Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham Part 39

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 "calculated" that 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 Domesday Book gives but 63 residents in 1085 for Birmingham, Aston, and Edgbaston. In 1555 we find that 37 baptisms, 15 weddings, and 27 deaths were registered at St.

Martin's, the houses not being more than 700, nor the occupiers over 3,500 in number. In 1650, it is said, there were 15 streets, about 900 houses, and 5,472 inhabitants. If the writer who made that calculation was correct, the next 80 years must have been "days of progress" indeed, for in 1700 the 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 returns and other reliable authorities, are more satisfactory.

Year. Inhabitants. Houses.

1741 24,660 4,114 1773 30,804 7,369 1778 48,252 8,042 1781 50,295 8,382 1791 73,653 12,681 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 62,708 1871 343,787 77,409 1881 400,774 84,263

The inhabitants are thus divided as to s.e.xes:

Year. Males. Females. Totals.

1861 143,996 152,080 296,076 1871 167,636 176,151 343,787 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. parish. borough. Totals.

1881 246,352 22,778 131,644 400,774 1871 231,015 17,442 95,330 343,787 ------- ------ ------- ------- Increase 15,337 5,336 36,314 56,987

These figures, however, are not satisfactorily correct, as they simply give the totals for the borough, leaving out many persons who, though residing outside the boundaries are to all intents and purposes Birmingham people; and voluminous as census papers usually are, it is difficult from those of 1871 to arrive at the proper number, the districts not being subdivided sufficiently. Thus, in the following table Handsworth includes Soho and Perry Barr, Harborne parish includes Smethwick, 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 Towns.h.i.+p 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 Ac.o.c.k's Green 1,492 2,796 Aston Manor 33,948 53,844 Aston Parish 139,998 201,287 Aston Union 146,808 209,869 Balsall Heath 13,615 22,734 Birchfield 2,544 3,792 Castle Bromwich 689 723 Erdington 4,883 7,153 Handsworth 16,042 22,903 Harborne 5,105 6,433 King's Heath 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 Smethwick 17,158 25,076 Solihull 3,739 5,301 Ward End ----- 866 Water Orton ----- 396 Witton 182 265 Yardley 5,360 9,741

The most remarkable increase of population in any of these districts is in the case of Aston Manor, where in fifty years the inhabitants have increased from less 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. Included among the inhabitants of the borough in 1881 there were

Males. Females. Totals.

Foreigners 1,288 859 2,147 Irish 3,488 3,584 7,072 Scotch 912 755 1,667 Welsh 1,575 1,742 3,317 Colonial 428 477 905 Born at sea 29 21 50

Of the English-born subjects of Her Majesty here 271,845 were Warwicks.h.i.+re lads and la.s.ses, 26,625 came out of Staffords.h.i.+re, 21,504 from Worcesters.h.i.+re, 10,158 from Gloucesters.h.i.+re, 7,941 from London, 5,622 from Shrops.h.i.+re, and 4,256 from Lancas.h.i.+re, all the other counties being more or less represented. The following a.n.a.lysis 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:--

Occupations of Persons.

Males. Females. Total.

Persons engaged in general or local government 1,145 79 1,224 Army and navy 307 -- 307 Clerical profession and their subordinates 287 98 335 Legal ditto 445 -- 445 Medical ditto 336 496 832 Teachers 512 1,395 1,907 Literary and scientific 70 4 74 Engineers and surveyors 111 --- 111 Artists, art-workers musicians, &c. 729 398 1,127 Engaged in exhibitions, shows, games, &c. 102 17 119 Domestic service 1,444 13,875 15,319 Other service 176 4,058 4,234 Commercial occupations 6,172 422 6,594 Engaged in conveyance of men, goods, and messages 2,442 1,839 11,281 Engaged in agriculture 881 25 906 Engaged about animals 771 5 776 Workers and Dealers in Books, prints and maps 1,888 428 2,316 Machines and implements 11,189 3,385 14,574 Houses, furniture, and decorations 12,781 1,209 13,990 Carriages and harness 2,748 466 3,214 s.h.i.+ps and boats 67 --- 67 Chemicals and their compounds 507 250 757 Tobacco and pipes 200 851 551 Food and lodging 8,126 2,124 10,247 Textile fabrics 1,229 920 2,149 Dress 6,894 12,946 19,840 Various animal substances 1,481 744 2,175 Ditto vegetable substances 2,277 2,237 4,514 Ditto mineral substances 36,933 9,582 46,515 General or unspecified commodities 10,542 2,631 18,173 Refuse matters 246 18 264 Without specific occupations 45,691 116,892 162,583 Children under five years 28,911 29,133 58,044 ------ ------- ------- Total 194,540 206,234 400,774

The comparative population of this and other large towns in England is thus given:--

Pop. Pop. Inc. Prcent 1881. 1871. of inc.

London 3,707,130 3,254,260 452,870 13.89 Liverpool 549,834 493,305 56,429 11.35 Birmingham 400,774 343,787 56,893 16.52 Manchester 364,445 351,189 13,256 3.70 Salford 194,077 124,801 69,276 55.64 Leeds 326,158 259,212 66,946 25.81 Sheffield 312,943 239,946 72,997 30.38 Bristol 217,185 182,552 24,633 13.47 Bradford 203,544 145,830 57,614 39.50 Nottingham 177,934 86,621 91,343 105.81 Hull 152,980 121,892 31,088 25.62 Newcastle 151,822 128,443 23,379 17.96 Portsmouth 136,671 113,569 23,102 20.35 Leicester 134,350 95,220 39,130 41.05 Oldham 119,658 82,629 37,029 45.11 Sunderland 118,927 98,242 20,685 90.40 Brighton 109,062 90,011 19,051 21.11 Norwich 86,437 80,386 6,051 7.50 W'lvrhmptn 76,850 68,291 8,569 12.46 Plymouth 75,700 68,758 4,942 7.10

~Portugal House.~--See "_The Royal_."

