Showell S Dictionary Of Birmingham A History And Guide Arranged

[Transcriber's note: There are small sections where the print is missing from the original. Missing words have been marked [**]. Minor obvious typographical errors have been cor...

~Anti-Church-Rate Meetings~ were frequent enough at one period of our history. The two most worthy of remembrance were those of Dec. 15, 1834, when the rate was refused by a maj...

~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 144...

~Beelzebub.~--Watt's first steam engine was so christened. It was brought from Scotland, put up at Soho, and used for experimenting upon. It was replaced by "Old Bess," the firs...

~Britannia Metal.~--A mixed metal formed of 90 parts of tin, 2 copper, and 8 antimony, brought into use about 1790, and long a favourite with manufacturers and public alike. The...

~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...

~Clubs.~--No place in the kingdom can record the establishment of more clubs than Birmingham, be they Friendly Clubs, Money Clubs (so-called), or the more taking Political Clubs...

~Co-operative Societies~ at one time were put in the same category as Chartist, Socialist, and Communistic Associations, all banned alike. Nevertheless, in the old "Reform days"...

~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 de...

~Domesday Books.~--The so-called Domesday Book, compiled by order of William the Norman Conqueror, has always been considered a wonderful work, and it must have taken some years...

~Electric Light.~--The light of the future. The first public exhibition of lighting by electricity, was introduced by Maccabe, a ventriloquial entertainer of the public, at the...

_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...

~Fishing.~--There is very little scope for the practice of Isaac Walton's craft near to Birmingham, and lovers of the gentle art must go farther afield to meet with good sport....

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...

~Gas Fittings.~--Curious notions appear to have been at first entertained as to the explosive powers of the new illuminator, nothing less than copper or brass being considered s...

~Heathmill Lane.~--In 1532 there was a "water mill to grynde corne," called "Heth mill," which in that year was let, with certain lands, called the "Couyngry," by the Lord of th...

_The Queens Hospital_ was commenced in 1840, the first stone being laid by Earl Howe on the 18th of June. His Royal Highness the Prince Consort was chosen as first president, an...

_The Union_, in Cherry Street, was built in 1790, but much enlarged in 1825. It was one of the principal coaching houses, but will be remembered mostly as furnishing the chief s...

The first four countries produce 88.4 per cent, of the world's iron supply; the first two, 64.3 per cent.; the first, 43 per cent. The chief consumer is the United States, 29 pe...

~Land and Building Societies.~--Though frequently considered to be quite a modern invention, the plan of a number uniting to purchase lands and houses for after distribution, is...

~Libraries (The Free).~--The first attempt 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...

This fund has received many noble additions since the above, the total, with interest, amounting, up to the end of 1883, to no less than £15,500, of which there is still in hand...

~Licensed Victuallers.~--The following 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 out...

~Lunacy.~--Whether it arises from political heat, religious ecstacies, intemperance, or the cares and worry of the universal hunt for wealth, it is certainly a painful fact to c...

~Mechanics' Institute.~--The proposal to form a local institution of a popular nature, for the encouragement of learning among our workers, like unto others which had been estab...

~Moody and Sankey.~--These American Evangelists, or Revivalists, visited here in Jan. 1875, their first meeting being held in the Town Hall, on the 17th, the remainder of their...

1792, September 18 to 20. President, the Earl of Warwick. The "Messiah," with vocal and instrumental selections of the usual character. Miss Poole and Master Elliott among the v...

_Aris's Gazette_.--The oldest of our present local papers was first published Nov. 10, 1741. Like all other papers of that period, it was but a dwarf in comparison with the pres...

_Personal Outrages_.--Maria Ward was sentenced to penal servitude December 18, 1873, for mutilating her husband in a shocking manner.--At Warwick Assizes, December 19, 1874, one...

For it, doubtless, for ages was Bromwicham called, But historians, their readers to bam, Have Brom, Wich, and Ham so corrupted and maul'd, That their strictures have all proved...

