A Description of Modern Birmingham Part 7

_Public Scales._

A short distance from the statue of Lord Nelson, one of the beadles is stationed every market day, with the public scales and weights, where any person may weigh whatever articles of provision they have purchased, free of expense, which is a very laudable inst.i.tution, and has proved of the greatest utility.

_Improvements._

Within the last twenty years, the interior of the town has experienced very considerable improvements; numerous houses adjacent to the church yard of St. Martin have been entirely removed, and the s.p.a.ce they occupied is thrown open to enlarge the market place.

The entrance into several streets have been made considerably wider, and by that means rendered more commodious; some of the streets have been re-paved, and the water conveyed by culverts, instead of annoying the pedestrian as it used to do. Some parts of the town are already lighted by gas, and preparations are making for the general use of it; but in those streets where it has been introduced, a great part of the brilliant light it produces is obscured for want of clean lamps. Those who have the care of them, either do not know how, or will not be at the trouble of making a strong lie of ash b.a.l.l.s and hot water, which with a little labour and attention will remove the greasy particles that adhere to them.--It having been customary to fix the lamps adjacent to the houses, the same method is still pursued; but if light cylindrical lamp posts of cast iron were fixed between the curb stone and the water course, every part of the street would be benefited by the alteration. The lamps should be made with a hole in the bottom, similar to those used in halls, and fit into a socket at the top of the lamp post.

This fashionable mode of producing artificial light, gives employment to great numbers of people in this town, not only for the use of public streets, but also elegant branches for the interior of houses.

_Newspapers._

There are four published in this town: Aris's Gazette, by Mr. Thomas Knott, jun. on Monday morning; Swinney's Birmingham Chronicle, by Mr.

James Ferrall, on Wednesday evening; the Birmingham Commercial Herald, by Messrs. Richard Jabet and Co. on Sat.u.r.day evening; also, the Argus, on the same evening.

_The Markets._

Although there is not any shelter for the country people, yet in the most stormy weather this town is abundantly supplied with provisions of all kinds, every Monday, Thursday, and Sat.u.r.day. This being the grand mart, the fertile vale of Evesham pours forth its fruit and vegetables in great profusion; and as auxiliaries, the vicinity of Tamworth and also of Lichfield send hither great quant.i.ties; in short, whatever provisions of a good quality are brought here, the market is never overstocked.

The butchers in this town are dispersed over every part of it, where they live and enjoy those comforts with their families that it is not possible to do when they are congregated together in shambles; and in this extensive town, no person is necessitated to lose much time, or walk far from home, to provide for his family.

Considering the distance from hence to the sea coast, the inhabitants are well supplied with fish of various kinds, and at a moderate price.

Opposite the quaker's meeting in Bull-street, there is, in front of the house occupied by Mr. Standley, a most admirable piece of brick-work, (the lock-maker's arms, under a most beautiful arch), such as is very seldom seen, and does infinite credit to whoever executed it; but some simpleton has defaced the arms to a considerable degree, by colouring them to represent stone. This was about as necessary as paint is for the faces of women:--to make them look worse afterwards.

This exquisite performance appears to have been done about one hundred and fifty years; the house having been invariably in the possession of a person eminent as a lock-maker during the above period.

In Moor-street, there is another specimen of the same kind, about one hundred yards above the public office, which was executed in the year 1671, being arms, a chevron between three goats' heads, and a goat's head for a crest. Such specimens of brick work as these are very seldom seen.

_Square_.

There is near the centre of the town, what is called the Square; the buildings which surround it were uniform; but one eighth part was some years back fronted with stone, and converted into a tavern, which is denominated the Stork. This house of entertainment, from its private situation and being near the centre of the town, is much resorted to by travellers; there being capacious stabling behind, and in front there are some shrubs, inclosed by iron pallisadoes. For those who are at leisure, there is an excellent billiard table.

