DICTIONARY OF BIMIRGHAM _ENGLISH_.pdf

SHOWELL'S

Dictionary of Birmingham

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 Public 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 WELLS BREWERY, OLDBURY_,

Head Offices: 157, ST. CHARLES STREET, BIRMINGHAM.

BIRMINGHAM:

Printed by J.G. Hammond & Co., 136-38 Edmund Street; and

Published by

CORNISH BROTHERS, NEW STREET.

[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 corrected. Fractions: example four and a

half = 4-1/2. Bold text is denoted by ~]

~NOTES OF BIRMINGHAM IN THE PAST.~

~Birmingham to the Seventh Century.~--We have no record or traces

whatever of there being inhabitants in this neighbourhood, though there

can be little doubt that in the time of the invasion of the Romans some

British strongholds were within a few miles of the place, sundry remains

having been found to show that many battles had been fought near here.

If residents there were prior to King Edward the Confessor's reign, they

would probably be of Gurth's tribe, and their huts even Hutton,

antiquarian and historian as he was, failed to find 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; a score of different

derivations "discovered" for it; and guesses innumerable given as to its

origin, but we still wait for the information required.

~Birmingham in the Conqueror'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 Mercia. 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 cultivation, with but nine residents, five villeins, and four

bordarers. In 1181 there were 18 freeholders (_libere tenentes_) in

Birmingham cultivating 667 acres, and 35 tenants _in demesne_, holding

158 acres, the whole value being L13 8s. 2d.

~Birmingham in the Feudal Period.~--The number of armed men furnished by

this town for Edward III.'s wars were four, as compared with six from

Warwick, and forty from Coventry.

~Birmingham in the Time of the Edwards and Harrys.~--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.

~Birmingham in 1538.~--Leland, who visited here about this date, says in

his "Itinerary"--"There be many smithies in the towne that use to make

knives and all manner of cutlery tooles, and many lorimers that make

bittes, 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

Staffordshire." He describes 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."

~Birmingham in 1586.~--Camden in his "Britannica," published this year,

speaks of "Bremicham, swarming with inhabitants, and echoing with the

noise of anvils, for the most part of them are smiths."

~Birmingham in 1627.~--In a book issued at Oxford this year mention is

made of "Bremincham inhabited with blacksmiths, and forging sundry kinds

of iron utensils."

~Birmingham in 1635.~--As showing the status the town held at this date

we find that it was assessed for "ship money" by Charles I. at L100, the

same as Warwick, while Sutton Coldfield had to find L80 and Coventry

L266.

~Birmingham in 1656.~--Dugdale speaks of it as "being a place very

eminent for most commodities made of iron."

~Birmingham in 1680-90.~--Macaulay says: The population of Birmingham

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 days a bookseller named Michael Johnson

(father 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 Office of Ordnance to "pay to John

Smart for Thomas Hadley and the rest of the Gunmakers of Birmingham, one

debenture of ffour-score and sixteen poundes 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," could be had, "cheaper and better here than even

in famed Milan."

~Birmingham in 1691.~--The author of "The New State of England,"

published this year, says: "Bromichan drives a good trade in iron and

steel wares, saddles and bridles, which find good vent at London,

Ireland, and other 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 counterfeit groats made here,

and dispersed all oven the kingdom."

~Birmingham in 1731.~--An old "Road-book" of this date, says that

"Birmingham, Bromicham, or Bremicham, is a large town, well built and

populous. The inhabitants, being mostly smiths, are very ingenious in

their way, and vend vast quantities of all sorts of iron wares." The

first map of the town (Westley's) was published in this year. It showed

the Manorhouse on an oval island, about 126 yards long by 70 yards

extreme width, surrounded 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.~--Bradford's plan of the town, published in 1751,

showed a walk by Rea side, where lovers could take a pleasant stroll

from Heath Mill Lane. The country residences 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, Birmingham or Bromichan is said to be "a

large, well-built, and populous town, noted for the 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 house

(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 New Tour through England," by George

Beaumont, Esq., and Capt. Henry Disney, Birmingham is described as "a

very large populous town, the upper part of which stands dry on the side

of a hill, but the lower is watry, and inhabited by the meaner sort of

people. They are employed here in the Iron Works, in which they are such

ingenious artificers, that their performances in the smallwares 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.~--Hutton published his "History of Birmingham" this

year. He estimated that there were then living ninety-four townsmen who

were each worth over L5,000; eighty worth over L10,000; seventeen worth

over L20,000; eight worth over L30,000; seven worth over L50,000; and

three at least worth over L100,000 each.

~Birmingham in 1812.~--The appearance of the town then would be strange

indeed to those who know but the Birmingham of to-day. Many

half-timbered houses remained in the Bull Ring and cows grazed near

where the Town Hall now stands, there being a farmhouse at the back of

the site of Christ Church, then being built. Recruiting parties paraded

the 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 streets were patrolled by

watchmen, with rattles and lanterns, who called the hours and the

weather.

* * * * *

~AB House,~ so called from the initials inscribed thereon to show the

division of the parishes of Aston and Birmingham near to Deritend

Bridge. Early in 1883 part of the foundations were uncovered, showing

that the old building was raised on wooden piles, when the neighbourhood

was little better than a swamp.

~ABC Time Table~ was first issued in July, 1853. A rival, called the

"XYZ Time Table," on a system that was to make all the puzzles of

Bradshaw as plain as pikestaves, was brought out in August, 1877, but it

required such extra wise heads to understand 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 reference.

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 old bridge over the 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 Rifle 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.

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