Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham Part 10

~Executions.~--In 1729 a man was hung on Gibbett Hill, site of Oscott College, for murder and highway robbery. Catherine Evans was hung February 8, 1742, for the murder of her husband in this town. At the Summer a.s.sizes in 1773, James Duckworth, hopfactor and grocer, of this town, was sentenced to death for counterfeiting and diminishing the gold coin. He was supposed to be one of the heaviest men in the county, weighing over twenty-four stone. He died strongly protesting his innocence, On the 22nd Nov., 1780, Wilfrid Barwick, a butcher, was robbed and murdered near the four mile stone on the Coleshill Road. The culprits were two soldiers, named John Hammond (an American by birth) and Thomas Pitmore (a native of Cheshire) but well known as "Jack and Tom," drummer and fifer in the recruiting service here. They were brought before the magistrates at the old Public Office in Dale End; committed; and in due course tried and sentenced at Warwick to be hanged and gibbeted on Washwood Heath, near the scene of the murder. The sentence was carried out April 2, 1781, the bodies hanging on the gibbet in chains a short time, until they were surrept.i.tiously removed by some humanitarian friends who did not approve of the exhibition. What became of the bodies was not known until the morning of Thursday, Jan. 20, 1842, when the navvies employed on the Birmingham and Derby (now Midland) railway came upon the two skeletons still environed in chains when they were removing a quant.i.ty of earth for the embankment. The skeletons were afterwards reinterred under an apple-tree in the garden of the Adderley Arms, Saltley, and the gibbet-irons were taken as rarities to the Aston Tavern, where, possibly, inquisitive relic-mongers may now see them. Four persons were hung for highway robbery near Aston Park, April 2, 1790. Seven men were hung at Warwick, in 1800, for forgery, and one for sheep-stealing. They hung people at that time for crimes which are now punished by imprisonment or short periods of penal servitude, but there was little mercy combined with the justice then, and what small portion there happened to be was never doled out in cases where the heinous offence of forgery had been proved. On Easter Monday (April 19), 1802, there was another hanging match at Washwood Heath, no less than eight unfortunate wretches suffering the penalty of the law for committing forgeries and other crimes in this neighbourhood. There would seem to have been some little excitement in respect to this wholesale slaughter, and perhaps fears of a rescue were entertained, for there were on guard 240 of the King's Dragoon Guards, then stationed at our Barracks, under the command of Lieut.-Col. Toovey Hawley, besides a detachment sent from Coventry as escort with the prisoners. The last public execution here under the old laws was that of Philip Matsell, who was sentenced to be hanged for shooting a watchman named Twyford, on the night of July 22, 1806. An _alibi_ was set up in defence, and though it was unsuccessful, circ.u.mstances afterwards came to light tending to prove that though Matsell was a desperado of the worst kind, who had long kept clear of the punishments he had deserved, in this instance he suffered for another. There was a disreputable gang with one of whom, Kate Pedley, Matsell had formed an intimate connection, who had a grudge against Twyford on account of his interfering and preventing several robberies they had planned, and it is said that it was his paramour, Kit Pedley, who really shot Twyford, having dressed herself in Matsell's clothes while he was in a state of drunkenness. However, he was convicted and brought here (Aug. 23), from Warwick, sitting on his coffin in an open cart, to be executed at the bottom of Great Charles Street. The scaffold was a rough platform about ten feet high, the gallows rising from the centre thereof, Matsell having to stand upon some steps while the rope was adjusted round his neck. During this operation he managed to kick his shoes off among the crowd, having sworn that he would never die with his shoes on, as he had been many a time told would be his fate. The first execution at Winson Green Gaol was that of Henry Kimberley (March 17, 1885) for the murder of Mrs. Palmer.

~Exhibitions.~--It has long been matter of wonder to intelligent foreigners that the "Toyshop of the World" ("Workshop of the World"

would be nearer the mark) has never organised a permanent exhibition of its myriad manufactures. There is not a city, or town, and hardly a country in the universe that could better build, fit up, or furnish such a place than Birmingham; and unless it is from the short-sighted policy of keeping samples and patterns from the view of rivals in trade--a fallacious idea in these days of commercial travellers and town agencies--it must be acknowledged our merchants and manufacturers are not keeping up with the times in this respect. Why should Birmingham be without its Crystal Palace of Industry when there is hardly an article used by man or woman (save food and dress materials) but what is made in her workshops? We have the men, we have the iron, and we have the money, too! And it is to be hoped that ere many years are over, some of our great guns will see their way to construct a local Exhibition that shall attract people from the very ends of the earth to this "Mecca" of ours.