_John-a-Dean's Hole._

At the bottom of Digbeth, about forty yards from Deritend Bridge, there is on the left a water course that receives a small drain from Digbeth, and also from the adjacent lands; which stream separates the parishes of Aston and Birmingham, and is known by the name of John-a-Dean's hole, from a person of that name who is said to have lost his life there.

_Baths, near Lady Well,_

Are always ready for the accommodation of hot or cold bathing, and also for immersion or amus.e.m.e.nt, together with sudorific apartments.

The swimming bath is in length thirty-six yards, and in breadth eighteen yards, containing more than 2000 hogsheads of spring water, and gradually slopes from the depth of one to five feet; being situated in the centre of a garden, wherein are twenty-four apartments to undress and dress in; the whole being surrounded by a wall, ten feet high, and fine lofty trees. There are also very decent baths in Newtown-row, near Lancaster-street.

_Houses_.

By an accurate survey, taken in the year 1810, it appears that there were then 9196 front houses, and 8214 back houses, within the connected streets of Birmingham, which, reckoning five and a half to a house, makes the population 97,405. There appears to be about 400 houses erected annually, which will make the number at the present time 18510, and the population 101,805.

The old Roman road, denominated Ikenield-street, that extends from Southampton to Tyremouth, enters this parish near the observatory in Ladywood-lane, crosses the road to Dudley at the Sand Pits, and proceeding along Warstone-lane, leaves the parish in Hockley-brook; but is distinctly to be seen at the distance of five miles, both in Sutton park and on the Coldfield, in perfect repair, as when the Romans left it.

_The Parsonage House_

Of St. Martin, situated near Smallbrook-street, is in all probability one of the most ancient entire buildings in this part of the country; it being a low, half-timbered erection, surrounded by a moat; in front of which is, what was the tythe barn, being near sixty yards in length, now made use of as warehouses.

By late regulations in the post office, an innovation has crept in that is highly reprehensible, and ought not to be continued. Before mail coaches were established, Coleshill was a place of considerably more note then, as a post town, than Birmingham, it being very common for people in the north to direct their letters for Birmingham, to turn at Coleshill. This being the case, if the directors of the post office think proper to change the route for their own convenience, that is no reason why the public should be charged with the expense.

Dudley and Coleshill being both of them the same distance from Birmingham, what reason can be a.s.signed why a letter to Dudley should be four-pence and to Coleshill six-pence?

The country for a few miles round the town is in every direction studded with houses, belonging to the opulent inhabitants of Birmingham, or of those who have retired from the busy scenes of life.

Whoever walks much about this town, will perceive one very remarkable circ.u.mstance: at the top of a street you ascend into the houses by a flight of steps, and in the lower part of the same street, you descend into some of the houses; this is exemplified in Edmund-street, and particularly in Newhall-street and Lionel-street.

There are two fairs in the year, one of them is held on Thursday in the Whitsun week, and the other on the last Thursday in September: the horses being exposed for sale in Bristol-street; the neat cattle, sheep, and pigs in Smithfield.

The established market is on Thursday, but the town being so populous, there is a very good market both on Monday and Sat.u.r.day. Hay and straw are exposed for sale every Tuesday, in Smithfield.

_Jackson's Trust._

George Jackson, of Birmingham, mercer, gave certain premises, in Deritend, for placing out two apprentices, annually; present rent, six pounds per annum.

Some years back, the church of St. Martin being under repair, the workmen discovered that the four pinnacles, (one at each corner of the tower), were very much decayed, upon which, the powers at that time in authority concluded, that they should be re-constructed, and to make a finish, fixed a vane upon each of them, without considering, that, the steeple being in the centre, it was not possible for the wind invariably to act upon all alike; consequently, any other termination would have been more appropriate.

In the jurisprudence of this town, there is one remarkable circ.u.mstance; the chief constable of Hemlingford hundred, wherein Birmingham is situated, is of course superior to the two constables of this town; yet they, by virtue of their office, preside over the common prison, and of course the appointment of prison-keeper is vested in them; but, strange to relate, the chief constable of the hundred is keeper of the prison, in Birmingham: consequently, although he is their superior, he is at the same time subservient to them.

