Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham Part 49

_Tinning_.--Iron pots were first tinned in 1779, under Jonathan Taylor's patent. Tinning wire is one of the branches of trade rapidly going out, partly through the introduction of the galvanising process, but latterly in consequence 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 demand for bottling-wire may be gathered from the fact that one individual, with the aid of two helpers, covered with the lighter-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 making of tools for the workers in our almost countless trades has given employ to many thousands, but in addition thereto is the separate manufacture of "heavy edge tools." Light edge tools, such as table and pocket knives, scissors, gravers, &c., are not made here, though "heavy" tools comprising axes, hatchets, cleavers, hoes, spades, mattocks, forks, chisels, plane irons, machine knives, scythes, &c., in endless variety and of hundreds of patterns, suited to the various parts of the world for which they are required. Over 4,000 hands are employed in this manufacture.

_Tubes_.--Immense quant.i.ties (estimated at over 15,000 tons) of copper, bra.s.s, iron, and other metal tubing are annually sent out of our workshops. In olden days the manufacture of bra.s.s and copper tubes was by the tedious process of rolling up a strip of metal and soldering the edges together. In 1803 Sir Edward Thomason introduced the "patent tube"--iron body with bra.s.s coating, but it was not until 1838 that Mr.

Charles Green took out his patent for "seamless" tubes, which was much improved 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 Metal_ took its name from Tutin, the inventor. It was much used a hundred years ago, in the manufacture of buckles.

_Umbrellas_.--The name of the man who first carried an umbrella in this town (about 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 Hanway walked down the Strand, s.h.i.+elding his wig from the wet with the first umbrella seen in London. The metal work required for setting-up, technically called "furniture," has long been made here, and gives employment to about 1,700 hands, two-thirds of whom are females.

_Vinegar_.--Fardon's Vinegar Brewery, Glover Street, is worth a visit, if only to look at their five vats, each upwards of 30ft. high and 24ft.

in diameter, 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_.--The Oil of Vitriol in 1800 was reduced from 3s. per lb. to 1s.; in 1865 it was sold at 1d.

_Watchmaking_.--Few names of eminent horologists are to be found in the lists of departed tradesmen; 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 Birmingham history. Messrs.

Brunner (Smallbrook 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 due to Mr. A L. Dennison, who, though not the originator of the notion, after establis.h.i.+ng factories in America (in or about 1850) and Switzerland, came to this country in 1871, and, with other gentlemen in the following year started the Anglo-American Watch Co. (Limited), a factory being erected in Villa Street. The trade of the Co. was princ.i.p.ally with America, which was supplied with machine-made "works" from here until the Waltham, Elgin, and other firms over there beat them out of the market, a not very difficult operation, considering that our fair-trading cousins impose a 25 per cent. duty on all such goods sent there by the free-traders of this country. The Villa Street establishment was purchased in 1875 by Mr. William Bragge, who developed the business under the name of The English Watch Co., the manufacture being confined almost solely to English Lever watches, large and small sized, key-winding and keyless.

In January, 1882, Mr. Bragge, for the sum of 21,000 parted with the business, plant, stock, and premises, to the present English Watch Co.

(Limited), which has a registered capital of 50,000 in shares of 10 each, the dividend (June, 1884) being at the rate of 6 per cent. on paid-up capital.--In April, 1883, the prospectus of The English Double Chronograph Co. (Limited) was issued, the capital being 50,000 in 10 shares, the 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 ordinary keyless English levers can be turned into double chronographs at a trifling cost.

_Whipmaking_, as a trade distinct from saddlery, dates from about 1750, and it received a great impetus by the introduction, in 1780, of a machine by Matthew Dean for the easier manipulation of the leather thongs.

_Whistles_ of all sizes and sorts, from the child's tin whistle to the huge and powerful steam whistles used on board the American liners, are made in this town, and it might be imagined there could be but little novelty in any new design. This, however, is not the case, for when the authorities of Scotland Yard (June, 1884) desired a new police whistle, samples were sent in from many parts of the country, from America, and from the Continent. The order, which was for 40,000, was secured by Messrs. J. Hudson and Co., Buckingham Street, and so distinct is the speciality, that fifty other places have followed the example of the Metropolis.

