A Description of Modern Birmingham Part 4

On the 11th of January, 1814, the school was opened, with a few children, as day scholars, and a short time after, the number was increased to fifteen; three of whom came from a distance, and were provided for, free of any expense to the inst.i.tution, which was at that time held in the town. Lord Calthorpe having erected some building at Edgbaston, in a delightful situation, on an eminence, that commands a view of Birmingham and the adjacent country for some distance, he, at the suggestion of Dr. Edward Johnstone, granted an advantageous lease of it, together with some surrounding land, for the use of this inst.i.tution.

At the anniversary which took place on the 29th August, 1814, his Grace the Duke of Devonshire, as president of this inst.i.tution, attended in person, when the committee announced, that every annual subscriber of one guinea, and every donor of ten pounds are ent.i.tled by lot to nominate a child into this inst.i.tution, and that the sum of four shillings per week be required with every child, for lodging, maintenance, and instruction in the asylum.--At the anniversary held on the 4th of August, 1815, the committee made a report, that the asylum was opened on the 4th of January last, and that twenty children had been admitted, to which number they recommended the subscribers to ballot for the admission of eleven others, the funds being adequate to support that number, with the four shillings per week.

At the anniversary held on the 16th of August, 1816, the committee recommended a ballot for six additional boys, and proposed to reduce the weekly sum paid with each pupil from four to three shillings.

In the year 1817, no circ.u.mstance took place deserving of notice, but at the anniversary in 1818 the Marquis of Anglesea presided, and there were four additional pupils admitted. The whole number in the asylum at the present time being thirty-two, several of whom have made great proficiency in drawing.

_General Inst.i.tution for the Relief of Persons labouring under bodily Deformity._

This inst.i.tution, which is supported by voluntary contributions, was established in New-street on the 24th of June, 1817, under patronage of the Earl of Dartmouth, and during the first year of its establishment, 235 patients were relieved, under the care of Mr. John Felton.

_Magistrates_.

The county magistrates who act for this town, some of whom attend at the public office, in Moor-street, every Monday and Thursday, are the Rev. Dr. Spencer, of Aston; William Villers, Esq. of Moseley; George Simc.o.x and Theodore Price, Esqrs. of Harborne; Wm. Withering, Esq. of the Larches; William Bedford, Esq. of Birch's Green; William Hamper, Esq. Deritend House; Edmund Outram, D.D. St. Philip's Parsonage; and Isaac Spooner, Esq. of Witton.

_The Public Office_

Is a neat stone-fronted building, erected in the year 1806, at the expense of 9000, in Moor-street; the ground floor of which is appropriated to the use of the commissioners of the street acts, and on the upper floor, the magistrates transact the public business of the town, for which purpose some of them attend every Monday and Thursday. At other times, when it is requisite to convene a public meeting of the inhabitants, it is made use of for that purpose. Behind this building there are apartments for the prison-keeper and his attendants, also.

_The Prison._

Which is a s.p.a.cious building, with a commodious well-paved yard, for the accommodation of those unfortunates who are therein confined; it being divided into two parts by a lofty brick wall, for the purpose of separating the male from the female prisoners, who have each of them their separate apartments during the day, and at night they are secured in distinct cells.

_The Prison, in Bordesley._

This being a licensed public house, numerous objections may be made to it; but under the superintendance of that humane magistrate, William Hamper, Esq. every accommodation and convenience that the place will admit of is appropriated to the benefit of those who are there confined, consistent with their security.

_Court Leet._

In the latter end of October, a court leet is held for the lord of the manor, when the low bailiff summonses a jury, and the annual officers are appointed by them: the low bailiff, in whom all the power is vested; the high bailiff, whose duty it is to see that justice is done between buyer and seller, by rectifying the weights and dry measures; two constables; one headborough, who, if he thinks proper to be vigilant, can act as constable; but if either of them are in town, he is not compelled to act; two high tasters, who should examine into the quality of the ale and its measures; two low tasters, or meat conners, whose duty it is to examine all meat brought to market, and if any that is unwholesome is exposed to sale, they are to destroy it; two affeirers, who ratify the rent and amercements between the lord and his tenants; and two nominal officers, under the t.i.tle of leather sealers, who have no business to attend to, except a good dinner twice a year.