~Post Offices.~--Charles I. must be credited with founding the present Post Office system, as in 1635 he commanded that a running post or two should be settled "to run 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 Plymouth, and to Chester and Holyhead, &c., and gradually all the princ.i.p.al places in the country were linked on to the main routes by direct and cross posts.

It has often been quoted as a token of the insignificance of Birmingham that letters used to be addressed "Birmingham, 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 provided with mails is proved by Robert Girdler, a resident of Edgbaston Street in 1652, being appointed the Government postmaster. 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 have 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 rickyard, 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 slightly altered, so as to give a covered approach on that side to the letterbox and window, the mailcoaches being 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 period formed part of the new Royal Hotel. The site is now covered by the Colonnade, the present convenient, but not beautiful, Central Post Office, in Paradise Street, being opened Sep. 28, 1873. There are 65 town receiving offices (52 of which are Money Order Offices and Savings'

Banks and 13 Telegraph Stations), and 103 pillar and wall letter-boxes.

Of sub-offices in the surrounding districts there are 64, of which more than half are Money Order Offices or Telegraph Offices. For the conduct of the Central Office, Mr. S. Walliker, the 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 Sunday 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 in Hill Street, on the bas.e.m.e.nt floor of the Central Post Office, from which there are four collections and deliveries daily.

~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 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 6d. fee for each stage and 2s. 6d. for the sending off.--Mails for the Continent were made up fortnightly, and once a month for North America.

--In 1780, when James Watt was at Truro and Boulton at Birmingham, it took thirteen days for the one to write to and get an answer from the other, and on one occasion a single letter was eleven days on the road.

--A local "penny post" was commenced September 4, 1793, but there was only one delivery per day and the distance was confined to one mile from the office.--The postage on letters for London was reduced to 7d., December 1, 1796, but (and for many years after) if more than one piece of paper 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 abolished in 1839. This was a peculiar privilege which n.o.blemen, Members of Parliament, and high dignitaries possessed of free postage for all their correspondence, and very strange use they made of the privilege sometimes, one instance being the case of two maidservants going as laundresses to an Amba.s.sador who were thus "franked" to their destination. This privilege cost the Post office about 100,000 a year.

--The penny postage system of Rowland Hill came into operation January 10th, 1840.--In 1841-2 there were only two deliveries per day in the centre of the town, and but one outside the mile circle, an extra penny being charged on letters posted 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 newspapers were first used in 1870.--The telegraphs were taken to by the Post Office in 1876, the first soiree in celebration thereof being held at Bristol Street Board School, Jan. 29, 1877.--The Inland Parcels Post came into operation on August 1, 1883, the number of parcels pa.s.sing through our local office being about 4,000 the first day, such trifles as beehives, umbrellas, shoes, scythes, baskets of strawberries, &c., &c, being among them. The number of valentines posted in Birmingham on Cupid's Day of 1844 was estimated at 125,000 (the majority for local delivery), being about 20,000 more than in the previous year.

~Power.~--That the letting of mill-power would be a great advantage to hundreds of the small masters whose infinitude of productions added so enormously to the aggregate of our local trade was soon "twigged" by the early owners of steam engines. The first engine to have extra shafting attached for this purpose was that made by Newcomen for a Mr. Twigg in Water Street (the premises are covered by Muntz's metal works now), who, in 1760, advertised that he had "power to let."

~Presentations.~--No local antiquarian 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 b.u.t.tons and ornate shoe buckles to members of the Royal Family in hopes that the patronage of those individuals would lead to changes in the fas.h.i.+on 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 Light Horse who first arrived to quell the riots in 1791, and a similar sum was voted at a town's meeting; each officer being presented with a handsome sword. 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 have been hundreds of presentations, of greater or lesser value, made to doctors and divines, soldiers and sailors, theatricals and concert-hall men, lawyers and prizefighters, with not a few to popular politicians and leading literary men &c. Lord Brougham (then plain Mr.) being the recipient at one time (July 7, 1812); James Day, of the Concert Hall, at another (0ct. 1,1878); the "Tipton 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 have been those to Dr. Bell Fletcher, Mr. Gamgee, Mr. W.P. Goodall, and other medical gentlemen; to Canon O'Sullivan, the late Rev. J.C. Barratt, and other clergymen; to Mr. Edwin Smith, secretary of Midland Inst.i.tute; to Mr. Schnadhorst of the Liberal a.s.sociation; to Mr. Jesse Collings, for having upheld the right of free speech by turning out of the Town Hall those who differed with the speakers; and to John Bright in honour of his having represented the town in Parliament for twenty-five year.--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 inhabitants of the town.

~Price Of Bread.~--At various times during the present century the four-pound loaf has been sold here as follows:--At 4-1/2d. in 1852; at 7-1/2d. in 1845; at 9-1/2d. in June, 1857, and June, 1872; at l0d. in December, 1855, June, 1868, and December, 1872; at l0-1/2d. in February, 1854, December, 1855, December, 1867, and March, 1868, at 11d. in December, 1854, June, 1855, and June 1856; at ll-1/2d. in November, 1846, May and November, 1847, and May, 1848; at 1s. and onwards to 1s.

5-1/2d. in August, 1812, and again in July, 1816; and may G.o.d preserve the poor from such times again.--See "_Hard Times_."

~Prices of Provisions, &c.~--In 1174, wheat and barley sold at Warwick for 2-1/2d. per bushel, hogs at 1s. 6d. each, cows (salted down) at 2s.