_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 wire mill we read of being that of Penns, near Sutton Coldfield, which was converted from an iron forge in 1720.

Steel wire was not made till some little time after that date. The increased demand for iron and steel wire which has taken, place during the last 35 years is almost incredible, the make in 1850 being not more than 100 tons: in 1865 it was calculated at 2,000 tons, in 1875 it was put at 12,000 tons, while now it is estimated 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 6/8ths in diameter. Originally the bar weighed 128 lbs, but it lost 14lbs in the process, and it was then thought a most remarkable production, but far more wonderful specimens of wire-spinning 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, mouse traps, wire blinds, wire nails, wire latticing, &c., we have long been used to; even girding the earth with land and ocean telegraph wire, or fencing in square miles at a time of prairie land, with wire strong enough to keep a herd of a few thousand buffaloes in range, are no longer novelties, 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 Nettlefold's latest.

_Wire Nails, Staples, &c._, are made at Nettlefold's by machinery much in advance of what can ba 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 one operation, sizes up to one inch being turned out at the rate of 360 a minute. In the manufacture of spikes, the punch for making the head is propelled by springs, which are compressed by a cam, and then released at each stroke; two cutters worked by side cams on the same shaft cut off the wire and make 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 the wire, and draws it down into the proper form, when a staple falls out complete.

_Wire 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, 1884--

------------------------------------------------------------------------ Size | DIAMETER | Sectional | WEIGHT OF | Length | BREAKING STRAINS on | ------------| area in |----------- | of | ---------------- Wire | Inch Mille- | Sq. |100 Mile | Cwt. | Annealed |Bright Gauge| metres | Inches |Yards | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ lbs. lbs. yds. lbs. lbs.

7/0 .500 12.7 .1963 193.4 3404 58 10470 15700 6/0 .464 11.8 .1691 166.5 2930 67 9017 13525 5/0 .432 11. .1466 144.4 2541 78 7814 11725 4/0 .400 10.2 .1257 123.8 2179 91 6702 10052 3/0 .372 9.4 .1087 107.1 1885 105 5796 8694 2/0 .348 8.8 .0951 93.7 1649 120 5072 7608 1/0 .342 8.2 .0824 81.2 1429 138 4397 6595 1 .300 7.6 .0598 69.6 1225 161 3770 5655 2 .276 7. .0598 58.9 1037 190 3190 4785 3 .252 6.4 .0499 49.1 864 228 2660 3990 4 .232 5.9 .0423 41.6 732 269 2254 3381 5 .212 5.4 .0365 34.8 612 322 1883 2824 6 .192 4.9 .0290 28.5 502 393 1644 2316 7 .176 4.5 .0243 24. 422 467 1298 1946 8 .160 4.1 .0201 19.8 348 566 1072 1608 9 .144 3.7 .0163 16. 282 700 869 1303 10 .128 3.3 .0129 12.7 223 882 687 1030 11 .116 3. .0106 10.4 183 1077 564 845 12 .104 2.6 .0085 8.4 148 1333 454 680 13 .092 2.3 .0066 6.5 114 1723 355 532 14 .080 2. .0050 5. 88 2240 268 402 15 .072 1.8 .0041 4. 70 2800 218 326 16 .064 1.6 .0032 3.2 56 3500 172 257 17 .056 1.4 .0025 2.4 42 4667 131 197 18 .048 1.2 .0018 1.8 31 6222 97 145 19 .040 1. .0013 1.2 21 9333 67 100 20 .036 .9 .0010 1. 18 11200 55 82 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Yates_.--At one period this was the favourite slang term of the smas.h.i.+ng fraternity for the metal used in their nefarious business, the spoons manufactured by Messrs. Yates and Son being the best material for trans.m.u.tation into base coin.

~Trafalgar.~--See "_Nelson_" and "_Statues_."

