  £300,  iu  the 
gift  of  Vicar  of  St.  Matthew's.  Present 
incumbent,  Rev.  J.  T.  Butlin,  B.A. 
Services  also  at  Mission  Room,  High 
Park  Street. 

St.  Cuthhert's,  Birmingham  Heath, 
was  commenced  April  19,  1871  ;  opened 
March  19,  1872,  and  has  seats  for  800, 
half  Vteing  free.  Yearh' value  £250  ;  in 
the  hands  of  trustees.  Present  in- 
cumbent, Rev.  W.  H.  Tarleton,  M.A. 

^S";;.  Cyprian's,  Hay  Mill.  —  The 
foundation-stone  of  this  church  (built 
and  endowed  by  J.  Horsfall,  Esq.),  was 
laid  April  14,  1873,  and  the  o|iening 
services  were  held  in  the  following 
January.  The  eeremonj'  of  consecra- 
tion did  not  take  place  until  April  23, 
1878,  when  a  district  was  assigned  to 
the  church.  Rev.  G.  H.  Simms  is  the 
])resent  Vicar,  and  the  living  (value 
£150)  is  in  the  gift  of  the  Bishop. 

St.  David's,  Bissell  Street. — First 
stone  was  laid  July  6,  1864,  and  the 
building  was  consecrated  in  the  same 
month  of  the  following  year.  The 
cost  of  erection  was  £6,200,  and  there 
is  accommodation  for  955,  785  seats 
being  free.  Tlie  living  (value  £300)  is 
in  the  gift  of  trustees,  and  is  at  present 
held  by  Rev.  H.  Boydon,  B.A.  Week 
night  services  also  at  Mission  Room, 
Macdonald  Street. 

St.  Edhurgh's. — The  parish  church 
of  Yardley,  aating  from  Henry  VII. 's 
reign,  contains  monuments  relating  to 
several  of  our  ancient  families  of  local 
note.  The  living  is  a  vicarage  (value 
£525)  in  the  gift  of  the  Rev.  J.  Dodd, 
the  present  vicar  being  the  Rev.  F.  S. 
Dodd,  M.A.  There  is  accommodation 
for  600,  a  third  of  the  seats  being  free. 
St.  Gabriel's,  Pickford  Street.— The 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


231 


first  stone  was  laid  in  September,  1867, 
and  the  consecration  took  place  Jan. 
5,  1S69,  The  sittings  number  600, 
most  being  free.  Tlie  living  (value 
£300)  is  in  the  gift  of  th^  Bishop,  and 
is  held  by  the  Rev.  J.  T.  Tanse,  vicar. 
A  mission  room  at  tlie  west  end  of  the 
church  was  opened  Dec.  14,  1878.  It 
is  105ff.  long  by  25ft.  wide,  and  will 
seat  800.  Tiie  cost  was  about  £3,500, 
and  it  is  said  the  Yicar  and  his  friends 
saved  £-2,500  by  building  the  rooms 
themselves. 

St.  George's. — When  first  budt,  there 
were  so  few  houses  near  Great  Hampton 
Row  and  Tower  Street,  that  tliis  church 
was  known  as  "  St.  George's  in  the 
Fields,"  and  the  site  for  church  and 
churchyard  (3,965  square  yards)  was 
purchased  for  £200.  The  foundation 
stone  was  laid  April  19,  1820,  and  the 
consecration  took  place  July  30,  1822. 
The  tower  is  114fc.  high,  and  the  first 
cost  of  the  building  was  £12,735, 
Renovated  in  1870,  the  churcli  has 
latterly  been  enlarged,  the  first  stone 
of  a  new  chancel  being  placed  in  posi- 
tion (Juup,  1882)  by  the  Bishop  of 
Ballarat,  furmerly  rector  of  the  paiish. 
This  and  other  additions  has  added 
£2, 350  to  the  original  cost  of  the  church, 
which  provides  accommodation  for 
2,150,  all  but  700  being  free  ss^ats. 
The  living  (value  £500)  is  in  the  gift 
of  trustees,  and  the  present  Rector  is 
the  Rev.  J.  G.  Dixon,  M.A.  The 
church  was  re-opened  ilarch  13,  1883, 
and  services  are  also  conducted  in  New 
Summer  Street  and  in  Smith  Street 
Scliool  rooms. 

St.  George's,  Edgbaston. — First  stone 
laid  Aug.  17,  1836  ;  consecrated  Nov. 
28,  1838.  Cost  £6,000.  Perpetual 
curacy  (value  £300),  in  the  gift  of  Lord 
Caltliorpe.  1,000  sittings,  of  which 
one- third  are  free,  but  it  is  proposed  to 
considerably  enlarge  the  building,  and 
possibly  as  much  as  £8,000  will  be 
spent  thereon,  with  proportionate  ac- 
commodation. 

St.  James's,  Ashted. — Originally  the 
residence  of  Dr.  Ash,  this  building  was 
remodelled  and  opened  as  a  place  of 


worship,  Oct.  9,  1791.  As  Aihted 
Chapel  it  WiS  sold  by  auction,  May  3, 
1796.  Afterwards,  being  dedicated  to 
St.  James,  it  was  consecrated,  the 
ceremony  tiking  place  Aug.  7,  1807. 
The  living  (value  £300)  is  in  the  gift 
of  trustees,  the  present  vicar  being  tlie 
Rev.  H.  C.  Phelps,  M.A.  Of  the  1,350 
sittings,  450  are  free,  there  being  also 
a  mission  room  in  Vau.xhall  Roid. 

St.  James's,  Aston. — The  mission 
room,  ill  Tower  Eoad,  in  comection 
witli  Aston  Church,  is  known  as  St. 
James's  Church  Room,  it  being  in- 
tended to  erect  a  churcli  on  an  adjoin- 
ing site. 

St.  James's,  Edgbaston,  whicli  cost 
about  £6,000,  was  consecrated  June  1, 
1852,  and  has  900  sittings,  one-fourth 
b^^iiig  free.  Perpetual  curacy  (value 
£230)  in  the  gift  of  Lord  Calthorpe. 
Tiie  25th  anniversary  of  the  incum- 
bency of  the  Rrv.  P.  Browne,  M.A., 
was  celebrated  June  7,  1877,  by  the 
inauguration  of  a  new  organ,  subscribed 
for  by  the  consregation. 

St.  James's,  Handsworth,  was  built 
in  1849,  and  has  800  sittings,  of  which 
one  half  are  free.  The  living  (value 
£300)  is  in  the  gift  of  the  Rector  of 
Handsworth,  and  the  present  vicar  is 
the  Rev.  H.  L   Randall,  B.A. 

St.  John's,  D.'i-itend.— The  ^'Chapel 
of  St.  John's,"  was  commenced  in 
1375  ;  it  was  licensad  in  1381  by  the 
monks  of  Tickford  Priory,  who  ap- 
pointed the  Vicars  of  Aston,  in  which 
parish  Deritenil  then  was  ;  it  was  re- 
paired in  1677,  and  rebuilt  in  1735. 
Tne  tower  was  added  in  1762,  and 
clock  and  bells  put  in  in  1776.  This 
is  believed  to  have  been  tlie  first  church 
in  which  the  teachings  of  \Yyclitie  and 
the  Reformers  were  allowed,  the  grant 
given  to  the  inhabitants  leaving  in 
their  hands  the  sole  choice  of  the 
minister.  This  rite  was  last  exer- 
ciseil  June  15,  1870,  wiien  the  present 
chaplain,  the  Rev.  \V.  C.  Badger,  was 
elected  by  3,800  votes,  against  2,299 
given  for  a  rival  candidate.  There  is 
accommodation  for  850,  of  which  250 
seats  are  free.      It  is  related  that  when 


232 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


the  preoput  edifice  was  erected  (1735) 
a  part  of  the  small  burial  ground  was 
taken  into  the  site,  and  that  pjw-rents 
are  only  charged  for  the  sittings  cover- 
ing the  ground  so  occupied.  Tlie 
living  is  valued  at  £400.  For  a  most 
interesting  account  of  this  church  re- 
ference should  be  made  to  "Memorials 
of  Old  Birmingham  "  by  the  late  Mr. 
Toulmin  Smith.  Services  also  take 
place  at  the  School  Room,  and  at  tlie 
Mission  Room,  Darwin  Street. 

St.  John's,  Ladywood,  built  at  a 
cost  of  £6,000,  the  site  being  given  by 
the  Governors  of  tlie  Free  Grammar 
School,  and  the  stone  for  building  by 
Lord  Calthorpe,  was  consecrated 
March  15,  1854.  In  1881,  a  further 
sum  of  £2,350  was  expended  in  the 
erection  of  a  new  chancel  and  other 
additions.  The  Rector  of  St.  Martin's 
is  tlie  patron  of  the  living  (valued  at 
£330),  and  the  present  Vicar  is  the 
Rev.  J.  L.  Porter,  M.A.  The  sittings 
number  1,250,  of  wdiich  550  are  free. 
Services  are  also  conducted  at  the 
Mission  Room,  Coplow  Street,  and  on 
Sunday  evenings  in  O.-^ler  Sireel  Board 
School. 

St.  John's,  Perry  Barr,  was  built, 
endowed,  and  a  fund  left  for  future  re- 
pairs, by  "Squire  Gongh,"  of  Perry 
Hall,  the  cost  being  about  £10,000. 
The  consecration  took  place  Aug.  6, 
1833,  and  was  a  day  of  great  rejoicing 
in  tlie  neighbourhood.  In  1S6S  the 
church  was  supplied  wiih  a  peal  of  eight 
bells  in  memory  of  the  late  Lord  Cal- 
thorpe. The  living  (valued  at  £500)  is 
in  the  gift  of  the  Hon.  A.  G.  G.  Cal- 
thorpe. 

St.  Jolin  the  Baptist,  East  Harborne, 
which  cost  rather  nn.re  than  £4,000, 
was  consecrated  November  12,  1858. 
It  has  sittings  for  900,  of  which  number 
one  halfarelree.  Living  valuedat£115; 
patron  Rev.  T.  Smith,  M.A.  ;  vicar, 
Rev.  P.  Smith,  B.A. 

St.  John  the  Evangelist,  Stratford 
Road. — A  temporary  iron  church  which 
was  opened  April  2,  1878,  at  a  cost  of 
£680.     A  Mission  Room,   in  Warwick 


Road.  Greet,  is  in  connection  with 
above. 

St.  Jude's,  Tonk  Street,  which  was 
consecrated  July  26,  1851,  has  1,300 
sittings,  of  which  1,000  are  fioe.  In 
the  summer  of  1879,  the  building 
underwent  a  much-needed  course  of 
renovation,  and  has  been  still  further 
improved  by  the  destruction  of  the 
many  'rookeries"  formerly  surround- 
ing it.  The  patronage  is  vested  in  the 
Crown  and  Bishop  alternately,  but  the 
living  is  one  of  the  poorest  in  the 
town,  only  £150. 

St.  Laicrcnce's,  Dartmouth  Street.^ 
First  stone  laid  June  18,  1867  ;  conse- 
crated June  25,  1868  ;  has  i-itrings  for 
745,  400  being  free.  The  Bishop  is  the 
patron,  and  the  living  (value  £320)  is 
now  held  by  the  Rev.  J.  F.  M.  Wliish, 
B.A. 

St.  Luke's,  Bristol  Road. — The  foun- 
dation stone  of  this  old  Norinan -looking 
church  was  laid  July  29,  1841,  but  it 
might  have  been  in  1481  to  judge  b}' 
its  present  appearance,  the  unhirtunate 
choice  of  the  stone  used  in  the  building 
givi:.g  q  lift'  aa  ancient  louk.  It  cost 
£3,700,  and  was  consecrated  Sept.  28, 
1842.  There  are  300  free  scats  out  of 
800.  The  trustees  are  pitroiis,  and  the 
living  (value  £430)  is  held  by  the  Rev, 
W.  B.  Wilkinson,  M.A.,   vicar. 

St.  Margaret's,  Ledsani  Street. — The 
cost  of  this  church  was  about  £5,000  ; 
the  first  stone  was  laid.  May  16,  1874  ; 
the  consecration  took  place  Oct.  2,  1875, 
and  it  finds  so;iting  for  800,  all  free. 
The  Bishop  is  the  patron  of  the  living 
(a  1  erpetual  curacy  value  £300),  nnd  it 
is  now  held  by  the  Rev.  H.  A.  Nash, 
The  schoolroom  in  Rann  Street  is 
licensed  in  connection  with  St.  Mar- 
garet's. 

St.  Margaret's  Olton,  was  consecra- 
ted Dec.  14,  1880, the  fir.-it  stone  having 
been  iHidOrt.  30,  1879. 

St.  Margaret's,  Ward  End,  built  on 
the  site,  iiud  partly  with  the  ruins  of 
an  ancient  church,  wasojiened  in  1836, 
and  gives  accommodation  for  320  per- 
sons, 175  seats  being  free.  The  living, 
value  £150,  is  in  the  gift  of  trustees, 


«HO\VEhLS    DICTIONARY'    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


233 


and  is  lield  by   the  Rev,    C.    Heath, 
M.A. ,  Vicar. 

St.  Mark's,  King  Elward's  Rnad. — 
First  stone  laid  Marcli  'il,  1840  ;  con- 
secrated July  30,  1841.  Cost  ahoiit 
£4,000,  and  ai'commodates  1,000,  about 
a  third  of  the  seats  being  free.  A 
vicarage,  value  £300  ;  patrons,  trustees ; 
vicar.  Rev.  R.  L.  G.  Pidcock,  M.A. 

SL  Martins. — There  is  no  authentic 
date  by  wliich  we   can    arrive  at   the 
probalile  period  of  the  first  building  of 
a  Church   for  the  parish    of  Rinuing- 
ham.      Hutton  "supposed"   there  was 
a  church  liero  aboui  a.d.  750,  but    uo 
other  writer  has  ventured  to  go   past 
1280,  and  as  there  is  no    mention  in 
the  Domesday  Book  of  any  such  build- 
ing,   the  last  supposition    is  probibly 
nearest  the  mark.     The  founder  of  the 
church  was  most  likely  Sir  WiUiun  de 
Berniingliam,    of  whom  there  is  still  a 
monumental    efligy  existing,  and    the 
first  endowment  would  naturally  come 
from  the  same  family,  who,  before  the 
erection  of  such    church,  wuuld  have 
their  own  chapel  at  the  JMaiior  House. 
Other  endowments  there  werb  from  the 
Clo<lsh:vles,  notubly  tiiat  of  Walter  do 
Clodshale,    in    1330,    who  left  twenty 
acres  of  land,  four  messuages,  and  ISd. 
aunnal  rent,  lor  one  priest  to  say  mass 
daily  for  the  souls  of  the  said  "Walter, 
liis  wife,  Agnes,   and    their   aiicestors  ; 
in  1347,  Richard  de  Cloilshale  gavf  ten 
acres  of  land,  five  messuages,  ami  10s. 
yearly  for  another  priest  to  say  mass 
for  him   and   his  wife,  and  his  father 
and  mother,   "and  all  the  faithful  de- 
parted" ;  in  1428,  Richard,  grandson 
of  the  last-nameii,  left  20s.  by  his  will, 
and  bequeathed  his  body  "  to  be  buried 
in    his    own    chapel,"     "within    the 
Parish     Church     of     Bermyngeham." 
BesidfS  the  Clodshale  Chantry,  there 
was  that  of  the   Guild    of   tlie    Holy 
Cross,    but   when    Henry    VIII.     laid 
violent  hands  on  all  ecclesiastical   pro- 
perty    (1535)    that    belongeil    to    the 
Church  of  St.    Martin  was  valued    at 
no  more  than  £10  Is.     From  the  few 
fragments  that  were   found   when   the 
present  building  was  erected,  and  from 


Dugdale's  descriptions  that  has  come 
down  to  us,  there  can  be  little  doubt 
that  the  church  was  richly  orna- 
mented with  monuments  and  itaiut- 
ings,  coloured  windows  and  encaustic 
tiles,  though  its  income  from  property 
would  appear  to  have  been  meagre; 
enough.  Students  ot  history  will 
readily  understand  how  the  fine  old 
place  came  grailually  to  be  but  little 
better  than  a  huge  barn,  the  inside 
walls  whitewashed  as  was  the  wont, 
the  monuments  mutilated  and  pushed 
into  corners,  the  font  shoved  out  of 
sight,  and  the  stained  glass  windows 
demolished.  Outside,  the  walls  and 
evim  tlie  tower  were  "cased  in  l)rick" 
by  the  churcliwardens  (1690),  wlio 
nevertheless  thought  tliey  were  doing 
the  right  thing,  as  among  the  records 
of  the  lost  Staunton  Collection  there 
was  one,  dated  1711,  of  "  Monys  ex- 
pended in  public  cliaritys  by  ye  in- 
habitants ot  Birmingham,  wth  in  19 
years  last  past,"  viz.  :— 

In  casing,  repairing,  ic,  ye  Old 

Church £1919  01     ^ 

Adding  to  ye  Communion  Plate 

of  ye  said  ChurLdi  275  ounces 

of  new  silver      ..  .         ..        80  10  06 

Repairing  ye  liigli  ways  leading 

to    ye   town    wth    in   these  9 

years         SOS  00  01 

Subscribed  by   ye   inhabitants 

towards      erecting     a      New 

Church,  now  consecrated,  and 

Parsonage  house  ..         ..     2234  13  11 


In  all.. 


£0132  12     3J 


In  the  nutter  of  architectural  taste  the 
ideas  of  the  churchwardens  seem 
curiously  mi.xed,  for  while  disfiguring 
the  old  church  they  evidently  ilid 
their  best  to  srcure  tiie  erection  of  the 
splendid  new  church  of  St.  Philip's, 
as  among  other  entries  there  were 
several  like  these  : — 

"  2Si)ds.  2s.  well  Mr.  Jno.  Holte  has 
(•olk'cted  in  Oxford  towards  build- 
ing ye  New  Church." 

"  Revd.  £30  from  Sir  Charles  Holte, 
Baronet,  for  the  use  of  the  Com.e 
of  the  New  Churcli." 

From  time  to  tim^  other  alterations 
were  made,  such  as  new  rooting,  shut- 


234 


SnOWELL's    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMIXGHAII. 


ting  up  the  clerestory  wiudows,  piercing 
the  walls  of  the  chancel  and  the  body 
of  the  church  for  fr^-sh  windows  attach- 
iuf  a  vestrv,  &c.     The  churchyava  was 
partly   surrounded  by  houses,    and  in 
1781   "iron  pallisadoes"  were  affixed 
to  the  wall.     In  this  year  also  33tt. 
of  the  spire  was  taken  dowu  and  re- 
built.     In  1807    the  churchyard  was 
enlarged  by  the  purchase  of  five  tene- 
ments fronting  Spiceal  Street,  belong- 
inw   to    the    Governors    of    the   Free 
Grammar   School,   for   £423,   and  the 
Commissioners  having  cleared  the  Bull 
Ring  of  the  many  erections  fornieiiy 
existing  there   the   old  church   in    its 
hideous  brick  dress  was  fully  exposed 
to  view.     Noble  and  handsome  places 
of  worship  were  erected  in  other  parts 
of  the  town,  but  the  old  mother  church 
was  kit  in   all  its   shabbiness   until  it 
became  almost  unsafe  to   hold    services 
therein  at  all.     The  bitter  feelings  en- 
gendered by  the   old   church-rate  wars 
had    doubtless     much      to     do     with 
this  neglect  of  the    "  parish  "    church, 
but  it  was  not   exactly  creditable   to 
the  Birmingham  men  of  '49,   when  at- 
tention   was  drawn   to  the   dangerous 
condition    of  the  spire,  and  a  general 
restoration     was    proposed,    that   what 
one  gentleman  has  been  pleased  to   call 
"  the  lack  of  public  interest"    should 
be    made   so   manifest  that   not   even 
enough  could    be   got    to    rebuild   the 
tower.      Another  attempt  was  made  in 
1853,    and  on   April   25th,    1854,    the 
work    of    restoring  the  tower  and   re- 
building the  spire,  at  a  cost  of  £6,000, 
was  conimenced.     The  old  brick  casing 
was  replaced  by  stone,    and,    on    com- 
pletienof  the  tower,  the  first  stone^of 
the  new  spire  was  laid   June  20,  1S55, 
the  "topi'iug"  being  successfully  ac- 
complished November  22nd    following. 
The  height  of  the    present  spire   from 
the    ground  to    the   top  of  the  stone- 
work is  185ft.  lOiin.,  the  tower  being 
G9ft.  6in.,  and  the    spire   itself  llCft. 
4iiu.  ,the   vane  being    an    additional 
1 8ft.  6in.     The  old  spire  was  about  3in. 
lower  than  the  present  new  one,  though 
it    looked    higher   on    account  of    its 


more   beautiful    form   and   its  thinner 
top  onlv  surmounted  by  the  weather- 
cock, now  to   be  seen  at   Aston  Hall. 
The  clock  and  chimes  were  renewed  at 
a    cost   of   £200    in    1858  :    the  tunes 
played  being  "God  save  the  Queen 
[Her  Majesty  visited  Birmingham  that 
year],  "Rule  Britannia,"  "  Blue  Bells 
of   Scotland,"    "Life  let  us  cherish, 
the  "  Eister   Hymn,"  and   two  other 
hymns.     Twenty  years  after  (in  1878) 
after  a  very  long  period  (nine  years)  of 
inaction,  the  charming  apparatus  was 
again  put  in  order,   the  chimes   being 
the   same   as   before,   with  the  excep- 
tion   of    "Aud    lang  syne,"  which  IS 
substituted      for     "God      save      the 
Queen,"  in  consequence   of  the   latter 
not    giving      satisfaction     since     the 
bells  have  been  repaired  [vide  "31aU"]. 
The  clock  dial  is  Oft.  6iu.  in  diameter. 
The  original  bells  in   the   steeple  were 
doubtless   melted    in  the  troublesome 
days  of  the  Commonwealth,  or  perhaps, 
removed  when    Bluff  Hal   sequestered 
the  Church's  property,  as  a  new  set  of 
six  (total    weight   53cwt.  Iqr.    151bs.) 
were  hung  in  1682.     During   the   last 
century  these  were  recast,    and    addi- 
tion made  to  the  peal,  which  now  con- 
sists of  twelve. 

Treble,  cast  in  1772,  weight  not  noted. 

Second,  „  1771,        .    ditto. 

Tliird  ,,  1758,  weighing      6    2     lb 

Fourth,  „  1758,         ,,  6     3     27 

Fifth,  „  1758, 

Sixth,  ,,  1769,         „ 

Seventh  ,,  17iJS,        ,, 

Eislith,  „  1758,        ,, 

Ninth,  ,,  1758,         ,, 

TtMith,  ,,  1758, 

Eleventh  ,,  17C.9,         ,, 

Tenor,  ,,  1758,        ,, 

The  ninth  bell  was  recast  in  1790  ; 
fourth  and  fifth  have  also  been  recast, 
by  Blews  and  Son,  in  1870.  In  the 
metal  of  the  tenor  several  coins  are 
visible,  one  being  a  Spanish  dollar  ot 
1742.  The  following  lines  appear  on 
some  of  the  bells  ; — 

On  Seventh  :-"  You  singers  all  that  pme 
your  health  and  happiness,  he  sober, 
meriy  and  wise  and  you  will  the  same 
possess.' 


8  0  20 
S  2  12 

9  3  12 
11  3  6 
15  1  17 
17  3  2 
27  3  16 
35  0  8 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    DIRMINGHAM. 


235 


On  Eighth.— "To  honour  both  of  God  and 
King,  our  voices  shall  in  concert  ring.'' 

On  Tenth.— "Our  voices  shall  with  joyful 
sound  make,  hills  and  valleys  echo 
round." 

On  Tenor.-  "  Let  your  ceaseless  cli.inL,'es 
raise  to  our  Great  Malcer  still  new 
praise." 

The  hanilsome  appearance  of  the  tower 
and  spire,  after  restoration,  coutrasted 
so  strongly  with  the  "dowdy"  ap- 
pearance of  the  remainder  of  the 
church,  that  it  was  little  wonder  a 
more  determined  effort  should  be  made 
for  a  general  building,  and  this  time 
(1872)  tlie  appeal  was  no  longer  in 
vain.  Large  donations  were  given  by 
friends  as  well  as  by  many  outside  the 
jiale  of  the  Church,  and  Dr.  Wilkin-on, 
the  Rector,  soon  found  himself  in  a 
position  to  proceed  with  the  work. 
The  iMst  sermon  in  the  old  church  was 
preached  bv  Canon  Jliller,  the  former 
Rector,  Oct.  27,  1872,  and  the  old 
brick  barn  gave  place  to  an  ecclesi- 
astical structure  of  which  the  town 
may  be  proud,  noble  in  proportions, 
and  more  than  equal  in  its  Gothic 
beauty  to  the  original  edifice  of  the 
Lords  de  Berminghara,  whose  sculp- 
tured monuments  have  at  length  found 
a  secure  resting-jilace  in  tlie  chancel  of 
the  new  St.  Jlartin's.  From  east  to 
west  the  length  of  the  chtirch  is  a  little 
over  155ft.,  including  the  chancel,  the 
arch  of  which  rises  to  60ft.  ;  the  width, 
including  nave  (25ft.)  and  north  and 
south  aisles,  is  67ft.  ;  at  the  transepts 
the  measure  from  r.orth  to  south  gives 
104ft.  width.  The  consecration  and 
re-upening  took  ]ilice  July  20,  1875, 
when  the  church,  which  will  accommo- 
date 2,200  (400  seats  are  free)  was 
thronged.  Several  stained  windows 
have  been  put  in,  the  organ  has  been 
enlarged,  and  much  done  in  the  way 
of  decoration  since  the  re-building, 
the  total  cost  bring  nearly  £25,000. 
The  living  (£1,048  nett  value)  is  in  the 
gift  of  trustees,  and  has  been  held  since 
1866  by  the  Rev.  AV.  Wilkinson,  D.D  , 
Hon.  Canon  of  Worcester,  Rural  Dean, 


and  Surrogate.     The  burial  ground  was 
closed  Dec.  9,  1848. 

St.  Mary's,  Acock 's  Green,  was 
opened  Oct.  17,  1866.  The  cost  of 
erection  was  £4,750,  but  it  was  en- 
larged in  £1882,  at  a  further  cost  of 
£3^000  There  are  720  sittings,  420 
bfing  free.  The  nett  value  of  the  liv- 
ing, iu  the  gift  of  trustees,  is  £147, 
and  the  present  vicar  is  tlie  Rev.  F.  T. 
Swinburii,  D.D. 

Si.  Mary's,  Aston  Brook,  was  opened 
Dec.  10,  'l863.  It  seats  750  (half 
free),  and  cost  £4,000  ;  was  the  gift  of 
Josiah  Robins,  Esq.,  ami  family. 
Perpetual  curacy,  v-lue  £300.  The 
site  of  the  parsonage  (built  in  1877,  at 
a  cost  of  £2,300),  was  the  gift  of  Miss 
Robins.  Present  incumbent.  Rev.  F. 
Snith,  M.A. 

St.  Mary's,  Moseley. — The  original 
date  of  erection  is  uncertdn,  but  there 
are  records  to  the  effect  that  the  tower 
was  an  addition  made  in  Henry  VIIL's 
reign,  and  there  was  doubtless  a  church 
liere  long  prior  to  1500.  The  chancel 
is  a  modern  addition  of  1873;  the  bells 
were  re-east  about  same  time,  the 
commemorative  peal  being  lung  June 
9,  1874  ;  and  on  June  8,  1878,  the 
churchyard  was  enlarged  by  the  taking 
in  of  4,500  square  yards  of  adjoining 
land.  The  living,  of  which  the  Vicar 
of  Bromsgrove  is  the  patron,  is  worth 
£280.  and  is  now  held  by  the  Rev.  W. 
H.  Colmore,  Jl.A.  OF  the  500  sittings 
150  are  free. 

St.  Mary's,  Selly  Oak,  was  consecrated 
September  12,  1861,  having  been 
erected  chiefly  at  the  expense  of  G.  R. 
Elkington  and  J.  F.  Ledsam,  E^qr.s. 
Tliereare  620  .sittings,  of  which  420  are 
free.  The  living  is  in  the  gifc  of  the 
Bishop  and  trustee  ;  is  valued  at  £200, 
and  the  present  vicar  is  the  Rev.  T. 
Price,  M.A. 

St.  Mary's,  Whittall  Street,  was 
erected  in  1774.  and  in  1857  under- 
went a  thorough  renovation,  the  re- 
opening services  being  held  August  16. 
There  are  1,700  sittings  of  which  400 
are  free.  The  living  is  a  vicarage,  with 
an  endowment  of  £172  with  ]>arsouage, 


236 


SHOWELL/S    dictionary    of    liUlMlNGUAM. 


in  the  gift  of  trustees,  and  is  now  held 
by  the  Rev.  J.  S.  Owen. 

St.  Mattlmos,  Great  Lis'er  Street, 
was  consecrated  October  20,  1840,  an  ; 
has  sittings  ior  1,400,  580  seals  being 
free  The  original  cost  of  the  building 
was  only  £3,200,  but  nearly  £1,000 
was  expended  upon  it  iu  1S83.  Five 
trustees  have  the  gift  of  the  living, 
value  £300,  which  is  now  held  by  the 
Rev.  J.  Byrchniore,  vicar.  I  he 
Mission  Room.in  Lupin  Street.is  served 
from  St.  ilattht^w's. 

St.  Matthias  s,  Wheeler  Street,  eoni- 
menced  May  30th,  1855,  was  con- 
secrated June  4,  1856.  Over__£l,000 
was  spent  on  renovations  in  1879.  Ihe 
seats  (1,150)  are  all  free.  The  yearly 
value  of  the  living  is  £300,  and  it  is  in 
the  irift  of  trustees.  The  vicf.r  is  ihe 
Rev."^J.  H.  Haslam,  M.A. 

St.  MichacVs,  in  the  Cemetei y,  War- 
stone  Line,  was  opened  Jan.  15,  1854, 
the  living  (nominal  value,  £50)  being 
in  the  gift  of  the  directors.  Will 
accommodate  400-180  seats  being 
free 

St.  MiclmeVs,  Northfield.— Of  the 
original  date  ot  erection  there  is  no 
trace,  but  it  cannot  be  later  than  the 
eleventh  century,  and  Mr.  Allen 
Everett  thought  the  chancel  was  built 
about  1189.  The  five  old  bells  were 
lecast  in  1730,  by  Joseph  Smith  ot 
Edgbaston,  and  made  into  six.  ^ihe 
present  building  was  erected  in  1856-7, 
and  has  seating  for  800,  all  free  ihe 
livin^',  valued  at  £740,  is  held  by  the 
Rev.'R.  Wvlde,  IM.A  ,  and  connected 
with  it  is  tire  cbapel-of-ease  at  Bartley 
Green.  , 

St  MiclmeVs,  Soho,  Handswortli, 
was  opened  in  1861.  It  has  1,000  sit- 
tings, one-half  of  which  are  tree  1  he 
livint'  is  valued  at  £370,  is  in  tlie  gift 
of  the  Rector  of  H:unisworth,  and  is 
now  held  by  the  Rev.  F.  A.  ]\lacdona. 
St.  Nicolfts,  Lower  Tower  Street. — 
The '  foundation  stone  was  laid  Sept. 
15,  1867  ;  the  church  was  consecrated 
July  12,  1868,  and  it  has  seats  for  5/6 
persons,  the  whole  being  iree.  ihe 
Bishop  is  the  patron    of   the    living, 


value  £300,  and  the  Vicar  is  the  Rev. 
W.  H.  Connor,  M.A. 

St.  Nidwlas,  King's  Norton.— This 
church  is  another  of  the  ancient  ones, 
the  register  dating  from  1547.  It  was 
partially  re-erected  iu  1857,  and  more 
complet'ely  so  in  1872,  more  than 
£5,000  being  expended  upon  it.  The 
Dean  and  Chapter  of  Worcester  are  the 
patrons  of  the  living  (nett  value  £250), 
and  the  Vicar  is  the  Rev.  D.  H.  C. 
Preedy.  There  arc  700  sittings,  300 
of  which  are  free. 

St.  Oswald's,  situtited  opposite  Small 
Heath  Park,  is  an  iron  structure, 
lined  with  wood.  It  will  seat  about 
400,  cost  £600,  and  was  opened  Aug. 
10,  1882,  being  for  the  present  m 
charge  of  tlie  clergyman  attached  to 
St.  Andrew's. 

Si,.  Patrick's,  Pligligate  Street  — 
Erected  in  1873,  at  a  cost  of  £2,300, 
as  a  "School-chajiel"  attached  to  St. 
Alban's,  and  ministered  unto  by  the 
Rovds.  J.  S.  and  T.  B.  Pollock.  800 
seats,  all  free. 

Si.    Paul's,  in  St.   Paul's  Square.— 
The    first    stone    was    laid    May    22, 
1777,  and  the  church  was  consecrated 
June  2,    1779,    but  remained  without 
its  spire  until  1823,  and  was  minus  a 
clock  for  a  long  time  after  that.     The 
east  window  in   this  church  has  been 
classed   as  the  Al  of  modern  painted 
windows.      The  subject,  the  "Conver- 
sion of  St.  Paul,"  was  designed  by  Ben- 
iamin  West,  and  executed   by   Francis 
E^gingtou,  in  1789-90.     In  May,  lb76, 
the"  okl   discoloured    varnish   was   re- 
moved, and  the  protecting  transparent 
window    re-glazed,    -so    that    the    fuii 
beauty   and    iinish    of    this    exquisite 
work  can  be  seen  now  as  iu  its  original 
state      Of  the   1,400  sittings  900  are 
free.     The  living  is    worth    ^300,  in 
the  <^dft  of  trustees,  and  is  held  by  tue 
Rev.^R.  B.  Burges,  M.A.,  Vicar. 

St  Paul's,  Lozells.— The  first  stone 
was  laid  July  10,  1879,  and  the  build- 
in.^  consecrated  Septeuibei  11,  1»3W. 
The  total  cost  was  £8,700,  the  number 
of  sittings  being  800,  of  which  one  halt 


SllOWEI.LS    DICTIONARY    OV    UIHMINGHAM. 


237 


are  free.     Patrons,    Trustees.      Vicar, 
Kfev.  E.  D.  Roberts,  M.A. 

St.  Paul's,  ^lose'.ey  Road,  Balsall 
Heatb. — Fouiulaiioii  stone  laiil  Jlay 
17,  1S52,  the  bn  kling  being  opened 
that  day  twelvi-niomh.  Cost  ,£."), 500 
and  has  sittings  for  1,300,  of  which 
number  465  are  free.  The  Vicar  of 
King's  Norton  is  the  patron  of  llie 
living  (value  £300),  and  it  is  held 
by  the  Rev.  \\\  B.  Benison,  M.A. 

St.  Peter's,  Dale  End,  was  begun 
in  1825,  and  consecrated  Aug.  10, 
1827,  having  cost  £19,000.  Cju^ider- 
able  damage  to  the  churidi  was  caused 
by  fire,  Jan.  24, 1831.  There  are  1,500 
sittings,  all  free.  The  living  is  valued 
at  £260,  is  in  the  gift  of  the  Bi.shop, 
and  is  held  by  the  Rev.  R.  Dell,  M.A., 
Vicar. 

St.  Philip's.— The  parish  of  St. 
Philip's  was  created  by  special  Act, 
7  Anne,  c.  34  (1708),  and  it  being  the 
first  division  of  Sr.  Martin's  the  new 
parish  was  bound  to  pay  the  Rector 
of  St.  Martin's  £15  per  year  and  £7 
to  the  Cierk  thereof,  besides  other 
liabilities.  The  site  for  the  church 
(long  called  the  "  iSTew  Churcli  "  and 
churchyard,  as  near  as  possible  four 
acres,  was  given  by  Mrs.  Phillips, 
which  accounts  for  the  Saint's  name 
chosen.  George  I.  gave  £600  towards 
the  building  fund,  on  the  a])plication 
of  Sir  Richard  Gough,  whose  ciest  of 
a  boar's  lieid  was  put  over  the  church, 
and  there  is  now,  in  the  form  of  a  vane, 
as  an  acknowledgment  of  his  kindness. 
Other  subscriptions  cime  in  freely, 
and  the  £5,000,  fir.-t  estimated  cosr, 
was  soon  raisid.  [See  ''St.  Martin  s''^. 
The  building  was  commenced  in  1711, 
and  consecrated  on  October  4tli,  1715. 
but  the  church  was  not  completed 
until  1719.  The  church  was  re-pewed 
in  1850,  great  prrt  restored  in  1859-60, 
and  considerably  enlarged  in  1SS3-84. 
The  height  of  the  tower  is  140ft.,  and 
there  are  ten  bells,  six  of  them  dating 
from  the  year  1719  and  the  others 
from  1761.  There  is  accommodation 
for  2,000  persons,  600  of  the  seats 
being   free.       The  uett    value  of    the 


living  is  £868,  the  Bishop  being 
patron.  Tlie  present  Rector,  the  Rev. 
H.  B.  l5owlby,  M.A.,  Hon.  Canon  of 
Worcester,  and  Surrogate,  has  been 
with  us  since  1375, 

St.  Saviour's,  Saltlev,  was  conse- 
crated July  23,  1850."  The  cost  of 
building  was  £6,000  ;  there  are  810 
seats,  560  being  free  ;  the  living  is 
valued  at  £240,  and  is  in  the  gift  of 
Lord  Norton  ;  the  ]ireseut  Vicar  is  the 
Rev.  F.  William-,  B.A. 

St.  Saviour's,  Villa  Street,  Hockley. 
— Corner-stone  laid  April  9,  1872;  con- 
secrated May  1,  1874.  Cost  £5,500, 
and  has  seats  for  600,  all  fi'ee.  The 
living  (value  £250)  is  in  the  gift  of 
trustees,  aud  is  now  held  by  the  Rev. 
M.  Parker,  Vicar-. 

St.  Silas's  Church  Street,  Lozells, 
was  consecrated  January  10,  1854,  the 
fir.-t  stone  having  been  laid  June  2, 
1852.  It  has  since  been  enlarged,  and 
has  now  1,100  sittings,  430  being  free. 
The  liviuij  (value  £450)  is  a  perpetual 
curacy,  in  the  gift  of  trustees,  and  is 
held  by  the  Rev.  G.  C.  Baskerville, 
M.A.  The  ^Mission  Room  in  Burbury 
Street  is  served  from  St.  Silas's. 

St.  Stephen's,  Newtown  Rpjw,  was 
consecrated  July  23,  1844.  The  build- 
ingcost£3, 200  ;  there  are  l,150sitting~, 
of  which  750  are  free  ;  tiie  living  is 
valued  at  £250,  is  in  the  gift  of  th^ 
Bishop  and  tlie  Crown  alternately,  and 
is  now  held  by  the  Rev.  P.  Reynold.--, 
Vicar,  who  also  provides  for  the  Mission 
Room  in  Theodore  Street. 

St.  Stephen's,  Selly  Hill,  was  conse- 
crat.i'i  August  18,  1871,  tlie  first  stono 
having  been  laid  March  30,  1870.  The 
patrons  are  the  Bishopand  trustees  ;  the 
living  isvaluedat£200  ;  it  is  a  perpetual 
curacy,  and  the  incumbent  is  tlie  Rev. 
R.  Stokes.  M.A.  Of  the  300  sittings 
100  are  free. 

St.  Thomas's,  Hollo  way  Head. — 
First  stone  laid  Oct.  2,  1826  ;  con- 
secrated Oiit.  22,  1829,  having  cost 
£14,220.  This  is  the  largest  church 
in  Birmingham,  there  bting  2.600  sit- 
tings, of  which  1,500  are  tree.  In  the 
Chartist  riots  of  1839,  the  people  tore 


238 


SH0WELLI3    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


up  the  railings  rouiul  the  churchyard 
to  use  as  pikes.  The  living  (value  £550) 
is  in  the  gift  of  trustees,  and  is  held 
by  the  Rev.  T.  Halstead,  Rector  and 
Surrogate. 

St.  T/tomas-in-the-Jiloors,  Cox  Street, 
Balsall  Heath.— The  chiirch  was  com- 
menced to  be  built,  at  the  expense  of 
the  late  William  Sands  Cox,  Esq.,  in 
the  year  1868,  but  on  account  oi'  some 
quibble,  legal  or  ecclesia.stical,  the 
building  was  stopped  when  three  parts 
finisheu.  By  his  will  Air.  Cox  directed 
it  to  be  completed,  and  left  a  small 
endowment.  This  was  added  to  by 
friends,  and  the  consecration  ceremony 
took  place  Aug.  14,  1883.  The  church 
will  accommodate  about  600  persons. 

St.  Thomas  the  Martin:— Of  this 
church,  otherwise  called  the  "Free 
Chapel,"  which  was  richly  endowed  in 
1350  (See  "Memorials  of  Old  Rir- 
mingham"  by  Toulmin  Smith),  and 
to  which  the  Commissioners  of  Henry 
VIII.,  in  1545,  said  the  inhabitants 
did  "  uiuche  resorte,")  there  is  not  one 
stone  left,  and  its  very  site  is  not 
known. 

Stircltlcy  Street  School-Church  was 
erected  in  1863,  at  a  cost  of  £1,200, 
and  is  used  on  Sunday  and  occasional 
weekdiiy  evenings. 

Places  of  Worship.— -Disscn^cjs'. 

— A  hundred  years  ago  the  places  of 
worshi})  in  Birmingliam  and  its  neigh- 
bourhood, other  than  the  paiish 
chitrches,  could  have  been  counted  on 
one's  fingers,  and  even  so  late  as  1841 
not  more  than  four  dozen  were  found 
by  the  census  euunierators  in  a  radius 
of  some  miles  from  the  Bull  Ring.  At 
the  present  time  conventicles  and 
tabernacles,  Bethels  and  Bethe.<das, 
Mission  Halls  anl  Meeting  Rooms,  are 
so  numerous  that  there  is  hardly  a 
street  away  from  the  centre  of  the  town 
but  has  one  or  more  such  buildings. 
To  give  the  hi.story  of  half  the  meeting- 
places  of  the  hundred-and-one  different 
denominational  bodies  among  n.s  would 
till  a  book,  but  notes  of  the  principal 
Dissenting  places  of  worship  are  an- 
exed. 


Antinomians. — In  1810  the  members 
of  this  sect  had  a  chapel  in  Bartholo- 
mew Street,  which  was  swept  away  by 
the  L.  and  N.  W.  Rail^^ay  Co.,  when 
extending  their  line  to  New  Street. 

BaptL'its.—?\:[o\  to  1737,  the  '■'  Par- 
ticular Bajitists  "  do  not  appeai-  to  have 
had  any  place  of  worship  of  their  own 
iu  this  town,  what  few  of  them  there 
were  travelling  backwards  and  forwards 
every  Sunday  to  Bromsgrove.  The 
first  home  they  acquired  here  was  a 
little  room  in  a  small  yard  at  the  back 
of  38,  High  Street  (now  covered  by  the 
Market  Hall),  wdiich  was  opened  Aug. 
24,  1737.  In  March  of  the  follow- 
ing year  a  friend  left  the  Particulars 
a  sum  of  money  towards  erecting  a 
meeting-house  of  their  own,  and  this 
being  added  to  a  few  sitbscriptions  from 
the  Coventry  Particulars,  led  to  the 
purchase  of  a  little  bit  of  the  Cherry 
Orchard,  for  which  £13  was  paid. 
Hereon  a  small  chapel  was  put  up, 
with  some  cottages  in  front,  the  rent 
of  which  helped  to  pay  chapel  exj-en- 
ses,  and  these  cottages  formed  part  of 
Cannon  Street ;  the  land  at  the  back 
being  reserved  for  a  graveyard.  The 
opening  of  the  new  chapel  gave  occa- 
sion for  attack;  and  the  minister  of  the 
New  IMeeting,  Mr.  Bowen,  an  advo- 
cate of  religious  freedom,  charged  the 
Baptists  (particular  though  they  were) 
with  reviving  old  Calvinistic  doctrines 
and  spreading  Autinomianismand  other 
errors  in  Birmingham  ;  with  the  guile- 
less innocence  peculiar  to  polemical 
scribes,  past  and  present.  Mr.  Dis- 
senting minister  Bowen-  tried  to  do  his 
friends  iu  the  Bull  Ring  a  good  turn 
by  issuing  his  papers  as  from  "  A  Con- 
sistent Churchman."  In  1763  the 
chapel  was  enlarged,  and  at  the  same 
time  a  little  more  land  was  added  to 
the  graveyard.  In  1780  a  further 
enlargement  became  necessary,  which 
sufficed  until  1805,  when  the  original 
buildings,  including  the  cottages  next 
the  street,  were  taken  down  to  make 
way  for  the  chapel  so  long  known  by 
the  present  inhabitants.  During  the 
period  of  demolition   and   re-erection 


SHOWBM/S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


239 


the  Camion  Street  coDgregalion  were 
accommodated  at  Carr's  Lane,  Mr.  T. 
Morgan  and  Mr.  John  Anj^ell  Jamrs 
each  occupying  the  pulpit  alternately. 
The  new  chai)el  was  opened  July  16, 
1806,  and  provided  seats  for  900,  a 
large  pew  in  the  gallery  ahove  the  clock 
being  allotted  to  the  "string  band," 
which  was  not  replaced  by  an  organ 
until  1859.  In  August",  1876,  the 
Corporation  purchased  the  site  of  the 
chapel,  the  graveyard, and  the  adjoining 
houses,  in  all  about  1,000  square  yards 
in  extent,  for  ihe  sum  of  £26,500, 
the  last  Sunday  service  being  held  on 
October  5,  1879.  Tiie  remains  of  de- 
parted ministers  and  past  members  of 
the  congregation  interred  in  the  burial- 
yard  and  under  the  chapel  were  care- 
fully removed,  mostly  to  Witton 
Cenieteij\  The  exact  nmuber  of  inter- 
ments that  had  taken  place  in  Cannon 
Street  has  never  been  stated,  but  they 
were  considerably  over  200  ;  in  one 
vault  alone  more  than  forty  lead  coffins 
being  found.  The  site  is  now  covered 
by  the  Central  Arcade.  Almost  as  old 
as  Cannon  Street  Chapel  was  the  one 
in  Freeman  Street,  taken  down  in  1856, 
and  the  next  in  date  was  "  Old  Salem," 
built  in  1791,  but  demolished  when  the 
Great  Western  Railway  was  made.  In 
1785  a  few  members  left  Cannon  Street 
to  form  a  church  in  Needless  Alley, 
but  soon  removed  to  Bond  Street,  under 
Mr.  E.  Edmonds,  father  of  the  well- 
known  George  Edmonds. — In  the  year 
1870  filty-tvvo  members  were  "dis- 
missed "  to  constitute  a  congrega- 
tion at  Newdiall  Street  Chapel,  under 
the  Rev.  A.  O'Neill. — In  the  same 
way  a  few  began  the  church  in  Graham 
Street  in  1828. — On  Emancipation 
Day  (Aug.  1,  1838),  the  first  stone 
was  laid  of  Heneage  Street  Chapel, 
whicli  was  opened  June  10,  1841. — 
In  1815  a  chapel  was  erected  at 
Shirley ;  and  on  Oct.  24,  1849,  the 
Circus  in  Bradford  Street  was  opened 
as  a  baptist  Chapel.  Salem  Chapel, 
Frederick  Street,  was  opened  Sept. 
14,  1851.— Wycliffe  Chuich,  Biistcl 
Road,  wag  commenced  Nov,  8,  1859, 


and  opened  June  26,  1861. — Lombard 
Street  Chapel  was  started  Nov.  25, 
1864. — Christ  Church,  Aston,  was 
opened  April  19,  18G5.— The  Chapel 
in  Balsall  Heath  Road  was  opened  in 
March,  1872  ;  that  in  Victoria  Street, 
Small  Heath,  June  24,  1873  ;  and  in 
Great  Francis  Street,  May  27,  1877. 
When  the  Cannon  Street  Chapel  was 
demoliihed,  the  trustees  purchased 
Graham  Street  Chapel  and  schools  for 
the  sum  of  £14,200,  other  portions  of 
the  money  given  by  the  Corporation 
being  allotted  towards  tlie  erection  of 
new  chapels  elsewhere.  The  Graham 
Street  congregation  divided,  one  por- 
tion erecting  for  themselves  the  Ciuirch 
of  the  Redeemer,  in  Hagley  Road, 
(opened  May  24,  1882),  while  these 
living  on  the  Handswortli  side  built 
a  church  in  Hamstead  Road  (opened 
March  1,  1883),  each  building  costing 
over  £10,000.  The  first  stone  of  the 
Stratfur^i  Read  Church  (the  site  of 
which,  valued  at  £1,200,  was  given  by 
Mr.  W.  Middlemore)  was  laid  on 
the  8th  of  June,  1878,  and  the  build- 
ing, which  cost  £7,600,  was  opened 
Jund  3,  1879.  Mr.  Middlemore  also 
gave  the  si.e  (value  £2,200)  for  the 
Hagley  Road  Church,  £6,000  of  the 
Cannon  Street  money  going  to  it,  and 
£3,500  to  the  Stratford  Road  Church. 
— The  Baptists  have  alto  chapels  in 
Guildford  Street,  Hope  Street,  Lodge 
Road,  Longmore  Street,  Great  King 
Street,  Spring  Hill,  Warwick  Street, 
Yates  Street,  as  well  as  at  Erdington, 
Harborne,  King's  Heath,  Selly  Oak, 
Quinton,  &c. 

Catholic  Apostolic  Church,  Summer 
Hill  Terrace. — This  edifice,  erected  in 
1877,  cost  about  £10,000,  and  has 
seats  for  400. 

Christian  Brethren. — Their  head 
meeting-house  is  at  the  Central  Hall, 
Great  Charles  Street,  other  meetings 
being  held  in  Bearwood  Road,  Birch- 
field  Road,  Green  Lanes,  King  Street, 
(Balsall  Heath),  New  John  Street, 
\Venman  Street,  (opened  in  June, 
1870),  and  at  Aston  and  Erdington. 


240 


SH DWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


Christadelphians  iiieRt  at  the  Tem- 
perance Hall,  Temple  Street. 

ClMrcJi  of  the  Saviour,  Ehvard 
Street. — lUii'lt  lor  George  Dawson  on 
his  leaving  the  Ba[.tis1s,  the  first  turf 
being  turned  on  the  site  July  14, 
1846,  ami  the  opening  taking  place 
Aug.  8,  1847. 

Congregational. — How  the  Indepen- 
dents sprang  from  the  Presbyterians, 
and  tlie  CongregalioiiHlists  from  them, 
is  hardly  matter  of  local  history, 
though  Carr's  Lane  Chapel  has  shel- 
tered them  all  in  rot-ition.  Tiie  first 
building  was  put  up  in  1747-48,  and, 
with  or-casioual  repairs  last^rd  full  fifty 
years,  being  rebuilt  in  1S02,  when  the 
congregation  numbered  nearly  900. 
Soon  after  the  advent  of  the  Rev.  John 
Angell  James,  it  became  necessary  to 
proviile  accomrnoilation  for  at  least 
2,000,  and  in  1819  the  cliapel  was 
again  rebuilt  in  the  form  so  well 
known  to  the  present  generation.  The 
ra))idity  with  which  this  was  accom- 
plislied  was  so  startling  that  the  record 
inscribed  on  the  last  late  affixed  to 
the  roof  is  worth  quoting,  as  ^cW  on 
account  of  its  bfing  somewhat  of  a 
novel  innovation  upon  the  u^ual 
custom  of  foundation-stone  memorial 
stone,  and '  first-stone  laying  and 
fixing  : — 

"  Memoranda.  On  the  30f;h  day  of 
July,  1S19,  the  tiist  stone  of  this 
building  \v;xs  laid  by  tlie  Rev.  Joiin 
Angell  James,  the  minister.  On 
the  301h  day  of  October,  in  tlie 
same  year,  this  tlie  last  slate 
w;is  lail  by  lleiiry  Leiieve  Hol- 
land, the  builder,  in  the  presence 
of  Stednian  Thomas  Wliitwell,  the 
Architect. — Laus  Deo." 

In  1875-76  the  chapel  was  enlargei], 
refronted,  and  in  many  ways  strength 
ened  and  improved,  at  a  co^t  of  nearly 
£5,000,  and  it  nov;  has  scats  for  2,250 
persons. — Ebeuezer  Chape),  S'eelhouse 
Lane,  which  will  seat  1,200,  was 
opened  Dec.  9,  1818.  Its  C'st  paj,tor, 
the  Rev.  Jehoida  Brewer,  was  the  first 
to  bo  buried  there.— The  first  stone  of 
Highbury  Chapel,  which  seats  1,300, 
was   laid  May  1,   1844,    and    it    was 


opened  by  Dr.  Raffles  in  the  following 
October. — Palmer  Street  Chapel  was 
erected  in  1845. — The  first  stone  of  the 
Congregational  Church  in  Fiancis  Road 
was  laid  Sept.  11,  1855,  the  opening 
taking  ]ilace  Oct.  8,  1856.— The  first 
stone  of  ti)e  Moseley  Road  building  was 
laid  July  30,  1861,  and  of  that  in  the 
Lozells,  March  17,  1862. —The  chapel 
at  Small  Heath  was  commenced  Sept. 
19,  1867,  and  opened  June  21,  1868  ; 
that  at  S:tltley  was  began  June  30, 
1868,  an.i  openrd  Jan.  26,  1869.— The 
chapel  in  Park  Road,  Aston,  was  began 
Oct.  7,  1873  ;  the  church  on  Soho 
Hill,  which  cost  £15,000,  was  com- 
menced April  9,  1878,  and  opened 
July  16,  1879. — The  memorial-stones 
of  the  church  at  Sutton  Coldfield, 
which  co.st  £5,500,  and  will  scat  640, 
were  laid  July  14,  1879,  the  opening 
taking  place  Ajiril  5,  1880  ;  the  West- 
minster Road  (BirchfieUl)  Church  was 
commenced  Oct.  21,  1878,  was  ojiened 
Sept.  23,  1S79,  co.st  £5,500,  and  will 
seat  900  ;  botli  of  these  buildings  have 
spires  IGOft.  high.— Tlie  foundation- 
stone  of  a  chapel  at  Solilmll,  to  accom- 
modate 420,  was  laid  May  23,  1883.— 
Besides  the  above,  there  is  the  Tabernacle 
Chapel,  Parade,  chapels  in  Bordesley 
Street,  Gooch  Street,  and  St.  Andrew's 
Road,  and  others  at  Acock's  Green, 
Erdington,  Handsworth,  Olton,  Yard- 
le}',  &c. 

Dif^ciples  of  Christ  erected  a  chapel 
in  Charles  Henry  Street  in  1864  ;  in 
Geich  Street  in  18d5;  in  Great  Francis 
Street  in  1873. 

Free  Christian  Church,  Fazeley 
Street  — Schcohoonis  were  opened  here 
in  1865  by  the  Birmingham  Free  Chris- 
tian Society,  Avhich  were  enlarged  in 
1868  at  a  cost  of  about  £800.  Funds 
to  build  a  church  were  gathered  in  suc- 
ceeiUng  years  and  the  present  edifice 
was  opmid  April  1,  1877,  the  cost 
being  £1,300. 

Jews. — The  Hebrew  S3Miagogne  in 
Blucher  Street  was  erected  in  1856,  at 
a  cost  of  £10,000. 

Mehoclists. — The  Primitive  Metho- 
dists for  some    time    after    their   first 


SHOWBLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


241 


appuarance  here  held  their  meetiugs 
in  tlie  open  air  or  in  hired  rooms, 
the  first  chapel  they  used  bein;; 
that  in  Rordeslej'  Street  (opened 
March  16,  1823,  by  the  Wesloyans) 
which  they  entered  upon  in  1S26. 
Other  chapels  they  had  at  various  times 
in  Allison  Street,  B:illoon  Street,  Inge 
Street,  &c.  Gooch  Street  Chapel  was 
erected  by  tliem  at  a  cost  of  over  £2,000 
(the  first  stone  being  laid  August  23, 
1852)  and  is  now  their  principal  place  of 
worship,  their  services  being  also  eon- 
ducted  in  Chapels  and  Mis -ion  Rooms 
in  Aston  New  Town,  Garrison  Lane, 
Long  Acre,  Lord  Street,  Morville 
Street,  Wells  Street,  Whitmore  Street, 
The  Cape,  Selly  Oak,  Perry  Barr, 
Sparkbrook,  and  Stirchley  Street. — 
The  Methodist  New  Connexion  have 
chapels  in  Heath  Street,  Kyrwick's 
Lane,  Ladywood  Lane,  Moseley  Street, 
and  Unetl  Street — Tlie  first  stone  of  a 
chapel  for  the  Methodist  New  Congrega- 
tional body  was  placed  July  13,  1873, 
in  Icknield  S:reet  West. — The  Metho- 
dist Ile/onners  commenced  to  build  a 
chapel  in  Bishop  Street,  November  15, 
1852. — The  Methodist  Free  Church  has 
places  of  worship  in  Bath  Street, 
Cuckoo  Road,  Muntz  Street,  Rocky 
Lane,  and  at  Washwood  Heath. 

Ncio  Church. — The  denomination  of 
profe.ssing  Christians,  who  style  them- 
selves the  "New  Church,"  sometimes 
known  as  "The  New  Jerusalem 
Church,"  and  more  commonly  as 
"  Swedenborgians,"  as  early  as  1774 
had  a  meeting  room  in  Great  Charles 
Street,  from  whence  they  removed  to 
a  larger  one  in  Temple  Row.  Here 
they  remained  until  1791,  when  they 
took  possession  of  Zion  Chapel, 
Newhall  Street,  the  ceremony  of 
consecration  taking  place  on  the 
19  of  June.  This  event  was  of 
more  than  usual  interest,  inasmuch 
as  this  edifice  was  the  fir.st  ever 
erected  in  the  world  for  New  Church 
worship.  The  rioters  of  1791,  who 
professed  to  support  the  National 
Church  by  demolishing  the  Dissenting 
places  of  worship,  paid  Zion  Chapel  a 


visit  and  threatened  to  burn  it,  but 
the  eloquence  of  the  minister,  the  Rev. 
J.  Proud,  aided  by  a  juilicious  distribu- 
tion of  what  cash  he  had  in  his 
pocket,  prevaled  over  tlieir  burning 
desires,  and  they  carried  their  torches 
elsewhere.  On  the  10th  of  March, 
1793,  however,  another  incendiary  at- 
tempt was  made  to  suppress  tlie  New 
Church,  but  the  fire  was  put  out  before 
much  damage  was  done.  Wliat  fire 
and  popularenmity  could  not  do,  how- 
ever, was  accomplished  by  a  financial 
crisis,  and  the  congregation  had  to 
leave  their  Zion,  and  put  up  with  a 
less  pretentious  place  of  worship  op- 
posite the  Wiiarfin  Newhall  Street. 
Here  they  remained  till  1S30,  when 
they  removed  to  Summer  Lane,  where 
a  commodious  church,  large  schools, 
and  minister's  house  had  been  erected 
for  them.  \i\  1875  tlie  congregation 
removed  to  their  present  location  in 
Wretham  Road,  where  a  handsome 
church  has  been  built,  at  a  cost  of 
nearly  £8,000,  to  accommodate  500 
persons,  with  schools  in  the  rear  for  as 
many  children.  The  old  chapel  in 
Summer  Lane  has  been  turned  into  a 
Clubhouse,  and  the  schools  attached 
to  it  made  over  to  the  School  Board. 
The  New  Church's  new  church,  like 
many  other  modern-built  places  for 
Dissenting  worship,  has  tower  and 
spire,  the  height  being  116ft. 

Presbyterians. — It  took  a  long  time 
for  all  the  nice  distinctive  diflerences 
of  dissenting  belief  to  manifest  them- 
selves before  the  public  got  used  to 
Unitarianism,  Congregationalism,  and 
all  the  other  isms  into  which  Noncon- 
formity has  divided  itself.  When 
Birmingham  was  as  a  city  of  refuge  for 
the  many  clergymen  M'ho  would  not 
accejit  the  Act  of  Uniformity,  it  was 
deemed  right  to  issue  unto  them 
licenses  for  preaching,  and  be- 
fore the  first  Baptist  chapel,  or  the  New 
Meeting,  or  the  Old  Meeting,  or  the 
old  Old  Meeting  (erected  in  1689),  were 
built,  we  find  (1G72)  that  one  Samuel 
Willis,  styling  himself  a  minister  of 
the    Presbyterian    persuasion,   appliel 


242 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIUMINGHAM. 


for  preacViiiig  licenses  for  the  scltool- 
house,  and  for  the  houses  of  John 
Wall,  and  Jos-eph  Robinson,  and 
Samuel  Taylor,  and  Samuel  Doole}", 
and  John  Hunt,  all  the  same  being 
in  Birmingham;  and  "William  Fincher, 
another  ''  minister  of  tlie  Pres- 
byterian persuasion,"  asked  for  licenses 
to  preach  in  the  liouse  of  Richard 
Yarnald,  in  Birmingham,  his  own 
house,  and  in  the  houses  of  Thomas 
Gisboon,  William  Wheeley,  John  Pem- 
berton,  and  Richard  Careless,  in  Bir- 
mingham, and  in  the  house  of  Mrs. 
Yarriugton,  on  Bowdswell  Heath.  In 
Bradford's  map  (1751)  Carr's  Lane 
chapel  is  put  as  a  "  Presbiterian 
chapel,"  the  New  Meeting  Street 
building  close  by  being  called 
Presbiterian  Meeting."  It  was  of  this 
'Presbiterian  Chapel  "  in  Carr's  Lane 
that  JIutton  wrote  when  he  said  it  ivas 
the  road  to  heaven,  but  that  its  sur- 
roundings indicated  a  very  different 
route.  Perhaps  it  was  due  to  these 
surroundings  tliat  the  attendants  at 
Carr's  Lane  came  by  degrees  to  be 
called  Independents  and  the  New  Meet- 
ing Street  folks  Unitarians,  for  both 
after  a  time  ceased  to  be  known  as 
Presbyterians  The  Scotch  Church, 
or,  as  it  is  sometimes  styled,  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  England,  is  not  a 
large  body  in  Birmingham,  having  but 
three  places  of  worship.  Tlie  iirst 
Presbytery  lield  in  this  town  was  on 
July  6,  1847  ;  the  foundation-stone 
of  the  Church  in  Broad  Street  was 
laid  July  24,  1848  ;  the  Church  at 
Camp  Hill  was  opened  June  3,  1869  ; 
and  the  one  in  New  John  Street 
West  was  liegan  July  4,  1856,  and 
opened  June  19,  1857. 

Salvation  Army. — The  invasion  of 
Birniinghaui  by  the  soldiers  of  the  Sal- 
vation Ai'my  was  accomplished  in  the 
autumn  of  1882,  the  General  (Mr. 
Booth)  putting  in  anai)pcarance  March 
18,  1883.  They  have  several  rendez- 
vous in  the  town,  one  of  the  principal 
being  in  Faiiu  Street,  from  wlience  the 
"soldiers"  frequently  sally  out,  with 
drums  beating  and  colours  flying,  much 


to    their    own    glorincation  and  other 
people's  annoyance. 

Unitarians. — The  building  known 
for  generations  as  the  Old  Meeting,  is 
believed  to  liave  been  the  liist  Dissent- 
ing place  of  worship  erected  in  Birm- 
ingham ;  and,  as  its  tirst  register  dates 
from  1689,  the  chapel  most  likely  was 
built  in  the  previousyear.  Itwasdoubt- 
les3  but  a  small  building,  as  in  about 
ten  years  (1699)  a  "Lower  Meeting 
House"  was  founded  in  Meeting  House 
Yard,  nearly  opposite  Rea  Street.  The 
premises  occupied  here  were  gutted  in 
the  riots  of  1715,  and  the  owner  pro- 
mised the  mob  tliat  it  should  no  more 
be  used  as  a  chapel,  but  when  calmer 
he  repented  and  services  were  held 
until  the  New  Meeting  House  in  Moor 
Street  was  opened.  The  rioters  in 
1715  partly  destroyed  the  old  Meeting 
and  those  of  1791  did  so  completely, 
as  well  as  the  New  Meeting,  which  (be- 
gan in  1730)  was  opened  in  1732.  For 
a  time  the  congregations  united  and 
met  at  the  Amphitheatre  in  Livery 
Stieet,  the  members  of  Old  Meet- 
ing taking  posses-ion  of  their  re- 
erected  chapel,  October  4,  1795. 
New  Meeting  being  re-opened  April 
22,  1802.  The  last-named  building  re- 
mained in  tlie  possession  of  the  Uni- 
tarians until  1861,  when  it  was  sold  to 
the  Roman  Catholics.  The  last  ser- 
vices in  Old  Meeting  took  place  March 
19,  1882,  the  chapel  and  graveyard, 
comprising  an  area  of  2,760  square 
yards,  being  sold  to  the  L.  &  N.W.R. 
Co.,  for  the  purpose  of  enlarging  the 
Central  Station.  Tiie  price  paid  by 
the  Railway  Company  was  £32,250, 
of  which  £2,000  was  for  tlie  minister 
and  £250  towards  the  expense  of  re- 
moving to  private  vaults  the  remains 
of  a  few  persons  whose  friends  wished 
that  course.  A  portion  of  Witton 
Cemeteiy  was  laid  out  for  the 
reception  of  the  remainder,  where 
graves  and  vaults  have  been  made 
in  relative  positions  to  those  in  the 
old  graveyard,  the  tombstones  being 
similarly  placed.  A  new  church  has 
been   erected  in   Bristol  Street  for  the 


SllOWELL.S    DICTIONARY    OK    BIHMIN'GHAM. 


243 


congregation,  with  Sunday  Schools, 
&c.,  £7,000  boiiig  tlio  sum  given  fir  the 
t^ite— In  1839,  Hurst  Street  Chapel 
was  built  for  tlie  Unitarian  Domestic 
Mission.  Slay  1,  same  year,  tlie  first 
stone  was  laid  of  tlie  Newhall  Hill 
Chape  ,  which  was  opened  July  10, 
1810.— The  Church  of  the  Alts^iah, 
Bread  Street,  was  commenced  Aug.  12, 
1860,  and  opened  Jan.  1,  1862.  This 
church,  which  cost  £10,000  and  wiil 
seat  nearly  1,000  is  built  over  a  canal, 
one  of  the  strangest  sites  ever  chosen 
for  a  place  of  worship.  In  coiineetion 
witli  this  church,  there  is  a  chapel  in 
Lawrence  Street. 

JFelsh  Clmpcls.  —The  Welsh  Calvinis- 
tic  Metliodists  meet  in  the  little  chapel, 
bottom  of  Hocklfy  Hill,  and  also  in 
Granville  Street,  mar  Bull  Row.^The 
Welsh  Congregationtilists  (IndopiMi- 
dents)  assemble  at  Wheeler  Street 
Chapel,  opened  May  1,   1839. 

JVesleyans. — The  first  Wesleyan 
Chapel  in  Birmiugliara  was  opened  bv 
John  Wesley,  March  21,  1761,  the 
building  having  been  previously  a 
theatre.  Cheiry      Street      Chapel, 

opened  July  7,  1782,  was  rebuilt 
iu  1823. — Bradford  Street  Chapel  was 
opened  in  1786,  Belmont  Row  in  1789, 
and  Bath  Street  in  1839.— In  1825,  a 
chapel  was  built  in  Martin  Street, 
which  was  converted  into  a  school  on 
the  opening  (Nov.  10,  1864)  of  the 
l)reseut  edidce,  which  cost  £6,200. — 
Newtown  Row  Chapel  was  built  in 
1837)  and  Great  Hampton  Street  and 
Uiiett  Street  Chapels  in  1838,  the 
latter  being  enlarged  in  1814.- — Bran- 
ston  Street  Chapel  was  opentd  April 
18,  and  MoseleyKoad,  May  1,  1853.-- 
Tlie  Bristol  Road  Chajjel  was  opened 
January  18,  1854,  and  that  in  King 
Edward's  Road,  January  IS,  1859. — 
The  first  stones  were  laid  for  the 
chapels  in  Villa  Street  April  21,  1864, 
Handsworth  Oct.  21,  1872,  Selley  Oak 
Oct  2,  1876,  Peel  Street,  August  30, 
1877,  Cuckoo  Road,  Juxie  10,  1878, 
Nechells  Park  Road  Oct.  25,  1880, 
Mansfield  Road  Feb.  19, 1883.  Besides 
the  above  there  are  chapels  in  Coventry 


Road,  Inge  Street,  Knutsford  Street, 
Lichfield  Road,  Lord  Street,  New  John 
Street,  Monument  Road,  and  Warwick 
Road,  as  well  as  mission  rooms  in 
several  parts  of  the  town  and  suburbs. 
Acock's  Grt-en,  Erdington,  Harborne, 
King's  Heath,  Northlield,  Quinton, 
&c. .  have  also  AVcsleyan  Chapels. — 
The  JVeslcyan  Reformers  meet  in 
Floodgate  Street,  and  in  Upper  Trinity 
Street. 

Miscellaneous.  — Lady  Huntingdon's 
followers  opened  a  chapel  in  King 
Street  in  1785,  and  another  iu  Peck 
Lane  in  1842  (both  sites  being  cleared 
in  1851),  and  a  third  in  Gooch  Street, 
Oct.  26tli,  1851. — The  believers  in 
Joannah  Siuthcote  also  had.  chosen 
spots  wherein  to  pray  for  their  leader, 
while  the  imposture  lasted. — The 
celebrat  d  Ed  waul  Irving  op.Mied 
Mount  Zion  Chapel,  March  24th,  1824. 
"  God'.s  Free  Cliurch,"  iu  Hope  Street, 
was  "established"  June  4th.  185i. — 
Zoar  Cliapel  was  the  name  given  to  a 
meeting-room  in  Cambridge  Street, 
where  a  few  undenominational  Chris- 
tians met  between  1830  and  1840. 
It  was  afterwards  used  as  a  schoolroom 
in  connection  with  Wintield's  factory. 
— Wrottesley  Street  Ciiapel  was  origi- 
n.illy  built  as  a  Jewish  Synagogue,  at 
a  cost  of  about  2,000.  After  they  left 
it  was  used,  for  a  variety  of  purposes, 
until  acquired  by  William  Murphy, 
the  Anti-Catholic  lecturer.  It  was 
sold  by  his  executors,  Aug.  2nd,  1877, 
and  realised  £645,  le.ss  than  the  cost 
of  the  bricks  and  mortar,  though  the 
lease  had  73  years  to  run. 

Places   of    Worship.  —  iioman 

Catholics. — From  the  tlays  of  Queen 
Mary,  down  to  the  last  years  of  James 
II. 's  reign,  there  does  not  appear  to 
have  been  any  regular  meeting-place 
for  the  Catholic  Inhabitants  of  Birm- 
ingham. In  1687,  a  church  (dedicated 
to  St.  ilary  Magdalen  and  St.  Francis) 
was  built  somewhere  near  the  site  of 
the  present  St.  Bartholomew's  but  it 
was  destroyed  in  the  following  year, 
and  the  very  foundation-stones  torn 
up    and    appropriated    by    Protestant 


244 


SHOWELliS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


plunderers.  [See  "  Masbhotose  Lane."] 
It  was  a  liundred  years  before 
the  next  church,  St.  Peter's,  near 
Broad  Street,  was  erected,  and  the 
Catholic  community  has  increased  but 
slowly  until  the  last  thirty  years  or 
so.  In  1S4S  there  were  only  seven 
priests  in  Ijirniinj^hani,  and  but  seventy 
in  the  whole  diocese.  There  are  now 
twenty-nine  in  this  town,  and  about 
200  in  the  district,  the  number  of 
churches  having  increased,  in  the  same 
period,  from  70  to  123,  with  150 
schools  and  17,000  scholars.  The 
following  are  local  places  of  wor- 
ship : — 

Cathedral  of  St.  Chad. — A  chapel 
dedicated  to  St.  Chad  (who  was  about 
the  only  saint  the  kingdom  of  Mercia 
could  boast  of),  wa.s  ojieued  in  Bath 
Street,  Dee.  17,  1809.  When  His 
Ho  iness  the  Pope  blessed  his  Catholic 
children  hereabouts  with  a  Bishop  the 
insignificant  chapel  gave  place  to  a 
Cathedral,  which,  built  after  the 
designs  of  Pugin,  cost  no  less  than 
£60,000.  The  consecration  was  per- 
formed (July  14,  1838)  by  the  Right 
Rev.  Doctor  (afterwards  Cardinal) 
Wiseman,  the  district  Bishop,  in  the 
presence  of  a  lai-ge  number  of  English 
noblemen  and  foreign  ecclesiastical 
dignitaries,  and  with  all  the  impos'ng 
ceremonies  customary  to  Catholic  cele- 
brations of  this  nature.  The  adjoin- 
ing houses  detract  much  from  the 
outside  appearance  of  this  reproduction 
of  mediffival  architecture,  but  the 
magnificence  of  the  interior  decora- 
tions, the  elaborate  carvings,  and  the 
costly  accessories  appertaining  to  the 
services  of  the  Romish  Church  more 
than  compensate  therefor.  Pugin's 
plans  have  not  even  yet  been  fully 
carried  out,  the  second  spire,  that  on 
the  north  tower  (150ft.  high),  being 
added  in  1856,  the  largest  he  designed 
still  waiting  completion.  Five  of  a 
peal  of  eight  bells  were  hung  in  1848, 
and  the  remainder  in  1877,  the  peculiar 
and  locally-rare  ceremony  of  "blessing 
the  bells  "  being  performed  by  Bishop 
Ullathorne,  March  22nd,  1877. 