As it is, from the grand old days of Boulton and his wonderful Soho, down to to-day, there has been hardly a Prince or potentate, white, black, copper, or coffee coloured, who has visited England, but that have come to peep at our workshops, mayor after mayor having the "honour" to toady to them and trot them round the back streets and slums to where the men of the bench, the file, and the hammer have been diligently working generation after generation, for the fame and the name of our world-known town. As a mere money speculation such a show-room must pay, and the first cost, though it might be heavy, would soon be recouped by the influx of visitors, the increase of orders, and the advancement of trade that would result. There _have_ been a few exhibitions held here of one sort and another, but nothing on the plan suggested above. The first on our file is that held at the Shakespeare rooms early in 1839, when a few good pictures and sundry specimens of manufactures were shown. This was followed by the comprehensive Mechanics' Inst.i.tute Exhibition opened in Newhall Street, December 19th, same year, which was a success in every way, the collection of mechanical models, machinery, chemical and scientific productions, curiosities, &c., being extensive and valuable; it remained open thirteen weeks. In the following year this exhibition was revived (August 11, 1840), but so far as the Inst.i.tute, for whose benefit it was intended, was concerned, it had been better if never held, for it proved a loss, and only helped towards the collapse of the Inst.i.tute, which closed in 1841. Railway carriages and tramcars propelled by electricity are the latest wonders of 1883; but just three-and-forty years back, one of our townsmen, Mr. Henry Shaw, had invented an "electro-galvanic railway carriage and tender," which formed one of the attractions of this Exhibition. It went very well until injured by (it is supposed) some spiteful nincomp.o.o.p who, not having the brain to invent anything himself, tried to prevent others doing so. The next Exhibition, or, to be more strictly correct, "Exposition of Art and Manufactures," was held in the old residence of the Lloyd's family, known as Bingley House, standing in its own grounds a little back from Broad Street, and on the site of the present Bingley Hall. This was in 1849, and from the fact of its being visited (Nov. 12) by Prince Albert, who is generally credited with being the originator of International Exhibitions, it is believed that here he obtained the first ideas which led to the great "World's Fair" of 1851, in Hyde Park.--Following the opening of Aston Hall by Her Majesty in 1858, many gentlemen of position placed their treasures of art and art manufacture at the disposal of the Committee for a time, and the result was the collecting together of so rich a store that the London papers p.r.o.nounced it to be after the "Great Exhibition" and the Manchester one, the most successful, both as regarded contents and attendance, of any Exhibition therebefore held out of the Metropolis.

There were specimens of some of the greatest achievements in the arts of painting, sculpture, porcelain and pottery, carving and enamelling; ancient and modern metalwork, rich old furniture, armour, &c, that had ever been gathered together, and there can be little doubt that the advance which has since taken place in the scientific and artistic trade circles of the town spring in great measure from this Exhibition.--On the 28th of August, 1865, an Industrial Exhibition was opened at Bingley Hall, and so far as attendance went, it must take first rank, 160,645 visitors having pa.s.sed the doors.

_Agricultural Exhibitions_.--The Birmingham Agricultural Exhibition Society, who own Bingley Hall, is the same body as the old Cattle Show Society, the modern name being adopted in 1871. As stated elsewhere, the first Cattle Show was held in Kent Street, Dec. 10, 1849; the second in Bingley Hall, which was erected almost solely for the purposes of this Society, and here they have acquired the name of being the best in the kingdom. To give the statistics of entries, sales, admissions, and receipts at all the Shows since 1849, would take more s.p.a.ce than can be afforded, and though the totals would give an idea of the immense influence such Exhibitions must have on the welfare and prosperity of the agricultural community, the figures themselves would be but dry reading, and those for the past few years will suffice.

1877. 1878. 1879. 1880. 1881. 1882. 1883.

Cattle ................... 113 125 152 108 161 150 101 Sheep .................... 69 91 64 47 88 85 75 Pigs ..................... 64 73 52 60 58 67 69 Corn ..................... 27 58 29 36 55 67 66 Roots .................... 94 112 175 182 124 131 117 Potatoes ................. 76 116 138 88 104 96 187 Poultry .................. 2077 2149 2197 2247 2409 2489 2816 Pigeons .................. 629 715 702 815 902 838 1332 ---------------------------- 3149 3439 3505 3583 3901 3923 4763 ----------------------------

1877. 1878. 1879. 1880. 1881. 1882. 1883.