~Train Bands.~--The Trainbands of former days may be likened to the militia of the present time, but were drawn from every parish in the hundreds, according to the population. A doc.u.ment in the lost Staunton Collection, gave the names and parishes of the men forming "Lord Compton's Company of Foot for the Hundred of Hemlingford" in 1615, being part of the "Warwicks.h.i.+re Trayue Bands." Birmingham supplied six men armed with pikes and six with muskets; Birmingham and Aston jointly the same number; Edgbaston one pike; Coles.h.i.+ll three of each; Sutton Coldfield. four pikes and six muskets; Solihull three pikes and four muskets; Knowle the same; Berkswell two pikes and five muskets; and Meriden one pike and two muskets. These Trained Bands numbered 6OO men from Coventry and the county in 1642, besides the Militia and Volunteers of Warwicks.h.i.+re, which were called up in that year. These latter mustered very strongly on the days for review and training, there being at Stratford-upon-Avon (June 30) 400 Volunteers well armed and 200 unarmed; at Warwick (July 1 & 2) 650 well armed; at Coles.h.i.+ll (July 4) 8OO almost all well armed; and at Coventry near 800 most well armed--the total number being 2,850, making a respectable force of 3,450 in all, ready, according to the expression of their officers, "to adhere to His Majestie and both Houses of Parliament, to the losse of the last drop of their dearest blood." These fine words, however, did not prevent the "Voluntiers" of this neighbourhood opposing His Majestie to the utmost of their power soon afterwards.

~Tramways.~--These take their name from Mr. Outram, who, in 1802, introduced the system of lightening carriage by running the vehicles 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 princ.i.p.al thoroughfares, but as his glib tongue failed in procuring the needful capital his scheme was a thorough failure. Some ten years after the notion was taken up by a few local gentlemen, and at a public meeting, on December 27, 1871, the Town Council were authorised to make such tramways as they thought to be necessary, a Company being formed to work them. This Company was rather before its time, though now it would be considered, if anything, rather backward. The first line of rails brought into use was laid from the b.u.t.tom of Hockley Hill to Dudley Port, and it was opened May 20, 1872; from Hockley to top of Snow Hill the cars began to run September 7, 1873; the Bristol Road line being first 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 Birmingham Tramway and Omnibus Company for the sum of 25,000, the original cost of the property thus acquired being 115,000. The new company leased the borough lines for seven years at 1,680 per annum, and gave up the out-district portion of the original undertaking. That they have been tolerably successful is shown by the fact that in 1883 the receipts from pa.s.sengers amounted to 39,859, while the 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 opened for traffic the day after Christmas, 1882.