Oratory,  Hagley  Road  — Founded  by 
the  Fathers  of  the  Order  of  St.  Philip 
Neri,  otherwise  called  Oratorians.  The 
Father  Superior  is  the  Rev.  Dr.  J.  H. 
Newman  (born  in  1801),  once  a  clergy- 
man of  the  Church  of  Phigland,  the 
author  of  the  celebrated  "  Tract  XC. ," 
now  His  Eminence  Cardinal  Newman. 

St.  Anne's,  Alcester  Street. — In 
1851,  some  buildings  and  premises 
originally  used  as  a  distillery  were  hei-e 
taken  on  a  lease  by  the  Su])erior  of  the 
Oratory,  and  opened  in  the  following 
}'ear  asa  Jlission-Church  in  connection 
Avith  the  Congregation  of  the  Fathers 
in  Hagley  Road.  In  coursn  cf  time 
the  property  was  purchased,  along  with 
some  adjacent  land,  for  the  sum  of 
£4,500,  and  a  new  church  has  been 
erected,  at  a  cost  of  £6,000.  The 
foundation-stone  was  laid  Sept.  10th, 
1883,  and  the  opening  ceremony  took 
place  in  Jul_y,  1884,  the  old  cliapel  and 
buildings  being  turned  into  schools  for 
about  1,500  children. 

St.  Catherine  of  Sienna,  Horse  Fair. 
— The  first  stone  was  laid  Aug.  23, 
1869,  and  the  cimrch  was  opened  in 
July  following. 

St.  Joseph's,  Nechells,  was  built  in 
1850,  in  connection  with  the  Roman 
Catholic  Cemetery. 

St.  Mary's,  Hunter's  Lane,  was 
opened  July  28,  1847. 

St.  Mary's  Ret) eat,  Harbonie,  was 
founded  by  the  Passionist  Fathers,  and 
opened  Feix  6,  1877. 

,5';!.  MicJiaeVs,  Moor  Street,  was  for- 
merly the  Unitarian  New  Meeting, 
being  purchased,  remodelled,  and  con- 
secrated in  1861. 

St.  Patrick's,  Dailley  Road,  was 
erected  in  1862. 

St.  Peters,  Broad  Street,  built  in 
1786,  and  enlarged  in  1798,  was  the 
first  Catholic  place  of  worship  erected 
here  after  the  sack  and  demolition  of 
the  church  and  convent  in  Massliouse 
Lane.  With  a  lively  recollection  of 
the  treatmentdealtout  totheirbrethren 
in  1688,  the  founders  of  St.  Peter's 
trusted  as  little  as  possible  to  the 
tender  mercies  of   their  fellow-towns- 


SnoWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BlUMINGHAM. 


245 


men,  but  protected  themselves  by  so 
aiTaii<:;in(>;  their  churcli  that  notliing 
but  blank  walls  should  face  the  streets, 
and  with  the  exception  of  a  doorway 
the  wails  remained  unpierced  for  nearly 
seventy  years.  Tlie  church  has  lately 
been  much  enlarged,  and  th«  long- 
standing rebuke  no  more  exists. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  there  are 
the  Convents  of  "The  Sisters  of  the 
Holy  Child," in  Hagley  Road;  "Sisters 
of  Notre  Dame,"  in  the  Crescent  ; 
"  Little  Sisters  of  the  Poor,"  at  Har- 
borne  ;  "  Our  Lady  of  Mercy,"  at 
Handsworth  ;  and  others  connected 
with  St.  Anne's  and  St.  Chad's,  be- 
sides churches  at  Erdington,  &c. 

Police. — Though  the  Court  Leet 
provided  for  the  appointment  of  con- 
stables, no  regular  body  of  police  or 
watchmen  appear  to  liave  existed  even 
a  hundred  years  ago.  Li  February, 
1786,  the  magistrates  employed  men  to 
nightly  patrol  the  streets,  but  it  could 
not  have  been  a  permanent  arrange- 
ment, as  we  read  that  the  patrol  was 
"  resumed  "  in  October,  1793,  and  later 
on,  in  March,  1801,  the  magistrates 
■ '  solicited  "  the  inhabitants'  consent  to 
a  reappointment  of  the  night-watch. 
After  a  time  the  Commissioners  of  the 
Streets  kept  regular  watchmen  in  their 
employ — the  "Charleys"  occasionally 
read  of  as  finding  sport  for  the  "young 
bloods  "  of  the  time — but  when  serious 
work  was  required  the  Justices  appear 
to  have  depended  on  their  jioweis  of 
swearing-in  special  constables.  The 
introduction  of  apolice  forceproperdates 
from  the  riotous  time  of  1839  [See 
"C7tnr<i'srrt"],  for  immediately  after  those 
troublous  days  Lord  John  Russell  in- 
troduced a  Bill  to  the  House  of  Com- 
mons granting  special  powers  for  en- 
forcing a  rate  to  maintain  a  police 
force  here,  under  tlie  command  of  a 
Commissioner  to  be  appointed  by  the 
Government.  The  force  thus  sought 
to  be  raised,  though  paid  for  by  the 
people  of  Birmingham,  were  to  be 
available  for  tlie  whole  of  the  counties 
of  Warwick,  Worcester  and   Stafford. 


Coercive  measures  were  passed  at  that 
period  even  quicker  than  Government 
can  manage  to  got  them  through  now  a- 
days,  and  notwithstanding  Jlr.  Thos. 
Attwood's  telling  Little  Lord  John 
that  he  was  '"  throwing  a  lighted  torch 
into  a  magazine  of  gunpowder"  and 
that  if  he  ]iassed  that  Bill  he  would 
never  be  allowed  to  pass  another,  the 
Act  w^as  pushed  through  on  the  13th  of 
August,  there  being  a  majority  of 
thirteen  in  favour  of  his  Lordship's 
policy  of  policeing  the  Brums 
into  politeness.  The  dre;ided  police 
force  was  soon  organised  under 
Mr.  Commissioner  Burges  (who  was 
paid  the  small  salary  of  £900  a  year), 
and  became  not  only  tolerated  but 
value  ].  It  was  not  till  some  years 
after,  and  then  in  the  teeth  of  much 
opposition,  that  the  Corporation  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  into  their  own  hands 
the  power  of  providing  our  local  guar- 
dians of  the  peace.  JMr.  Inspector  Ste- 
phens was  the  first  Chief  Superinten- 
dent, and  in  March,  1860,  his  place 
was  filled  by  the  promotion  of  Mr. 
George  Glossop.  In  April,  1876,  the 
latter  retired  on  an  allowance  of  £400 
a  year,  and  Major  Bond  w\s  chosen 
(June  2nd).  The  Major's  term  of  office 
was  short  as  he  resigned  in  Dec.  1881. 
Mr.  Farndale  being  appointed  in  his 
stead.  In  May,  1852,  the  force  con- 
sisted of  327,  men  and  officers  included. 
Additions  have  been  made  from  time 
to  time,  notiibly  50  in  August,  1875, 
and  30  early  in  1883,  the  total  rank 
and  file  now  being  550,  equal  to  one 
officer  for  every  700  of  population. 
February  8,  1876,  the  unpopular  Pub- 
lic-house Inspector.-!  were  apjiointed, 
but  two  years'  experience  showed  thej' 
were  not  wanted,  and  they  were  rele- 
gated to  their  more  useful  duties 
of  looking  after  thieves  and  pick- 
pockets, instead  of  poking  their  noses 
into  piivate  business.  In  1868,  £200 
was  expended  in  the  purchasA  of  guns, 
pistols,  and  swords  for  the  police 
and  officers  at  the  Gaol.  The  Watch 
Committee,   in   May,    1877,    improved 


246 


SHOWELl's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


the  unifoini  by  .supplying  the  men  with 
"  spiked  "  helmets,  doubtless  to  please 
the  Major,  who  liked  to  see  his  men 
look  smart,  tlioucjh  the  military  ap- 
pearance of  the  force  has  been  greatly 
improved  since  by  the  said  spikes  being 
silvered  and  burnished. 

Political  Union.— See    '' R-iform 

Lei  (J  lies." 

Polling  DiStPietS.— The  sixteen 
wards  of  the  boi'ou:,'h  are  divided  into 
131  polling  disliic  s. 

Polyteehnie. —  This  was  one  of 
the  many  local  literary,  .scientilic, 
and  educational  institutions  which 
have  been  re}ilaced  by  our  Midland 
Institute,  Free  Libraries,  &c.  It  was 
founded  in  April,  and  opened  in  Octo- 
ber, 1843,  and  at  the  close  of  its  first 
year  there  were  the  names  of  very 
nearly  500  iiiembers  on  the  hooks,  the 
rates  of  subscription  being  6s.  per 
quarter  for  participation  in  all  the 
benefits  of  the  institution,  including 
the  lectures,  library,  classes,  baths, &c. 
With  the  "  People's  Instruction  So- 
ciety," the  "  Atlienic  Institute,"  the 
"  Carr's  Lane  Brotherlj^  Society" 
(said  to  have  been  the  iirst  ]\Iechanics' 
Institution  in  Britain),  the  Polytech- 
nic   in  its  dny,  did  good  work. 

Poor  Law  and  Poor  Rates- 
Local  history  does  not  tlnow  much 
light  upon  the  system  adopted  by  our 
early  progenitors  in  their  dealings  witli 
the  poor,  but  if  the  merciless  laws  were 
strictly  carried  out,  the  wandering  beg- 
gars, at  all  events  mu^t  have  had  hard 
lives  of  it  B3'  an  a3t  passed  in  the 
reign  of  Henry  VIII.,  it  was  ordered 
that  vagrants  should  be  taken  to  a  mar- 
ket town,  or  other  convenient  ]daceand 
there  to  be  tied  to  the  tail  of  a  cart, 
naked,  and  beaten  with  whijis  until 
the  body  .'•■hould  bo  blood}'  by  reason 
of  tlie  punishment.  Queen  Elizabeth 
so  far  mitig-ited  the  punishment  that 
the  unfortunates  were  only  to  be 
stripped  from  the  waist  upwards  to  re- 
ceive their  whi|iping,  men  aud  women, 
maids  and  mothers,  suffering  alike  in 


the  open  street  or  market-place,  the 
practice  being,  after  so  rising  them,  to 
conduct  them  to  the  boundary  of  the 
parish  and  pass  them  on  to  the  next 
place  for  another  dose,  aud  it  wa?  not 
until  1791  that  flogging  of  women  was 
forbidden.  The  resident  or  native 
poar  were  possibly  treated  a  little 
better,  though  they  were  made  to  work 
for  their  brea<l  in  every  possible  case. 
By  the  new  Poor  Act  of  1783,  which 
authorised  the  erection  of  a  Work- 
house, it  was  also  provided  that  the 
"Guardians  of  the  Poor"  .should  form 
a  l)oard  consisting  of  106  members, 
and  the  election  of  the  first  Board 
(July  15th,  1783),  seems  to  have 
been  almost  as  exciting  as  a 
modern  election.  In  one  sense  of 
the  word  they  were  guardians  in- 
deed, for  they  seem  to  have  tried  theij' 
inventive  faculties  in  all  ways  to  find 
w'ork  for  the  inmates  of  the  House, 
even  to  hiring  them  out,  or  setting 
them  to  make  worsted  and  thread 
The  Guardians  would  also  seem  to  have 
long  had  great  freedom  allowed  them 
in  the  spending  of  the  rates,  as  we  read 
it  was  not  an  uncommon  thing  for  one 
of  them  if  he  met  a  poor  person  bidly 
off  for  clothes  to  give  an  order  on  the 
Workhouse  for  a  Iresh  ''rig  out."  In 
1873  the  Board  was  reduced  to  sixtj'  in 
number  (the  first  election  taking  place 
on  the  4th  of  April),  with  the  usual 
local  result  that  a  proper  political 
balance  was  struck  of  40  Liberals  to  20 
Conservatives.  The  Workhouse,  Parish 
Offices,  Children's  Homes,  &c.,  will  be 
noted  elsewhere.  Poor  law  manage- 
ment in  tlie  bor3U,i;h  is  greatly  compli- 
cated from  the  fact  of  its  comprising 
two  different  parishes,  and  part  of  a 
third.  The  Parish  of  Birmingham 
works  under  a  speci-al  local  Act,  while 
E  Igbaston  forms  part  of  King's  Norton 
Union,  and  tlie  Aston  porti  n  of  the 
town  belongs  to  the  Aston  Union,  ne- 
cessitating three  different  rates  and 
three  sets  of  collectors,  &c.  If  a  poor 
man  in  Moseley  Road  needs  assistance 
he  must  see  the  relieving  officer  at  the 
Parish  Offices  in  the  centre  of  the  town 


SHOWELl/s    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


247 


if  he  lives  on  one  side  of  Higligite  Lane 
lie  must  find  the  relieving  ollicer  at 
King's  Heith  ;  bnt  if  he  happens  to  b3 
on  the  o'her  side  he  will  have  to  go 
to  Gravelly  Hill  or  Erdington.  Not 
long  ago  to  obtain  a  visit  from  the 
medical  officer  for  his  sick  wife,  a 
man  had  to  go  backwards  and 
forwards  more  than  twenty  miles. 
The  earliest  record  we  have  found  of 
the  cost  of  relieving  the  poor  of  the 
j)arish  is  of  tlie  date  of  1673  in  which 
year  the  sum  of  £309  was  thus  ex- 
pended. In  1773  the  amount  was 
£6,378,  bat  the  pressure  on  the  rates 
varied  considerably  about  then,  as  in 
1786  it  required  £11,132,  whileinl796 
the  figures  rose  to  £24,050.  Accord- 
ing to  Hutton,  out  of  about  8,000 
houses  only  3,000  were  assessed  to  the 
poor  rates  in  1780,  the  inhabitants  of 
the  remaining  number  being  too  poor  to 
pay  them.  Another  note  shows  up  the 
peculiar  incidence  of  taxation  of  the 
time,  as  it  is  said  that  in  1790  there 
were  nearly  2000  houses  under  £5  ren- 
tal and  8,000  others  under  £10,  none 
of  them  being  assesseii,  such  small 
tenancies  being  first  rated  in  1792. 
The  rates  then  appear  to  have  been 
levied  at  the  uniform  figure  of  6d.  in 
the  £  on  all  houses  above  £6  yearly 
value,  the  ratepayers  being  called  upon 
as  the  money  was  required — in  and 
about  1798,  the  collector  making  his 
appearance  sixteen  or  eighteen  times 
in  the  course  of  the  year.  The  Guar- 
dians were  not  so  chary  in  the  matter 
of  out  relief  as  they  a'e  at  present,  for 
in  1795  there  were  at  one  period  2,427 
families  (representing  over  6,000  per- 
sons, ohl  and  young)  receiving  out- 
relief.  What  this  system  (and  bad 
trade)  led  to  at  the  close  of  the  long 
war  is  shown  in  the  returns  for  1816-17, 
when  36  poor  rates  were  levied  in  the 
tw  Ivemonth.  By  various  Acts  of  Par- 
liament, the  Overseers  have  now  t) 
collect  other  rates,  but  the  jiroportion 
required  for  the  poor  is  thus  shown  :  — 


Year,    cs . 


■<o 


O 


=  0^2-3  =  5 


s.  d           £              &             £          & 

1S51  ..4  0..  78,796..  39,573.  .17,824.  .21,399 

1.S61  ..3  6..   S5,936..   33,4t3.  ..S4.Gri5.  .14,878 

!871  ..3  2..  116,268..  44,293.  .37,104.  .34,871 

ISSl  ..4  8.. 198,458. .107,.i20.. 42,880.. 48,058 

The  amounts  paid  over  to  the  Corpora- 
tion inclu'ie  the  borough  rate  and  the 
sums  re(piired  by  the  School  Board,  the 
Free  Libraries,  and  the  Di-trict  Drain- 
age Board.  In  future  years  the  poor- 
rate  (so-called)  will  include,  in  addition 
to  these,  all  other  rates  levyable  by  the 
Corporation.  The  ()oor-ratf\s  are  levied 
half-yearly,  and  in  1848, 1862,  and  1868 
they  amounted  to  5s.  per  year,  the 
lowest  during  the  last  fortv  years  being 
3s.  in  1860  ;  1870,  1871',  and  1872 
being  the  next  lowest,  3s.  2d.  per  year. 
The  number  of  parsons  receiving  relief 
may  be  gathered  from  the  following 
figures  : — 

Highest  No.  Lowest  No. 

Year.  daily  daily. 

1S76      7,687      7,0.58 

1877      8,240      7,377 

187S      S,S77      7,242 

1879       14,651       8,829 

1SS3       : 13,195       7,50(5 

1S81   11,064   7,183 

18S2   9,658   7,462 

1SS3   8,347   7,630 

Not  long  ago  it  was  said  that  among 
the  inmates  of  the  Workhouse  were 
several  women  of  10  to  45  who  had 
spent  all  their  lives  there,  not  even 
knowing  their  way  into  the  town. 

Population.  —  Hutton  "  calcu- 
lated "  tliat  about  the  year  750  there 
would  be  3.000  inhabitants  residing 
in  and  close  to  Birmingham.  Unless 
a  very  rapid  thinning  process  was 
going  on  after  that  date  he  must  have 
been  a  long  way  out  of  his  reckoning, 
for  the  Domesdav  Biok  givei  but  63 
residents  in  108o  for  Birmingham, 
Aston,  and  Edgbaston.  In  1555  we 
find  that  37  baptisms,  15  weddings, 
and  27  deaths  were  registered  at  St. 
Mirtin's,  the  houses  not  being  more 
than  700,  nor  the  occupiers  over  3,500 


248 


SHOWBLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


in  number.  In  1650,  it  is  said,  there 
were  15  streets,  about  900  houses,  and 
5,472  inhabitants.  If  ^,he  writer  who 
made  that  calculation  was  correct,  the 
next  SO  years  must  have  been  "  days 
of  progress  "  indeed,  for  in  1700  tlie 
town  is  said  to  have  included  28 
streets,  about  100  courts  and  alleys, 
2,504  houses,  one  church,  one  chapel, 
and  two  meeting-houses,  with  15,032 
inhabitants.  In  1731  there  were  55 
streets,  about  150  courts  and  alleys, 
3,719  houses,  two  churches,  one  chapel, 
four  Dissenting  meeting-houses,  and 
23,286  inhabitants.  The  remaining 
figures,  being  taken  from  census  re- 
turns and  other  reliable  authorities, 
are  more  satisfactory. 

Year.  Inhabitants.  Houses. 

1741  24,6(50 4,114 

1773 30,804 7,309 

177s 48,252 8,042 

1781 50,295 8,382 

1791  73,053 12,C';i 

1801  78,760 16,659 

1811 85,755 19,096 

1821 106,721 21,345 

1831 142,251 29,397 

1841  182,922 36,238 

1851  232,841 48,894 

1861 296,076 62,70s 

1871 343,787 77,40!t 

1881  400,774 84,263 

The  inhabitants  are  thus  divided  as 
to  sexes  : 

Year.         Males.         Females.      Totals. 
1861  ....143,996  ....152,080  .    ..296,076 

1871 167,636 176,151 3*3,787 

1881  ....194,540  ....206,234  ..  ..400,774 

The  increase  during  the  ten  years  in 
the  several  parts  of  the  borough  shows : 
Part  of 
Birmingham  Edgbaston  Aston  in 

parish.  yiarish.  borongli.  Totals. 
1881  ..  246,352  ..  22,778  ..  131,644  ..  400,774 
1871   ..  231,015  ..  17,442  ..    95,330  ..  343,787 

Increase  15,337  5,33S  36,314  56,987 
These  figures,  however,  are  t  ot  satis- 
factorilv  correct,  as  they  simply  give 
the  totals  for  the  borough,  leaving  out 
manj'  persons  who,  thouirh  residing 
outside  the  boundaries  are  'o  all  intents 
and  purposes  15irniinghatn  people  ;  and 
voluminous  as  census  papers  usually 
are,  it  is  dillicult  from  those  of  1871 
to  arrive  at  the  proper  number,    the 


districts  not  being  subdivided  suffi- 
ciently. Thus,  in  the  following  table, 
Handsworth  includes  Soho  and  Perry 
Barr,  Harborne  parish  includes  Smeth- 
wick,  Balsall  Heath  is  simply  the  Local 
included  district,  while  King's  Norton 
Board  is  Moseley,  Selly  Oak,  &c. 

Places.  Inhabitants. 

Aston  Parish   139,998 

Aston  Manor  33,948 

Balsall  Heath 13,615 

Handsworth    ..  16,042 

Harborne  Parish     22,263 

Harborne  Township  .  5,105 

King's  Norton  Parish    ...  21,845 

Yardley  Parish  5,360 

For  the  census  of  1881,  the  papers 
were  somewhat  differently  arranged, 
and  we  are  enabled  to  get  a  nearer 
approximation,  as  well  as  a  better 
notion  of  the  increase  that  has  taken 
place  in  the  number  of  inhabitants  in 
our  neighbourhood. 

Place.  1871  1881 

Acock's  Green    ...  1,492   ...  2,796 

Aston  Manor      ...  33,948...  53,844 

Aston  Parish      ...  139,993     ..  201,287 

Aston  Union      ...  146,808   ...  209,869 

Balsall  Heath    ...  13,615   ...  22,734 

Birchtield   2,544  ...  3,792 

Castle  Bromwich  689  ...  723 

Erd'ngton 4,883  ...  7,153 

Handsworth       ...  16,042  ...  22,903 

Harborne    5,105  ...  6,433 

King's  Heatli     ...  1,982...  2,984 

King's  Norton  ...  21,845  ...  34,178 
King's       Norton 

Union     ...  96,143 

Knowle       1,371   ...  1,514 

Moseley      2,374  ...  4,224 

Northfield 4,609  ...  7,190 

Olton ..  906 

Perry  Barr 1,683  ...  2,314 

Quinton      2,010  ...  2,145 

Saltley        ...  6,419 

Selly  Oak 2,854  ...  5,089 

Smetliwick 17,158   ...  25,076 

Solihull      3,739  ...  5,301 

Ward  End ...  866 

Water  Orton      ... ...  396 

Witton        182  ...  265 

Yardley      5,360  ...  9,741 


SHOWELLS    DICTIOXARY    OF    BIKMINGHAM. 


249 


The  most  remarkable  increase  of 
poinilation  in  any  of  these  districts  is 
in  the  case  of  A.ston  Manor,  wliere  in 
fifty  years  the  inhabitants  liave  in- 
creased from  le^s  than  one  thousand  to 
considerably  more  than  fifty  thousand. 
In  1831,  there  were  946  :  in  1841,  the 
number  was  2,847  ;  in  1851  it  was 
6,429  :  in  1861  it  reached  16,337  ;  in 
1871  it  had  doubled  to  33,948  ;  in  1881 
there  were  53,844.  Incluiled  among 
the  inhabitants  of  the  borough  in  1881 
there  were 


Females.     Totals. 


859     . 

.     2,147 

3.584 

.     7,072 

7.55 

.     1.667 

1,742     . 

.     3,317 

477     . 

905 

21     . 

50 

Males. 

Foreigners  ....  1,288 

Irish 3,488 

Scotch 912 

Welsh      1,.575 

Colonial   428 

Born  at  sea. ...  29 


Of  the  English-born  subjects  of  Her 
Majesty  here  271.845  were  Warwick- 
shire lails  and  la-ises,  26,625  came  out 
of  Staffordshire,  21,504  from  Worces- 
tershire, 10,158  from  Gloucestershire, 
7,941  from  London,  5,622  from  Slirop- 
shire,  and  4,256  from  Lancashire,  ail 
the  other  counties  being  more  or  less  re- 
presented. The  following  analj'sis  of 
the  occupations  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  borough  is  copied  from  the  Daily 
Post,  and  is  arranged  under  the  groups 
adopted  by  the  Registrar- General  : — • 
Occuiiations  of  Persons. 

Males.  Females.  Total. 

Persons  engaged  in 
general  or  local  gov- 
ernment      ". ...       1,145  79       1,224 

Army  and  navy 307         —         307 

Cleiical  profession 
and  their  subr)idin- 
ates 237         98         335 

Legal  ditto   445         —         445 

Medical  ditto  336       496         832 

Teachers    512     1,395      1,907 

r,iterary  and  scientific  70  4  74 

Engineers  and  sur- 
veyors      Ill  —         111 

Artists,  art-workers 
musicians,  &c 729        398      1,127 

Engaged  in  exliibi- 
tions,  shows,  games, 
&.C 102  17         119 

Domestic  service 1,444  13,875     15,319 

Other  service  176    4,058      4,234 

Commercial  occupa- 
tions        0,172  422     6,594 


Males.  Females.  Total 

Engaged  in  convey- 
ance of  men,  goods, 
and  mes.sages 9,442       1,839  11,231 

Engaged  in  agiicul- 
ture     881  25        906 

Engaged  about  ani- 
mals    771  5       770 

Workers  and  Dealers 
in  Books,  prints, 
and  maps      1,888        428      2,316 

Machines  and  imple- 
ments      11,189     3,385     l'),574 

Houses,  furniture,  an<l 
decorations  12,781    1,209    13,990 

Carnages  and  harness      2,748       466      3,214 

Ships  and  boats 67  —  67 

Chemicals     and     their 

compounds -507        250  757 

Tobacco  and  pipes. .. .  200       351         551 

Food  and  lodging   ... .       8,126    2,121     10,247 

Textile  fabrics 1,229       920      2,149 

Dress 6,894  12,946    19,840 

Various  animil  sub- 
stances          1,431        744       2,175 

Ditto  vegetable  sub- 
stances          2,277     2,237      4,514 

Ditto  mineral  sub- 
stances      36,933    9,582    46,515 

General  or  unspeci- 
fred  commodities....     10,542    2,631     13,1T3 

Refuse  matters   246  18         264 

Without  specified  occu- 
pations       45,691  116,892  162,583 

Children     under     live 

years   28,911    29,133    5S,044 

Total   194,540  200,234  400,774 


The  comparative  population  of  thi.'^ 
and  other  largo  towns  in  England  is 
tluis  "iven  : — 


Lcindoii .... 
Liverpool... 
Birmingham 
Manchester. 
Salford  .... 

Leeds 

Shetlleld  . . 
Bristol  .... 
Bradford  .. 
Nottingham 

Hull   

Newcastle... 
Portsmouth 
Leicester  . . 

Oldham 

Sunderland. 
Brighton  .. 
Norwich  . . 
W'lvrhmptn 
Plymouth. . 


Pop. 
1881. 
3,707,130 
519  834 
400,774 
364.445 
194,077 
326,158 
312,943 
217,185 
203  544 
177,934 
152,981) 
151  822 
136.671 
134,3.50 
119,658 
118,927 
109,062 
86,437 
76,8.50 
7.5,700 


Pop. 

1871. 

3,254.260 

4y3  305 

343,787 

351,139 

124,801 

259,212 

239,9-16 

182,552 

145,850 

86,621 

121,892 

128,443 

113,5f.9 

95,220 

82  629 

98  242 

90,011 

80,386 

68,291 

68.758 


Inc.  Pr  cnt 
of  inc. 
452,870  1389 
56,429  11-35 
.56,893  16-5-' 
13,256 
69,276 


3-70 
564 


66,946  25-81 

72997  30-38 

24,633  13  47 

.57,614  39-50 
91,343105-81 

31.088  25-62 

23,379  17-96 

23,102  20-35 

39,130  41-0.'i 

37,029  45-11 

20,6S5  90-40 

19,051  21-11 

0,051  7-50 

8,569  12-48 

4,942  7-10 


250 


SHOWBLL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


Portugal    House. —See    ''The 

Royal." 

Post  Offices.— Charles  I.    must  be 
credited    with    fuuidiiig    the    present 
Post  Office  system,   as  in  1635  he  com- 
manded that  a   runniiif;    post  or  two 
should  be  settled  "to  nin  night  and 
day  between   London   and  Edinburgh, 
to  go  thither  and  come   back  again  in 
six  days,  and  to  take    with  them  all 
such  letters  as  shall  be  directed  to  any 
post    town    in    or    near    that    road." 
Other  "running  posts"  were  arranged 
to  Exeter  and  Ply  month,  and  to  Chester 
and  Holyhead,  &c.,  and  gradually  all 
the  principal    places    in    the    country 
were  linked  on    to  the  maiH  routes  by 
direct  and  cross  posts.     It  has    often 
been  quoted  as  a  token  of  Hie  insignifi- 
cance of  Birmingham  that  letters  used 
to  be    addressed  "  Birniiugliam,    near 
Walsall  ;"    but  possibly  the   necessity 
of  some  writer  having  to  send  here  by 
a  cross-country  route,  via  Walsall,  will 
explain  the  matter.      That    our   town 
was  not  one  of  the  last  to  be  pro vi  led 
with  mails  is  proved  by  Robert  Girdler, 
a  resident  of  Edgbaston  Street  in  1652, 
being  appointed  the  Government  post- 
mastlir.      Where  the  earlier  post  offices 
were  situated  is  uncertain,  but  one  was 
opened  in  New   Street  Oct.    11,    1783, 
and  it  is   generally   believed   to   hive 
been  the  same  that  existed  for  so  many 
years  at  the  corner  of  Bennett's  Hill. 
As  late  as  1820  there  was  no  Bennett's 
Hill,  for  at  that  time  the  site  opposite 
the  Theatre  was  occupied  (on  the   side 
nearest  to  Temple   Street)    by  a  rick- 
yard,     with    accommodation     for    the 
mailcoaches   and  stabling   for   horses. 
Next  to  this  yard  was  the  residence  of 
Mr.    Gottwaltz,     the    postmaster,    the 
entrance   doorway   being   at   first    the 
only    accommodation   allowed   to   the 
public,  and  if  more  than    four  persons 
attended  at  one  time  the  others  had  to 
stand  in  the  street.     When  Bennett's 
Hill  was  laid   out,  the  post  office  was 
l^liglltlv  altered.  So  as  to  give  a  covered 
approach  on  that  side  to  the  letterbox 
and    window,    the    mailcoaches   bsmg 
provided  and  horsed  by  the  hotelkeepers 


to  whom  the  conveyance  of  the  mails 
was    entrusted,    the     mail-guards,    or 
mail-postmen,   remaining  Government 
officials.     The  next  office  was  opened 
Oct.  10,  1842,  on  premises  very  nearly 
opposite,    and   which     at    one    perio'l 
formed  part  of  the  new  Royal  Hotel. 
The    site    is     now    covered     by     the 
Colonn  de,     the    present    convenient, 
but  not  beautiful,  Central  Post  Office, 
in   I'aradise  Street,  being  opened  Sep. 
28,  1873.     There  are  65  town  receiving 
offices   (52  of  which  are  Money  Order 
Offices  and  Savings'  Banks  and  13  Tele- 
graph Stations),  and  103  pillar  and  wall 
letter-boxes.     Of  sub-offices  in  the  sur- 
rounding districts  there  are  64,  of  which 
more  ilian  half  are  Money  Order  Offices 
or  Telegraph  Offices.     For  the  coniucr 
of  the  Central  Office,  Mr.  S.  Walliker, 
tin;  postmaster,    has  a  staff  numbering 
nearly  300,   of  whom    about   250    are 
letter  carriers  and  sorters.  The  Central 
Postal  Telegraph    Office,     in    Cannon 
Street,   is  open  day  and  night,  and  the  _ 
Central  Post  Office,  in  Paradise  Street, 
from    7   a.m.    to    10    p.m.     On    Sun- 
day   the    latter    office    is    open    only 
from    7  a.m.   to  10    a.m  ,   but  letters 
are    dispatched    by   the    night    mails 
as      on      other      days        The       Head 
Parcels  Post  Office  is  iti  Hill  Street,  on 
the  basement  floor  of  tiie  Central  Post 
Office,  from  which  there  are  four  collec- 
tions and  deliveries  daily. 

Postal    Notes.— In     1748    letters 
were   conveyed    from  here    by   post  on 
six  days  a  week  instead  of  three  as  pre- 
viously.      To    help  pay  the  extra  ex- 
pense it  was  enacted    that   any  person 
sending  letters  by  private  hands  should 
be  liable  to  a  fine  of  £5  for  every  letter. 
—In  1772  a  letter  sent  by    "express" 
post  was  charged  at  the  rate  of  3d.  per 
mile,  with  a  61.  fee  for  each  stage  and 
2s.  6d.  for  the  sending  off".— Mails  for 
tke    Continent    were    made    up    fort- 
nightly, and  once  a  month  for  North 
America  —In  1780,  when  James  Watt 
was  at  Truro  and  Boulton  at  Birming- 
ham, it  took  thirteen  days  for  the  one 
to  write    to    and   get  an  answer  from 
the  other,  and  on  one  _occasion  a  sin- 


SHOWEM.  S    DICTIOXAllY    oK    lUUMIXGUAM. 


251 


f;lc  letter  was  eleven  ilaj's  on  the  road. 
—A  lo(?al  "penny  post "  was  com- 
mence'! Septcnber  4,  1793,  but  there 
was  only  one  delivery  per  day  and  the 
distance  was  confined  to  one  mile  from 
the  office. — The  pcstag.;  on  letters  for 
London  was  reduced  to  7d.,  December 
1,  1796,  but  (and  for  many  years  after) 
if  more  than  one  fiiece  of  pip'r  was 
used  the  cost  was  doubled. — In  1814 
the  postage   of  a  letter  from    here  to 

Warwick  was  7d. — The  system  of 
"franking"  letters  was  aboli<hed  in 
1839.  This  was  a  peculiar  privilege 
which  noblemen,  Members  of  Parlii- 
ment,  and  high  dignitaries  posse.-sed 
of  frc'j  postage  for  all  their  correspon- 
dence, and  verj-  strange  use  they  made 
of  the  privilege  sometimes,  one  in- 
stance being  the  case  of  two  maid- 
servants going  as  laundresses  to  an 
Ambassador  who  were  thus  "  franked  " 
to  their  destination.  This  privilege 
cost  the  Post  office  about  £100,000  a 
year. — The  penny  postige  system  of 
Rowland  Hill  came  into  operation 
January  lOtli,  1840.— In  1841-2  there 
were  only  two  deliveries  ])tr  day 
in  the  centre  of  the  town,  and 
but  one  outside  the  mile  circle, 
an  extra  pen  y  being  charged 
on  letters  po.sted  in  town  for  delivery 
in  the  outer  districts.— The  collection 
of  a  million  postage  stamps  for  the 
Queen's  Hospital  closed  Sep.  5,  1859. — 
Halfpenny  stamps  for  new-pipers 
were  first  used  in  1870. — The  tele- 
graphs were  taken  to  by  the  Post 
Office  in  1876,  the  first  soiree  in 
relebration  thereof  being  held  at 
Bristol  Street  Board  School,  Jan. 
•29,  1877.— The  Inland  Parcels  Post 
came  into  operation  on  August  1, 
1883,  the  numbjr  of  parcels  passing 
through  our  local  office  being  about 
4,000  the  first  daj,  such  trifles  as 
Vieehives,     umbrellas,     shoes,    scj^thes, 

baskets  of  strawberries,  &c. ,  &c. ,  be- 
ing among  them.  The  number  of 
valentines  posted  in  Birmingham  on 
Cupid's  Day  of  1844  was  estimated 
at  125,000  (the  majority  for  local  de- 


livery), being  nbout  20,000  more  than 
ill  the  ])revious  year. 

P0W8P.— That  the  letting  of  mill- 
power  w.uld  bo  a  great  advantage  to 
hundreds  of  the  small  masters  whose  in- 
finitu'le  of  productions  adile<l  so  enor- 
mouslj'  to  the  aggregate  of  our  losal 
trade  was  soon  "twigged"  by  the 
early  owners  of  steam  engines.  The 
first  engine  to  have  extra  shafting  at- 
tached for  this  purpose  was  that  made 
by  Newcomen  for  a  Mr.  Twigg  in 
Water  Street  (the  premis  s  are  covered 
bv  Muntz's  metal  works  now),  who,  in 
1760,  advertised  that  he  iiad  "power 
to  let." 

Presentations. —No  local  anti- 
quarian has  yet  given  us  note  of  the 
first  public  presentation  made  by  the 
inhabitants  of  this  town,  though  to 
the  men  they  have  delighted  to  honour 
they  have  never  been  backward  with 
such  flattering  and  pleasing  tokens  of 
goodwill.  Some  presentations  have 
been  rather  curious,  such  as  gold- 
plated  buttons  and  ornate  slioe buckles 
to  members  of  tlie  Royal  Family  in 
hopes  that  the  patronage  of  those 
individuals  would  lead  to  changes  in 
the  fashion  of  dress,  and  so  influence 
local  trade.  The  gift  of  a  sword  to 
Lord  Nelson,  considering  that  the  said 
sword  had  been  presented  previously  to 
a  volunteer  officer,  was  also  of  this 
nature.  The  Dissenters  of  the  town 
gave  £100  to  the  three  troops  of  Liglit 
Horse  who  first  arrived  to  ipiell  the 
riots  in  1791,  and  a  similar  sum  was 
voted  at  a  town's  meeting  ;  each  officer 
being  presented  witii  a  handsome 
swoid.  Trade  should  have  been  good 
at  the  time,  for  it  is  further  recorded 
that  each  magistrate  received  a  piece 
of  plate  valued  at  one  hundred  guineas, 
— Since  that  date  there  liave  been 
hundreds  of  presentations,  of  greater 
or  lesser  v:»lue,  made  to  doctors  ami 
divines,  soldiers  and  sailors,  theatricals 
and  concert-hall  men,  lavvjers  and 
prizefighters,  with  not  a  few  to  popular 
politicians  and  leading  literary  men 
&c.     Lord  Brougham  (then  plain  Mr. 


252 


SHOWELL  S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


beiug  the  recipient  at  one  time  (July 
7,  1812)  ;  James  Day,  of  the  Coimert 
Hall, atanother(Oct.l, 1878);  the  "Tip- 
ton Slasher  "  was  thus  honoured  early 
in  1865,  while  the  Hon,  and  Very  Rev. 
Grantham  Yorke,  D.D.,  was  "gifted  " 
at  the  latter  end  of  1875.  Among  the 
presentations  of  later  date  liave  been 
those  to  Dr.  Bell  Fletcher,  Mr. 
Ganigee,  Mr.  W.  P.  Goodall,an(i  other 
medical  gentlemen  ;  to  Canon  O'SuHi- 
van,  the  late  Rev.  J.  C.  Barratt,  and 
other  clergymen  ;  to  Mr.  Edwin  Smith, 
secretary  of  Midland  Institute  ;  to  Mr. 
Sclinadhorst  of  the  Liberal  Associa- 
tion ;  to  Mr.  Jesse  CoIIings,  for  having 
upheld  the  right  of  free  speech  by 
turning  out  of  the  Town  Hall  thosj 
who  differed  with  the  speakers  ;  and 
to  Jolin  Bright  in  honour  of  his  having 
represented  the  town  in  Parliament 
for  twenty-five  years. — On  April  30, 
1863,  a  handsome  silver  repousse  table 
was  presented  to  the  Princess  of  Wales 
on  the  occasion  of  her  marriage,  the 
cost,  £1,500,  being  subscribed  by  in- 
habitants of  the  town. 

Price  of  Bread. — At  various  times 
during  the  pretent  century  the  four- 
pound  loaf  has  been  sold  here  as  fol- 
lows :— At  4id.  in  1852  ;  at  7id.  in 
1845;  at  Q^d.  in  June,  1857,  and 
June,  1872  ;  at  lOd.  in  December, 
1855,  June,  1868,  and  Dec<>mber,  1872  ; 
at  lOid.  in  February,  1854,  Decem- 
ber, 1855,  December,  1867,  and  March, 
1868  ,  at  lid.  in  December,  1854, 
June,  1855,  and  June  1856  ;  at  ll^d. 
in  November,  1846,  May  and  Novem- 
ber, 1847,  and  May,  1848  ;  at  Is.  and 
onwards  to  Is.  52d.  in  August,  1812, 
and  again  in  July,  1816  ;  and  ma}' 
God  preserve  the  poor  from  such  times 
again. — See  ^^  Hard  Times." 

Prices  of  Provisions,  &c.— In 

1174,  wheat  and  barh-y  sold  at  "Warwick 
for  2^d.  per  bushel,  hogs  at  Is.  6d.  each, 
cows  (salted  down)  at  2s.  cacli,  and 
salt  at  l|d.  per  bushel.  In  1205  wheat 
was  worth  12  pence  per  bushel,  which 
was  cheap,  as  there  had  been  some 
years  of  famine  previous  thereto.     In 


]  390  wheat  was  sold  at  13d.  per  bushel, 
so  high  a  price  that  historians  say  there 
was  a  "dearth  of  corn  "  at  that  period. 
From  accounts  preserved  of  the  sums 
expended  at  sundry  ptiblic  feasts  at 
Coventry  (Anno  1452  to  1464)  we  find 
that  2s.  3d.  was  paid  foi  18  gallons  of 
ale,  2s.  6d.  for  9  geese,  5d.  for  2  lambs, 
5d.  lor  a  calf,  lOd.  for  9  chickens,  3d. 
for  a  shoulder  of  mutton.  Is.  3d.  for 
46  pigeons,  8d.  for  a  strike  of  wheat 
and  grimiing  it,  &c.  An  Act  of  Parlia- 
ment (24,  Henry  VIII.)  was  passed  in 
1513  that  beef  and  poik  should  be  sold 
at  a  half-penny  per  pound.  In  1603  it 
was  ordered  tliat  one  quart  of  best  ale, 
or  two  of  small,  should  be  sold  for  one 
penny.  In  1682  the  prices  of  provisions 
were,  a  fowl  Is.,  a  chicken  5d. ,  a  rabbit 
7d.  ;  eggs  three  for  Id.  ;  best  fresh 
butter,  6d.  per  lb.  ;  ditto  salt  butter, 
Sgd.  ;  mutton  Is.  4J.  per  stone  of  81b  i 
beef,  Is.  6d.  per  stone  ;  lump  sugar. 
Is.  per  lb.  ;  candles,  3^d.  per  lb.  ; 
coals,  6d.  per  sack  of  4  bushels  ; 
ditto  charcoal,  is.  2d.  best,  8d.  the 
smallest.  Wheat  averaged  50s.  per 
quarter,  but  the  greatest  part  of  the 
population  lived  almost  entirely  on  rye,, 
barley,  oats,  and  pe'^s.  Cottages  in 
tlie  country  were  let  at  about  20s.  per 
annum.  In  16S4  a  pair  of  shoes  cost  3s. 
6d.  :  a  pair  of  stocking.*,  Is.  4d.  ;  two 
shirts,  5s.  4d.  ;  leither  breeches,  2s.  ;. 
coat,  waistcoat,  and  breeclies,  I6s.  ;  a 
coffin,  5s.  ;  a  shroud  and  a  grave  for  a 
poor  man,  3-i.  lOd.  In  November,  1799, 
the  quartern  loaf  was  sold  in  London, at 
Is.  lO^d.  and  in  this  town  at  Is.  4d. , 
the  farmers  coming  here  to  market 
having  to  be  protected  by  constables 
for  months  togetlicr. 

Priory. — History  gives  us  very 
little  information  respecting  the  Hos- 
pital or  Priory  of  St.  Tliomas  the 
Apostle  [See  "  Old  Square  "]  and  still 
less  as  the  Church  or  Chapel  of  St. 
Thomas  the  Martyr.  The  site  of  the 
Priory  was  most  probably  where  the 
Old  Square  was  laid  out,  though  dur- 
ing the  many  alterations  that  have 
latterly  been  made  not  a  single  stone 
has  been  discovered  to  prove  it  so.      A 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


253 


few  bones  were  found  during  tlie 
months  of  Aug.  and  Sept.,  1884, 
and  it  is  said  tliat  manj'  years  back  a 
(juantity  of  similar  remains  were 
ilisjovercd  while  cellars  w  re  being 
made  under  some  of  the  houses  in 
Bull  Street,  and  one  late  writer  speaks 
of  c-jllars  or  crypts,  which  were  hastily 
built  up  again.  From  these  few  traces 
it  is  not  unlikely  that  tlie  Chapel 
existed  somewhere  between  the 
Minories  and  Steelhouse  Lane, 
monkish  chants  probably  resounding 
where  now  tue  members  of  the  Societ}' 
of  Friends  sit  in  silent  prayer.  Ancient 
records  tell  us  that  in  1285  three  per- 
sons (William  of  Birmingham,  Thomas 
of  Maidenhacche,anii  Rauulphof  Rug- 
by) gave  23  acres  of  land  at  Aston  and 
Saltley  (then  spelt  Saluteleye)  for  the 
"endowment"  of  the  Hospital  of  St. 
Thomas  the  Apostle,  but  that  lather 
goes  to  prove  the  previous  existence  of 
a  religious  edifice  instead  of  liating  its 
foundation.  In  1310  the  Lord  ot  Bir- 
miugham  gave  an  ad  itional  22  acres, 
and  many  others  added  largely  at  the 
time,  a  full  list  of  these  donors  Ijeing 
given  in  Toulmin  Smith's  "  ilemorials 
of  old  Birmingham."  In  1350, 
70  acres  in  Birmingham  parish  and 
30  acres  in  Aston  were  added  to  the 
possessions  of  the  Priory,  which  by 
1547,  when  all  were  confiscated,  must 
have  become  of  great  value.  The  prin- 
cipal porcioiis  of  the  Priory  lands  in 
Aston  and  Saltley  went  to  enrich  the 
Holte  family,  one  (if  not  the  chief) 
recipient  being  the  brother-in-law  of 
Sir  Thomas  Holte  ;  but  the  grounds 
and  land  surrounding  the  Priory  and 
Chapel  appear  to  have  been  gradually 
sold  to  others,  the  Smallbroke  family 
acquiring  the  chief  pan.  The  ru'ns  of 
the  old  buildings  doubtless  formed  a 
public  stonequarry  for  the  builders  of 
the  17th  century,  as  even  Hutton  can 
speak  of  but  few  relics  bein^  left  in  his 
time,  and  those  he  carefully  made  use 
of  himself !  From  the  mention  in  an 
old  deed  of  an  ancient  well  called  the 
"  Scitewell  "  (probably  Saints'  Well "), 
the  Priory  grounds  seem  to  have  ex- 


tended along  Dale  End  to  the  Butts 
(Stafford  Street),  where  the  water  was 
sufficiently  abundant  to  require  a 
bridge.  It  was  originally  intended  to 
have  a  highly-respectable  street  in  the 
neighbourhood  named  St.  Thomas 
Street,  after  the  name  of  the  old 
Priory,  a  like  proviso  being  made  when 
John  Street  was  laid  out  for  building. 
PpiSOnS. — Before  the  incorporation 
of  the  borough  all  offenders  in  the 
Manor  of  Aston  were  confined  in 
Bordesley  Prison,  otherwise  "'Tarte's 
Hole"  (I'rom  the  name  of  one  of  the 
keepers),  situate  in  High  Street, 
Bordesley.  It  was  classed  in  1802  as 
one  of  the  worst  gaols  in  the  kingdom. 
The  prison  was  in  the  backyard  of  the 
keeper's  house,  and  it  comprised  two 
dark,  damp  dungeons,  twelve  feet  by 
seven  feet,  to  which  access  was  gained 
through  a  trapdoor,  L'vel  with  the 
yard,  and  down  ten  steps.  The  only 
light  or  air  that  could  reach  these  cells 
(which  sometimes  were  an  inch  deep  in 
water)  was  through  a  single  iron-grated 
aperture  about  a  foot  square.  For 
petty  offenders,  runaway  apprentices, 
and  disobedient  servants,  tliere  were 
two  other  rooms,  opening  into  the 
yard,  each  about  twelve  feet  square. 
Prisoners'  allowance  was  4d.  per 
day  and  a  rug  to  cover  them  at 
night  on  their  straw.  In  180D  the  use 
of  the  underground  rooms  was  put  a 
stop  to,  and  the  churchwardens  allowed 
the  prisoners  a  shilling  per  day  for  sus- 
tenance. Those  sentenced  to  the  stocks 
or  to  be  whipped  received  their  punish- 
ments in  the  street  oppo.site  the 
prison,  and,  if  committed  for  trial, 
were  put  in  leg- irons  until  called 
for  by  '■  the  runners."  The  place 
was  used  as  a  lock-up  for  some 
time  after  the  incorporation,  and 
the  old  irons  were  kept  on  show  for 
years. — The  old  Debtors'  Prison  in 
1802  was  in  Philip  Street,  in  a  little 
back  courtyard,  not  fourteen  feet 
square,  and  it  consisted  of  one  damp, 
dirty  dungeon,  ten  feet  by  eleven  feet, 
at  the  bottom  of  a  descent  of  seven 
steps,  with  a  sleeping-room,  about  same 


•251 


SFIOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHA.M. 


size,  over  it.  In  these  rooms  mile  and 
female  alike  were  confined,  at  one  time 
to  the  number  of  fifteen  ;  each  being 
allowed  3d.  per  day  by  their  parishes, 
and  a  little  straw  on  the  floor  at  night 
for  bedding,  unless  they  chose  to  pay 
the  keeper  2s.  a  week  lor  a  bed  in  his 
house.  In  1809  the  debtors  were  re- 
moved to  the  Old  Court  Hou.se 
[See  '^  Court  of  Jlequests'^],  where 
the  sleeping  arrangements  were  of  a 
better  character.  Howard,  the  "Prison 
Philanthropist,"  visited  the  Philip 
Street  prison  in  1782,  when  he  found 
that  the  prisoners  were  not  allowed  to 
do  any  work,  enforced  idleness  (as  well 
as  semi-starvation)  being  part  of  the 
punishment.  He  mentions  the  case  of 
a  shoemaker  who  was  incarcerated  for 
a  debt  of  Los.,  vvhich  the  keeper  of  the 
prison  had  to  pay  through  kindly 
allowing  the  man  to  finish  some  work 
he  had  begun  before  being  locked  up. 
In  these  enlightened  days  no  man  is 
imprisoned  for  owing  money,  but  only 
because  he  does  not  pay  it  when  told 
to  do  so. — See  also  '^  Dunrjeoii"  and 
"  Gaols." 

Privateenng".— Most  likely  there 
was  s  >me  truth  in  the  statement  that 
chains  and  shackles  were  made  liere 
for  the  slave-ships  of  former  days,  and 
froui  the  following  letter  written  to 
Mattliew  Boulton  in  October,  1778, 
there  can  be  little  doubt  but  that  he 
at  least  had  a  share  in  some  of  the 
privateering  exploits  of  the  time, 
though  living  so  far  from  a  seaport : — 
'•  One  of  tlie  vessels  our  little  brig 
took  last  year  was  fitted  out  at  New 
York,  and  in  a  cruise  of  thirteen  weeks 
has  taken  thirteen  piizes,  twelve  of 
which  are  carried  safe  in,  and  we  have 
advice  of  200  hogsheads  of  tobacco 
being  shipued  as  part  of  the  prizes, 
vvhich  if  now  here  would  fetch  us 
£10,000,"  &c. 

Progress   of  .the  Town.— Tiie 

Borougli  Surveyor  favours  us  yearly 
with  statistics  giving  the  number  of 
new  buildings  erected,  or  for  which 
]<iiins  have  been  approved,  and  to  show 


liow  rapidly  the  town  is  [)rogressing  in 
extent,  we  give  a  few  of  the  figures. 
The  year  1854  is  memorable  in  the 
building  trade,  as  there  were  2,219 
new  houses  erected,  the  .iverage  for 
years  after  not  being  1,000.  In  1861 
the  numberw.isbut952;  in  1862,  1,350: 
in  1863,  1,694;  in  1864,  1,419;  in 
1865,  1,036  ;  in  186G,  1,411  ;  in  1867. 
1,408  ;  in  1868,  1,548  ;  in  1869, 1,709  ; 
in  1870,  1,324;  in  1871,  1.076;  in 
1872,  1,265  ;  in  1873,  993.  The  build- 
ing report  for  the  last  ten  years  is 
thus  tabulated  :  — 

CO      |QO(N>-li-H  COl^C 

CO    I  c<3  t-—  a>  >i 

00       I     OS  r 


1 

1 

O 

■-1  in 

O  (N 
r-l  <N 

^ 

■^ 

^O  o 

OJ  03 

CO 

-o 

CO 

a>  CD 

ul 

to 

o 

CO  (M 

<N 

o 

00 

00  1^ 

— '  i-<  CM  Ci  CO  (M  t^ 


a..a^^ 


t^    3    O 
5   O   2 


—     X     d     3     cfi     0) 
OS  ^     ^  ^     03 


o  ^  ^   u     - 

WoomS 


^< 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


255 


Under  the  heading  of  "  Miscellaneous  " 
are  included  such  erections  as  libraries, 
public  halls,  clubs,  arcades,  slaughter- 
liouses,  cowsheds,  and  all  otlier  neces- 
sary and  useful  buildings  a})pertaiuing 
to  human  hives,  but  which  need  not  be 
particularised. 

Probate.— The  Probate  Registry 
Office  is  at  No.  15,  Old  Scjuare. 

Promenades  —When  Corporation 
Street  is  tiiiished,  and  its  pathways 
nicely  shaded  with  green-leaved  trees, 
it  wiil  doubtless  be  not  only  the  chief 
business  street  of  the  town,  but  also 
the  most  po{)uIar  promenade.  At 
present  tlie  gay  votaries  of  dress  and 
fashion  piiucipaliy  lioiiour  New  Street, 
especially  on  Saturday  mornings. 
Hagley  Road,  on  Sunday  evenings,  is 
particularly  affected  by  some  as  their 
favourite  promenade. 

Proof  House— The  foundation 
stone  of  the  I'roof  House,  Banbury 
Street,  was  laid  October  4th,  1813, 
the  yearly  nun. bar  of  gun,  rifle,  and 
pistol  barrels  proved  at  the  establish- 
ment averages  over  half  a  million. — • 
See   "  Trades  " 

Property.— The  Birmingham  Pro- 
perty Owners*  and  Ratepayers'  Pro- 
tection Association  was  formed  in  May, 
1872.  Out  of  70,000  separate  assess- 
ments the  owners  pay  the  rates  in  more 
than  50.000  cases. 

Provident  Dispensaries.  —  See 

"  Dispensaries." 

Provident  Societies.  —  See 

"  Friend  I  y,  B'liivolent,  and  Provident 
Listitutioiis." 

Provincialisms.  —Like  the  inhab- 
itants of  most  other  parts  of  the  country 
Birmingham  people  are  not  without 
their  peculiarities  of  speech,  not  so 
strongly  characterised  perhaps  as  those 
ofthe  good  folksofSomeisetshire,  ore  veil 
some  of  our  neiglibours  in  the  Black 
Country,  but  still  noticeable.  For  in- 
stance, few  workmen  will  take  a 
holiday  ;  they  prefer  a  "day's  out" 
or  "play."     They  will   not  let  go  or 


abandon  anything,  but  they  "loose" 
it.  They  do  not  tell  you  to  remove, 
but"b'  off.'  They  prefer  to  "pay 
at  twice"  in  lieu  of  in  two 
instalinents.  Tlie  use  of  the  word 
"  her  "  in  place  of  "  she  "  is  very  com- 
mon, as  well  as  the  curious  term  "just 
now,"  for  an  indefinite  time  to  come, 
as^"Her'll  do  it  just  now,"  instead  of 
'■  Slic  will  do  it  soon."  lu  vulvar 
parlance  this  oAi  is  not  your 
own  or  our  own,  but  "yourn" 
or  "ourn,"  or  it  may  be  "hisn" 
or  "hern."  la  pronunciation  as 
well,  though  perhaps  not  so  markedly, 
our  people  are  sometimes  peculia'r, 
as  wiien  they  ask  for  a  "stahmp"  or 
put  out  their  "  tong,"  &c.  ,  stres 
being  of  en  laid  also  on  the  word 
"and,"  as  well  as  upon  svllables 
not  requiring  it,  as  dictionary,'  volun- 
tcers,  &c. 

Public    Building-s.— The    Guild 

Hall,  m  New  Street,  and  the  Round- 
about House  iu  High  Street  were  at  one 
time  the  only  public  buildings  in  the 
town,  besides  the  Parish  Church,  the 
Lockup-,  and  the  Pinfold.  The  Market 
Cross,  Public  Office,  Workhouse,  &c., 
came  after,  and  it  is  onlv  of  late  years 
we  have  been  able  to  boast  of  Town 
Hall,  Market  Hall,  Parish  Office 
Council  House  and  all  the  other 
establisliments  so  necessary  to  the 
dignity  of  a  town  ranking  as  third  lar- 
gest iu  the  Kingdom.  TJie  huge  piles 
that  have  been  er  cted  during  the  last 
dozen  yezrs  or  so  are  of  so  varied  a 
character  that  it  becomes  somewhat 
difficult  to  draw  a  line  between  those 
which  are  strictly  of  a  private  nature 
and  the  so-called  "public"  buildings  ; 
under  which  heading  p  rhaps  even 
Railway  Stations,  Banks,  and  Theatres 
might  properly  come.  Tlie  following 
are  some  of  the  chief  edifices  not  noted 
elsewhere  :  — 

Cuimhj  Court  —  The  now  County 
Court,  at  the  corner  of  Corporation 
Street  and  Newton  Street,  v,-as  erected 
from  the  plans  of  Mr.  J.  Williams  at  a 
cost  of  about  £20,000.  It  is  built  of 
Hollington  Stone,    in    Italian     style, 


256 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


though,  like  that  other  Government- 
built  edifice,  the  new  Post  Oliice,  it  is 
of  too  heavy  an  appearance.  Tlie  two 
entrances  for  the  general  public  are  in 
Newton  Street,  the  Registrar's  and 
principal  Courts  being  on  the  first 
floor,  though  neither  are  near  large 
enough  for  the  business  intended  to  be 
practised  therein.  The  entrance  to 
the  Judge's  rooms  is  in  Corporation 
Street,  undtr  a  ])ortico  with  Doric 
columns. 

Drill  Hall. — In  1880  a  company  was 
formed,  with  a  capital  of  £5,000  in 
£20  shares,  for  tlie  purpose  of  building 
a  Drill  Hall  and  suitable  head-quarters 
for  the  local  Volunteers.  A  site  in 
Thorpe  Street,  containiny  2,287  square 
yards,  was  taken  on  lease  for  99  years 
at  £100  r'intal,  and  very  suitaVde  pre- 
mises have  been  erected,  the  frontage 
to  the  street  (183  ft.)  allowing  the 
formation  of  a  lofty  drill  hall,  180  ft. 
long  by  85  ft.  wide,  at  the  rear  of  the 
usual  and  useful  offices  and  rooms 
required.  The  latter  comprise  on  the 
ground  floor  an  orderly  room  and 
strong  room,  sergeant-majoi's  office, 
armoury,  clothing  store,  non-commis- 
sioned officers'  room,  privates'  meeting 
room,  sergeant-major's  and  staff-ser- 
geant's quarters,  and  stables.  On  the 
first  floor  there  are  an  officers'  meeting 
room,  a  sergeants'  meeting  room,  long 
galleries,  &c.  ;  the  whole  building 
being  characteristically  laid  out  for 
military  purposes. 

Fire  Engine  Stations. — The  Cen- 
tral Fire  Brigade  Station,  which  is 
in  telephonic  communication  with  all 
the  police  stations,  the  theatres,  vari- 
ous public  buildings,  and  chief  manu- 
factories, is  situated  in  the  Upper 
Priory,  between  the  Old  Square  and 
Steelhouse  Lane,  and  is  easily  distin- 
guishable by  the  large  red  lamp  outside 
its  gate.  "There  are  here  kept  ready  for 
instant  use  three  manual  and  one 
steam  engine,  the  latter  being  capable 
of  throwing  450  gallons  of  water  per 
minute  to  a  height  of  120  feet,  the 
other  also  being  good  specimens  of 
their  class.     Each  manual   engine  has 


on  board  its  complement  of  hose, 
branches  (the  brass  pipes  through 
which  the  water  leaves  the  hose), 
stand-pipes  for  connecting  the  hose 
with  the  water  mains),  &c. ,  while  at 
its  side  hang  scaling-ladders,  in  sec- 
tions which  can  readily  be  fitted  to- 
gether to  reach  a  considerable  height. 
The  engine-house  also  contains  a  tender 
to  the  steam  machine,  a  horse  hose- 
cart,  a  hand  hose-cart,  and  a  number  of 
portable  hand-pumps.  It  is  with  these 
hand-pumps  that  the  majority  of  the 
fires  in  Birmingham  are  e.ttinguished, 
and  one  of  them  forms  a  portion  of  the 
load  of  every  engine.  Several  canvas 
buckets,  which  flatten  into  an  incon- 
ceivably small  space,  are  also  taken 
by  means  of  which,  either  by  carrying 
or  by  passing  from  hand  to  hand,  the 
reservoirs  of  the  pump  can  be  kept 
filled,  and  a  jet  of  water  be  made  avail- 
able where,  perhaps,  it  would  be  diffi- 
cult or  inipossi  le  to  bring  hose.  The 
hose  kept  at  the  station  amounts  to  a 
total  length  of  2,487^  yards,  of  which 
about  1,700  yards  is  always  kept  on 
the  engines,  hose-carts,  tender,  and  fire 
escapes  ready  for  instant  use.  The  re- 
mainder forms  a  reserve  to  allow 
for  repairs,  drying,  &c.  Between 
the  engine-house  and  the  street 
is  a  commodious  house  for  the 
assistant  -  superintendent,  with  a 
very  pleasant  yard  on  the  roof  of  the 
engine-house.  Adjoining  the  engine- 
house  on  the  other  side,  is  the  stable, 
where  five  splendid  horses  are  kept. 
In  the  yard  stand  three  fire-escapes, 
each  fitted  with  a  box  containing  hose, 
stand-pipes  and  branches,  so  that  it 
may  be  utilised  for  extinguishing  fires 
independent  of  the  engines.  The  total 
strength  of  the  brigade  is  twenty-five, 
including  the  superintendent  (Mr.  A. 
R.  Tozer),  the  assistant  superintendent 
Mr.  J.  Tiviotdale),  two  engineers,  and 
an  assistant  engineer.  Eighteen  of  the 
brigade  reside  at  the  central  station, 
the  others  being  quartered  at  the  seven 
divisional  police  stations  and  at  the 
fire  station  in  Bristol  Street  (opposite 
the  Bell  Inn),  at  each  of  which  places 


SUOWELLS    DIOTIONAllY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


257 


are  kept  an  escape,  or  an  hose-cart,  and 
one  or  two  liaud-pnmps  with  .  the 
needful  hose  and  appliances.  The 
cost  of  the  buildings  in  tlie  Upper 
Priory,  including  the  site  (1,500  square 
j'ards  at  seven  guineas  per  yard),  was 
about  £20,000,  there  being  in  addition 
to  the  offices  and  stables,  a  waiting- 
room  (in  wliich  two  men  are  on  duty 
night  and  day),  a  drill  ground  153  ft. 
long  by  40  fc.  wide,  an  engine-room  large 
enough  for  six  engines,  good-sized 
recreation  rooms,  baths,  &;c.  The 
residences  are  erected  upon  the  "flat" 
system,  and  have  a  special  interest  in 
the  fact  that  they  constitute  the  first 
important  introduction  of  that  style  of 
building  in  Rirmingham.  The  advan- 
tages and  the  drawbacks,  if  any,  of 
the  system  may  here  be  seen  and  judged 
of  by  all  who  are  intarested  in  the 
matter.  On  the  ground  floor  there  are 
three  residences,  each  having  a  living 
room,  which  may  be  used  as  a  kitclien 
and  two  l>ed  rooms  adjoining.  A  semi- 
circular op  u  staircase  gives  access  to 
the  flats,  and  on  the  first  floor  there 
are  four  residences,  one  being  formed 
over  the  firemen'^  waiting  room  and 
office.  On  this  floor  additional  bed 
rooms  are  provided  for  men  with  fami- 
lies requiring  them  ;  and  the  second 
floor  is  a  reproduction  of  the  first.  On 
the  top  of  all  there  is  a  flat  upon  which 
ate  erected  five  wash-houses,  the  re- 
mainder of  the  space  being  used  as  a 
drying  ground  or  play  ground  for 
children,  the  whole  enclosed  with 
iron  palisades.  In  the  basement  there 
is  a  lock-up  cellar  for  each  of  the  resi- 
dences. 

Fisk  Market.  — A  rather  plain-looking 
ert  ction,  of  the  open-shed  style  of  ar- 
chitecture was  put  up  at  the  corner  of 
Bell  Street  in  1870.  the  foundation 
stone  being  laid  July  14.  It  has  since 
been  enlar<;ed,  and  is  now  much  more 
ornamental  as  well  as  being  useful. 
The  estimated  cost  of  the  alterations 
is  put  at  £16,000  including  fittings. 
The  original  area  was  only  715  square 
yards,  but  to  that  has  been  added  909 
square  yards,  and  Bell  Street  (to  which 


it  will  have  a  frontage  of  240  feet), 
wliich  will  be  widened  to  16  yards,  is 
to  be  covered  witli  iron  and  glass  roof, 
Lsase  Line  is  also  to  bj  widened  for 
access  to  the  market. 

Lincoln  s  Ian.  —This  is  a  huge  block 
of  officios  erected  in  Corporation  Street, 
opposite  the  County  C mrt,  in  1883,  and 
which,  like  its  London  namesake,  is  in- 
tended for  the  aceo  mnodation  of  solici- 
tors,accountants,  andother  professional 
gentlemen.  There  are  a  number  of 
suites  of  offices  surrounding  an  inner 
court  (66ft.  by  60rt.),  with' from  two 
to  eight  rooms  each,  the  street  fron- 
tages in  Corporation  Street  and  Dalton 
Street  being  fitted  as  shops,  while  there 
is  a  large  room  under  the  court  (48ft. 
by  42ft.)  suita^de  for  a  sale  room  or 
other  ))urpose.  The  otttside  appearance 
of  the  block  is  very  striking,  having  a 
large  entrance  gateway  with  a  circular 
bay  window  over  it,  surmounted  by  a 
lofty  tower.  The  tower  has  four  clock 
faces,  pinnacles  at  the  angles,  and 
a  steep  slate  roof,  and  is  120  feet  high. 
There  are  also  two  fl inking  towers,  at 
the  extreme  •  nds  of  the  fiont.  These 
have  cant>;d  bay  windows  below  them, 
and  their  pediments  are  surmounted 
by  figures  representing  Mercury  and 
Atlnene.  The  space  on  each  side  be- 
tween the  central  and  the  flanking 
tower  is  divided  into  tliree  bays,  hav- 
ing orn:imental  dormers  above  them, 
anil  being  divided  by  n dies,  which 
will  serve  to  hold  allegorical  figures  of 
the  arts.  The  wimlowsare  ornamented 
by  tracery,  and  the  fagade  is  enriched 
by  a  free  use  of  carving.  The  architect 
is  Jlr.  W.  H.  Ward,'  and  the  cost  of 
ti;e  ].ile  about  £22,000. 

Market  Hall. — The  foundation  stone 
was  laid  Feb.  28,  1833,  ana  it  was 
opened  for  business  Feb.  14,  1835. 
The  building,  which  is  constructed  of 
freestone,  from  the  dt^signs  of  Mr. 
Edge,  cost  about  £30, 000,  though  con- 
siderable sums  have  since  beju  spent 
on  it.  The  b.rge  vaults  constructed 
under  the  Hall  in  1875  cost  about 
£4,000.  It  contains  an  area  of  39,411 
square  feet,   being  365  feet  long,  108 


2S8 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


feet  broad,  and  60  feet  liigh,  and  was 
originally  planned  to  give  stall-room 
for  600  dealers.  The  liquor  shop, 
house,  and  vaults  beneath,  at  corner  of 
Bell  Street, were  let  on  lease  hy  auction 
(Nov.  1833)  for  100  years,  for  the  sum 
of  £5,400  and  a  20s.  yearly  rental.  lu 
1876  the  Corporation  gave  £15,000  to 
resume  possession,  afterwards  reletting 
the  premises  at  £800  a  year,  with  a 
further  £100  for  the  vaults.  The  Street 
Commissioners,  when  reiiring  from 
office,  placed  in  the  centre  of  the  Hall 
a  fountain  of  very  appropriate  design 
(uncovered  Dec.  24,  1851),  and  orna- 
mented with  hronze  figures  character- 
istic of  Birriiingham  manufactures,  but 
which  has  been  I'emoved  to  Highgate 
Park.  A  clock  was  put  above  the  spot 
where  the  fountain  stood,  in  April, 
1852,  which  cost  £60.— A  Market  Hall 
was  erected  in  Prospect  Row  in  1837, 
but  was  very  little  used  as  such.  A 
few  years  back  it  was  partly  turned 
nto  a  depSt  for  Ameiiean  meat,  but  is 
now  simply  used  for  warehouses. 

Masonic  Hall. — Tlie  fiist  stone  of 
this  building,  situated  at  t!ie  corner  of 
New  Street  and  Ethel  Street,  was  laid 
Sept.  30,  1865,  the  ceremony  of 
dedication  taking  place  Amil  26th, 
1870. 

Munici2)al  Buildings.  — The  advance- 
ment of  the  town  in  trade  and  pros- 
perity, population,  and  wealch,  made 
it  necessary  years  ago  lor  our  local 
governors  to  lnok  out  for  a  central  spot 
on  which  could  be  gathered  the  many 
offices  and  officers  a[>pertaining  to  the 
Corporation  of  a  large  town  like  Bir- 
mingham. They  were  fortunate  in 
being  able  (in  1851)  to  secure  so  eligible 
a  site,  in  such  a  central  position,  and 
with  such  commanding  elevation,  as 
the  one  at  the  corner  of  Ann  Street  and 
Congreve  Street,  though  at  first  glance 
the  acquisition  would  appear  to  have 
been  a  costly  one.  The  price  of  the 
land  and  reversion  thereto  was  £39,525, 
but  (luring  the  years  that  elapsed  before 
the  ground  was  cleared  ready  for  build- 
ing (1872)  the  interest  brought  that 
sum  up  to  nearly  £70,000.     Tlie  total 


area  was  11,540  square  yards,  of  which 
4,455  square  yards  were  tlirowu  into 
the  streets.  Thus,  though  the  original 
price  was  but  68s.  6d.  per  yard,  by  the 
time  the  buildings  were  erected  the 
actual  site  i;ost  over  £9  per  j^ard.  The 
plans  were  apjn-oved  Feb.  11,  1873, 
the  contract  for  building  being  £84,120, 
but  during  tlie  course  of  erection  many 
important  additions  and  altera^-ions 
were  ma  le  to  the  original  plans,  raising 
the  cost  to  £144,743.  Part  of  the 
ground  was  originally  intended  to  be 
covered  with  Assize  Courts,  but  have 
been  devuted  to  the  erection  of  a  mag- 
nificent Art  Gallery,  &c.,  so  that  more 
than  a  quarter  million  sterling  will 
ultimately  have  been  spent  on  the 
spot.  The  foundation  stone  was  laid  by 
the  then  Mayor,  Mr.  Joseph  Chamber- 
lain, June  17,  1874,  and  the  erection 
took  about  five  years,  the  "hoard- 
ing" being  removed  July  18,  1879. 
The  design  of  the  Municipal  Budd- 
ings is  essentially  classical,  but  not  of 
any  particular  style,  Mr.  Yeoville 
Thomasson,  tho  architect,  having  given 
free  rein  to  liis  ou'n  conceptions  of 
what  was  requhed  in  a  modern  erec- 
tion of  ihn  nature  of  a  local  Parliament 
House.  The  south,  or  principal  front 
(to  Ann  Street),  has  a  length  of  296 
feet,  the  frontage  to  Congreve  Street  is 
122  feet,  and  that  to  Eden  Place  is  153 
feet.  From  the  ground  to  the  top  of  the 
main  cornice  the  height  is  65  feet;  the 
pediment  over  the  central  entrance  is 
90  feet  high  ;  the  stone  cornice  of  the 
dome  114  feet  ;  and  the  top  of  the 
fiuial  162  feet,  tlie  dome  rising  behind 
the  central  pediment  from  the  main 
staircase.  Looked  at  from  a  distance, 
the  features  of  the  building  that  at 
first  strike  the  spectator  are  tiie  carved 
groiqjs  of  lite-sized  tigures  in  the  six 
pediments.  Tiie  Ann  Street  and  Con- 
greve Street  frontages  have  a  pediment 
at  each  end,  of  semicircular  shape,  and 
the  E'ieu  Place  frontage  has  one  at  the 
end  where  it  joins  tlie  principal  front. 
The  pediment  in  the  centre  of  the 
south  front  is  triangular  in  shape,  and 
contains  a  group  ol  sculptured  figures 


8H0WBLLS    DICTIONAUY    OF    BIKMINGHAM. 


