Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham Part 26

_Sedition and Treason_.--George Ragg, printer, was imprisoned for sedition, February 12, 1821.--George Thompson, gun maker, 31, Whittall Street, was imprisoned, August 7, 1839, for selling guns to the Chartists.

_Shop Robberies_.--Diamonds worth 400 were stolen from Mr. Wray's shop, November 27, 1872.--A jeweller'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. Mole's jeweller's shop, High Street, was plundered of 500 worth, April 13th, 1881. Some of the works of the watches taken were afterwards fished up from the bottom of the Mersey, at Liverpool.

_Short Weight_.--Jan. 2, 1792, there was a general "raid" made on the dealers in the market, when many short-weight people came to grief.

_Street Shouting_.--The Watch Committee pa.s.sed a bye-law, May 14, 1878, to stop the lads shouting "_Mail, Mail_," but they go on doing it.

_Swindles_.--Maitland Boon Hamilton, a gentleman with a cork leg, was given six months on July 25, 1877, for fleecing Mr. Marsh, the jeweller, out of some diamonds.--James Bentley, for the "Christmas hamper swindle," was sentenced to seven years at the Quarter Sessions, May 1, 1878.

The following tables show the number of offences dealt with by the authorities during the five 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 a.s.sizes cases--the number apprehended, and how dealt with, will be gathered from the following summary:--

Year. Crimes. Apprehended. Com. for trial.

1878 ......... 1746 ......... 495 ......... 349 1879 ......... 1358 ......... 474 ......... 399 1880 ......... 1187 ......... 451 ......... 340 1881 ......... 1343 ......... 435 ......... 351 1882 ......... 1467 ......... 515 ......... 401

NATURE OF CRIME. Number of Offences Reported.

1878. 1879. 1880. 1881. 1882.

Murder ... ... ... 11 ... 11 ... 5 ... 5 ... 4 Shooting, wounding, stabbing, &c.... ... 30 ... 23 ... 8 ... 21 ... 28 Manslaughter ... ... 4 ... 3 ... 13 ... 6 ... 8 Rape, a.s.saults with intent, &c. ... ... 6 ... 1 ... 1 ... 9 ... 4 Bigamy ... ... ... 8 ... 0 ... 1 ... 4 ... 7 a.s.saults on peace officers ... ... 0 ... 4 ... 0 ... 1 ... 2 Burglary, housebreaking, &c. ... 6 ... 112 ... 80 ... 83 ... 131 Breaking into shops, &c. ... ... 4 ... 94 ... 56 ... 109 ... 120 Robbery ... ... ... -- ... 9 ... 6 ... 10 ... 9 Larcenies (various) ... 1146 ... 959 ... 845 ... 935 ... 931 Receiving stolen goods ... ... ... 22 ... 3 ... 16 ... 8 ... 6 Frauds and obtaining by false pretences ... ... 63 ... 45 ... 53 ... 37 ... 69 Forgery and uttering forged instruments ... ... 5 ... 9 ... 5 ... 4 ... 9 Uttering, &c., counterfeit coin ... ... ... 48 ... 32 ... 43 ... 37 ... 63 Suicide (attempting) ... 20 ... 17 ... 19 ... 16 ... 23

The following are the details of the more important offences dealt with summarily by the magistrates during the last five years:--

OFFENCES PUNISHABLE Number of persons proceeded against.

BY JUSTICES. 1878. 1879. 1880. 1881. 1882.

a.s.saults (aggravated) on women and children ... 78 ... 57 ... 68 ... 37 ... 67 a.s.saults on peace-officers, resisting, &c. ... 479 ... 390 ... 340 ... 340 ... 385 a.s.saults, common ... 1554 ... 1242 ... 1293 ... 1207 ... 1269 Breaches of peace, want of sureties, &c.... ... 426 ... 381 ... 287 ... 219 ... 244 Cruelty to animals ... 154 ... 77 ... 129 ... 128 ... 94 Elementary Education Act, offences against ... 1928 ... 2114 ... 1589 ... 1501 ... 1755 Employers and Workshops Act, 1875 ... ... ... 224 ... 198 ... 185 ... 155 ... 154 Factory Acts ... ... 12 ... 2 ... 17 ... 11 ... 62 Licensing Acts offences 267 ... 263 ... 132 ... 254 ... 297 Drunkenness, drunk and disorderly ... ... 2851 ... 2428 ... 2218 ... 2345 ... 2443 Lord's Day offences ... 46 ... 4 ... 1 ... 0 ... 0 Local Acts and Bye-laws, offences against ... 4327 ... 4327 ... 4127 ... 3702 ... 3603 Malicious and wilful damage... ... ... 187 ... 163 ... 163 ... 214 ... 225 Public Health Act, smoke, etc. ... ... ... 317 ... 172 ... 104 ... 104 ... 161 Poor Law Acts, offences against ... ... 203 ... 220 ... 251 ... 243 ... 325 Stealing or attempts (larcenies) ... ... 1094 ... 1222 ... 1434 ... 1253 ... 1235 Vagrant Act, offences under ... ... ... 614 ... 622 ... 624 ... 611 ... 783 Other offences ... ... 214 ... 174 ... 172 ... 211 ... 386