The Company's capital is 50,000, of which nearly one-half was expended on the road alone. This was the first tramway on which steam was used as the motive power, though Doune's locomotire was tried, Jan. 8, 1876, between Handsworth and West Bromwich, and Hughes's between Monmouth Street and Bournbrook on July 2, 1880, the latter distance being covered in twenty-five minutes with a car-load of pa.s.sengers attached to the engine. The next Company to be formed was tha South Staffords.h.i.+re and Birmingham District Steam Tramway Co., who "broke ground" July 26, 1882, and opened their first section, about seven miles in length (from Handsworth to Darlaston), June 25, 1883. This line connects Birmingham with West Bromwich, Wednesbury, Great Bridge, Dudley, Walsall, and intermediate places, and is worked with 40-horse power engines of Wilkinson'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 Persh.o.r.e Street, Moat Row, Bradford Street, and Moseley Road, to Moseley; 2nd, by way of Deritend, Bordesley, Camp Hill, along Stratford Road, to Sparkhill; 3rd, leaving Stratford Road (at the Mermaid) and along Warwick Road, to Ac.o.c.k'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 Smithfield Street to Park Street, Duddeston Row, Curzon Street, Vauxhall Road, to Nech.e.l.ls Park Road; 6th, in the same direction, by way of 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 Row, up the Birchfield Road; 8th, from Six Ways, Birchfield, along the Lozells Road to Villa Cross, and from the Lozells Road along Wheeler Street to Const.i.tution Hill, forming a junction with the original Hockley 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 join the Hockley line; 2nd, as before to Parade, along the Sandpits, Spring Hill to borough boundary in Dudley Road, and along Heath Street to Smethwick; 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 Persh.o.r.e Road, and from Sherlock Street, by way of Gooch Street, to Balsall Heath; 5th, by way of Holloway Head, Bath Row, and Islington to the Five Ways. The whole of the 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 keeping them in repair. The average cost of laying down is put at 50s. per yard 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 system cannot be fairly said to have started till the spring of 1876, 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, and a number in Gosta Green and the various playgrounds 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 Worcester and Birmingham Ca.n.a.l, near King's Norton, is 2,695 yards long, perfectly straight, 17-1/2-ft. wide, and 18-ft. high. In the centre a basin is excavated sufficiently wide for barges to pa.s.s without inconvenience; and in this underground chamber in August, 1795, the Royal Arch Masons held a regular chapter of their order, rather an arch way of celebrating the completion of the undertaking. The other tunnels on this ca.n.a.l are 110, 120, 406, and 524 yards in length. On the old Birmingham Ca.n.a.l there are two, one being 2,200 yards long and the other 1,010 yards. On the London and Birmingham Railway (now London and North Western) the Watford tunnel is 1,830 yards long, the Kisley tunnel 2,423 yards, and Primrose Hill 1,250 yards. 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 Herefords.h.i.+re, being 600ft. from the rails to the surface; it is 1,560 yards in length. The longest tunnels in the country run under the range of hills between Marsden in Yorks.h.i.+re and Diggle in Lancas.h.i.+re, two being for railway and one ca.n.a.l use. One of the former is 5,434 yards, and the other (Stanedge, on the L. & N.W.) 5,435 yards long, while the ca.n.a.l tunnel is 5,451 yards.

~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 the road in 1818. There was once a gate at the junction of Hang'sman Lane (our Great Hampton Row) and Const.i.tution Hill, which, baing s.h.i.+fted further on, to about the spot where Green and Cadbury's Works now are, remained till 1839. The gate in Deritend was removed in August, 1828; the one at Five Ways July 5, 1841; those at Small Heath, at Sparkbrook, in the Moseley Road, and in the Hagley Road were all "free'd" in 1851, and the sites of the toll houses sold in 1853. In the "good old coaching days" the turnpike tolls paid on a coach running daily from here to London amounted to 1,428 per year.

~Union Pa.s.sage~, at first but a field path out of the yard of the Crown Tavern to the Cherry Orchard, afterwards a narrow entry as far as Crooked Lane, with a house only at each end, was opened up and widened in 1823 by Mr. Jones, who built the Pantechnetheca. Near the Ball Street end was the Old Bear Yard, the premises of a dealer in dogs, 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 Pa.s.sage became built up on both sides throughout.

~Vaughton's Hole.~--An unfortunate soldier fell into a deep clay pit here, in July, 1857, and was drowned; and about a month after (August 6) a horse and cart, laden with street sweepings, 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 property in the neighbourhood of Gooch Street, &c., though the descendants are known as Houghtons.

~Vauxhall.~--In an old book descriptive of a tour through England, in 1766, it is mentioned that near Birmingham there "is a seat belonging to Sir Listen 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 which name it goes in the neighbourhood." The old place, having been purchased by the Victoria Land Society, was closed by a farewell dinner and ball, September, 16, 1850, the first stroke of the axe to the trees being given at the finish of the ball, 6 a.m. next morning. In the days of its prime, before busy bustling Birmingham pushed up to its walls, it ranked as one of the finest places of amus.e.m.e.nt anywhere out of London. The following verse (one of five) is from an "Impromptu written by Edward Farmer in one of the alcoves at Old Vauxhall, March 6. 1850":--

"There's scarce a heart that will not start, No matter what it's rank and station, And heave a sigh when they destroy, This favourite place of recreation.

If we look back on memory's track, What joyous scenes we can recall, Of happy hours in its gay bowers, And friends we met at Old Vauxhall!"

~Velocipedes.~--We call them "cycles" nowadays, but in 1816-20 they were "dandy-horses," and in the words of a street billet of the period

"The hobby-horse was all the go In country and in town."