2n9 


representing  "  Britannia  rewarding  the 
Birmingliain  manufacturers."  In  tlie 
other  pediments  the  groups  represent 
Manufacture,  Commerce,  Literature, 
Art,  and  Science.  Under  the  central 
pediment,  and  witiiin  a  semicircular 
arch  over  the  central  entrance,  is  a 
large  and  beautiful  figure-subject 
in  mosaic,  executed  by  Alessrs.  Sal- 
viati  and  Co.,  of  London.  Be- 
sides the  central  entrance,  whicii  is 
reached  through  a  portico  supported  by 
square  and  round  columns,  and  is  re- 
served for  the  use  of  the  Town  Council 
and  state  occasion^,  there  are  four  en- 
trances to  the  building,  one  at  each  end 
of  the  [)rincipal  fiout,  one  in  Eden 
Place,  and  the  other  witliin  the  gate- 
way wliich  runs  tlirough  the  Congreve 
Street  wing  into  the  courtyard  at  the 
back.  By  the  last-mentioned  stair- 
case access  is  obtained  by  the  general 
public  to  the  Council  Chamber.  The 
building  contains  9i  rooms  of  various 
sizes,  three  of  the  largest  devoted  to 
occasions  of  ceremony,  and  the  rest  to 
the  Uies  of  the  dilfeient  departments  of 
the  Corporation  work.  The  central  of 
the  three  reception  rooms  is  30  feet 
square,  and  is  divided  from  the  other 
two  by  an  open  screen  of  marble 
columns,  both  rooms  being  64ft.  by 
30ft.  The  Co  ajcil  Chamber  is  39ft. 
wide  and,  including  the  gallery  for 
spectators,  is  48ft.  long,  the  fittings 
and  furniture  being  of  the  most  sub- 
stantial character  as  well  as  ornamen- 
tal. In  various  parts  of  the  building 
accommodation  has  been  found  for  the 
Town  Clerk,  the  Borough  Treasurer, 
Surveyor,  Analyst,  Ciiief  Constable, 
and  every  other  department  of  Cor- 
poration work.  The  turnishing  of  the 
Council  Ciiamber  and  the  other  parts 
of  the  ]\Iunicif)al  Buildings  amounted 
to  £15,603,  the  laying  in  of  the  gas 
and  water  services  being  £2,418 
additional. 

Odd-Fclluivs  Hall. — Before  the  New 
Street  Railway  Station  was  '.rected 
there  was  an  Odd-Fellows'  Hall  in 
King  Street.  The  first  stone  of  the 
present    building    in    Upper    Temple 


Street  was  laid  early  in  1849,  the  open- 
ing ceremony  taking  place  Dec.  3 
same  year.  The  princiiial  room  or 
"hall"  will  accoiiniiodate  about  1,000 
persons,  the  remaining  portion  of  the 
premises  being  let  olf  in  offices. 

Parish  Offices. — The  meeting-place 
of  the  Board  of  Guardians  and  their 
necessary  staff  of  officers  has  from  the 
earliest  days  of  Poor  Law  government 
been  tlie  most  frequented  of  any  of  our 
public  buildings.  Formerly  tlie  head- 
([uarrers  were  at  the  Workhouse  in 
Lichfield  Street,  but  when  that  institu- 
tion was  removed  to  Birmingham 
Heath,  the  large  building  at  the  corner 
of  Sutlblk  Street  and  Paradise  Street 
was  built  for  the  use  of  the  parish 
officers,  possession  being  taken  thtreof 
Feb.  26,  1853  Thirty  years  seems 
but  a  short  period  for  the  occupation 
of  such  a  pile  of  offices,  hut  as  it  has 
been  necessary  several  times  to  enlarge 
the  Workhouse,  as  well  as  to  collect 
Very  much  larger  sums  from  the  rate- 
payers, it  is  but  ill  the  natural  order  of 
things  that  the  Overseers,  Guardians, 
and  all  others  connected  with  them 
should  be  allowed  mor  ■  elbow-room. 
A  parish  palace,  almost  rivalling  our 
Municipal  Buildings  in  magnificence  of 
ornate  architecture,  has  therefore  been 
erected  at  the  junction  of  Edmund 
Suvet  and  Newhali  Street,  where  poor 
unfortunate  people  going  to  the  Work- 
liouse,  and  whose  ultimate  destination 
will  possil)ly  be  a  pauper's  grave,  may 
have  the  gratificatiou  of  beholding 
beautiful  groups  of  statuar}'  sculpture, 
Corinthian  columns  of  polished  granite, 
pilasters  of  marble,  gilded  capitals, 
panelled  ceilings,  coloured  architraves, 
oruamer.tal  cornices,  encaustic  tiles, 
and  all  the  other  pretty  things  apper- 
taining to  a  building  designe>l 
in  a  "  severe  form  of  the  style 
of  the  Frenc'u  Renaissance,"  as 
an  architectural  paper  critic  calls  it. 
Ratepayers  will  also  have  pleasure  in 
taking  their  mnuey  to  and  delivering 
it  over  in  "  one  of  the  most  convenient 
suites  of  poor-law  offices  in  the  king- 
dom," possibly  deriving  a  little  satis- 


260 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


faction  from  tlie  fact  that  their  descen- 
dants in  less  than  a  hundred  years' 
lime  will  have  to  build  another  such 
suite  of  offices,  or  buy  this  over  again, 
as  the  Guardians  only  hold  the  site 
(1,700  square  yards)  upon  a  ninety- 
nine  years'  lease  at  a  yearly  rental  of 
^600  "(7s.  per  yard)."  The  building 
contract  w•a^  for  £25,490,  besides 
extras,  the  architect  being  Mr.  W,  H. 
"Ward,  and  the  fittings,  internal  decor- 
ation, and  furnishing  was  estimated  at 
about  £5,000  more,  though  possibly  as 
the  chairs  in  the  Boardroom  are  put 
down  at  £5  each,  if  other  articles  be  in 
]>roportion,  botli  sums  will  be  ma- 
terially increased.  The  work  was  com- 
menced in  June,  1882,  the  memorial 
stone  being  laid  February  15th,  the 
following  year.  The  building,  which 
has  five  storeys,  stands  on  three 
sides  of  a  square  courtyard,  and  faces 
into  Edmund  Street,  Newliall  Street, 
and  a  new  thoroughfare  made  in  con- 
tinuation of  Bread  Street.  In  general 
character  the  thr'C  faces  are  alike,  the 
masonry  being  rusticated  in  Coxbench 
stone  to  the  line  of  the  second  flooi, 
the  chiselling  finishing  with  an  entab- 
lature, and  the  remaining  two  store3's 
included  in  one  order  of  Corinthian 
red  granite  pillars,  which  .support  the 
main  entablature.  The  front  in  Ed- 
mund Street,  105  feet  in  length,  is 
symmetrically  divided  by  a  central 
tower,  on  either  side  of  which  the 
Corinthian  pillars  are  discontinued 
until  the  two  corners  are  almost 
reached,  where  they  support  pedi- 
ments. The  tower,  which  for  a  dis- 
tance above  the  root  is  square,  contains 
lour  clock-faces  and  supj)orts  an  octa- 
gonal storey,  covered  by  a  panelled 
stone  dome,  surmounted  in  turn  by  a 
lantern  and  its  finial.  The  height  of 
the  tower  from  the  level  of  the 
street  is  105  feet,  the  slated  towers  over 
the  lateral  pediments  being  smaller. 
The  Newhall  Street  fagade,  160  feet 
long,  is  broken  into  three  j^ortions  of 
nearly  equal  length,  and  the  middle 
portion  is  treated  diii'erently   from  the 


other  two.  Above  the  line  of  the 
second  floor  entablature  the  windows, 
instead  of  being  in  a  double  row  in 
correspondence  with  the  storeys,  are  in 
this  middle  section  of  the  fagade 
carried  almost  to  the  height  of  the 
columns,  and  the  section  is  surmounted 
in  its  centre  by  an  ornamental  pedestal, 
which  bears  a  group  of  sculpture,  and 
at  its  extremes  by  slated  flagstafl' 
towers,  wliose  sides  are  concave.  The 
purpose  of  these  larger  windows  is  the 
effectual  lighting  of  the  Boardroom, 
which  is  of  the  height  of  two  storeys. 
The  length  of  the  Bread  Street  front  is 
90  feet.  The  Boardroom  is  60  feet 
long,  36  feet  wide  and  24^  feet  high, 
the  room  being  lighted  by  two  sun- 
burners  suspeniled  from  the  ceiling 
panels,  and  is  handsomely  decorated 
throughout.  The  offices  of  the  Regis- 
trar of  births,  marriages  and  deaths 
are  entered  from  NewhaU  Street,  and 
there  is  a  special  waiting  room  for  the 
use  of  marriage  parties  whilst  they  are 
preparing  to  go  b  lore  the  Registrar,  a 
provision  which  will  no  dovibt  be  fully 
appreciated  by  many  blushing  maidens 
and  bashful  bachelors. 

Public  Office. — The  office  for  the 
meetings  of  the  Justices  was  at  one 
time  in  Dale  End,  and  it  was  there 
that  ' '  Jack  and  Tom  "  were  taken  in 
November,  1780,  ciiarged  with  mur- 
dering a  butcher  on  the  road  to 
Coleshill.  The  firi-t  stone  of  the 
Public  Office  and  Prison  in  Moor 
Street  Avas  laid  September  18,  1805, 
the  cost  being  estimated  at  £10,000. 
It  was  considerably  enlarged  in  1830, 
and  again  in  1861,  and  other  improv- 
ing alterations  have  been  made  during 
the  last  three  years,  so  that  the  origi- 
nal cost  has  been  more  than  doubled, 
but  the  place  is  still  inadequate  to  the 
requirements  of  the  town. 

Smithficld  Market. — Laid  out  by  the 
Street  Commissioners  in  1817,  at  a  cost 
of  £6,000,  as  an  open  market,  has  been 
enlarged  by  taking  in  most  of  the 
ground  bordered  by  Jamaica  Row,  St. 
Martin's  Lane  and  Moat  Lane,  and  is 
nearly  all  covered  in  for  the  purposes  of 


SUOWELL  S    DICTIONAUY    OK    BIUMINCHAM. 


>61 


a  wholesa  e  inaikot,  the  work  boiii<; 
coiniiieiiceil  in  November;  1880.  The 
main  entrance  is  in  the  centre  of  the 
St.  Martin's  Lane  front,  and  consists 
of  a  centr.il  loadway  for  carts  and 
wafjons,  loft,  wide  and  24ft.  hi^h, 
together  >vith  a  wide  entrance  on 
eitherside  for  foot  passeng  r°.  The  main 
piers  .sujiporting  tlie  large  archway 
are  of  stone,  but  the  arch  itself  is  c. in- 
structed of  terra-eotta,  riclily  moulded 
and  carved.  Over  the  arch vva}' are  two 
sculptured  figures  in  red  terra-cotta, 
representing  ' '  Flora  "  and  "  Pomona." 
The  whole  of  the  carving  and  sculp- 
tured work  has  been  executed  by  ilr. 
Jolin  Roddis.  The  archways  are  fitted 
with  massive  w^ought-iron  gates, manu- 
factured by  Messrs.  Hart,  Son,  PearJ, 
and  Co.  The  entrances  in  Jamaica  Row 
and  Moat  Lane  have  areJied  gateways 
and  gites  to  match,  though  much 
higher  to  allow  of  the  passage  of  laden 
wains.  Tlie  market  superintendent's 
ofticeison  the  lefcof  the  main  entrance. 
Greatest  part  of  the  St.  Martin's  Lane 
front  is  ot'cupied  by  the  new  Woolpack 
Hotel,  and  the  remainder  by  shops. 
The  buildings,  which  are  from  the 
designs  of  Massr.s.  O^borue  and  Read- 
ing, are  designed  in  the  style  of  the 
English  Renaissance  of  the  Stuart 
period,  and  are  constructed  of  red 
brick,  with  red  terra-cotta  dressings. 
At  each  end  of  the  St.  Martin's 
Lane  front  are  circular  turrets,  with 
conical  roofs,  flanked  by  ornamental 
gables,  and  in  the  centre  is  a  gable 
with  octagonal  turret  on  each  side. 

Temperance  Hall. — The  foundation 
stone  of  this  budding,  which  is  in 
Upper  Temple  Street,  was  laid  Jan. 
12,  1858,  and  it  was  opened  Oct.  11 
following. 

The  Cohdcn. — Though  the  property 
of  a  private  company,  who  have  twenty 
other  establishments  in  the  town,  the 
"Cobden,"  in  Corporation  Street,  may 
rank  as  a  public  building  if  only  from 
its  central  position  and  Hnished  archi- 
tecture. It  was  opened  by  John 
Bright,  Esq.,  Aug.  29,  1883,  and  cost 
about  iilO,  000.     Li  style  it  may  be  said 


to  be  French-Gothic  of  eaily  date, 
with  Venetian  features  in  the  shape  of 
traceiied  oriel  windows,  &c. ,  the 
frontage  beiut;  of  Corsham  Down  and 
Portland  s-tone. 

Town  Hall. — For  many  years  the 
pride  and  the  boast  of  P>ir'nini;ham  has 
been  its  noble  Town  Hall,  which  stdl 
remains  the  most  consi)icuous  build- 
ing, as  w(dl  as  the  finest  speidmeu  of 
architecture,  in  the  town  It  was 
erectetl  by  the  Street  Commissioners, 
who  obtaine  i  a  special  Act  for  the 
purpose  in  1828,  to  enable  them  to 
lay  a  rate  to  pay  for  it.  The  architect 
was  I\Ir.  T.  Haiiiom,  of  the  firm  of 
Messrs.  Hansom  and  Welcli,  who, 
by  a  curious  piovision,  were  also  bound 
to  be  the  contnctors.  Their  original 
estimate  was  £17,000,  with  extras, 
wliich  would  have  raised  it  to  about 
£19,000,  but  so  far  were  their  figures 
out  that  £30,000  were  expended  prior 
to  the  first  meeting  being  held  in  the 
Hall,  and  that  sum  had  been  increased 
to  £69,520  when  the  building  was 
finally  completed  in  1850  by  the  addi- 
tion of  the  pillars  and  pediments  at  the 
back.  The  foundati  )ns  and  solid  parts 
of  the  structure  are  built  of  brick,  the 
casing  or  outside  of  the  walls,  the 
pillars,  and  the  ornamental  portions 
being  of  Anglesey  m-ii'ble,  given  to  the 
contractors  ijy  the  owner  of  Penmaeu 
quarries.  Sir  Richard  Bulkeley,  Barr. 
The  building  was  commenced  April  27, 
1832,  and  opened  Sept.  19, 1834,  being 
used  for  the  Festival  of  that  year  ;  the 
first  public  meeting  held  in  the  Hall 
being  on  Nov.  28ih.  The  outside 
measurements  of  the  Hall  are  — Lcntcth 
175(t.,  breadth  100ft.,  height  83fr., 
viz.,  basement  23ft.,  columns  36ft., 
cornice  9ft.,  and  pediment  15fc.  The 
forty  coluDuis  are  eich  S^fc  diimeter. 
The  hall,  d'  great  room,  is  145ft. 
long,  65ft.  broid,  and  65ft.  high  ;  in- 
cluding the  orchestra  it  will  seat  a  few 
over  3,000  persons,  while  it  is  said  that 
on  more  than  one  occasion  10,000  have 
found  standing  room.  Considerable 
sums  have  been  spent  in  trying  to  im- 
prove the  ventilation  and    lighting  of 


262 


SHOWELl's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


the  Hall,  as  well  as  in  redecorating 
occasionally,  the  medallions  of  eminent 
composers  and  other  worthies  being  in- 
troduced in  1876.  For  description  of 
Town  Hall  organ  see  "  Organs." 

Windsor  Street  Gas  Works  with  its 
immense  gas-holders,  retort-houses,  its 
own  special  canal  and  railway  ap- 
proaches, covers  an  area  of  about  twen- 
ty-six acres,  extending  almost  from 
Dartmouth  Street  to  Aston  Road. 
Though  there  can  be  no  grand  architec- 
tural features  about  such  an  establish- 
ment certain  parts  of  the  works  are 
worthy  of  note,  the  two  principal  gas- 
holders and  the  new  retort-house 
being  among  the  Largest  of  their  kind 
in  the  world.  The  holders,  or  gas- 
ometers as  they  are  sometimes  called, 
are  each  240ft.  in  diameter,  with  a 
depth  of  50ft.,  the  telescope  arrange- 
ment allowing  of  a  rise  of  1 70 fr., giving 
a  containing  capacitv  equal  to  the  space 
required  for  6,250,000  cubic  feet  of  gas. 
The  new  retort  house  is  455ft.  long  by 
210ft.  wide,  and  will  produce  about 
nine  million  cubic  feet  of  gas  per  day, 
the  furnaces  being  supplied  with  coal 
and  cleared  of  the  coke  b}'  speoial 
machinery  of  American  invention, 
which  is  run  upon  rails  backwards  and 
forwards  from  the  line  of  coal  trucks 
to  the  furnace  mouth.s.  The  quantity  of 
coal  used  per  week  is  nearly  4,000  tons, 
most  of  which  is  brought  from  North 
Staffordshire,  and  the  reserve  coal  heap 
is  kept  as  near  as  convenient  to  a 
month's  suppl_y,  or  16,000  tons.  The 
machinery  for  the  purification  of  the 
gas,  the  extracting  of  the  ammoniacal 
liquor,  tar  and  residuals,  which  make 
the  manufacture  of  gas  so  remunera- 
tive, are  of  the  most  improved  des- 
cription. 

Worlcliouse. — The  first  mention  of  a 
local  institution  thus  named  occurs  in 
the  resolution  passed  at  a  public  meet- 
ing held  May  16,  1727,  to  the  effect 
that  it  was  "  highly  nee.  ssary  and  con- 
venient that  a  Public  AVork  House 
should  be  erected  in  or  near  the  town  to 
emploj'-  or  set  to  work  the  poor  of 
Birmingham  for  thei'-  better  mainten- 


ance as  the  law  directs. "  This  resolution 
seems  to  have  been  carried  out,  as  the 
Workhouse  in  Lichfield  Street  (which 
was  then  a  road  leading  out  of  the 
town)  was  built  in  1733  the  first  cost 
being  £1,173,  but  several  additions 
afterwards  made  brought  the  building 
account  to  about  £3,000.  Originally 
it  was  built  to  accommodate  600  poor 
persons,  but  in  progress  of  time  it  was 
found  necessarj^  to  house  a  much  larger 
number,  and  the  Overseers  and  Guar- 
dians were  often  hard  put  to  for  room  ; 
whicli  perhaj)s  accounts  for  their  occa- 
sionally discussing  the  advisability  of 
letting  some  of  their  poor  jieople  out 
on  hire  to  certain  would-be  taskmasters 
as  desired  such  a  class  of  emjiloyees. 
In  the  months  of  January.  February, 
and  March,  1783,  much  discussion  took 
place  as  to  builiing  a  new  Workhouse, 
but  nothing  definite  was  done  in  the 
matter  until  1790,  when  it  was  pro- 
posed to  obtain  an  Act  for  the  erection 
of  a  Poorhouse  at  Birmingham  Heath, 
a  scheme  which  Hutton  said  was  as 
airy  as  the  spot  chosen  for  the  building. 
Most  likely  the  expense,  which  was 
reckoned  at  £15,000,  frightened  the 
ratepayers,  for  the  project  was  abandon- 
ed, and  for  fifty  years  little  more  was 
heard  on  the  subject.  A\hat  they  would 
have  said  to  the  £150,000  spent  on  th-^ 
present  building  can  be  better  imagined 
than  de.scribed.  The  foundation-stone 
of  the  latter  was  laid  Sept.  7,  1850, 
and  the  first  inmates  were  receiveil 
March  29,  1852,  in  which  year  the 
Lichfield  Street  establishment  was 
finally  closed,  though  it  was  not  taken 
down  for  several  years  after.  The  new 
Workhouse  is  one  of  the  largest  in  the 
countr}',  the  area  within  its  walls 
being  nearly  twenty  acres,  and  it  was 
built  to  accommodate  3,000  persons, 
but  several  additions  in  the  shape  of 
new  wards,  enlarged  schools,  and  ex- 
tended provision  for  the  sick,  epileptic 
and  insane,  have  since  been  made. 
The  whole  establishment  is  supplied 
with  water  from  an  artesian  well,  and 
is  such  a  distance  from  other  buildings 
as  to  ensure  the  most   healthy  condi- 


SH0WELL8   DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


163 


tions.  The  chapel,  which  has  several 
stained  windows,  is  capable  of  seating 
800  persons,  and  in  it,  on  May  9, 
1883,  the  Bishop  of  Worcester  admin- 
istered tlie  rite  of  confirmation  to  31 
of  the  inmates,  a  novelty  in  the  his- 
tory of  Birmingham  AVorkliouse,  at 
all  events.  Full  provision  is  made  for 
Catholics  and  Nonconformists  desiring 
to  attend  the  services  uf  their  re- 
spective bodies.  In  connection  with 
the  Workhouse  may  be  noted  the 
Cottage  Homes  and  Schools  at  Marston 
Green  (commenced  in  October,  1878) 
for  the  rearing  and  teaching  of  a  portion 
of  the  poor  cliildren  leit  in  the  care  of 
the  Guardians.  These  buildingsconsist 
of  3  schools,  14  cottage  homes,  work- 
shops, infirmary,  headmaster's  resi- 
dence, &c. ,  each  of  the  homes  being 
for  thirtj'  children,  in  addition  to  an 
artisan  and  his  wife,  who  act  as  heads 
of  the  fainil}^  About  twenty  acres  of 
land  are  at  jiresent  thus  occupied,  the 
cost  being  at  the  rafe  of  £140  per  acre, 
while  on  the  buildings  upwards  of 
£20,000  has  been  spent. 

Publiehouses.— The  early  Closing 
Act  came  into  operatiou  here,  Novem- 
ber 11,  1864  ;  aixl  the  eleven  o'clock 
closing  iiour  in  1872  ;  the  rule  from 
1864  having  been  to  close  at  one  and 
open  at  fonr  a.m.  Trior  to  that  date 
the  tipplers  could  be  indulged  from 
the  earliest  hour  on  Monday  till  the 
latest  on  Saturday  night,  ilr.  Joseph 
Chamberlain  and  his  friends  thought 
so  highly  of  the  Gothenburg  scheme 
that  they  persuaded  the  Town  Council 
into  passing  a  resolution  (Jan.  2,  1877) 
that  the  Corporation  ought  to  be 
allowed  to  bny  up  all  the  trade  in  Bir- 
mingham. There  were  forty-six  who 
voted  for  the  motion  against  ten  ;  but, 
when  the  Right  Hon.  J.  C. 's  mono- 
polising motion  was  introduced  to 
the  House  of  Commons  (March  13, 
1877),  it  was  negatived  bj'  fifty-two 
votes. 

Pudding'  Brook.— This  was  the 
sweetly  pretty  name  given  to  one  of 
the  little  streams  that  ran  in  connec- 
tion   with    the    moat    round    the   old 


Manorhouse.  Possibly  it  was  originally 
Puddle  Brook,  but  as  it  became  little 
more  than  an  open  sewer  or  stinking 
mud  ditch  before  it  was  ultimately 
done  away  with,  the  last  given  name 
may  not  have  been  inappropriate. 

Quacks. —Though  we  cannot  boast 
of  a  inillioiiaire  jdll-niaker  like  the  late 
Professor  HoUoway,  we  have  not  often 
been  without  a  local  well -to-do  "rpiack." 
A  medical  man,  named  Richard  Aston, 
about  1815-25,  was  universally  called 
so,  and  if  the  making  of  money  is  proof 
of  quackery,  he  deserved  the  title,  as 
he  left  a  fortune  of  £60,000.  He  also 
left  an  only  daughter,  buc  she  and  her 
husband  were  left  to  die  in  the  Work- 
house, as  the  quack  did  not  approve  of 
their  union. 

Quakers. — Peaceable  ami  quiet  as 
themembersof  theSocietyof  Frieudsare 
known  to  be  now,  they  do  not  appear 
to  have  always  borne  that  "haracter  in 
this  neighbourhood,  but  the  punish- 
ments inflicted  upon  them  in  the  time 
of  the  Commonwealth  seem  to  have 
been  brutish  in  the  extreme.  In  a 
history  of  the  diocese  of  Worcester  it  is 
stated  that  the  Quakers  not  only  refused 
to  pay  tithes  or  take  off  their  hats  in 
courts  of  justice,  but  persisted  in  carry- 
ing on  their  business  on  Sundays,  and 
scarcely  suffering  a  service  to  be  con- 
ducted without  interruption,  forcing 
themselves  into  congregations  and  pro- 
claiming that  the  clergymen  were  lying 
witnesses  and  false  prophets,  varying 
their  proceeding?  b}^  occasionally  run- 
ing  naked  through  the  streets  of  towns 
and  villages,  and  otherwise  misbehaving 
themselves,  until  they  were  regarded 
as  public  pests  and  treated  accordingly. 
In  the  year  1661,  fifty-four  Quakers 
were  in  Worcester  giol,  and  about  the 
same  time  seven  or  e'.ght  others  were 
in  the  lockup  at  Evesham,  where  they 
were  confined  for  fourteen  weeks  in  a 
cell  22  ft.  square  and  6  ft.  high,  being 
fed  on  bread  and  water  and  not  once 
let  out  during  the  whole  time,  so  that 
people  could  not  endure  to  pass  the 
place  ;  female  Quakers  were  thrust  with 
brutal   indecency   into  the  stocks  and 


264 


SHOWELr.  s    DICTIONARY    OF    BIHMIN'GHAM. 


I  here  left  in  hsrd  frost  for  a  Jay  and 
night,  being  afterwards  driven  from 
the  town.  And  tliis  went  on  during 
the  whole  of  tlie  time  this  country  was 
l)lessed  with  Cromwell  and  a  Republican 
Government. — See  "  Friends." 

Quaint  Customs.— The  practice  of 
"  lieaving "   or    "lifting"    on    Easter 
Monday  and  Tuesday  was  still  kept  up 
in  some  of  the  back  streets  ol'  the  town 
a  few  years  back,  and  though  it  may 
have  died  out  now  with  us  those  who 
enjoy  such  amusements « ill  find  the  old 
custom   observed   in    villages   not    far 
away. — At  Handsworth,  "  clipping  the 
church"    was   the  curious    "fad"    at 
Easter-tiine,    the    children    from    the 
National    Schools,    with     lailies    and 
gentlemen  too,  joining  hands  till  they 
had  surrounded  the  old  church  vith  a 
leaping,  laughing,  linked, living  ring  of 
humanity,  great  fun  being  caused  when 
some  of  the  link  loosed  hands  and  let 
their  companions  fall  over  the  graves. — 
On  St.  John's  Days,  when  the  ancient 
feast  or  "wake"  of  Deritend    Chapel 
was  kept,  it  was  the  custom  to  carry 
bulrn.shes  to  the  church,  and  old  in- 
habitants decorated  theirrireplaceswith 
them. — In  the  prosperous  days  of  the 
Holte  family,  when  Ast  n  Hall  was  the 
abode  of  fine  old  English  gentlemen, 
instead  of  being  the  lumber-room  of 
those  Birmingham  rogues  the  baronets 
abominated,  Christmas  Eve  was  cele- 
brated    with     all      the      hospitalities 
usual    in     baronial     halls,     but     the 
opening    of     the    evening's     perform- 
ances   was  of  so    whimsical    a  charac- 
ter   that    it    attracted    attention  even 
a  Imndred  years  ago,  when  queer  and 
quaint    customs    were    anything    but 
strange.     An  old  chronicler  thus  des- 
cribes it: — "On  this  da}',  as  soon  as 
supper    is  over,    a  table  is  set  in  the 
hall  ;  on  it  is  set  a  brown  loaf,  with 
twenty  silver  threepences  stuck  on  the 
top  of  it,    a  tankard  of  ale,  with  pipes 
and  tobacco  ;  and  the  two  oldest  ser- 
vaut.s  have  chairs  behind  it,  to  sit  in 
as  judges,  if  they  please.     The  steward 
brings     the    servants,    both    men  and 
women,    by   one   at   a   time,    covered 


with  a  winnow-sheet,  and  lays  their 
right  hand  on  the  loaf,  exposing  no 
other  part  of  the  body.  The  oldest  of 
the  two  judges  guesses  at  the  person, 
by  naming  a  name  ;  then  the  younger 
judge,  and,  lastly,  the  oldest  again. 
If  they  hit  upon  tlie  right  name,  the 
steward  leads  the  person  back  again  ; 
but  if  they  do  not  he  takes  off  the 
winnow-sheet,  and  the  person  receives 
a  threepence,  makes  low  obeisance  to 
the  judges,  but  speaks  not  a  word. 
When  the  second  servant  was  brought 
the  younger  judge  guessed  first  and 
third  ;  and  this  they  did  alternately 
till  all  the  money  was  given  away. 
Whatever  servant  had  not  slept  in  the 
house  the  previous  night  forfeited  his 
right  to  the  money.  No  account  is 
given  of  the  origin  of  this  strange 
custom,  but  it  has  been  practised  ever 
since  the  family  liveii  there.  When 
the  money  is  gone  the  servants  have 
full  liberty  to  drink,  dance,  sing,  and 
go  to  bed  when  they  please." 

Railways :  London  and  North 
Western.  —  The  first  proposal  for  con- 
necting Birmingham  with  the  outer 
world  by  means  of  a  railway  seems  to 
have  originated  in  1824,  as  we  read  of 
the  share-book  for  a  Birmingham  and 
Lomlon  line  being  opened  here  on  De- 
cember 14  of  that  year.  There  wa.s  a 
great  rush  for  shares,  2,500  being 
taken  uji  in  two  hours,  and  a  £7  pre- 
mium offered  for  more,  but  as  the 
scheme  was  soon  abandoned  it  is 
probable  the  scrip  was  quickly  at  a 
discount.  Early  in  1830  two  separate 
companies  were  formed  for  a  line  to  the 
Metropolis,  but  they  amalgamated  on 
September  11,  and  surveys  were 
taken  in  the  following  year.  Broad 
Street  being  chosen  as  the  site  for  a 
station.  The  Bill  was  introduced  into 
the  House    of  Commons  February  20, 

1832,  but  the  Lords  rejected  it  in  June. 
Another  Bill,  with  variations  in  the 
plans,  was  brought  in  in  the  session  of 

1833,  and  it  passed  on  May  6,  the 
work  being  commenced  at  the  London 
end  in  July,  and  at  Birmingham  in 
June  of  the   following  year.     The  line 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


265 


was  to  be  112^  miles  loiif;  and  estimated 
to  cost  £2,500,000,  but  the  veal  cost 
amounted     to   £4,592,700,   of    which 
£72,868  18s.  lOd.  was  sp'^nt  in  obtain- 
ing the    Act    alone.       Tiie    line   was 
opened    in  sections  as  completed,  the 
first  train  running  from  Euston  to  Box- 
moor,  24i  juilfrs,  on    July    20,   1837. 
The  average  daily  number   of  persons 
using  the  line  during  the  first  month 
was  1,428,    the  receipts  being  at    the 
rate  of  £153   per   day.     On  April  9, 
1838,  the  trains  reached  Rugby,  and 
on  Aug.   14,  the  line    was   completed 
to  Di;ddeston  Row,  the  directors  taking 
a  trial    trip  on  the  20th.     There  were 
only  seventeen  stations  on  the  whole 
line,  over  which    the    first    passenger 
train  ran  on  Sept.  17. — The  prospectus 
of  the    Grand   Junction    Railway  (for 
Liverpool  and  ilanchester)   was  issued 
May  7,  1830,  and  the  line  from  Vaux- 
hill  Station  to  Newton  (where  it  joined 
the    Manchester    and    Liverpool    line) 
was  opened  July    4,  1837.      The    im- 
portance of  this  liue  of  communication 
was  shown  by  the  number  of  passen- 
gers   u>in^'    it   during    the    first    nine 
weeks,  18,666  persons  travelling  to  or 
from  Liverpool,  and  7,374  to  or  from 
Manchester,  the  receipts  for  that  period 
being     £41,943.  — 'Ihe     Birmingham 
branch  of  the  South  Staffordshire  Rail- 
way   was   opened    Nov.   1,  1847  ;  the 
Birmingham    and     Shrewsbury     liue, 
Nov.    12,    1849  ;  and  between  Dudley 
and  Wal.^all  May  1,  1850.     The  Stour 
Valley     line    was    partially     brought 
into  use  (from  Monument  Lane)  Aug. 
19,  1851,  the  first  train   running  clear 
through    to    Wolverhampton   July    1, 
1852.     Tlie   liue    to    Sutton  Coldfield 
was  opened  June  2,  1862,  and  the  Har- 
borne  line  (for  which  the  Act  was  ob- 
tained in  1866)  was  opened  Aug.   10, 
1874.      The  Act  for  the  constructiou 
of  the  Birmingham  and  Lichfield  line, 
being   a   continuation   of    the    Sutton 
Coldfield    Railway,    passed    June    23, 
1874  ;  it  was  commenced  late  in  Octo- 
ber,  1881,  and  it  will    shortly    be  in 
use.     The  Bill    for    the    Dudley   and 
Oldbury  Junction  liue  passed  July  15, 


1881.  A  new  route  from  Leamington 
to  Birmingham  was  opened  in  Sept. 
1884,  shortening  the  journey  to 
London. 

Midland. — The  Derby  and  Birming- 
ham Junetion  line  was  opened  through 
from  Lawley  Street  Aug.  12th,  1839. 
The  first  porLiou  of  tiie  Birmingham 
and  Gloucester  line,  between  Barnt 
Green  and  Cheltenham,  was  opened 
July  1,  1840,  coaches  running  from 
here  to  Bariit  Green  to  meet  ih)  trains 
until  Dec.  15,  1840,  when  the  line 
was  finished  to  Camp  Hill,  the  Mid- 
land route  being  completed  and  opened 
Feb.  10,  1842.  The  first  sod  was 
cut  for  the  West  Suburban  liue  Jan. 
14,  1873,  and  it  was  opened  from 
Granville  Street  to  King's  Norton 
April  3,  1876.  This  liue  is  now 
being  doubled  and  extended  from 
Granville  Street  to  New  Street,  at  au 
estimated  cost  of  £280,400,  so  that 
the  Midland  will  have  a  direct  run 
through  the  town. 

Great  It  cstern. — The  first  portion  of 
the  Oxford  and  Birmingham  Railway' 
(between  here  and  Banbury)  was 
opened  Sept.  30,  1852,  the  tunnel 
from  Moor  Street  to  Monmouth  Street 
being  finished  on  June  6th  ))revious. 
The  original  estimated  cost  of  this  line 
was  but  £900,000,  which  was  swelled 
to  nearly  £3,000,000  by  the  bitier  fight 
known  as  the  "  Battle  of  the  Gsuges." 
The  line  from  Snow  Hill  to  Wolver- 
hampton was  opened  Nov.  14,  1854. 
The  first  train  to  Stratford-on-Avon 
was  run  on  Oct.  9,  1860.  The  Oxford, 
Worcester,  aud  Wolverhampton  line 
was  opened  in  Jlay,  1852,  The  bioad 
gauge  was  altered  in  1874. 

Railway  Jottings.— The  London 

and  Biraiingham  liue  cost  at  the  rate  of 
£23,  OOOiier  mile,  taking  nearly  five  years 
to  make,  ab(;ut  20,000  men  Imiug  em- 
ployed, who  displaced  over  400,000,000 
cubic  feet  of  earth.  The  Grand  Junc- 
tion averaged  £16,000  per  mile,  and  at 
one  time  there  were  11,000  men  at  work 
upon  it.  Slate  slabs  were  originally 
tried  for  sleepers  ou  the  Birmingham 
and  London  line. 


•266 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


The  first  railw.iy  cariiar;es  were  built 
ver}'  like  to  coaches,  with  an  ouside 
seat  at  each  end  for  the  guard,  thougli 
passengers  often  sat  there  for  the  sake 
of  seeing  the  countr}'. 

The  fares  first  charged  between  Bir- 
mingham and  Loncion  were  30s.  by 
first  class,  and  20s,  second  class  (open 
carriages)  by  day  trains  ;  32s.  6d.  first 
class  and  25s.  .'second  class,  by  night. 
In  1841  the  farfs  were  30.s.  first,  25s. 
second,  and  20s.  3d.  third  glass  ;  they 
are  now  17s.  4d.,  13s.  6d  ,  and  9s.  5d. 

"Booking"  was  a  perfectly  correct 
term  when  the  lines  were  first  used,  as 
Avhen  passengeis  went  for  their  tickets 
the)'  had  to  give  their  names  and  ad- 
dresses, to  be  written  on  the  tickets  and 
in  the  book  containing  the  counterfoils 
of  the  tickets. 

The  day  the  Grand  Junction  line  was 
opened  was  kept  as  a  general  holiday 
between  here  and  Wolverhampton, 
hundreds  of  tents  and  picnic  parties 
being  seen  along  tl:e  line. 

The  directors  of  the  Birmingham 
and  Gloucester  line  ordered  eleven 
locomotives  from  Philadelphia  at  a  cost 
of  85,000  dollars,  and  it  was  these 
engines  that  brought  their  trains  to 
Camp  Hill  at  first.  In  comparison 
with  the  engines  now  in  use,  these 
Americans  were  verj'  small  ones.  The 
trains  were  pulled  up  the  incline  at  the 
Lickey  by  powerful  stationarj-  engines. 

On  the  completion  of  the  London 
line,  the  engineers  who  had  been  em- 
ployed presented  George  Stephenson  at 
a  dinner  held  here  with  a  silver  tureen 
and  stand  worth  130  guineas.  This 
celebrated  engineer  made  his  last  pub- 
lic appearance  at  a  meeting  in  this 
town  of  the  Institute  of  Mechanical 
Engineers,  July  16,  1848,  his  death 
taking  place  on  the  12th  of  the  follow- 
ing month. 

The  L.  k'NAV.R.  Go.  have  46,000 
men  in  their  employ. 

The  G.  W.R.   has  the  longest  mileasre 
ot    any     railway    in  England,     2,276h 
miles  ;    the   L.    and  N.W.R.,     1,774| 
miles  ;  the  Jlidland,  1,225  miles. 
The     returns    of   the   L.     and   N.  W., 


Midland  and  G.W.R.  Companies  for 
1878  showed  local  traffic  of  936,000 
tons  of  goods,  693,000  tons  of  coal, 
coke  and  other  minerals,  20,200  loads 
of  cattle,  and  7,624,000  passengers. 

Tl'.e  south  tunnel  in  New  Street  was 
blocked  April  18,  1877,  by  a  locomotive 
turning  over.  In  October,  1854,  an 
engine  fell  over  into  Great  Charles 
Street. 

The  unused  viaduct  between  Bor- 
desley  and  Banbury  Street  belongs  to 
the  G.W.R.  Co.  and  Avas  intended  to 
connect  their  lines  v/ith  the  other 
Companies.  It  now  stands  as  a  huge 
monument  of  the  "Railway  Mania" 
days. 

The  extensive  carrying  trade  of  Crow- 
ley and  Co.  was  transferred  to  the 
L.  &  N.  W.  R.  Co.  May  17,  1873. 

Railway  Stations.— As  noted  on 

a  previous  page,  the  first  railway  sta- 
tions were  those  in  Duddeston  Row, 
Lawley  Street,  Vauxhall,  the  Camp 
Hill,  but  the  desirability  of  having  a 
Central  Station  was  too  apparent  for 
the  Companies  to  remain  long  at  the 
outskirts,  and  the  L.  &  N.  W.  R.  Co. 
undertook  the  erection  in  New  Street, 
of  what  was  then  (and  will  soon  be 
again)  the  most  extensive  railway  sta- 
tion in  the  kingdom,  making  terms 
with  t  0  Midland  for  part  use  thereof. 
The  work  of  clearance  was  commenced 
in  1846,  the  estimated  cost  being  put 
at  £400,000,  £39,000  being  paid  to  the 
Governors  of  the  Grammar  School  for 
laud  belonging  to  them.  Several  streets 
were  done  away  with,  and  the  intro- 
duction of  the  station  may  be  called 
the  date  point  of  the  many  town  im- 
provements that  have  since  been  carried 
out.  The  station,  and  the  tunnels 
leading  thereto,  took  seven  years  in 
completion,  the  opening  ceremony 
taking  place  June  1,1853.  The  iron 
and  glass  roof  was  the  largest  roof  in  the 
world,  being  1,080ft.  long,  with  a 
single  span  of  212ft.  across  at  a  height 
of  75ft.  from  tlie  rails.  This  immense 
span  has  since  been  surpa.ssed,  as  the 
roof  of  the  St.  Pancras  Station,  London, 
is  243ft.  from  side  to  side.     The  roof 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


J67 


of  Lime  Street  Station,  Liverpool,  is 
also  much  larger,  being  410ft  wiiie, 
but  it  is  in  two  spins.  The  station 
has  been  since  greatly  enlarged,  ex- 
tending as  tar  as  Hill  Street,  on  which 
side  are  the  Midland  Booking  Ofhees. 
The  tunnels  have  been  iiavtially 
widened  or  thrown  into  open  cuttings. 
additional  plat'orms  cmstrncted,  and 
miles  of  new  rails  laid  down,  one  whole 
street  (Great  Queen  Street)  being  taken 
bodily  into  the  station  for  a  carriage 
drive.  The  station  now  covers  nearly 
12  acres,  the  lengtii  of  platforms  ex- 
ceeding I2  miles.  The  cost  of  this 
enlargement  was  over  lialt'-a-million 
sterling. 

As  in  the  case  of  New  Street  Station, 
the  introduction  of  the  Great  Western 
Railway  causeti  the  removal  of  a  very 
large  numbev  of  od  huihiings,  but  the 
monster  wooden  shed  which  did  dnt}' 
as  the  Snow  Hill  Station  for  many 
years  was  as  great  a  disgrace  to  the 
town  as  ever  the  old  tumbledown 
structures  could  have  been  that  were 
removed  to  make  way  for  it.  This, 
however,  was  remedied  in  1871,  bj^  the 
erection  of  the  present  building,  which 
is  extensive  and  convenient,  the  plat- 
forms having  a  run  of  720  feet,  the  span 
of  the  roof  being  92  feet. 

Rateable  Values.— In  1815  the 

annual  rateable  value  of  propertv  in 
the  borough  was  totaled  at  £311,954  ; 
in  1824  the  amount  stood  at  £389,273, 
an  increase  of  £77,319  in  the  ten  years  ; 
in  1834  the  return  was  £483,774,  the 
increase  being  £94,501  ;  in  1814  it  was 
£569,686.  or  an  increase  of  £85,912  ; 
in  1854  the  returns  showed  £655,631, 
the  increase,  £85,934,  being  little  more 
than  in  the  previous  decennial  period. 
The  next  ten  years  were  those  of  the 
highest  prosperity  the  building  trade 
of  this  toAvn  has  ever  known,  and  the 
rateable  values  in  1864  went  up  to 
£982,384,  an  increase  of  £326,763.  In 
1870  a  new  assessment  was  made,  which 
added  over  £112,000  to  the  rateable 
values,  the  returns  for  1874  amounting 
to  £1,254,911,  an  increase  in  the  ten 
years  of  £272,527.  •  In  1877  the  retHrns 


gave  a  total  of  £1,352,554  ;  in  1878 
£1,411,060,  an  increase  in  the  one  year 
of  £58,506  ;  but  since  1878  the  increase 
has  not  been  so  rapid,  the  average  for 
the  next  three  years  biing  £36,379  ; 
and,  as  will  be  .seen  by  the  following 
table,  the  yearly  increase  of  values 
during  the  last  three  years  is  still  less 
in  eich  of  the  several  parish  divisions 
of  the  boron  I'll : — 


i-l  «o 

<N  1.-3 

10  00 

00  OS 

-Tt<  OS 

10  <M 

t~~  CO 

«o  0 

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Rainfall. — The  mean  annual  rain- 
fall in  the  eleven  years  ending  with 
1871,  in  this  neighbonrliood,  was  29'51 
inches,  in  the  following  eleven  years 
36'01  inches,  the  two  heaviest  years 
being  1872  with  47-69  inches,  and"l882 
with  43'06  inches.     The  depth  of  rain 


268 


SHOWELl'S    dictionary    ok    BIRMINGHAM. 


registered  in  the  last  tliree  months  of 
1882  (14  93  inch  s),  was  the  largest  for 
any  three  .  consecutive  mouths  ever 
recorded  by  our  jiainstakiiig  meteoro- 
logist, the  late  Mr.  T.  L.  Plant,  of 
Moseley. 

RavenhUPSt.— The  old  house  at 
Camp  Hill,  which  gave  names  to  Hurst 
Street  and  Kavenhurst  Street,  leading 
in  the  direction  of  the  mansion,  where 
in  1810  there  were  found  a  number  of 
coins  and  tokens  of  the  period  of  Queen 
Elizabeth  and  Charles  I.^,  as  well  as 
sundry  Scotch  "bawbees." 

Rea.— This  little  river  takes  its  rise 
among  the  Lickey  Hills,  and  from  cer- 
tain "geological  discoveries  made  in 
1883,  there  is  every  reason  to  believe 
that,  in  Saxon  days,  it  was  a  stream 
of  considerable  force.  The  name  Rea, 
or  Rhei,  is  of  Gaelic  derivation,  and, 
with  slight  alteration,  it  is  the  name 
of  some  other  watercourses  in  the 
kingdom.  From  time  to  time,  altera-^ 
tioris  have  been  made  in  the  cour.-e_  of 
the  Rea,  and  prior  to  the  introduction 
of  steam  its  waters  were  used  exten- 
sively for  mill-power,  dam'--,  fleams, 
and  shoots  interfering  with  the  free 
running  in  all  directions.  Long  little 
belter  than  an  open  sewer,  there  is  a 
prospect  that,  within  a  few  years,  it 
may  be  cleansed  and  become  once 
more  a  limpid  stream,  if  the  sanitary 
aithorities  will  but  tind  some  more 
convenient  site  as  burial-place  for  un- 
fortunate canines  and  felines. 

Rebellion  of  1745.  —The  first  news 
of  the  Rebellion  and  of  the  landing  of 
the  Young  Pretender  reached  here  Aug. 
19,  1745.  The  Scotch  did  not  come 
so  far  as  Birmingham,  but  [though 
thousanils  of  swords  were  made  iiere 
for  "Bonnie  Prince  Charlie"]  some 
little  preparation  was  made  to  receive 
them.  At  a  meeting  held  October  5, 
1745,  it  was  proposed  to  form  a  regi- 
ment of  volunteers  against  them,  and 
Sir  Lister  Holte  found  250  hordes  to 
pursue  the  unfortunate  "Pretender," 
whose  great-grandfather  had  been  the 
gitest  of  Sir  Lister's  ancestor. 


Rebus. — Poking  fun  at  our  town  is 
no  new  game,  as  may  be  see-n  by  the 
following  local  rebus  (by  "  Dardanus") 
copied  from  the  Gentleman's  Magazine 
of  1752  :— 

"Take    tlnee-fourths   of    a    creature    which 

many  admire. 
That's  often  cunflned  in  a  castle  of  wire  ; 
Three-fuurtlis  of  a  herb  that  the  garden  doth 

And  a  term  used   by  husbandmen  ploughing 

the  field  ; 
Witli  tliat  part  of  a  swino  whicli  is  now  nuudi 

in  fasliion, 
And  a  town  you'll  discover  in  this  brave  ijug- 

lisli  nation." 

The  answer  was  Bin\.  Mint,  G,  and 
IIam—\'Armutg\\3.m,  the  scribe  who 
poetically  rfplied,  N.inding-up  hy  say- 
ing that  it  was 

"A  town  tliat  in  trading  excels  half  the 
nation,  ,         .  ,^ 

Because,  Jove  be  thanked,  there  is  no  tor- 
porat.on  ! '' 

ReeOPdePS.  —  The  tirst  Recorder 
appointed  for  the  borough  was  Mr. 
Matthew  Davenport  Hill,  whose  name 
is  so  intimately  connected  with  the 
historv  of  Reformatory  and  Indttstrial 
Schools.  Mr.  Arthur  Robavts  Adams, 
Q.C  ,  who  succeeded  Mr.  M.  D.  Hill 
on  his  re.signaiion  in  January,  1866, 
was  a  native  of  the  county,  and  had 
acted  as  Deputy-Recorder  for  some 
years.  He  died  iu  an  apoplectic  fit, 
while  out  shoo  ing  (Dec.  19,  1877),  in 
iJagley  Wood,  near  Oxford,  in  his 
65tli  year.  The  pres^Jiit  Recorder  is 
Mr.  John  Scratford  Dugdale,  of  Blythe 
Hall,  Coleshill. 

Recpeation  Gpounds.— Early  in 

1854  Josejih  Siurge  set  apart  a  field  in 
Wheelev's  Lane  as  a  public  playground 
for  children,  and  this  must  rank  as 
the  first  recreation  ground.  The  last 
is  the  disused  burial  ground  of  St. 
Mary's  Church,  which,  after  an  expen- 
diture of  about  £1,500  was  thrown 
open  to  the  public  as  "St.  Marys 
Garden,"  October  16,  1882.— See 
"Parks." 

Red  Book.— Quite  a  local  institu- 
tion i.^  the    yearly  publication  known 


SHOWEI.LS    DICTIONARY    OF    l5IllMINflHAM. 


269 


as  "The  Biriningliaui  Red  Hook," 
wliicli  WAS  first  issued  in  1865. 

Reformatories.  — Sf e  '  'Industrial 
Schools." 

Reform  Leagues-— The  first  local 

affair  of  this  kind  that  we  have  note  of 
(though  likely  enough  there  had  been 
"  reform  clubs"  before  that  date)  seems 
to  have  originated  at  a  meeting  of  some 
dozen  or  s)  gentlemen  at  the  Koval 
Hotel,  Dee  14,  1829.  On  the  25th'  of 
Jan.,  1830,  a  jiublic  meeting  to 
oiganise  a  kind  of  local  political  bod\' 
was  held  at  15eardswortlfs  Repositor}', 
and  it  is  cliroiiicied  that  about  15,000 
persons  were  present.  The  result  was 
tlie  formation  of  the  celebrated  Bir- 
mingham Political  Union,  though  the 
full  name  was  "The  General  Political 
Union  between  the  Lower  and  Middle 
Classes  of  the  People."  The  Union's 
"  Petition  of  Rights"  was  issued  Dec. 
]3,  and  the  "Declaration  of  Councir' 
Dec.  20,  1830.  This  is  not  the  place 
to  enter  upon  a  history  of  the  doings  of 
the  Political  Union,  wliicli  was  dis- 
silved  by  mutual  consent  of  the 
leaders  May  10,  1834,  but  tl  ere  can  be 
no  doubt  tiiat  it  did  have  coi.siderable 
influence  on  the  political  changes  of  the 
jieriod.  In  1848  an  attempt  was  made 
to  resuscitate  tiie  Old  Union,  though 
tlie  promoters  of  the  new  organisation 
called  it  the  "Political  Council," 
and  iu  1865  another  League  or 
Union  was  started,  which  has  a 
world-wide  fame  as  "The  Caucus." 
Indeed,  it  mav  be  safely  said  the  town 
has  never,  during  tlie  past  sixty  years 
or  so,  been  without  some  such  body, 
the  last  appointed  being  the  "Reform 
League,"  started  Sept.  2,  1880,  by  the 
Rev.  Arthur  O'Neill  and  his  friends,  to 
agitate  for  a  change  in  the  Constitution 
of  the  Hou.'^e  of  L-a'ds. 

Reform  Meetings  —We  have  had 

a  few  liig  meetings  ot  the  kind  one  time 
and  another,  and  give  the  dates  of  the 
principal.  Newhall  Hill  used  to  be  the 
favourite  spot,  and  the  first  meeting 
held  there  was  on  January  22,  1817. — 
On  July  22,   1819,   there  were  60,000 


tliere,  and  a  member  was  chosen  to 
represent  the  town  in  Parliament.  (See 
"  Neu-hall  Hill")  The  meeting  of 
October  3,  1831,  had  only  150,000 
persons  at  it,  but  Miy  7,  in  following 
year,  saw  200,000  on  the  Hill— The 
"great"  Reform  meetings  at  lirook- 
fields  were  on  August  27,  1866,  and 
April  22,  1867.--A  proce.'-sion  to,  and 
demonstration  at  Soho  Pool,  Aug.  4, 
1884,  at  which  100,000  persons  are  said 
to  have  been  present,  is  the  last  big 
thing  of  the  kind. 

Regattas.— Usually  the  Al amuse- 
ment of  places  ble.ssed  with  sea  or  river 
space,  but  introiluced  to  us  (Aug  2, 
1879),  on  the  Reservoir,  b}'  the 
Y.M.C. A.,  whose  members  liad  to 
compete  with  some  crack  rowers  from 
Evesham,  Shrewsbury,  Stratford, Stour- 
port,  and  Worcester. 

Registers. — At  what  date  a  parish 
register  was  first  kept  here  is  not 
known,  but  Mr.  Hamper,  the  antiqua- 
rian, once  found  some  old  parts  stowed 
away  under  the  pulpit  staircase,  and 
he  had  them  bound  and  preserved. 
There  are  very  few  perfect  registers  in 
this  neighbourhood,  though  Aston 
can  boast  of  one  dated  from  1544, 
King's  Norton  1547,  Handsworth  1558, 
Northfield  1560,  Castle  Bromwich 
1659,  and  Moseley  1750  —The  Regis- 
tration Act  was  passed  Aug.  17,  1836. 

Register  Offices.— The  custom  of 

hiring  servants  at  "  !^tatute  fairs  "  and 
"mops"  still  exists  in  theory  if  not 
in  practice,  in  several  parts  of  the  ad- 
joining counties,  but  thanks  to  the  low 
scale  for  advertising,  such  a  system  is 
not  needed  now.  The  introduction  of 
register  offices  was  agreat  improve.nient, 
the  first  opened  in  Birmingham  being 
at  26,  St.  John  Street  (then  a  respect- 
able neighbourhood),  in  January  1777, 
the  fee  being  6d.  for  registering  and  3d. 
for  an  enquiry.  There  are  a  number 
of  respectable  ofiftces  of  this  kind  now, 
but  it  cannot  be  hidden  that  there  have 
been  establishments  so  called  which 
have  been  little  belter  than  dens  of 
thievery,  the  proprietors  caring  only  to 


270 


StiOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OP    BIKMINGHAM. 


net  all  the  half-crowns  and  eighteen- 
pences  they  could  extract  from  the 
poor  people  who  were  foolish  enough  to 
go  to  them. 

Rejoicing,  Days   of— Great  were 

the  rejoicings  in  iiuininghani,  October 
9,  1746,  when  the  news  came  of  the 
battle  of  Culloden.  The  cipture  of 
Quebec,  in  1759,  was  celebrated  here 
on  December  3,  by  a  gi  neral  illumina- 
tion ;  the  peacedoving  Quakers,  how- 
ever, had  to  rejoice  over  broken  win- 
dows, for  the  mob  smttshed  them,  one 
unfortunate  Friend  having  to  provide 
115  squares  of  glass  beloie  his  lights 
were  perfect  again.  We  were  loyal  in 
those  days,  and  wlieu  we  heard  of  our 
gallant  boj^s  thrashiiii;  their  opponents, 
up  went  our  caps,  caring  not  on  whose 
heads  lay  "the  blood-guiltiness,"  and 
so  tliere  was  shouting  and  ringing  of 
bells  on  May  20,  1792,  in  honour  of  Ad- 
n:iral  Rodney  and  his  victory.  The  next 
great  day  of  rejoicing,  however,  was  for 
the  Peace  of  Amiens  in  1802,  and  it  was 
notable  the  more  especially  from  the 
fact  of  Soho  Works  being  illuminated 
with  gas,  for  the  lirst  time  in  the 
world's  history  used  ft)r  such  a  purpose. 
In  1809,  we  put  up  the  first  statue  in 
all  England  to  the  heio  of  Trafalgar, 
and  we  made  the  Gth  of  June  the  day 
to  rejoice  over  it,  because  forsooth,  it 
happened  to  bo  the  jubilee  day  of 
George  tlie  Third.  What  he  had  done 
for  us  to  rejoice  about  wouhl  be  hard 
to  tell  ;  even  more  difficult  is  the  query 
why  we  were  so  gleeful  and  joyous  on 
February  1,  1820,  when  Ins  successor 
was  proclaimed.  George  IV. 's  Corona- 
tion was  celebrated  heie  by  the  public 
roasting  of  oxen,  and  an  immense  din- 
ner party  in  front  of  Beardsworth's 
Repository. 

Religious  Queerosities. —Among 

all  its  multifarious  manufactures  it 
would  have  been  strange,  indeed,  if 
Birmingham  had  not  jnodnced  some- 
thing new  in  religious  matters,  and 
accordingly  we  find  that  in  18i0  some 
of  our  advanced  townsmen  had  formed 
tliemselves   into   a    "Universal    Com- 


munity Society  of  Rational  Religion- 
ists." We  have  not  met  with  a  copy 
of  their  rules,  though  Tidd  Pratt  re- 
gistered tlieni  as  of  a  Friendly  Society 
(under  cap.  4,  Will.  IV.),  but  the 
county  magistrates,  at  the  Kovember 
Quarter  Sessions  would  not  pass  them 
nor  seal  them.  Of  late  years  there 
have  been  introduced  amongst  us  seve- 
ral other  curiosities  in  the  way  of  re- 
ligious bodies,  like  the  Theists,  the 
Poly theists,  the  Po-itivists,  the  Seculai  - 
ists,  the  Latter-day  Saints,  and  others. 

Religious  Societies.— In  addition 

to  those  noted  elsewhere,  there  have 
been  mairy  societies  formed  here  which 
may  come  under  this  heading,  such  as 
the  Lay  Association  for  the  Refutation 
of  Inhdelity,  founded  in  18^9  ;  the 
Protestant  Association,  commenced  in 
1847  ;  the  Christian  Evidence  Society, 
began  in  1869  ;  the  Church  Defence 
and  Reform  Association,  formed  in 
1871  ,  the  Protestant  and  Churclr 
Association,  iuaugurated  May  23,  of 
sauie  year,  &c. 

RepOSitOPy.  — Before  the  building 
of  the  Town  Hall,  there  was  no  place 
in  which  a  town's  nieetiug  couhl  be 
held,  except  the  Public  Ofhce  in  Moor 
Street,  besides  Beardsworth's  Reposi- 
tory As  its  name  implies,  it  was 
origiiu'.lly  built  as  a  sale-room  for 
horses  and  carriages,  but  some  of  the 
most  important  meetings  known  in  Bir- 
iniiighani  history  have  been  held  within 
its  walls,  grand  banquets  were  often 
laid  out  there,  popular  lecturers  have 
discoursed,  and  poiiular  pugilists  exhi- 
bited their  prowess  in  tlie  same  arena, 
and  the  building  has  even  lieeii  used  as 
a  barracks. 

Republicanism.— In  1873  a  small 
band  of  Ijiiiminagein  bouncers  patrioti- 
cally provided  us  with  a  real  "  Republi- 
can Club,"  and  proud  of  the  feat 
announced  the  world-stirring  fact  to 
the  "  Hero  of  Caprera."  Tlie  simple 
honest-hearted  General,  who  knew  not 
the  guile  of  their  hearts,  was  deluded 
into  wisliiiig  them  success.  Ten  years 
have  passed  since  "  Mio  Caro  Cat  tell ' 


SIIOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


271 


.secured  Garibaldi's  autograph,  but  still 
Victoria  remains  Queen  of  Great 
Britain,  Euipress  of  Hiudostan,  and 
the  best-beloved  sovereign  on  the  earth. 

ResePVOiP. — See    ^'Canals"     and 
Kuacli  Fuol." 

RestaUPantS.  — Our  grandfathers 
knew  them  not.  They  took  their  chop 
or  steak  at  their  inn  or  hotel,  or  visited 
the  tripe  houses.  Indeed,  Joe  All- 
day's  ti'ipe  shop  in  Union  Street 
(opened  about  1839-40)  may  be  called 
the  lirst  "restaurant  "  established  here, 
as  it  was  the  favourite  lesort  of  many 
Town  Councillors  and  leading  men  of 
the  town.  A  vegetarian  restaurant 
was  opened  in  Paradise  Street  in  July, 
1S81,  and  1883  saw  the  commencement 
of  another  novelty  in  the  line,  a  fish 
restaurant  in  the  old  Warwick  Passage. 
— See  '"''  LnncTicun  Bars." 

Rine  Clubs.— The  Midland  Rifle 
Clul)  was  started  in  1875,  the  Stalford- 
shiie  Rifle  Association  dating  from 
1861.  Bjth  clubs  use  tiie  range  at 
Saudwell  Park,  by  permission  of  the 
Earl  of  Dartmouth.  At  the  Inter- 
national Match  at  Creedmore,  New 
York,  in  1881,  the  representatives  of 
this  neiglibourhood  scored  high  num- 
bers, Corporal  Bates  (of  the  M.R.C.) 
taking  the  only  first  prize  secured  by 
visitors  in  the  open  competitions  of  the 
U.  S.  Associations. 

Rig-htS  of  Man.— An  effigy  of  Tom 
Paine,  author  of  "The  Rights  of  Man," 
was  paraded  through  the  streets,  Feb. 
12,  1793,  and  ignominiously  burned  in 
the  evening. 

RingePS. — The  St.  Martin's  Society 
of  Change  Ringers,  date  from  1755, 
and  have  always  held  high  rank  among 
the  bellringers  of  the  country.  Many 
old  iiews])apers  have  chronicled  their 
mighty  doings  with  bobs  and  treble 
bobs,  caters  and  cinques,  in  all  their 
courses  and  changes.  In  Southey's 
"Doctor"  (vol.  1,  p.  303)  mention  is 
made  of  "eight  Birniingliam  youths  who 
ventured  upon  a  peal  of  1 5, 1 20bob  major, 
but  after  ringing  for  eight  hours  and  a 


half  were  so  fatigued  that  the  caller 
brouglit  them  round  at  the  14,224th 
change,  perhaps  the  longest  peal  that 
had  ever  been  rung."  On  February 
28,  1881,  the  ringers  achieved  a  true 
peal  of  Stedman  cinques,  containiuc 
9,238  change  ,  in  6^  hours,  being  the 
longest  peal  ever  rung  in  that  method, 
and  noteworthy  as  the  comunsitiou  of 
H.  Johnson,  senr. ,  and  rung  in  honour 
of  his  72ud  birthday.  In  former  days 
the  local  ringers  were  also  famed  for 
their  skill  with  handbells,  one  cele- 
brated perforuu'r  being  Elijah  Roberts, 
an  e.-itraordmary  adept,  who  died  in 
1865.  One  of  this  worthy's  feats  was 
the  ringing  (at  Liverpo'd,  Atarch  23, 
1837)  a  peal  comprising  19,440  clianges 
of  Kent  treble  bob  miximus,  taking  13| 
hours, — See  ^^ Bells." 

Riots. — In  times  past  the  Brums 
had  a  bad  name  for  rioting,  and  when 
the  list  is  looked  over  many  ma^■ 
think  it  not  un'iesarved. — In  Julv. 
1715,  the  Old  Meeting  House  wa.^ 
destroyed  in  a  riot.— In  1737  the  naii- 
makers  fiom  Worcestershire  niaiched 
into  this  town  and  forced  the  iron- 
mongers to  sign  a  paper  allowing  an 
advance  in  piices.  —  Some  bigoted 
brutes  got  up  an  anti-Methodist  )nove- 
ment  in  1751,  which  culminated  in  a 
general  riot  on  Oct.  19,  tlie  pulpit  and 
seats  being  taken  out  of  the  meeting- 
house and  burnt. — The  history  of  "the 
Birmingham  Riots"  of  179l"is  world- 
known,  and  there  is  no  necessity  in 
repeat  the  disgraceful  tale.  The 
damage  was  estimated  at  £60,000  ; 
the  sulferers  recovered  only  £27,000, — 
On  Oct.  24,  1793,  caused  by  the 
enforced  collection  of  the  rates  levied 
to  pay  damages  done  iu  riots  of  1791. 
Two  more  lives  lost. — June  22,  1795. 
on  account  of  sea; city  of  food  and  the 
high  prices  thereof.  Soldiers  called 
out,  and  they  gave  two  unfortunates 
leaden  food  enough  to  kill  them. — 
May  28,  1810,  two  women  fell  out  over 
the  price  of  some  potatoes,  others 
joined  in  ami  a  scrimmage  ensued. 
Constables  came  and  men  mauled 
them,  and  the    result  of    the    unruly 


272 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


wagging  of  those  two  women's  tongues 
was    a    riot,  wliich    lasted  four  days. 
Three   men   were   sentenced   to    grow 
potatoes   at   Botanv    Bay   the   rest  of 
their     lives.— March     22,     1813,    the 
chapels  in  Bond  Street,  Belmont  Row, 
and  Ladywrill   Walk,    with  the   Jews' 
Synagogue    in     Severn     Street,    were 
damaged    by    a    riotous    mob.       The 
Jahet    Riots  in    1816  were    piimarily 
caused    by  the    proprietor    of    Jabet's 
Herald  publishing  an  adduss  showing 
that    "a   man,   wife,   and  six  children 
could    live  on    6s     a    week."      Some 
cheap  food  was  presented  to  the  printer 
ill  the  shape  of  potatoes,  with  which  his 
windows    were   smashed. — Chums    for 
damages  arising  out  of  the  Charti.st  riots 
of   1839  were  made  to  the  amount  of 
£16,283,     of     which     £15,027      were 
allowed,     and     rates     were    mad-,    on 
the     Hundred    of     Hemlinglord     for 
£20,000  to   cover    the  same   and  the 
e.xpenses  attendant  thereon.     It  was  a 
curious  coincidence  that  1  he  rioters  of 
1839  shou'd  have  chosen  July  the  15th 
for  their  fiery  pranks,   the  roughs  of 
1791  having  on  the  same  day  of  the 
same  month,  bu  nt  Button's  and  other 
hoirses.       At    the    Warwick    Assizes, 
Aug.  8,  1839,  Jeremiah  Howell,  Francis 
Roberts,  and  John  Jones  were  sentenced 
to  be  hung,  Thomas  Aston  had  sen- 
tence of  death  recorded   against  him, 
and   13  other  hot-heads  were  ordered 
various    terms   of    imprisonment,    for 
taking  part  in  the  mischief. — At  Snow 
Hill  Flour  Mills,  June  20,  1847,  arising 
out   of    the    seizure   of    sundry   short 
weights.— The  "  Murphy  Riots  "  com- 
menced   on    Sunday,  June    16,    1867, 
when  William  Murphy,  the  Anti-Papal 
lecturer,    delivered    his   fir.'t    oration. 
The  police  had  to  clear  Cans  Lane  with 
their  cutlasses,    and  Paik  Sireet   was 
nearly  demolislied.     An  Iiisnman  who 
threatened  Morris  Roberis  in  his  public- 
house  was   shot   by  him  on  the    l7th, 
and  the  act  was  declared  to  be  justifi- 
able.— There    was   a    disgraceful    row 
(which  may  well  be  classed  under  this 
heading)  at  St.   Alhan's  Church,  Oct. 
13,     1867,    in     consequence    of    some 


ecclesiastical  excommunicatory  pro- 
ceedings.— The  Navigation  Street  riot 
of  roughs,  in  which  Police-ofhiiers  Lines 
and  Fletcher  were  stabbed,  took  place 
March  7,  1875.  Lines  died  on  the 
24th,  and  was  buried  at  Aston  the 
29th.  The  sum  of  £840  14s.  was 
gathered  to  support  his  wife  and 
daughter.  The  Assizes,  held  in  the 
following  July,  may  be  called  "the 
Roughs'  Reprisals,"  as  one  was  sen- 
tenced to  death,  four  to  penal  servitude 
for  life,  six  to  fifteen  years  each  (three 
of  them  were  flogged  as  well),  one  to 
ten  years,  one  to  seven  years,  and  four 
to  five  years  each. — A  Conseivative 
"demonstration"  held  at  the  Lower 
Grounds,  October  13th,  1884,  was 
broken  into  and  disturbed  by  Liberals, 
who  held  a  n.eeting  outside  and  then 
breacheil  the  walls,  spoilt  the  fireworks, 
and  ailded  analher  to  the  lonn  list  of 
Birmingham  liots. 

Ritualism.— Though      there      has 
been  many  instances  of  local  cl'.rgymen 
adopting  practices  which  usually  come 
under  the  name  of  litualistic,  we  have 
had  but  one  "Martyr  to  the  Cause," 
in  the  person  of  the  Rev.    R.  W.  Eii- 
raght,    of   the    Church    of  tlie    Holy 
Trinity,  Bordesley.     Among   the   nu- 
merous practi'?es  of  which    complaint 
was  made  against  him  were  the  follow- 
ing : — The  use  of  lighted  landles,   the 
wearing  of  the  alb  and  chasuble,   the 
ceremonial  mixing  ol'  water  and  wine, 
the    making  of   the  sign  of  the  cross 
towards  tlie  congregation,    the  use  of 
waf  rs  instead  of  bread,  standing  with 
his   back  to  the   congregation   during 
the  pi  aver  for  consecration,   not  con- 
tinuing to  stand  the  whole  time  during 
the  prayer,    elevation  of  the  cup  and 
paten  more  than  is  necessar}-,   causing 
the  Agnus  Dei  to  be  sung  immediately 
after  the  consecration,  standing  instead 
of  kneeling  during  the  Confes-sidn,  and 
kissing    the    Prayer    Book.       Remon- 
strance, monition,  and  inhibition,   not 
being  sufficient  to  teaeh  him  the  error 
of  his  ways,  Mr.  Enraght  was  commit- 
ted for  contemjit  Nov.  20,  1880,  and 
taken  to  Warwick  gaol  on  the  27th 


SHOWBLl's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


'J.i6 


He  was  released  sooa  afcer  Christmas, 
aud  another  Vicar  liUeth  his  place. 

Roach  Pool— In  the  years  1825- 
26  the  proprietors  of  the  old  Birniing- 
ham  Canal  })uichased  ab-mt  130  acres 
of  land,  partly  in  llldgbaston  and  partly 
in  Biiiuiiigliaiu  parishes,  for  the  ]nir- 
pose  of  fonuiu,i^  re-fcrvoirs  or  feeders 
for  their  canal.  Part  of  the  area  in- 
cluded Roach  Pool,  through  which  the 
boundary  line  ran,  and  the  pleasant 
path  then  by  its  side  is  now  15tt.,  or 
16fc.  under  water.  In  Rxgg's  "  Edg- 
biston  "  is  an  allusiou  to  this  : — 

"  In  Rotton  Park 
No  more  doth  Roach  Pool  smile.    Its  humble 

miiror. 
Wherein  the  stars  were  once  content  to  gaze 
On  their  reflected  forms,  is  buried  now 
Some  fathoms   deep.    Yea,  with  the  humble 

path 
That  led  beside  its  banks." 