The following are the totals of the summary offences for the same period, and the manner in which they were disposed of:--

Year. Cases. Convicted. Fined.

1878 16,610 12,767 8,940 1879 14,475 10,904 7,473 1880 13,589 9,917 6,730 1881 13,007 9,468 6,412 1882 13,788 10,171 6,372

Similar statistics for 1883 have not yet been made up, but a return up to December 31 of that year shows that the number of persons committed during the year to the Borough Gaol, or as it is now termed, her Majesty's Prison at Winson Green, were 3,044 males and 1,045 females from the borough, and 1,772 males and 521 females from districts, making a total of 6,382 as against 6,565 in 1882. In the borough 734 males and 198 females had been committed for felony, 1,040 males and 290 females for misdemeanour, 707 males and 329 females for drunkenness, and 243 males and 121 females for vagrancy. Of prisoners sixteen years old and under there were 193 males and 21 females.

~Noteworthy Men of the Past.~--Though in the annals of Birmingham history the names of very many men of note in art, science, and literature, 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 parts, as will be seen on looking over the notices which follow this. Under the heading of "_Parsons, Preachers, and Priests_,"

will be found others of different calibre.

_Allday_.--The "Stormy Petrel" of modern Birmingham was Joseph, or, as he was better known, Joey Allday, whose hand at one time, was against every man, and every man's hand against Joe. Born in 1798, Mr. Allday, on arriving at years of maturity, joined his brothers in the wire-drawing business, but though 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 and chide and fight; but Joseph was fond of fighting (though not with his fists), and after quarelling and dissolving partners.h.i.+p, as one of his brothers published a little paper so must he.

This was in 1824, and Joey styled his periodical _The Mousetrap_, footing his own articles with the name of "Argus." How many _Mousetraps_ Allday sent to market is uncertain, as but one or two copies only are known to be in existence, and equally uncertain is it whether the speculation was a paying one. His next literary notion, however, if not pecuniarily successful, was most a.s.suredly popular, as well as notorious, it being the much-talked-of _Argus_. The dozen or fifteen years following 1820 were rather prolific in embryo publications and periodicals of one kind and another, and it is a matter of difficulty to ascertain now the exact particulars respecting many of them. Allday's venture, which was originally called _The Monthly Argus_, first saw the light in August, 1828. and, considering the times, it was a tolerably well-conducted sheet of literary miscellany, prominence being given to local theatrical matters and similar subjects, which were fairly criticised. Ten numbers followed, in due monthly order, but the volume for the year was not completed, as in July, 1830, a new series of _The Argus_ was commenced in Magazine shape and published at a s.h.i.+lling. The editor of this new series had evidently turned over a new leaf, but he must have done so with a dungfork, for the publication became nothing better than the receptacle of rancour, spite, and calumny, public men and private individuals alike being attacked, and often in the most scurrilous manner. The printer (who was still alive a few years back) was William Chidlow and on his head, of course, fell all the wrath of the people libelled and defamed. George Frederick Mantz horse whipped him, others sued him for damages, and even George Edmonds (none too tender-tongued himself) could not stand the jibes and jeers of _The Argus_. The poor printer was arrested on a warrant for libel; his types and presses were confiscated under a particular section of the Act for regulating newspapers, and Allday himself at the March a.s.sizes in 1831 was found guilty on several indictments for libel, and sentenced to ten months' imprisonment. A third series of _The Argus_ 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. Joseph Allday must credit be given for the exposure of numerous abuses existing in his day. He had but to get proper insight into anything going on wrong than he at once attacked it, tooth and nail, no matter who stood in the road, or who suffered from his blows. His efforts to put a stop to the cruelties connected with the old system of imprisonment and distraint for debt led to the abolition of the local Courts of Requests; and his wrathful indignation on learning the shocking manner in which prisoners at the goal were treated by the Governor, Lieutenant Austin, in 1852-53, led to the well-remembered "Gaol Atrocity Enquiry," and earned for him the thanks of the Commissioners appointed by Government to make the enquiry. As a Town Councillor and Alderman, as a Poor Law Guardian and Chairman of the Board, as Parish Warden for St. Martin's and an opponent of churchrates (while being a good son of Mother Church), as founder of the Ratepayers' Protection Society and a popular leader of the Conservative party, it needs not saying that Mr. Allday had 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. 2nd, 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 Bailiff in 1841, a J.P. for the county, for 40 years a Governor of the Grammar School, and on the boards of management of a number of religious and charitable inst.i.tutions. A consistent Churchman, he was one of the original trustees of the "Ten Churches Fund," one of the earliest works of church extension in Birmingham; he was also the chief promoter of the Church of England Cemetery, and the handsome church of St. Michael, which stands in the Cemetery grounds, was largely due to his efforts. In polities Mr.