~Views of Birmingham.~--The earliest date "view" of the town appears to be the one given in Dugdale's Warwicks.h.i.+re, of 1656, and ent.i.tled "The Prospect of Birmingham, from 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 travelling 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 honoured with the presence of the Chinese Commissioner Pin-ta-Jen, May 7, 1866, and his Excellency the Chinese Minister Kus-ta Jen, January 23, 1878. j.a.panese Amba.s.sadors were here May 20, 1862, and again November 1, 1872. The Burmese Amba.s.sadors took a look at us August 14, 1872, and the Madagascar Amba.s.sadors followed on January 5, 1883.--Among the brave and gallant visitors who have noted are General Elliott, who came August 29th, 1787. Lord Nelson, August 30, 1802, and there is an old Harborneite still 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 1833, seemed particularly interested in the work going on among our gun-shops. Lady Havelock, her two daughters, and General Havelock, the only surviving brother of Sir Henry, visited the town October 8, 1858. 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 Beaconsfield. 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 banquet in the Town Hall, Nov. 20, 1876.

Sir Stafford Northcote, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, came here Oct.

19, 1878, and was at Aston, Oct. 13, 1884, when the Radical roughs made themselves conspicuous. Lord Randolph Churchill was introduced to the burgesses, April 15, 1884; and has been here many times since, as well as the late Col. Burnaby, who commenced his candidature for the representation 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 Gosta Green in 1743. Whitfield preached here in Oct., 1753. Benjamin Franklin was in Birmingham in 1758, and for long afterwards corresponded with Baskerville and Boulton.

Fulton, the American engineer, (originally a painter) studied here in 1795. Was.h.i.+ngton 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 prototype of the Hall, and the Bracebridge family of Atherstone found some of the characters. Thomas Carlyle was here in 1824; Mr. and Mrs.

Beecher Stowe ("Uncle Tom's Cabin"), in May, 1853; Sir W. Crofton, Oct.

9, 1862; M. Chevalier, April 28, 1875; Mr. Ruskin, July 14, 1877; Rev.

Dr. Punshon, March 19, and J.A. Froude, M.A., March 18, 1878; Mr.

Archibald Forbes, April 29, 1878; H.M. Stanley, Nov. 6, 1878; Bret Harte, April 7, 1879; the Rev. T. de Wilt Talmage, an American preacher of great note, lectured in Town Hall June 9 and July 7, 1879, on "The Bright side of Things," and on "Big Blunders;" but, taking the brightest view he could, he afterwards acknowledged that his coming here was the biggest blunder he had ever made. Oscar Wilde, March 13, 1884. Lola Montes lectured here March 2-4, 1859. Dr. Kenealy was here June 26, 1875. The Tichborne Claimant showed himself at the Town Hall, 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 regiment of volunteers to oppose the Scotch rebels, but history does not chronicle any daring exploits by this regiment. Playing at soldiers would seem to have been formerly a more popular (or shall we say patriotic) amus.e.m.e.nt than of late years; for it is recorded that a local corps was organised in August, 1782, but we suppose it was disbanded soon after, as in 1797, when the threatening times of revolution alarmed our peaceful sires, there were formed in Birmingham two companies, one of horse and one of foot, each 500 strong, under the commands of Capt. Pearson and Lord Brooke. They were called the Birmingham Loyal a.s.sociation of Volunteers, and held their first parade in Coles.h.i.+ll Street, August 15, 1797. On the 4th of June following a grand review was held on Birmingham 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 were armed with muskets brought from Prussia. The corps had the honour of escorting Lord Nelson when, with Lady Hamilton, he visited the town in 1802. At a review on August 2, 1804, the regiment were presented with its colours, and for years the "Loyals" were the most popular men of the period. Our neighbours do not seem to have been more backward than the locals, though why it was necessary that the services of the Handsworth Volunteer Cavalry should be required to charge and put to flight the rioters in Snow Hill (May 29, 1810) is not very clear.--See also "_Train Bands_."