Roads. — Some  of  the  roads  leading 
into  and  out  of  Biimiiigham  in  the 
olden  days  were  little  better  than  deep 
ruts,  which  were  more  or  less  levelled 
about  the  middle  of  last  century.  The 
making  of  the  great  Holyheid  coach- 
road  also  graded  some  of  the  steeper 
spots  as  well  as  the  lowest,  but  the 
modern  town  improvements  must  be 
credited  as  the  greatest  factor  in  the 
levelling  of  the  roads,  none  of  which, 
however,  were  "  macadamised,"  until 
1818.  The  total  length  of  highways 
"taken  to"  and  repairable  by  the 
Corporation  at  the  commencement  of 
1884,  amounted  to  185|-  miles,  there 
being  other  12^  miles  undeclared. 
Ten  years  ago  the  figures  stood  at  143 
and  40  respectively  ;  but  as  during  the 
last  six  years,  owners  of  property  have 
been  paying  at  the  rate  of  £17,820  per 
annum,  for  completion  of  the  streets 
aud  highways  so  as  to  bring  them  in 
charge  of  tlie  Corporation,  the  un- 
declared roads  will  soon  be  few  and  far 
bat  ween.  To  keep  the  roads  fit  for 
travelling  on,  requires  about  60,000 
tons  of  stone  per  year. 

Rogues,  Thieves,  and  Vaga- 
bonds.— According  to  some  calcula- 
tions made  by  the  late  Rev,  Micaiah 


Hill,  Sec.  to  the  Town  Mission,  there 
were,  ou  a  given  day,  in  1880,  1,272 
known  thieves  and  bad  charai:ters  at 
large  in  the  town,  of  whom  177  were 
under  sixteen  years  of  age.  There 
were  71  houses  kept  by  receivers  of 
stolen  goods,  118  others  known  to  be 
fre(pientetl  by  the  criminal  classes,  and 
188  houses  of  ill-fame,  in  which  262 
women  were  found  on  the  same  day. 

Rolling  Mills.— There  was  one  at 

Nechells  as  oirly  as  1690,  though  the 
ex=ict  date  of  the  erection  of  nearly  all 
these  places  is  a  matter  of  the  greatest 
uncertainitj'.  The  first  steam  rolling 
mill,  with  the  exception  of  the  one  at 
Soho,  was  put  up  at  Bradley  iron- 
works. 

Rotton  Park. — lu  the  list  of  the 
tenants  of  Edward  Birmingham,  whose 
estate  was  confiscated  (eirc.  1536),  there 
appears  the  name  of  John  Praty,  as 
"farmer"  of  the  office  of  "  keeper  of 
the  Park  called  Rotton  (or  Roten) 
Park,"  with  all  the  profits  thereof,  and 
the  "  wyndefal  wood  and  lop  wood," 
building  timber  excepted. 

Rowley  Rag —The  fusibility  of 
basalt  having  been  theoretically  de- 
monstrated, Mr.  Henry  Adcock,  C.  E., 
in  1851  took  out  letters  patent  for  the 
manufacture  of  a  number  of  articles 
from  the  Rowley  ragstone.  Furnaces 
were  erected  at  Messrs.  Chance  Bro- 
thers, and  the  experiment  thorotighly 
carried  out,  a  number  of  columns, 
window-sills,  doorways,  steps,  and 
other  architectural  pieces  being  the 
result.  The  process,  however,  was  too 
expensive,  and  had  to  be  given  up.  A 
number  of  the  articles  were  used  in  tlie 
erection  of  Edgbaston  Vestry  Hall, 
where  the  curious  may  inspect  them  if 
so  inclined. 

Royal  Visitors.— It  is  believed 
that  Richard  III.  was  the  guestof  Baron 
de  Bermingham  in  November,  1189, 
aud  possibly  King  John  may  have 
visited  the  Manor,  as  he  was  more  than 
once  in  the  immediate  neighbourhood 
(1206-08),  but  with    those   exceptions 


274 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


Charles  I.  was  the  first  Sovereign  who 
honoured  ns  witli  a  visit.  He  was  at 
Aston  Hall,  October  16  and  17,  1642. 
and  on  the  18th  he  went  to  Packingtou. 
He  was  also  in  the  neighbourhood  on 
Friday,  July  13,  1644.  Queen  Henri- 
etta Maria,  his  Cousorl",  was  hereabouts 
on  July  10,  1643,  passing  from  Walsall 
to  meet  Prince  Rupert  at  King's  Nor- 
ton. Charles  II.  does  not  appear  to 
have  been  nearer  than  at  Erdington. 
Prince  Rupert  paiil  his  memorable 
visit  April,  1643.  In  1742,  the  Duke 
of  Cumberland,  with  his  forces,  on 
their  way  to  Scotland,  encamped  on 
Meriden  Heath,  near  Packington  Park. 
—October  21,  1765,  Edward,  Duke  of 
York,  was  here,  and  grumbled  at  the 
inconvenient  ball-roim  iu  which  he 
danced,  an  event  which  probably  led 
to  the  erection  of  the  Royal  Hotel. — 
The  Duke  of  Gloucester  May  4,  1805, 
slept  at  the  Royal,  and  in  the  follow- 
ing Ju!y,  King  George  III.  was  expected 
to  lay  the  foundation  stone  of  Christ 
Church,  but  was  too  ill  to  come, 
and  the  next  Royal  visitors  were  his 
giand-danghter  (and  our  Most  Gracious 
Queen)  Victoria,  and  her  mother  the 
Duchess  of  Kent,  who  on  August 
4,  and  5,  1830,  inspected  some  of 
our  principal  manufactories.  On  a 
similar  errand  came  the  late  Prince 
Consort,  November  29,  1843;  his  next 
visit  being  made  Nov.  12,  1849  to 
see  the  Exposition  of  Art  and  Manu- 
factures at  the  Old  Bingley  Hall  in 
Broad  Street,  which  occasion  Birming- 
ham men  proudly  believe  led  to  the 
great  Hyde  Park  Exhibition  of  1851. 
Her  Majesty  passed  through  the  town 
on  the  oOth  of  August,  1852,  when  an 
address  was  presented  to  her.  Prince 
Albert  laid  the  foundation  stone 
of  the  Midlaiid  Institute,  November 
22,  1855.  The  Duke  of  Cambridgf, 
June  1,  1857,  planted  a  tree  in  Cal- 
thorpa  Park,  as  part  of  the  opening 
ceremony.  In  the  following  year,  June 
15,  1858,  the  Queen  and  Prince  Albert 
inaugurated  the  "People's  Park,"  at 
Aston     and  Her  Majesty  said  it  was 


the  finest  reception  she  had  ever  met 
with.  Prince  Arthur,  Duke  of  Con- 
naught,  opened  the  Horticultural  Ex- 
hibition at  Lower  Grounds,  June  24, 
1872.  The  Duke  of  Edinburgh  was  at 
the  Musical  Festival,  Atig.  26,  and 
following  days,  1873.  The  Prince  and 
Princess  of  Wales  visited  the  town  Nov. 
3,  1874,  and  received  a  most  enthu- 
siastic welcome.  Prince  and  Princess 
Teck  were  here  Dec,  6,  1875  ;  and  the 
Prince  and  Princess  Christian,  with 
the  Marquis  of  Lome,  visited  the  Cattle 
and  Dog  Shows,  Dec. ,  1883.  The  Prince 
of  Wales  having  accepted  the  President- 
ship of  the  Agricultural  Exhibition 
Society,  it  is  believed  he  will  again  visit 
the  town  shortly. 

Eoycd  Visitors  frovi  Abroad. — The 
great  workshops  of  Birmingham,  and  es- 
pecially the  Soho  Works  (in  their  day), 
have,  for  the  last  liundred  years,  at- 
tracted many  crowned  and  coronetted 
heads  from  other  parts  of  the  world, 
though,  in  many  lespects,  it  is  to  be 
feared  our  town  no  longer  holds  the 
pre-eminence  in  manufacture  it  once 
did.  The  Hereditary  Prince  of  Bruns- 
wick came  here,  January  2,  1766.  The 
Empress  of  Russia  inspected  Solio  in 
1776.  The  Due  de  Chartres  came  on  a 
similar  visit,  February  22,  1785,  and 
there  were  newspaper  flunkies  then  as 
now,  for  it  was  gravely  recorded  that 
the  Duke's  horses  were  stabled  at  the 
Swan  Inn.  His  Serene  Highness  the 
Statholder  and  the  Prince  of  Orange 
called  at  Boulton's,  August  8,  1796. 
The  Grand  Duke  Nicholas,  afterwards 
Emperor  of  Russia,  was  here,  Novem- 
ber 9,  1816.  His  Serene  Highness 
Prince  Nicolas  Esterhazy,  visited  us 
in  the  month  of  August,  1821.  Prince 
Louis  Napoleon,  afterwards  Napoleon 
III.,  was  seen  here  occasionally  while 
in  exile.  The  King  of  Portugal  went 
the  round  of  the  manufactories,  June 
26,  1854 ;  Prince  Oscar  of  Sweden, 
May  8,  1862  ;  the  Emperor  of  Brazil, 
July  28,  1871  ;  the  Sultan  of  Zanzibar, 
July  2,  1875  ;  Archduke  Randolph, 
Crown  Prince  of  Austria,  and  Prince 
Esterhazy,  January  31   1878;  and  the 


SUOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM, 


Duko  of  Bra£;aiiza,  Crown  Priuce  of 
Portugal,  in  December,  1SS3. 

Sabbath    Breaking:.—  lu   1776 

the  cluirchwarclens  threatened  to  pun- 
ish everyone  caught  pla\'ing  at  ball  on 
the  Sabbath.  In  1779  they  frequently 
stopped  waggons  travelling  on  that 
day,  and  fined  the  owners  for  so  doing. 
In  December,  17S1,  thirty-eiglit 
publicans  were  lined  for  allowing 
"  tippling"  on  Sundays. 

Sailor's  Return.  —  There  are 
several  piiblichouses  in  the  town  ■with 
the  sign  of  "The  Sailor's  Return,"  but 
few  of  the  landlords  can  tell  thebistory 
of  the  first  so-named, which  is  mWatery 
Lane,  at  the  bottom  of  Lawley  Street. 
It  is  near  a  hundred  j-ears  ago  since 
"  Old  Dr.  Spencer"  was  Vicar  of  Aston 
Church,  and,  though  he  was  fond  of 
hunting,  and  could  be  "  a  jolly  good 
fellow"  occasionally,  few  parsons  have 
gone  to  the  grave  more  lamented,  for 
he  was  a  man  without  cant, — a  Chiis- 
tiin  who  never  thought  himself  better 
than  his  neighbours,  be  they  rich  or 
poor.  His  only  .son  was  mortally 
wounded  in  one  of  ^Nelson's  battles, 
but  he  lived  just  long  enough  to  give 
his  watch  ami  a  few  trifles  for  his 
father  to  the  sailor  who  waited  on  him. 
'Twas  some  time  before  the  "  old  salt  " 
got  to  land,  and  he  had  been  in 
another  brush  with  the  French,  and 
had  left  a  leg  behind  him.  When  he 
delivered  his  message  to  the  Dr.,  the 
latter  asked  what  he  could  do  for  him. 
"  Wlij',  sir,"  said  the  sailor,  "  I  should 
like  to  keep  a  public-house  ;"  and  he 
did,  the  Dr.  christening  it  "  The 
Sailor's  Return." 

Saltley. — So  far  as  our  ancient  his- 
tories can  tell  us,  there  was  a  mansion 
here  long  previous  to  the  Conquest,  and 
the  diligent  antiquarian  may  still  find 
an  old  Saltley  Hall,  though  it  looks 
wretchedly  neglected  and  desolate. 
Saltley  is  one  of  the  busiest  of  our 
suburbs,  there  being  very  extensive 
Railway  Carriage  and  Wagon  ^Yorks 
here,  besides  other  factories  and  tiie 


Corporation  Gas-works,  the  population 
being  about  7,000. 

Sandwell  Hall  and  Park.— Seat 

of  the  Earl  of  Dartmouth,  Avho  fre- 
quently permits  tl.e  Park  to  be  used  for 
public  purposes.  Of  late,  however,  it 
has  acquired  a  far  greater  interest 
through  the  discovery  of  coal  under- 
neath its  surface.  The  extension  of  the 
coal  seams  in  this  direction  was  long  a 
debateable  question,  and  the  originators 
of  the  Sandwell  Park  Colliery  Com- 
pany were  deemed  by  many  to  be  very 
foolish  people  to  risk  their  money  in 
such  a  venture,  but  after  a  four  years' 
suspense  their  most  sanguine  expecta- 
tions were  more  than  realised,  a!id  their 
shares,  which  at  one  period  were  hardlj' 
saleable,  ranked  amongst  the  best  in- 
vestments of  the  countr3^  By  their 
agreement  with  the  owner,  the  Com- 
pany have  the  right  of  mining  under 
an  area  of  185  acr  s,  at  a  rovaltyof6d. 
per  ton,  with  the  option  of  taking  a 
further  area  of  1,515  acres  at  a  like 
royalty.  The  first  sod  was  cut  April 
12,  1870,  the  thick  coal  being  struck 
May  28,  1874,  at  a  depth  of  418 
yards,  the  shaft,  whicli  is  10ft. 
diameter,  being  carried  down  to  a  total 
depth  of  440  yards — a  quarter  of  a 
mile ;  the  second  shaft,  which  was 
commenced  June  24,  1374,  is  15ft.  in 
diameter.  The  following  are  the 
"winnings" ;  brooch  coal,  2ft.  6in. 
thick,  at  a  depth  of  380  yards  ;  best 
coal,  20fc.  6iu.  thick,  at  418  yards  ; 
heathen  coal  4ft.  thick,  at  427  yards  ; 
white  ironstone,  of  excellent  quality, 
at  434  yards,  and  good  fire-clay,  6ft. 
thick,  under  that,  besides  thiii  seams 
of  gubbin  ironstone,  and  new  mine 
coal. 

Saturday    Half -holiday.  —The 

introduction  of  this  boon  to  working- 
men  took  place  in  1851,  Mr.  John 
Frearson,  of  Gas-street,  claiming  the 
honour  of  first  giving  it  to  his  em- 
ployees.— See  "  Uxcur'sions  " 

Scandalous   Schoolmasters.— 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Wills,  of  Brumingham, 
with     several     county     esquires     and 


276 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


gentlemen,  were  appointed  Commis- 
sioners under  an  Act  passed  towards 
the  close  of  "The  Long  Parliament," 
to  summon  and  examine  any  "publique 
preacher-s,  ineffinent  ministers,  and 
scandalous  schoolmasters  who  shall  be 
]iroved  guiltj'  of  drunkenness,  common 
haintingof  taverns  oralehonses, dealing 
with  lewd  women,  frequent  quarrelling 
or  tighing,  frequent  playing  at  cards 
or  dice,  profming  the  Sabbatli  Day,  or 
<io  inconrage  or  countenance  by  word 
or  practice  any  AVhitsun  ales,  wakes, 
Morris-dances,  IMaypoles,  stage  plays, 
&c.  ,"and  to  remove  the  same  where 
needed.  A  little  quarrelling  or  fight- 
ing, or  playing  at  cards,  was  apparently 
no  offence. 

School  Board.— The  first  election 
took  place  Nov.  28,  1870,  there  being 
the  following  twemy-eight  candidates, 
the  first  fifteen  named  lieing  the  cliosen 
elected  by  the  number  of  votes  att:'ched 
to  their  names,  viz..  Canon  O'SuUivan, 
35,120 ;  S.  S.  Llovd,  30,799  ;  Dr. 
Burges,21.925  ;  Dr.  Wilkinson,  19,829; 
John  Gough,  17,481  ;  Rev.  F.  S. 
Dale,  17,365 ;  G.  Dawson,  17,103  ; 
G.  Dixon,  M.P.,  16,897  ;  W. 
Dale,  16,387  ;  C.  Vince,  15,943  ; 
J,  S.  Hopkins,  15,696  ;  W.  L. 
Sargant,  15,683  ;  J.  Chamberlain, 
15,090;  J.  S.  Wright,  15,007;  A.J. 
Elkington,  14,925  ;  G.  Baker,  J.  A. 
Cooper,  Jesse  Colliags,  Rev.  H.  W. 
Cro-iskey,  Dr.  Sebastinn  Evans,  Rev. 
H.  W.  Holland,  —  Kirkwood,  G.  B. 
Lloyd,  Dr,  Meison,W.  Middleuiore,  W. 
Radford,  —  Raffles,  and  Archdeacon 
Sandford.  29,183  voters,  out  of 
52,340,  recorded  their  votes.  A  con- 
siderable amount  of  party  feeling  was 
shown  in  the  contest,  the  candidates 
being  divided  (with  one  or  two  excep- 
tions) into  two  di.-tinct  classes,  the 
Liberals  who  wanted  the  Bible  read  la 
the  scliools  without  explanation  or 
comment,  and  the  Churchmen  who 
went  in  for  Scriptural  teaching.  The 
latter  party  obtained  the  majority  by 
electing  the  wliole  of  the  eight  they 
put  in  nomination,  the  Liberals,  who 


thought  they  could  run  the  whole 
fifteen,  find  that  by  grasning  at  too 
mu'di  they  had  lost  all  the  power  they 
had  fondly  lioped  to  acquire.  The  first 
meeting  of  the  Board  was  held  Dec. 
15,  Mr.  Sargant  beting  elected  chairman 
and  Mr.  S.  S.  Lloyd  vice-chairman. 
During  the  three  years'  reign  of  this 
Board  the  religious  question  was  a  con- 
tinual bone  of  contention,  the  payment 
ofschool  fees  for  the  teaching  of  the  Bible 
in  denominational  schools  being  de- 
nounced in  the  strongest  of  terms  in 
and  out  of  the  Board-room  by  the 
"  Irreconcileables, "  as  the  Noncon- 
formiug  minority  were  termed.  The 
practical  results  of  the  Boaid's  pro- 
ceedings may  be  summed  up  thus  : 
The  Education  Department  decided 
tliat  school  accommodation  was  re- 
quired for  15,000  children  ;  the  Stdiool 
Board  borrowed  £40,000,  received 
£20,500  from  the  rates,  built  five 
schools  (in  Lingard-street,  Jenkins- 
street,  Farm-street,  Garrison-lane, 
and  Steward-street),  which  would 
hold  about  6,000  children,  boys,  girls, 
and  infants,  and  engaged  fifteen 
teachers,  52  pupil  teachers,  and  two 
assistants.  They  also  allowed  the  sum 
of  Is.  per  week  for  every  child  detained 
in  a  certified  industrial  school,  com- 
mitted by  tlie  borough  magistrates, 
enforced  in  sr>me  measure  the  compul- 
sory clauses  of  the  E  iucation  Act,  en- 
tered into  negotiations  for  tlie  building 
of  four  other  schools,  quarrelled  with 
the  Town  Council,  and  dissolved  with- 
out thanking  their  chairman. — The 
second  election  of  the  School  Board 
took  place  Nov.  17,  1873,  when  eigh- 
teen persons  were  nominated,  as  fol- 
low (the  three  last  being  the  unsuc- 
cessful candidate?!)  : — G.  Dixon,  M.P,, 
39,447  votes  ;  J.  Chamb.-rlain,  38,901  ; 
Miss  Sturge,  37,260  ;  C.  Vince,  36,505  ; 
J.  S.  Wright,  36,417  ;  R.  AV.  Dale, 
34,986  ;  G.  Dawson,  34,301  ;  Jesse 
Collings,  33,877  ;  Canon  O'Snllivan, 
32,087  ;  S.  S.  Lloyd,  29,783  ;  Dr. 
Burges,  24,582  ;  A.  J.  Elkington, 
24,213  ;  W.  L.  Sargant,  24,207  ;  Rev. 
F.   S.  Dale,    23,864  ;  Dr.    Wilkinson, 


SHOWBLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIKMINGHAM. 


277 


23,ir,7;  G.  Hcaton,  23,140;  W.  H. 
Greening,  22,881  ;  and  W.  Wailow, 
19,193.  This  election  was  fought  with 
all  the  rancoiu"  of  a  political  contest, 
Tory  and  Liberal  being  pitted  against 
one  another  in  the  name  of  religion,  the 
Book  of  Books  being  dragged  through 
the  mire  of  party  warfare  in  the  most 
outrageous  manner,  discreditable  to 
both  sides,  and  especially  so  to  those 
teachers  of  the  Gospel,  who  delighted 
in  the  almost  l)lasphemons  alliterations 
of  "  Bible  and  beer,"  "  gin  and  Jesus," 
&p. ,  so  freely  bandied  about.  The 
Liberal  party  this  time  gained  the 
ascendancy, their  first  "  liberal  "  action 
being  to  tike  a,yra.j  the  allowance 
granted  to  the  Industrial  Schools, 
and  reversing  as  much  as  possible 
the  policy  of  their  predecessors. 
It  would  be  waste  of  space  to  comment 
upon  tlie  doings  of  the  i'oard  during 
the  jiast  ten  jears  otherwise  than  to 
summarise  them.  The  Lii^eral  party 
have  maintained  their  ascendancy,  and 
they  have  provided  the  town  with  a 
set  of  schools  that  cannot  be  equalled 
by  any  town  in  the  kingdom,  either 
for  number,  magniticence  of  architec- 
ture, educational  a}>pliance,  high-class 
teachers,  or  (which  is  the  most  impor- 
tant) means  for  the  advancement  of 
the  scholars,  to  whom  every  induce- 
ment is  lield  out  for  self-improvement, 
except  in  the  matter  of  religion,  which, 
as  nearly  as  possible,  is  altogether 
banished  from  the  curriculum.  At  the 
end  of  1833,  the  thirty  completed 
schools  provided  accommodation  for 
31,861  chihiren,  10,101  boys,  9,053 
girls,  and  12,707  infants,  but  the  num- 
ber of  names  on  the  books  reached  nearly 
40,000.  Other  schools  are  being  built, 
and  still  more  are  intended  ;and,  as  the 
town  increases,  so  must  this  necessary 
expenditure,  though,  at  first  sight,  the 
tax  on  the  ratepayers  is  somewhat 
appalling.  In  1878  the  "precept" 
w,s  for  £46,500;  in  1879,  £44,000; 
in  ISSO,  £39,000;  in  1881,  £42,000; 
in  1882,  £48,000;  in  1883,  £54,000; 
in  1884,  £55,000.  The  receipts 
and     expenditure    lor   the    half-year 


ended  25  th  xMarch,  1334,  gives 
the  following  items  : — Balance  in  hand 
29th  September,  1883. £10,522  Is.  7^i. ; 
rates  (instalment  of  precept),  £27,250  : 
maintenance — giants  from  Committee 
of  Council  on  Education,  £9,866  18s. 
4d.  ;  school  fees,  £4,806  3s.  81.  ;  books, 
&c.,  sold,  £223  ISs.  6d.  ;  rent  of  Board 
schools,  £655  9s.  ;  needlework  sold, 
£215  12s.  2d.  ;  grant  from  Science  ami 
Art  Dcuartment,  £306  Os.  3d.  ;  total. 
£16,074  Is.  lid.  ;  scholarships,  £114 
13s.  ;  sundries,  £44  Os.  3d.  ;  total  in- 
come, £54,004  16s.  9^(1.  The  follow- 
ing was  the  expenditure  :  Repayment 
of  loans,  &e. ,  £11,016  13s,  6d.  ;  main- 
tenance, £30,040  16s.  Id.  (including 
£23,300,  salaries  of  teachers) ;  scholar- 
ships, £126  13s.  3d.  ;  compulsion  and 
management,  £3,857  3s.  4d.  ;  sundries, 
£28  4s.  ;  amount  transferred  from 
capital  account,  £30  Is.  lOd.  ;  bilance 
in  hand,  £8,905  4s.  9id.  ;  total, 
£54,004  163.  9|d. 

A  Central  Seventh  Standard  Techni- 
cal School  has  been  originated  through 
the  offer  of  Jlr.  George  Dixon  to  give 
the  use  of  premises  in  Bridge  Street, 
rent  free  tVr  five  years,  he  making  all 
structural  alterations  nectssary  to  fit 
the  same  for  the  special  teaching  of 
boys  from  the  Board  Schools,  who 
have  passed  the  sixth  standard,  and 
whose  parents  are  willing  to  keep  their 
sons  from  the  workshops  a  little  longer 
than  usual.  The  course  of  the  two 
years'  furtlier  instruction  proposed,  in- 
cludes (besides  the  ordinary  code 
subjects,  the  three  R's)  mathematic, 
theoretical,  and  practical  mechanics, 
freehand, geometry, and  model  drawing, 
machine  construction  and  drawing, 
chcmi.str_v  and  electricity,  and  the  use 
ol  the  ordinary  workshop  tools,  work- 
shops being  fitted  with  benches,  lathe?, 
&c. ,  for  the  lads'  use.  The  fee  is  3d. 
per  week,  and  if  the  experiment 
sticceeds,  the  School  Board  at  the  end 
of  the  five  years  will,  no  doubt,  take 
it  up  on  a  more  extended  scale. 

Aston  School  Board.  —  I'he  first 
election  took  place  July  29,  1875,  and, 
as  in  Birmingham,   it  was   fought  on 


2/8 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


the  usual  political  basis,  the  Liberals 
f;aining  the  day.  The  Board  has  nine 
Schools,  with  an  average  attendance  of 
11,500  cliildren,  out  of  nearly  15,000  on 
the  registers  ;  187  teachers,  and  a  debt 
of  £110,000 

King's  Norton  Board. — The  first 
election  took  place  March  19,  1876. 
Eight  Schools  have  been  built  since 
tliat  date. 

Schools    and   Colleg-es.— What 

with  thirty  board  schools,  about  sixty 
churcli  and  chapel  schools,  and  nearly 
300  private  enterprise  schools,  Kirining- 
hani  cannot  be  said  to  be  sliort  of  edu- 
?atioual  establishments,  even  for  the 
100,000  children  we  have  amongst 
us.  At  the  end  of  1881  there  were 
93,776  children  in  the  borough  be- 
tween the  ages  of  three  and  tliirteen. 
Next  to  the  Free  Gramm.ar  School,  the 
oldest  public  scliool  in  the  town  must 
be  the  Lauca-teriaii  Scliool,  which 
was  opened  September  11,  1809,  and 
was  rebuilt  in  1851.  'J'he  National 
School  in  Pinford  Street  was  opened  in 
1813,  the  Governors  of  the  Free  Gram- 
mar School  having  the  privilege  of 
sending  sixty  children  in  lieu  of  rent 
for  the  site.  The  iladras  school  was 
formerly  at  the  bottom  of  King 
Street.  The  first  Infant  Schools  we 
read  of  were  opened  in  1825.  The 
first  stone  of  the  Industrial  School  in 
Gem  Street  Avas  laid  April  13,  1849. 
Ragged  Schools  were  opened  in  Vale 
Street,  September  11,  ami  in  con- 
nection with  Bishop  Ryder's,  Septem- 
ber 17,  1862,  andin  Staniforth  Street, 
.January  11,  186S.  The  schools  in  the 
Upper  Priory  were  erected  in  1860  ; 
those  in  Camden  Drive  in  1869.  The 
Unitarian  Schools,  Newhall  Hill, 
were  opened  in  1833  ;  the  New 
Meeting  Street  Schools  in  1844. 
Winlield's  in  one  sense  must  be  called 
a  public  school,  though  connected  with 
a  factory  and  built  (at  a  cost  of  over 
£2,000)  for  the  education  of  the  young 
people  there  employed.  The  respected 
owner  of  the  Cambridge  Street  Works, 
like  many  other  Conservatives,  was  one  of 


the  most  liberal-minded  men,  and  hun- 
dreds fwe  not  only  their  education, 
but  their  present  iiosition  in  life  to 
the  care  bestowed  upon  them  at 
this  school. — A  Roman  Catholic  School 
was  opened  in  Ba  tliolomew  Street, 
October  1,  1872  ;  in  Brougham  Street, 
December  27,  1872  ;  and  nen'  Schools 
in  Shadwell  Street,  (costing  about 
£4,500),  June  25,  1883  —The  Palmer 
Street  Congregational  Schools,  which 
cost  £2,500,  were  ofiened  February  12, 
1877.  The  old  V'.'esleyan  chapel,  in 
Martin  Street,  was  fitted  up  for  .schools 
in  1865.  The  same  body  opened 
schools  at  Summer  Hill,  in  1874  ; 
in  Icknield  Street  West,  January  1, 
1875 ;  and  laid  the  first  stone  of 
another  school  in  Sterling  Road,  Sep- 
tember 22,  1884.  —  the  Helirew 
National  Schools,  Hurst  Street,  were 
opened  May  21,  1S44. 

The  Birmingham  and  Edgbaston 
Proprietary  Scliool,  Hagley  Road,  was 
the  property  of  a  company  constituted 
by  deed  of  settlement,  dated  February 
28,  1839.  The  cost  of  the  land  chosen 
to  build  upon  and  the  handsome  edifice 
erected  was  £10,500,  the  school  being 
opened  in  1811.  In  1874  there  was 
originated  a  Birmingham  Higher  Edu- 
cation Society,  and  in  1876  a  scheme 
was  adopted  for  a  High  Scliool  for 
Girls  in  conjunction  with  the  Proprie- 
tary School,  a  comjiany  being  formed, 
with  a  nominal  capital  of  £20,000,  for 
the  purchase  of  the  property  ;  but  the 
days  of  the  School's  jirosperity  seem  to 
have  passed  away,  and  in  August, 1881, 
it  was  bouglit  over  by  the  Governors  of 
the  Free  Grammar  School. 

Blue  Coat  School  (facing  St. 
Phillip's  Churchyard)  founded  in  1721, 
and  was  erected  in  1724,  provision 
having  been  maile  in  the  Act  for  build- 
ing St.  Philip's  Church  for  securing  the 
nece.'^^sary  land  required  lor  the  school 
for  a  term  of  1,000  years  at  10s.  per  j^ear. 
The  first  cost  of  tlie  building  was  about 
£3,000,  butmany  alterations  and  exten- 
sions have  since  been  made  thereto,  the 
quaint  little  statues  in  the  front  being 
put  up  in  1770  ;  they  are  the  work  of 


SHOWELL's   dictionary   of   BIRMINGHAM. 


279 


ilr.  Eilward  Gnibb,  and  are  said  to 
liave  been  portraits  of  two  of  the  cliil- 
dreii  tiien  actually  in  the  school.  The 
first  bequest  recorded  is  that  of  Sirs. 
Elizabeth  White,  who  in  1722  left 
nearly  30  acres  of  land  worth  about 
£250  per  year  for  the  su})port  of  the 
school.  In  1726  Benjamin  Silusbury 
left  30s.  per  year  for  the  preaching'  of  a 
sermon  atSt.  Martin's  and  St.  Philip's, 
and  a  further  40s.  ]ier  year  as  a  sub- 
scription ;  as  did  also  Tliomas  Duns- 
combe  in  1729.  In  1795  the  Lord  of 
the  JIanor  presented  the  scliool  with  a 
slice  of  Bivmingiiam  Heath,  above  five 
acres  in  extent,  which  is  now  let  on  a 
lonj;  lease  at  £96  lOs.  per  year.  In 
1806  other  land  was  devised,  and  from 
time  to  time  considerable  sums  have 
been  invested  in  like  manner  and  in 
consols,  so  that  a  fair  income  is  derived 
from  these  sources,  in  addition  to  the 
voluntary  and  annual  subscriptions, 
but  ju<li,'ing  from  the  past  and  the 
admirable  way  in  which  the  funds  have 
been  administered  it  may  be  truly  said 
that  if  the  income  were  doubled  or 
trebled  so  would  be  the  benefits  in  like 
proportion.  At  first  opening  22  boys 
and  10  girls  were  adniitteiT,  and  10 
others  of  each  sex  were  taught  aud 
clothed  ;  the  latter  system,  however, 
had  many  inconveniences,  and  was 
soon  discontinued.  At  present  the 
average  number  is  150  boys  and  100 
girls  on  the  oiiginil  foundation,  20 
being  iiaid  f 'r  out  of  Fentham's  Trust. 

Bourne  College  is  situated  at  Quin- 
ton,  and  is  an  institution  for  the  edu- 
cation of  the  sous  of  friends  belonging 
to  the  I'rimitive  jMethodist  denomina- 
tion. The  memorial  stones  were  laid 
June  6,  1881,  and  the  College  was 
opened  October  24,  1882,  with  accom- 
modation for  70  boys. 

Church  Schools. — St.  Albau's  Schools 
were  commenced  in  1865.  Bishop 
Ryder's  Schools  were  opened  in  De- 
cember 1860,  and  for  girls  in  March 
1866.  Chri^t  Church  Schools  were 
built  in  1837  at  a  cost  of  nearly  £4,000 
St.  George's  Schools  were  built  in  1842  ; 
St,   John's  (Sparkhill)  in    1884 ;    St. 


Mary's,  Bith  Street,  in  1824,  the  pre- 
sent schools  daing  from  January, 
1847.  St.  Martin's  Church  Schools 
were  opened  Nov.  1,  1816,  but 
were  transferred  to  the  School  Board, 
July  9,  1879  ;  St.  Matthew's,  Lupin 
Street,  October  20,  1841  ;  St.  Paul's, 
December  18,  1845  ;  the  Legge  Lane 
Schools  being  erected  in  1869.  St. 
Anne's  School,  Deritend,  was  opened 
Mav  31,  1870  ;  St.  Mary's,  Aston 
Brook,  Auril  16,  1S72. 

King  Edivarcl  the   Kllh's  Schools. — 
For  300  years  known  as  the  Free  Gram- 
mar School,   having  been  founded  in 
1551,   the    fifth   year   of  the    reign   of 
Edward  VI.,  and  endowed  with  part  of 
the  yiroperty  taken   by  his  reforming 
father  Pleury  VIII.,  in  1536,  from    the 
religious    foundation     known    as    the 
"Guild  of  the  Holy  Cross."     At  the 
time  the  charter  was  grantel  (Jan.  2, 
1552)  these  lands  were  valued  at  aboiit 
£20  per  annum,  and  so  little  was  it 
imagined  that  Birmingham  would  ever 
be  more  than  the  small  hamlet  it  then 
was,  that  a  funny  tale  has  come  down 
to  the    effect    that   the   good  ptofde  of 
King's  Norton,  when  offered  their  choice 
of  similar  lands  or  a  sum  equal  there- 
to, wisely  as   tliej'   thought  cho.se  the 
"bird  in  hand  "  and  asked  for  tlie  £20 
per  yeir  for  their  school,   leaving  the 
Brums  to  make  what  they  could  out  of 
the  bare  fields  once   belonging  to  the 
brotherhood  of  the  Holy  Cross.     Like 
the  majority  of  so-callel  charily  schools, 
this  foundation  was   for  many  genera- 
tions so  managed  that  the  funds  went 
into  almost   any   channel    except    the 
purpose  for  which  it  was  designed — the 
free  education   of  the  poor — and  even 
now  it    would  be  an  interesting  (]^ues- 
tion  to  find  out  how  many  boys  are 
receiving  the  advantages  thereof  whose 
parents   are  well  able  to  pay  for  their 
learning   elsewhere.     The   property  of 
the  charity  is  widely  scattered  over  tlie 
town,   here    a  piece  and  there  a  piece, 
but   it   is   rapidly  increasing  in  value 
from    the    falling    in    of     leases    the 
rentals,    which   in    1827    were    about 
£3,000    per    aunum,    being    in    1840 


280 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


£8,400,  in  I860  £12,600,  and  now 
£25,000 ;  by  the  expiration  of  this 
century  it  will  be  at  least  £50,000. 
The  earliest  existing  statutes  are  dated 
October  20,  1676,  one  of  the  most 
''omical  being  that  tlie  assistant  mas- 
ters were  not  to  marry.  The  head 
master's  salary  in  1676  was  fixed  at 
£68  15s.,  with  a  house  and  land  ;  in 
1738  he  was  allowed  £20  in  lieu  of  the 
house  ,  in  1788  the  salary  was  increased 
to  £150  ;  in  1726  to  £200  ;  in  1816  to 
£400  :  and  now  it  is  about  £1,200. 
The  second  master  at  first  received 
£34  6s.  8d.  ;  in  1874  he  received  £300. 
The  first  school  was  the  old  Guildhall 
of  the  Holy  Cross,  ^\hich  was  pulled 
down  at  the  commencement  of  the  18th 
centurj',  a  new  school  being  erected  in 
1707,  and  removed  in  1833,  to  make 
way  for  the  present  edifice,  which  was 
erected  in  1840,  from  the  designs  of 
Mr.  Barry,  at  a  cost  of  £67,000!  The 
school  has  a  frontage  of  174  feet,  with 
a  depth  of  125  feet,  being  60  feet  high. 
The  "schoolroom"  proper  is  120  feet, 
by  30  feet  and  45  feet  high  In  the 
last  century  the  governors  "  set  up  " 
branch  schools  in  Shut  Lane,  Dudley 
Street,  Freeman  Street,  London  'Pren- 
tice Street,  and  other  localities  ;  and 
in  1838  elementary  schools  were  erected 
in  Gem  Street,  Edward  Street,  and 
Meriden  Street,  as  jireparatory  ad- 
juncts to  the  New  Street  School.  Ex- 
tensive changes  have  lately  been  made 
in  the  government  and  management 
of  the  Grammar  School,  which  can  no 
longer  be  calleil  a  "  Free  School."  For- 
merly the  governors  were  self-elected, 
but  by  the  new  scheme,  which  was 
approved  by  the  Queen  in  Council, 
March  26,  1878,  the  number  is  limi- 
ted to  twenty-one,  eight  of  them 
being  appointed  by  the  Town 
Council,  one  by  the  school 
teachers,  one  each  by  the  Uni- 
versities of  Oxford,  Cambridge, 
and  London,  and  the  remaining  nine 
to  be  chosen  by  the  Governors  them- 
selves. The  first  meeting  of  the  new 
Board  of  Governors  was  held  May 
15,    1878.       The  New   Street   School 


is  divided  into  a  High  S'i'hool  for 
boys,  a  High  School  for  girls,  arid  a 
Middle  School,  the  other  schools  being 
respectively  called  Grammar  Schools. 
The  fees  now  payable  at  the  Five  Ways 
School  (formerly  the  Proprietary 
School),  and  at  the  new  schools  at 
Camp  Hill  and  Albert  Road,  Aston  are  ' 
2s.  6d.  on  admission,  and  £3  annually  ; 
to  the  High  Schools  the  entrance  fee  is 
10s.,  and  the  tuition  fees  £9  per 
annum  ;  to  the  Middle  Schools,  5s.,  and 
£6  per  annum.  The  number  of  chil- 
dren in  all  the  schools  is  about  2,000, 
and  the  fees  amount  to  about  £4,000 
per  annum.  There  are  a  number  of 
foundation  scholarships,  which  entitle 
the  .snccesfful  competitors  from  the 
Grammar  Schools  to  tree  tuition  at  the 
High  Schools,  and  ten  exhibitions 
arising  out  of  the  Jlilward's,  and 
Joanna  Lench's  Trusts,  for  the  Univer 
sities,  besides  yearly  class  priz.s  of  con- 
siderable value. 

Masons  Scicntijic  College. — The  foun- 
dation of  this  College,  situated  in 
Edmund  Street,  opposite  the  Free 
Library,  was  laid  on  the  23rd  February, 
1875,  by  Sir  Josiah  Mason,  the  founder, 
who  in  that  manner  celebrated  his  80th 
birthday  ;  and  it  was  opened  October 
1,1880."  The  College,  which  is  esti- 
mated to  have  cost  £100,000,  was 
built  entirely  by  the  founder  who  also 
endowed  it  with  an  income  of  about 
£3,700  per  annum,  with  the  intention 
of  providing  instruction  in  mathe- 
matics, abstract  and  applied  ;  physics, 
mathematical  and  experimental  ;  che- 
mistry, theoretical,  practical,  and 
applied  ;  the  natural  sciences,  geology, 
metallurgy  and  mineralogy  ;  botany, 
zoology  and  physiology;  English, 
French  and  German,  to  which  have 
since  been  added  Greek,  Latin,  English 
liteature,  civil  and  mechanical  engi- 
neering; the  chemistry,  geology,  theory 
and  practice  of  coal  mining,  &c.  The 
entire  management  is  in  the  hands  of 
eleven  trustees,  five  of  whom  are  appoin- 
ted by  th^  Town  Council,  and  there 
is  no  restriction  on  their  powers,  save 
that  they  must  be  laymen  and  Protes- 


SUOWErj/s    DICTIOXAUr    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


OS  I 


tants.  Tlie  stmlents  may  be  male  or 
female  of  aiij-  creed,  or  of  any  birth- 
place, tliou<,'h  preference  is  j:fiven  to 
candidates  from  JIason's  Orplianage, 
and  to  poisons  born  in  i^iirmin^ham  or 
Kdderniinster,  other  things  being 
eqnal.  The  site  contains  a  little  over 
au  acre  of  land,  extending  through 
from  Edmund  Street,  with  a  frontage 
of  149  feet,  to  Great  Cliarles  Street, 
with  a  frontage  of  127  feet.  About 
one  half  of  tlie  aiea  is  covered  by 
the  present  buildings, which  wereerected 
from  the  designs  of  Mr.  J.  A.  Cossins, 
who  chose  tlio  13th  century  style,  with 
elaborations  of  a  French  character,  its 
stone  bilconies,  lofcy  gables,  oriel  and 
dormer  windows,  picturesque  turrets, 
and  numberless  architectural  enrich- 
ments, forming  a  contour  quite  uni([ue 
in  the  Birmingham  distiict,  though 
much  of  its  beauty  is  lo-t  through  the 
narrowness  of  the  thoroughfare.  The 
College  is  built  in  two  biocks  commu- 
nicating by  corridors,  and  contains 
sevenl  lecture  and  other  large  rooms, 
laboratories,  class-rooms,  &c.,  so 
arranged  that  the  attendants  on  one 
department  in  no  way  interfere 
with  others,  there  being  about 
100  apartments  altogether,  in  addition 
to  library,  reading-rooms,  private 
rooms,  &c.  The  report  for  the  j'ear 
ending  Founder's  Day,  February  23, 
1884,  showed  the  number  of  students 
in  the  day  classes  during  the  session  to 
have  been  366— viz. ,  229  male  and  137 
female  students  ;  while  in  the  evening 
classes  there  were  118  male  and  54 
female  students,  20  students  attending 
some  day  as  well  as  evening  classes. 
The  number  of  iiidiviiiual  students 
registered  during  the  session  1SS2-3,  as 
attending  dav  or  evening  classes,  was 
518,  as  against  462  in  1881-82,  and 
181  in  lSSO-81.  The  accounts  showed 
an  expenditure  for  the  year  of 
£8,095  12s.  2d.,  of  which  £4,258  7s.  9d. 
was  in  respect  of  the  teaching  staif. 
The  expenditure  exceeded  the  income 
by  £764  Os.  Sd  ,  juincipally  on  account 
of  additional  l)uildings,  repairs,  &;c. 
The    trustees    have  lately   made  pro- 


vision for  nine  scholarships,  including 
two  entrance  scholarships  of  £30  each  ; 
one  of  £30,  for  students  of  one  year's 
standing  ;  two  of  £30  each,  for  two 
years'  students  ;  two  of  £20  each  for 
honour  students  in  the  examinations 
of  the  University  of  London  ;  and  two 
technical  scholarships  of  £30  each,  one 
in  the  chemical  and  tlie  other  in  the 
engineering  department.  The  two 
last  are  known  as  the  Tangj'e,  Scholar- 
ships, having  been  given  by  Messrs. 
R.  and  G.  Tangye,  and  funds  are  being 
raised  for  several  others. 

Queen's  College. — Originally  estab- 
lished in  182S  as  the  School  of  Medicine; 
being  patronised  afterwards  by  Wiliiam 
IV.,  it  being  known  as--  Tiie  Royal 
School  of  Medicine  and  Surgery,  under 
which  nameit  existed  until  incorporated 
by  Royal  Charter  in  1843,  when  it  was 
rechristeiied  as  The  Queen's  College. 
The  tir.st  building  erected  for  the  use 
of  the  Royal  School  was  bcated  in 
Snow  Hill,  the  cerenionj^  of  laying  the 
foundation  stone  of  the  pivsent  hand- 
some Gothic  edifice  in  Paradise  Street 
being  performed  August  IS,  1843,  the 
chapel  being  consecrated  in  the  follow- 
ing year.  At  fiist  there  was  but  a 
medical  department,  but,  at  the  incor- 
poration, a  theological  deputment was 
added,  and  for  man)'  j'eais,  principally 
through  the  exertions  of  Dr.  \Varne- 
ford  and  ilr.  W.  ?^ands  Cox,  it  was 
one  of  the  most  thriving  and  popular 
Colleges  in  the  kingdom,  the  courses 
of  study  qualifying  for  degrees  at  the 
University  of  London,  and  for  dip- 
lomas of  the  Societv  of  Apothecaries, 
and  the  Royal  College  of  Surgeons  ; 
while  theological  students,  with  the 
College  certificate,  could  go  up  for 
their  F).A.  degree,  with  onlv  a  twelve 
months'  residence  at  the  University. 
A  department  in  connection  with  the 
Arts,  Manufacture,  and  Commerce  was 
opened  in  May,  1853,  and  a  High 
School  of  Trade  and  Commerce,  for 
giving  an  education  specially  adapted 
for  youths  intended  for  mercantile  pur- 
suits, was  commenced  in  the  autumn 
of  1877.      An  attempt  to  extend  the 


282 


SHOWELL  S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


medical  education  to  female  students 
was  made  at  one  time,  but  the  ladies 
were  refused  permission  to  attend  the 
College  June  27,  1873  ;  they  are  still 
debarred  from  studying;  surgery  here, 
and  none  have  as  yet  entered  their 
names  on  the  list  of  theological  stu- 
dents. In  the  other  departments 
greater  facilities  have  been  allowed  the 
fair  sex.  a  Central  High  School  for 
girls  being  opened  at  the  College  Sep- 
tember 17,  1879,  accommodation  being 
provided  For  eighty  pu;'il«.  The 
Museum  of  Natural  History  formed  at 
the  College  soon  after  its  opening,  long 
one  of  the  town  attraction  for  visitors, 
was  presented  to  the  Corporation,  and 
formed  the  nucleus  of  the  heterogenous 
collection  at  Aston  Hall.  The  medical 
students  have  the  advantage  of  an  ex- 
tensive Anatomical  Museum,  and  there 
is,  besides,  a  library  of  about  6,000 
volumes  of  the  best  works  and  books 
of  reference  that  could  be  obtained. 

Oscott  College. — Tiie  old  Roman 
Catholic  College  of  St.  Mary's,  at 
Oscott,  was  iirst  used  as  such  in  1808. 
The  present  building  was  commenced 
in  1835,  and  openedMay  31,  1838,  and 
is  considered  one  of  the  chief  English 
seminaries  for  Catholic  students  in 
theology.  The  chapel  is  ll'2ft.  long 
by  33ft.  wide,  and  is  richly  decorated, 
having  side  chapels  and  several  hand- 
some memoiial  windows.  The  College 
library  is  very  extensive,  and  includes 
many  very  rare,  valuable,  and  ancient 
works,  some  choice  MSS. ,  and  a  num- 
ber of  "old  masters,"  the  latter  having 
been  contributed  by  the  late  Earl  of 
Shrewsbury. 

Saltlcy  Training  College,  which 
covers  nearly  seven  acres  of  land,  was 
instituted  in  1847,  and  was  opened  at 
Easter,  1852,  for  the  education  of 
future  schoolmasters  in  connection 
with  the  Established  Church.  The 
building  cost  nearly  £18,000  and  will 
accommodate  100  students)  wlio  under- 
go a  two  years'  training,  the  College 
being  under  the  inspection  of  the 
Committee  of  Council  on  Education, 
Government    grants  amount  to  about 


two-thirds  of  the  income,  the  balance 
being  raised  by  public  subscription  and 
from  fees.  In  addition  to  over  fifty 
scholar.-;hips  tenable  by  students  who 
pass  their  examination,  there  are  four 
exhibitions  arising  from  a  sum  of 
£2,000  given  in  October,  1874,  by  the 
late  Mr.  Arthur  Ryland  (for  a  donor 
who  desired  to  be  anonymous),  to  the 
govenang  body  of  this  College  "to 
found  a  trust  for  promoting  the  teach- 
ing of  teachers  the  laws  of  liealth,  and 
inducing  teachers  to  make  that  subject 
one  of  the  things  statedly  taught  in 
their  own  schools,"  and  a  further 
£1,000  for  four  exhibitions  to  students. 
Severn  Street  First  Day  Adult  School. 
— The  name  tells  pretty  well  tliac  this 
school  was  commenced  by  some  members 
of  the  Society  of  Friends,  though  there 
is  really  nothing  sectarian  about  it. 
Established  in  1845,  in  a  simple  way 
and  witii  but  few  classes,  there  is 
hardly  an  institution  in  the  town  that 
can  be  compared  to  it  in  the  matter  of 
practical  usefulness,  and  certainly  none 
at  which  thtrehas  been  CKliibited  such 
an  amount  of  unselfish  devotedness  on 
the  part  of  teachers  and  superinten- 
dents. The  rep  rt  to  the  end  of  1883 
stated  that  during  the  year  the  pro- 
gress of  the  school  had  been  of  an  en- 
couraging character.  The  following 
statistics  were  given  of  the  total  at- 
tendance at  all  the  schools  connected 
with  the  movement : — Number  of 
teachers,  57  males,  25  females — total, 
82  ,  average  attendance,  51  males,  23 
females — total  74.  Elementary  tea^ 
chers,  173  males,  21  females — total, 
194  ;  average  attendance,  152  males, 
19  females — total,  171.  Number  of 
scholars,  3,370  males,  653  females — 
total,  4,023  ;  average  attendance,  2,510 
males,  510  females — total  3,080.  The 
total  number  admitted  since  the  men's 
school  cominencsd  in  1S45,  and  the 
women's  in  1848,  had  been  40,350. 
In  connection  with  the  school  there  are 
a  number  of  organisations  of  great 
utility,  such  as  sick  societies,  build- 
ing societies,  savings'  funds,  libraries, 
excursions  clubs,   &c.     In  the  savings' 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM,  283 

fund    the    balance    in     hand    reached  (August  1,  1838)  there  was  a  procession 

£14,000,  while  over    £18,000  had  been  of  over  3,000  scholars  from  the  Baptist 

paid  into  the  buihlinj,' societies.     There  Sunday   Schools.     In    IS  12    the    Pdr- 

are  a  dozen  other  "adult  schools  "  in  miugham   Sunday   School    Union  was 

the   town    which    have  sprung    from  organised.       The    medallists    of    this 

Severn  Street.                               '  town    sent    out    about    800,000    com- 

Spring  Hill  College— Fox  Wia  Q'\wp.^-  menioration  medals  in  1880,  when  the 

tion    and     tra.ining    of     Independent  Sunday   School    Centenary   was  kept, 

ministers,  was  first  opened  in  1838,    in  Nearly     2,000     teachers     attend     the 

the    mansion    of    Mr.    George    Storer  Church  schools  and  about  2,500  attend 

Mansfield,  at  Spring  Hill,  that  g-ntle-  Disseniin<;  and  other  schools,  thenum- 

man    giving    certain  landed   property  ber  of  children  on  the  books  of  Sunday 

towards  its  "future  support,     the  pre-  Schools    in    Birmingham    being    esti- 

sent  edifice,  near  Moseley,  to  which  the  mated  at — 

old   name    was  given,    was  opened  in  14  years  and    Under  U 

June,    1857,   the   cost  of  the    building,  over.       years.      Total. 

&c.,   nearly  £18,000,  being  raised  bv  Cliurch  of  Ensland 

voluntarv  contributions.     It  has  room  scliools                   5,500  ..  16,500  ..  22,000 

f      r,/-    i"  ]      i.  Sunday    School 

for  3()  students.  Union  7,312  . .  13,660  . .  20,972 

Sunday  Schools. — Sunday  classes  for  Wesleyan  and  others   2,745..    6,627..    9,372 

the  teaching    of  the    Catechism,    &c.,  Roman  Catholic    ..    1,200..    1,950..    3,150 

date  from  a  very  earlyperiodofChurch  [J^llSooi; ! ! ! ! ! !       500  i!    ''750  ^    ]^ 

history,    but  Sunday    Schools  as  they 

are  now  known  seem  to  have  been  17,859  ..  40,S46  ..  5S, 705 
locally  orffanised  about  a  hundred  ^,^  ,  ^  ,,  mi  ^ 
years  ago,  the  Sunday  after  Michael-  Weslenan  College -ThB  five  _  me- 
masDayin  1784  being  marked  as  a  mor.al  stones  of  a  College  for  training 
red-letter-dav  on  account  of  there  being  i^'  f  sleyan  ministers,  at  the  corner  ot 
twentv-four"  schools  then  opened"  Pnory  and  College  Roads,  HUrndsu-orth, 
though  the  course  of  instruction  went  ^\^''^  \'^},  J^i"e  §'  If  80.  The  site  in- 
no  further  than  teaching  the  chihlren  '^  "^^^  1/i  acres  and  cost  over  £7,000, 
to  read.  In  1789  some  young  men  the  total  cost  of  the  College  when  com- 
formed  the  "  Sunday  Society"  as  an  l^'-^^fl^"!  furnished  being  estimated 
addition  thereto,  the  object  being  to  at  £40,000.  About  fitty  students  are 
teach  writing  and  aritlimetic  to  boys  accommodated  at  present,  but  there  is 
and  youths  of  the  artisan  class.  In  ™°"'  '°i"  ^^^'^^  '"°^'e- 
1796  the  society  was  extended,  other  SCPaps  of  Local  HlstOPy. — A 
classes  being  formed,  lectures  delivered,  foreign  visitor  herein  the  rti.'u  of  James 
&c.,  and  it  was  then  called  the  II.,  wrote  that  our  tradesmen  were  in 
"Brotherly  Society."  Mr.  James  the  habit  of  spending  their  evenings 
LuckcockandMr.  Ttios.  Carpenter  were  in  public-houses,  and  were  getting  into 
the  leaders,  and  this  is  claimed  to  lazy  habits,  so  that  tlieir  shops  were 
have  been  the  origin  of  Mechanics'  often  not  ojieiied  before  7  a.m. 
Institutes.  The  Unitarians  date  their  Another  intelligent  foreigner  (^onf) 
Sunday  Schools  from  1787  :  the  Bap-  Charles  II. )  has  left  it  on  record  that 
lists  and  Jlethodists  from  1795.  not  only  was  smoking  common  among 
Deritend  Sunday  School  was  opened  by  women  here,  but  that  the  lads  took  a 
Mr.  Palmer  in  1808,  with  but  si.x  pipe  and  tobacco  with  them  to  school, 
scholars  ;  in  a  month  they  were  so  instead  of  breakfast,  the  schoolmaster 
numerous  that  part  had  to  be  taught  teaching  them  at  the  proper  hour  how 
in  the  street.  The  first  prizes  given  to  to  hold  their  pipes  and  jnitf  genteel  y. 
the  children  were  new  Boulton  Hutton  believeil  that  the  scythe- 
pennies.       On      Emancipation       Day  blades  attached  to  the  wheels  of  Queen 


284 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


Boadicea's  war  chariots  (A.D.  61),  as 
well  as  the  Britons'  swords,  were  made 
in  this  neighbourhood. 

When  escaping  from  Boscobel,  in  the 
cruise  of  Miss  Lane's  servant,  Charles 
II.  had  to  appeal  to  a  blacksmith  at 
Erdington  to  re-shoe  his  horse.  The 
knight  of  the  hammer  was  a  republican, 
and°his  majesty  chimed  in  with  the 
man's  views  so  readily,  that  the  latter 
compliuieutedhis  customer  on  "  speak- 
ing like  an  honest  man."  Miss  Lane 
afterwards  married  Sir  Clement  Fisher, 
of  Packingtoii,  and  her  portrait  may  be 
still  seen  at  the  Hall. 

Durin2  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  the 
Duke  of  Wellington  saw  a  little  fellow 
in  plain   clothes  riding  about  on  a  cob, 
and,   beckoning  him   up,   told  him  he 
was  ill  danger.     The  little  man,  how- 
ever, said  he  had  come  to   see  a  fight, 
and  meant  to  stop  it  out.       Shortly 
after,  the  Duke  wanting  a  messenger, 
employed  the  rider  of  the  cob  totake 
a  message  across  the  field,  directing  a 
certain  regiment  to  charge  the  enemy. 
This  was  done,  and  the  Duke  took  his 
messenger's  card  and  saw  no  more  of 
him  at  that  time  ;  but  afterwards,  tind- 
ino-  that  the  little  man  was  the  traveller 
to  a    Birmingham    button    maker,  he 
appointed    him    to   a  situation  m  the 
Mint,  at  £800  a  year. 

In  1766,  it  was  necessary  to  have  25 
constables  ready  to  jnotect  tlie  farmers 
comin<^  to  market  with  their  corn,  the 
times  were  so  hard  with  the  poor.  In 
the  following  year  large  qua!.titie,s  ot 
rice  were  purchased  by  subscription 
and  one  gentleman,  it  is  said,  himselt 
gave  away  half-a-ton  per  day  for  ten 
avs. 

In  1853,  a  premium  of  £30  was 
ofl'ered  for  the  best  design  of  an  illumi- 
nated clock,  to  be  erected  on  the  open 
space  in  front  of  Christ  Church. 

A  Queen  Anne's  farthing  of  rare  type 
was  turned  up  in  the  Bull  Rmg,  in 
July,  1879.  ,,^      ,        , 

The  body  of  William  Woodward  was 
found  (iMaich  21,  1878)  in  the  bran- 
ches of  a  tree  in  Little  Green  Lane, 


he  having  climbed  up  there  previous  to 

death.  „        ,       w    x. 

The  living  of  free  breakfasts  on  a 
Sunday^'morning  to  the  poor  children 
of  the  streets,  was  commenced  July  4, 
1875.  at  Park  Street  Ragged  Schools. 
A  system  of  supplying  school-childreu 
with  penny  dinners  is  the  latest  phil- 
anthropic movement. 

The  hottest  day  recorded  in  our  local 
history  was  June  23,  1868  _ 

The  Orsini  bombs  used  in  Fans, 
January  15,  1858,  were  made  in  this 

town.  ,      ,  .•  „f 

A  huudrel  years  back,  meetings  ot 
the  inhabitants  were  called  by  the 
tolling'  of  oue  of  St.  Martin's  bells. 

Th?  declaration  of  war,  or  cessation 
thereof,  used  to  be  proclaimed  in  the 
market  by  the  High  Bailifi.  ^  .       .  . 

The  7th  Earl  of  Stirling  officiated  in 
this  town  as  a  Nonconformist  minister, 
simply  styling  himself  the  Rev.^John 
Alexander  ;  he  died  Dec.  29,  17bo,  and 
was  buried  in  the  Old  Meeting  grave- 
yards His  sister.who  became  Countess 
in  her  own  right,  was  married  to  a 
local  manufacturer,  William  Hum- 
phrys. 

SeSSionS.-The  first  of  the  Boiwgh 
Quarter  Sessions  was  held  July  5   1839 
M   D  Hill, Esq.,  Recorder.    Oiithe25th 
of  November  toUowing  the  magistrates 
began  to  sit  daily  at  Petty  Sessions. 

SeeulaF  Club  and  Institute. - 

The  members  having  bought  the  re- 
mainder of  lease  (32  years)  o  No.  18, 
Crescent,  for  £310,  have  fitted  it  up  for 
the  purposes  of  their  club  and  on  June 
1  1877  the  foundation-stone  was  laid 
of  a  lecture  hall  at  the  rear,  70tt.  long 
bv  19tt.  wide.  St.  Georges  Hall, 
Upper  Dean  Street,  was  their  forme.- 
meeting  place. 

Sewerage       and       Sanitary 

WoPkS.-The  disposilofthe  sewage 
of  a  large  town  away  from  the  sea  or 
tidal  rivers  has  at  ^U  times  been  a 
source  of  difficulty,  and  Binning^  an 
forms  no  exception  to  the  ru  e.  When 
t  was  in  reality  but  the  little  "  han - 
ware   village"    it   has   so    often   been 


SHOWELLS   DICTIONARY    OF   BIRMINGHAM. 


285 


called,  the  Rea  was  sufHcient  to  carry 
off  the  surface  waters  taken  to  its 
channel  by  tl>e  many  little  rills  and 
brooks  of  the  ni'i<ihLiourhoocl,  but  as 
the  town  iucreaseii,  ami  house  drain- 
age defiledthat  limped  stream,  it  became 
necessary  to  construct  culverts,  so  as  to 
take  the  most  oli'ensive  portion  of  the 
sewage  to  a  distance  from  inhabited 
houses.  A  great  improvement  was 
looked  for  after  the  introduction  of  the 
Waterworks,  allowing  the  use  of 
water- flushed  closets  in  the  better  class 
of  houses,  instead  of  the  old  style  of 
accommodation  usually  provided  at  the 
end  of  the  garden,  but  even  this  system 
became  a  nuisance,  especially  to  resi- 
dents near  the  river  Tame,  the  re- 
ceptacle of  all  liquid  filth  from  our 
streets,  closets,  middens,  and  manu- 
factories, and  legal  as  well  as  sanitary 
reasons  forced  upon  the  Corporation 
the  adoption  of  other  plans.  Our 
present  sanitary  system  comprises  the 
exclusion,  as  far  as  possible,  of  closet 
refuse  and  animal  and  vegetable 
matters  from  the  sewers,  and  secondly, 
the  purification  by  filtration,  &c. ,  of 
the  outpourings  of  the  sewers,  ufter 
the  partial  separation  therefrom 
of  the  more  solid  constituents.  In 
1871,  when  the  real  sanitary  work 
of  the  borough  may  be  said  to  iiave 
practically  commenced,  out  of  about 
73,200  houses  only  3,884  were  provided 
with  water-closets,  tlie  remainder  being 
served  by  middens,  drained  and  uu- 
drained,  the  greater  part  uncovered 
and  polluting  tlie  atmosphere,  wliile 
the  soakage  foukd  the  earth  and  con- 
taminated the  wells.  From  these 
places  in  1873  there  were  removed 
160,142  loads  of  ashes,  &c.,  the  num- 
ber of  men  employed  being  146,  and 
the  cost,  allowing  for  sales,  over 
£20,000,  or  £55  10s.  per  1,000  of  the 
Population.  In  the  following  year  the 
Couniil  approved  of  "  the  Rochdale 
system,"  closet-pans  and  ash-tubs 
taking  the  place  of  the  old  style  with 
middens,  the  contents  being  removed 
weekly  instead  of  being  left  to  accu- 
mulate for  months.     At  first  the  new 


system  was  far  from  perfect,  and  met 
with  much  opposition,  notwitlistand- 
ing  the  certainty  of  its  being  a  more 
lioallhy  plan  than  the  old  one  ;  but 
improvements  have  been  made,  and  it 
is  now  generally  confessed  tliat  the 
l)ans  and  tubs  are  the  right  things  in 
the  right  places.  The  number  of  pans 
in  use  in  1874  was  3,845  ;  in  1875, 
7,674  ;  in  1876,  15,992  ;  in  1877, 
22,668  ;  in  1883,  37,287,  equal  to  a 
collection  of  1,900,000  pans  per  year. 
The  sanitary  force  now  numbers  622 
men,  who,  in  addition  to  the  above, 
removed  in  1883,  from  tubs,  middens, 
&c.,  128,966  loads  of  ashes.  The 
chief  depot  for  this  aacumulation  of 
refuse  and  rubbish  is  at  the  Corpora- 
tion's wliarf,  in  Montague  Street,  where 
over  £52,000  has  been  laid  out  in 
buildings  aiul  machinerj^  for  its  due 
lisposai.  At  first,  nearly  two  thirds 
of  tiie  mass  had  to  be  taken  by  canal 
into  the  country,  where  it  was  "tipped," 
the  expense  being  so  heavy  that  it  en- 
tailed a  loss  of  about  6s.  6d.  per  ton 
on  the  whole  after  allowing  for  that 
part  which  could  be  sold  as  manure. 
Now,  however,  the  case  is  different. 
Extensive  macliinery  has  been  intro- 
duced, and  the  contents  of  the  pans 
are  dried  to  a  powder,  which  finds 
a  good  market  ;  the  ashes,  &;c.,  are 
used  in  the  furnaces  for  the  drying 
process,  and  the  residue  therefrom,  or 
clinkers,  forms  a  valuable  substance 
for  roadmaking  or  building  purposes, 
&c.,  in  the  shape  of  concrete,  paving 
flags,  maritel]iieces,  tabletcps,  and 
even  se]iulclual  monuments  being  con- 
structed with  it,  so  that  in  a  short 
time  the  recL-ipts  will,  it  is  expected, 
more  than  balance  the  expenditure 
in  this  department  of  Local  sanitary 
work.  The  pollution  of  the  river 
Tame  in  past  years  led  to  continuous 
litigation  until  the  year  1877,  when, 
as  the  result  of  an  exhaustive  inquiry, 
it  was  determined  to  form  a  United 
Drainage  District  I'.oard,  with  powers 
to  construct  and  maintain  intercepting 
sewers  sufficient  for  carrying  the 
drainage  of   the  whole   district,  com- 


286 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM, 


prising    Aston,  Aston    Manor,   Balsall 
Heatli,       Birmin<:;ham,      Handswortii, 
Harborne,   King's  Norton,    Northfield, 
Perr}'  Barr,  S.iltley,   and  Snictliwick. 
The  first  meeting  of  this   Board  was 
held  December  6,  1877,  when  it  took 
over  the  sewage  farm   at   Saltley   be- 
longing to  the  Corporation   (about  262 
acres),  the  plant  and  stock,  &c.     Up  to 
the  present  time  (end  of  1884),  nearly- 
half  a  million  sterling  has  been   spent 
by  the  Board,  whose  "farm"  of  1,500 
acres,  extends  from  Saltley  to  Tyburn, 
two  and  a  half  miles,  and  who   have 
now  to  deal  with   the  sewage  brought 
there  from   188  miles  of  main  sewers, 
extending  as  far  as  King's  Norton  and 
Selly  Oak,   Plarborne,  Sniethwick,  &c. 
The"  whole   of  the    black   and    turgid 
stream  of  liquid  filth  brought  down  by 
the   sewers   is  utilised  upon  the  farm, 
some  200    cubic    yards  of   mud  being 
lifted  daily  from  the  settling  tanks,  to 
be  dug  in,  while  the  overflow  is  taken 
by  carriers  to  the  most  distant  parts, 
and    allowed    to    filtrate    throuLdr  the 
soil,     until      tiie      resulting      eflluent 
is     as     cleir     as     crystal,     while    im- 
mense crops  are  gatliered   yearly  from 
the    land   so    treated.       An    analysis 
made  a  little  time    back    of  a  natural 
deposit  from  the  town  sewerage,  formed 
near  the  embouchure  of  several  sewers 
emptying  into  one  of  the  great  arterial 
mains,  showed  the  absence  of  all    am- 
moniacal  salts  and  a  scarcity  of  phos- 
phates,   particularly     alkaline     phos- 
phates,    and    at    the  same   time  the 
presence   of   a  large  quantity  of  pro- 
toxide  of  iron,   also  of  zinc,  copper, 
and  other  metals  in  the  state  of  oxides 
and  sulphurets.      These    metallic  salts 
absorb  the  sulphuretted  hydrogen  and 
ammonia  generated  by  decaying  vege- 
table and  animal  matter,    and   doubt- 
less   so   contributes   to    promote    the 
health  of  the  town,    but   nevertheless 
every    precaution     should     be     taken 
against  the  possible  admission  to    the 
house    of  "sewer   gas,"  which    at  all 
times    is    injurious  to    health.       The 
analysad  deposit  contained  when  dried 
only  1'4  per  cent,    of  nitrogen  (not  as 


ammonia)  and  3  5  of  earthy  phos- 
lihates  ;  but  about  11 '7  of  protoxide  of 
iron,  besides  zinc,  copper,  and  other 
metals  to  the  extent  of  2  or  3  per  cent. 
The  laiter-named  proportions  may  in 
some  measure  account  for  "  what  be- 
comes of  the  pins  ?  "  as  in  the  deposit 
named  (which  was  nearly  solid)  those 
useful  little  articles  were  exceedingly 
conspicuous. 

Shambles.— The  name  given  to  the 
meat  market  in  Jamaica  Row.  In  the 
map  of  1731,  "The  Shambles"  are 
marked  as  a  long  block  of  buildings,  a 
little  higher  than  opi)osite  the  end  of 
Bell  Street,  and  in  1765  they  still  re- 
mained there,  forming  a  kind  of  "mid- 
dle row,"  among  the  incongruous 
collection  of  tenements,  stallages,  &c. , 
thatencumberet  our  Bull  King,  down  to 
the  gates  of  the  church  itself. 

Ship  Inn.— The  old  Ship  Inn,  at 
Camp  Hill,  where  Prince  Rupert  had 
his  headquarters  in  1643,  was  pulled 
down  in  1867  ;  the  present  Ship 
Hotel  being  opene  i  February  6,  1868. 
It  was  sold  in  July,  1882,  for 
£12.050. 

Shirley.— Situated  in  the  parish  of 
Solihull,  though  but  a  village  with 
somehalf  hundred  cottages,  has  of  late 
become  a  favorite  spot  for  those  fond  of 
a  Sunday  drive. 

ShoeblaekS.— An  attempt  was 
made  in  1S75  to  form  a  shoeblack 
brigade,  but  only  ttn  gentlemen  at- 
tended the  meeting  (called  June  21), 
and  the  business  was  left  to  the  ir- 
regulars. 

Smallbrook    Street.— A    small 

stream  formerly  ran  its  course  along 
part  of  this  site,  proceeding  by  way  of 
Smithfield  Passage  to  the  moat,  and 
thence  tlirough  the  mill-pool,  back  of 
Bradford  Street,  to  the  Rea.  The 
ancient  family  of  the  Smallbrokes  held 
considerable  lauds  in  the  neighbour- 
hood, but  whether  the  street's  name 
came  from  the  small  brook  or  the 
Smallbrokes  is  a  matter  of  doubt. 


SHOWELLS    DIUTIOXARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


287 


Smallpox. —From  the  openiiif;  of 
the  Smallpox  Hospital  in  May,  1882, 
to  July  10,  1884,  the  duration  of  the 
late  epidemic,  there  were  1,591  cases 
admitted.  Among  the  1,384  patients 
who  had  been  vaccinated  there  occurred 
59  deaths ;  among  the  207  unvac- 
cinateil,  90  deaths.  No  re-vacciuated 
person  died. 

Snow  Hill. — There  is  a  difference 
of  60ft.  between  the  top  level  next 
Bull  Street  and  the  Bottom  of  Snow 
Hill. 

SohO- — Prior  to  1756  the  country 
on  the  Handswortli  side  of  Birming- 
ham was  little  better  than  barren  heath, 
the  home  of  conies  and  a  few  beggarly 
squatters,  until  Jlr.  Edward  Ruston 
leased  from  the  Lord  of  the  Manor  the 
whole  of  the  piece  of  common  that  lay 
between  Nineveh  and  Hockley  on  the 
left  of  the  West  Bromwich  Road.  He 
deepened  the  channel  of  Hockley 
brook,  and  built  a  small  mill  by  its 
side,  which  being  purchased  from  him 
in  1764  by  Matthew  B  )ulton  (who  soon 
acquired  the  freehold  also)  formed  the 
site  of  the  once  world-renowned  Soho 
Works.  In  1774,  according  to  "Swin- 
ney's  Birmingham  Directory,"  these 
works  consisted  of  four  squares  of 
buildings,  with  workshops,  &c. ,  for 
more  than  a  thousand  workmen.  Slany 
more  than  that  number,  however,  were 
afterwards  employed  on  the  grounds, 
and  for  long  ytars  Soho  House,  as 
Boulton's  residence  was  called,  was  the 
resort  of  lords  and  ladies,  princes  and 
philosophers,  savants  and  students,  to 
a  far  greater  extent  than  many  of  the 
European  courts.  Of  tliis  home  of  the 
steam  engine,  and  the  birthplace  of 
inventions  too  numerous  to  count, 
there  is  now  no  vestige  left,  the  foundry 
being  removed  to  Smethwick  in  1848, 
the  celebrated  ilint,  with  the  ware- 
houses and  shopping,  being  cleared  out 
early  in  1850,  and  the  walls  razed  to 
the  ground  in  1853. 