Deritend being a hamlet of Birmingham, its inhabitants attend this court leet, where a constable being elected for them, he and the officers for the town are all sworn, in the name of the lord of the manor. The constables of Birmingham are empowered to act in Deritend, but the constable of Deritend cannot act in Birmingham.

_Court of Requests._

In the year 1808, the commissioners of this court, who are seventy-two in number, were empowered by act of parliament to decide any pecuniary differences between parties, not exceeding the sum of five pounds. The commissioners, three of whom are a quorum, meet every Friday morning, at the office, in a court, about the centre of High-street, and nearly opposite to New-street. Two clerks are const.i.tuted by the act to attend the court, who being always of the law, give their judicial a.s.sistance; they are chosen alternately by the lord of the manor and the commissioners, being continued for life. At the expiration of two years, ten of the commissioners are balloted out, and ten other of the inhabitants are made choice of, as their successors. From the decision of this court there is no appeal, and there are frequently two hundred causes decided in one day; there are two sets of commissioners sitting at the same time, for the dispatch of business, who in general give so much satisfaction to both parties, that it is very unusual to hear any remarks made upon their decision.

_Humane Society._

In the year 1790, a society was formed, under the above t.i.tle, to a.s.sist in the recovery of persons apparently drowned, which is now transferred to the hospital.

_Society for the Protection of Trade against fraudulent Bankrupts, Swindlers, &c._

This society was formed in the year 1804, to prevent any flagrant attempts to impose on the honest and unwary, by fraudulent bankrupts and swindlers, and to detect cheats of every description; also to prevent the friends and suspected accomplices of such persons from being appointed a.s.signees or trustees, to the detriment of the creditors at large.

_Chamber of Commerce._

In July, 1813, a public meeting was convened, for the purpose of establishing a bond of union among the mercantile interests in this town, under the above t.i.tle; but at present it does not appear to have made much progress.

_The a.s.say Office_

Is situated in Little Cannon-street, where all plate manufactured in this town and its vicinity must be sent, for the purpose of ascertaining the quality of the silver and being stamped with the proper marks, denoting that it is standard, and has paid the proper duties.

_Gold and Silver._ The quant.i.ty of these precious metals consumed in this town and neighbourhood every week is incalculable, and if it could be ascertained would appear incredible; there being in wrought plate about two thousand ounces; but the quant.i.ty of silver used in plating of different articles, it is not possible to discover, nor can the quant.i.ty of gold used in different manufactories be made known, but it is computed by those who have the best means of obtaining information on the subject, that there are more than one hundred ounces of gold purchased by the gilders every week, which is spread over the articles in such a superficial manner, that not a single ounce of it ever returns to the crucible again. From the same source of information, it is computed that there are more than one thousand ounces of silver used every week, which never reverts back again in its pristine state as silver.

_Copper._

There being a great consumption of this article in the different manufactories, a society was formed in the year 1790, under the t.i.tle of _The Birmingham Mining and Copper Company._

Who, having established connexions at Redruth, in Cornwall, and Swansea, in Wales, the copper is brought to this town, and disposed of among the manufacturers, to the mutual advantage of both parties.

In the year 1793, there being a great demand for this article, on account of a national copper coinage, an a.s.sociation was entered into, who stiled themselves _The Rose Copper Company,_

Who established smelting works at Swansea, in Wales, and princ.i.p.ally vend the article in this town.

Trade continuing to increase, a third establishment took place, in 1803, under the name of _The Crown Copper Company,_

Who erected smelting houses, and render the article in a proper state for sale, at Neath, in Wales.

Envious of other people's prosperity, a fourth company obtruded itself upon the public, called the Union, who having overstocked the market, disposed of their concern to the other companies, and dissolved itself.