~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 earlier. Unlike sundry other movements which are now 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 Staffords.h.i.+re, that the Brums really stepped into the ranks. Properly the natal day should be reckoned as the 14th of December, 1859, when a town's meeting 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 Granvllle Scott had been previously selected by Lord Leigh (the Lord-Lieutenant of the County) as Colonel, Major Sanders had accepted the Captaincy, Mr.

J.O. 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 made progress, the Mayor (Mr. Thos. Lloyd), Sir John Ratcliff, Mr. A. Dixon, and Mr. J. Lloyd each then promising to equip his twenty men apiece, and sundry other gentlemen aiding to dress up others of the rank and file. The money thus being found the 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 1860. The latter year saw the first parade in Calthorpe Park, the opening of the range at Bournebrook, and the formation of the twelve companies forming the first battalion, but, notwithstanding many 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, Col. Scott took command thereof, Major Sanders being promoted. He was followed by Lieut.-Col. Mason, on whose resignation, in February, 1867, Major Ratcliff succeeded, the battalion being then 1,161 strong. Col. Ratcliff retired in June, 1871, and was replaced by Major-General Hinde, C.B., who held command until his death, March 1, 1881. Major Gem who temporarily acted as commander, also died the following Nov. 4, Major Burt filling the post till the appointment of Col. W. Swynfen Jervis. The first adjutant (appointed in 1860) was Captain McInnis, who retired in 1870, having received bodily injuries through being thrown from his horse; he was succeeded by the present Adjutant-Colonel Tarte. The first uniform of the corps was a grey tunic with green facings, and a peaked cap with c.o.c.k's feathers; in 1863 this was changed for a green uniform with red facings, similar to that worn by the 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 helmet, and soon perhaps our boys will all be seen in scarlet like their brothers of the Staffords.h.i.+re battalions. At no date since its enrolment has the battalion been free from debt, and it now owes about 1,300, a state of affairs hardly creditable to the town which sends out yearly, some half-million firearms from its manufactories. The annual b.a.l.l.s 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 given (the first in May, 1865), and the cap has been sent 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 Derby, June, 1867; at the Royal Review at Windsor in 1868; and at every inspection since, the Birmingham corps has merited and received 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 inefficient 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 Sutton took place June 21, 1875, others joining 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 fight took place June 20, 1877. The "coming-of-age" was celebrated by a dinner at the Midland Hotel, January 29, 1881, up to which time the Government grants had amounted to 26,568 14s., the local subscriptions to 8,780, and the donations to 1,956 1s. 3d. The Birmingham Rifle Corps is now known as the First Volunteer Battalion of the Royal Warwicks.h.i.+re Regiment, having been linked to the "Saucy Sixth," under the army scheme of 1873.--See "_Public Buildings_--_Drill Hall_."

~Von Beck.~--The Baroness Von Beck was a lady intimately connected with the chiefs of the Hungarian Revolution 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 impostor. On the evening of August 29, she and her copatriot, Constant Derra de Moroda, were arrested at the house of Mr.

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 for the injured honour of M. de Moroda.

~Wages and Work.~--In 1272 the wages of a labouring man was just 1-1/2 d. per day. In Henry VIII.'s reign labourers' wages averaged 4d. per day; skilled workmen 5-1/2d. per day. The penny at that time was equal to a s.h.i.+lling of the present day, and would, relatively, purchase as much. In 1682, the Justices of the Peace a.s.sembled in Quarter Sessions at Warwick fixed the rates of wages to be paid to the several cla.s.ses of artificers, labourers, and others, as enjoined by a statue of Elizabeth.

From their order then made, we find that a master carpenter, his servants, and journeymen, were to receive 1s each per day; a master bricklayer, a mason, a cartwright, a thatcher, a tyler, a mower, and a reaper also 1s. per day, other workmen and labourers averaging from 4d.

to 8d. 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 person refusing to work upon these terms was to be imprisoned, and anyone paying more to forfeit 5 in addition to ten days' imprisonment, the unfortunate 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 be called the first local strike. The unfortunate "knights of the thimble" only got 12s. to 14s. per week.