Soho  Hill.  — Tlie  top  is  177ft.  higher 
than  at  Hockley  Bridge,  the  foot  of  the 
hill. 


Soho  Pool  was  formed  by  the 
make  of  an  embankment  (1756-60) 
impounding  the  waters  of  Hockley 
brook,  and  for  some  years  after  tlie 
demolition  of  the  Soho  Works  it  was 
a  favourite  place  for  boating,  &c.  Tiie 
pool  was  drained  in  1866,  and,  havin^ 
been  filled  up,  its  site  will  ere  long  be 
covered  with  streets  of  houses. 

Solihull.— This  very  pleasant  vil- 
lage, but  a  few  miles  distant,  could 
boast  of  a  Free  School  for  its  cliildreu 
at  a  very  early  date,  for  we  read  of  the 
buildings  being  repaired  in  1573.  In 
1SS2  the  School  was  rebuilt,  at  a  cost 
of  about  £5,700,  and  its  endowments, 
some  of  wliich  were  given  in  tlie  rei^n 
of  Richard  II.,  are  3''early  becoming  of 
greater  value  as  building  progresses. 
The  present  population  is  nearly  6,000, 
the  rateable  value  of  property  being 
£45,202,  from  an  area  of  12,000  acres. 
The  parishes  in  the  Union  comprise 
Baddesley,  Balsall,  Barston,  Bushwood, 
Elmdon,  Knowle,  Lapworth,  Nuthurst, 
Packwood,  Solihull,  Tanworth,  and 
Yardley,  iucluding  an  area  of  46,302 
acres,  a  population  of  21,000,  with  a 
rateable  value  amountiug  to  £157,000. 

Spanish  Armada. —Tue  nobility 

and  gently  ot  this  and  adjoining 
countits,  at  the  time  of  the  threatened 
invasion  by  the  Spaniards,  contributed 
sums  of  money  sufficient  to  hire  and 
equip  no  less  ■  than  43  ships  of  war. 
Among  the  names  we  note  the  follow- 
ing local  subscribers  of  £25  each  : — 
William  Kinge  and  William  CoUmer 
(Colmore),  of  Burminghani  ;  Richard 
Middlemore,  Edgbaston ;  Mrs.  Mar- 
garett  Knov.lys,  Nuneton  ;  Gabriell 
Powltney,  Knowle  ;  Richard  Corbett, 
ileryden,   &c. 

Speaking-    Stile   Walk.— In    a 

footpath  leading  from  HoUowa}'  Head 
to  Edgbaston  Church,  there  was  a  stile 
at  a  spot  from  which  an  exceedingly 
clear  echo  could  be  rai-ed,  and  the 
footpath  being  partly  thrown  into  a 
lane  the  latter  became  "  Speaking  Stile 
Lane."  The  short  street  or  road 
at  present  existing  preserves  the  name, 


288 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    op    BIRMINGHAM. 


but  that  is  all,  the  echo,  the  stile,  and 
the  footpath  having  vanished  long, 
long  ago. 

Spelling-  Bee.— The  first  "Spell- 
ing Bee"  lieM  in  Birmingliam  took 
place  January  17th,  1876.  Like  many 
other  Yankee  notion?,  it  did  not  thrive 
here,  and  the  humming  of  those  bees 
soon  ceased. 

Spring's. — In  Hutton's  time  there 
was,  "  a  short  distance  from  Birming- 
ham, in  the  manor  of  Duddeston,  and 
joining  the  turnpike  road  to  Coles- 
hill;"  a  chalybeate  spring  of  which  he 
speaks  very  highly,  though  even  then 
it  was  neglected  and  thought  but  little 
of.  In  1849  Mr.  Robert  Rawlinson 
making  inquiries,  was  told  by  the  Town 
Clerk  that  "  the  chalybeate  spring  in 
Duddeston  was  turned  into  a  culvert 
by  the  railway  people  when  the  Bir- 
mingham and  Liverpool  Railway  was 
constructed,"  to  the  great  regret  ot 
the  inhabitants  of  the  neighbourhood 
who  spoke  strongly  of  the  virtues  of 
the  water  in  diseases  of  the  eye.  It 
was  suggested  in  1862  that  an  attempt 
should  be  made  to  reopen  the  spring 
for  public  use,  but  as  it  was  nobody's 
business  nobody  did  it.  There  was 
(sixty  years  ago)  a  spring  a  little  below 
Saturday  l^.ridge  opposite  Charlotte 
Street,  which  ahvaj's  gave  forth  a  con- 
stant stream  of  beautifully  clear  soft 
water.  Another  in  Coventry  Road, 
where  25  years  or  so  ago  an  old  man 
stooping  to  quench  his  thirst  fell  head 
foremost,  and  not  being  able  to  recover 
his  equilibrium,  was  drowned,  leading 
to  the  spring  being  covered  up. 
Several  mineralised  springs  existed 
in  Gooch  Street,  and  thereabouts, 
and  there  was  one  that  sprung  out  close 
to  where  Kent  Street  Baths  are  now. 
The  spring  whicli  gives  name  to  Spring 
Street  and  Sjiring  Vale,  and  whicli 
has  been  turned  so  that  its  waters  run 
into  the  sewers,  is  estimated  to  dis- 
charge 20,000  gallons  of  pure  limpid 
water  per  hour.  The  little  stream 
arising  from  this  spiing  constituted 
part  of  the  boundary  line  between  the 


Birmingham  and  Edgbaston  parishes 
and  at  far  less  cost  than  it  has  taken  to 
w.'.ste  its  water  it  could  hive  been  uti- 
lised for  the  above-named  Baths,  less 
than  a  thousand  yirds  off,  and  with  a 
natural  fall  of  6ft.  or  8fc.  Spring  Hill 
takes  its  name  from  a  spring  now  non- 
existent, but  whicli  was  once  a  favour- 
ite with  the  cottagers  who  lived  near 
to  it. 

Sporting- Notes.— It  is  not  for  a 

moment  to  bs  admitted  that  the  men 
of  Birmingham  in  past  years  were  one 
whit  more  brutal  in  their  "sports" 
than  others  of  their  countrymen,  but 
it  must  be  confessed  they  somehow 
managed  to  acquire  a  shocking  bad 
name  to  that  etfect.  This  of  course 
must  be  laid  to  the  credit  of  the  local 
supporters  of  "  the  noble  art  of  self- 
defence,"  the  Brummagem  bruisers. 
Bullbaiting  and  cockfighting  were  no 
more  peculiar  to  this  neighbourhood 
than  parson-pelting  or  woman  duck- 
ing at  Coventry,  where  the  pillory 
and  d'lcking-stool  were  in  use  long 
after  they  had  been  put  aside  in  Bir- 
mingham. 

Archery  at  one  period  of  history 
was  so  little  of  a  sporting  nature  that 
laws  were  pissed  for  the  erection  of 
shooting-butts,  the  provision  of  bows 
and  arrows,  and  the  enforcement  of 
constant  practice  by  all  you^ng  men 
and  apprentices.  The  monk's  mix- 
ture of  brimstone,  charcoal,  and  salt- 
petre, however,  in  course  of  time  left 
the  old  English  clothyard  shaft  with 
its  grey  goose  feather  and  the  accom- 
panying six-foot  bow  of  yew  to  be 
playthings  onlj'-,  or  but  fit  to  use  in 
shooting  squirrels  or  other  small  deer. 
The  "  Woodmen  of  Ardeu "  is  the 
oldest  society  (in  this  county)  of  toxo- 
pholites  as  the  modern  drawers  of  the 
long  bow  are  called,  wliicli  society  was 
"  revived  "  in  1785,  ihe  Earl  of  Ayles- 
ford  giving  a  silver  bugle  hm'ii  and 
his  lady  a  silver  arrow  as  firbt  and 
second  prizes.  Tlie  members  of  a  loca 
society  may  in  summer  months  be 
sometimes  seen  pacing  their  measured 


SUOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIHMINGdAM. 


289 


rounds  on  an  allotted  portion  of  the 
EJgbaston  Botanical  Gavdcts. 

AthUHcs. — The  Birmingham  Ath- 
letic Club  opened  the  Gymnasium  in 
King  Alfred's  Place,  in  Aug  1866,  an  1 
hold  their  annual  di-play  and  assault- 
at-arms  in  the  Town  Hill  in  the 
month  of  Marcli.  Certain  hours  are 
allotted  to  the  lidies'  classes,  and 
special  terms  are  made  for  3'oung  men 
anJ  sclioolboj's. 

Bowling  Greens  and  Quoit  Grounds 
were  once  rnvouiite  places  of  amuse- 
ment, many  even  of  the  town  taverns 
having  them  attached.  There  was  one 
at  the  Sihita'tion,  bottom  of  Snow 
Hill,  in  1778,  and  at  an  earlier  date 
at  tlie  Hen  and  Chickens,  in  High 
Street.  In  1S25  a  bowling  green  was 
laid  out  at  the  cirner  of  Hightield  Road 
and  Harborne  Road,  fir  "a  very  select 
party  "  of  E  Igbistonians.  There  was 
also  one  at  the  Plough  and  Harrow, 
and  several  may  still  be  found  in  the 
neighbiurhood. 

Clicss,  aristocratic  game  as  it  is,  is 
far  fro-u  being  unknown  here,  a  Chess 
Clul)  having  b^en  established  half-a- 
centnry  back,  which  has  nearly  a  hun- 
dred members.  Its  present  head- 
quarters are  at  the  Restaurant,  1, 
Lower  T-^mple  Street. 

Cock-fighting.  — Eirly  numbers  of 
Aris's  Gazette  frequently  contained 
notices  of  "  mains  "  fought  at  Duddes- 
ton  Hall. 

Cricket. — The-e  was  a  Cricket  Club 
in  existence  here  in  1745,  and  it  has 
been  chronicled  that  a  match  was  being 
plaj'ed  on  the  same  day  on  which  the 
battle  of  Cullodeu  was  fought.  Of 
modern  clubs,  whose  name  is  Legion, 
the  oldost  is  the  Birmingham  C.  C, 
s'artel  in  1819,  the  members  includ- 
ing the  young  elite  of  the  town,  who 
had  their  field  opposite  the  Monument 
at  Ladywood.  The  Birchtield  C.C. 
was  organised  in  1840.  Among  the 
noteworthy  matches  of  late  yeirs  are 
those  of  the  All  England  Eleven 
against  a  local  twenty-two,  at  the 
Lower  Grounds,  June  b,  1871,  the 
visitors      winu'ng ;     the      Australian 


Eleven  v.  Pii'kwick  and  District 
Twenty-two,  at  Bournbrook,  June  24 
to  26,  1878,  the  gime  not  being 
finished,  the  first  innings  showing 
105  runs  fir  the  Eleven,  against  123  ; 
the  Australians  ii.  Eleven  of  England, 
at  Lower  Grounds,  May  26,  1884, 
when  the  Colo-iials  put  together  76 
against  82  in  the  first  innings,  the 
secind  innings  of  33  against  England's 
26  being  won  with  five  players  left  to 
bat. 

Croquet  was  introduced  in  1S67  ;  the 
first  code  of  laws  being  published  in 
October,  1869. 

Gijcling,  though  quite  the  rage  at 
the  {(resent  time,  is  by  uo  means  a 
modern  amusement,  as  running  a  race 
witli  "  dandy diorses  "  was  considered 
good  sport  in  the  days  of  the  fourth 
Royal  George.  These  vehicles  con- 
sisted of  two  wheels  united  tandem 
fashion,  the  bar  being  fitted  with 
saddle-shaped  seat  as  in  the  first  bi- 
C5'cles,  but  the  motiv.^  power  wis  ap- 
plied through  th'j  contact  of  the  riders' 
feet  with  the  ground. — The  "track" 
at  the  Lower  Grounds  measures  501 
yards. 

Foo'hnll  isaginnas  old  as  the  bills? 
and  there  are  hundreds  of  clubs  in  the 
town  and  distric,  tho  best  meadow  for 
the  purpose  (at  the  Lower  Grounds) 
being  about  12.t  yards  long  by  75  j-ards 
broad.  The  Aston  Villa  is  the  chief 
club. 

Hare  and  Houmls. — Every  suburb 
and  district  has  its  club  of  Hirriars  or 
Hire  and  Hounds,  an  annual  cross- 
country amateur  championship  contest 
being  starte.i  in  1379.  At  the  last 
(Feb.  9,1884)  the  Birchfield  Harriers 
scored  their  fourth  victory  against  the 
Moselej'  Harriers  twice. 

Hantinj.  — Time  was  when  the  sight 
of  scarlet  coats  and  hounds  was  no 
novelty  in  Birmingham,  but  those  who 
would  now  join  in  the  oM  English 
snort  of  hunting  must  go  farther  afield, 
the  nearest  kennels  being  at  Ather- 
stone.  The  announcements  of  the 
meets  in    this  and  adjoining  counties 


290 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


appear  regularly  in  the  Midland  Court 
ties'  B'erald. 

Juvi2nng. — At  tlie  Lower  Grounds 
iu  July,  1S81,  Mr.  P.  Davine,  of  Bel- 
fast, jumped  eft.  Sin.  tiie  highest 
jirevious  record  having  been  6ft.  2^iu., 
the  pertorniauce  of  Mr.  M.  J.  Brookes, 
(Oxford  U.A.C.)  at  Lillie  Bridge, 
March,  1874. 

Lacrosse,  a  popular  Cauadian  game, 
was  introduced  here  June  23,  1883,  by 
a  team  of  Canadian  Amateurs  and 
Iroquois  Indians,  who  exhibited  their 
prowess  at  the  Lower  Grounds. 

Laivn  Tennis,  at  first  known  as 
Lawn  liacquet,  was  the  invention  of  the 
late  lilajor  Gem,  who  played  the  first 
game  in  1SG5  with  his  friend  Mr.  Perera, 
of  Great  Charles  Street. 

redestricmism. — Among   the    earliest 
noted   achievements   of  local,  peds.    is 
that    of   George    Guest,     who    having 
wagered  to  walk  1,000  miles  in  28  days 
finished    his  task  Feb.    1,  1758,    Avith 
five  hours  to  spare,  doing  six   miles  in 
the  last  hour  he  footed  it. — Mr.   E.    P. 
Weston,  the  walker ^ar  excellence,   was 
at  Bingley  Hall  in  April,  1876,  and  at 
the  Lower  Grounds  in  Jan. ,  1884,  when 
on  his  walk  of  5,000  miles  in  100  days. 
— A  six  days  "  go-as-you-please  "  match 
came   off  at    Bingley  Hall    in    Sept., 
1882,  and  a  ridiculous  exhibition  of  a 
similar  nature  occurred  in   the    follow- 
ing year,  when  women  were  induced  to* 
walk  for  the  spori  ot  gaping  idiots. 

1  njeon-Jlying  has  been  for  several 
generations  the  favourite  amusement  of 
numbers  of  our  workers,  and  the  flyers 
have  a  club  of  their  own,  which  dates 
from  August,  1875. 

Pigcon-slioolincj  is  a  cruel  sport,  not 
much  favoured  in  thislocality,  and  now 
that  a  cheap  clay  pigeon  has  been 
invented  for  use  in  this  game,  instead 
of  the  live  birds,  it  is  to  be  hoped 
that  the  disgraceful  practice  will  be  con- 
fined to  the  Hurlingham  boj's. 

Prizefifjliting  was  long  the  popular 
sport  of  high  and  low  life  blackguards, 
and  Birmingham  added  many  a  re- 
doubtable name  to  the  long  list  of 
famous  prize-fighters,  whose  deeds  are 


recorded    in      "  Fistiana  "    and    other 
chronicles    of    the  ring.     Among    tlie 
most    conspicuous    of    these    men    of 
might,     were     Harry    Preston,    Davy 
Davis,  PLil   Sampson,  Topper  Brown, 
Johnny  and  Harry  Broome,  Ben  Caunt, 
Sam    Simmonds,    Bob    Brattle,     Tass 
Parker,     Joe     Nolan,     Peter    Morris, 
Hammer  Lane,  ami  his  brothers,  with  a 
liost  of  other  upholders  of  fisticufls,  the 
record    of  whose   battles   will    not   be 
handed  down  to  posterity  in  the  pages 
of    Showcll's   Dictionary  of   Birming- 
ham, though,  as  a  matter  of  history, 
it  may  be  noted  that  the  earliest  ac- 
count we  have  of  a  local  prize-fight  is 
of  that  which  took  place  in  Oct.  1782, 
for  100  guineas  a  side,  between  Jemmy 
Sargent,  a  professional,  and  Isaac  Per- 
rins,  one  of  the  Soho  workmen.    Jemmy 
knuckled    undtr   after  being  knocked 
down  thirteen  times,  in  as  many  rounds, 
by  the  knock-kneed  liammerman  fiom 
Soho,    whose    mates,    it   is   said,   won 
£1,500   in   bets  through  his  prowess. 
Attempts  have  lately  been  made  to  re- 
vive the  old  sport,  but  the  sooner  the 
would-be  adepts  learn  that  their  occu- 
pation is  gone  the  better  it  will  be  for 
them,  and  all  men. 

Eacing   and  Steeplechasing  was  not 

unknown    to  the    Brums  ot  the  18th 

century,  as  the   Gentleman's  Magazine 

makes  note  of  the  races  at  Birmingham, 

May  27  to  29,  1740,  but  where  the  old 

racecourse  was  situated  it  is  impossible 

to  tell.      Indeed  it  is  doubtful  whether 

any  special  course  has  ever  long  been 

in  existence,  as  at  various  dates  we  read 

of  races  being  held  at  Aston,  Bordesjey, 

Deritend,     AValnier  Lane,    and   other 

places.  The  Four  Oaks  Park,  adjoining 

Sutton  Park,  formerly  the  property  of 

a  private  gentleman,  was  bought  by  a 

company  in   June,  1879,  for  the  })ur- 

pose  of  laying  out  a  racecourse  in  this 

neighbourhood,  of  a  similar  nature  to 

that  of  Ascot,  and  other  great  racing 

centres.     In  addition  to  the  Hall,  the 

buildings  comprise  a  grand  stand  (the 

memorial  stone  of  which  was  laid  June 

2,  1880),  and  a  club  stand,  each  70ft. 

by  66ft.,   with  two  galleries  of  scats 


SHOWJSLLS    DICTIONAKV    OF    lilKMINGUAM. 


291 


refreshment,  private,  and  other  rooms. 
Also  a  second  stand  for  the  general 
public,  62ft.  by  31fc. ,  and  a  press  and 
jockey  stand,  53ft.  by  31ft.  The  "  pad- 
dock "  occupies  nearly  three  acres, 
while  an  area  of  115ft.  iiy  72fr.  is 
devoted  to  "  tlie  Ring."  The  cost  of 
these  various  buildings  and  their  neces- 
sary adjuncts  is  estimated  at  about 
£12,000,  the  structures  themselves, 
which  are  built  of  red  brick  with  stone 
facings,  accommodating  3,000  persons. 
The  course  is  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
in  circumfdrence,  and  the  "straight  " 
about  live  furlongs  in  length.  Tlie 
Park  includes  an  area  of  130  acres,  and 
the  first  race  was  ruu  March  1,  1881. — 
No  steeplechases  have  been  run  on  the 
old  "Wolverhampton  course  since  1855, 
and  no  flat  races  since  Aug.  1877. 

liuii/iing  Records.  —  Jlr.  "W.  G. 
George,  of  the  Moseley  Harriers,  won 
atwomile  handicap  at  Stamford  Bridge, 
April  24,  1884,  in  9  rnin.  17  2-5  sees. 
On  May  17,  sime  year,  he  ran  four 
miles,  in  19  niin.  39  4-5  sees.  Ou  July 
28  following,  he  covered,  in  the  hour, 
11  miles,  932  yds.,  9  in.,  being  37  yds. 
2  ft.  3  in.  less  than  the  hitherto 
unsurpassed  liour  record  of  tlie  cele- 
brated Deerfoot  in  1862.  Another  of 
George's  feats  took  place  May  1,  1882, 
when  he  ran  ten  miles  in  52  min.  56^ 
sees. 

Skating  Pdnks  were  opened  at  the 
Lower  Grounds  Jlay  1,  1875  ;  at  Bing- 
ley  Hall,  Oct.  2,  1875  ;  at  Moseley, 
Dec.  6,  1876  ;  and  at  Handsworth, 
Oct.  8,  1877  ;  and,  for  a  time,  tlie 
amusement  was  exceedingly  popular, 
more  than  one  fortune  accruing  from 
the  manufacture  of  patent  and  other 
roller  skates.  One  of  the  most  note- 
worthy feats  on  the  slippery  rinks  was 
the  skating  of  200  miles  in  24  hours 
by  a  Mr.  F.  Betteridgeat  Bingley  Hall, 
Aug.  20,  1878. 

Swimming. — The  Birmingham  Le- 
ander  Club  commenced  tlieir  ai)uatic 
brotherhood  in  June,  1877,  and  the 
members  do  themselves  honour  by 
gratuitously  attending  the  public 
bathf       in    the    summer     months     to 


teach  tlie  art  of  swimming  to  Scho(d 
Board  youngster.*.  [See  "  Baths,"] 
The  celebrated  swimmer,  Captain 
Webb,  who  was  drowned  at  Niagara, 
July  24,  1883,  visited  this  town  several 
times,  and  the  Athletic  Chib  presented 
him  with  a  gold  medal  and  purse 
December  4,  1875. 

Statues,  Busts,  and  Memopials. 

— For  many  years  it  was  snetringly 
said  that  Birmingham  could  afl'ord  but 
one  statue,  that  of  NeU.on,  in  the  Bull 
Ring,  but,  as  the  following  list  will 
show,  the  reproach  can  no  longer  be 
tlung  at  us.  Ratiier,  perhaps,  it  may 
soon  be  said  we  are  likely  to  be  over- 
burdened with  these  public  ornaments, 
though  to  strangers  who  know  not  the 
peculiarities  of  our  fellow-townsmen  it 
may  appear  curious  that  certain  local 
worthies  of  the  past  have  not  been 
honoured  in  marble  or  bronze. 

Attu-ood. — The  ti:ure  of  Thomas 
Attwood,  in  Stephenson  Place,  New 
Street,  is  the  work  of  ilr.  John  Thomas, 
who  did  much  of  the  carving  at  the 
Grammar  School.  The  cost  was  about 
£900,  and  the  statue  was  unveiled  June 
6,  1859. 

Bhti  Cord  Children,  — The  stone 
figures  of  a  Blue  Coat  boy  and  girl  over 
the  entrance  to  the  School  in  St.  Phil- 
lip's Churchyard,  were  sculptured  \y\ 
Mr.  Edward  Grubb,  in  1770,  and  Hut- 
ton  thought  they  were  executed  "  with 
a  degree  of  excellence  that  a  Roman 
statuary  would  not  blush  to  own."  In 
1881  the  appearance  of  the  figures  was 
imiirovsd  by  their  bning  painted  in 
correct  colours. 

Bright. — At  the  time  of  the  Bright 
Celebration  in  1883,  the  Birmingham 
Liberal  Association  commissioned  Mr. 
A.  Bruce  Joy  to  execute  for  them  a 
marble  statue  of  Mr.  Bright,  which  the 
Association  intend  placing  in  the  new 
Art  Gallery.  The  statue  itself  is  ex- 
pected to  be  finished  in  1885,  but 
Mr.  Bright  has  expressed  bis  satisfac- 
tion with  the  model,  which  represents 
him  standing  erect  in  an  attitude  of 
dignified  tranquility,  easy  and  natural 
with  his  left  hand  in  the   breast  of  his 


292 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


coat,  while  the  other  hang?  down  by 
his  side,  emblematic  of  the  Christian 
charity  so  characteristic  of  cur  distiu- 
guisiied  reprei-entative. 

BouUon. — Tliere  is  a  fine  bust  of 
Matthew  Bolton  in  Handsworth,  and 
as  the  owner  of  the  great  Soho  Works 
certaii.ly  did  much  to  advance  the 
manufactures  of  this  town,  foreigners 
have  often  expressed  surprise  that  no 
statue  has  been  erected  to  his  memory. 

BucWia. — The  bronze  statue  of  Bud- 
dha, now  in  Aston  Hall,  is  supposed 
to  be  2,500  years  old,  and  was  found 
buried  among  the  ruins  of  a  temple  at 
Soottan,  on  the  Ganges,  Dec  6,  1862. 
It  was  presented  to  this  town  in  1864 
by  Mr.  Samuel  Tiiornton. 

Chamhcrlain,  J.  —  The  memorial 
at  the  rear  of  the  Town  Hall  bears  the 
following  inscription  : — 

"  This  memorial  is  erected  in  gratitiicle  for 
liublic  service  given  to  this  town  by  Joseph 
Chamberlain,  who  was  elected  town  council- 
lor in  November,  lt(i'J,  Jlayor  in  .873,  and 
resigned  that  effice  in  June,  1S76,  on  being 
returned  as  one  of  the  representatives 
of  the  borough  of  Birmingliam  in  Parlia- 
ment, and  diaing  whose  Jniayoralty  many 
great  works  v  ere  notably  advanced,  and 
mainly  by  whose  ability  and  devotion  the 
gas  and  water  undertakings  were  acquired 
for  the  town,  to  the  great  and  lasting  benelit 
of  the  inhabitants. 

The  memorial  was  desisigned  by  Mr. 
J.  H.  Chamberlain,  of  the  firm  of 
Martin  and  Chamberlain,  and  was  pre- 
sented to  the  town  October  26,  1880, 
during  tlie  mayoralty  of  Mr.  Richard 
Chamberlain.  The  medallion  of  the 
right  hon.  gentleman  is  the  work  of 
Mr.  Thoinas  Woolner,  E.A. 

CJiaviherlain,  J.  H. — The  sum  of 
£2,744  13s.  6d.  raised  by  subscription 
for  the  fuuiuiing  of  a  memorial  of  the 
late  Mr.  John  Henry  Cliamberlain, 
vras  given  to  the  Midland  Institute, 
with  which  the  lamenied  gentleman 
was  so  intimatclj'  connected. 

DaU'Son.—k  public  meeting  was  held 
Jan.  3,  1877,  to  decide  on  a  memorial 
of  George  Dawson,  and  the  sum  of 
£2,287  13s.  9d.  was  subscribed  for  a 
statue  to  be  erected  at  the  rear  of  the 
Town  Hall,  but  it  was  esteemed  so  poor 


a  portrait  that  after  a  little  while  it 
was  removed,  in  favour  of  the  prrsent 
statue.  A  very  pleasing  bust,  which 
is  a  very  striking  likeness  and 
really  characteristic  portrait  was  un- 
veiled at  the  Church  of  the  Saviour, 
Aug.  8,  1882.  It  bears  the  lollowing 
inscri[itioa  : — 

In  Loving  Memory  of 

GEORGE    DAWSON,     M.A. 

Coming  to  this  town  in  the  year  1844,  he 
gathered  round  him  a  band  of  followeis,  who 
found  in  his  teaching  a  fervent  religious  si'irit, 
and  a  fearless  trust  in  God  as  our  Heavenly 
Father,  in  union  with  an  earnest  seaich  after 
truth.  To  perpetuate  such  union  they  built 
this  Church,  which  he  opened  August  S, 
1847,  and  in  which  he  ministered  until  his 
death.  Not  in  this  Church  only,  but  through- 
out the  land  did  lie  everywhere  teaeh  to 
nations  :  that  they  are  exalted  by  rigliteous- 
ness  alone— to  men  :  "To  do  justly,  love 
mercy,  and  Avalk  Ininibly  with  God.'' 

He  was  born  February  24,  1821,  and  died 
November  30, 1876. 

"  I   HAVE   FOUGHT  THE   GOOD   FIGHT.' 

Mr.   T.  J.    Willinmson,  who   executed 
this  bust   was  entrusted  with  the  order  ' 
for  the  new  statue. 

George  IV. — The  first  bronze  statue 
ever  cast  in  Birmingham  was  that  of 
George  IV.,  the  work  of  Sir  Edv>-ard 
Thoniason,  in  1823.  Sir  Edward  em- 
ployed the  best  of  talent  and  spirtdno 
pains  to  turn  out  a  splendid  work  of 
art,  but  he  never  found  a  customer  for 
it.  The  statue  is  6ft.  high,  weighing 
2|  tons,  and  costing  over  £1.500,  but 
was  sold  in  November,  1880,  to  a 
gentleman  in  the  neighb  urhood  for 
£150,  little  more  than  the  value  of  tht 
metal. 

Golchmith. — The  statue  of  Gold- 
smith, in  the  hall  of  the  Reference 
Library,  is  a  plaster  cast  of  the  bronze 
statue  manufactured  bv  Messrs.  Elk- 
ington  for  the  Citj'  of  Dublin. 

HiJI.— The  sum  of  £1,500  was 
raised  by  public  subscription,  for  the 
pnrjiose  of  ertcting  a  staue  of  Sir 
Rowland  Hill.  The  work  was  executed 
in  marble  by  JMr.  V.  HolHns,  and 
pending  the  erection  of  the  new  Post 
Office  buildings,  the  charge  of  tlie  statue 
was  accepted  by  the  E.xchange  Build- 


SlIOWELLS    UIOTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


293 


ings  Conipiittee,  September  12,  1870 
and  remained  in  the  Birmingham  Ex- 
change until  the  year  1874,  \vhen  it 
was  removed  to  tlie  position  in  which 
it  at  present  stands,  in  the  corner  of 
the  principal  room  of  the  Post  Office, 
Par.-tdi.se  Street. 

Hill,  M.D. — A  very  fine  bust  of 
Matth.'W  Davenport  Hill,  the  first  Re- 
corder for  the  borough,  is  placed  in 
the  Art  Gallery  at  the  Rafereuce 
Library. 

James. — A  bust  of  the  Rev.  Angell 
James  may  be  seen  at  Aston  Hall. 

King  Edward  VI. — When  the  old 
Grammar  School  was  taken  down 
the  s'atue  cf  the  King,  which  had 
stood  in  is  niche  in  the  front  of  the 
old  building  for  generations,  was 
broken  to  pieces  on  account  of  so  many 
gentlemen  (including  governors)  want- 
ing it ;  as  all  could  not  have  it,  it  was 
destroyed  ! 

Mason.  — The  erection  of  a  statue  in 
his  honour  as  proposed  in  1870  not 
meeting  with  the  approval  of  Sir 
Josiah  Mason  (then  Mr.),  the  Town 
Council  paid  Mr.  E.  G.  Papworth, 
the  chosen  sculptor,  a  solatium  or 
honorarium  of  150  guineas.  The 
worthy  kuigli!;  not  being  now  alive  to 
veto  the  projsct,  a  figure  of  him  has 
been  placed  opposite  the  College  in 
Edmund  Street. 

Mii'-dock. — Thereisa  bust  of  William 
Murdoch,  the  introducer  of  coal-gas  as 
an  illuminant,  in  Handswortii  Church. 
Another  would  not  be  out  of  place  in 
the  new  Gas  Olhce. 

Nelson.. — The  bronze  statue  of  Lord 
Nelson  in  the  Bull  Ring  was  executed 
by  Westmacott,  and  uncovered  June  6, 
1809.  The  artist  received  £2,500,  but 
the  total  cost  (raised  by  subscription) 
with  the  pedestal,  lamps,  and  palisa- 
ding, was  nearly  £3,000.  The  corner 
posts  are  old  cannon  from  the  Ad- 
miral's ship  the  Victory. 

Fed. — The  statue  of  Sir  Robert  Peel, 
near  the  Town  Hall,  cost  £2,000,  and 
was  unveiled  August  27,  1855.  He 
faced  towards  Christ  Church  at  first, 
and  was  protejted  from  Tories  and  Pro- 


tectionists by  iron  railings,  until 
March,  1873,  when  his  bjuds  were 
loo-ed,  and  he  was  allowed  to  look  down 
New  Screet. 

Priestley. — The  statue  of  the  dis- 
coverer of  oxygen,  near  tlie  Town 
Hall,  was  uncovered  AugU'^t  1,  1884. 
The  amount  subscribed  as  a  Priestley 
memorial  fund  was  £1,820,  of  which 
£972  went  for  the  philosopher's  stone 
effigy,  about  £10  for  a  tablet  on  the 
site  of  his  house  at  Fair  Hill,  and  £653 
to  the  Midland  Institute  to  found  a 
scholarship  in  chemistry. 

Prince  Albert  and  the  Queen. — In 
1862.  after  the  death  of  the  Prince 
Consort,  a  Memorial  Committee  was 
formed  and  a  fund  raised  for  a  statue, 
the  execution  of  which  was  entrusted 
to  Mr.  Foley,  and  it  is  said  to  be  one 
of  his  finest  productions.  It  was  placed 
in  the  old  Art  Gallery,  and  uncovered 
August  27,  1838.  It  was  in  the 
reading-room  at  the  time  of  the  fire, 
but  fortunately  escaped  injury.  The 
balance  of  the  fund  was  deemed 
sufficient  for  a  companion  statue  of 
Her  Majesty,  and  Mr.  Foley  received 
the  commission  for  it  in  1871.  At  his 
df^atii  the  order  was  given  to  Mr. 
Woolner,  who  handed  over  his  work 
to  the  town  in  May,  1884,  the  ceremonv 
of  unveiling  taking  place  on  the  9th 
of  that  month.  According  to  the 
Athenojum  it  is  "one  of  the  finest 
portrait  statues  of  the  English  School, 
combining  a  severe  yet  elegant  design 
with  execution  of  the  highest  kind, 
every  element  being  thoroughly 
artistic."  Thousands  have  seen  it 
alongside  the  Prince's  stutue  in  the 
hall  of  the  Reference  Librar}',  but  lew 
indeed  have  been  heard  to  say  they 
like  it.  Both  statues  are  ultimately 
intended  to  be  placed  in  the  Council 
House. 

Rogers.— L  memorial  bust  of  John 
RogfrSj  a  native  of  Deritemi,  and  one 
of  the  first  martyrs  of  the  Reformation, 
was  unveiled  in  St.  John'.",  October 
29,  1883. 

Scholefield.  -  -A      bust     of     William 


294 


SHOWELL«    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


Scholefield,  M.P.,  for  the  boroiigli,  is 
at  Aston  Hall. 

SUirgc. — The  statue  and  most  appro- 
priatf  memorial  of  Edmund  Sturge,  at 
the  Five  Wa5's,  which  cost  about 
£1,000,  was  undiaped  June  4,  1862. 
Messrs.  Bright  and  Scholetield,  M.P.'s, 
being  present. 

With  a  true  sorrow  that  rebuked    all  feign- 
ing, 
By  lone  Edgbaston's  side 
Stood  a  great  city  in  the  sky's  sad  reigning 
Bareheaded  and  wet-eyed. 

Silent  for  once  the  restless  luve  of  labour, 

Save  the  low  funeral  tread, 
Or    voice     of  craftsman    wliispeiing    to   his 
neighbour 

The  good  d  eds  of  the  dead. 

Timmins. — An  almost  life-speaking 
marble  bust  of  Mr.  Sam.  Timmins  was 
placed  in  the  Reference  Librar}-,  April 
26,  1876.  It  was  destroyed  in  the  fire, 
but  has  been  replaced,  and  few  could 
tell  the  ])resent  bust  is  not  the  original 
one. 

Tyndale. — The  Londoners  have 
honoured  themselves  b\'  erecting  on 
the  Thames  Embankment  a  statue  to 
the  memory  of  the  Reformer  Tyndale, 
whom  we  have  partly  to  thank  for  the 
English  version  of  the  Bible.  To  help 
pay  for  their  ornament  it  was  decided 
that  the  names  of  all  towns  subscribing 
£100  or  more  should  be  inscribed  on 
the  pedestal,  and  the  Bible-lovers  of 
Birmingham  scraped  together  £86  15s. 
3d.  for  the  ymrpose,  leaving  the  Mayor 
(Mr.  Wm.  White)  to  dip  into  his  own 
pocket  for  the  remaining  £13  4s.  9d. 
UwU. — The  granite  obelisk  in  St. 
Philip's  churchyard,  opposite  Temple 
Street,  was  erected  to  tlie  memory  of 
Lieut  -Colonel  Unett,  who  fell  at  the 
storming  of  Sebastopol.  It  was  un- 
covered June  19,  1857. 

ll^alt. — One  of  the  finest  productions 
of  Francis  Chantrey,  the  sculptor,  is 
generally  acknowledged  to  be  the 
monument  in  Handsworth  Church  to 
James  Watt,  which  was  placed  therein 
September,  1827.  The 'figure  is  said 
to  bear  a  very  remarkable  resemblance 
to  Mr.  Walt,  who  is  represented  seated 


in  a  Grecian  chair,  with  compasses  and 
open  book,  as  though  tracing  on  the 
open  page.  On  the  front  of  the  pedes- 
tal is  inscribed  : — 

JAMES  WATT, 

BORN 

19  JANVARY, 

1736, 

DIED 

25  AVGVST, 

1819, 

PATRI  OPTIME   BIERITO. 

E.  M.  P. 

The  statue  in  RatcHfTe  Place  was 
subscribed  for  in  1867,  and  the  figure 
is  very  like  the  portrait  of  Watt.  It 
was  unveiled  Oct.  2,  1868. 

IVhatelcy. — A  marble  bust  (by  Peter 
Hollins)of  J.  W.  Whatoley,Es(i.,M.D., 
was  placed  in  the  Board  Room  of  the 
General  Hospital,  June  1,  1877. 

Wriqlit. — Mr.  John  Bright,  June 
15,  1883,  uncovered  the  statue  erected 
in  memor}'  of  Mr.  J.  S.  AVright,  in  front 
of  the  Council  House.  The  inscription 
upon  it  is  as  follows : — 

"John  Slcirrow  Wright,  born  February  2, 
1822,  died  April  13,  ISSO.  In  memory  of  tlie 
simplicity,  kindliness,  and  integrity  of  his  life 
and  of  his  unscllisli,  untiring,  and  patriotic 
devotion  as  a  public  man,  tliis  monument  is 
erected  by  the  united  gifts  of  all  clisses  in 
the  town  he  loved  and  for  which  he  laboured." 

Steam  Eng-ines.— The  first  steam 
engine  (then  called  a  fire  engine)  used 
for  the  purpo.se  of  pumping  water  from 
coal  mines  was  put  up  in  1712  by 
Newcomen  and  Calley,  at  a  colliery 
near  Wolverhampton,  owned  by  ilr. 
Back,  the  ironwork,  &c. ,  being  made 
in  Birmingham,  and  taken  hence  to  the 
pit-head.  The  first  of  Watt's  engines 
mi<ie  at  Soho,  was  to  "blow  the  bel- 
lows "  at  John  Wilkinson's  ironworks 
at  Broseley,  in  1776.  Watt's  first 
pumpincr  engine  was  started  at  Bloom- 
field  Colliery,  March  8,  1776.  Having 
overcome  the  rotary  motion  difficulties, 
Watt  a]){)lied  steam  to  tilt  hammers 
and  rolling  mills  in  1781,  and  to  corn- 
grinding  mills  in  1782  ;  taking  out 
patents  in  1784  for  the  "governor," 
"parallel  motion,"  &c. ,  including  also 
specifications    for  a  travelling  engine, 


SIIOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


295 


though  it  was  Williim  Murdoch  who 
first  made  a  practical  working  m  Kiel 
of  a  lociuiotive.  The  first  eugiue 
worked  by  steam  in  this  town  that  we 
liave  record  of  was  put  up  at  some 
works  iu  Water  Screet,  in  1760. 

Steamships. — If  we  do  not  build 
steaMisliM)^  iu  Birmingham,  it  wis 
.Tames  Watt  who  prop  >sed  the  use  of 
screw  propellers  (in  1770)  ;  Wm.  Mur- 
doch, who  invented  the  oscillating 
cylinder  (in  178.5)  ;  Watt  and  Bmlton, 
who  furnished  engines  (iu  1807)  for  the 
lir.st  regular  st-'ani  packet  in  America  ; 
and  James  Watt,  jun.,  who  made  the 
first  steam  voyage  on  the  S3a  (Octaber 
14,  1817),  crossing  the  Channel  in  the 
Caledonia,  and  taking  that  vessel  up 
the  Rhine. 

Stipchley  Street,  aboit  a   mile 

and  a  quarter  north-east  of  King's  Nor- 
ton, has  a  Post  Office,  a  Police  Station, 
a  B  lanl  Sdrool,  and  a  Railway  Station. 
Nothwithstanding  these  signs  of  modern 
civilisation,  and  tlie  Tiear  proximity  of 
Cadbury's  Cocoa  Manufactory,  Stirchley 
Street  is,  as  it  has  been  for  many  a 
generation,  a  favourite  country  outing 
place  for  weary  Brums  having  a  chance 
hour  to  spend  on  ctiange  of  scene. 

Stocks. — -Putting  people  in  the 
stocks  appears  to  have  baen  a  very 
ancifut  mole  of  punishment,  for  the 
Bible  telis  us  that  .Jeremiah,  tlie  pro- 
phet, was  put  in  the  stocks  by  Pasliur, 
and  the  gaoler  wiio  had  charge  of  Paul 
aul  Silas  at  Puilippi  maile  fast  their 
feet  in  a  similar  way.  Whether  Shakes- 
peare feared  the  stocks  when  he  refused 
to  go  back  to  "drunken  Bidford," 
after  sleeping  off  the  effects  of  one 
carouse  with  the  "Sipper's  Club"  thei'e, 
is  not  chronicle  1,  but  tliat  the  stocks 
were  not  vmknown  to  liini  is  evident  by 
their  being  introduced  on  the  stage  in 
"  King  Lear. "  The  JVorccstcr  Joiininl 
of  Jan.  19,  I860,  informs  us  that  "  tliis 
old  mode  of  punishment  was  revived 
at  Str.itford-on-Avou,  for  drunkenness, 
and  a  passer-by  asking  a  fellow  who  was 
doing  penance  how  he  liked  it,  the 
reply  was — '  I  beant  the  first  mon  as 


ever  were  in  the  stocks,  so  I  don't  care 
a  fardin  about  it. "  Stocks  used  to  be 
kept  at  the  Welsh  Cross,  as  well  as  a 
pillory ;  and  when  the  Corporation 
closed  the  old  prison  in  High  Street, 
Bordesley,  they  took  over  the  stocks 
whicii  formerly  stood  alongside  the 
whipping-post,  on  the  bank  in  front  of 
the  preient  G.  W.R.  Station.  The  last 
date  of  this  punishment  being  inflicted 
in  this  town  is  1844,  when  the  stocks 
were  in  the  yard  of  the  Public  Office  in 
Moor  Street 

Stopms  and  Tempests. —A  great 

storm  arose  on  Wediieslay,  November 
24,  1703,  which  lasted  three  days,  in- 
creasing in  force.  The  damage,  all 
over  the  kingdom,  was  immense  ;  and 
at  no  period  of  Engli-h  history  has  it 
been  equalled.  l.o,000  sheep  were 
drowned  in  one  part  of  Gloucester- 
shire. We  have  no  record  of  the  im- 
mediately local  loss. — In  a  storm  on 
March  9,  1778,  the  windmill  at 
Holloway  Head  was  struck  by  light- 
ning, the  miller  wis  hurt,  and  tiie 
sails  shattered. — January  1,  1779, 
there  was  a  violent  gale,  which,  while 
it  wrecked  over  300  vessels  on  otir 
coasts  did  great  damage  as  far  inlan  I 
as  Birmingham  — Snowstorms  were  so 
heavy  on  January  23  and  24,  1814, 
that  all  communication  between  here 
and  London  was  stopped  for  five  days. 
— There  was  a  strong  gale  Ssptemijer 
26,  1853,  during  which  some  damage 
was  done  to  St.  Mary's  Church,  to  the 
alarm  of  the  congregation  therein 
assembled. — A  very  heavy  storm  oc- 
curred June  15,  1858,  the  day  after 
the  Queen's  visit,  lasting  for  nearly 
three  hours,  during  which  time  three 
inches  of  rain  fell,  one  half  in  twenty 
minutes. — Some  property  in  Lombard 
Street  was  destroyed  by  lightning, 
June  23,  1861  ;  and  parts  of  Aston, 
Digbeth,  and  the  Parade  were  flooded 
same  time. — There  was  a  terrific  thun- 
derstorm, August  26,  1867  ;  the  rain- 
fall being  estimated  at  seventy-two 
tons  per  acre. — During  a  heavy 
thunderstorm,  June  17,  1875,  the 
lightning   set    fire    to  a   workshop    in 


296 


SnOWKLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BlRillXGHAM. 


Great  Charles  Street :  killed  a  women 
ill    Deriteiul,  ami  fourteen  slieep  and 
lambs  at   Snail    Heath. — In   a   heavy 
gale,    January    30,    1877,    a  chimney 
stack  was  blown  down  in  Jenntn's  Row, 
killing    two    men  ;    and    a    wall    was 
levelled  in  Harborne  Road,  on  February 
20,  another  poor  fellow  losing  his  life. 
— During  the  night  of  August  2  and  3, 
1879  (when    many    parts    of  the  out- 
skirts   were    floodLd  in  comparatively 
the    shortest    lime   in    memory),    the 
residence     of    W.    E.    Chance,    Eq., 
AugustusRoad,  wasstruckby  lightning, 
and   considerable    damage  done  ;    but 
no  personal  injuries  were  reported. — 
During  the  stcirm  of  October  14,   1881, 
much  local  damage  was   done,    while 
round  Coventrj'  and  Taniw'orlh  districts 
many  hundreds  of  trees  were    brckeu 
or  uprooted.      In  Windsor  Park,   960 
trees  were  blown  down  and  more  than 
a  thousand  damaged  ;  146  shipwrecks 
occurred  on  the  coasts. — During  a  gala 
December    11,    18S3,   a    large    staii:ed 
glass  window  of  St.    Philip's    Church 
was   shattered  ;     part   of  a   house   in 
Charles  Henry  Street  was  blown  down, 
two  persons  being  killed  ;    a  child  was 
killed  at  Erdington,  by  chimney  falling 
through    roof,     several     persons     had 
limbs  fractured,  and  there  was  generally 
a     great     injury     to     property. — On 
Sunday,  June  15,  1884,  St.  Augustine's 
Church,  Higley  Roid,   and  tlie    Con- 
gregational    Chapel,     Francis     Road, 
were    struck   by    lightning    during    a 
tenijest,  and  the  Chanel  was  somewhat 
injured. 

Streets.— It  is  not  every  street 
that  is  a  street  in  Birmingham,  for, 
according  to  the  Post  Office  Street 
List,  bi  sides  a  dozi  n  oi  so  to  which 
distinctive  names  have  been  given, 
like  Chea}iHide,  Doritend,  Digbeth, 
Highgate,  Islington,  &;c. ,  and  7'26 
streets  called  Streets,  there  are  in  the 
borough  178  Roads,  86  Lanes,  69  Rows, 
19  Squares,  11  Crescents,  2  Quadrants, 
5  Arcades,  1  Colonnade,  5  Parades,  484 
Terraces,  l,r)72  Places,  26  Passages,  20 
Yards,  47  Courts  (named,  and  twenty 
times    that    number    numbered),     16 


Mounts  (twelve  of  them  Pleasant),  24 
Hills,  5  Vales  2  Valleys,  23  Groves,  4 
Retreats,  11  Villas,  14  Cottages,  2  Five- 
Dwelling,  179  Buildings,  14  Chambers, 
12  Walks,  4  Drives,  3  Avenues,  5  Gul- 
lets, 1  Alley  (and  that  is  Needless\  1 
Five- Ways,  1  Six-Ways,  6  Greens,  2 
Banks,  2  'Villages,  3  Heaths,  3  Ends, 
and  1  No  Thoroughfare. 

Sultan  Divan. —Formerly   a 

questionable  place  of  amusement  in 
Needless  Alley,  but  which  was  boHglit 
for  £7,500,  and  opened  by  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association,  January 
7,  1875. 

Sunday  in  Birmingliam.— Sun- 
day dogfights   have  been   heard   of  in 
this    town,   but    it    was    sixty    years 
ago,    when    brutal  sports  of  ail  kinds 
were   more   rife   than   now.     Prior   to 
that,   however,    many    attempts   were 
made  to  keep  the  Sabbath  holy,  for  we 
read    that  in   1797  the  heavy  wagons 
then  in  use  for  transport  of  goods  were 
not  allowed  to  pass  through  the  town, 
the  authorities  fining  all  cffendors  who 
were  so  wicked  as  to  use  their  vehicles 
on    the     Lord's    Day.     Tiie     church- 
wardens were    then  suppoitod  by  the 
inhabitants,   who  held  several    public 
meetings   to  enforce  the  proper  obser- 
vance of  the  day,  but  there  have  been 
many    changes    since.       In    January, 
1856,    a    Sunday  League,  for  opening 
museums,      libraries,      &c.,     on     the 
Sabbath,  was  started  here.     In  the  last 
sessi(>n   of  Parliament  in  1870,   there 
were  eighteen    separate  petitions  pre- 
sented from  this  town  against  opening 
the  British  Museum  on  Sundays.     Thn 
Reference    Library    and    Arc    Gallery 
commenced  to  be  opened  on  Sundays, 
April    28,     1872,    and    they    are  well 
freipiented.       Sunday    labour    in    the 
local  Post  OlTices  was  stojiped  Aug.  10, 
1873.     Ill  1879  a  society  was  formed 
for  Tne  purpote  of  delivering  lectures, 
reading'-,'  and  aebire.sses  of  an  interest- 
ing nature,  on  the  Sunday  evenings  of 
the    winter    season,    the    Town    Hall, 
Board  Schools,  and  other  public  build- 
ings   being    utilised    for    the  purpose 


showell's  dictionary  of  birmixgham. 


297 


(the  first  being  held  in  the  Bristol 
Street  Schools,  Oct.  19,  1879),  and 
very  jtopular  have  they  been,  j;entle- 
men  r.f  all  sects  ami  parties  taking  part, 
in  the  belief  that 

A  Sabbath  well  spent 
Brings  a  week  of  content. 

In  1883,  (lurin<(  an  inquiry  as  to  the 
extent  of  dninkeimess  on  the  Sabbath, 
it  was  shown  tliat  the  county  of  War- 
wick (including  Birniinghani)  was  re- 
markably clear,  as  out  of  a  population 
of  737,188  there  had  only  been  348  con- 
victions during  1882.  For  Stafford- 
shire, with  a  population  of  980, 385, the 
convictions  were  581.  Northnniber- 
iand,  687  convictions  out  of  434, 074 
Durham,  1,015  out  of  867,586.  Liver- 
pool 1,741  out  of  552,425.  lilanchester. 
1,429  out  of  341,503. 

Sutton  Coldfield,  on  the  road  to 
Lichfield,  is  celebrated  even  more  lor 
its  park  tlian  its  anthjuity.  The  former 
Avas  left  to  the  town  by  the  Bishop  of 
Exeter  (John  Haiuian),  otherwise 
known  as  Bishop  Vesey,  who  was  a 
native  ot  Sutton,  and  wiiose  monument 
is  still  to  be  seen  in  the  old  Church. 
He  procured  a  charter  of  incorporation 
in  1528,  and  also  founded  the  Grammar 
School,  and  other  endowed  charities, 
such  as  the  Almshouse?,  the  Poor 
Maidens' Portions,  &c. ,  dying  in  1555, 
in  his  103rd  year.  Thirty  years' back, 
the  park  contained  an  area  of  2,300 
acres,  but  a  small  part  was  sold,  and 
the  railways  liave  taken  portions,  the 
present  extent,  park  an'l  pools,  being 
estimated  at  2,034  acres,  the  mean 
level  of  which  is  410  feet  above  the  sea 
level.  A  good  length  of  Ickniclde 
Street,  or  the  Old  Roman  R'ad,  is 
distinctly  traceable  across  a  jioi  tion  of 
the  park.  King  John  visited  Sutton 
manor-house  in  April,  1203.  On  the 
18th  of  October,  1642,  Charles  I.  re- 
viewed his  Staifordshiie  troops  here, 
prior  to  the  battle  of  Ejlg':-hill,  the  spot 
being  long  known  as  "  The  King's 
Standing."  The  mill-dams  at  Sutton 
burst  their  banks  July  24,  1668,  and 
many  houses  were  swent  away.      The 


population  is  about  8,000,  and  the 
rateable  value  is  put  at  £50,000,  but 
as,  through  the  attraction  of  the  park, 
the  town  is  a  very  popular  resort,  and 
is  rapidly  increasing,  it  may  ultimatelv 
become  a  place  of  importance,  worthy 
of  municipal  honours,  which  are  even 
now  being  sought.  The  number  of 
visitors  to  the  park  in  the  Whit-week 
of  1882,  was  19,549  ;  same  week  in 
1883,  it  was  11,378  ;  in  1884,  it  wa^ 
17,486  ;  of  wliorn  14,000  went  on  the 
Monday. 

Taxes. — Would  life  be  worth  living 
if  we  had  to  pay  such  taxes  as  our 
fathers  had  to  do  ?  Here  are  a  few  :-- 
The  hearth  or  chimney  tax  of  2s.  for 
every  fire-place  or  stove  in  houses 
rated  ab  ve  20s.  per  annum  was  im- 
posed in  the  fifteenth  year  of  Charles 
II. 's  reign,  but  repealed  in  the  first 
year  of  William  and  Maiy,  1689  ;  the 
owners  of  Edgbaston  Hall  paid  for  22 
chimneys  before  it  was  destroyed  in 
1668.  In  1642,  there  was  a  duty  of 
£4  a  pair  on  silk  stockings.  A  window 
tax  was  enacted  in  1695  "to  pay  tor 
the  re-coinage  of  the  gold  coin,"  and 
was  not  entirely  removed  till  July  24, 
1851  ;  from  a  return  made  to  Parlia- 
ment by  the  Tax  Office  in  1781,  it  ap- 
peared that  the  occupiers  of  2,291 
houses  paid  the  window  tax  in  Bir- 
mingham ;  there  was  collected  for 
house  ai  d  window  tax  in  1S23,  from 
the  inhabitants  of  this  town,  the  sum 
of  £27,459  12s.  l^d.,  llioush  in  tlie 
following  year  it  was  £9,000  less. 
Bachelors  and  widowers  were  rated  by 
6  and  7  William  III.,  c.  6,  "to  enable 
the  King  to  carry  on  the  war  against 
France  with  rigour,"  Births,  mar- 
riages, and  deaths  were  also  made 
liable  to  duties  hy  the  same  Act.  The 
salt  duties  were  first  levied  in  1702, 
doubled  in  1732,  and  raised  again  iu 
1782,  ceasing  to  be  gathered  in  1825. 
The  price  of  salt  at  one  period  of  the 
long  Peninsular  war  rose  to  £30  per 
ton,  being  retailed  in  Birmingham  at 
41.  per  lb.  Carriages  were  taxed  iu 
1747.  Armorial  beirings  in  1798. 
Receipts    for    money    and    promisory 


298 


SHOWELl's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


notes  were  first  taxed  in  1782.     Hair 
powder  tax,    of  21s.   per  annum,    was 
first  levied  in   1795.      In  1827,  there 
was   a    Is.    3d.    duty   on    a!ma,nacks. 
The  3s.  advertisement   duty    was    re- 
duced    to     1.     6d.     in     1833,     and 
abolished     August      4,      1853.      The 
paper  duty,  first  put    on  in  1694,  was 
repealed  in  1861  ;  that  on  biicks  taken 
off  in  1850  ;  on  soap  in  1853 ;  on  sugar 
iu  May,  1S74,  and  on  horses  the  same 
year.     Hats,   gloves,   and  linen  shirts 
were  taxed  in  1785  ;  patent  medicines, 
compound  waters,  and  codfish,  in  1783  ; 
in  fact  every    article    of    food,  drink, 
and  clothing  required  by  man  from  the 
moment  of  his  birth  until  his  burial, 
the  very  shrou'l,  the  land  he  trod  on, 
the  house  he  lived  in,  the  materials  (or 
building,   have    all  been    taxed.     For 
coming  into  the  world,  for  living  in  it, 
and  for  |,oing  out  of  it,  have  English- 
men   had    to  pay,  even    though    they 
grumbled.     Now-a-days,  the  country's 
taxes    are    few    in    number,     and   per 
head  are    but    small    in    amount,  j'et 
the  grumbling  and  the  growling  is  as 
heavy  as  of  old.     Can  it  arise  from  the 
pressure   of    our  local    rates  ?     "Where 
our   fathers  paid  20.s.   to  the  Govern- 
ment, we  do  not  pay  5s.  ;    but  where 
the  old  people  gave  5s.  in  rates,    we 
have  to  part  with  25s. 

Teleg-raphs.— The  cable  for  the 
first  Atlaniic  teiesraph  was  made 
here.  Its  length  was  2,300  nautical 
miles,  and  it  recpiired  690,000  lb<.  of 
copper  in  adilition  to  the  iron  wire 
forming  the  strand,  of  which  latter 
there  was  about  16,000  miles'  length. 
The  first  time  the  "  Queen's  Speech  " 
was  transmitted  to  this  town  by  the 
electric  telegraph  was  on  Tuesday, 
November  30,  1847,  the  time  occupied 
being  an  hour  and  a  iialf.  Tlie  clinrge 
for  sending  a  message  of  20  words  from 
here  to  London,  in  1848,  was  6s.  6(1. 
Tlie  Sub- Marine  Telegraph  Ca.  laid 
their  wires  through  Ijirminghani  in 
June  and  July,  1853. 

Temperance.— There    appears    to 
have  been  a  sort  of  a  kiml  of  a  temper- 


ance movement  here  in  1788,  for  the 
ilagistrates,  at  their  sitting  August 
21,  strongly  protested  against  the  in- 
creiss  of  dram-diinking ;  but  they 
went  on  granting  licenses,  though. 
Father  Matthew's  first  visit  was  Sep- 
tember 10,  1843  ;  J.  B.  Cough's,  Sep- 
tember 21,  1853  ;  Mr.  Booth's,  in  May, 
1882.  The  first  local  society  for  incul- 
cating principles  of  temperance  dates 
from  September  1,  1830;  U.K.  Alliauca 
organised  a  branch  here  in  February, 
1855  ;  tlie  first  Templars'  Lodge  was 
opened  September  8,  1868  ;  the  Royal 
Crusaders  banded  together  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1881  ;  and  the  Blue  Ribbons 
were  introduced  in  iMay,  1882.  This 
novelty  iu  dress  ornamentation  was 
adopted  (so  they  said)  by  over  40,000 
inhabitants,  but  at  the  end  of  twelve 
months  the  count  was  reduced  to  8,000, 
including  Sunday  School  children, 
popular  parsons,  maidens  looking  for 
husbands,  old  maids  who  had  lost 
their  chances,  and  the  unco'  guid 
people,  who,  having  lost  their  own 
tastes,  would  fiin  keep  others  from 
their  cakes  and  ale. 

Temple  Row.— A  "parech  meet- 
ing" in  1715  ordered  the  purchase  of 
land  for  a  passage  way  out  of  Bull 
Street  to  St.  Fhilip's  Church.  It  was 
not  until  1842  when  part  of  the  Royal 
Hotel  stables  were  taken  down,  that  it 
was  maile  its  present  width.  In  1837 
the  churchyard  had  some  pleasant 
walks  along  the  sides,  bounded  by  a 
low  wooden  fence,  and  skirted  with 
trees, 

Temple  Street  takes  its  name 
from  tlie  old  summer  arbour,  wittily 
called  "the  Temple,"  which  oaee 
stood  in  a  garden  where  now  Temple 
Row  joins  the  street.  An  advertise- 
ment in  Ga~atte  of  December  5,  1743, 
announced  a  house  for  sale,  in  Temple 
Street,  liaving  a  garden  twelve  yards 
wide  by  fifty  yards  long,  adjoining  the 
fields,  and  with  a  prosi)Bct  of  four 
miles  distance. 

Theatrical  Jottings.— What  ac- 

coniiiiaddtion,     it    any,    was    provided 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    lURMIXGHAM. 


299 


here  for  "their    niijesties'  servants," 
rue  pla3'actor3,   in  the  times  of  Qacen 
Anne  and  lier  successor,  George  I.,  is 
not  known,  but  as  Huttou  tells  ns  that 
in  1730   the  amusements  of  the  stage 
rose  in  elegance  so  far  that  threepenny 
performances  were  given  "  in  a  sta  le 
ill  Castle   Street,"  we  may  be  sure  the 
jiQsition  held  b_y   members  of  the  pro- 
fession   was    not    ver}'    high    in    the 
estimation  of  our  townsfolk  previous  to 
that  period.     Indeed,  it  would  almost 
seem    as    if    the  acting   of   plays  was 
ijuite  an  innovation  at  the  time  named, 
and  one  that   met  with  approval,  for 
shortly  ?.fcer   we   read   of  there  being 
theatres  in  Smallbrook  Street,  in  New 
Street,  and   "  a  nevv  theatre  "  in  Moor 
Street.      The    first-named    closed     in 
174:9  or  1750;  the  second  is   suppo'icd 
ro  have  been  on  the  site  of  the  pre-sent 
Theatre   Royal,  but  it    conld  not  have 
lieen  a  building  of  much  importance  as 
we  find   no  note   of  it  after  1744  ;  the 
third,  built  in  1739,  was  taken  posses- 
sion of  b}-  the  disciples  of  AVesley,  and 
on   March  21,   1764,    was  opened  as  a 
chapel.       Previons  to  the    last  event, 
however,     another    theatre    had  been 
erected  (in  1752)in   King  Street,  lead- 
ing out  of  Few   Street,  near  to    the 
Free  School,  which,    being  enlarged  in 
1774,    is     described     by     Hutton     as 
having    few    equals.       In    this     year 
also       (1774)       the      Theatre      Royal 
was  erected  (at  a  cost  of  nearly  £5,700) 
though  the  latter  half  of  its   "title    was 
not   assumed  until    August,    1807,   on 
the  occasion  of  the  Royal  assent  being 
given  to  the  house  being    "licensed." 
A  bill  had    been  introduced    it.to   the 
House  of  Commons  for  this  purpose  on 
the  26th  of  iMarch,    1777,    during   the 
debate  on    which   Burke    called     Bir- 
mingham    "the     great      toyshop     of 
Europe  "  but  it  was  thrown  out  on  the 
second   reading.       The     King     Street 
Theatre,  like   its   predecessor  in  Moor 
Street,  after  a  time    of    struggle,    was 
turned  into  a  place  of  worship  in  1786, 
a  fate  which,  at  a  later  date,  also  befell 
another  place  of  public  entertainment, 
the  Circus,  in  Bradford  Street,  and  the 


theatrical  history  of  tlie   town,   for   a 
long  term  of  years   centred  round  the 
Theatre  RoA'al,  though  now    and    then 
spasmodic    attempts    were      made     to 
localise  amusements  more  or  less  of  a 
similar  nature.     One  of  these,  and  the 
earliest,   was    peculiarly    unfortunate  ; 
earh'  in  1778  a  wooden  |iavilion,  known 
as  the  "  Concert  Booth,"  was  erected  in 
the  Moseley  Road,  drama  ticperformances 
being  given  between  the  tirst   and  last 
jiarts  of  a  vocal  and  instrumental   con- 
cert, but  some  mischievous  or  malicious 
incendiary    set    fire    to    the    building, 
which    was  burnt  to  the  ground   Aug. 
13    of   the    same    year.       Four    years 
later,  and  nearly  at  the  same  date  (Aug. 
17)  the  Tiieatre    in    New    Street  met 
with  a  like  fate,   the  only  portion  of  it 
left  being  the   stone   frout    (added   in 
1780)  which    is    still    the   same,    for- 
tunately    coining     almost     as    sifely 
through  the   next  contlagration.      The 
proprietors  clear&d  away  the  ruins,  and 
erected  a  more  cnnmodious  structure, 
which,  uuder  the  management  of  Mr. 
William  Macready,  was  opened   June 
22,  1795.     In  the  meantime,  the  King 
Street  Theatre  having  beenchapelised, 
the  town  appears  to  have  been  without 
any  recognised   place  for  dramatic  en- 
tertainments other  than  those  provided 
in  the  large  rooms  of  the  hotels,  or  the 
occasional  use  of  a  granary  trausmog- 
rilied   for  the  nonce   into  a   The>pian 
areua.       Ou    the  night   of  the    6th  of 
January,    1820,   after  the  iierformance 
of  "Pizirro,"  the  Theatre  Royal  was 
again    burnt  out,   but,   possibly    from 
having    their   property  insured  up  to 
£7,000,  the  proprietors  were  not  so  long 
in  having  ic  rebuilt,  the  doors  of  the 
new  house  being  opened    on   following 
Aug.     14.       This  is,    practically,     the 
same  building  as  the  present,  wliich  has 
seats  for  about  3,500,  the  gallery  hold- 
ing 1,000.     Many  of  the  tirst  artists  of 
the  profession  have  trod  the  boards  of 
the  Old  Theatre  since  the   last-named 
date,  and  Birmingham  has  cause  to  be 
proud  of  more  thaji  one  of  her  children, 
who,  starting  thence,  have  found  name 
and  fame  elsewhere.     The  scope  of  the 


300 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OK    BIRMINGHAM. 


present  woik  will  not  allow  of  any- 
thing more  tiian  a  few  brief  notes,  and 
those  entirely  of  local  bearing,  but  a 
history  of  the  Birmingham  stage  would 
not  be  uninteresting  reading. 

A  wooden  building  in  Moor  Street, 
formerly  a  circus,  was  licensed  March, 
19,  1861  ;  closed  in  1863,  and  cleared 
off  the  ground  in  1865. 

Theatrical  performances  were  licensed 
iu  Biiigley  Hall  in  1854. 

The  Prince  of  Wales  Theatre,  pre- 
viously Broad  Street  Music  Plaii,  was 
opened  in  1862.  It  was  reconstructed 
in  1876,  and  has  accommodation  for  an 
audience  of  3,200. 

The  Holto  Theatre  w.is  opened  May 
12,  1879,  the  license  to  the  Lower 
Grounds  Co.  being  granted  November 
29,  1878. 

The  last  new  Theatre,  the  Grand,  in 
Corporation  Street,  must  rank  as  one 
of  the  handsomest  edifices  in  the  town. 
It  faces  what  was  once  tlie  Old  Square, 
and  has  a  frontage  of  120ft.,  the  height 
to  the  cornice  ot  the  roof  being  52ft., 
the  whole  being  capped  with  a  dome, 
supporting  a  winged  figure  of  Auroro, 
wliich,  drawn  iu  a  car  by  prancing 
horses,  is  15ft; .  high.  The  interior  is 
laid  out  in  the  most  improved  modern 
style,  ornately  decorated  throughout, 
and  provides  accommodation  for  over 
3,000  persons.  The  cost  is  put  at 
£30,000,  of  whicli  £17,000  went  to  the 
builders  alone,  and  the  tlieatre  i.s  tlie 
property  of  Mr.  A.  Melville.  The 
opening  (iay  was  Nov.  14th,  1883. 

The  "  Iiiterkuie  of  Deritend  Wake, 
witli  the  representation  ot  a  Bull- 
baiting"  was  part  of  the  performance 
announced  at  tlie  King  street  Tiieatre, 
May  31,  1783. 

Mrs.  Sarali  Siddons,  whose  d'ehut  in 
London  the  previous  season  had  been 
anything  but  successful,  came  to 
Birmingham  lor  the  summer  season  of 
1776.  Henderson,  one  of  her  colleagues 
here,  notwithstanding  the  Drury  Lane 
veto,  declared  that  she  was  "  an 
actress  who  never  liad  an  equal  nor 
would  ever  have  a  superior " — an 
opinion  quickly  vcrilied. 


One  of  Iiean's  benefits  wis  a  total 
failure  Iu  the  last  scene  of  the  play 
'•A  New  Way  to  Pay  Old  Debts," 
wherein  allusion  is  made  to  the 
marriage  of  a  lady,  "Take  her,"  saiil 
Kean,  "and  the  Birmingham  audience 
into  the  bargain." 

Garrick  was  visiting  Lord  Lytton  at 
Hagley  on  one  occasion  when  news 
was  brought  that  a  company  of  players 
were  going  to  perform  at  Bir- 
mingham. His  lordship  susrgested 
that  Garrick  should  write  an  address  to 
the  audience  for  the  players.  "  Sup 
pose,  then,"  sai<i  he,    "  I  begin  thus  : 

"  Ye  .sons  of  iron,  copper,  brass  and  steel, 
Wlio  liave  not  lieatLs  to  tliink,  nor  hearts 
to  feel.'' 

"Oh,"  cried  his  lordship,  "if  you 
begin  like  that,  they  will  hiss  the 
players  olf  the  statre,  and  pull  the 
house  down."  "My  lord,"  replied 
Garrick,  "  what  is  the  use  of  an  ad- 
dress if  it  does  not  come  home  to  the 
business  and  bosoms  of  the  audience?" 

A  "Birmingham  Garrick,"  was  the 
name  given  to  an  actor  named  Hen- 
d«rsou  (1762),  whose  friends  did  not 
think  him  quite  so  great  a  tragedian  as 
he  fancied  himself. 

Kemble  made  his  last  appearance  on 
the  Birmingham  stage  July  9,  1788. 

Robinson  Crusoe,  or  Harlequin 
Friday,  was  the  ]iantomime  in  1790. 

JMadanie  Catalini  first  appeared  at 
Royal  in  1807. 

Incledon,  tlie  famous  tenor,  sang 
here  first  time  in  same  year. 

William  Charles  Macready  made  his 
dchAt  on  the  stage  of  the  Royal  :is 
llomco,  June  7,  1810.  He  took  his 
farewell  benefit  Aug.  13,  1871. 

Alfred  Bunn  had  the  Theatre  in  1823, 
during  whicdi  vear  there  appeared  here 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  Kemble,  W.  C. 
Llacready,  Joey  Grimaldi,  Miss  Ellen 
Tree  (afterwanis  Mrs.  Charles  Kean), 
W.  Farren,  Braham,  Ellistou,  Dovvton, 
Rignold  and  Power. 

Barry  Sullivan  was  born  here  in 
1824. 

In  1824  the  whole  town  was  up  in 
anus  taking  part  in   the    "  Buttle   of 


SHOWEt.LS    DICTIONARY    OF    lilRMINGHAJI. 


301 


the  Preachers  and  t}ie  Piayer.","  which 
was  commenced  by  the  Rev.  J.  An^ell 
James  delivering  a  series  of  sermons 
bitterly  inveigliing  against  the  theatre 
as  a  place  of  amusement,  iUl^l  pouiing 
forth  the  most  awful  denunciations 
agiinst  the  frequenters  thei'eof.  Alfred 
JJunn,  the  manager,  was  not  slow  to 
retort.  He  put  "  The  Hypocrite"  on 
th«3  boards,  Shuter,  the  clever  come- 
dian and  mimic,  personating  Mr. 
James  in  the  part  of  Maioiuorm  so 
cleverly  that  the  piece  had  an  immense 
run.  The  bittle  ended  in  a  victory  for 
both  sides,  chapel  and  theatre  alike 
being  crammed.  If  it  pleased  the 
godly  it  v.'as  a  god-send  for  Bann  whose 
exchequer  it  filled  to  repletion. 

Signer  Costa  was  at  the  Festival  in 
1829,  and  lie  afterwards  appjaretl  on 
the  stage  at  the  Royal. 

Paganini  first  fiddled  at  the  Royal, 
January  22,  1832. 

Sheri'ian  Knowles,  Macready,  Pag- 
anini,  Jlatthews,  and  Jliss  Ellen  Tree 
were  among  the  Stars  at  the  Royal  in 
1833. 

Mercer  H.  Simpson  took  the  manage- 
ment of  the  Royal  in  1838.  His 
farewell  benefit  was  on  December  16, 
1864,  and  he  died  March  2,  1877,  aged 
76.  * 

Sims  Reeves'  first  visit  to  this  town 
was  in  May,  1843  ;  his  last  appearance 
at  the  Festivals  was  in  1873  ;    at  the 
Royal  ill  May,   1875,  and  at  the  Town 
,  Hall,  March  25,  1884. 

Jenny  Lind  first  sang  here  Aug. 
29,  1847  ;  she  sang  for  the  Queen's  Ho.s- 
pital  at  Town  Hall ,  Dec.  28,  1848;  her 
last  concerts  were  Jan.  22-23,   1862. 

]\Iadle.  Rachael  first  played  here 
Aug.  19,  1847. 

Charles  Dickens  and  his  amateur 
friends  gave  theii  special  performances 
in  aid  of  the  Shakespeare  House  Fund, 
at  the  Royal,  June  6  and  27,  1848,  the 
receipts  amounting  to  £589. 