_Johnstone_, John, whose death was the result of being knocked down by a cab in Broad Street in Oct. 1875, was one of those all-round inventive characters who have done so much...

_Ward_.--Humble Ward, son of Charles I.'s jeweller, who married the daughter of the Earl of Dudley, was created Baron Ward of Birmingham. Their son Edward thus came to the title...

~Organs.~--According to the oft-quoted extract from the Halesowen Churchwardens' books--"1497. Paid for repeyling the organs to the organ maker at Bromycham 10s,"--organ-buildin...

1857, August.--On the death of Mr. Muntz, though the names of George Dawson and others were whispered, the unanimous choice fell upon Mr. John Bright, "the rejected of Mancheste...

_Hon. G. M. Yorke_.--Brother to the late Earl of Hardwicke, and born in 1809, Mr. Yorke, on finishing his University education, entered the army, obtaining a commission in the F...

_Boatmen's Friend Society_.--A branch of the British Seamen's and Boatmen's Friend Society, principally for the supply of religious education to the boatmen and their families o...

_Servants' Home and Training Institution_, established in 1860, finds shelter for a time to as many as 240 young women in the course of a year, many looking upon it as the only...

_Aston Church_.--It is impossible to fix the date of erection of the first church for the parish of Aston, but that it must have been at a very early period is shown by the entr...

_St. John's_, Perry Barr, was built, endowed, and a fund left for future repairs, by "Squire Gough," of Perry Hall, the cost being about £10,000. The consecration took place Aug...

_Baptists_.--Prior to 1737, the "Particular Baptists" do not appear to have had any place of worship of their own in this town, what few of them there were travelling backwards...

_St. Peter's_, 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...

~Postal Notes.~--In 1748 letters were conveyed from here by post on six days a week instead of three as previously. To help pay the extra expense it was enacted that any person...

_Fire Engine Stations_.--The Central Fire Brigade Station, which is in telephonic communication with all the police stations, the theatres, various public buildings, and chief m...

_Workhouse_.--The first mention of a local institution thus named occurs in the resolution passed at a public meeting held May 16, 1727, to the effect that it was "highly necess...

~Recreation Grounds.~--Early in 1854 Joseph Sturge set apart a field in Wheeley's Lane as a public playground for children, and this must rank as the first recreation ground. Th...

~Sailor's Return.~--There are several public-houses in the town with the sign of "The Sailor's Return," but few of the landlords can tell the history of the first so-named, whic...

_Mason's Scientific College_.--The foundation of this College, situated in Edmund Street, opposite the Free Library, was laid on the 23rd February, 1875, by Sir Josiah Mason, th...

~Smallpox.~--From the opening 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 patien...

_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 sub...

~Theatrical Jottings.~--What accommodation, if any, was provided here for "their majesties' servants," the playactors, in the times of Queen Anne and her successor, George I., i...

Though an Improvement Act for Duddeston and Nechells was obtained in 1829, the town improvements for the next forty years consisted principally of road making, street paving, ma...

_American Traders_.--It has 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 a...

_Compressed Air Power_.--A hundred years ago every little brook and streamlet was utilised for producing the power required by our local mill-owners, gun-barrel rollers, &c. The...

_Nuts and Bolts_.--In addition to a score or two of private firms engaged in the modern industry of nut and bolt making, there are several limited liability Co.'s, the chief bei...

_Wire_.--Wire-drawing, which formerly had to be done by hand, does not appear to have been made into a special trade earlier than the beginning of the 18th century, the first wi...

~Volunteers of the Present Day.~--The first official enrolment of Volunteers of the present corps, was dated Nov. 25, 1859, though a list of names was on paper some three months...

WRIGHT, Mr. THOS. BARBER, who died October 11, 1878, was one of the founders of the _Midland Counties Herald_, the first to propose the Hospital Sunday collections, and to estab...