No. of Visitors .. 53,501 65,830 38,536 47,321 55,361 50,226 Receipts ......... 1,673 1,997 1,206 1,585 1,815 1,665

[Transcriber's note: No figures are given in the original for 1883 in this table.]

In addition to the Christmas Cattle Show, the Society commenced in March, 1869, a separate exhibition and sale of pure-bred shorthorns, more than 400 beasts of this cla.s.s being sent every year. Indeed, the last show is said to have been the largest ever held in any country. The value of the medals, cups, and prizes awarded at these cattle shows averages nearly 2,400 per year, many of them being either subscribed for or given by local firms and gentlemen interested in the breeding or rearing of live stock. One of the princ.i.p.al of these prizes is the Elkington Challenge Cup, valued at 100 guineas, which, after being won by various exhibitors during the past ten years, was secured at the last show by Mr. John Price, who had fulfilled the requirements of the donors by winning it three times. Messrs. Elkington & Co. have most liberally given another cup of the same value. In 1876, for the first time since its establishment in 1839, the Royal Agricultural Society held its exhibition here, the ground allotted for its use being seventy acres at the rear of Aston Hall, twenty-five acres being part of the Park itself.

That it was most successful may be gathered from the fact that over 265,000 persons visited the show, which lasted from July 19th to 24th.

_Poultry_ forms part of the Bingley Hall Exhibition, and numerically the largest portion thereof, as per the table of entries, which is well worth preserving also for showing when new cla.s.ses of birds have been first penned:

1876 1'77 1'78 1'79 1'80 1'81 1'82 Brahma Pootras 407 258 366 376 362 439 429 Dorkings ...... 167 178 220 209 194 238 277 Cochin ........ 331 415 412 433 421 431 412 Langshans ..... -- -- -- 49 66 49 47 Malay ......... 63 38 49 47 48 36 43 Creve Coeur ... 93 117 94 38 28 33 24 Houdans ....... -- -- -- 56 65 54 71 La Fleche ..... -- -- -- -- -- -- 12 Spanish ....... 48 33 45 27 32 31 37 Andalusians ... -- -- -- 16 23 29 43 Leghorns ...... -- -- -- 25 12 20 17 Plymouth Rocks -- -- -- -- -- 17 20 Minorcas ...... -- -- 7 8 6 9 3 Polish ........ 78 76 98 91 83 98 63 Sultans ....... -- -- -- 6 7 8 6 Silkies ....... -- -- -- -- -- 11 7 Game .......... 351 341 314 241 267 287 353 Aseels ........ -- -- -- 27 28 20 11 Hamburghs ..... 148 175 145 159 129 141 153 Other Breeds .. 35 47 126 20 20 21 7 Selling Cla.s.ses -- -- -- 66 90 93 102 Bantams ....... 95 63 82 70 105 96 105 Ducks ......... 100 102 115 137 163 144 141 Geese ......... 21 21 31 22 31 21 23 Turkeys ....... 95 96 52 82 67 81 60 Pigeons........ 670 629 715 702 815 903 838 Total ......--------------------------------- 2072 2569 2873 2899 3062 3316 3325

Fanciers give wonderfully strange prices sometimes. Cochin China fowls had but lately been introduced, and were therefore "the rage" in 1851-2.

At the Poultry Show in the latter year a pair of these birds were sold for 30, and at a sale by auction afterwards two prize birds were knocked down at 40 each: it was said that the sellers crowed louder than the roosters.

_Fine Art_.--The first exhibition of pictures took place in 1814, and the second in 1827. In addition to the Spring and Autumn Exhibitions at the New Street Rooms, there is now a yearly show of pictures by the members of the "Art Circle," a society established in 1877, for promoting friendship among young local artists; their first opening was on Nov. 28, at 19, Temple Row. On Nov. 17, 1879, Mr. Thrupp commenced a yearly exhibition of China paintings, to which the lady artists contributed 243 specimens of their skill in decorating porcelain and china.

_Horses and hounds_.--The first exhibition of these took place at the Lower Grounds, Aug. 12, 1879. There had been a Horse Show at Bingley Hall for several years prior to 1876, but it had dropped out for want of support.

_Birds_.--An exhibition of canaries and other song birds, was held Aug.

18, 1874. Another was held in 1882, at the time of the Cattle Show.

_Pigeons_.--The first exhibition of pigeons in connection with the Birmingham Columbarian Society, took place in Dec., 1864. The annual Spring pigeon show at the Repository, opened March 20,1878. There have also been several at St. James' Hall, the first dating Sept. 24, 1874.