Variety  was  not  wanting  at  our  New 
Street  Tiieatre  in  1852.  Among  the 
artistes  advertised  to  apj>£ar  were  :  A 
strong  Man  who  had  5  cwt.  ot  stone 
broken  (byasledge  hammer)  on  his  chest 


nightly  ;  performing  Dogs  and  Horses  ; 
Madame  Orisi,  Signor  Mario,  Hay- 
market  Compiuy,  lienjamin  Webster, 
anil  .Madame  Celeste,  etc.,  etc. 

Miss  Monk'n,  the  female  M^zeppa, 
appeared  at  Prince  of  WaL's',  May  15, 
1805,  and  at  the  Royal  in  Nov.  1867. 

Miss  Neilson's  first  appearance  here 
wa  in  Nov.  1868,  in  an  adaptation,  by 
Mr.C.  Williams,alocaldra!natist,of  Miss 
Braddon's  "  Captain  of  the  Vulture." 

Mr.  Irving  first  appeared  as  Hamlet 
in  this  town  at  Prince  of  AVales',  Dec, 
1877. 

Sarah  Bcrnhaidt  was  at  Prince  of 
Wales',  July  4-6,  1881. 

Kyrle  Bellew  last  appeared  here  at 
Prince  of  Wales',  Sept.  17,  1881, 

Jlrs.  Langtry  was  atPrince  of  Wales', 
May  29,  18S2. 

Edwin  Booth's  first  appearance  here 
was  at  the  Royal,  as  lliclielicii,  Dec. 
IL  1882. 

Bobby  Atkins,  whose  real  name  was 
Edward,  was  the  most  popular  come- 
dian of  the  Royal,  with  which  he  had 
been  connected  for  more  than  twenty- 
five  years.  He  died  in  1882,  in  his 
64th  year.  His  bosom  friend,  John 
Barton,  made  his  exit  irom  the  world's 
stage  April  16,  1875. 

Mr.  George  Rignold's  mother  is 
stated  by  Mr.  Thomas  Swinbourne 
(himself  a  native)  to  liave  been  a 
leiding  actress  of  the  Theatre  Royal 
and  ver\'  popttlar,  as  indeed  she  would 
necessarily  be,  her  role  of  yiarts  inclu- 
ding Hamlet  and  Virginius.  The 
father  was,  says  Mr.  S.,  "  an  ad-.nirable 
terpsichoreau  artists,  and  George 
inherits  the  talents  of  both  parents, 
with  a  dash  of  nuisie  besides,  ior,  like 
lyUliam,  in  '  Black-eyed  Susan,' 
he  '  jdays  on  the  fiddle  like  on 
angel.'  " 

Two  or  three  of  our  places  of  amuse- 
ment have  been  turned  into  chapels 
permanently,  and  therefore  it  was 
hardly  a  novelty  to  hold  "  Gospel  ser- 
vices "  in  the  Prince  of  WaLs's 
Theatre,  October  3,  1875,  but  it  was 
to  their  credit  that ''  the  gods"  behaved 
themselves. 


302 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


Time. — When  it  is  exactlj-  twelve 
at  noon  here  in  Birmiugliani,  it  is 
7min.  33secs.  past  at  Greenwich, 
12niin.  oOsecs.  past  at  Dover,  and 
16niin.  54secs.  past  at  Paris  ;  while  it 
wants  limins.  to  thehourat  i\Ianches- 
ter,  Qgiiiin.  at  Glasgow,  ITniin.  SOsecs. 
at  Dublin,  and  26|mius.  at  Cork.  At 
Calcutta,  the  corresponding  time  would 
be  6.14  P-m.,  Canton  7.40  p.m.,  Japan 
9.15  p.m.,  Mexico  5.34  a.m.,  New 
Orleans  8.5  a.m..  New  York  7.11  a.m., 
New  Zealand  11.45  p.m.,  Nova  Scotia 
7.55  a.m.,  San  Francisco  4.5  a.m.,  St., 
Petersburg  2.10  p.m.,  Sydney  10.12 
p.m.,  and  at  Washington  just  seven 
o'clock  in  the  morning. 

Tithes.  —  One  hundred  and  fifty 
years  ago  (if  not  considerably  later)  the 
Rector  of  St.  Martin's  was  paid  tithes 
in  cash  based  on  the  value  of  the  crops, 
&c.,  one  acre  of  good  wheat  being 
tithed  at  7s.  fid.  ;  an  acre  ol  good  bar- 
ley at4s.  42d.  ;  an  acreof  flax  and  hemp, 
if  pulled,  at  5s.  ;  an  acre  of  good  oats, 
peas,  or  potatoes,  and  all  kinds  of 
garden  stuff  at  3s.  9d.  ;  for  meadow 
land  4d.  an  acre,  and  2d.  for  leasow 
(or  leasland)  ;  3d.  being  claimed  for  cow 
and  her  calf,  l^d.  for  e'vch  lamb,  &c. 
In  cour.^e  of  time  these  payments  were 
changed  into  a  fixed  tithe  rent, 
but  before  matters  were  comfortably 
settled,  the  Rector  found  it  necessary 
to  give  notice  (April,  1814)  that  he 
should  enforce  the  ancien'  custom  of 
being  paid  "in  kind."  The  gun  trade 
was  brisk  at  that  time,  but  whether 
the  reverend  gentleman  took  his  tenths 
of  the  guns,  what  he  did  with  them,  or 
how  the  parties  came  to  terms  is  not 
recorded. — The  tithes  formerly  due  in 
kind  to  tlie  Vicar  of  Edgbaston  were 
commuted  by  Act  passed  June  8,  1821, 
into  an  annual  "corn  rent,"  payable 
by  the  occupiers  of  all  kinds  in  the 
parish. 

TOWei*. — Originally,  all  guns  made 
here  for  Government,  had  to  be  put 
together  in  London,  but  when  the 
French  Revolution  broke  out,  it  was 
seen  that  a  quicker  mode  of  procedure 


was  necessary,  and  an  establisbment 
in  Bagot  Street  was  erected  in  1798, 
where  all  guns  for  Government  were 
viewed  and  stamped  with  the  "  Tower' 
mark.     Hence  the  name. 

Town  CPiePS  were  first  appointed 
in  1526.  Jacob  Wilson  entered  into 
office  May  4,  1853,  and  was  pensioned 
olf  with  15s.  a  week  in  August,  1879, 
after  a  family  tenure  of  the  ofBce, 
according  to  Jacob,  of  about  350  years. 
Surely  it  was  a  crying  shame  to  stop 
the  children  of  tliat  family  from  cry- 
ing in  the  future.  The  last  of  tho 
criers  did  not  last  long  after  deposition 
from  office,  Jacob's  last  words  being 
uttered  in  1881. 

Town    Improvements.  —Some 

fifty  and  odd  years  ago  Dobbs,  a  local 
comedian,  used  to  sing, 

"  Briimagera  has  altered  so, 
There'.s  scarce  a  place  in  it  I  know  ; 
Ilouiul  the  town  you  now  must  go 
To  tind  oUl  Brumageiu." 

Had  he  lived  till  these  days  he  raiglit 
well  have  sung  so,  for  improvements 
are  being  carried  out  so  rapidlj-  now 
that  in  another  generation  it  is  likely 
old  Birmingham  will  have  been  im- 
jnoved  off  tlie  face  of  the  earth  alto- 
gether. Prior  to  the  days  of  steam,  our 
forefathers  went  about  their  work  more 
leisurely,  for  it  was  not  until  1765  that 
the  Act  was  obtained  for  the  "enlight- 
ening" of  the  streets,  and  four  yeais 
later  when  the  first  Act  was  passed 
(April  21,  1769)  for  street  improve- 
ments. The  Street  Commissioners 
appointed  by  this  Act,  and  who  held 
their  first  meeting  May  22,  1709,  for 
many  years  did  little  more  than  regu- 
late the  traffic  of  the  streets,  keep  them 
clean2s7«,  and  look  after  the  watchmen. 
In  course  of  time  the  operations  of  the 
said  Commissioners  were  extended  a 
little,  audit  is  to  themtliatwe  owe  the 
existence  of  the  central  opon  space 
so  long  known  as  the  Bull  Ring, 
for  they  gave  £1,730,  in  1801,  for 
the  removal  of  nine  tenements  there 
and  then  blocking  the  way.  Money 
must  have  been  of  more  value  then  than 
now,  for  if  such  a  purchase  was  neces- 


showe[-l's  dictionauy  of  bihmixgham. 


■so:\ 


sary  at  the  present  date  one  or  two 
more  figures  would  require  being  added 
to  the  amount.  This  town  iniprove- 
nient  was  completed  in  1806,  when  the 
Commissioners  purchased  the  remain- 
ing houses  and  shops  round  St.  Mar- 
tin's, hut  property  owners  liad  evi- 
dently learned  something  during  the 
five  years,  for  whereas  the  Co  >  mission- 
ers  at  first  estimated  the  further  cost 
at  £10,957,  they  reluctantly  had  to 
provide  no  less  than  £22,266,  the  addi- 
tional sum  required  being  swallowed 
up  by  "incidental  expenses."  The 
poet  alread}'  quoted  had  apparently 
tjeen  absent  during  these  alterations, 
for  he  wailingly  bemoaned — 

"Poor old  Sv>iceal  .Street  lialf  gone. 
The  poor  old  Cliurch  stands  all  alone. 
And  7wor  old  I  can  only  groan. 
That  I  can't  llnd  Brumagem." 

Though  an  Improvement  Act  for  Dud- 
(ieston  and  Nechells  was  obtained  in 
1829,  the  town  improvements  for  the 
next  forty  j'ears  consisted  principally 
of  road  making,  street  pavinc,  market 
arranging,  &c. ,  the  opening-up  ideas 
not  getting  weli-rooted  in  the  minds  of 
our  governors  until  some  time  after  the 
Town  Council  began  to  rule  the  roast. 
That  a  great  deal  of  work  ivas  being 
done,  however,  is  shown  by  reference 
to  the  Borough  accounts  for  1840,  in 
which  year  £17,366  was  expended  in 
lighting,  watciiing,  and  otherwise  im- 
proving the  thoroughfares,  in  addition 
to  £13,794  actually  spent  on  the  high- 
ways. 1852  saw  the  removal  of  the 
turnpikes,  at  a  cost  of  over  £3,200  ;  in 
the  same  year  £5,800  was  txpended 
in  widening  the  entrance  to  Temple 
Row  from  Bull  Street,  and  £1,S00  for 
rounding  off  the  corner  of  Steelhouse 
Lane  and  Snow  Hill.  In  October, 
1853,  it  was  decided  to  obtain  for 
£33,000  the  11,540  square  yards  of 
land  at  the  corner  of  Ann  Street  and 
Congreve  Street,  where  the  Municipal 
Buildings,  Art  Gallery,  and  new  Gas 
Office  now  stand.  Almost  everj'  j'ear 
since  has  seen  the  purchase  of  properties 
more    or  less  required  for  substantial 


improvements,  though  some  of  them 
may  not  even  yet  have  been  utilised. 
A  few  fancj'  prices  might  be  named 
which  have  had  to  be  paid  ior  oild  bits 
of  property  here  and  there,  but  about 
the  dearest  of  all  was  £53  10s.  per  yard, 
which  the  Council  paid  (in  1864)  for 
the  land  required  to  round  off  the 
corner  of  New  Street  and  Worcester 
Street,  a  further  £1,300  going, in  1873. 
to  extinguish  certain  leasehold  rights. 
This  is  by  no  means  the  highest  figure 
given  for  land  in  the  centre  of  the 
town,  as  Mr.  John  Feuney,  in  1882, 
paid  at  the  rate  of  £66  per  yard  for  the 
site  at  corner  of  Cannon  Street  and  New 
Street,  the  portion  retained  for  his 
own  use  costing  him  evin  more  than 
that,  as  he  geneiously  allowed  the  Cor- 
poration to  take  30i  yards  for  £1,000. 
The  introduction  of  the  railways,  and 
consequent  obliteration  of  score';  of  old 
streets,  courts,  alleys,  and  passage.^,  has 
been  of  vast  service  towards  the  general 
improvement  of  the  town,  as  well  in 
the  matter  of  healtli  and  sanitation,  as 
leading  to  the  construction  of  many 
new  buildings  and  the  formation  of 
adequate  approaches  to  the  several 
railway  stations,  the  erection  of  such 
establishments  as  the  Queen's  Hotel, 
the  Great  "Western  Hotel,  &;c.  Nor 
have  private  pro})8rty  owners  and 
speculators  been  at  all  backward,  as 
evidenced  by  our  magnificent  modern 
banking  establishments,  the  huge  piles 
of  commercial  buildings  in  Colniore 
Row,  New  Street,  and  Corporation 
Street,thehandsome  shops  inNewStreet, 
High  Street,  and  Bull  Street,  with 
many  other  edifices  that  our  grand- 
fathers never  dreamed  of,  such  as  the 
Midland,  the  Grand,  and  the  Stork 
Hotels,  the  palatial  Club  Houses,  the 
Colonnade  and  Arcades,  New  Theatres, 
Inns  of  Court,  &c. ,  &c.  Many  of  these 
improvements  have  resulted  from  tlie 
falling-in  of  long  leases  on  the  Col 
more,  the  Grammar  School,  and 
other  estates,  while  others  have 
been  the  outcome  of  a  far-seeing 
policy  on  the  part  of  such  moneyed  men 
as  the  late  Sir  Josiah  Mason, Isaac  Hor- 


304 


SHOWELLS    PIOTIONAUY    OF    BIUMINGIIAM. 


tnn.  and  others  of  somewhat  similar 
calibre.  Going  away  from  tlie  imme- 
diate centre  of  the  town  architect.ural 
improvements  will  be  noted  on  all 
hands,  Snow  Hill,  for  one  place,  being 
evidently  in  the  regenerative  throes  of 
a  new  birlh,  with  its  Gothic  Arcade 
opposite  the  railway  station,  and  the 
new  circus  at  the  foot  of  the  hill, 
where  for  so  many  long  years  there  has 
been  nothing  hut  a  wreck  and  a  ruiu. 
In  close  neighbourhoo  I,  Constitution 
Hill,  Hampton  Street,  and  at  the 
junction  of  Summer  Lane,  a  number 
of  handsome  houses  and  shops  have 
lately  been  erected  by  Mr.  Cornelius 
Ede,  in  the  early  Gothic  style,  from 
designs  Viy  Mr.  J.  S.  Divis,  the  arclii- 
tect  of  tiie  Snow  Hill  Arcade,  the 
whole  unquestionably  forming  a  very 
great  advance  on  many  former  strest 
improvements.  The  formation  in  1880 
of  John  Bright  Street  as  an  extension 
of  the  Biistol  Road  (cost  £30,000)  has 
led  to  the  erection  of  many  tiue  build- 
ings in  that  direction  ;  the  opening- 
out  of  Aleetinghouse  Yard  and  the 
alterations  in  Floodgate  Street  (in 
1879,  at  a  cost  of  £13,500),  has  done 
much  for  that  neighbourhood  ;  the 
widening  of  Worcester  Street  and  the 
formation  of  Station  Street,  &c. ,  thanks 
to  the  enlargement  of  the  Central 
Station,  and  the  remodelling  of  all  the 
thoroughfares  in  the  vicinity  of  Navi- 
tion  Streat  and  Worcester  Wharf,  also 
arising  therefrom,  are  important 
schemes  now  in  progress  in  the  same 
direction  ;  and  in  fact  there  is  Inrdly 
any  district  within  the  borough 
boundaries  in  which  imiirovenients  of 
more  or  less  consequence  are  not  being 
made,  or  have  been  planned,  the 
gloomy  old  burial  grounds  having  been 
turned  into  pleasant  gardens  at  a  cost 
of  over  £10,000,  and  oven  the  dirty 
water-courses  known  as  tlie  river  Rea 
and  Hockley  brook  have  had  £12,000 
worth  of  cleaning  out  bestowed  upon 
them.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say 
that  millions  have  been  spent  in 
improving  liirmingham  during  the 
past    fifty   years,    not    reckoning   the 


cost  of  the  last  and  greatest  improve- 
ment of  all — the  makingof  Corpovation 
Street,  and  the  consequent  alteiations 
on  our  local  maps  resulting  therefrom. 
Tiie  adoption  of  tiie  Artizms'D^vellin^ 
Act,  under  the  provisions  of  which  the 
Birmingham  Improvement  Scheme  has 
been  cirriei  out,  was  approved  by  tlie 
Town  Council,  on  the  16th  of  October, 

1875.  Then,   on  the  15th  of  March, 

1876,  followed  the  Local  Government 
Board  enquiry  ;  and  on  the  17th  of 
June,  1876,  the  provisional  ordar  of  the 
Board,  approving  the  scheme,  was 
issued.  The  Confirming  Act  receive  1 
the  Royal  assent  on  the  15th  of  August, 
1876.  On  the  6th  of  September,  1880, 
a  modifying  order  was  obtained,  with 
respect  to  the  inclusion  of  certain 
properties  and  the  exclusion  of  others. 
The  operations  umier  the  scheme 
began  in  August,  1878,  when  the 
houses  in  New  Strest  were  pulled 
down.  lu  April,  1879,  b}'  the  re- 
moval of  the  Union  Hotel,  the  st  eet 
was  continued  into  Cherry  Street  : 
and  furthe-  extensions  have  been 
made  in  the  f  >llowing  ord3r  : — 
Cherry  Street  to  Bull  Street,  August 
1881  ;  the  Priory  to  John  Sreet,  Jun'i 
1881  ;  Bull  Street  to  ths  Priory,  Janu- 
ary, 1882  ;  John  Street  ti  Aston  Street, 
February,  18S2.  Little  Cann.on  Street 
was  formed  in  August  1881  ;  and 
Cowper  Street  in  January,  1881.  The 
first  lease  of  hind  in  the  area  of  tliH 
scheme — to  the  Women's  Hospital — 
was  agreed  upon  in  January,  1876  ; 
and  the  firs:  lease  in  drporation 
Street — to  Jlr.  J.  W.  DauioU — was 
arrange!  in  May,  1S7S.  In  July, 
1879,  a  lease  was  agreed  upon  for  the 
new  County  Court:  The  arbitrations 
in  the  purchase  of  properties  under  the 
scheme  were  begun  in  June,  1879,  and 
in  June,  1880,  Sir  Henry  Hunt,  the 
arbitrator  nominated  by  the  Local 
Government  Board,  made  his  first 
award,  amounting  to  £270,405,  the 
remainder  of  the  properties  having 
been  bought  by  'agreement.  The 
loans  borrowed  on  account  of  the 
sclieme    amount    to    £1,600,000,    the 


SUOWELL'S    DICTIOXAUr    OK    UIKMINGHAM. 


305 


yearly  charge  ou  the  rates  being  over 
£20,000  per  aimum,  but  as  the  largest 
]iroportion  of  the  propertj-  is  let  upon 
75-year  leases,  this  charge  will,  ia 
time,  not  only  be  reduced  yearly  by 
the  increase  of  ground-rents,  as  the 
main  and  branch  streets  a-i'e  filled  np, 
but  ultimately  be  altogether  extin- 
guished, the  town  coming  in  for  a 
magnificent  income  derived  from  its 
own  property.  The  length  of  Corpora- 
tion Street  iVom  New  Street  to  Lan- 
caster Street  is  851  yards,  and  if  ulti- 
mately completed  (as  at  fust  intended) 
from  Lancaster  Street  to  Aston  Road, 
the  total  length  will  be  1,484  yards  or 
five-sixths  of  a  mile.  The  total  area 
of  land  purchased  for  the  carrying-out 
of  the  scheme  is  put  at  215,317  square 
yds.  (:ib3Ut44a.  Ir.  3Sp.),  ofwhichquan- 
tity  39,280  square  yards  has  been  laid 
out  in  new  streets,  or  the  widening  of 
old  ones.  Of  the  branch  or  con- 
necting streets  intended  there  is 
one  (from  Corporation  Street  to 
the  corner  of  High  Street  and  Bull 
Street,  opposite  Dale  End),  that  can- 
not be  made  for  several  years,  some 
valuable  leases  not  expiring  until  1890 
and  1893,  but,  judging  by  the  present 
rate  of  building.  Corporation  Street 
itself  will  be  completed  long  before 
then.  More  than  a  score  of  the  un- 
healthiesi  streets  and  lanes  in  the  town 
have  been  cleared  away,  and  from  a 
sanitary  i)oint  of  view  the  improvement 
ill  health  and  saving  of  life  in  the 
district  by  the  letting  in  of  light  and 
air,  has  been  of  the  most  satis'actory 
character,  but  tliough  the  scheme  was 
originated  under  the  Artisans'  Dwelling 
Act,  intended  to  provide  good  and 
healthy  residences  in  lieu  of  the 
pestiferous  slums  and  back  courts,  it 
cannot  in  one  sense  be  considered  much 
of  a  success.  The  number  of  artisans' 
dwellings  required  was  1,335,  about 
550  of  whicli  were  removed  altogether, 
the  rest  being  improved  and  relet,  or 
converted  into  shops,  warehouses,  &c. 
A  piece  of  land  between  Newtown  Row 
and  Summer  Lane,  containing  an  area 
of  14,250  square  yards  was  purchased 


for  the  purpose  of  lea'sing  for  the 
erection  of  artisans'  dwellings,  and  a 
50ft.  wide  street  was  laid  outand  nicely 
planted  with  trees,  but,  owing  either  to 
the  badness  of  trade,  or  the  over- 
building of  small  houses  in  other  parts 
previously,  less  than  a  sixth  of  the 
site  has  been  taken,  and  but  a  score 
of  houses  built,  a  most  wonderful 
contrast  to  the  rapid  filling  of 
Corporation  Street  with  its  many 
magnificent  edifices  present  and 
prospective,  that  promise  to  make  it 
one  of  the  finest  streets  in  the  pro- 
vinces. Tiiere  cannot,  however,  be 
such  necessity  for  the  erection  of  small 
houses  as  was  imagined  when  the  Act 
was  adopted  here,  for  according  to  a 
return  lately  obtained,  and  not  reckon- 
ing the  thousands  of  little  domiciles  on 
the  outskirts,  there  are  in  the  borough 
4,445  houses  usually  let  at  weekly 
rentals  up  to  23.  6d.  per  week,  24,692 
the  rentals  of  which  are  between 
2s.  6d.  and  3s.  6J.,  and  36,832 
others  between  3s.  6d.  and  7s.  per 
week,  a  total  of  65,969  working  men's 
houses,  but  of  which  5,273  (taking  one 
week  with  another)  are  always  void. 

Toyshop  of  Eupope.  —  It  was 

during  the  debate  in  the  House  of 
Commons  (March  26,  1777)  on  the 
firot  reading  of  a  Bill  to  license  the 
Theatre  in  Birmingham,  that  Mr. 
Burke,  who  spoke  in  its  favour,  des- 
cribed this  town  as  "  the  great  toyshop 
of  Europe."  At  that  time,  and  for 
long  afterward.s,  huudreds  of  articles 
of  utility  manufactured  here  were 
roughly  classed  as  "light  steel  toys," 
and  "  heavy  steel  toys  ;  "  though  we 
should  hardly  now  be  likely  to  consider 
tinder  boxes,  steelyards,  pokers,  fire- 
shovels  and  tongs  as  playthings. 

Trade   Notes    of  the  Past.— 

Foreigners  were  not  allowed  to  carry 
on  any  retail  trade  here  before  1663. 
The  Brums  never  liked  them.  An 
oliicial  document  of  1695,  slates  that 
the  trade  of  the  town  was  "  chiefly  iu 
steel,  iron,   and  other  pmiderous  com- 


306 


SHOWBLl's    dictionary    op    BIRMINGHAM. 


niodities."  In  1702  it  was  enacted 
that  if  brass,  copjier,  latten,  bell-metal 
gun-inetal,  or  shiuti'-metal  be  oavried 
be3'ond  sea,  clean  or  mixed,  double  the 
value  thereof  to  be  forfeiud,  tin  and 
lead  only  excepted.  An  Act  was 
passed  March  20,  1716,  ]n'ohibiting 
trade  with  Sweden,  much  to  the  in- 
convenience of  onr  local  raanuiacturers, 
who  imported  Swedish  iron  for  con- 
version into  steel  in  large  quan- 
tities The  Act  1  Geo.  I.,  c.  27  (1720), 
forbidding  the  cxjiortaiion  of  artizans 
to  foreign  countries  was  not  repealed 
till  1825  (5  Geo.  IV.,  c.  97).  In 
April,  1729,  our  manufactuieis  peti- 
tioned that  the  coloi,i.sts  in  America 
should  be  encouraged  to  send  pig  iron 
over  here  ;  ten  years  previou  ly  they 
bitterly  opposed  the  idea  ;  tfn  years 
later  they  repented,  for  their  American 
cousins  filled  our  warehouses  with  their 
manufactured  goods.  In  1752  it  was 
stated  that  above  20,000  hands  were 
employed  here  in  "useful  manufac- 
tures." In  1785  a  reward  of  fifty 
guineas  was  offered  here  for  the  con- 
viction of  any  person  "  enticing  Avork- 
men  to  go  to  foreign  countries  ;"  the 
penalty  for  such  "enticing"  being  a 
fine  of  £100  and  three  months'  im- 
prisonment. 

Trade  Societies  and  Trades' 

Unions  are  of  modern  growth,  unless 
Ave  count  the  old-style  combinations  of 
the  masters  to  prevent  tlnir  workmen 
emigrating,  or  the  still  more  ancient 
Guilds  and  Fraternities  existing  in  me- 
difeval  times.  There  are  in  all,  177 
different  Trades'  Unions  in  the  country 
(coming  under  the  notice  of  the  Regis- 
trar-General), and  most  of  them  have 
branches  in  this  town  and  neighbour- 
hood. The  majority  have  sick  and 
benefit  funds  connected  with  them,  and 
so  far  should  be  classed  among 
Friendly,  Benevolent,  or  Philanthro- 
pic Societies,  but  some  few  are  plainly 
and  simply  trade  associations  to  kcc]) 
lip  prices,  to  prevent  interference  witli 
their  presumed  rights,  to  rcjiress 
attacks  by  the  avoidance  of  superabun- 


dant labour,  and  to  generally  protect 
members  when  wrongfully  treated, 
cheated  or  choused.  Prior  to  1834, 
when  some  20,000  persons  assembled 
on  Newhall  Hill,  March  31)  to  protest 
against  the  conviction  of  Dorset 
labourers  for  trades'  unionism,  few  of 
tliese  societies  were  locally  in  existence; 
but  the  advent  of  Free  Trtsde  seems  to 
have  shown  all  classes  of  workers  the 
necessity  of  protecting  their  individual 
interests  by  means  ot  a  system  of  Pro- 
tection verj'  similar,  though  on  smaller 
scale,  to  tliat  abolished  by  Sir  Robert 
Peel  and  his  friends.  That  there  was 
a  necessity  for  ^ucli  tra(ie  societies  was 
clearly  shown  by  the  harsh  manner  in 
which  tiny  were  denounced  by  John 
Bright  at  a  Town  Hall  batiquer,  held 
April  28,  1875,  that  gentleman  evi- 
dently demurring  to  the  anomally  of 
working  men  being  Protectionists  of 
any  kind.  Foremost  among  the 
local  unions  is  the  National  Society 
of  Amalgamated  Brassworkers,  oriijrin- 
ated  April  18,  1872.  with  over  5,000 
members  now  on  its  books,  having  in 
its  first  eight  years  subscribed  and  paid 
to  members  out  of  employ  no  less  than 
£29,000.  —  The  Builders'  Labourers 
combined  in  1861,  and  ]  ay  out  j^early 
over  £200  for  sick  and  funeral  benefits. 
—The  National  Association  of  j\Iaster 
Builders  was  organised  here  on  Dee, 
18,  1877.— Tlie  Butcher's  Trade  and 
Benevolent  Association,  organised  in 
1877,  helps  its  members  in  case  of  need, 
keeps  a  sharp  look  out  when  new  Cattle 
Markets,  &e. ,  are  proposed,  and  pro- 
vides a  jurj'  to  help  the  magistrates  in 
any  doubtful  case  of  "scrag-mag," 
wherein  horse-flesh,  donkey  meat,  and 
other  niceties  have  been  tei;dered  to 
the  public  as  human  food. — The  "gen- 
tlemen "  belonging  to  the  fraternity 
of  accountants  met  on  April  20,  1882, 
to  form  a  local  Institute  of  Chartered 
Accountants,  and  their  clients  know 
the  result  liy  the  extra  chargts  of  the 
chartered  ones. — The  Clerks'  Provident 
Association  provides  a  register  for  good 
clerks  out  of   employ  for    the    use  of 


8H0WELLS    DICTJOXARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


307 


emploj'ers  who  may  want  them,  and, 
of  coiirsp,  there  can  be  no  good  clerks 
out  of  emploj'  except  those  wlio  belong 
to  the  Association.    It  was  eonimenced 
in  1883,  from  a  philanthropic  feeling, 
but  unvst  rank  among  trade  societies 
as    much   as  many  others. — The  Coal 
Merchants  and  Coninniers'  A-sociatiou, 
for  regulating  the  traffic  charges,  and 
otherwise    protecting    the    trade    (es- 
pecially the  seller^)  was  organised  in 
1869. — The  Dairymen  and  Milksellers' 
Protection  Society  came  into  existence 
April  2,  1884,  and  is  intended  to  pro- 
tect the  dealers  against  the  encroach- 
ments of  the  Birmingham  Dairy  Com- 
pany, and  all  customers  from  the  cqws 
with   wooden  udders  or   iron   teats  — 
Tlie  dentists  in  May,    1883,  held  the 
tirst  meeting  of  the  Midland  Odonto- 
logical  Society,  but  it  is  not  expected 
that  the  people  at  large  will   be  en- 
tirely protected  from  toothache  earlier 
than  the  first  centenary  of  the  Society. 
— The  Institution  ot  Mechanical  Engi- 
neers was  formed  early  in  1847.- — The 
Amalgamated    Society    of     Engineers 
dates    half-a-century    back,     its     430 
bi-anches     having     co'.lectively    about 
.50,000  members,  with  a  reser^'e  fund 
of  £173,000,  though  the  expenditure 
in  1883  was  £124,000  out  of  an  income 
of  £134,000.     Locally,  there  are  three 
branches,    with  765  members,   liaving 
bilauces  in  hand  of  £2,075  ;  the  ex- 
penditure in  1883  being  £680  to  men 
out  of  work    £585  to     ick  members, 
£390  to  the  superannuated,  £171  for 
funerals,  and  £70  in  benevolent  gifts. 
— Tlie  Birmingham  and  Midland  Coun- 
ties Grocers'  Protection  and  Benevolent 
Association,    started    in   1871,   has   a 
long  na!ne  and  covers  a  considerable 
area.     It  was  designed  to  make  pro- 
vision for  the  wives  and  families  of  un- 
fortunate members  of  the  trade  when 
in  distress  ;  to  defend  actions  brought 
against  them  under  the  Adulteration 
Acts  ;  and  most  especially  to  protect 
themselves  from  the  encroachments  of 
the  merchants,  importers,  and  manu- 
facturers, who  do  not  always  deliver 
112lbs.  to  thecwt,  or  keep  to  sample. — 


The  Licensed  Victuallers  first  clu' bed 
together  for  protection  in  1824,  and 
the  Retail  Brewers  and  Dealers  in  Wine 
followed  .suit  in  1845,  both  societies 
spending  considerable  sums  yearly  in 
relief  for  decayed  members  of  the  trade, 
the  Licensed  Victuallers  having  also  a 
residential  Asylum  for  a  number  of 
their  aged  members  or  their  v.-iJows  in 
Bristol  Road. --The  journej'inen  prin- 
ters opened  a  brancli  of  the  Provincial 
Typographical  Association  Oct.  12, 
1861,  though  there  was  a  society  here 
previously. — The  first  local  union  we 
find  record  of  was  among  the  knights 
of  the  thimble,  the  tailors  striking  for 
an  increase  in  wages  iu  1833  ;  a  branch 
of  the  Amalgamated  Society  of  Tailors 
has  lately  been  organised. — In  1866  a 
general  Trades'  Council  was  formed, 
which  utilis*  s  by  combined  action  the 
powers  of  the  wliole  in  aid  of  any 
single  society  which  may  stand  in  need 
of  help. 

Trades  and  Manufaetupes.-- 

There  are  no  [mbU^hed  returns  of  any 
kind  thathave  ever  been  issued  by  which 
more  than  a  guess  can  be  made  at  the 
real  value  of  the  trade  ef  Birmingham, 
which  varies  cdnsiderably  at  times.  At 
tlie  present  moment  (March,  1885)  trade 
is  in  a  very  depressed  state,  and  it 
would  hardly  be  correct  to  give  the 
exact  figures,  were  it  even  possible  to 
obtain  them,  an.l  any  statistics  that 
may  appear  in  the  following  lines 
must  be  taken  as  showing  an  average 
based  upon  several  years.  Speaking 
at  a  council  mee'Jng,  February  19,1878, 
Mr.  Alderman  Joseph  Chamberlain 
said  the  best  way  to  ascertain  the  trade 
of  the  town  was  to  take  the  local  bank 
returns  and  the  railway  traffic  "  in  " 
and  "out,"  so  far  as  the  sa:ne  could 
be  ascertained.  The  deposits  in  all  the 
banks  tliat  [lublished  returns  were,  at 
the  end  of  1877,  £10,142,936,  as 
against  £1C,564,255  in  the  previous 
year— a  falling  off  of  £421,312,  or  4 
percent.  With  regard  to  bills  of  ex- 
change held  by  the  binks,  the  amount 
was  £3,311,744,  against  £3,605,067  in 


308 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


the  previous  j'ear— a  falling  off  of 
£293,323,  or  8  per  cent.  Tlie  amount 
of  tlie  advances,  however,  was 
£6,041,075,  as  against  £5,570,920  in 
the  previous  j'ear —  an  increase  of 
£470,155,  or  8 J  percent.  With  regard 
to  the  trade  of  the  town,  by  the  coui-- 
tesy  of  the  managers  of  the  respective 
companies,  he  was  able  to  give  the 
numbers  of  tons  of  goods,  of  coals,  and 
other  mineral >■,  the  loads  of  cattle,  and 
the  number  of  passengers.  The  tons 
of  goods  were  973,611,  as  against 
950,042  in  1876 — an  increase  of 
23,569  tons,  or  about  2|  per  cent.  The 
tons  of  coal  were  566.535,  against 
575,904— a  falling  off  of  9,372  tons, 
or  Ig  percent.  The'other minerals  were 
119,583  tons,  against  100,187— an  in- 
crease of  19,369,  or  19  per  cent.  The 
loads  of  cattle  were  22,462  last  year, 
against  19,157  in  the  previous  year — 
an  increase  of  3,305  loads,  17  per 
cent.  These  were  the  returns  of  the 
"  in  "  and  "  out  "  traffic.  The  number 
of  passengers  was  5,787,616  in  1877, 
against  5.606,331 — an  increase  of 
181,285,  or  about  3^  per  cent.  So  far 
as  the  traffic  went,  as  thej'  had  been 
led  to  expect  from  the  Board  of  Trade 
return'--,  there  had  been  an  increase  of 
busine.ss,  but  a  decrease  of  profits  ;  and 
as  to  the  decrease  of  profits  ho  had 
some  figures  which  showed  that  the 
profits  of  trade  for  the  parish  of  Bir- 
mingham for  the  year  ending  April  1, 
1877,  were  £3,969,000  ;  and  of  the 
prectdingvear£4, 292,000— a  falling  off" 
of  £323,000,  or  a  trifle  over  8  per  cent. 
Tliese  ti<,'ures  of  Mr.  Chamberlain's  may 
be  accepted  as  representing  the  present 
state,  the  increase  in  numbers  and  con- 
sequent addition  to  the  traffic  "in" 
being  balanced  by  the  lesser  quantity 
of  goody  sent  out,  though  it  is  ques- 
tionable whether  the  profits  of  trade 
now  reach  £3,000,000  per  year.  Not- 
withstanding tlie  adver.se  times  the 
failures  have  rather  decreased  tlian 
otiierwise,  there  being  13  bankruptcies 
and  313  arrangements  by  composition 
in  1883  against  14  and  324  respectively 
in    1882.     To    get  at   the  number  of 


tradesmen,  &c.,  is  almost  as  difficult  a 
to  find  out  the  value  of  their  trade,  but 
a  comparison  at  dates  fifty  years  apart 
will  be  interesting  as  showing  the  in- 
crease that  has  taken  place  in  that 
period.  A  Directory  of  1824  gave  a 
list  of  141  different  trades  and  the 
names  of  4,980  tradesmen  ;  a  similar 
work  published  in  1874  made  745 
trades,  with  33,462  tradesmen.  To 
furnish  a  list  of  all  the  branches  of 
trade  now  carried  on  and  the  num- 
bers engaged  therein  would  fill  many 
page«,  bat  a  summary  will  be  found 
under  ^'Population,"  and  for  fuller 
particulars  the  reader  must  go  to  the 
Census  Tables  for  1881,  which  may 
be  seen  at  the  Reference  Library. 
The  variety  of  articles  made  in  this 
town  is  simply  incalculable,  for 
the  old  saying  that  anything,  from  a 
needle  to  a  ship's  anchor,  could  be  ob- 
tained in  Edgbaston  Street  is  really 
not  far  from  the  truth,  our  manufac- 
turers including  the  makers  of  almost 
everything  that  human  beings  require, 
be  it  artificial  eyes  and  limbs,  ammuni- 
tion, or  armour  ;  beads,  buttons,  bed- 
steads, or  buckles  ;  cocoa,  candlesticks, 
corkscrews,  or  coffee-pots  ;  door  bolts, 
dessert  forks,  dog  collars,  or  dish 
covers  ;  edge  tools,  earrings,  engines, 
or  eyeglasses  ;  fire  irons,  fiddle-bows, 
frying  pans,  or  fishhooks  ;  gold  chain?, 
gas  fittings,  glass  toys,  or  gun  barrels  ; 
hairpins,  harness,  handcufl's,  or  hur- 
dh  s  ;  ironwork,  isinglass,  inkstands, 
or  incubators  ;  jewellery,  javelins, 
jews'  harps,  or  baby  jumpers  ;  kettles, 
kitchen  ranges,  knife  boards,  or 
knuckle  dusters; lifting-jacks, legirons, 
latches,  or  lanterns  ; magnets,  mangles, 
medals,  or  matches  ;  nail.«,  needles, 
nickel,  or  nutcrackers  ;  organ  pipe.*, 
optics,  oilcans,  or  ornaments  ;  pins, 
pens,  pickle  forks,  pistols,  or  boavding- 
pikes  ;  quart  cups,  quoits,  quadrats,  or 
queerosities ;  rings,  rasps,  rifles,  or 
railway  cars  ;  spades,  spectacles, 
.saddlery,  or  sealing  wax  ;  thermo- 
meters, thimbles,  toothpicks.  or 
treacle  taps  ;  umbrellas  or  uphol- 
stery  ;     ventilators,     vices,    varnish, 


SHOWEr.LS    DICXrONARY    OF    BIinilXGlIAM. 


309 


or  vinegar ;  watches,  wheelbarrows, 
weigliing  machines-  or  water  closets. 
A  Londoner  who  took  stock  of  our 
manufactories  a  little  while  back, 
received  informatiou  that  led  him  to 
say,  a  week's  work  in  Birmingliam 
comprises,  among  its  various  results, 
the  fabrication  of  14  000  000  pens, 
6,000bedsteads,7.000c;uns,  300,000,000 
cut  nails,  100,000,000  buttons,  1,000 
saddles,  5,000,000  copper  or  bronz3 
coins,  20,000  pairs  of  spectacles,  6  Tons 
of  papier-mache  wares,  over  £20,000 
worth  of  gold  and  siver  jewellery, 
neail}'  an  equal  value  of  gilt  and  cheap 
ornaments,  £12,000  worth  of  electro 
plated  wares,  4,000  miles  of  iroa  aud 
steel  wire,  10  tons  of  pin%  5  tons  of 
hairpins  and  hooks  and  eyes,  130,000 
gross  of  wood  screws,  500  tons  of  nuts 
and  screw-bolts  and  spikes,  50  tons  of 
wrought  iron  hinges,  350  miles'  length 
of  wax  for  vestas,  40  tons  of  refined 
metal,  40  tons  of  German  silver,  1,000 
dozen  of  fenders,  3,500  bellows,  800 
tons  of  brass  aud  copper  wares.  Several 
of  these  items  are  rather  over  the  mark, 
but  the  aggregate  only  shows  about  one 
half  a  real  week's  work,  as  turned  out 
when  trade  is  good. 

Agricultural  Implements,  such  as 
draining  tools,  digging  and  manure 
forks,  hay  knives,  scythes,  shovels, 
spades,  &c. ,  as  well  as  mowing 
machines,  garden  and  farm  rollers, 
ploughs,  harrows,  &:c.,  are  the  speciali- 
ties of  some  half-dozen  firms,  the 
oldest-established  being  Me=srs.  l[ap- 
plebeck  and  Lowe,  opposite  Smithfield 
Market. 

American  Traders. — It  lias  been 
stated  that  there  is  not  a  bona  fide 
American  trader  residing  amongst  us, 
though  at  one  time  they  were  almost 
as  numerous  as  the  Germans  now  are. 
Be  that  as  it  may,  the  following 
statistics,  giving  the  declared  value  of 
exports  from  Birmingliam  to  Ameiica 
during  tlie  ten  3'ears  ending  Sept.  80, 
1882,  (taken  from  a  report  made  by  the 
Ameiican  Consul-General  in  London), 
show  that  a  vast  tra.ie  is  still  being 
carried    on    with    our  friends    on    the 


other  side  of  the  Atlantic : — Year 
ending  September  30  :  1873,  7.463,185 
dols.  ;  1874,  5,778  957  dols.';  1875, 
4,791,231  dols.  ;  1876,  3,135,234  doLs.  : 
1877,  2,842,871  dols.  ;  1878  2,309,513 
dols.  ;  1879,  2,43.5,271  dols.  ;  1880, 
4,920,433  dols.  ;  1881,  4,376,611 
dols.  ;  1882,  5,178,118  dols.  Total, 
4.3,231,429  dols. 

Ammunition. — To  manufacture  am- 
munition for  guns  and  pistols  so  long 
made  here  by  the  scores  of  thousands 
would  seem  but  the  natural  sequence, 
but  though  percussion  caps  were  yearly 
sent  from  here  in  millions  of  grosses, 
the  manufacture  of  the  complete 
cartrilge  is  a  b:i^iness  of  later  growth. 
For  the  invention  of  gunpowder  the 
world  had  to  thank  a  monk,  and  it  is 
no  less  curious  that  we  owe  percussion 
caps  to  the  scientific  genius  of  another 
Churchman,  the  first  patent  for  their 
construction  being  taken  out  by  the 
Rev.  Mr.  For.syth  in  1807.  Tiiey  were 
very  little  thought  of  for  long  after 
AVaterloo,  and  not  introduced  into 
"the  service"  until  1839,  several 
foreign  armies  being  supplied  with 
them  before  tl.e  War  Office  allowed 
them  to  be  used  b}'  "  Tommy  Atkins" 
with  his  "Brown  Bess."  A  machine 
for  making  percussion  caps  was  patented 
by  John  Abraham  in  1864.  The  manu- 
facture of  such  articles  at  all  times 
involves  several  dangerous  processes, 
and  Birmingham  has  had  to  mourn  tlie 
loss  of  many  of  her  children  through 
accidents  ari-ing  therefrom.  (See 
'''Explosions.  ")  The  ammunition 
works  of  Messrs.  Kynoch  and  Co., 
at  Witton,  cover  over  twenty  acres,  and 
gives  employment  to  several  hundred 
persons,  the  contrariness  of  human 
nature  being  exemplified  in  the  fact 
that  the  death-dealing  articles  are 
mainly  manufactured  by  females,  the 
future  mothers  or  wives  perchance  of 
men  to  be  laid  low  by  the  use  of  such 
things.  Tlie  plant  is  capable  of  turning 
out  500,000  cartridges  per  day,  as  was 
<lone  during  the  Turkish  war,  and  it 
takes  50  tons  of  rolled  brass,  100  tons 
of  lead,    and  20    tons    of    gunpowder 


310 


SIIOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGH'\M. 


weekly  to  keep  the  factory  fully  going, 
all  kinds  of  ammunition  for  rifles  and 
macliine  gnus  being  made  on  the 
premises.  Other  extensive  works  are 
those  of  the  Birmingham  Small  Arms 
and  Jletal  Co..  atAdJerley  Park  Hills, 
and  the  National  Arms  and  Amm\;- 
nitiou  Co.,  at  Small  Heath,  and  Perry 
Barr. 

Artificial  Eyes  and  Linibs  are 
necessary  articles  to  some  members 
of  the  genus  homo,  but  the  demand, 
fortunately,  is  not  of  such  an  ex- 
tensive character  as  to  require  many 
manufacturers;  indeed,  the  only  firm 
in  Birmingham  that  devotes  itself  en- 
lirelj''  to  supplying  artificial  limbs  is 
that  of  Messrs.  Best  and  Son,  Summer 
Lane,  whose  specialities  in  the  way  of 
arms  and  legs  are  famed  in  all  Engli.'h 
and  Continental  medical  circles  as  won- 
derful examples  of  the  peculiar  mechan- 
ism requisite  to  successfully  imitate 
the  motions  and  powers  of  natural 
limbs.  There  are  half-a-dozen  makers 
of  "eyes,"  human  and  otlierwise,  the 
chief  being  Alessrs.  Pache  and  Son, 
Bristol  Street,  and  Mr.  Edward  Hooper, 
Suffolk  Street,  who  hold  the  almost 
unique  pcbition  of  being  the  sole  known 
makers  of  artificial  iiuman  eyes  any- 
vv-here.  Few  people  would  imagine  it, 
lint  it  is  said  that  there  are  at  least 
1,500  persons  in  Birminghannvho  carry 
glass  eyes  in  their  head  ;  while  the 
demand  from  foreign  countries  is  some- 
ting  enormous,  the  United  States 
taking  the  lead  as  they  fain  would  do 
in  everything.  But  there  is  no  part  of 
the  civdi.-ed  world,  from  Spitzbergen 
to  Timbuctoo,  where  Birmingham  made 
eyes  are  not  to  be  seen,  even  the  cal- 
lous "heathen  Chinee"  buying  them 
in  large  quantities.  Naturalists  and 
taxidermists  find  here  eyes  to  match 
those  of  any  creature  that  has  lived  and 
breathed,  and  "doll's  eyes"  are  made 
by  the  ton. 

BcJstcads,  Metallic. — The  making 
of  iron  and  brass  bedsteads,  as  a  st.iple 
trade,  dates  only  from  tlie  accession  of 
Her  Majesty  ;  but,  unlike  that  august 
personage,   ihey   were  a  long  time  be- 


fore they  were  appreciated  as  they  de- 
served to  be,  for,  in  1850,  there  were 
only  four  or  five  minufacturers  in  the 
town,  and  their  output  did  not  reach 
500  a  week.  Now,  about  1,800  hands 
are  employed  in  the  trade,  and  the 
annual  value  of  the  work  sent  out  can- 
not be  less  than  £200,000. 

Boilcrmakinc). — The  making  of  iron 
boilers,  g-.sholder.S;  sugar-boilers,  &c., 
may  be  dated  as  a  special  trade  from 
about  1831,  when  30  men  and  boys 
were  employed  thereat,  turning  out 
about  150  tons  yearly  ;  in  1860,  about 
200  hands  turned  out  1,000  tons  ;  in 
1880  the  workers  were  roughly  esti- 
mated at  750  to  800  and  the  output  at 
4,500  tons. 

Booksellers. — In  1750,  there  were 
but  three,  Aris,  Warren,  aiul  Wollas- 
ton  :  now  the  booksellers,  publishers, 
and  wholesale  stationers  arc  over  a 
hundred,  wdiile  small  shops  may  be 
counted  to  treble  the  number. 

Boots  and  Shoes  are  manufactured  by 
about  40  wholesale  houses,  several 
doing  a  great  trade,  and  of  retailers 
and  little  men  there  are  a  dozen  gross, 
not  counting  cobblers  wlio  come  with 
the  last.  American-made  articles  were 
first  on  sale  here  in  March  1877. 
Eivetted  boots  may  be  said  to  have 
originated  (in  1840)  through  the  mis- 
take of  a  l(;cal  factor's  tr.veller,  wdio 
booked  an  order  for  copper  sprigs  too 
extensive  for  his  customer.  Another 
of  the  firm's  commercials  suggested  the 
rivetting  if  iron  lasts  were  used.  A 
Leicester  man,  in  a  small  way,  took  up 
the  notion,  and  made  a  f  )rtuue  at  it, 
the  real  inventor  only  getting  good 
orders.  Ellis's  patent  boot  studs  to 
save  the  sole,  and  the  Eukneniida,  or 
concave-convex  fastening  s])rings,  are 
the  latest  novelties. 

Brass. — The  making  of  goods  in 
brass  was  commenced  hereabout  1668, 
but  the  maiiut'actureroflirass  itself  was 
not  carried  on  before  1740,  when  Mr. 
Turner  built  liis  works  in  Colcshill 
Street.  The  Biassand  Speller  Co.  was 
started  in  February  1781,  with  a  capital 
of  £20,000  in  £100"  shares.     Brasshouse 


8H0WELLS    DIGTIONAUY    OF    BIKMINGHAM. 


311 


Passaf^e,  Broad  Street,  ti'lls  of  the  site 
of  another  siiudtiiijf  phice,  the  last 
I'himiiey  of  wliii^h  was  ileniolished  on 
January  27,  1S66.  The  Waterworks 
Co.  bou;,'ht  the  site  for  oHlcGs.  Stamped 
hra«s  canie  in  throiigli  Richard  Ford 
in  1769,  and  tlie  procjss  at  first  was 
confined  to  the  nianufacturo  of  small 
basins  and  pans,  but  in  a  very  few 
years  it  w^is  adapteil  to  the  production 
of  an  infinitu<ie  of  articles.  Pressed 
brass  rack  pulleys  for  window  blinds 
were  tiio  invention  of  Thomas  Ho  ne, 
in  1823,  who  appiied  tiie  process  of 
pressure  to  many  i.ther  articles.  Pic- 
ture frames,  nicely  nionldeii  in  brass, 
were  made  here  in  1825,  by  a  modeller 
named  Maurice  Garvej\  In  1865  it  was 
estimated  that  the  quantities  of  metal 
used  here  in  the  manufacture  of  brass 
were  19,000  tons  of  copper,  8,000  tons 
of  old  metal,  11,000  tons  of  zinc  or 
spelter,  200  tons  of  tin, and  100  tons  of 
lead,  the  total  value  bein<,'  £2,371,658. 
Nearly  double  this  quantity  is  now  used 
eveiy  year.  The  numbsr  (if  hands  em- 
ployed in  the  brass  trade  is  about 
18,000. 

Buckles  were  first  worn  as  shoe 
fastenings  in  the  reign  of  Cliirles  II. 
When  in  fashion  they  were  made  of  all 
sizes  and  all  prices,  from  the  tiny 
half-inch  on  the  hatband  to  the  huge 
shoebuckle  for  the  foot,  and  varying 
from  a  few  pence  in  price  to  many 
guineas  the  pair.  The  extent  of  the 
manufactures  at  one  time  may  be 
guessed  from  the  fact  of  there  being 
over  20,000  buckle  makers  out  of  em- 
ploy in  1791-2,  wlien  vain  petitions 
were  made  to  the  royal  princes  to  stem 
the  change  then  taking  place  in  the 
"fashions."  Sir  Edward  Thomason 
said  his  father  in  1780  made  1,000 
pair  per  day,  mostly  of  white  metal, 
but  some  fdv  plated  ;  by  one  pattern, 
known  as  the  "silver  penny,"  he 
cleared  a  profit  of  £1,000.  The  intro- 
duction of  shoestrings,  and  naturally 
so,  was  much  ridiculed  in  our  local 
papers,  and  on  one  occasion  was  made 
the  pretext  for  a  disgraceful  riot,  the 
pickpockets    mobbing   the   gentlemen 


going  to  and  from  one  of  the  llusical 
Festivals,  the  wearers  of  shoestrings 
being  hustled  about  and  robbed  of  their 
purses  and  watches. 

Buttons. — Tile  earliest  j  coord  of 
button-making  we  have  is  dated  1689, 
but  Mr.  Haddeley  (inventor  of  the 
oval  chuck),  who  retired  from  business 
about  1739,  is  the  earliest  locil  manu- 
facturer we  read  of  as  doing  largely  in 
the  trade,  though  sixty  or  seventy 
years  ago  there  were  four  or  five  times 
as  many  in  the  business  as  at  present, 
blue  CO  its  and  gilt  buttons  being  in 
fashion.  By  an  Act  passed  in  tiie  4th 
of  William  and  j\lary  foreign  buttons 
made  of  hair  were  forbidden  to  be  im- 
portel.  By  another  Ac:  in  the  8th  of 
Queen  Anne  it  was  decreed  that  "any 
taylor  or  other  person  convicted  of  mak- 
ing, covering,  selling,  using,  or  setting 
on  to  a  gaiment  any  buttons  covered 
with  (doth,  or  other  stulf  of  which  gar- 
ments are  made,  shall  forfeit  five 
pounds  for  every  dozen  of  such  buttons, 
or  in  proportion  for  any  lesser  quan- 
tity;" by  an  Act  of  the  seventh  of 
George  the  First,  "  any  wearer  of  such 
unlawful  buttons  isliable  to  the  penalty 
of  forty  shiiling-i  per  dozen,  and  in  pro- 
portion for  any  leaser  quantity."  Seve- 
ral cases  are  on  record  in  which  trades- 
men have  been  heavily  fined  under 
these  strange  laws,  and  before  they 
were  repealed  it  is  related  by  Dr. 
Doran  (in  1855)  that  one  individual 
not  only  got  out  of  paying  for  a  suit 
of  clothes  bt'cause  of  the  illegality  of 
the  tailor  in  using  covered  buttons,  but 
actually  sued  the  unfoitunate_ ''snip  " 
for  the  informer's  share  of  the  [lenal- 
ties,  the  funniest  part  of  the  tale  being 
that  the  judge  who  decided  the  case, 
the  barrister  who  pleaded  the  statute, 
and  the  client  who  gained  the  clothes 
he  ought  to  have  paid  for,  were  all  of 
them  buttoned  contrary  to  law.  These 
Acts  were  originally  enforced  to  protect 
the  many  thousands  who  at  the  time 
were  employed  in  making  buttons 
of  silk,  thread,  &c. ,  by  hand, 
and  not,  as  is  generally  supposed, 
in  favour  uf   the  metal   button  manu- 


312 


SHOWBLL's    dictionary    op    BIRMINGHAM. 


facturers,  though  on  April  4,  1791, 
Thomas  Gem,  the  solicitor  to  the 
committee  for  the  protection  of  the 
button  trade,  advertised  a  reward  for 
any  information  against  the  wearers 
of  the  unlawfal  covered  buttons.  The 
"gilt  button  days"  of  Birmingham 
was  a  time  of  rare  prosperity,  and  dire 
was-  the  distress  when,  like  the  old 
buckles,  the  fashion  of  wearing  the  gilt 
on  the  blue  went  out.  Deputations 
to  royalty  had  no  effect  in  staying  the 
change,  and  thousands  were  thrown  on 
the  parish.  It  was  sought  to  revive 
the  old  style  in  1850,  when  a  depu- 
tation of  button  makers  solicited 
Prince  Albert  to  patronise  the  metallic 
buttons  for  gentl-men's  coats,  but 
Fashion's  fiat  was  not  to  be  gain^ayed. 
.John  Taylor,  High  Sheriff  of  War- 
wickshire in  1756,  is  said  to  have 
sent  out  about  £800  worth  of  buttons 
per  week.  Papier  mache  buttons 
came  in  with  Henry  Clay's  patent  in 
1778.  He  also  made  buttons  of  .slate. 
Boulton,  of  Soho,  was  the  first  to 
bring  out  steel  buttons  with  ficets,  and 
it  is  said  that  for  some  of  superior 
design  he  received  as  much  as  140 
guineas  per  gross.  Horn  buttons, 
though  more  correctly  speaking  they 
should  have  been  called  "hoof" 
buttons,  were  a  great  trade  at  one 
time,  selling  in  1801  as  low  as  5^d.  per 
gross.  "  Maltese  buttons"  (s^lass  beads 
mounted  in  metal)  were,  in  1812,  made 
here  in  large  quantities,  as  were  also 
the  "  Bath  metaldrilled  shank  button  " 
of  which  20,000  gross  per  week  were 
.sent  out,  and  a  fancy  cut  white  metal 
button,  in  making  which  40  to  50  firms 
were  engaged,  e.ich  employing  20 
to  40  hands,  but  the  whole  trade  in 
these  specialities  was  lost  in  conse- 
quence of  a  few-  men  being  enticed  to 
or  imprisoned  in  France,  and  there 
establishing  a  rival  manufacture.  Flex- 
ible shanks  were  patented  in  1825  by  B. 
Sanders.  Fancy  silk  buttons,  with 
worked  figured  tops,  were  patented  by 
Wni.  Elliott,  in  1837.  Porcelain  but- 
tons, though  not  maile  here,  were 
designed  and  patented  by  a  Birming- 


ham man,  R.  Prosser,  in  1841.  The 
three-fold  linen  button  was  the  inven- 
tion of  Humphrey  Jeffries,  in  1841,  and 
patented  by  John  Aston.  In  1864  so 
great  was  the  demand  for  these  articles 
that  one  firm  is  said  to  have  used  up 
63,000  yards  of  cloth  and  34  tons  of 
metal  in  making  them.  C.idbury  and 
Green's  "  very  "  button  is  an  improve- 
ment on  these.  Vegetable  ivory,  the  pro- 
duct of  a  tree  growing  in  Central  America 
and  known  as  the  Corozo  palm,  was 
brought  into  the  button  trade  about 
1857.  Tlieshellsu«edinthemanufacture 
of  pearl  buttons  are  brought  fioin  many 
parts  of  the  world,  the  principal  places 
being  the  East  Indies,  the  Red  Sea,  the 
Persian  Gulf,  the  islands  of  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  Panama,  and  the  coasts  of  Cen- 
tral America,  Australia,  New  Zealand, 
&c.  The  prices  of  "  sliell  "  vary  very 
much,  some  not  being  worth  more  thin 
£20  per  ton,  while  as  high  as  £160  to 
£170  has  been  )iaid  for  some  few  choice 
samples  brought  from  Macassar,  a  sea- 
port in  India.  The  average  import  of 
shell  is  about  1,000  tons  per  year,  and 
the  value  about  £30,000.— there  are 
265  button  manufacturers  in  Birming- 
ham, of  whom  152  make  pearl  buttons, 
26  glass,  8  horn  and  Done,  14  ivory,  12 
gilt  metal,  3  wood,  and  5  linen,  the 
other  45  being  ot  a  mixed  or  general 
character,  silver,  brass,  steel,  wood,  and 
papier  mache,  being  all,  more  or  less, 
used.  Nearly  6,000  hands  are  em- 
ployed in  the  trade,  of  whom  about 
1,700  are  in  the  pearl  line,  though  that 
branch  is  not  so  prosperous  as  it  was  a 
ft^w  years  back. 

Chemical  Manufactures. —  About 
50,000  tons  of  soda,  soap,  bleaching 
powder,  oil  of  vitriol,  muriatic  acid, 
sulphuric  acid,  &c. ,  arc  manufactured 
in  or  near  Birniin[^liam,  every  year, 
more  than  20,000  tons  of  salt,  20,000 
tons  of  pyrites,  and  60,000  tons  of  coal 
being  used  in  the  process. 

China,  in  tlie  shape  of  knobs,  &c. , 
was  introduced  Into  the  brass  fouiuling 
trade  by  Harcourt  Bros,  in  1844.  China 
bowls  or  wheels  for  castors  were  first 
used  in  1849  by  J.  B.  Gcithncr 


SHOWELLS    DICTIOISrAUY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


313 


CJUorine.— J a.mes  Watt  was  one  of 
the  first  toiiiti'oduce  theuse  of  chlorine 
as  a  bleaching  agent. 

Citric  Acid. — Messrs.  Stnrge  have 
over  sixty  years  been  manufactnring 
this  pleasant  and  useful  commodity  at 
their  works  in  Wheeley's  Lane.  The 
acid  is  extracted  from  the  juice  of  tlie 
citron,  the  lime,  and  the  lemon,  fruit* 
grown  in  Sicily  and  the  West  Indies. 
Tlie  Mountserrat  Lime-Juice  Cordial, 
lately  brought  into  the  market,  is  a'so 
made  from  th- se  fruits.  About  350 
tons  of  the  acid,  which  is  used  in  some 
dying  processes,  &c. ,  is  sent  out 
annually. 

Coins,  Tokens,  and  Medals. — Let 
other  towns  and  cities  claim  pie- 
eminence  for  what  they  may,  few  will 
deny  Birmingham's  right  to  stand 
high  in  ihe  list  of  monej'-making 
places.  At  what  data  it  acquired  its 
evil  renown  for  the  manufacture  of 
base  coin  it  would  be  hard  to  tell,  but 
it  must  have  been  long  prior  to  tlie 
Revolution  of  1688,  as  in  some  verses 
printed  in  1.682,  respecting  the  Shaftes- 
bury medal,  it  is  thus  sneeringly 
alluded  to  : 

'  The  wretch  that  stamped       got  immortal 

fame, 
'Twas  coined  by  stealth,   like  groats  in    Bir- 

minghaine." 

Smiles,  in  liis  lives  of  Boulton  and 
Watt,  referring  to  the  middle  of  the 
last  centwry,  says,  "  One  of  the 
grimmest  sights  of  those  days  were 
the  skeletons  of  convicted  coiners 
dangling  from  gibbets  on  Handsworth 
Heath."  Coining  was  a  capital  offence 
for  hundreds  of  years,  but  more  poor 
wretches  i)aid  the  penalty  of  their 
crimes  in  London  in  a  single  year  than 
here  in  a  century,  wicked  as  the  bad 
boys  of  Brummagem  were.  An  im- 
mense trade  was  certainly  done  in  the 
way  of  manufacturing  "tokens,"  but 
comparatively  few  counterfeits  of  the 
legal  currency  were  issued,  except  in 
cases  where  ''a  royal  patent"  had 
been  granted  for  the  purpose,  as  in  the 
instance    of   the    historical    "  Wood's 


half-pence,"  £100,000  worth  (nominal) 
of  which,  it  is  said,  were  issued 
for  circulation  in  L'eland.  These 
were  called  in,  as  being  too  bad, 
even  for  Paddy's  laml,  and  pro- 
bably it  was  some  of  these  that  the 
hawicer,  arrested  here  Oi-t.  -31,  1733, 
offered  to  take  inpayment  forhis goods. 
He  was  released  on  consenting  to  the 
£7  worth  he  had  received  being  cut  by 
a  brazier  and  sold  as  metal,  and  his 
advertisements(hand  bills)burnt.  These 
bad  half  pence  weighed  about  60  to  the 
lb.,  '2s.  6d.  worth  (nominal)  being 
somewhat  less  than  lOJ.  in  value.  In 
the  ten  years  prior  to  1797  it  has  been 
estimated  that  700  tons  of  copper  were 
manufactured  h-re  into  tokens,  and 
the  issue  of  the  celebrated  Soho  pence, 
providing  the  nation  with  a  sufficiency 
of  legitiuiate  copper  coin,  did  not  stay 
the  work,  the  number  of  tokens  in  cir- 
culation in  the  early  part  of  the  pre- 
sent century  being  something  wonder- 
ful, as  many  as  4,000  different  varieties 
having  been  d'iscribed  by  collectors, 
inc  uding  all  denominations,  from  the 
Bank  of  England's  .silver  dollar  to  a 
country  huckster's  brass  farthing. 
More  than  nine-tenths  of  these  were 
made  in  Birmingham,  and,  of  course, 
our  tradesmen  were  not  backward  with 
their  own  specimens.  The  Overseers 
issued  the  well-known  '"Workhouse 
Penny,"  a  copper  threepanny  piece, 
silver  shillings  and  sixpences,  paper 
notes  f)r  2-).  6  I.,  and  leather  bonds  for 
5s.  With  the  exception  of  the  penny 
these  are  all  scar^^e  now,  particu- 
larly the  5s.,  2s.  6d. ,  and  6d.,  a 
specimen  of  the  latter  lately  being  sold 
at  auction  for  47s.  In  1812  Sir 
Edward  Thomason  struck,  for  a  Read- 
ing banker  (Mr.  J.  B.  Monk),  800  gold 
tokens  of  the  nominal  value  of  40s. 
each  ;  but  this  was  just  a  step  too  far, 
and  the  Government  forbade  their  use. 
In  the  s  line  year  he  also  manufactured 
two  million  penny  tokens  for  our  sol- 
diers in  Spain,  which  were  7iot  forbid- 
den. The  permitted  manufacture  of 
token  money  came  to  an  end  with  the 
year  1817,  an   At   coming   into   force 


314 


SlIOWELL  8    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


Jan.  1,  1818,  forbidding  further  issue 
froruj  that  date,  or  the  circulation  of 
ihem  after  the  end  of  the  year,  except 
in  the  case  of  the  Overseers  of  Bir- 
mingham, who  were  granted  grace  till 
Lad,y-day,  1820,  to  call  in  wliat  they 
had  issued.  In  1786  Boultou  struck 
over  100  tons  of  copper  for  the  Eist 
India  Co.,  and,  adding  to  his  presses 
yearly,  soon  had  plenty  of  orders,  in- 
cluding copper  for  tlie  American 
Colonies,  silver  for  Sierra  Leone,  and  a 
beautiful  set  for  the  French  Republic. 
To  enumerate  all  the  various  coins, 
medals,  and  tolceus  issued  from  Soho 
would  take  too  much  space,  but  we 
may.  say  that  he  brought  the  art  of 
coining  to  a  p:'rfection  very  little  sur- 
passed even  in  the  present  day.  In 
1789  he  made  for  the  Privy  Council  a 
model  penny,  halfpenny,  and  far- 
thing, but  red  -  tapeism  delayed 
the  order  until  1797,  when  he  began 
coining  for  the  Government  twopennies 
(only  for  one  year),  pennies,  halfpennies 
and  fartliings,  continuing  to  do  so  until 
1806,  by  which  time  he  had  sent  out 
not  less  than  4,200  tons  weight.'  In 
thi.s  coinage  of  1797  the  penny  was 
made  of  the  exact  weight  of  1  oz. ,  the 
other  coins  being  in  proportion.  In 
1799,  eighteen  pennies  were  struck 
out  of  the  pound  of  metal,  but  the 
(leople  thought  they  were  counterfeit, 
and  would  not  take  them  until  a  pro- 
clamation ordering  their  circulation, 
was  issued  December  9th.  They  be- 
came used  to  a  deprjcation  of  currjncy 
after  that,  and  there  was  but  very  little 
grumbling  in  1805,  when  Bonlton  was 
ordered  to  divide  the  pound  of  copper 
into  24  pennies.  The  machinery  of 
Boulton's  mint,  with  the  colUction 
of  dies,  pattern  coins,  tokens,  and 
medals,  were  sold  by  auction  iu 
1850.  The  cdlection  should  have 
numbered  119  dillVrent  ])ieces,  but 
there  was  not  a  complete  set  for  sale. 
The  mint,  however,  could  not  be 
called  extinct,  as  Messrs.  Watt  and 
Co.  (successors  to  Bolton  and  Watt), 
who  had  removed  to  Smethvvick  in 
1848,  .struck  over  3,  "00  tons  of  copper 


and  bronze  coin  between  1860  atid 
1866,  mostly  tor  Foreign  countries. 
The  first  English  copper  penny  (1797) 
was  struck  iu  Birminghim,  and  so  was 
the  last.  Messrs.  Ralph  Heaton  and 
Son  (tiie  mint,  Warstone  Lane)  re- 
ceivin<,'  the  contract  in  April,  1853, 
for  500  tons  of  copper  ciin,  com- 
prising pence,  half-pence,  farthings, 
lialf-farthings,  and  quarter- farthings. 
The  present  bronze  coinage  came  into 
use  December  1st,  1860,  and  Messrs. 
Heaton  have  had  .several  contracts 
therefor  since  tiieii.  This  firm  has 
acquired  a  reputation  quite  equal  to 
the  Soho  Mint,  and  have  supplied  the 
coins — silver,  copper,  and  bronze — for 
BelLiium,  Canada,  China,  Chili,  Den- 
mark, Germany,  Hayti,  India,  Re- 
public of  Cohimbia,  Sarawak,  Sweden, 
Tunis,  Turkev,  Tuscany,  Venezuela, 
and  other  Principalities  and  States, 
including  hundreds  of  tons  of  silver 
blanks  for  our  own  Government  and 
others,  sending  workmen  and  machin- 
ery to  the  countries  where  it  was  pre- 
ferred to  have  the  coins  struck  at 
home.  Boultou,  in  his  day,  supplied 
the  presses  and  machinery  for  the 
Mint  on  Tower  Hill  (and  they  are  still 
in  use),  as  well  as  for  the  Danish, 
Spanisli,  and  Russian  authorities, 
Mixico,  Calcutta,  Bombay,  &c.  Messrs. 
Heaton,  and  the  tundern  Soho  firm, 
also  dealiiig  in  such  articles.  Fore- 
most among  modern  local  medallists, 
is  Mr.  Joseph  Jloore,  of  Pitsford  Street, 
whose  cabinet  of  specimens  is  most 
extensive.  An  effort  is  being  made  to 
gather  for  the  new  Museum  and  Art 
Gallery  a  collection  of  all  coins, 
medals,  and  tokens  struck  in  Birming- 
ham, and  if  it  can  be  perfected  it  will 
necessarily  be  a  very  valuable  one. 

Coal. — Over   half-a-million    tons    of 
coal  are  used  iu  Bicmingham  annually. 

Cocoa. — Tiie  manufacture  of  cocoa 
cannot  be  classed  among  the  staple  , 
trades  of  the  town,  but  one  of  the 
largest  establishments  of  the  kind  in 
the  kingdom,  if  not  in  the  world,  is 
that  of  Messrs.  Cadbury,  at  Bournville, 
where  nearly  400  persons  are  employed, 


showell's  dictionary  of  biumingham. 


315 


The  annual  consumption  of  cocoa  in 
this  country  is  estimated  at  18,000,000 
Ihs.,  and  the  pro[)ortion  manulactui'ed 
by  JMessrs.  Cadbury,  who  have  houses 
in  Palis,  Sydney,  JMelbourne,  Mont- 
real, &c. ,  miiy  be  guessed  at  fioni 
the  fact  that  their  works  cover 
nearly  four  acres:,  and  packing-boxes 
are  req^uired  at  the  rate  of  12,000  per 
week. 

Copying  Presses  were  invented  by 
James  Watt  in,  and  patented  in,  JIa}', 
1780.  His  partner,  Boulton,  had  a  lot 
ready  for  the  market,  and  sold  JaO  by 
the  end  of  tlie  year. 