Under this head, the editor considers it no more than an act of justice, to observe, that the manufacture of copper bolts, for fastening the timbers of ships together, was invented by Mr. John Westwood, an inhabitant of this town.

_Bra.s.s._

This article, so necessary to the manufacturers in this town, was for a great length of time procured from the wealthy people of Bristol, which caused a manufactory, of bra.s.s to be established here, about the year 1740, but that being upon a small scale, the princ.i.p.al supply came from the place before-mentioned, until the year 1781, when a number of manufacturers a.s.sociated together, and established a manufactory of bra.s.s, upon an extensive scale, in this town, under the denomination of _The Birmingham Metal Company._

For the purpose of supplying themselves and their neighbours with that article, at a regular rate; the Bristol people being accustomed to raise or fall the price at discretion. This gave rise to another company, who erected extensive works, and established a manufactory of bra.s.s, at Smethwick.

Trade increasing, a third company was formed, who erected works, and commenced manufacturing of bra.s.s, at Spon-lane, West-bromwich; so that the town is now amply supplied with that article; for the companies at a distance have their agents, who dispose of large quant.i.ties.

_Steel House._

In the beginning of the last century, a furnace was erected on the outside of the town, for the conversion of iron into steel, and houses being erected in its vicinity, they were denominated Steelhouse-lane.

That the woollen manufactory is of great importance to this kingdom must be admitted, but if the demand for fine steel goods should ever revive again, and be equally brisk as it was thirty years back, there is not in my mind a doubt, but the iron and steel trade would produce more profit to the nation than that of woollen, if it does not at the present time. Wool is produced from the surface of the earth, and iron is by dint of labour collected from its bowels; consider the numerous hands employed in the mines and the furnaces to bring it into a rough state, either for casting or the forge, and when it is in a proper state for either, the endless variety of articles it is manufactured into; the whole export of which, being all produced by labour, is every shilling of it profit to the nation. Gold can only be wrought in any quant.i.ties to a certain determinate value, but who can fix the price at which articles made of steel may be sold. Should it please the Almighty to continue the blessings of a general peace, the people on the continent will soon recover themselves, and whenever that is the case, and money circulates freely among them, they will then turn their thoughts to superfluities, and as no other article will bear so high a polish and appear so brilliant as those which are manufactured of steel, there is the greatest probability of that trade being revived.--An attempt to enumerate the different articles now made in iron and steel, would be in vain; yet none of the more valuable are at this time in request.

Previous to the year 1760, there were very few travellers, (if any,) went from Birmingham with intent to sell the manufactures; the custom at that time, and for many years afterwards, was, for the ironmongers in different parts of the kingdom to bring their money and orders with them, and to wait until the goods were brought in, and see them packed before they left the town. The ironmongers in large towns then supplied their neighbours in smaller places with the different articles, and numbers of people used to attend different markets, where they kept a stock of goods.

This mode of conducting business being both troublesome and expensive, the ironmongers, instead of coming twice a year as some of them did, deputed some person to receive goods on their account, allowing a commission for so doing. This opened the eyes of those who received the goods, and induced them to collect patterns and travel on their own account; which being found advantageous, it has been practised ever since.

Twenty years back the trades carried on in this town were, with few exceptions, light articles, that depended upon fancy, but since that time, there have been numerous works established for manufacturing useful and substantial articles, both for the foreign market and home consumption; and the orders are so extensive that several people keep carts, for the purpose of delivering their own manufacture to the merchant.

_Princ.i.p.al Manufactories._

Within this town are manufactured every metallic article, both for use and ornament, that can be necessary in a house; the variety of j.a.pan goods, both useful and ornamental, is prodigious; the bra.s.s founders produce an infinite variety of articles; and the platers also; the manufacturers of b.u.t.tons, guns, swords, locks of every kind, jewellery and toys, employ the greatest part of the population. To these may be added a great variety of articles, exclusively for the foreign trade.

Lately a manufactory of watches has been established, upon a very extensive scale, in gold, silver, metal, and covered cases.

_Birmingham Ca.n.a.ls._