Aston was a staunch Conservative, and was one of the trustees of the once notable Const.i.tutional a.s.sociation.

_Attwood_.--The foremost name of the days of Reform, when the voice of Liberal Birmingham made itself heard through its leaders was that of Thomas Attwood. A native of Salop, born Oct. 6, 1783, he became a resident here soon after coming of age, having joined Messrs. Spooner's Bank, thence and afterwards known as Spooner and Attwood's. At the early age of 28 he was chosen High Bailiff, and soon made his mark by opposing the renewal of the East India 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 triumphant reception after the pa.s.sing of the Bill, and his being sent to Parliament as one of the first representatives for the borough, are matters which have been too many times dilated upon to need 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 prominent act of his political life being the presentation of a monster Chartist pet.i.tion in the previous June. He afterwards retired into private life, ultimately dying at Malvern, March 6 1856, being then 73 years of age. Charles Attwood, a brother, but who took less part in politics, 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 brother who industriously attended to his business till he had acquired a competent fortune, also inherited enormous wealth from a nephew, and after his death he was proved to have been the long un-known but much sought after anonymous donor of the 1,000 notes so continuously acknowledged in the _Times_ as having been sent to London hospitals and charities. It was said that Benjamin Attwood distributed nearly 350,000 in this unostentatious manner, and his name will be ever blessed. Charles Attwood was described as a great and good man, and a benefactor to his race. His discoveries in the manufacture of gla.s.s and steel, and his opening up of the Cleveland iron district, has given employment to thousands, and as one who knew him well said, "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 unselfish, and let other reap the benefit of his best patents. What the elder brother was, most Brums know; he worked hard in the cause of Liberalism, he was almost idolised 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.

_Baldwin_, James.--Born in the first month of the present century, came here early in his teens, worked at a printer's, saved his money, an employer at 25, made a speciality of "grocer's printing," fought hard in the battle against the "taxes on knowledge," became 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 Worcesters.h.i.+re man and a Staffords.h.i.+re resident; a persevering collector of past local and county records, and an active member of the Archaeological section of the Midland Inst.i.tute. Mr. Bayley was also a member of the Staffords.h.i.+re Archaeological Society, and took special interest in the William Salt Library at Stafford, whose treasures were familiar to him, and whose contents he was ever ready to search and report on for any of his friends. In 1869 he issued the first of some proposed reprints of some of his own rarities, in "A True Relation of the Terrible Earthquake at West Brummidge, in Staffords.h.i.+re," &c., printed in 1676; and early in 1882 (the year of his death) "The Rent Rolls of Lord Dudley and Ward in 1701"--a very curious contribution to local history, and full of general interest also.

_Beale_, Samuel.--At one period a most prominent man among our local worthies, one of the first Town Councillors, and Mayor in 1841. He was Chairman of the Midland Railway, a director of the Birmingham and Midland Bank, and sat as M.P. for Derby from 1857 to 1865. He died Sept 11 1876, aged 71.

_Beale_, W.J.--A member of the legal firm of Beale, Marigold, and Beale.

Mr. Beale's chief public service was rendered in connection with the General Hospital and the Musical Festivals. He was for many years a member of the Orchestral Committee of the Festivals, and in 1870 he succeeded 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 76th year.