Comprised  Air  Power. — A  hundred 
years  age  every  little  brook  and  stream- 
let was  utilised  for  producing  tlie 
power  required  by  our  local  mill- 
owners,  gun-barrel  rollers,  &c.  Then 
came  tiie  woild's  revolutioniser,  steau), 
and  no  place  in  the  unive  se  has 
profited  more  by  its  introduction  tlian 
this  town.  Gas  engines  are  no.v  po[>u- 
lar,  and  even  water  engines  are  notiin- 
known,  widle  the  motive  power  .de- 
rivable from  electricity  is  the  next  and 
greatest  boon  promised  to  us,  Mean- 
while, the  introduction  of  compressed 
air  as  a  means  of  transmitting  power 
for  long  distances  marks  a  new  and 
important  era,  not  only  in  engineeiing 
science,  but  in  furthering  the  exten- 
sion of  hundreds  of  those  small  indus- 
tries, wliicli  have  made  Birmingham 
so  famous  a  workshop.  In  the  Bir- 
mingliam  Compressed  Air  Power  Con'- 
pany's  Bill  (passed  March  12,  1884), 
the  principle  in\olved  is  the  economic 
utility  of  centralising  the  production 
of  power,  and  many  engineers  are  of 
opinion  that  no  other  means  can  pos- 
sibly be  found  so  convenient  as  the 
use  of  compressed  air  in  transmitting 
aiotive  power,  or  at  so  low  a  co.»t,  the 
saving  being  quite  20  per  cent,  coni- 
])ared  with  the  use  of  steam  for  small 
engines.  The  Birmingham  Bill  jiro- 
vides  for  the  supply  of  com- 
pressed air  witliin  the  wards  of  Sr. 
Bartholomew,  St.  Martin,  Deritend, 
and  Bordesley,  which  have  been 
selected  bj'  the  promoters  as  atfording 


the  most  promising  area  In  the  three 
wards  named  there  were  rated  in 
March  of  1883,  as  many  as  164  engines, 
cf  which  the  noniiuil  horse-power 
varied  from  \  to  10,  fitty-nine  from  11 
to  20  fifteen  from  21  to  30,  six  from 
32  to  50,  ten  from  52  to  100,  and  four 
from  102  to  289.  Assuming  that  of 
these  the  engines  up  to  30-liorse  power 
would  alone  bo  likely  to  use  compressed 
air,  the  promoters  count  upon  a 
demand  in  the  three  wards  for  1,943 
nominal,  and  perhaps  3,000  indicated 
horse-power.  To  this  must  be  added 
an  allowance  for  the  probability  that 
the  existence  of  so  cheap  and  con- 
venient a  power  "laid  on"  in  the 
stree;s  vvill  attract  other  manufacturers 
to  the  area  within  which  it  is  to  be 
available.  It  is  propo>ed,  therefore, 
to  provide  machiner}'  and  plant  capable 
of  delivering  5,000  indicated  hoise- 
power  in  conipresscil  air,  and  to  acquire 
for  the  works  sufiicient  land  to  permit 
of  their  dimensions  being  doubled 
when  extension  shall  become  necessary. 
The  site  which  has  been  chosen  is  a 
piece  of  ground  belonging  to  the 
Birmingham  and  Warwick  Canal 
Company,  and  siluateil  by  the  ca  al, 
au'i  bounded  on  both  si<les  by  Sampson 
Road  Nortii  and  Henley  Street. 
Here  the  promoters  are  putting  down 
four  air-compressing  enj^ines,  driven  by 
coni()oundcondensingst-amenginesand 
which  are  to  be  heated  by  six  sets  (four 
in  each  set)  of  elephant  boilers.  From 
the  delivery  branidies  of  the  air-eom- 
pnssors  a  main  30in.  in  diameter  will 
be  laid  along  Henley  Street,  and,  bifur- 
cating, will  be  taken  through  Sampson 
Road  North  and  Stratford  Street  at  a 
diameier  of  24in.  The  mains  will  then 
divide,  s-o  as  to  pass  down  Sandy  Lane, 
Fazeley  Street,  Floodgate  Street,  Brad- 
ford Street,  I'romsgrove  Street,  and 
other  tlioroughfarts,  giving  otf  smaller 
branches  at  fr>-quent  intervals,  and  so 
forming  an  elaborate  network.  The 
whole  co.st  of  buildings,  plant,  and  con- 
struction is  estimated  at  £l40,500, 
but  upon  this  large  outlay  it  is  hoped 
to  realise  a  net  annual  profit  of  £9,164, 


316 


SHOWBLL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


or  ej  per  cent,  on  capital.  The 
engineers,  reckoning  the  annual  cost  of 
producinf;  small  steam  power  in  Bir- 
mingham at  £10  per  imlicated  horse- 
power, which  will  probably  be  regarded 
as  Well  within  the  mark,  propose  to 
furnish  compressed  air  at  £8  per 
annum,  and  it  thej'  succeed  in  carrying 
out  the  scheme  as  planned,  it  will 
without  doubt  be  one  of  the  greatest 
blessings  ever  conferrel  on  the  smaller 
class  of  our  town's  manufacturers. 

Fenders  and  Firelrons. — The  making 
of  these  finds  work  for  800  or  900 
h mds,  and  stove  grates  (a  trade  intro- 
duced fiom  Slieffield  about  20  years 
back)  almost  as  many. 

Files  and  Hasps  are  manufactured 
by  60  firms,  whose  total  product,  though 
perhaps  not  equal  to  the  Sheffield  out- 
put, is  far  from  inconsiderable. 
Machines  for  catting  files  and  rasps 
were  patented  by  Mr.  Shilton,  Dart- 
mouth Street,  in  1833. 

Fux,  Henderson  and  Co — In  March, 
1853,  this  iirm  employed  more  than 
3,000  hands,  the  avcage  weekly  con- 
sumption of  iron  being  over  1,000  tons. 
Among  the  orders  then  in  hand  were 
tlie  ironwork  for  our  Central  Railway 
Station,  and  for  the  terminus  at  Pad- 
dington,  in  addition  to  gasometers,  &e., 
for  Lima,  rails,  wagons  and  wheels  for 
a  5.5-mile  line  in  Denmark,  and  the  re- 
moval and  re-election  of  the  Crystal 
Palace  at  Sydenham. —See  "Exhibi- 
tions,"  "Noteworthy  men." 

(falvanised  Biickefs  and  other  arti- 
cles are  freely  made,  but  the  galvan- 
isers  can  hardly  be  pleasant  neigh- 
bours, as  at  the  works  of  one  firm  40 
to  50  carb')ys  of  muriatic  acid  and 
several  of  sulphuric  acid  aroused  every 
day,  wliile  at  another  place  the  weekly 
comsum])tion  ofcdiemicals  runs  ti  two 
tons  of  oil  of  vitriol  and  seven  tons  of 
muriatic  acid. 

German  Silver.  — Ho  imitate  clo-sely 
as  possible  the  precious  metals,  by  a 
mixture  of  baser  ones,  is  not  exactly  a 
Birmingham  invention,  as  proved  by 
the  occasional  discovery  of  counterfeit 
coin  of  vei'y    ancient  date,   but  to  get 


the  best  possible  alloy  sufficiently 
malleable  for  general  use  has  always 
been  a  local  desideratum.  Alloys  of 
copper  with  tin,  spjlter  or  zinc  were 
used  here  in  1795,  and  the  term  "Ger- 
man "  was  applied  to  the  b^st  of  these 
mixtures  as  a  Jacobinical  sneer  at 
the  pretentious  appellation  of  silver 
given  it  by  its  maker.  After  the  in- 
troduction of  nickel  from  the  m-ncs  in 
Saxony,  the  words  "  German  silver  " 
became  truthfully  appropriate  as  ap- 
plied to  that  metal,  but  so  ha^ituatetl 
have  the  trade  and  the  public  become 
to  ■  rassy  mixtures  that  German  silver 
must  always  be  understood  as  of  that 
class  only. 

Glass — The  art  of  painting,  &;c. , 
on  glass  was  brought  to  great  per- 
fection by  Francis  Eginton,  of  the 
Soho  Works,  in  1784.  He  supplied 
windows  for  St.  George's  Chapel, 
Windsor,  Salisbury  and  Lichfield 
Cathedrals,  and  many  country  churches. 
The  east  window  of  St.  Paul's,  Birm- 
ingham, and  the  east  window  of  the 
south  aisle  in  Aston  Church,  are  by 
Eginton.  One  of  the  commissions  he 
obtained  '-as  from  the  celebrated 
William  Beckford,  Lord  Mayor  of 
London,  for  windows  at  Fonthill,  to 
the  value  of  £12,000.  He  was  not, 
however,  the  first  local  artist  of  the 
kind,  for  a  Birmingham  man  is  said 
to  have  painted  a  window  in  Hagley 
Church,  in  1756-57,  for  Lord  Lyttel- 
ton,  though  his  name  is  not  now 
known.  William  Rai)hael  Eginton 
(son  of  Francis)  appeared  in  the  Direc- 
tory of  1818,  as  a  glass-painter  to  the 
Princess  Charlotte,  but  we  can  find  no 
trace  of  his  work.  Robert  Henderson 
started  in  the  same  line  about  1S20, 
and  specimens  of  his  work  may  be  seen 
in  Trinity  Chapel  ;  he  died  in  1848. 
John  Hardman  began  in  Paradise 
Street  about  1837,  afterwards  removing 
to  Great  Charles  Street,  and  thence  to 
Newhall  Hill,  from  which  place 
much  valuable  work  lias  been  issued, 
as  the  world-known  name  well  testifies. 
Engraving  on  glass  is  almost  as  old  as 
the  introduction  of  glass  itself.     There 


8HOWKLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


317 


is  a  beautiful  specimen  in  the  Art  Gal- 
lery. Glass  flowers,  fruit,  &c. ,  as  or- 
namental adjuncts  to  brassfoundry, 
must  be  accredited  to  W.  C.  Aiiken, 
who  first  used  thenr  in  1846.  American 
writers  claim  that  the  first  firessed  glass 
tumbler  was  made  about  40  years  back 
in  that  country,  by  a  carpenter.  We 
have  good  authority  for  stating  that 
the  first  pressed  tumbler  was  made  in 
this  country  by  Rice  Harris,  Birming- 
ham, as  far  back  as  1834.  But  some 
years  earlier  than  this  dishes  lif.d  been 
pressed  liy  Thomas  Hawkes  and  Co. , 
of  Dudley,  and  by  Bacchus  and  Green, 
of  Birminj^ham.  No  doubt  the  earliest 
pressing  was  the  o!d  square  feet  to 
goblets,  ales,  jellies,  &e.  Primitive  it 
was,  but  like  Walt's  first  engine,  it 
was  the  starting  point,  and  Birming- 
ham is  entitled  to  the  credit  of  it.  It 
is  very  remarkable  that  none  of  the 
samples  of  Venetian  glass  show  any 
pressing,  although  moulding  was 
brouglit  by  them  to  great  perfection. 
It  would  not  be  fair  to  omit  tlie  name 
of  the  first  mould-maker  who  made  the 
tumbler-mould  in  question.  It  was 
Mr.  James  Stevens,  then  of  Camden 
Street,  Birmingham,  and  it  is  to  him, 
and  his  sons,  James  and  William,  that 
the  world  is  greatly  indebted  for  tlie 
pressing  of  glass.  The  older  Stevens 
has  been  dead  some  years,  and  the  sons 
have  left  the  trade.  Previous  to  this 
mould  being  made  for  tumblers,  Mr. 
James  Stevens  made  some  pressed  salt- 
moulds  to  order  for  an  American  gen- 
tleman visiting  Birmingham.  Some 
of  the  most  beautiful  works  in  glass 
fountains,  candelabra,  &c. ,  that  the 
world  has  ever  seen  have  been  made  at 
Mes-.rs.  Osiers,  Broad  Street,  whose 
show  rooms  are  always  open  to  visi- 
tors. 

Guns. — The  imitative,  if  not  in- 
ventive, powers  of  our  forefathers 
have  been  shown  in  so  many  instances, 
that  it  is  not  surprising  we  have  no 
absolute  record  of  the  first  gun-maker, 
when  he  lived,  or  where  ho  worked, 
but  we  may  be  confident  that  firearms 
were  not  long  in  use  before  they  were 


manufactured  here.  The  men  who 
made  15,000  swords  for  the  Common- 
wealth were  not  likelj''  to  go  far  for 
the  "musquets"  with  which  they 
opposed  Prince  Kupert.  The  lionour 
of  procuring  the  first  Government 
contract  for  guns  rests  with  Sir 
Richard  Newdigate,  one  of  tlie  mem- 
bers for  the  county  in  William  III.'s 
reign,  a  trial  order  being  given  in 
1692,  followed  by  a  contract  lor  2,400 
in  1693,  at  17/-  each.  For  the  next 
hundred  years  the  trade  progressed 
until  the  Government,  in  1798,  found 
it  necessary  to  erect  "view-rooms" 
(now  "  the  Tower,"  Bagot  Street)  in 
Birmingham.  Frum  1804  to  1817 
the  number  of  muskets,  rifles,  carbines, 
and  pistols  made  here  lor  the  Govern- 
ment, amounted  to  1,827,889,  in 
addition  to  3,037,644  barrels  and 
2,879.203  locks  sent  to  be  "set  up"  in 
London,  and  more  than  1,000,000 
supplied  to  the  East  India  Co.  In  the 
ten  years  ending  1864  (including  the 
Crimean  War)  over  4,000,000  military 
barrels  were  jjroved  in  this  town,  and 
it  has  been  estimated  that  during 
the  American  civil  war  our  quarrel- 
ing cousins  were  supplied  with 
800,000  weapons  from  our  work- 
shops. Gunstocks  are  chiefly  made 
from  beech  and  walnut,  tlie  latter  for 
military  and  best  work,  the  other  being 
used  principally  for  the  African  trade, 
wherein  the  prices  have  ranged  as  low 
as  6--.  6d.  per  gun  '  Walnut  wood  is 
nearly  all  imported,  Germany  and 
Italy  being  the  principal  markets  ; — 
during  the  Crimean  war  one  of  our 
manufacturers  set  up  sawmills  at  Turin, 
and  it  is  stated  that  before  he  closed 
them  he  had  used  up  nearly  10,000 
trees,  averaging  not  more  than  thirty 
gunstocks  from  each.  To  give  any- 
thing like  a  history  of  the  expansion 
or,  and  changes  in, the  gun  trad^  during 
the  last  fifteen  year.s,  would  require  a 
volume  devoted  solely  to  the  subject, 
but  it  may  not  be  uninteresting  to 
enumerate  the  manifold  branches  into 
which  the  trade  has  been  divided — till 
late  years  most  of  them  being  carried 


318 


SH DWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


on  under  different  roofs  : — The  first 
portion,  or  "makers,"  include — stock- 
niaker-s,  barrel  welders,borers,grlnder.«, 
filers,  and  breeohers  ;  rib  maker?, 
breech  forgers  and  stampers ;  lock 
forgers,  machiners,  and  filers  ;  furni- 
ture forgers,  casters,  and  filers ;  rod 
forgers,  grinders,  ]iolishers,  and  finish- 
ers ;  bayonet  forgers,  socket  and  ring 
stampers,  grinders,  polishers,  ma- 
chiners, hardeners,  and  filers  ;  band 
forgers,  stampers,  machiners,  filers, 
and  pin  makers  ;  sight  stampers,  ma- 
chiners, jointers,  and  filers  ;  trigger 
boxes,  oddwork  makers,  &c.  The 
"  sett' rs  up"  include  machine'-s,  jig- 
gers (lump  filers  and  break-off  fitters), 
stockers,  percussioners,  screwers,  strip- 
pers, barrel  borers  and  rlflers,  sighters 
and  sight  -  adjusters,  smoothers, 
finishers  makers-off,  polishers,  en- 
gravers, browners,  lock  freers,  &c.,  &c. 
The  Proofhonse  in  Banbury  Street, 
"established  for  public  safety"  as  the 
inscription  over  the  entrance  says,  was 
erected  in  1S13,  and  ^Yith  the  excep- 
tion of  one  in  London  is  the  only 
building  of  the  kind  in  England.  It 
is  under  the  management  of  an  inde- 
pendent corporation  elected  by  and 
from  members  of  the  gun  trade,  more 
than  half-a-million  of  barrels  being 
proved  within  its  walls  yearly,  the 
report  for  the  year  1883  showing 
383,735  provisional  proofs,  and  297,704 
definitive  proofs.  Of  the  barrels  ob- 
jected to  provisional  proof,  29,794  were 
best  birding  single,  1.50,176  best  bird- 
ing  double,  and  160,441  African.  Of 
those  ]»roved  definitively,  63,197  were 
best  double  birding  barrels,  110,369 
breech-loading  birding,  37,171  breech - 
loading  choke  bore,  ana  54,297  saddle- 
pistol  barrels.  As  an  instance  of  the 
changes  going  on  in  the  trades  of  the 
country,  and  as  a  contrast  to  the  above 
figures,  Birmingham  formerly  su])ply- 
ing  nearly  every  firearm  sold  in  Eng- 
land or  exported  from  it,  trade  returns 
show  that  in  1882  Belgium  imported 
252,850  guns  and  pistols,  France 
48,496,  the  United  States  15,785, 
Holland  84,126,  Italy  155,985,  making 


(with  3,411  from  other  countries) 
560,653  firearms,  valued  at  £124,813, 
rather  a  serious  loss  to  the  gun  trade 
of  Birmingham. 

Handcuffs  and  Leg  Irons. — It  is 
likely  enough  true  that  prior  to  the 
abolition  of  slaverj'  shackles  and 
cliaiu'^  were  made  here  for  use  in  the 
horrible  traffic  ;  but  it  was  then  a 
legal  trade,  and  possibly  the  articles 
were  classed  as  "heavy  steel  toys," 
like  the  handcuffs  and  leg  irons  made 
by  several  firms  now.  A  very  heavy 
Australian  order  for  these  last  named 
was  (xecuted  here  in  1853,  and  there  is 
always  a  small  demand  f'>r  them. 

Hinges.  —Oast-iron  hinges,  secret 
joint,  were  patented  in  1775  by  Messrs. 
Izon  and  Wiiitehurst,  who  afterwards 
removed  to  West  Broinwich.  Tlie 
patent  wrought  iron  hinge  dates  from 
1840,  since  which  year  many  improve- 
ments have  been  made  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  iron,  brass,  wire,  cast,  wrought, 
pressed,  and  weliled  hinges,  the  makers 
numbering  over  three  score. 

Hollow-ioare. — Tiie  invention  of  tin- 
ning iron  pots  and  other  hollow-ware 
was  patented  in  1779  by  Jonathan 
Taj^lor,  the  process  being  first  carried 
ont  by  Messrs.  Izon  and  Whitehurst  at 
their  foundry  in  Duke  Street.  The 
enamelling  of  hollow-ware  was  Mr. 
Hickling's  patent  (1799),  but  his 
method  was  not  very  satisfactory,  the 
present  mode  of  enamelling  dating 
from  anolher  patent  taken  out  in  1839. 
Messrs  (Jrilliths  and  Browett,  Brad- 
ford StrtH't,  have  the  lion's  share  of  the 
local  trade,  which  is  carried  on  to  a 
much  greater  extent  at  Wolverhampton 
than  here. 

Hi/dranlic  Machinery  is  the  specialite 
almost  solely  of  Messrs.  Tangyc  Bros., 
who  established  their  Cornwall  Works 
in  1855. 

Jewellery. — A  deputation  from  Bir- 
mingham waited  upon  I'linee  Albert, 
May  28,  1845,  at  Buckingham  Palace, 
for  the  purpose  of  appealing  to  Her 
Majesty,  through  His  Royal  Highness, 
to  take  into  gracious  consideration  tlie 
then  depressed  condition  of  the  ojiera 


SHOWELLS    DIOTIONAKY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


319 


tive  jewellers  of  Birnungliain,  and 
entreating  the  Queen  and  Prince  to  set 
the  example  of  wearinji;  Biitish  jewel- 
lery on  such  occasions  and  to  snoh  an 
rxtent  as  niight  meet  the  royal  ap- 
proval. The  deputation  took  with 
them  as  presents  for  the  Queen,  an 
armlet,  a  brooch,  a  pair  of  e;ir-rings, 
and  a  huckle  for  the  ivaist ;  for  the 
Prince  Consort  a  watch-chain,  seal, 
and  key,  the  value  of  the  whole  being 
over  400  guineas.  The  armlet  (des- 
cribed by  good  judges  as  the  most 
splendid  thing  ever  produced  in  the 
town)  brooch,  car-iings,  ch;uii  and  key 
were  made  by  Mr.  Thomas  Aston, 
Regent's  Place  ;  the  buckle  and  seal 
(designed  from  the  Warwick  vase)  by 
Mr.  Baleny,  St.  Paul's  Square.  It  was 
stated  by  the  deputation  that  5,000 
families  were  dependent  on  the  jewel- 
lery trades  in  Birmingham.  Tlie 
"custom  of  trade"  in  connection 
with  jewellers  and  the  public  was 
formally  of  the  most  arbitrary  char- 
acter, so  much  so  indeed  that  at  the 
Great  Exhibition  of  1851,  the  Birming- 
ham jewellers  did  not  exhibit,  except 
through  the  London  houses  they  were 
in  the  habit  of  supplying,  and  the 
specimens  shewn  by  these  middlemen 
were  of  a  very  unsatisfactory  ctiaracter 
as  regards  design.  It  is  almost  impos- 
sible to  describe  them  without  appear- 
ing to  exaggerate.  Construction  in 
relation  to  use  went  for  nothing.  A 
group  of  Louis  Quatorze  scrolls  put  to- 
gether to  form  something  like  a  brooch 
with  a  pin  at  the  back  to  fasten  it  to 
the  dress,  which  it  rather  disfigured 
than  adoiued  ;  heavy  chain-like  brace- 
let, pins,  studs,  &c.,  of  the  most 
hideous  conceits  imaginable,  character- 
ised the  jewellery  designs  of  Birming- 
ham until  about  1854-55,  when  a  little 
more  intelligence  and  enterprise  was 
introduced,  anel  our  manufacturers 
learned  that  work  well  designed  sold 
even  better  than  theold-styleil  ugliness. 
A  great  advance  has  taken  ]dace  during 
the  past  thirty  years,  and  Birmingham 
iewellers  now  stand  foremost  in  all 
matters  of  taste  and  design,  the   work- 


men of  to-day  ranking  as  artists  indeed, 
even  the  commonest  gilt  jewellery 
turned  out  by  them  now  being  of  high- 
class  design  and  frequently  of  most 
elaborate  workniansiiip.  At  the  present 
time  (March  18S5)  the  trade  is  in  a  very 
depressed  condition,  thousands  of 
hands  being  out  of  employ  or  on  short 
time,  partly  arising,  no  doubt,  from  one 
of  those  "changes  of  fashion  "  which 
at  several  periods  of  our  local  historj' 
have  brought  disaster  to  manj'  of  our 
industrial  branches.  It  has  been  esti- 
mated tliat  not  more  tlian  one-half  of 
the  silver  jewellery  manufactured  in 
Birmingham  in  1883,  passed  through 
the  Assay  Office,  but  the  total  received 
there  in  the  twelve  months  ending 
June  24th,  1883,  amounted  to  no  less 
than  856,180  ounces,  or  31  tonsl7cwt. 
4  lbs.  4  oz.,  the  gold  wares  received 
during  same  period  weighing  92,195 
ounces,  or  3  tons  7  cwt.  12  lbs.  3  oz. , 
the  total  number  of  articles  sent  in  for 
assaying  being  2,649,379.  The  direc- 
tory of  1780  gave  the  names  of  twenty- 
six  jewellers  ;  that  of  1880  gives  nearly 
700,  including  cognate  trades.  The 
fashion  of  wearing  long  silver  guard- 
chains  came  in  in  about  1806, 
the  long  gold  ones  dating  a  score 
years  later,  heavy  fob  chains  then 
going  out.  The  yearly  make  of 
wedding  rings  in  Birmingham  is  put 
at  5,000  dozen  Precious  stones  are 
not  to  bo  included  in  the  list  of 
locall}'  manufae'ured  articles,  nor  yet 
"Paris  pastes,"  though  very  many 
thousands  of  jiounds  worth  are  used 
up  every  year,  and  those  anxious  to 
become  ])o&sessed  of  such  glittering 
triHes  will  find  dealers  here  who  can 
supply  them  with  pearls  from  6d., 
garnets  from  2d.,  opals  from  Is.,  dia- 
monds, mines,  emeralds,  amethysts, 
&c.,  from  half-a-crown,  the  })iices  of 
all  running  up  according  to  size,  &c., 
to  hundreds  of  pounds  per  stone. 

Latttn,  the  term  given  to  i bin  sheets 
of  brass,  was  formerly  applied  to  sheets 
of  tinned  iron. 

Locl'7na7<:crs  are  not  so  numerous  here 
as  they  once  were,  though  several  wellj 


320 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


known  patentees  still  have  their  works 
in  the  boroujjh.  The  general  trade 
centres  round  Willeuhall,  Walsall,  and 
Wolverhampton. 

Looking-glasses.  — Messrs.  Hawkes's, 
Bromsgrove  Street,  is  the  largest  look- 
ing-glass mannfictor}^  in  the  world, 
more  than  300  hands  being  employed 
on  the  premises.  A  fire  which  took 
place  Jan.  8,  1879,  destroyed  nearly 
£12,000  worth  of  stock,  the  turnout  of 
the  establishment  comprising  all  classes 
of  mirrors,  from  those  at  2  .  a  dozen 
to  £40  or  £50  each. 

Mediceval  Metalwork.  —  Mr.  John 
Hardmaii,  who  had  Pugin  for  his 
friend,  was  the  first  to  introduce  the 
manufacture  of  medieval  and  ecclesias- 
tical metal  work  in  this  town,  opening 
his  first  factory  in  Great  Charles  Street 
in  1845.  The  exhibits  at  the  old 
Bingley  Hall  in  1849  attracted  great 
attention  and  each  national  Exhibition 
since  has  added  to  the  tiiamphs  of  the 
firm.  Messrs.  Jones  and  Willis  also 
take  high  rank. 

Metronome,  an  instrument  for  mark- 
ing time,"  was  invented  by  Mr.  W. 
Heaton,  a  local  musician,  about  1817. 

Mineral  JFaters.  —The  oldest  local 
establishment  for  the  manufacture  of 
aerate!  artificial  and  mineral  waters  is 
that  of  Messrs.  James  Goffe  and  Son, 
of  Duke  Street, the  present  proprietors 
of  the  artesian  well  in  Allison  Street. 
This  well  was  formed  some  years  age 
by  Mr.  Clark,  a  London  engineer,  who 
had  undertaken  a  Corporation  contract 
connected  with  the  sewers.  Finding 
himself  embarassed  with  the  flow  of 
water  from  the  many  springs  about 
Park  Street  and  Digbeth,  he  leased  a 
small  plot  of  land  and  formed  a  bore- 
hole, or  artesian  well,  to  check  the 
percolation  into  his  sewerage  works. 
After  boring  ab"out  400  leet  he  reached 
a  main  spring  in  the  red  sandstone  for- 
mation which  gives  a  const;mt  flow  of 
the  purest  water, winter  and  summcr,of 
over  70,000  gals,  per  day,atthe  uniform 
temperature  of  50  deg.  The  bore  is 
only  4in.  diameter,  and  is  doubly  (uljod 
the  whole  depth,  the  water  rising  into 


a  12ft.  brick  well,  from  which  a  4,000 
gallon  tank  is  daily  filled,  the  remain- 
der passing  through  a  fountain  and 
down  to  ti  e  sewers  as  waste.  Dr. 
Bostock  Hill,  the  eminent  analyst, 
reports  most  favourably  upon  the  free- 
dom of  the  water  from  all  organic  or 
other  impurities,  and  as  eminently 
fitted  for  all  kinds  of  aerated  waters, 
soda,  potass,  seltzer,  lithia,  &c.  The 
old-fashioned  water-carriers  who  used 
to  supply  householders  with  Dig'neth 
Avater  from  "  the  Old  Cock  pump  "  by 
St.  Martin's  have  long  since  departed, 
but  Jlessrs.  GofF  's  smirt-looking 
barrel-3arts  may  be  seen  daily  on  their 
rounds  supplying  the  real  aqua  jnura 
to  counters  and  bars  frequented  by 
those  who  like  their  "  cold  without," 
and  like  it  good. — Messrs.  Barrett  c^ 
Co.  and  Messrs.  Kilby  are  also  extensive 
manufacturers  of  these  refreshing 
beverages. 

Nails. — No  definite  date  can  pos- 
sibly be  given  as  to  the  introduction 
of  naihnaking  here  as  a  separate  trade, 
most  smiths,  doubtless,  doing  more  or 
less  at  it  when  every  nail  had  to  be 
beaten  out  on  the  anvil.  That  the 
town  was  dependent  en  outsiders  for 
its  main  supplies  150  years  back,  is 
evi>lenced  by  the  Worcestershire  nail- 
ors  marching  Ironi  Cradley  and  the 
Lye,  in  1737  to  force  the  ironmongets 
to  raise  the  prices.  Machinerj"  for 
cutting  nails  was  tried  as  early  as 
1811,  but  it  was  a  long  while  after 
that  (1856)  before  a  machine  was  in- 
troduced successfully.  Now  there  are 
but  a  few  sjiecial  sorts  made  otherwise, 
as  the  poor  people  of  Cradley  and  the 
Lye  Waste  know  to  tlnir  cost,  hand- 
made nails  now  being  seldom  seen. 

Neltlefold's  (Limited). — This,  one  of 
the  most  gigantic  of  our  local  com- 
panies, was  registered  in  March,  1880, 
the  capital  being  £750,000  in  shares  of 
£10  each,  with  jiower  to  issue  deben- 
tures to  the  veiulors  of  tlie  work  spur- 
chaseJ  to  the  extent  of  £420,000.  The 
various  firms  incorporated  are  those  of 
Messrs.  Nettlefold's,  at  Heath  Street, 
and    Princip-street,     Birmingham,     at 


SilOWBLLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMIXGHAM. 


321 


King's  Norton,  at  Smetliwick,  &c. ,  for 
tlie  inaiiufiCture  of  screws,  wire,  &c., 
the  Castle  Ironworks  at  Hadley,  Shrop- 
shire, and  the  Collieries  at  Ketley,  iu 
the  sarae  countj' ;  the  Birmingham 
Screw  Co.,  at  Smethwick  ;  the  Man- 
chester Steel  Screw  Co. ,  at  Bradford, 
Manchester  ;  Mr.  John  Cornfortli,  at 
Berkeley  Street  Wire  and  Wire  Nail 
Works;  and  Messrs.  Lloyd  and  Harri- 
son,, at  Stourport  S  ;rew  Works.  The 
purchase  money  for  the  various  works 
amounted  to  £1,024,000,  Messrs.  Net- 
tlefold's  share  thereof  beincr  £786,000, 
the  Hirmingham  Screw  Co. 's  £143,000, 
the  Manche.ster  Co.'s  £.50,000,  Messrs. 
Cornforth,  Lloyd  and  Harrison  taking 
the  remainder.  The  firm's  works  in 
Heath  Street  are  the  most  extensive 
of  the  kind  in  existence,  the  turnout 
being  more  than  200,000  gross  of 
screws  per  week,  nearly  250  tons  ot 
wire  being  useri  up  in  the  same  period. 
— See  "  Screius." 

Nickel  owe.«  its  introduction  here  to 
Mr.  Askin,  who,  in  1832,  succeeded  in 
refining  the  crude  ore  by  precipitation, 
previously  it  having  been  very  difficult 
to  bring  it  into  use.  Electro-plating 
lias  caused  a  great  demand  for  it. 

Aids  and  Bolts. — In  addition  to  a 
score  or  two  of  mivate  firms  engage  i 
in  the  modern  iu'lustrj'  of  nut  and 
bolt  making,  there  are  several  limited 
liabilic}'  Co.'s,  tli^  chief  being  the 
Patent  Nut  and  Bolt  Co.  (London 
Works,  Smethwick),  which  started  in 
1863  with  a  capital  of  £400,000  in 
shares  of  £20  each.  The  last  dividend 
(on  £14  paid  up)  was  at  the  rate  of  10 
per  cent.,  the  reserve  fund  standing  at 
£120,000.  Jlessrs.  Watkins  and 
Keen,  and  Weston  and  Grice  incorpora- 
ted with  the  Patent  in  1865.  Other 
Co.'s  are  the  Midland  Bolt  and  Nut 
Co.  (Fawdry  Street,  Smethwick),  the 
Phoenix  Bolt  and  Nut  Co.  (Hands- 
worth),  the  Patent  Rivet  Co.  (Rolfe 
Street,  Smethwick),  the  Birmingham 
Bolt  and  Nut  Co.,  &c. 

Optical  and  Mathematical  Instru- 
ments of  all  kinds  were  manufactured 


here  in  lar.'e  numbers  eiglitj"^  j^ears 
ago,  and  many,  such  as  the  solar 
microscope,  the  kaleidoscope,  &c. 
may  be  said  to  liave  had  their  origin 
in  the  workshops  of  Mr.  Philip  Car- 
penter and  othec  makers  iu  the  first 
decade  of  the  present  century.  The 
manufdcture  of  these  articles  as  a  trade 
liereis  almost  extinct. 

Papier  Mache. — The  manufacture 
was  introduced  here  by  Henry  Clay  in 
1772,  aiul  being  politic  enough  to  pre- 
sent Queen  Caroline  with  a  Sedan 
chair  made  of  this  material,  he  was 
patronised  by  the  wealthy  and  titled  of 
the  da}',  the  demand  for  his  ware 
being  so  extensive  that  at  one  time 
he  employeil  over  300  hands,  his 
profit  being  something  like  £3  out  of 
every  £5.  It  has  been  stated  that 
many  articles  of  furniture,  &c. ,  made 
by  him  are  still  in  use.  ilessrs. 
Jennens  and  Bettridge  commenced  in 
1816,  and  improvements  in  the  manu 
facture  have  been  many  and  continu- 
ous. George  Souter  introduced  pearl 
inlaying  in  1825  ;  electro-deposit  was 
applied  in  1844;  ",gera  inlaying"  in 
1847,  by  Benj.  Giles  ;  aluminium  and 
its  bronze  in  1864  ;  the  transfer  pro- 
cess in  1856  bj'  Tearne  and  Richmond. 
Paper  pulp  has  been  treated  in  a 
variety  of  ways  fo:-  makingbuttonblanks, 
tray  blanks,  iraitiation  jet,  &c.,  the  very 
dust  caused  by  cutting  it  up 
being  again  utilised  by  mixture  with 
certain  cements  to  form  brooches,  &c. 

Paraffiii.  — The  manufacture  of  lamps 
for  the  burning  of  this  material  dates 
on'y  from  1861. 

Fins.  — What  becomes  of  all  the  pins? 
Forty  years  ago  it  was  stated  that 
20,000,000  pins  were  made  every  day, 
either  for  home  or  export  use,  but  the 
total  is  now  put  at  50,000,000,  not- 
withstanding which  one  can  hardly  be 
in  the  company  of  man,  woman,  or 
child,  for  a  day  without  being  asked 
"  Have  you  such  a  thing  as  a  pin  about 
you?"  Pins  were  first  manufactured 
here  in  quantities  about  1750,  the 
Ryland  family  liaving  the  honour  of 


322 


showell's  dictionary  of   HIRMINGHAM. 


introducing  the  tra<ie  It  formerly 
took  fourteen  different  persons  to 
manufacture  a  sintjl^'  pin,  cutters,  head- 
ers, pointers,  polishers,  &c. ,  but  now 
the  whole  process  is  performed  by 
machinery.  The  proportion  of  pins 
made  in  Birmingham  is  put  at  37, 000, 000 
per  day,  the  weight  ot  brass  wire  an- 
nually required  being  l,850,0001bs., 
value  £84,791  ;  iron  wire  to  the  value 
of  £5,016  is  used  for  mourning  and 
hair  pins.  The  census  reports  say  there 
are  but  729  persons  employed  (of  wliom 
495  are  females)  in  the  manufacture  of 
the  11,500,000,000  pins  sent  from  our 
factories  every  year. 

Planes. — Carpenters'  planes  were 
supplied  to  our  factors  in  1760 
by  William  Moss,  and  his  des- 
cendancs  were  in  the  business  as  late 
as  1844.  JMessrs.  Atkins  and  Sons 
have  long  been  celebrated  makers,  their 
hundreds  of  pattern."  including  all 
kinds  that  could  possibly  be  desired  by 
the  workman.  Vv'oodwork  is  so  cut, 
carved,  and  moulded  by  machinery 
now,  that  these  articles  are  not  so 
much  in  demand,  and  the  local  firms 
who  make  them  number  only  a  dozen. 
Flalcd  Wares.  — Soho  was  celebiated 
for  its  plated  wares  as  early  as  1766  ; 
Mr.  Tliomason  (afterwards  Sir  Edward) 
commenced  tlie  plating  in  1796  ;  and 
Messrs.  Watcrhouse  and  Ryland, 
another  well-known  firm  in  the  same 
line,  about  1808,  the  material  used 
being  silver  rolled  on  copper,  the 
mournings  being,  in  good  work,  often 
solid  silver.  The  directory  of  1780 
enumerates  46  pi  iters,  that  of  1799  96 
ditto  ;  their  names  might  now  be 
counted  on  one's  finger  ends,  the 
modern  electro-plating  having  revolu- 
tionised the  business,  vastly  to  the 
prosperity  of  the  town. 

Pi(~zles. — The  Yankee  puzzle  game  of 
"Fifteen,"  took  so  well  when  intro- 
duced into  this  country  (summer  of 
1880),  that  one  of  our  local  manufac- 
turers received  an  order  to  supply 
10,000  gros-',  and  ho  was  clever  enough 
to  construct  a  machine  tliat  made  20 
sets  per  minute. 


Ilailway  Waggon  JForJcs. — With  the 
exception  of  the  carriage  building 
works  belonging  to  the  several  great 
railway  companies,  Saltley  may  be  said 
to  be  the  headquarters  of  this  modern 
branch  of  industry,  in  which  thou- 
sands of  hands  are  elnployed.  The 
Midland  Railway  Carriage  and  AA^'ag- 
gon  Co.  was  formed  in  1853,  and  has 
works  on  a  smaller  scale  at  Shrews- 
bury. The  Metropolitan  Railway  Car- 
riage and  Waggon  Co.  was  originated 
in  London,  in  1845,  but  removed  to 
Saliley  in  1862,  which  year  also  saw 
the  formation  of  the  Union  Rolling 
Stock  Co.  The  capital  invested  in  the 
several  companies  is  very  large, 
and  the  yearly  value  sent  out  is  in 
proportion,  more  rolling  stock  being 
manufactured  here  than  in  all  the 
other  towns  in  the  kingdom  put  to- 
gether, not  including  the  works  of  the 
railway  companies  themselves.  Many 
magnificent  palaces  on  wheels  have 
been  made  here  for  foreign  potentates. 
Emperors,  Kings,  and  Queens,  Sultans, 
and  Kaisers,  from  every  clime  that  the 
iron  horse  has  travelled  in,  as  well  as 
all  sorts  of  passenger  cars,  from  the 
little  narrow-gauge  vehicles  of  the 
Festiniog  line,  on  which  the  travellers 
must  sit  back  to  back,  to  the  60ft. 
long  sleeping-cars  used  on  the  Pacific 
and  Buenos  Ayers  Railway,  in  each 
compartmentoF  which  eight  individuals 
can  find  sleeping  accommodation  equal 
to  that  |)rovided  at  many  of  the  best 
hotels,  or  tlie  curious-looking  cars  used 
on  Indian  railways,  wherein  the  natives 
squat  in  tiers,  or,  as  the  sailor  would 
say,  with  an  upper  and  lower  deck. 

Eopemaking  is  a  trade  carried  on  in 
many  places,  but  there  are  few  estab- 
lishments that  can  equal  the  Universe 
Works  in  Garrison  Lane,  where,  in 
addition  to  hundreds  of  tons  of  twine 
and  cord,  there  are  manufactured  all 
sorts  of  wire  and  hemp  ropes  for  col- 
liery and  other  purpose^,  ocean  tele- 
graph cables  included.  Messrs.  Wright 
iiitvoduced  stfam  machinery  early  in 
1853,  and  in  the  following  year  they 
patented  a  rope  made  of  best  iiemp  and 


SUOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIIIMINGHAM. 


323 


galvanised  wire  spun  together  by 
macliiuery.  On  a  test  one  of  these 
novelties,  4|in.  circunifereiici?  attaclied 
to  two  engines,  drew  a  train  of  300 
tons  weight.  To  snpply  the  demund 
for  galvanised  signalling  and  fencing 
cords',  the  machines  must  turn  out 
15,000  yards  of  strand  per  day. 

Eulcmnking,  though  formerly  car- 
ried on  in  several  places,  is  now  almost 
confined  to  this  town  and  the  metro- 
polis, and  as  witli  jewellery  so  with 
rules,  very  much  of  what  is  called 
"London  work"  is,  in  reality,  the 
produce  of  Birmingham.  ilessrs. 
Rabone  Brothers  are  the  principal 
makers,  and  the  boxwood  used  is 
mostly  obtained  from  Turkey  and  the 
Levant,  but  tlie  firm  does  not  confine 
itself  solely  to  the  manufacture  of  wood 
rules,  their  steel  tapes,  made  up  to 
200ft  in  one  length,  without  join  of 
any  sort,  being  a  specialty  higlily  appre- 
ciated by  surveyors  and  others. 

Saddlery. — One  of  the  oldest  local 
trades,  as  Leland,  in  1538,  speaks  of 
"  lorimers  "  as  being  numerous  then. 
That  there  was  an  important  leather 
market  is  certain  (Hutton  thought  it 
had  existed  for  700  years),  and  we  read 
of  "  leather  sealers  "  among  the  local 
officers  as  well  as  of  a  "  Leather  Hall," 
at  the  east  end  of  New  Street.  The 
trade  has  more  than  quadrupled  during 
the  last  25  years,  about  3,000  hands 
being  now  engaged  therein,  in  addi- 
tion to  hundreiis  of  machines. 

Screxos. — In  olden  days  the  threads 
of  a  screw  had  to  be  filed  out  by  hand, 
and  the  head  struck  up  on  the  anvil. 
The  next  step  was  to  turn  them  in  a 
lathe,  but  in  1S49  a  German  clock- 
maker  invented  a  machine  by  which 
females  could  make  them  five  times  as 
fast  as  the  most  skilful  workman,  and, 
as  usual,  the  supply  created  a  demand  ; 
the  trade  for  a  few  years  received  many 
additions,  and  the  "  screw  girders,"  as 
the  hard-working  lasses  were  called, 
were  to  be  met  with  in  many  parts  of 
the  town.  1852,  1,500  hands  were 
employeJ,  the  output  being  from  20 
to  25  tons  per  week,  or  2,000,000  gross 


per  year.  Gradually,  however,  by 
the  introduction  and  pitentiiigof  many 
improvements  in  the  machinery,  the 
girls  were,  in  a  great  measure,  dis- 
pensed with,  and  their  employers  as 
well,  Messrs.  Nettlefold  and  Chamber- 
lain having,  in  1865,  nearly  the  whole 
trade  in  their  hands,  and  sending  out 
150,000  gross  of  screws  per  week. 
Nearly  2,000  people  are  employed  at 
Nettlefold's,  including  women  and 
girls,  who  feed  and  attend  the  screw 
and  nail-making  machines.  Notwith- 
standing the  really  complicated  work- 
ings of  the  machines,  the  making  of  a 
screw  seems  to  a  casual  visitor  but  a 
simple  thing.  From  a  coil  of  wire  a 
piece  is  cut  of  the  right  length  by  one 
machine,  which  roughly  forms  a  head 
and  pass'\s  it  on  to  another,  in  which 
the  blank  has  its  head  nicely  shaped, 
shaved,  and  "  nicked"  by  a  revolving 
saw.  It  then  passes  by  an  automatic 
feeder  into  the  next  machine  where  it 
is  pointed  and  "wormed,"  and  sent  to 
be  shook  clear  of  the  "swaff"  of 
sharing  cat  out  for  the  worm.  Washing 
and  polishing  in  revolving  barrels 
precedes  the  examination  of  every 
single  screw,  a  machine  placing  them 
one  by  one  so  that  none  cin  be  missed 
sight  of.  Most  of  the  2,000  machines 
in  use  are  of  American  invention,  but 
improved  and  extended,  all  machinery 
and  tools  of  every  description  being 
made  by  the  firm's  own  workpeople. 

Sewing  Machines. — The  various  im- 
provements in  these  machines  patented 
by  Birmingham  makers  may  be  counted 
by  the  gross,  and  the  machines  sent  out 
every  year  by  the  thousands.  The 
button-hole  machine  was  the  invention 
of  jMr.  Clements. 

Sheathing  Metal. — In  a  newspaper 
called  The  World,  dated  April  16, 
1791,  was  an  advertisement  beginning 
thus — "  By  the  King's  patent,  tinned 
copper  sheets  and  pipes  manufactured 
and  sold  by  Charles  Wyatt,  Birming- 
ham, and  at  19,  Abchurch-lane,  Lon- 
don." It  was  particularly  recom- 
mended for  sheathing  of  ships,  as  the 
tin  coating  would  prevent  the  corrosion 


24 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


of  the  copper  and  operate  as  "a  ]'>re- 
servative  of  the  iron  placed  conti<(uous 
to  it."     Tliout^'h  an  exceedingly  clever 
man,  and  the  son   of  one  of  Uirniing- 
ham's    famed    worthies,    Mr.   Charles 
Wyatt  was   not  fortunate   in    many  of 
his  inventions,  and  his  tinned  copper 
brought  him  in  neither  silver  nor  gold. 
What  is  now  known  as  sheathing   or 
"  yellow  "  metal  is  a  mixture  of  copper, 
zinc,  and  iron  in  certain  defined  pro- 
portions,  according  as  it  is   "  Muntz's 
metal,"     or     "Green's    patent,"    &c. 
Several  patents  were  taken  out  in  1779, 
1800,  and    at  later    dates,  and,   as  is 
usual  with  "good  things,"  there  has 
been  sufhcient  .squabbling over  sheath- 
ing to  provide  a   number  of  legal  big- 
wigs  with    considerable    quantities    of 
the  yellow  metal  they  p  efer.     George 
Frederick    Jhintz,    M.P.,    if    not   the 
direct  inventor,  had  the  lion's  share  of 
profit    in    the     manufacture,    as    the 
good-will  of  his  business  was  sold  for 
£40,000  in  1863,  at  which  time  it  was 
estimated  that  11,000  tons  of  Muntz's 
mixture     was     annually     made     into 
sheathing,    ships'    liolts,    &c. ,    to   the 
value  of  over  £800,000.     The  business 
was   taken   to  by   a  limited    liability 
company,    whose    capital    in    March, 
1884,  was    £180,000,    on   which  a  10 
per      cent.     divi<lend     was      realised. 
Elliott's  Patent  Sheathing  and  Metal 
Co.  was  formed  in  1862. 

Snuff-boxes. — A  hundred  years  ago, 
when  snull'-taking  was  the  mode,  the 
manufacture  of  japanned,  gilt,  and 
other  snuff-boxes  gave  employment  to 
large  numbers  here.  Of  one  of  these 
workmen  it  is  recoided  that  he  earned 
£3  10s.  ppr  week  painting  snufT-boxes 
at  ^d.  each.  The  first  mention  of  their 
being  made  here  is  in  1693. 

Soa2}. — In  more  ways  than  one  there 
is  a  vast  deal  of  "soft  soap"  used  in 
P)inTiingham,  but  its  inhabitants  ought 
to  be  cleanly  people,  for  the  two  or  three 
manufactories  of  liard  yellow  and  mot- 
tled in  and  mar  the  to"n  turn  out  an 
annual  supply  of  over  3,000  tons. 

S2)edades. — Sixty  and  seventy  years 
ago  spectacles  were  sent  out  by  the  gross 


to  all  part  of  the  country,  but  they  were 
of  a  kind  now  known  as  "goggles," 
the  frames  being  large  and  clumsy,  and 
made  of  silver,  white  metal,  or  loitoise- 
shell,  the  fine  stee!  wire  frames  now 
used  not  being  introduced  until  about 
1840. 

Stereoscopes,  the  invention  of  Sir 
David  Brewster,  were  first  made  in 
this  town,  Mr,  Robert  Field  producing 
them. 

Steel  Pens. — Though  contrary  to  the 
general  belief,  metallic  pens  are  of  very 
ancient  origin.     Dr.  Martin  Lister,   in 
his  book  of  Travels,  published  in  1699, 
described  a   "  very  curious  and  antique 
writing  instrument  made  of  thick  and 
strong   silver    wire,  wound  up  like  a 
hollow  bottom  or  screw,  with  both  the 
ends  pointing  one  way,   and  at   a  dis- 
tance, so  that  a  man   mig'nt  easily  put 
his  forefinger  between  the  two  points, 
and  the  screw  fills  the  ball  of  his  hand. 
One  of  the  points  was  the    point    of    a 
bodkin,  which  was  to  write  on  waxe^i 
tables  ;  the  other  point  was  made  very 
artificially,   like  the   head  and  upper 
beak  of  a  cock  and  the  point  divided 
in  two,  just  like  our  steel  pens,  from 
whence  undoubtedly  the  moderns  had 
their  patterns  ;  which  are  now  made 
also  of  fine  silver  or  gold;  or  Prince's 
metal,  all  of  which  yet  want  a  spring 
and  are  tlierefore  not  so  useful  as  of 
steel  or  a  quill:  but  the  quill  soon  spoils. 
Steel  is  undoubtedly  the  best,  and  if 
you  use  China  ink,  the  most  lasting  of 
all  inks,  it  never  rusts  the  pen,  but 
rather  preserves  it  with  a  kind  of  var- 
nish, which  dries  upon  it,  thouuh  you 
take  no  ca;e  in  wiping  it." — Though 
Messrs.     Giilolt    and    Sons'    Victoria 
Works,    Graham   Street,    stands    first 
among  the  pen-making  estahlishments 
open  to  the  visit  of  strangers,  it  is  by 
no      means      the     only     manufactory 
whereat  the  useful  little  steel  pen  is 
made  is  large  rjuantities,  there  being, 
beside',    Jlr.   John   Mitchell  (Newhall 
Street),   Mr.    William    iMitchell  (Cum- 
berland Street),  Hinks,  Wells  and  Co. 
(Buckingham  Street),   Brandauer  and 
Co.   (New  John  Street,    Wtst),   Baker 


SHOWELL's   dictionary   of   BIRMINGHAM. 


325 


and  Fimicmore  (James  Street),  G.  W. 
Hughes  (Sr.  Paul's  Square),  Loonardt 
and  Co.  (Charlotte  Street),  Myers  and 
Sou  (Charlotte  Street),  I'erry  and  Co. 
(Lai:caster  Street),  Ryland  and  Co. 
(St.  Paul's  Square).  Sansuni  and  Co. 
(Tenby  Street),  &c. ,  the  gross  aggregate 
output  of  the  trade  at  large  being  esti- 
mated at  20  tons  per  week. 

Stirrups. — According  to  the  Direc- 
tory, there  are  but  four  stirrup  makers 
here,  though  it  is  said  tliere  are  4,000 
dilferent  patterns  of  the  article. 

Swords. — Some  writers  aver  that 
Birniingliani  was  the  centre  of  the 
metal  works  of  the  ancient  Britons, 
wliere  the  swords  and  the  scythe-blades 
were  made  to  meet  Julius  Cajsar. 
During  the  Commonwealth,  over 
15,000  swords  were  said  to  have  been 
made  in  Birmingham  for  the  Parlia- 
mentary soldiers,  but  if  they  thus 
helped  to  overthrow  the  Stuarts  at 
I  hat  period,  the  Brummagem  boys  in 
1745  were  willing  to  make  out  tor  it 
by  supplying  Piince  Charlie  with  as 
many  as  ever  he  could  pay  for,  and 
the  basket-hilts  were  at  a  premium. 
Disloyalty  did  not  always  prosper 
though,  for  on  one  occasion  over  2,000 
cutlasses  intended  for  the  Prince,  were 
:-eized  en  route  and  found  tlieir  way 
into  the  hands  of  his  enemies.  Not 
many  swords  are  made  in  Birmingham 
at  the  present  time,  unless  matchets 
and  case  knives  useU  in  the  plantations 
can  be  included  under  that  head. 

Thimbles,  or  thumbells,  fron;  being 
originally  worn  on  the  thumb,  are  said 
by  the  Dutch  to  have  been  the  inven- 
tion of  JNIynheer  van  Banschoten  for 
the  protection  of  his  lady-love's  fingers 
when  employed  at  the  embroidery- 
frame  ;  but  though  the  good  people  of 
Amsterdam  last  year  (18S-J)  celebrated 
the  bieentenaryot  theirgallant  thinible- 
making  t;oldsmitli,  it  is  more  than  pro- 
bable iliat  he  filched  the  idea  froni  a 
Birmingham  man,  for  Shakespeare  had 
been  dead  sixty-eight  years  prior  to 
1684,  anil  he  maiie  mention  of  thimbles 
as  quite  a  common  possession  of  all 
ladies  in  his  time  : 


"  For    your    own    ladies,    and    pale-visag'd 
maids, 
Like  Aniaz ms,  come  tripping  after  drums. 
Their  tliiml)les  into  ariiiea  gauntlets  change; 
Their  neelJs  to  Innces.  " 

King  John,  Act  v.  so.  3. 

"  Thou  liest,  thou  thread,  thou  thimble.'' 

"  And  that  I'll  prove   upon  thee,  though  thy 
little  finger  be  armed  in  a  thimble,'' 

Taming  of  the  Shrew,  Act  iv.,  so.  3. 

The  earliest  note  we  really  have  of 
thimbles  being  manufactured  in  Bir- 
mingham dates  as  1695.  A  very  large 
trade  is  now  done  in  steel,  brass,  gold, 
and  silver. 

Thread. — Strange  are  the  mutations 
of  trade.  The  first  thread  of  cotton 
spun  by  rollers,  long  before  Arkwright's 
time,  was  made  near  this  town  in  the 
year  1700,  and  a  little  factory  was  at 
work  in  the  Upper  Priory  (the  mwtive 
power  being  two  donkeys),  in  1740, 
under  the  ingenious  John  Wyatt,  with 
whom  were  other  tv\'o  well-remembered 
local  wox'thies — Lewis  Paul  and  Thomas 
Warren.  Jlany  iin[)rovemeiits  were 
made  in  the  simp'e  ^  achinery,  br»' 
fite  did  not  intend  Birmingham  to 
rival  Bradford,  and  the  thread  making 
came  to  an  end  in  1792. 

Tindcrboxcs,  with  the  accompanying 
"  fire  steels,"  are  still  ma  le  here  for 
certain  foreign  markets,  where  lucifers 
are  not  procurable. 

Tinning.—  Iron  potswere first  tinned 
in  1779,  under  Jonathan  Taylor's 
patent.  Tinning  wire  is  one  of  the 
branches  of  trade  rajjiiily  going  out, 
partly  through  the  introduction  of  the 
galvanising  jiroces-f,  but  latterly  in 
conse(pieuce  of  the  invention  of 
"screw,"  "ball,"  and  other  bottle 
stoppers.  There  were  but  five  or  six 
firms  engaged  in  it  ten  years  back,  but 
the  then  ilemand  for  bottling-wire  may 
be  gathered  from  the  fact  that  one 
individual,  with  thea'il  of  two  helpers, 
covered  with  the  lighier-coloured  metal 
about  2cwt.  of  slender  iron  wire  per 
day.  This  would  give  a  total  length  of 
about  6,500  miles  per  annum,  enough 
to  tie  up  25,718,784  bottles  of  pop,  &c. 

Tools- — The  mdviiig  of  tools  for  the 
workers  in  our  almost  countless  trades 


326 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


has  given  employ  to  many  thousands, 
but  in  addition  thereto  is  the  separate 
manufacture  of  "heavy  edtre  tools." 
Light  edge  tools,  such  as  table  and 
pocket  knives,  scissors,  gravers,  &c., 
are  not  made  here,  thougii"heavy"tools 
comiirising  axes,  hatchets,  cleavers, 
hoes,  spades,  mattocks,  forks,  chisels, 
plane  irons,  machine  knives,  scythes, 
&c.,  in  eTidless  variety  and  of  hundreds 
of  patterns,  suited  to  the  various  parts 
of  the  world  for  which  they  are  re- 
quired. Over  4,000  hands  are  employe(i 
in  this  manufacture. 

Tuhen. — Immense  quantities  (esti- 
mated at  over  15,000  tons)  of  copper, 
brass,  iron,  and  other  metal  tubing  are 
annually  sent  out  of  our  workshops. 
In  olden  days  the  manufacture  of  brass 
and  copper  tubes  was  by  the  tedious 
process  of  rolling  up  a  strip  of  metal 
an  1  soldering  the  edges  together.  In 
1803  Sir  Edward  Thomason  introduced 
the  'patent  tube" — iron  body  with 
brass  coating,  but  it  was  not  until 
1838  that  Mr.  Charles  Green  took  out 
his  patent  for  "seamles-"  tubes,  which 
was  much  imiiroved  upon  in  1852  by 
G.  F.  Muntz,  junr.,  as  well  as  by  Mr. 
Thos.  Attwood  in  1850,  with  respect  to 
the  drawing  of  copper  tubes.  The 
Peyton  and  Peyton  Tube  Co.,  London 
Works,  was  registered  June  25,  1878, 
capital  £50,000  in  £5  shares.  Messrs. 
Peyton  received  1,000  paid-up  shares 
for  their  patent  for  machinery  for 
manufacturing  welded  and  other  tubes, 
£3,500  for  plant  and  tools,  the  stock 
going  at  valuation. 

Tutania  Mciul  took  its  name  from 
Tutin,  the  inventor.  It  was  much 
used  a  hundred  years  ago.  in  the  manu- 
facture of  buckles. 

Vmhrcllas. — The  name  of  the  man 
who  first  carried  an  umbrella  in  this 
town  (abotit  the  year  1780)  has  not  yet 
been  enrolled  among  our  "Birmingham 
Worthies,"  but  he  must  have  been 
known  to  some  of  our  fathers,  for  it  is 
not  much  more  than  100  years  ago 
since  Jonas  Ilanway  walked  down  the 
Strand,  shielding  liis  wig  from  the 
wet   with    the  first   umbrella  seen   in 


London.  The  metal  work  required 
for  setting-up,  technically  called  "  fur- 
niture," has  long  been  made  here,  and 
gives  employment  to  about  1,700 
hamls,  two-thirds  of  whom  are  fe- 
males. 

Vinegar. — Pardon's  Vinegar  Brew- 
ery, Glover  Street,  is  worth  a  visit,  if 
only  to  look  at  their  five  vats,  each  up- 
wards of  30ft.  high  and  24ft.  in  dia- 
meter, and  each  capable  of  storing 
58,000  gallons.  But,  besides  these, 
among  the  largest  of  their  kind  in  the 
world,  there  are  thirteen  24,000  gallons 
vats,  five  15,000,  and  twenty  seven 
10,000. 

Vitriol.— ThQ  Oil  of  Vitriol  in  1800 
was  reduced  from  3s.  per  lb.  ta  Is.  ;  in 
1865  it  was  sold  at  Id. 

IVatchinaking.  —  Few  names  of 
eminent  horologists  are  to  be  found  in 
the  lists  of  dej'arted  traile&men  ;  so  few 
indeed  that  watchmaking  would  seem 
to  have  been  one  of  the  unknown  arts, 
if  such  a  thing  was  possible  at  any 
period  of  the  last  two  hundred  years  of 
Birndngham  history.  Jlessrs.  Brunner 
(Suiallbrook  Street),  Swinden  (Temple 
Street),  and  Ehrardt  (Barr  Street  West) 
take  the  lead  at  present  among  private 
firms,  but  the  introduction  of  a  watch 
manufactory  is  duo  to  Mr.  A  L.  Den- 
nison,  who,  though  not  the  originator 
of  the  notion,  after  establishing  fac- 
tories in  America  (iu  or  about  1850) 
and  Switzerland,  came  to  this  countrj' 
in  1871,  and,  with  other  gentlemen,  in 
the  following  year  started  the  Anglo- 
American  Watch  Co.  (Limited),  a 
factory  being  erected  iu  Villa  Street. 
The  trade  of  the  Co.  was  principally 
with  America,  which  was  supplied  with 
machineinaiie  "  works  "  from  here  un- 
til the  Waltham,  Elgin,  and  other 
firms  over  there  beat  them  out  of  the 
market,  a  not  very  difficult  operation, 
consideringthat  our  fair-tradingcousins 
impose  a  25  per  cent,  duty  on  all  such 
goods  sent  there  by  the  free-traders  of 
this  country.  The  Villa  Street  estab- 
lishment was  purchased  in  1875  by  Mr. 
William  Biagge,  who  developed  the 
business  under  the  name  of  The  English 


SHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


327 


Watch  Co.,  the  manufacture  beinc,' con- 
fined almost  solely  to  English  Lsver 
watches,  large  ami  small  sized,  key- 
windint;  and  keyless-.  In  January, 
1882,  Mr.  Bragge,  for  the  sum  of 
£21,000  parted  with  the  business, 
plant,  stock,  and  ])reniises,  to  the 
present  English  Watch  Co.  (Limited), 
which  has  a  registered  capital  of 
£50,000  in  shares  of  £10  each,  the 
dividend  (June,  1SS4)  being  at  the  rate 
of  6  percent,  on  paid-up  capital. — In 
April,  1883,  the  prospectus  of  The 
English  Double  Chronograph  Co. 
(Limited)  was  i-ssued,  the  capital  being 
£50,000  in  £10  shares,  ilie  object  of 
the  company  being  to  purchase  (for 
£15.000)  and  work  the  patents  granted 
to  Mr.  W.  H.  Douglas,  of  Stourbridge, 
for  improvements  in  chronographs,  the 
improvements  being  of  such  a  nature 
that  ordinars'  keyless  English  levers 
can  be  turned  into  doubls  chronographs 
at  a  trifling  cost. 

Whiirniaking,  as  a  trade  distinct 
from  saddlery,  dates  from  about  1750, 
and  it  received  a  great  impetus  by  the 
introduction,  in  1730,  of  a  machine  by 
Matthew  Dean  for  the  easier  manipula- 
tion of  the  leather  thongs. 

ll'histlcs  of  all  sizes  and  sorts,  from 
the  child's  tin  whistle  to  the  hiigiand 
powerful  steam  whistles  used  on  boird 
the  American  liners,  are  made  in  this 
town,  and  it  might  be  imagined  there 
could  hi  but  little  novelty  in  any  new 
design.  This,  however,  is  not  the 
case,  for  when  the  au:horities  of  Scot- 
land Yard  (June,  1884)  desired  a  new 
police  whistle,  samples  wu'e  sent  in 
from  many  parts  of  the  country,  from 
America,  and  from  the  Continent.  The 
order,  which  was  for  40,000,  was 
secured  bj'  Messrs.  J.  Hudsjn  and 
Co.,  Buckingiiam  Street,  and  so  dis- 
tinct is  the  speciality,  that  fifty  other 
places  have  followed  the  examplis  of 
the  Metropolis. 

Wire.  — Wire-drawing,  which  former- 
ly had  to  be  done  by  hand,  doas  not 
appear  to  have  been  made  into  a  spacial 
trade  earlier  than  the  beginiiing  of  the 
18th  century,  the   first   wire   mill   we 


read  of  being  that  of  Penns,  near  Sutton 
Coldtield,  which  was  converted  from  an 
iron  forue  in  1720.  Ste^l  wire  wis  not 
made  till  some  little  time  after  that 
dace.  Tiie  increased  deuiand  for  iron 
and  steel  wire  which  has  taken  place 
during  the  last  35  years  is  almost  in- 
credible, the  make  in  1850  being  not 
more  thau  100  tons  :  in  1865  it  was 
calculated  at  2,003  tons ,  in  1S75  it 
was  put  at  12,000  ton-s.  while  now  it 
is  estirnate.l  to  equal  30,000  tons.  In 
March  1853,  a  piece  of  No.  16  copper 
wire  was  shown  at  Mr.  Samuel  Walker's 
in  one  piece,  three  miles  long,  drawn 
from  a  bar  f  ths  in  diameter.  Origin- 
ally the  bar  weighed  123  lbs  ,  but  it 
lostll'bs.  in  the  i)rocess,  and  it  was 
then  thought  a  most  remarka- le  pro- 
duction, but  far  more  wonder''ul 
specimens  of  wire-spinuing  have  since 
been  exhibited.  A  wire  rope  weighing 
over  70  tons,  was  made  in  1876  at  the 
Universe  Works,  of  Messrs.  Wright, 
who  are  the  patentees  of  the  mixed 
wire  and  hemp  rope.  Birdcages,  meat 
covers,  mou--e  traps,  wire  blinds,  wire 
nails,  wire  latticing,  &c. ,  we  have  long 
been  used  to  ;  even  girding  the  earth 
with  Im  I  and  ocean  telegraph  wire,  or 
fencing  in  square  miles  at  a  time  of 
prairie  lan.l,  with  wire  strong  enough 
to  keep  a  herd  of  a  few  thousand 
buffaloes  in  range,  are  no  longer  novel- 
ties, but  to  shape,  sharpen,  and  polish 
a  serviceable  pair  of  penny  scissors  out 
of  a  bit  of  steel  wire  by  two  blows  and 
the  push  of  a  machine,  is  something 
new,  and  it  is  Netclefold's  latest. 

Wire  Nails,  Staples,  d:c.,  are  made 
at  Nettlefold's  by  micliinery  much  in 
advance  of  what  cau  be  seen  elsewhere. 
In  the  nail  mill  the  "  Paris  points  "  as 
wire  nails  are  called,  are  cut  from  the 
coil  of  wire  by  the  first  motion  of  the 
machine  as  it  is  fed  in,  then  headed 
and  pointed  at  oue  operation,  sizes  up 
to  one  inch  being  turned  out  at  the 
rate  of  360  a  minute.  In  the  manu- 
facture of  spikes,  the  punch  for  mak- 
ing the  head  is  propelled  by  spring?, 
wnich  are  compre>sad  by  a  cam,  and 
then  released  at  each  stroke  ;  two  cut- 


328 


SHOWELl's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAiM. 


ters  worked  by  side  cams  on  tlie  same 
shaft  cut  ofT  the  wire  and  malve  the 
point.  A  steel  finger  then  advances 
and  knocks  the  finished  spike  out  of 
the  way  to  make  room  for  the  next. 
Wire  staples,  three  inches  long,  are 
turned  out  at  the  rate  of  a  hundred  a 
minute  ;  the  wire  is  pushed  forward 
into  the  machine  and  cut  off  on  the 
bevel  to  form  the  points  ;  a  hook  rises, 
catches  tlie  wire,  and  draws  it  down  in- 
to the  proper  form,  when  a  staple  falls 
out  comydete. 

JVirc  Gauge— The  following  table 
shows  the  sizes,  weights,  lengths,  and 
breaking  strains  of  iron  wire  under  the 
Imperial  Standard  Wire  Gauge,  which 
came  into  operation  March  1,  1SS4  :  — 


fraternity  for  tlie  metd  usi-d  in  their 
nefarious  business,  the  spoons  manu- 
factured by  Messis.  Yates  and  Sou 
being  the  best  material  for  transmuta- 
tion into  base  coin. 


Weight 

Breaking 

a.* 

DiAJN 

ETER 

01' 

Strains. 

tc 

. 

■^ 

C3 

— "• 

o 

6 

£ 

0)' 

■<l 

M 

o 

5 

"3 

c 

g 

1- 

.9  6- 

s 

o 

(a 

? 

^ 

GO 

o 

>^ 

< 

lbs. 

lbs 

yds. 

lbs. 

lbs. 

7/0 

■500 

12^7 

•1063 

193-4 

3404 

58 

10470 

15700 

0/0 

■464 

US 

•16,11 

166-6 

29;v0 

67 

9017 

13525 

5/0 

•432 

11- 

•1466 

144-4 

2541 

78 

7814 

11725 

4/0 

•400 

10-2 

•1257 

123^8 

2179 

91 

C702 

10052 

3/0 

•372 

9-4 

•1087 

107-1 

1885 

105 

5796 

8094 

2/0 

•34S 

S^S 

■0951 

93^7 

164?) 

li20 

5072 

7608 

1/0 

•324 

8-2 

•0824 

81^2 

1429 

138 

4397 

6595 

1 

•300 

7  6 

•0707 

69  6 

1225 

161 

3770 

565.5 

2 

■276 

7' 

•0598 

58^9 

1037 

190 

3190 

4785 

3 

•252 

64 

•0499 

49^1 

864 

2-28 

2600 

3990 

4 

•232 

5^9 

•0423 

41^6 

732 

269 

2254 

•3381 

5 

•212 

3-4 

•0365 

34.8 

612 

322 

1883 

2824 

6 

■192 

4^0 

•0290 

28  ■S 

502 

393 

1644 

2316 

7 

•176 

4^5 

•0243 

•24  • 

4^22 

467 

1298 

1940 

8 

•160 

41 

0201 

19^S 

348 

566 

1072 

1608 

9 

•144 

3-7 

■0163 

16^ 

•2S-2 

700 

869 

1303 

10 

•r2s 

3-3 

0129 

12  7 

223 

882 

687 

1030 

11 

•116 

3- 

•0106 

10^4 

1S3 

1077 

504 

84.5 

12 

•104 

2  6 

•0085 

8^4 

148 

1333 

454 

680 

13 

•OO^J 

2  3 

•0066 

6-5 

114 

1723 

355 

532 

14 

•Ot^O 

'2' 

•0051 

&• 

88 

2240 

268 

402 

15 

•072 

i-s 

•0041 

4^ 

70 

2800 

218 

32G 

16 

•064 

1-6 

■0032 

3^2 

56 

3500 

172 

257 

17 

•056 

1-4 

■00^J5 

2^4 

42 

4667 

131 

197 

18 

048 

12 

■0018 

l^S 

32 

6222 

97 

145 

19 

•040 

1- 

■0013 

1.2 

21 

9333 

67 

lOo 

20 

•036 

•9 

•0010 

!• 

18 

ir200 

55 

82 

-See    "  A'elson  "    and 


Yates. — .Atone  period  this  was  the 
favourite  slang  term  of  the  smashing 


Tpafalgap. 

"Statues." 

Train  Bands.— The  Trainbands  o. 
former  da3's  may  be  likened  to  the 
militia  ot  the  present  time,  but  weie 
drawn  from  every  parish  in  the  hun- 
dreds, according  to  the  population.  A 
document  in  the  lost  Staunton  Collec- 
tion gave  the  names  and  parishes  of 
the  men  forming  "  Lord  Compton's 
Company  of  Foot  for  the  Hundred  of 
Hemlingford"  in  161.5,  being  part  of 
the  "Warwick-hire  Tiayne  Bands." 
Birmingham  sujiplied  six  m  n  armed 
with  pilces  and  six  with  muskets  ;  Bir- 
mingham and  Aston  jointly  the  same 
number  ;  Edgbaston  one  pike  ;  Coles- 
hill  three  of  e?ch  ;  Sutton  Coldfield 
four  pikes  and  six  muskets  ;  Solihull 
three  pikes  and  four  muskets  ;  Knowle 
the  same  ;  Berkswell  two  pikes  and 
live  muskets  ;  and  Meriden  one  pike 
and  two  musket.-!.  Tliese  Trained 
Bands  numbered  bOO  men  from  Coven- 
try and  the  county  in  1642,  besides  the 
Militia  and  A'oluuteers  of  Warwick- 
shire, which  were  called  up  in  that 
year.  These  latter  mustered  very 
strongly  on  the  days  for  review  and 
training,  there  beini;  at  Stratford-upon- 
Avon  (June  30)  400  Volunteers  well 
armed  and  200  unarmed  ;  at  Warwick 
(July  1  &  2)  650  well  armed  ;  at  Coles- 
hill  (July  4)  SOO  almost  all  well  armed  ; 
and  at  Coventry  near  800  most  well 
armed — the  total  number  reirg  2,850, 
making  a  respectable  forre  of  3, 450  in 
all,  ready,  according  to  the  expression 
of  tlieir  officers,  "to  adhere  to  His 
Majestic  and  botli  Houses  of  Parlia- 
ment, to  the  losse  of  the  last  drop  of 
their  dearest  blood. "  Tiiese  fine  words, 
however,  did  not  prevent  the  "  Volun- 
tiers  "  of  this  neiglib  lurhood  opposing 
His  Majestie  to  the  utmost  of  their 
power  soon  afterwards. 