_Private Carriages_.

Within this town and its immediate vicinity there are more than fifty carriages, of different descriptions, on four wheels, and upwards of three hundred on two wheels, that pay the duty.

The number of hackney coaches that ply in the streets is twelve, under the following regulated fares.

_Hackney Coach Fares._ Under one mile .................. 1 6 1 mile and under 1-1/2 .......... 2 0 1-1/2 mile and under 2 .......... 3 0 2 miles and under 2-1/2 ......... 4 0 2-1/2 miles and under 3 ......... 5 0 3 miles and under 3-1/2 ......... 6 0 3-1/2 miles and under 4 ......... 7 0

An extra half fare if carrying more than four persons.

_Time_.

For every forty minutes, one shilling, and for every twenty minutes afterwards, six-pence in addition. If employed, or kept in waiting, betwixt the hours of twelve o'clock at night and five o'clock in the morning, double the above fares are allowed.

The late Mr. Baskerville, whose printed works are in such high estimation, both for paper and print, resided at a place called Easy Hill, at that time quite distant from the town; the house being encircled by an extensive paddock. At this place he erected a mill for the making of paper, in which article he excelled all his contemporaries, as he also did in the formation of his types, which, to the disgrace of this country, were permitted to be sold into France. This once delightful spot is now surrounded with buildings, the house wherein he resided is converted into a manufactory, and the land into wharfs.

About twenty yards above the statue in honour of Lord Nelson, there was within memory the market cross, from whence the roads in every direction were measured; but from some cause or other, that custom has been altered, and it is difficult to say from what part of the town some of the roads are now measured; for example, the road to Walsall.

This road having been considerably shortened and improved, is now considered to be eight miles distant: (it was some years back, ten miles); but from the centre of one town to that of the other, will measure nine miles; and whoever travels that road must very justly pay for that distance.

The road to Stourbridge and Kidderminster is another instance where the mile stones are not to be depended upon; for the one mile stone on that road is considerably more than that distance from the centre of the town.

The horse roads round this town were, within memory, from the rains, constant wear, and no repair, worn into such hollow ways, that in some instances, particularly in Bordesley, a waggon, when loaded with hay, the top of it was not so high as the foot path on the side: it was at one time fifty-eight feet below the surface. There are still remaining two specimens of the old roads, but they have been for many years useless, except in going to the adjacent grounds. One of them is situated a little beyond the sign of the Bell, on the right hand side of the Worcester road, and leads towards the Five Ways. The other begins at Edgbaston church, and continues till you arrive at the toll-gate, on the Bromsgrove road; but, thanks to the trustees of the turnpikes, the roads in every direction are now upon a par with others, and in one respect surpa.s.s most of them throughout the kingdom, by having on the side of every one, a foot path, for the accommodation of pedestrians.

This town, not being restricted by any charter, strangers from whatever quarter they may come, here find an asylum, and pursue their avocations with as much freedom, and are no more subject to molestation, than a native inhabitant. Trade of every kind may be exercised here, and let a person's religious opinions be whatever they may, he is at liberty to exercise them; there being in this town eight places of public worship, according to the establishment, one for the society of friends, two for protestant dissenters, three for calvinists, two for Roman catholics, four for methodists, four for baptists, one for Swedenburgians, one for jews, and one for the followers of Lady Huntingdon.

The buildings in this town extend to the distance of near three miles in every direction, reckoning from the top of Camphill, and it was some years back, upon a certainty, the largest town in the kingdom.

This was ascertained by actual measurement; for soon after Mr. Aikin published his history of Manchester, Mr. John Snape, a very accurate surveyor, drew a plan of this town, upon the same scale as Mr.

Aikin's. Since that time, I cannot say which of the two towns have encreased the most; but, if Manchester has extended its buildings with more rapidity than Birmingham, it is a very extensive place.