_Dogs_.--Like the Cattle Show, the original Birmingham Dog Show has extended its sphere, and is now known as the National Exhibition of Sporting and other Dogs. The show takes place in Curzon Hall, and the dates are always the same as for the agricultural show in Bingley Hall.

There is yearly accommodation for 1,000 entries, and it is seldom that a less number is exhibited, the prizes being numerous, as well as valuable. At the meeting of the subscribers held July 19, 1883, it was resolved to form a new representative body, to be called the National Dog Club, having for its object the improvement of dogs, dog shows, and dog trials, and the formation of a national court of appeal on all matters in dispute. It was also resolved to publish a revised and correct stud book, to include all exhibitions where 400 dogs and upwards were shown, and to continue it annually, the Council having guaranteed 150, the estimated cost of the publication of the book. This step was taken in consequence of the action of certain members of the Kennel Club, who pa.s.sed what had been called "The Boycotting Rules," calling upon its members to abstain from either exhibiting or judging at shows which were not under Kennel Club rules, and excluding winning dogs at such shows from being entered in the Kennel Club Stud Book, many of the princ.i.p.al exhibitors being dissatisfied with such arbitrary proceedings, evidently intended to injure the Birmingham shows. At each show there are cla.s.ses for bloodhounds, deerhounds, greyhounds, otterhounds, beagles, fox terriers, pointers, English setters, black-and-tan setters, Irish setters, retrievers, Irish spaniels, water spaniels (best Irish), Clumber spaniels, Suss.e.x spaniels, spaniels (black), ditto (other than black), dachshunds, ba.s.sett hounds, foreign sporting dogs, mastiffs, St.

Bernards, Newfoundlands, sheep dogs, Dalmatians, bulldogs, bull-terriers, smooth-haired terriers, black-and-tan terriers (large), small ditto black-and-tan terriers with uncut ears, Skye-terriers, Dandie Dinmonts, Bedlington terriers, Irish terriers, Airedale or Waterside terriers, wire-haired terriers, Scotch terriers (hard haired), Yorkshire terriers, Pomeranians, pugs, Maltese, Italian greyhounds, Blenheim spaniels, King Charles spaniels, smooth-haired toy spaniels, broken-haired ditto, large and small sized foreign dogs.

1876. 1877. 1878. 1879. 1880. 1881. 1882.

No. of Visitors. 14981 17948 19500 14399 16796 16849 15901

Receipts at doors. 664 740 820 580 728 714 648

Sales of Dogs. 556 367 485 554 586 474 465

In 1879, the exhibition of guns and sporting implements was introduced, an additional attraction which made no difference financially, or in the number of visitors.

_Sporting_.--An exhibition of requisites and appliances in connection with sports and pastimes of all kinds was opened in Bingley Hall, Aug 28, 1882. In addition to guns and ammunition, bicycles and tricycles, there were exhibited boats, carriages, billiard tables, &c.

_Dairy Utensils_.--The first of these exhibitions, June, 1880, attracted considerable attention for its novelty. It is held yearly in Bingley Hall.

_Bees_.--An exhibition of bees, beehives, and other apiary appliances took place at the Botanical Gardens, in Aug., 1879.

_Food and Drinks_.--A week's exhibition of food, wines, spirits, temperance beverages, brewing utensils, machinery, fittings, stoves and appliances, was held in Bingley Hall, December 12-20, 1881.

_Building_.--A trades exhibition of all kinds of building material, machinery, &c., was held in 1882.

_Bicycles, &c._--The Speedwell Club began their annual exhibition of bicycles, tricycles, and their accessories in February, 1882, when about 300 machines were shown. In the following year the number was nearly 400; in 1884, more than 500; in 1885, 600.

_Roots_.--Messrs. Webb, of Wordsley, occupied Curzon Hall, November 20, 1878, with an exhibition of prize roots, grown by their customers.

_Fruit, Flowers, &c._--The first flower show we have note of was on June 19, 1833. The first chrysanthemum show was in 1860. The first Birmingham rose show in 1874 (at Aston); the second, five years later, at Bingley Hall. The Harborne gooseberry-growers have shown up every year since 1815, and the cultivators of _pommes de terre_ in the same neighbourhood first laid their tables in public in Sept., 1879.