_Billing_, Martin.--Founder of the firm of Martin Billing, Sons, & Co., Livery Street, died July 17, 1883, at the age of 71. He commenced life under his uncle, Alderman Baldwin, and was the first to introduce steam printing machines into Birmingham. The colossal structure which faces the Great Western Railway Station was erected about twenty-nine years ago.

_Bisset_, James, was the publisher of the "Magnificent Directory" and "Poetic Survey" of Birmingham, presented to the public, January 1, 1800.

_Bowly_ E.0.--A native, self-taught artist, whose pictures now fetch rapidly-increasing sums, though for the best part of his long life dealers and the general run of art patrons, while acknowledging the excellence of the works, would not buy them. Mr. Bowly, however, lived sufficiently long to know that the few gentlemen who honoured him in his younger years, were well recompensed for their kind recognition of his talent, though it came too late to be of service to himself. His death occurred Feb. 1, 1876, in his 70th year.

_Briggs_.--Major W.B. Briggs, who was struck off the world's roster Jan.

25, 1877, was one of the earliest and most ardent supporters of the Volunteer movement in Birmingham, being gazetted ensign of the 2nd Company in November, 1859. He was a hearty kindly man, and much esteemed in and out of the ranks.

_Burritt_ Elihu, the American "learned blacksmith," having made himself proficient in fifteen different languages. He first addressed the "Friends of Peace" in this town, Dec. 15, 1846, when on a tour through the country. He afterwards returned, and resided in England for nearly twenty-five years, being for a considerable time United States Consul at Birmingham, which he left in 1868. During his residence here he took an active share in the work of diffusing the principles of temperance and peace, both by lecturing and by his writings.

_Bynner_, Henry.--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 first to use it in a law court in this county.

_Cadbury_, Richard Tapper.--A draper and haberdasher, who started business here in 1794. One of the Board of Guardians, and afterwards Chairman (for 15 years) of the Commissioners of the Streets, until that 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, in his 92nd year, being buried in Bull Street, among his departed friends.

_Capers_, Edward.--Sometimes called the "poet-postman," is a Devons.h.i.+re man, but resided for a considerable time at Harborne. He deserves a place 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 gate to show The track of the old vanished lane of love's sweet long ago."

_Carey_, Rev. Henry Francis, a native of this town (born in 1772), vicar of Bromley Abbots, Staffords.h.i.+re, himself a poet of no mean order, translated in blank verse Dante's "Inferno," the "Divina Commedia," &c., his works running rapidly through several editions. For some time he was a.s.sistant librarian at the British Museum, and afterwards received a pension of 200 a year. Died 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 Inst.i.tutes 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. Wm. Martin) he has adorned our town.

Among them are the new Free Libraries, the extension of the Midland Inst.i.tute, the Hospitals for Women and Children, the many Board Schools, the Church of St. David, and that at Selly Hill the Rubery Asylum, the Fire Brigade Station, the Const.i.tution Hill Library, Monument Lane Baths, the Chamberlain Memorial, the Canopy over Dawson's Statue, several Police Stations, with shops and private houses innumerable. He was a true artist in every sense of the word, an eloquent speaker, and one of the most sincere, thoughtful, and lovingly-earnest men that Birmingham has ever been blessed with.

_Clegg_.--Samuel Clegg was born at Manchester, March 2, 1781, but his early years were pa.s.sed at the Soho Works, where he was a.s.sistant to Mr.

Murdoch in the gradual introduction of lighting with gas. In 1807 Mr.

Clegg first used lime as a purifier and in 1815 he patented the water meter. In addition to his many inventions connected with the manufacture and supply of gas, Mr. Clegg must be credited with the introduction of the atmospheric railways, which attracted so much attention some five-and-forty years ago, and also with many improvements in steam engines.

_Collins_.--Mr. John Collins, an exceedingly 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 entertainment called "Collins' New Embellished Evening Brush, for Rubbing off the Rust of care." This became a great favourite, and we find Collins for years after, giving similar performances, many of them being 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 _Swinney's Chronicle_. Six chapters in verse appeared (Feb. 25 to April 7, 17[**]6), when unfortunately the poet's muse seems to have failed him. As a sample of the fun contained in the seven or eight dozen verses, we quote the first--

"Of Birmingham's name, tho' a deal has been said, Yet a little, we doubt, to the purpose, As when "hocus pocus" was jargon'd instead Of the Catholic text "_hoc est corpus_."

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 a sham.