Tramways.  —  These    take    their 


SHOWBLL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAitl, 


329 


name  from  Mr.  Oiitram,  who,  in  1802, 
introduced  the  S3'.stein  of  lightening 
carriage  by  rnnning  the  veliicles  on 
rail  in  the  North  of  England.  The 
first  suggestion  of  a  local  tramway 
came  through  Mr.  G.  F.  Train,  who  not 
finding  scope  sufficient  for  his  abilities 
in  America,  paid  Birmingham  a  visit, 
and  after  yarning  us  well  asked  and 
obtained  permission  (Aug.  7,  1860)  to 
lay  down  tram  rails  in  some  of  the 
principal  thoroughfares,  but  as  his  glib 
tongue  failed  in  procuring  the  needful 
capital  his  scheme  was  a  thorough 
failure.  Some  ten  yars  after  the  notion 
was  taken  u]i  by  a  few  local  gentlemen, 
and  at  a  pub'ic  ni'-eting,  on  December 
27,  1871,  the  Town  Council  were 
authorised  to  make  such  tramways  as 
they  thought  to  be  necessary,  a  Com- 
pany being  (brmcd  to  work  them.  This 
Company  was  rathei-  before  its  time, 
thousrh  now  it  would  be  considered,  if 
anything,  rather  backward.  The  first 
line  of  rails  brought  into  use  Avas  laid 
from  the  bottom  of  Hockley  Hill  to 
Dudley  Port,  and  it  was  opened  IMay 
20,  1872;  from  Hockley  to  top  of 
Snow  Hill  the  cars  began  to  run  Sep- 
tember 7,  1873  ;  the  Bristol  Road 
line  being  fir>t  used  May  30,  though 
formally  opened  June  5,  1876.  The 
Birmingham  and  District  Tramway 
Company's  lines  cost  about  £65,000, 
and  they  paid  the  Corporation  £910 
per  year  rental,  but  in  May,  1877, 
their  interest  was  bought  up  by 
the  Birmingliam  Tramway  and 
Omnibus  Company  for  the  sum  of 
£25,000,  the  original  cost  of  the 
property  thus  acquired  being  £115,0  0. 
The  new  company  leased  the  borough 
lines  for  s:'ven  years  at  £1,680  per 
annum,  and  gave  up  the  out-distnct 
portion  of  the  original  undertaking. 
That  they  have  been  tolerably  success- 
ful is  shown  by  the  fact  that  in  1883 
the  rpcei|)ts  from  passengers  amounted 
to  £39,859,  while  tlie  owners  of  the 
£10  shares  received  a  dividend  of  15 
per  cent.  The  authorised  capital  of 
the  company  is  £60,000,  of  which 
£33,600    has    been    called     up.     The 


Aston  line  from  Corporation  Street  to 
the  Lower  Grounds  was  opmed  for 
traffic  the  day  after  Christmas,  1832. 
The  Company's  capital  is  £50,000,  of 
which  nearly  one-halt' was  expended  on 
the  road  alone.  This  was  the  first 
tramway  ou  which  steam  was  used  as 
the  motive  power,  thougli  Doune's 
locomotive  was  tried,  Jan.  8,  1876, 
between  Hands  worth  and  West  Brom- 
wich,  and  Hughes's  l)etween  IMonmouth 
Street  and  Bourubrook  on  July  2, 
1880,  tlie  latter  distance  being  covered 
in  twenty-five  minutes  with  a  car-load 
of  passengt-rs  attached  to  the  engine. 
The  next  Company  to  be  formed  was 
tha  South  Stnlforilshire  and  Birming- 
ham District  Steam  Tramway  0).,  who 
"  broke  ground  "  July  26,  1882,  and 
opened  their  first  section,  about  seven 
miles  in  lengtii  (from  Haudswortli  to 
Darlaston),  June  25,  1883  This  line 
connects  Birmingham  with  West 
Bro;iuvich,  Wednesbnry,  Great  Bridge, 
Dudley,  Walsall,  and  intermediate 
places,  and  is  worked  with  40-horse 
})ower  engines  of  Wdkinson's  make. 
The  Birmingham  and  West  Suburban 
Tramways  Co.'s  lines,  commencing  in 
Station  Street  run,  by  means  of 
branches  from  several  parts,  to 
various  of  the  suburbs : — 1st,  by 
way  of  Pershore  Street,  Moat  Row, 
Bradford  Street,  and  Moseley  Road, 
to  ]\IoseIey  ;  2nd,  by  way  of  Deri- 
teml,  Bordesley,  Camp  Hill,  along 
Stratford  Road,  to  Sparkhill  ;  3rd, 
leaving  Stratford  Road  (at  the  Mer- 
maid) and  along  Warwick  Road,  to 
Acock's  Green  ;  4th.  striking  off  at 
Bordesley.  along,  the  Coventry  Road  to 
the  far  side  of  Small  Heath  Park  ;  5th, 
from  Moat  Row,  by  way  of  Smitlifield 
Street  tc  Park  Stre-t,  Duddeston 
Row,  Curzon  Street,  Vauxhall  Road, 
to  Nechells  Park  Road  ;  6th,  in  the 
same  liireetion  by  way  or  Gosta  Green, 
Lister  Street,  and  Great  Lister  Street, 
using  "running  powers"  over  the 
Aston  line  where  necessary  on  the 
last-named  and  following  routes  ;  7th 
from  Corporation  Street,  along  Aston 
Street,     Lancaster    Street,     Newtown 


330 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


Row,  up  the  Jiirchfield  Road  ;  8th, 
from  Six  Ways,  Birehtield,  along  the 
Lozells  Road  to  Villa  Cross,  and  from 
the  Lozells  Road  along  Wheeler  Street 
to  Constitution  Hill,  forming  ajuuc- 
tion  with  the  original  Hockle}'  and 
Snow  Hill  line.  The  system  of  lines 
projected  by  the  Western  Districts 
Co.,  include:  1st,  commencing  in 
Edmund  Street,  near  the  Great  Western 
Railway  Station,  along  Congreve 
Street,  Summer  Row,  Parade,  Frederick 
Street,  and  Vyse  Street,  to  jo  n  the 
Hockley  line  ;  2nd,  as  before  to  Parade, 
along  the  Sandpits,  Spring  Hill  to 
borough  boundary  in  Daaley  Road,  and 
along  Heath  Street  to  Stnethwick  ;  3rd, 
as  before  to  Spring  Hill,  thence  in  one 
direction  along  Monument  Road  to 
Hagley  Road,  and  in  the  opposite 
direction  along  Icknield  Street  to 
Hockley ;  4th,  starting  from  Lower 
Temple  Street,  along  Hill  Street, 
Hurst  Street,  Sherlock  Street  to  the 
borough  boundary  in  Pershore  Road, 
and  from  Sherlock  Street,  by  way  of 
Gooeh  Street,  to  Balsall  Heath  ;  5th, 
byway  of  HoUoway  Head.  Bath  Row, 
and  Islington  to  the  Five  Ways.  The 
whole  of  ihe  lines  now  in  use  and  being 
constructed  in  the  Borough  are  the 
property  of  the  Corporation,  who  lease 
them  to  the  several  Companies,  the 
latter  making  the  lines  outside 
the  borough  themselves,  and  keep- 
ing them  in  repair.  The  average 
cost  of  laying  down  is  put  at 
50s.  per  yai'd  for  single  line,  or  £5  per 
yard  for  double  lines,  the  cost  of  the 
metal  rail  itself  being  about  20s.  per 
yard. 

Trees  in  Streets.— Though  a  few 

trees  were  planted  along  the  Bristol 
Road  in  1853,  and  a  few  others  later 
in  some  of  the  outskirts,  the  sj^stem 
cannot  be  fairly  said  to  have  started 
till  the  spring  of  187G,  when  about  100 
plane  trees  were  planted  in  Broad 
Street,  100  limes  in  Bristol  Street,  20 
Canadian  poplars  in  St.  Martin's 
church-yard,  a  score  or  so  of  plane  trees 
near  Central  Station,  an  1  a  number  in 
Gosta   Green    and    the    various   play- 


grounds belonging  to  Board  Schools,  a 
few  elms,  sycamores,  and  Ontario 
poplars  being  mixed  with  them.  As  a 
matter  of  historical  fact,  the  first  were 
put  in  the  ground  Nov.  29,  1885,  in 
Stephenson  Place. 

Tunnels. — The  tunnel  on  the  Wor- 
cester and  Birmingham  Canal,  near 
King's  Norton,  is  2,695  yards  long, 
periectly  straight,  ITg-ft.  wide,  and 
18-ft.  high.  Ill  the  centre  a  basin  is 
excava\,ed  sufficiently  wide  for  'ourges 
to  pass  without  inconvenience  ;  and  in 
this  underground  chamber  in  August, 
1795,  the  Royal  Arch  Masons  held  a 
reg  dar  chapter  of  their  order,  rather 
an  arch  way  of  celebrating  the  com- 
pletion of  the  undertaking.  The  other 
tunnels  on  this  caiml  are  110,  120, 
406,  and  524  yards  in  length.  On  the 
old'  Birmingham  Canal  there  are  two, 
one  being  2,200  yards  long  and  the 
other  l,OiO  yards.  On  the  Loudon  and 
Birmingham  Railway  (now  London  and 
North  Western)  tlie  Watford  tunnel 
is  1,830  yards  long,  the  Kislev  tunnel 
2,423  yards,  and  Primrose  Hill  1,250 
yarJs.  On  the  Great  Western  line  the 
longest  is  the  Box  tunnel,  3,123  yards 
in  length.  The  deepest  tunnel  in 
England  pierces  the  hills  between 
Great  Malvern  and  Herefordshire,  be- 
ing 600fc.  from  the  rails  to  the  sur- 
face ;  it  is  1,560  yards  in  length.  The 
longest  tunnels  in  the  country  run 
under  the  range  of  hills  between  Mars- 
den  in  Yorkshire  and  Diggle  in  Lan- 
cashire, two  being  for  railway  and  one 
canal  use.  One  of  the  former  is  5,434 
yards,  and  the  other  (Stanedge,  on  the 
L.  &  N.  W^. )  5,435  yards  long,  while 
the  canal  tunnel  is  5,451  j'ards. 

Turnpike   Gates.— At  one  time 

there  were  gates  or  bars  on  nearly  every 
road  out  of  the  town.  Even  at  the 
bottom  of  Worcester  Street  there  was 
a  bar  across  tlie  road  in  1818.  There 
was  once  a  gate  at  the  junction  of 
Hang'sman  Line  (our  Great  Hampton 
Row)  and  Constitution  Hill,  which, 
being  shifted  further  on,  to  about  the 
spot  where  Green  and  Caiibury's  Works 
now  are,  remained  till  1839.     The  gate 


SHOWELl/S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


331 


in  Devitenil  was  removed  in  Auf^iist, 
1828  ;  the  one  at  Five  Ways  July  5, 
1841  ;  those  at  Snvill  Heith,  at  Spark- 
brook,  in  the  Moseley  Roul,  and  in  tlie 
Hagley  Road  w  re  ail  "IVee'd  "  in  1851, 
and  the  sites  of  the  toll  iiouses  sold  in 
1853.  In  the  "good  old  coacliiiig 
days"  the  tnrnpike  tolls  paid  on  a  coach 
rnnning  daily  from  here  to  London 
amounted  to  £1,428  per  year. 

Union   Passage,  at  first  but  a 

lield  path  out  ol  the  yard  of  the  Crown 
Tavern  to  the  Cherry  Orchard,  after- 
wards a  narrow  entry  as  far  as  Crooked 
Lane,  with  a  house  only  :tt  taoh  end, 
was  opened  up  and  widened  in  1823  by 
Mr.  Jones,  who  built  the  Paiitech- 
netheca.  Near  the  Bull  Street  end  was 
the  Old  Bear  Yard,  the  premises  of  a 
<tealer  in  do<;s,  rabbits,  pigeons,  and 
other  pets,  who  kept  a  big  brown  bear, 
which  was  taken  out  whenever  the 
Black  Country  boys  wanted  a  bear- 
baiting.  The  game  was  put  a  stop  to 
in  1835,  but  the  "cage"  was  there  in 
1841,  about  which  time  the  Passage 
became  built  up  on  both  sides 
throughout. 

Vaug-hton's  Hole.— An  unfortu- 
nate soldier  fell  into  a  deep  clay  pit 
liere,  in  July,  1857,  and  was  drowned  ; 
and  about  a  month  after  (August  6)  a 
horse  and  cart,  laden  with  street  sweep- 
ings, was  backed  too  near  the  edge, 
over-turned,  and  sank  to  the  bottom  of 
sixty  feet  deep  of  water.  The  place 
was  named  after  a  very  old  local  family 
who  owned  considerable  propi^rty  in 
the  neighhourhooj  of  Gooch  Street, 
&c. ,  though  the  descendants  are  known 
as  Hough  tons. 

Vauxhall. — In  an  old  book  descrip- 
tive of  a  tour  through  England,  in 
1766,  it  is  mentioned  that  near  Bir- 
mingham there  "  is  a  scat  belougingto 
Sir  Liston  Holte,  Bart.,  but  now  let 
out  for  a  public  house  (opened  June  4, 
1758),  where  are  gardens,  &c. ,  with  an 
organ  and  other  music,  in  imitation  of 
Vauxhall,  by  whicli  name  it  goes  in  the 
neighbourhood."  The  old  place,  hav- 
ing been   purchased   by   the   Victoria 


Land  Societ\'',  wa-  closed  by  a  far-Avell 
dinner  an  I  ball,  September  16,  1850, 
the  fir-it  stroke  of  tiie  axe  to  the  trees 
being  given  at  the  fiuish  of  the  ball, 
6  a. m  next  morning.  Li  the  days  of 
its  prime,  before  busy  bustling  Birming- 
ham pushed  up  to  its  walls,  it  ranked 
as  one  of  the  finest  places  of  amuse- 
ment anywhere  out  of  London.  The 
following  verse  (one  <^f  five)  is  from  an 
"  Improtniitu  written  byEdward  Farmer 
in  one  of  the  alcoves  at  Old  Vauxhall, 
March  6,  1850"  :— 

"Tliere's  scarce  a  heart  that  will  not  start, 

No  mitter  what  it's  rank  aiul  station, 
Ami  lieave  a  sigh  when  they  destroy. 

Tills  favourite  place  of  recreation. 
If  we  look  back  on  lueniory'.s  track, 

What  joyous  scenes  we  cai  recall, 
Of  happy  hours  in  its  gay  bowers, 

Aiid  fnends  w'i}  nut  at  Old  Vauxliall !" 

Velocipedes. — We  call  them  "  cy- 
cles" nowadays,  but  in  1816-20  they 
were  '■  dmdy-horses,"  and  in  the  words 
of  a  street  ballet  of  the  period 

"  The  hobby-horse  was  all  the  go 
In  country  and  in  town." 

Views    of    Bipming-ham.— The 

earliest  date  "view"  of  the  town  ap- 
pears to  be  the  one  given  in  Dugdale's 
Warwickshire,  of  1656,  and  entitled 
"The  Prospect  of  Birmingham,  ft  cm 
RavenhursT  (neere  London  Road),  in  the 
South-east  part  of  the  Towne." 

Villa  Cross  was  originally  built  for 
and  occupied  as  a  school,  and  known 
as  Aston  Villa  School. 

Visitors  of  Distinction  in  the  old 

Soho  days,  were  not  at  all  rare,  though 
they  had  not  the  advantages  of  travel- 
ling by  rail.  Every  event  of  the  kind, 
however,  was  duly  chronicled  in  the 
Gazette,  but  they  must  be  men  of 
superior  mark  indeed,  or  peculiarly 
notorious  perhaps,  for  their  movements 
to  be  noted  nowadays.  Besides  the 
"royalties"  noted  elsewhere,  we  were 
lionoureii  with  the  presence  of  the 
Chinese  Commissioner  Pin-ta-Jen.May, 
7,  1866,  and  his  Excellency  the 
Chinese  ]\Iinister  Kus-taJen,  January 
23,  1878.  Japanese  Ambassadors  were 
here  May  20,  1862,  and  again  Novem- 


332 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


ber  1,  1872.  Tlie  Burmese  Am- 
bassadors took  a  look  at  us  August 
14,  1872,  and  tlie  Madagascar  Am- 
bassadors followed  on  January  5, 
1883. — Among  the  brave  and  gallant 
visitors  avIio  have  noted  are  Generjl 
Elliott,  wlio  came  August  29th,  1787. 
Lord  Nelson,  August  30,  1802,  and 
there  is  an  old  Harborneite  s*ill  living 
who  says  he  can  recollect  seeing  the 
hero  come  out  of  the  hotel  in  Temple 
Row.  The  Duke  of  Wellington  and 
Sir  Robert  Peel  dined  at  Dee's  Hotel, 
September  23,  1830.  The  Duke's  old 
opponent.  Marshal  Soult,  in  July 
1838,  seemed  particularly  interested  in 
the  work  going  on  among  our  gun- 
shops.  Lad}'-  Havelock,  her  two 
daughters,  and  General  Havelock,  the 
only  surviving  brother  of  Sir  Henry, 
visited  the  town  October  8,  18r)8. 
General  Ulysses  Grant,  American  Ex- 
president,  was  soft-soaped  at  the  Town 
Hall,  October  19,  1877.— Politicians 
include  Daniel  O'Connell,  January 
20,  1832.  The  Right  Hon.  Benjamin 
Disraeli,  who  visited  the  Small  "Arms 
Factory,  August  18,  1869,  was  again 
here  August  22,  1876,  immediately 
after  being  raised  to  the  peerage  as 
Earl  of  Beaccnslield.  The  Right  Hon. 
W.  E.  Gladstone  was  welcomed 
with  a  procession  and  a  "monster 
meeting  "  at  Bingley  Hall.  May 
31,  1877.  The  Right  Hon.  R. 
A.  Cross,  Home  Secretary,  honoured 
the  Conservatives  by  attending  a  ban- 
quet in  the  Town  HhU,  Nov.  20,  1876. 
Sir  Stalfonl  Northcote.  then  Chancellor 
of  the  Exchequer,  came  here  Oct.  19, 
1878,  and  was  at  Aston,  Oct.  13,  1884, 
when  tlie  Radical  roughs  made  them- 
selves coiispicuous.  Lord  Randolph 
Churchill  wns  introduced  to  the  bur- 
gesses, April  15,  1884;  and  has  been 
here  nmny  timrs  since,  as  well  as  the 
late  Col.  Buriiaby,  who  commenced  his 
candidature  for  the  rejiresentation  of 
the  borough  July  23,  1878.  — In  the 
long  list  of  learned  and  literary  visitors 
occur  the  names  of  John  Wesley,  who 
first  came  here  in  March,  1738,  and 
preached     on     Gostu    Green    in    1743 


"VVhitfield  preached  here  in  Oct.,  1753. 
Benjamin  Franklin  wasiu  Birmingham 
in  1758,  and  for  long  afterwards 
corresponded  with  Baskerville  and 
Boulton.  Fulton,  the  American  engi- 
neer, (originally  a  painter)  studied  here 
in  1795.  Washington  Irving,  whose 
sister  was  married  to  Mr.  Henry  Van 
Wart,  spent  a  long  visit  here,  during 
the  course  of  which  he  wrote  the  series 
of  charming  tales  comprised  in  his 
"Sketch  Book."  His  "  Bracebridge 
Hall,"  if  not  written,  was  conceived 
here,  our  Aston  Hall  being  the  proto- 
type of  the  Hall,  and  tlie  Bracebridge 
family  of  Atlierstone  found  some  of  the 
characters.  Tiiomas  Carlyle  was  here 
in  1824  ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beeeher  Stowe 
("  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin  "),  in  Mav,  1853  ; 
Sir  W.  Croiton,  Oct.  9,  1862  ;  M. 
Chevalier,  April  28,  1875  ;  Mr.  Rus- 
kin,  Julv  14,  1877  ;  Rev.  Dr.  Punshon, 
iMarch  19,  and  J.  A.  Fioude,  M.A., 
Marc'  -.8,  1878  ;  Mr.  Archibald  Forbes, 
Apr'    .9,  1878  ;  H.  M.  Stanley,  Nov. 

6.  1S78;  Bret  Harte,  April  7,  1879; 
til,  Rev.  T.  de  Witt  Talmage,  an 
Ameiican  preacher  (  f  great  note,  lec- 
tured in   Town   Hall  June  9  and  July 

7,  1879,  on  "The  Bright  side  of 
Things,"  and  on  "Big  Blunders;" 
but,  taking  the  brightest  view  lie 
could,  he  afterwards  acknowledged  that 
his  coming  here  was  the  biggest  blunder 
he  had  ever  made.  Oscar  Wilde,  ]\Iarch 
13,  1884.  Lola  Montes  lectured  heie 
March  2-4,  1859.  Dr.  Kenealy  was 
here  June  26,  1875.  Th  Tichborne 
Claimant  showed  himself  at  the  Town 
Hail,  August  26,  1872,  and  again, 
"  after  his  exile,"  at  the  Birmingham 
Concert  Hall,  Jan.    12,1885. 

Volunteers  in  the  Olden  Time. 

— A  meeting  was  held  October  5,  1745, 
for  the  raising  of  a  ref;iment  of  volun- 
teers to  oppose  the  Scotch  rebels,  but 
history  does  not  chronicle  any  daring 
exploits  by  this  regiment.  Playing  at 
soldiers  would  seem  to  have  been  for- 
merly a  more  popular  (or  shall  we  say 
patriotic)  amusement  than  ot  late  years; 
for  it  is  recorded  that  a  local  corps 
was    organised    in  August,   1782,  but 


'sHOWELL's    dictionary    of    BIRMINGHAM. 


333 


we    suppose    it    was    disbanded    soon 
after,  asiu  1797,  when  the  threatening 
times  of  revolution  alarmed  our  peace- 
fnl  sires,   there  were  formed  in  Birming- 
ham t\vocoin])anics,oneofliorse  and  one 
of  foot,  each  500  strong,  under  the  com- 
mands of  Capt.  Pearson  and  LordBrooke. 
They    were     called    the    Birmingham 
Loyal  Association    of  Volunteers,    and. 
held    their    first    parade    in  Coleshill 
Street,    August    15,    1797.       On     the 
4th  of  June  following  a  grand    review 
was  held  on    Birmingliam  Heath  (then 
unenclosed)    to  the  delight  of  the  local 
belles,  who  knew  not   which  the    most 
to  admire,  the  scarlet  horse  or  the  blue 
foot.       Over    100,000    spectators   were 
said  to  have  been  present,  and,  strangest 
thing  of  all,  the  Volunteers  Avere  armed 
with  mu.'-kets  brought    from    Prussia. 
The  corps  had  the  honour  of  escorting 
Lord  Nelson  when,  with  Lady  Hamil- 
ton, he  visited  the  town  in    1802.      At 
a    review    on     August    2,     1804,    the 
regiment    were     presented     with     its 
colours,   and  for  years  the    "  Loyal s  " 
were   the    most    popular    men  of    the 
period.         Our     neiglibours      do      not 
seem  to  have  been  more  backward  than 
the  locals,  though  why  it  was  necessary 
that   the   services  of  the   Handsworlh 
Volunteer  Cavalry  should  be   required 
to    charge    and    put     to     flit'ht     the 
rioters  in    Snow   Hill  (May   29,    1810) 
is    not  very  clear. — See    also   "  Train 
Bands. " 

Volunteers  of  the  Ppesent  Day. 

— The  first  official  enrolment  of  Volun- 
teers of  the  presen  t  corps,  was  dated  Nov. 
"25,  1859,  though  a  list  of  names  was 
on  paper  some  three  months  earlier. 
Unlike  sundry  other  movements  which 
are  noAv  of  a  national  character^  that 
for  the  formation  of  a  volunteer  army 
was  so  far  from  having  a  local  origin, 
that  for  a  long  time  it  was  viewed  with 
anything  but  favour  in  Birmingham  ; 
and,  though  it  is  not  pleasant  to  record 
the  fact,  it  was  not  until  the  little 
parish  of  Handsworth  had  raised  its 
corps  of  the  First  Staffordshire,  that 
the      Brums      really      stepped      into 


the  ranks.  Properly  the  natal 
day  should  be  reckoned  as  th".  14th  of 
December,  1859,  when  a  town's  meet- 
ing was  held  "for  the  purpose  of 
adopting  such  measures  as  might  seem 
desirable  for  placing  Birmingham  in 
its  proper  position  with  regard  to  the 
great  national  rifle  movement."  The 
Hon.  Charles  Granville  Scott  had  been 
previously  selected  by  Lord  Leigh  (the 
Lord-Lieutenant  of  the  Count}')  as 
Colonel,  Major  Sanders  had  accepted 
the  Captaincy,  Mr.  J.  0.  Mason  been 
appointed  Lieutenant,  and  111  names 
entered  on  the  roll  of  members  of  the 
1st  Company,  but  it  was  not  till  the 
above-named  day  that  the  movement 
really  mRdo  progress,  the  Mayor  (Mr. 
Thos.  Lloyd),  Sir  Johu  Ratcliff,  Mr. 
A.  Dixon,  and  Mr.  J.  Lloyd  each 
then  promising  to  equip  his  twenty 
men  apiece,  and  sundry  other  gentle- 
men aiding  to  dress  up  others  of  the 
rank  and  file.  The  money  thus  being 
found  tlie  men  were  soon  forthcoming 
too,  the  end  of  the  year  showing  320 
names  on  the  roll  call,  a  number 
increased  to  1,080  by  the  close 
of  ISGO.  The  latter  year  saw  the 
first  parade  in  Calthorpe  Park,  the 
opening  of  the  range  at  Bouinebrook, 
and  the  formation  of  the  twelve  com- 
panies forming  the  first  battalion,  but, 
notwithstandingmany  liberal  donations 
(the  gunmakers  giving  £850),  and  the 
proceeds  of  the  first  annual  ball,  it 
closed  with  the  corps  being  in  debt 
over  £1,000.  On  the  formation  of  the 
2nd  county  battalion,  Cul.  Scott  took 
comniand  thereof,  Jlajor  Sanders  being 
promoted.  He  was  followed  by  Lieut. - 
Col.  Mason,  on  whose  resignation,  in 
February,  1867,  Major  Ratcliff  suc- 
ceeded, the  battalion  being  then  1,161 
strong.  Col.  Ratcliff  retired  in  June, 
1871,  and  was  replaced  by  Major- 
General  Hinde,  C.  B. ,  who  held  com- 
mand until  his  death,  ilarch  1, 
1881.  Major  Gem  who  temporarily 
acted  as  commander,  also  died  the 
following  Nov.  4,  Major  Burt  filling 
the  ])ost  till  the  appointment  of  Col. 
"W.   Swynfen  Jervis.      The  first  adju- 


334 


SnOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIKMINGHAM. 


taut  (appointed  in  1860)  was  Captain 
Mclnni^,  wlio  retired  in  1870,  having 
received  Ijodily  injuries  through  being 
thiown  tVum  his  liorse  ;  he  wa^  suc- 
ceeded by  the  present  Adjutiuit-Colonel 
Tarte.  The  first  uniionn  of  tlie  corps 
was  a  grey  tunic  witli  green  facings, 
and  a  peaked  cap  with  cock's  feathers  ; 
in  1863  this  was  change  1  for  a  green 
uniform  with  red  facings^  similar  to 
that  woin  by  tlie  60th  Rifles,  with  the 
exception  of  a  broad  red  stripe  on  the 
trousers.  The  trouser  stripe  was  done 
away  with  in  1875,  when  also  the  cap 
and  feathers  gave  place  to  the  busby 
and  glengarry,  the  latter  in  1884  being 
exchanged  for  the  regulation  army 
hehner,  and  soon  perhaps  our  boys  will 
all  be  seen  in  scarletlike  theirbrother.sof 
the  Statl'ordsliire  battalions.  At  no  date 
since  its  enrolment  has  the  battalion 
been  free  from  debt,  and  it  now  owes 
about  £1,300,  a  state  ofaffiirs  hardly 
creditable  to  the  town  which  sends  out 
yearly,  some  half-million  firearms  from 
its  maiiutactorits.  The  annual  balls  did 
not  become  popular,  the  last  taking  place 
in  1864 ;  bazaars  were  held  October 
14-17,  1863,  and  October  24-27, 
1876  ;  athletic  displays  have  been  givei» 
(the  first  in  May,  1865),  and  the  cap 
has  been  scut  round  more  than  once, 
but  the  debt — it  still  remains.  At  the 
Volunteer  Review,  July  24,  1861, 
before  the  Duke  of  Cambridge  ;  at  the 
Hyde  Park  Review,  June,  1865, 
before  the  Prince  of  Wales  ;  at 
the  Midland  Counties'  Review  at 
Derb)',  June,  1867;  at  the  Royal 
Review  at  Windsor  in  1868  ; 
and  at  every  inspection  since,  the  i5ir- 
mingham  corps  has  merited  and  re- 
ceived the  highest  praise  for  general 
smartness  and  efficiency  ;  it  is  one  of 
the  crack  corps  of  the  kingdom,  and  at 
the  present  time  (end  of  1884)  has  not 
one  ineflicient  member  out  of  its  1.200 
rank  and  file,  but  yet  the  town  is  not 
Liberal  enough  to  support  it  properly. 
The  first  march-out  of  720  to  Suiton 
took  place  June  21,  1875,  others  join- 
ing at  the  camp,  making  over  800 
being     under   canvas,     744    attending 


the  review.  The  camping-out  at 
Streetly  Wood  has  annually  recurred 
since  that  date  ;  the  first  sham  figlic 
took  place  June  20,  1877.  The 
"  coming-of-age  "  was  celebrated  by  a 
dinner  at  the  Midland  Hotel,  Janu- 
ary 29,  1881,  up  to  which  time 
the  Government  grants  had  amounted 
to  £26,568  143.,  the  local  subsi'riptions 
to  £8,780,  and  the  donations  to 
£1,956  Is.  3d.  The  Birmingham  Rifle 
Corps  is  now  known  as  the  Fust  Volun- 
teer Battalion  of  the  Royal  Warwick- 
shire Regiment,  having  been  liuked  to 
the  "Saucy  Sixth,"  under  the  army 
scheme  of  1873.— See  "  Public  Build- 
ings— Drill  Hall." 

Von  Beck.— The  Baroness  Von 
Beck  was  a  lady  intimately  connected 
with  the  chiefs  of  the  Hungarian  Revo- 
lution of  1848,  and  appears  to  have 
been  employed  by  them  in  various 
patriotic  services.  In  1851  she  visited 
Birmingham  and  was  a  welcome  guest 
until  "someone  blundered"  and  charged 
her  with  being  an  impostof.  On  the 
evt^ning  of  Augi'.st  29,  she  and  her 
copatriot,  Constant  Derra  de  Moroda, 
were  arrested  at  the  house  of  JMr. 
Tyndall  and  locked  up  on  suspicion  of 
fraud.  Her  sudden  death  in  the  police- 
court  next  morning  put  a  stop  to  the 
case  ;  but  an  action  resulted,  in  which 
George  Dawson  and  some  friends  were 
cast  for  heavy  damages  as  a  salve  tor 
the  injured  honour  of  JI.  de  Moroda. 

Wages  and  Work.— In  1272  the 

wages  of  a  labouring  man  was  just  l^d. 
per  day.  In  Henry  VIII. 's  reign 
labourers'  wages  averaged  4d.  per  day  ; 
skilled  workmen  hh,^.  per  day.  The 
penny  at  that  time  was  equal  to  a  shil- 
ing  of  the  present  day,  and  would, 
relativel}',  purchase  as  much.  In  1682, 
the  Justices  of  the  Peace  as-einbled  in 
Quarter  Sessions  at  Warwick  fixed  the 
rates  of  wages  to  be  paid  to  the  several 
classes  of  artificers,  labourers,  and 
others,  as  enjoined  by  a  statue  of 
Elizabetli.  From  their  order  then 
made,  wo  find  that  a  master  carpenter, 
his  servants,  and  journej'uien,  were  to 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


335 


receive  Is  each  per  day  ;  a  master 
bricklayer,  a  mason,  a  cartwright,  a 
thatclier,  a  tyler,  a  mower,  and  a 
reaper  also  Is.  per  day,  other  workmen 
and  labourers  averaging  from  4  i.  to8ii. 
per  day,  but  none  of  them  to  receive 
more  than  half  these  rates  if  their  meat 
and  drink  was  found  them.  The  hours 
of  work  to  be  from  five  in  the  morning 
till  half- past  seven  at  night.  Any  per- 
son refusing  to  woik  upon  these  ternis 
was  to  be  imprisoned,  and  anyone  pa}'- 
ing  more  to  forfeit  £5  in  ^idditiou  to 
ten  days'  imprisonment,  the  unfortu- 
nate individual  receiving  such  extra 
wages  to  suffer  in  like  manner  for 
twenty-one  days.  In  1777,  there  was  a 
row  among  the  tailors,  which  led  to 
what  may  bo  called  the  first  local  strike. 
The  unfortunate  "  knights  of  the 
thimble "  only  got  12s.  to  14s.  per 
week. 

WaPStone  Lane  takes  its  name 
from  the  Hoarstone,  .supposed  to  have 
been  an  ancient  boundary  mark,  which 
formerly  stood  at  the  corner  of  the 
lane  and  IcknieLl  Street,  and  wliich  is 
now  preserved  witliiu  the  gateway  en 
trance  to  the  Church  of  England  ceme- 
tery. Hutton  says  that  in  1400  there 
was  a  castle,  with  a  moat  round  it.  in 
Warstoue  Lane.  The  lane  has  also 
been  called  Deadmaii's  Lane,  and  con- 
sidering the  proximity  of  the  cemetery 
that  name  might  even  now  be  appli- 
cable. 

Wapwiek  House,  as  it  now  stands 

was  began  in  1839  or  1840  ;  formerly 
it  was  composed  of  two  cottages,  one 
with  a  bit  of  garden  ground  in  front, 
which  underwent  the  usual  transfor- 
mation scene  of  being  first  covered  in 
then  built  upon. 

WaPWiekshire,  the  county  in 
which  Birmingliam  is  situated,  has  a 
total  area  of  566,458  acres,  of  which 
283,946  acres  are  premanent  pasture 
lands,  and  210,944  acres  under  crops 
or  arable  land.  In  1882  the  live 
stock  in  the  country,  as  returned  by 
the  occupiers  of  land,  included  29,508 


horses,  5,503  being  kept  solely  for 
breeding  ;  93,334  cattle  ;  218,355 
sheep  ;  and  41,832  pigs. 

Warwick  Castle  is  open  tovisitors 
every  day,  except  Sunday  ;  when  the 
famiiyareabsentfioni  home,  from  9  a.m. 
to  4  p.m., but  if  they  are  at  home,  from 
9  to  10  a.m.  only. 

WaPWiek  Vase.— The  bronze  copy 
in  Aston  Hail  was  cast  by  Sir  Richard 
Thoniasoii. 

Wapwickshire      Regiment.  — 

The  6th  Foot  recruited  in  this  county 
in  1778  so  succe.ssfully  that  it  was 
called  "The  Warwickshire,"  Birming- 
ham supplying  the  largest  proportion 
cf  the  men,  and  raising  by  public  sub- 
scription £2,000  towards"  their  equip 
ment.  Under  Lord  Cardweil's  army 
localisation  pla?i  of  1873,  the  regi- 
ment is  now  called  the  1st  Royal  War- 
wickshire, and,  with  the  AVar>.sickshire 
Militia  and  Volunteers,  forms  the  28th 
Brigade. 

Wateh  House.— On  the  right  land 
side  ot  Crooked  Lane  from  Higii  Street, 
may  still  be  seen  the  old  Watch  House, 
v;here,  fifty  years  ago,  the  ''  Charleys," 
or  night  watchmen,  took  any  drunken 
or  disorderly  characters,  or  night 
prowlers,  they  happened  to  meet  with^ 
or  whom  they  dare  tackle. 

Waterloo  Veterans.— John   Me 

Kay  was  burn  in  iSTovenibor,  1792,  and 
entered  the  army  as  a  druraraerboy  in 
1803  ;  he  died  here  in  July,  1879.  He 
served  41  years,  and  was  for  the  last 
25  years  of  his  life  office  keep;r  of  the 
Royal  Engineers'  Office  in  this  town. 
Another  "  AVaterloo  man,"  George 
Taylor,  died  here,  November  6,  1880, 
aged  98. 

WateP  Pipes.— In  I8IO  Mr.  Mur- 
doch started  a  Company  for  manufac- 
turing stone  pipes  for  water-works, 
«nd  they  made  a  large  quantity,  which 
were  laid  down  in  Lomion  and  Man- 
chester, but  they  had  to  come  up 
aijain,  as  the  pipes  split — and  the 
Company  burst. 


336 


SlIOWELL  S    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


Waterspouts  and  Whirlwinds 

are  uot  ot  coiuinoii  occurrence  liere- 
abouts.  One  of  the  former  burst  over 
the  Lickey  Hills,  April  13,  1792,  the 
resulting  tiood  reacliingto  Bronisgrove. 
A  whirlwind  at  Cileshill,  April  4,, 
1877,  played  havoc  with  some  hay- 
ricks, liedges,  trees,  &c. 

Water  Street,  fjrmeily  Water 
Lane,  had  a  brouk  running  down  one 
side  of  it  when  houses  were  first  built 
there. 

Weather   Cocks.  —  Mention    is 

made  ot  Weather  Cocks  as  early  as  the 
ninth  century,  and  it  has  been  sup- 
posed that  the  Cock  was  intended  as 
an  emblem  ot  the  vigilance  of  the 
clergy,  who  irreverently  styled  them- 
selves the  Cocks  of  the  Almighty,  their 
duty  being,  like  the  cock  which  roused 
Peter,  to  call  the  jieople  to  repentance, 
or  at  any  rate  to  church.  Thete  are 
the  longest-lived  birds  we  know  of. 
The  one  which  had  been  perched  on 
the  old  spire  of  St.  Martin's  for  a 
hundred  years  or  more  was  brought 
down  July  22,  1S53,  and  may  still  be 
seen  at  Aston  Hall,  along  with  the  old 
bird  that  tumbled  oif  Aston  church 
October  G,  1877.  The  last  was  made 
of  copper  in  July,  1830,  and  contained, 
among  other  articles,  a  copy  of  Swiii- 
ney's  Birmingham  Clirunicle  of  June 
29,  1815,  wuh  a  full  account  of  the 
Battle  of  Waterloo. 

Weighing  Machines  were  intro- 
duced by  John  Wyatt,  in  1761,  and  the 
first  was  purchased  by  the  Overseers  in 
1767,  so  that  the  profits  might  reduce 
the  poor  rates-.  It  was  situated  at  the 
top  corntv  of  Snow  Hill,  and  so  much 
did  the  Overseers  value  it,  that  they 
gave  notice,  (Feb.  18th,  1783)  of  their 
intention  of  app'yii!g  to  Paidiament  for 
the  moniipoly  of  securing  "  the  benefit 
of  weighing  out  coals  to  the  town." 

Welsh  Cross.— One  of  the  Old- 
time  Market-houses  at  the  corner  of 
Bull  Street,  the  bottom  portion  of  the 
edifice  being  used  by  country  people  as 
abutter  market.  The  upper  room  was 
/or  meetings  and  occasionally  used  for 


the  detention  of  prisoners  who  came  (it 
has  been  said)  Hi  rough  the  window  on 
to  a  small  platform  for  the  pillory  or 
cat-o'-nine-tails,  according  to  their  sen- 
tence. 

West  Bromwich,  if  we  are  to 
credit  "  Bricaunii  Depicto,"  published 
lu  1753,  was  otiginally  West  Bromi- 
oliam,  or  West  Birmingham. 

Wheeley's  Lane,  though  one  ot 

the  quietest  ihoronghlares  in  Edgbaston, 
was  formerly  used  as  part  of  the  coach- 
road  to  Bristol,  those  vehicles  passing 
the  Old  Church  and  down  Priory 
Road. 

Windmill. —The  old  windmill  that 
us.d  to  be  on  HoUov-ay  Head  is  marked 
on  the  1752  map,  and  it  has  been 
generally  understood  that  a  similar 
structure  stood  there  for  many  genera- 
tions, but  this  one  was  built  about 
1745.  The  sails  might  have  been  seen 
in  motion  forty  or  lorty-five  years  a^o, 
and  probably  corn  was  then  grou'nd 
there.  After  the  departure  of  the 
miller  and  his  men  it  was  used  for  a 
time  as  a  sort  of  huge  summer  house, 
a  camera  obscura  being  placed  at  the 
toji,  from  which  panoramic  vicAVs  of 
the  neighbourhood  could  be  taken.  It 
was  demolished  but  a  few  years  back. 

Woman's  Rig-htS.— A  local  branch 
of  the  Women's  riuli'rage  Association 
was  formed  here  in  1868  :  a  Women's 
Liberal  Association  was  instituted  in 
Octobei-,  1673  ;  a  branch  of  the  National 
Union  ot  Worsing  Women  was  organ- 
ised January  29th,  1S75;  and  a  Woman 
Ratepayers'  Protection  Society  was 
established  in  August,  1881.  With 
ladies  on  the  School  Board,  lady 
Guardians,  lady  doctors,  a  specia'l 
Women's  Property  Protection  Act,  &c., 
&c.,  it  can  hardly  be  said  that  our  lady 
friends  are  much  cut  tailed  of  their 
liberty.  We  know  there  are  Ladies' 
Refrefhment  Rooms,  Ladies'  Restau- 
rants, and  Ladies'  Associations  for 
Uselul  Work  and  a  good  many  other 
things,  but  we  doubt  if  the  dear 
creaiures  of  to-day  would  ever  dream 
of  having  such   an    instiiutiou   as 


e-HDWBLL's    DICTlONAUr    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


337 


Ladies'  Card  Club,  like  that  of  their 
Edgbastou  predecessors  of  a  century 
back. 

Women  Guardians.  —  The  in- 
troduction of  the  female  element  in  the 
choice  of  Guardians  of  the  Poor  has 
long  been  thought  desirable,  and  an 
Association  for  promoting  the  election 
of  ladies  was  formed  in  1SS2.  There 
are  now  two  women  Guardians  on  the 
Birmingham  Board,  and  one  on  the 
King's  Norton  Board.  Taking  lesson 
of  their  political  biothers;,  the  -nem- 
bers  of  the  Association,  experiencing 
some  difficulty  in  finding  ladies  wirh 
proper  legal  qualification  to  serve  on 
the  Board,  "purchased  a  qualification," 
and  then  run  their  candidate  in.  The 
next  step  will  doubtless  be  to  pay  then- 
members,  and,  as  the  last  year's  in- 
come of  the  Association  amounted  to 
£12  4s.  lid.,  there  can  be  no  difficulty 
there. 

Yeomanry   Cavalry.— The  last 

official  report  showed  the  Warwickshire 
regiment  could  muster  213  on  parade  ; 
while  the  Staltbrdslurd  had  422. 

Y.M.C.A.    and    Y.W.C.A. -See 

"  Philanthropic    Institutions." 


Zoologrieal  Association.— Early 

in  1873  a  provisional  committee  of 
gentlemen  undertook  the  formation  of 
a  local  society  similar  to  that  of  the 
Regent's  Park,  of  London,  proposing 
to  raise  a  fund  of  £7,000  towards  such 
an  establishment,  partly  by  donations 
and  partly  in  shape  of  entrance  fees  to 
Fellowship  (fixed  at  £5).  It  was  be- 
lieved that  with  a  fair  number  of  annual 
40s.  subscriptions  and  gate  money 
from  the  public  that  such  a  society 
might  be  made  successful  ;  several 
handsome  donations  were  promised, 
and  a  lot  of  "fellows"  put  their  names 
down  as  good  for  the  iivers,  but  when, 
a  little  time  after,  Edmunds'  [alias 
Wombwell's)  agents  were  trying  to  find 
here  a  purchaser  for  their  well-known 
travelling  collections,  the  piecrust  pro- 
verb was  again  proved  to  be  correct. 

Zoological     Gardens.  —  Morris 

Roberts,  the  ex-prizefighter,  opened  a 
menagerie  in  the  grounds  ot  the  Sher- 
bourne  Hotel,  and  called  it  The  Zoolo- 
gical Gardens,  May  4,  1873.  The 
animals  were  sold  in  April,  1876,  the 
place  not  being  sufficiently  attractive. 


338 


SnOWBLLS    DICTIONARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


©bftuary* 

The  following  short  list  of  local  people  of  interest  may  not  bo  an  unacceptable 
addition  to  the  many  whose  names  appear  in  various  parts  of  the  preceding 
work  : — 


AiTKEN,    W.  C. ,  the    workincj   man's 

friend,  died  March   24,    1875,  aged 

58. 

Albite*,       Achille,       a       respected 

♦teacher  of  French,  died  June  8,  1872, 

aged  63. 

Aiiis.  Thomas,  founder  of  the  Gazette, 

died  July  4,  1761. 
Aylesfoud,  Lord,  died  Jan.  13,  1885, 

at  Big  Spring.s,  Texas,  aged  35. 
Banks.  iMoupas  chemist  and  druggist, 

died  June  21,  1880,  aged  75. 
Banks,  William,  long  connected  with 
the  local  Press,  died  March  1,  1870, 
aged  50. 
Bates,  William,  a  literary  connoisseur 
of  much  talent,  died  September  24, 
1884. 
BoTJLTON,  Ann,  only  daughter  of  Mat- 
thew   Boulton,    died    October    13, 
1829. 
BnowN,   Rev.     Philip,    for   32    years 
Vicar    of  St.     James's,    Edgbaston, 
died  September  15,  1884. 
Bird,  Alfred,  well-known  as  a  manu- 
facturing   chemist,   died    December 
15>  1878,  aged  67. 
Barrett,   Rev.    I.     C,    for  43   years 
Rector  of  Sc.  Mary's,  died  February 
26,  1881. 
Bracebridoe,    Charles     Holte,    a 
descendant  of   the  Holtes  of  Aston, 
died  July    12,  1872,   aged    73.     He 
left    several    pictures,   &c. ,    to    the 
town. 
Brailsford,   Rev.   Mr.,   Head-master 
Grammar  School,  died  November 20, 
1775. 
Bray,  Solomon,  formerly  Town  Clerk, 

died  January  9,  1859. 
Breay,  Rev.  John  George,  .seven  years 
Minister     of    Christ     Church,  died 
December  5,  1839,  in  his  44th  year. 


Breedon,    Luke,    over   fifty    years  a 

minister  of  the  Society  of  Friends, 

died  in  1740,  aged  81. 
Briggs,    Major,  W.    B.    R.    V.,   died 

January  24,  1877,  aged  45. 
Burn,     Rev.      Edward,     52      years 

Minister  at  St.  Mary's,  died  May  20, 

1837,  aged  77. 
Cadbury,    B.    H.,    died  January    23, 

1880,  in  his  82nd  year. 
Chavasse,     Pye. — A     surgeon,    well 

known  by  his  works  on  the  medical 

treatment  of    women   and  children, 

died  September  20,  1879,  in  his  70th 

year. 
Chavasse,  Thos.,  pupil  of  Abernethy, 

and  followed  his  profession   in  this 

town  till   his  80th  year.     He   died 

October  19,  1884,  aged  84. 
Church,  Benj.,  of  the  Gazette,  died 

July  1,  1874,  aged  48. 
Davis,  George,  a  local  poet,  as  well 

as  printer,  died  1819. 

Dawson,  Susan  Frances,  relict  of 
George  Dawson,  died  November  9, 
1878. 

Dobbs,  James,  a  comic  song  writer 
and  comudiai),  a  great  favourite  with 
his  fellow-townspeople,  died  Novem- 
ber 1,  1837,  aged  56. 

Eginoton,  F. ,  an  eminent  painter  on 
glass,  died  March  25,  1805,  aged 
68. 

Elkington,  Geoik.e  Richards,  the 
patentee  and  founder  of  the  electro- 
l)late  trade,  died  September  22,  1866 
ageil  65. 

Everitt,  Edwakd,  landscape  painter, 
a  pupil  of  David  Co.x,  and  a  member 
of  the  oritrinal  Society  of  Arts,  died 
July  2,  1880,  in  his  88th  year. 

Fekney,  J.  F. ,  proprietor  of  ^mreiny- 
ham  Journal,  diid  May  12,  1869. 


SHOWBr.L's    DICTION^ART    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


339, 


Freeth,  Miss  Jane,  last  surviving 
daughter  of  poet  Freetb,  died  Sep- 
tember 2,  1860,  aged  89. 

Garbett,  Rev.  John,  died  August 
23,  1858,  aged  66. 

Garner,  Thomas,  a  distinguished 
line  engraver,  died  in  July,  1868. 
His  delineations  of  the  nude  figure 
were  of  the  highest  excellence. 

Godfrey,  Robt.,  for  nearly  fifty  years 
a  minister  of  the  Catholic  Apostolic 
Cliurch,  died  Jan.  12,  1883,  aged  75. 

GouGH,  .John,  an  old  churchwarden  of 
St.  Martin's,  died  November  30, 
1877,  aged  63. 

Hammond,  Rev.  Joseph,  Congrega- 
tional Minister,  Handswortli,  died 
March,  30,  1870. 

Hanman,  William,  for  twenty-one 
vears  Market  Superintendent,  died 
bee.   1,  1877,  aged  51. 

Hill,  M.  D.,  first  Borough  Recorder, 
died  June  7,  1872,  aged  79. 

Hill,  Rev.  Micaiah,  director  of  the 
Town  Mission,  founder  of  the  Female 
Refuge,  and  Cabmen's  Mission,  &c., 
died  September  24,  1884,  aged  60. 

HoDGETTs,  William,  the  first  printer 
of  the  Birmingham  Journal  (in  1825) 
and  afterwards  publisher  oi Birming- 
ham  Advertiser,    died    January    2, 

1874,  aged  83. 

Hodgson,  Mr.  Joseph,  for  27  years  one 
of  the  surgeons  at  General  Hospital, 
died  February  7,  1869,  aged  82. 

Holder,  Henry,  died  January  27, 
1880,  in  his  70th  year. 

HoLLiNGS,  AV.,  architect,  died  January 
12,  1843,  aged  80. 

HoRTON,  Isaac,  pork  butcher,  died 
November  15,  1880,  aged  59.  His 
property  in  ibis  town  estimated  at 
£400,000,  besides  about  £100,000 
worth  in  Walsall,  West  Bromwich, 
&c. 

Hudson,  Benjamin,  printer,  54 
years  in  one  shop,  died  December  9, 

1875,  aged  79. 


Hutton  Catherine,  only  daughter 
of  AVilliam  Hutton.  died  March  31, 
1846,  aged  91. 

Hutton,  Rev.  Hugh,  many  years 
minister  at  Old  Meeting,  died  Sep- 
tember 13,  1871,  aged  76. 

IvERs,  the  Very  Rev.  Bernard, 
canon  of  St.  Chad's  Cathedral,  and 
for  thirty  years  rector  of  St.  Peter's 
(Roman  Catliolic)  church.  Broad 
Street,  died  June  19,  1830. 

Jaffuay,  James,  a  pleasant  writer  of 
local  history,  died  Jan.  7,  1884. 

Jeune,  Rev.  Francis,  Bishop  of  Peter- 
borough, and  once  head  master  of 
Free  Grammar  School,  died  August 
21,  1868,  aged  62. 

Kennedy,  Rev.  Rann,  of  St.  Paul's 
died  January  5,  1851,  aged  79. 

•  Kentish,  Rev.  John,  tor  fifty  year^ 
pastor  at  the  New  Meeting,  died 
March  6,  1853. 

Knight,  Edward,  an  eminent  comic 
actor,  who  had  long  performed  at 
Drury  Lane  and  the  Lj'ceum,  was 
born  in  this  town  in  1774  ;  died 
Feb.  21,  1826. 

Lee,  Dr.  J.  Prince,  the  iirst  Bishop 
of  Manchester,  and  who  had  been 
for  man}'  years  head  master  at  Free 
Grammar  School,  died  December  24, 
1869. 

Lloyd,  Mr.  Sampson,  banker  died 
December  28,  1807,  aged  SO. 

Macready,  Wm.  ,  many  years  mana- 
ger at  Theatre  Royal,  died  April  11, 
1829. 

Mackenzie,  Rev.  John  Robertson, 
D.  D.,  many  years  at  Scotch  Church, 
Broad  Street,  died  March  2,  1877, 
aged  66. 

Maddock.*-',  Charles,  a  local  democrat 
of  1819,  died  April  3,  1856,  aged 
78. 

Marsden,  Rev.  J.  B.,  of  St.  Peter's, 
died  June  16,  1870. 

McInnis,  Capt.  P.,  adjutant  B.R.V., 
died  February  16,  1880,  aged  66 
years 


340 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OP    BIRMINGHAM. 


Mitchell,  Sidney  J.,  solicitor,  acci- 
dentally killed  at  Solihull,  March 
22,  1882. 

Mole,  Major  Robert,  B.R.V.,  died 
June  9,  1875,  aged  46. 

MoouE,  JosEi'H,  "founder  of  the  Bir- 
mingham Musical  Festival,"  died 
April  19,  1851. 

MOTTERAM,  J.,  eiglit  years  County 
Court  Judge,  died  Sept.  19,  1884, 
aged  67. 

Nettlefolu,  Joseph  Henry,  died 
November  22,  1881,  aged  54.  He 
left  a  valuable  collection  of  pictures 
to  the  Art  Gallery, 

Nott,  Dr.  John,  born  in  1751,  studied 
surgery  in  Birmingham,  but  was 
better  known  as  an  elegant  poet  and 
Oriental  scholar,  died  in  1826. 

Oldkxow,  Rev.  Joseph,  Vicar  of  Holy 
Trinity,  died  September  3, 1874, aged 
66. 

Oslee,  Thos.  Clarkson,  died  Nov.  5, 
1876,  leaving  personal  estate  value 
£140,000.  He  bequeathed  £1,000  to 
the  hospitals,  and  £3,000  to  the  Art 
Gallery. 

Page,  Rev.  Richard,  first  Vicar  of 
St.  Asaph's,  died  March  9,  1879, 
aged  41. 

Pembeuton,  CiiAiiLES  Reece,  long 
connected  with  Mechanics' Institute, 
died  March  3,  1840,  aged  50. 

Penn,  Benjamin,  died  November  13, 
1789.  He  was  one  of  the  old. 
"newsmen  "  who,  for  twenty  years, 
delivered  the  Gazette  to  its  readers, 
and  though  he  travelled  nearly  100 
miles  a  week,  never  suffered  from 
illness. 

Pettit,  Rev.  G.,  Vii^ar  of  St.  Jude's, 
died  January  19,  1873,  aged  64. 

Pye,  John,  a  celebrated  landscape  en- 
graver, died  February  6,  1874,  aged 
91. 

Ratcliff,  Lady  Jane,  widow  of  Sir 
John,  died  Sept.  12,  1874,  aged  72. 


Redferk,  AVilliam,  the  first  Town 
Clerk,  died  April  23, 1872,  aged  70. 

Reece,  "W.  H.,  solicitor,  died  in  May, 
1873,  aged  63  He  rebuilt  St. 
Taduo's  Church,  en  the  Ormeshead, 
and  did  much  to  popularise  Llan- 
dudno. 

Richards,  Mr.  Wm.  Westley,  the 
world-known  gunmaker,  died  Sept. 
14,  1875,  aged  76. 

Robins,  Ebenezer,  auctioneer,  died 
July  1,  1871. 

Rotton,  H.,  died   December  13,  aged 

67. 
S.'i.LT,  T.    C. ,    a  prominent  member  of 

the   Political    Union,    died  April  27, 

1859,  aged  70. 

Saxton,  Rev.  Lot,  a  Methodist  New 
Connexion  Minister  of  this  town, 
died  suddenly,  September,  1880,  in 
his  72nd  year. 

SCHOLEFIELD,      JO-SHUA,       M.P.,      died 

July  4,  1844,  aged  70. 

ScHOLEFiELD,  Rev.  Radcliffe,  for  30 
ve-irs  pastor  of  Old  Meeting,  died 
June  27,  1803,  aged  70. 

Smith,  Joh-^,  attornsv,  died  Septem- 
ber 23,  1867. 

Smith,  Toulmin",  died  April  30,  1869. 

Spooner,  Rev.  LsAAC,  for  36  years 
Vicar  of  Elijbaston,  died  Julv  26, 
1884,  pged  76. 

Spooner,  Richard,  Esq.,  M.P.,  died 
November  24,  1864,  aged  81. 

Spooner,  Mr.  William,  for  seventeen 
years  County  Court  Judge,  of  the 
North  Stalfardshire  district,  died 
May  19,  1880,  in  his  69th  year. 

Stanbridcie,  Thomas,  Town  Clerk 
died  February  10,  1369,  aged  52. 

St.  John,  Rev.  Ambrose,  of  the 
Oratory,  died  ]\Iay  24,  1875,  aged 
60. 

SwtNNEY,  Myles,  50  years  publisher 
of  the  Birminqham  Chronicle,  died 
November  2,  1812,  aged  74. 


SHOWELLS    DICTIONARY    OF    BIRMINGHAM. 


.™l*'>i,341 


Thornto:^,  Capt.  F.,  B.R.V.,  was 
thrown  from  his  carriage  and  killed, 
May  22,  1876.  He  was  35  years  of 
age. 

TuKNBR,  Geouce  (firm  of  Turner,  Son 
and  Nephew),  died  March  25,  1875, 
aged  68,  leaving  a  fortune  of 
£140,000, 

Upton,  James,  printer,  died  November 
9,  1874. 


Vincent,  Henry,  the  Chartist,  died 
Dec.  29,  1878. 

WoRRALL,  Wir,LiAM,  for  30  years 
Secretary  of  St.  Philip's  Building 
Society,  died  May  1,  1880,  in  his 
78  th  year. 

Wrkjht,  Mr.  Tiios.  Barbej;,  who  died 
October  11,  1878,  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Ilidland  Counties 
Herald,  the  first  to  propose  the 
Hospital  Sunday  collections,  and 
to  establish  the  Cattle  Shows. 


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CARVER     &     GILDER, 

IMPORTER  OF 

PRISTS,  &ILT  AND  IIITATIQI  lOULDfflBS, 

56,    EDGBASTON    STREET, 

BIRMINGHAM. 


Every  description  of  Framing  Executed  on   the   premises  on  the 

shortest  possible  notice. 

IVholcsale  and  Ref/iil  Denier  in  HouseJiold  Furniture,   Looking  Glasses, 

Carpets,  Od  Cloths,  Bedsteads,  Cots,  Spring  Mattresses,  dx. 

Manufacturer  of  all  kinds  of  Bedding. 


XVll. 


E.    COLLETT, 

SADDLER  &  HARNESS  MAKER, 

730,     57-.     VINCENT    STREET^ 

Repairs  neatly  executed.    Mill  Banding  made  &  •.•epaired. 


HORSE    CLOTHJNC    IVIADE    TO    ORDER. 

ESTABLISHED    1780. 

Wholesale  Brush  Manufaeturers, 


7,    SPICEAL    STREET, 


BIRMINGHAIVI, 


TRADE     MARK. 


yyn>'»»W»wy^V'» 


BEE 


xaox^DB-s-'s 


F  TEA  &  GRAVY  EXTRACTOR 


Tlie  airaiigemeiit  of  llii-  most  useful 
avparatus  is  such  that  the  heat  iiwiiiitained 
is  exactly  the  right  degree  lo  insure  the 
'■  extractinii  "  of  tvery  puticle  of  nourish- 
ment from  meat  of  all  kinds,  and  the  result 
is  a  true,  rich,  and  highly  nourishing  giavy, 
wliioh  will  entirely  suiievscde  the  unpleasmt 
and  unsavoury  jneserved  extracts  of  me  it 
now  often  resorteil  to  for  want  of  a  simple 
apparatus  to  make  rich  fresh  beef  tea  and 
gravies  at  home.  Th*;  inner  vessel  is  uf 
porcelain. 


a  c  ^  r  lo  N 


SrZES,    IJ,     2,    4    and    12    PINTS. 

Thf  oboce  may  be  obtained  through  any  respixiahie  (_:hem  ist  or  ^h>.,-<  frre/or  4/-,  5/-, 
6/6.  forthefird  Three  Sizes  from  the 

Wholesale   Agents, 

SOUXHAI^L     BROS.,    &    BAHCI^^IT, 

LOWER    PRIORY,    BIRMINGHAM. 


(Late  Wood), 

SADDLERY  d.   HARNESS 
MANUFACTURER, 

75,    NEW    STREET, 

BIRH  INGHAM. 

Established  125  Years. 

Carnage  Harness,  Brougham,  and  Dog  Cart  Harness. 

uonsE  iwns  <f-  currniNi!,  also  every  description  of  cart  gears. 

ALL    KINDS    OF    RUG    AND    LUGGAGE    STRAPS. 

Saddles  for   Hire.      All  kinds  of   Dog  Collars  aud   Starters  made  to  Order.     An 
as.sortiiieiit  constintly  on  hand.    Goods  forwarded  on  receipt  of  Cheque  or  P.O.(  i. 


EDINBURGH,   1869. 


AMSTERDAM,  1883. 


CALCUTTA,   1384. 


0  am  age,  Axle  &  Spring  Manufacturers, 

LONGMORE    STREET    WORKS, 


ALLIANCE    ASSURANCE   COMPANY. 

BARTHOLOMEW  LANE,  BANK,   LONDON,   E.G. 

EST^^OBI.ISHEID    aS24r.  C^^IPIT^e^X.    aG5, 000,000. 

Board  of  Direction  : 
The  Right  Hon.  Lord  Rotli.schild,  Chairman.        Right  Hon.  G.  J.  Goschen,  M.l*. 

■       "  Ri;;ht  Hon.  Lord  R.Grosvenor,  M.P. 

Richard  Iloaro.  Esq. 
Francis  Alfred  Luciis,  Esq. 
E.  H.  Lnshington,  Esq. 
Hugh  Colin  Smith,  E.sq. 
Sir  C.  Ri\ers  Wilson,  K.C.M.r..,  O.B. 

Robert  Lewis,  Chief  Secretary. 

Birmingham  Branch  :   District  Office,  61,  NEW  STREET. 

DIRECTORS : 

Willifini  M.  Warden,  Ksq.  William  Miildleniore,  Esq.  W.  S.  Lowe,  ICsq. 

LIFE  AND  FIRE  ASSURANCES  GRANTED  ON  FAVOURABLE  TERMS. 

UAVID  ADAMS,   District  Secretary. 


James  Ale.'caiidcr,  Esq. 
Charles  Geov^'p  B;irnett,  Ksi|. 
Charles  Edward  Raniitt,  Es(i. 
h'raneis  William  Hnxltm,  Esq.,  M.P 
l.,ord  Edward  t.'avemlish,  M.l*. 
James  Fletcher,  l!sq. 
i'yril  I'lower,  Esq.,  M.P. 


XIX. 


THE  GKAKD  HOTEl, 

COLMORE  ROW,   BIRMINGHAM. 

IJirsKelass  l^aniif^  ^^  Homracreiaf  ^ohi 

LARGE    ROOMS    FOR    SALES,    ARBITRATIONS, 
MEETINGS,  &c.,  &c. 

FIRST-CLASS  RESTAURANT  &  BILLIARD  ROOMS. 

ARTHUR    E.    FIELD, 

PROPRIETOR. 

JOHN     GOODMAN, 

GENERAL  STATIONER, 

MANUFACTURER  OF 

Account   Books,      Bookbinder,     Engraver 

AND   PRINT KR, 

CASTIE    ST,,    HIGH   ST,, 

BIRMINGHAM. 


Sydenham  Hotel  &  Pleasure  Grounds 

(OPPOSITE  SMALL  HEATH  STATION). 


T.    H.    GREAVES, 

Proprietor. 


SPLENDID  BOWLING  GREEN.    MAGNIFICENT  AND  EXTENSIVE 

GROUNDS. 

MONSTRE  PLATFORM  FOR  DANOING. 

Ol'EX  ON  MONDAYS  AND  SATURDAYS  DURIXd    TlIK  Sl'MMER 

MONTHS. 
GRAND  FETE  AND  GALA  EVERY  BANK  HOLIDAY. 


A.  E.  ALLORIDCE, 

HOSIEE,  GLOVER, 

SHIRT    &    COLLAR   MAKER, 

78,    NEW   STREET,    BIRMINGHAM. 

Shirts  of  every  flescription  made  to  Measure. 
WITHERS    BROTHERS, 

PARK  ROAD,  SOHO,  BIRMINGHAM. 

Adjoining  Soho  Station,  Great  Western  Railway. 
Manufacturers  ok  ai,l  kinds  of 

Also,    Manufactukers   of   all    k!ni)S   of 

HOUSEHOLD     PAINT    AND     WHITEWASH 
BRUSHES,  for  Home  and  Exportation. 


h\ 


ESTABLISHED    1825. 

n  FRETWORK  &  GENERAL  TOOL  WAREHOUSE. 
8,  SNOW  HILL, 

Birmingham. 


Manufacturer  of  every  description  of  Warranted  Tools,  &c. 


Illustrated  Catalogue  of  Fretwork  Tools  and   Materials,  including  over  300 
Photo- Lithograph  Miniature  DesiRns.  v;ith  instructions  for  Beginners 
4d.    Post   Free. 


D.    bEONARDT    &    CO., 

PATENTEES    AND    MANUFACTURERS    OF 

CARBONIZED  &  OTHER  STEEL  PENS,  GOLD  PENS, 

PQSTAJL     FARQEl.     PENS, 

PENHOLDERS,    PENCIL    GASES,   &c. 


ALSO   MANUFACTURERS   OK 

r   r 


SEMI-CIRCULAR  POINTED  PENS  (H.  Hewitts  Patent). 

Will  write  in  any  position.  Cannot  -icratii'i.  tnuohia^  the  paper  with  a  small  liemi-splierical, 
instend  of  an  acute   point. 

AWARDS : 

Large  Gold  Medal,  Moscow,  1872;  Medal  of  Merit,  Vienna,  1S73  ;  First  Prize, 
Special  Mention,  Sydney  First  Award,  Melbourne  ;  Paris,  1878,  Bronze  Medal; 
Adelaide,  1881,  First  Prize  ;  Brisbane,  18S0,  First  Prize  ;  Christchurch,  1882, 
■Gold  Medal ;  Amsterdam,  1883,  Silver  Medal  ;  London  Inventories,  18S5, 
_^,  ■  ■  Bronze    Medal. 

PEN  MAKERS  TO  H.WI.  THE  KING  OF  ITALY- 

Universal  Pen  Works,  100,  Gliarlotte  Street,  Bimingliam. 

London  Address,    16,    FENCHURCH    STREET. 


THE 


Whateley  Coal  Company, 

217,    LAWLEY    STREET, 

BIRMINGHAM. 


Depot— LA WLEY  STREET  AND  CAMP  HILL  STATIONS. 


WHOLESALE   AND    RETAIL. 


XXll. 


GOLD  MEDAb.  HEAbTH  EXHIBITION^ 

Drains  Ventilated   by    ouvy^^ 
own  Patent  System,   y^^^y^  * 

LAVATORIES, 

^  WATER     CLOSETS, 

,jA^^    ^r   Esthnaltdfor  and  fixed  in  touii  or  country 


DRAINS    LAID. 
Sanitary    Work  /^^^ 


EXECUTED. 


^ 


./" 


Buildings  Ventilated  &  Heated  on  the 
most  approved  methods. 


y-OR    TESTIMONIALS    APPLY 


2$  &  29,  UPPER  PRIORY 

^c   j^irniin^^am  |nbia   Hu66cr   ^o.^ 

MANUFACTURERS  OF 

AIR-PROOF  Beds,    Pillows,   Cushions,  Life  Belts,  Swimming 

Collars,    Decoy   Ducks,   &c. 
ELASTIC   Stockings,  Knee   Caps,  Leggings,    Abdominal  Belts, 

Webs,  Gussets,   &c. 
FISHING    Stockings,   Trousers,    Boots,    Brogues,    Bags,    Coats, 

Capes,   &c. 
GUTTA      PERCHA      Pump    and     Acid     Buckets,    Tubing, 

Hearing   Trumpets,    Tissue,    Acid    Vessels,    &c. 
INDIA     RUBBER     Goods     of     every    description     kept     in 

Stock,     Special    articles    made    to   order. 
WATERPROOF     Garments     of      every     design     and     style^ 

superior   and    select   quality. 

THE    BIRMINGHAM    INDIA    RUBBER     COMPANY 

124,  NEW  ST.,  BIRMINGHAM. 


®t  Bv>ers  H)c5Cuiption  in  5t*on  aiit>  Steel. 


RICH.  H.  TAUNTON  &  HAYWARD, 

BIRMINGHAM. 


W,    TUFFLEY    &    SON, 

Manufacturers  &  Japanners  of  every  description  of 

Tin  Wares,  Copper,  Brass,  Zinc,  &  Iron-plate  Workers, 

ALL   KINDS  OF 

GLOBE,   STREET,    &  WINDOW   LAMP  MAKERS, 

Pattern  Sheets  and  Price  Lists  can  bs  had  on  application. 


XXIV. 


HIGH-CLASS 


IN     BOTTLES     OR     SYPHONS. 


— Manufactured  from  their- 


Celebrated  'Digbeth  Spring/ 

*jtfHlCH    yields     daily    72,000    gallons    of   remarkably    pure   water, 
rising  spontaneously  to  the  surface  from  a   depth    of   400  feet 
at  an  unvaried  temperature  of  50"  Fahr. 


Manufacturers,  by  Special  Appointment,  of 
'ZOJEDOISTE,'    for   Birmingham   and    District 
PRICE    LIST    ON    APPLICATION. 

ALSO   TKSTIMONIALS    FROM 

ALFRED  HILL,  M.D.,  F.CS.,  Birmingham  P>orough]Analyst ; 

A.  BOSTOCK  HILL,  M.D.,  F.LC,  Analyst   for  the  County  [of  Warwick, 
and  City  of  Coventry. 

The  ANTI-ADULTP:RATI0N  SOCIETY   for  ensuring    Purity    in    Food. 
Drink,    Drugs,    &c.,  Bedford    Row,    London, 

And   other?. 


XUl. 


WATSON   &  MUNRO'S 

Advertising  Hotel  Tables 

ARE    SUPPLIED    TO    THE 

CANTERBURY  THEATRE  OF  VARIETIES,  LONDON, 

PARAGON  THEATRE  OF  VARIETIES,  LONDON, 

MARINE  PALACE,  MARGATE, 

ROYAL  AQUARIUM,  SCARBOROUGH, 

ROYAL  AQUARIUM,  GT.  YARMOUTH, 

50  HEAD  QUARTERS  C.T.C.,  LONDON, 

50  HEAD  QUARTERS  C.T.C.,  MIDLANDS, 

and  Principal  Hotels  in  Birmingham  and  other  Towns. 


FOR    PARTICULARS    OF    ADVERTISEMENTS,    APPLY    TO 

WATSON    &    MUNRO, 

ADVERTISING   AGENTS, 

NEEDLESS  ALLEY,  BIRMINGHAM. 

THE  COURT  SAUCE  &  PICKLE  CO., 

WORCESTER  WORKS,  BIRMINGHAM. 


USK  TUP:  COURT  SAUOE  ! 

ASK  FOR  THE  COURT  SAUCE  ! 
DEMAND  THE  COURT  SAUCE ! 

AN^D  HAVE  NONE  OTHER  I  !  ! 

See  that  the  Court  Sauce  Label  is  on  every  Bottle. 

(THIS  TITLE  IS  REGISTERED.) 


SOLE    PROPRIETORS    AND    MANUFAOTURBRS, 

THE  COURT  SAUCE  &  PICKLE  Co., 

WORCESTER  WORKS,  BIRMINGHAM, 

And  sold  hi/  all  respectable  Grocers. 


ROYAL  INSURANCE  COMPANY, 

LIVERPOOL    AND   LONDON. 


I^ocal  Committee : 


Edwakd  Gem,   Esq., 

Birmingham, 

Merchant. 


.M,   IndNMONGEI.,  Esq. 

Wolverhampton, 

Mercliant. 


Epavin-  Rickakds,  Esq.,  F.R.C.S.,  M.R.C.P.,    (Loudon). 

Applications  for  Agencies  invited  from  grentlemen  who  are  in  a 
position  to  infl'oduce  business. 

MIDLAND   BRANCH   OFFICES  :- 

34,  BENNETT'S    HILL,    BIRMINGHAM. 

LOCAL  MANAGER:    BO:  ROBISON,  Esq. 

EXTBACTii  FROM   THE  REPORT  FOR  THE  YEAR  J.^.-^.y 

FIRE  DEPARTMENT.  Premiums,  after  deducting  Re-Assurances  £988,150  9  2 
LIFE  DEPARTMENT.  Premiuras,  after  deducting  Re-Assurances  .  £250,163  5  5 
DECLARATION  OF  BONUS  for  the  Quinquennium  ending  Slst  Dec,  1884.  £|  I0s. 
per  cent,  per  annum  on  sum  assured,  upon  all  Policies  entitled  to  participate. 

3E'XTlSri3S. 

After  providing  for  payment  of  the  Dividend,  the  Funds  of  the  Company  stand  as, 

follows : — 

£289,545     O     0 


Capital  Paid-up 

Fire  Fund 

Conflagration  Fund    .. 

Reserve  Fund 

Balance  of  Profit  and  Loss 

Life  Funds 


£550,000 
2OO.O0O 


750,000  O 

1,100,000  O 

150,005  6 

3,058,767  2 


£5,348,407      9     2