~Exhibitions of 1851 and 1862.~--Even as Birmingham may be said to have given the first idea for the "Great Exhibition" of 1851, so it had most to do with the building thereof, the great palace in Hyde Park being commenced by Messrs. Fox, Henderson & Co., July 26, 1850, and it was finished in nine months at a total cost of 176,031. In its erection there were used 4,000 tons of iron, 6,000,000 cubic feet of woodwork, and 31 acres of sheet gla.s.s, requiring the work of 1,800 men to put it together. 287 local exhibitors applied for s.p.a.ce amounting to 22,070 sup. feet, namely, 10,183 feet of flooring, 4,932 feet of table area, and 6,255 feet of wall s.p.a.ce. The "glory" of this exhibition was the great crystal fountain in the centre, manufactured by Messrs. Osler, of Broad Street, a work of art till then never surpa.s.sed in the world's history of gla.s.s-making and gla.s.s cutting, and which now pours forth its waters in one of the lily tanks in Sydenham Palace. Many rare specimens of Birmingham manufacture besides were there, and the metropolis of the Midlands had cause to be proud of the works of her sons thus exhibited.

Fewer manufacturers sent their samples to the exhibition of 1862, but there was no falling off in their beauty or design. The Birmingham Small Arms trophy was a great attraction.

~Explosions.~--That many deplorable accidents should occur during the course of manufacturing such dangerous articles as gun caps and cartridges cannot be matter of surprise, and, perhaps, on the whole, those named in the following list may be considered as not more than the average number to be expected:--Two lives were lost by explosion of fulminating powder in St. Mary's Square, Aug. 4. 1823.--Oct. 16, same year, there was a gunpowder explosion in Lionel Street.--Two were killed by fireworks at the Rocket Tavern, Little Charles Street, May 2, 1834.-- An explosion at Saltley Carriage Works, Dec. 20, 1849.--Two injured at the Proof House, Sept. 23, 1850.--Five by detonating powder in Cheapside, Feb 14, 1852.--Thirty-one were injured by gas explosion at Workhouse, Oct. 30, 1855.--Several from same cause at corner of Hope Street, March 11, 1856.--A cap explosion took place at Ludlow's, Legge Street, July 28, 1859.--Another at Phillips and Pursall's, Whittall Street, Sept. 27, 1852, when twenty-one persons lost their lives.-- Another in Graham Street June 21, 1862, with eight deaths.--Boiler burst at Spring Hill, Nov. 23, 1859, injuring seven.--An explosion in the Magazine at the Barracks, March 8, 1864, killed Quartermaster McBean.-- At Kynoch's, Witton, Nov. 17, 1870, resulting in 8 deaths and 28 injured.--At Ludlow's ammunition factory, Dec. 9, 1870, when 17 were killed and 53 injured, of whom 34 more died before Christmas.--At Witton, July 1, 1872, when Westley Richards' manager was killed.--At Hobb Lane, May 11, 1874.--Of gas, in great Lister Street, Dec. 9, 1874.

--Of fulminate, in the Green Lane, May 4, 1876, a youth being killed.-- Of gas, at St. James's Hall, Snow Hill, Dec. 4, and at Avery's, Moat Row, Dec. 31, 1878.--At a match manufactory, Phillip Street, Oct. 28, 1879, when Mr. Bermingham and a workman were injured.

~Eye Hospital.~--See "_Hospitals_."

~Fairs.~--The officers of the Court Leet, whose duty it was to walk in procession and "proclaim" the fairs, went through their last performance of the kind at Michaelmas, 1851. It was proposed to abolish the fairs in 1860, but the final order was not given until June 8th, 1875. Of late years there have been fairs held on the open grounds on the Aston outskirts of the borough, but the "fun of the fair" is altogether different now to what it used to be. The original charters for the holding of fairs at Whitsuntide and Michaelmas were granted to William de Bermingham by Henry III. in 1251. These fairs were doubtless at one time of great importance, but the introduction of railways did away with seven-tenths of their utility and the remainder was more nuisance than profit. As a note of the trade done at one time we may just preserve the item that in 1782 there were 56 waggon loads of onions brought into the fair.

~Family Fortunes.~--Hutton in his "History," with that quaint prolixity which was his peculiar proclivity gives numerous instances of the rise and fall of families connected with Birmingham. In addition to the original family of De Birmingham, now utterly extinct he traced back many others then and now well-known names. For instance he tells us that a predecessor of the Colmores in Henry VIII.'s reign kept a mercer's shop at No. 1, High Street; that the founder of the Bowyer Adderley family began life in a small way in this his native town in the 14th century; that the Foxalls sprang from a Digbeth tanner some 480 years ago; and so of others. Had he lived till now he might have largely increased his roll of local millionaires with such names as Gillott, Muntz, Mason, Rylands, &c. On the other hand he relates how some of the old families, whose names were as household words among the ancient aristocracy, have come to nought; how that he had himself charitably relieved the descendants of the Norman Mountfourds, Middemores and Bracebridges, and how that the sole boast of a descendant of the Saxon Earls of Warwick was in his day the fact of his grandfather having "kept several cows and sold milk." It is but a few years back since the present writer saw the last direct descendant of the Holtes working as a compositor in one of the newspaper offices of this town, and almost any day there was to be seen in the streets a truck with the name painted on of "Charles Holte Bracebridge, Licensed Hawker!"

~Famines.~--In the year 310, it is said that 40,000 persons died in this country from famine. It is not known whether any "Brums" existed then.

In 1195 wheat was so scarce that it sold for 20s. the quarter; ten years after it was only 12d. In 1438, the times were so hard that people ate bread made from fern roots. In 1565, a famine prevailed throughout the kingdom.

~Fashionable Quarter.~--Edgbaston is our "West End," of which Thomas Ragg (before he was ordained) thus wrote:--

--Glorious suburbs! long May ye remain to bless the ancient town Whose crown ye are; rewarder of the cares Of those who toil amid the din and smoke Of iron ribbed and hardy Birmingham.

And may ye long be suburbs, keeping still Business at distance from your green retreats.

~Feasts, Feeds, and Tea-fights.~--Like other Englishmen, when we have a good opinion of people we ask them to dinner, and the number of public breakfasts, dinners, teas, and suppers on our record is wonderful. We give a few of the most interesting:--3,800 persons dined with our first M.P.'s., Attwood and Scholefield, at Beardsworth's Repository, Sept. 15, 1834.--A Reform banquet was the attraction in the Town Hall, Jan. 28, 1836.--Members and friends of the 'Chartist Church' kept their Christmas festival, by 'taking tea' in Town Hall, Dec.28, 1841.--1,700 Anti-Cornlawites (John Bright among them) did ditto Jan. 22, 1843.--The defeat of an obnoxious Police Bill led 900 persons to banquet together April 9, 1845.--A banquet in honour of Charles d.i.c.kens opened the year 1853--The first anniversary of the Loyal and Const.i.tutional a.s.sociation was celebrated by the dining of 848 loyal subjects, Dec. 17, 1855.-- dinner was given to 1,200 poor folks in Bingley Hall, Jan. 25, 1858, to make them remember the marriage of the Princess Royal. Those who were not poor kept the game alive at Dee's Hotel.--John Bright was dined in Town Hall, Oct. 29, 1858.--A party of New Zealand chiefs were stuffed at same place, March 16, 1864--To celebrate the opening of a Dining Hall in Cambridge Street, a public dinner was given on All Fools' Day, 1864.--On the 23rd April following, about 150 gentlemen breakfasted with the Mayor, in honour of the Shakespeare Library being presented to the town.--The purchase of Aston Park was celebrated by a banquet, Sept. 22, 1864.--Over a hundred bellringers, at Nock's Hotel, 1868, had their clappers set wagging by Blews and Sons, in honour of the first peal of bells cast by them, and now in Bishop Ryder's Church.--The Master Bakers, who have been baking dinners for the public so long, in December, 1874, commenced an annual series of dinners among themselves, at which neither baked meats, nor even baked potatoes, are allowed.--Of political and quasi-political banquets, there have been many of late years, but as the parties have, in most cases, simply been gathered for party purposes, their remembrance is not worth keeping.--To help pay for improvements at General Hospital, there was a dinner at the Great Western Hotel, June 4, 1868, and when the plate was sent round, it received 4,000. That was the best, and there the list must close.

~Females.~--The fairer portion of our local community number (census 1881) 210,050, as against 197,954 males, a preponderance of 12,096. In 1871 the ladies outnumbered us by 8,515, and it would be an interesting question how this extra ratio arises, though as one half of the super-abundant petticoats are to be found in Edgbaston it may possibly only be taken as a mark of local prosperity, and that more female servants are employed than formerly.--See "_Population" Tables_.

~Fenianism.~--It was deemed necessary in Jan., 1881, to place guards of soldiers at the Tower and Small Arms Factory, but the Fenians did not trouble us; though later on a very pretty manufactory of dynamite was discovered in Ledsam Street.--See "_Notable Offences_."