Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham Part 3

~Aston Cross Tavern~ was opened as a licensed house and tea gardens in 1775, the first landlord, Mr. Barron, dying in 1792, his widow keeping it till her death in 1817. Of late years it has been a favourite resort of all cla.s.ses of athletes, though from being so closely built to it has lost much of the attraction which drew our grandfathers to its shady arbours when on country pleasure bent. The park wall extended to the corner of and along the side of Park Lane, opposite the tavern.

~Aston Hall and Park.~--This building was commenced by Sir Thomas Holte in April, 1618, and finished in April, 1635, Inigo Jones being accredited with the design. King Charles I., in his days of trouble, paid a short visit to the Hall, his host being punished afterwards by some of Cromwell's soldiers and the malcontents of Birmingham besieging the place in the week after Christmas, 1643. The brick wall round the park, nearly three miles long, but of which there are now few traces left, was put up by Sir Lister Holte about 1750, and tradition says it was paid for by some Staffordshire coal-masters, who, supposing that coal lay underneath, conditioned with Sir Lister that no mines should be sunk within [word missing--presume "its"] boundary. The Hall and Park were held by the various generations of the family till the death of the late Dowager Lady Holte. (For an accurate and interesting description of the edifice see Davidson's "Holtes of Aston.") The Act authorising the sale of the Aston estates received the royal sanction on July 10, 1817, and the sale of the furniture and effects in the Hall was commenced by Messrs. J. and C. Robins on September 22. The sale lasted nine days, there being 1,144 lots, which realised 2,150; the farming stock, &c., being sold afterwards for 1,201. The Hall and Park was put up on April 15, 1818, and was bought by Messrs. Greenway, Greaves, and Whitehead, bankers, of Warwick, the estate of 1,530 acres being let off by them in suitable lots. The herd of deer, reduced to 150 head, was sold December 21. The Hall was rented by Mr. James Watt, son of _the_ James Watt, and for many years it was closed to the public. At his death, in 1848, the changes which had been going on all round for years begin to make themselves seen in the shape of huge gaps in the old wall, houses springing up fast here and there, and a street being cut through the n.o.ble avenue of chestnut trees in 1852. By degrees, the park was reduced to 370 acres, which, with the Hall, were offered to the town in 1850 for the sum of 130,000; but the Town Council declined the bargain, though less than one-half of the Park (150 acres) was sold immediately after for more than all the money. In 1857 a "People's Park" Company was started to "Save Aston Hall" and the few acres close round it, an agreement being entered into for 35,000. Many of the 20s. shares were taken up, and Her Majesty the Queen performed the opening ceremony June 15, 1858. The speculation proved a failure, as out of about 18,000 raised one-half went in repairs, alterations, losses, &c., and it would have been lost to the town had not the Corporation bought it in February, 1864. They gave 33,000 (7,000 being private subscriptions), and it was at last opened as a free park, September 22, 1864. The picture gallery is 136ft. long, by 18ft. wide and 16ft. high. In this and various other rooms, will be found a miscellaneous museum of curiosities, more or less rare, including stuffed birds and animals, ancient tapestry and furniture, &c.

~Aston Lower Grounds,~ the most beautiful pleasure grounds in the Midland counties, cover 31 acres, and were originally nothing more than the kitchen and private gardens and the fish-ponds belonging to Aston Hall, and were purchased at the sale in 1818 by the Warwick bankers, who let them to Mr. H.G. Quilter, at the time an attempt was made to purchase the Hall and Park "by the people." Adding to its attractions year by year, Mr. Quilter remained on the ground until 1878, when a limited liability company was formed to take to the hotel and premises, building an aquarium 320 feet long by 54 feet wide, an a.s.sembly-room, 220 feet long, by 91 feet wide, and otherwise catering for the comfort of their visitors, 10,000 of whom can be now entertained and amused under shelter, in case of wet weather. Mr. Quilter's selling price was 45,000, taking 25,000 in shares, and 20,000 cash by instalments. The speculation did not appear to be very successful, and the property is now in private hands. The visitors to the Lower Grounds since 1864 have averaged 280,000 per annum.

~Asylum,~ in Summer Lane, was opened in July 1797, by the Guardians of the Poor as an industrial residence and school for 250 children. It was dismantled and closed in 1846, though the "Beehive" carved over the door was allowed to remain on the ruins some years after.

~Athenaeum~--For the "diffusion of Literature and Science" was established in March, 1839, but has long been merged in the Midland Inst.i.tute. In the building called the "Athenaeum", top of Temple Street, some of the early exhibitions of paintings were held.

~Athenic Inst.i.tute,~ founded in 1841, was an inst.i.tute of a somewhat similar character to the Athenaeum, though including athletics, and existed no longer.

~Athletic Clubs.~--The first festival of the Birmingham Athletic Club was held in 1868. On the 1st of March, 1880, an a.s.sociation was organised of many of the bicycle clubs, cricket clubs, football clubs, and similar athletic bodies in the town and neighbourhood, under the name of "The Midland Counties Amateurs' Athletic Union."

~Atlantic Cables.~--It would have been strange if Birmingham had not had a hand in the making of these. For the cable laid in 1865, 16,000 miles of copper wire, weighing 308 tons, were turned out by Messrs. Bolton and Sons and Messrs. Wilkes and Sons. The cable itself was 2,300 (nautical) miles in length.

~Baby Show.~--Let Mr. Inshaw, of the "Steam Clock," have the _honour_ of being recorded as the first to introduce the Yankee notion of a "baby show," which took place at his Music Hall, May 15, 1874.

~Bachelors.~--In 1695, bachelors over 24 had to pay a tax of 1s., if "a common person," the scale running as high as 12 10s. for a duke!

Judging from the increase of the population about that time, we doubt if even a "common" bachelor paid here. The married folks had not much to laugh at though, for they had to pay duty on every child that was born.

Funny time, those!

~Balloons.~--A Mr. Harper was the first to scale the clouds in a balloon from this town, January 4, 1785. He rose again on the 31, from the Tennis Court, in Coleshill Street, and is said to have sailed a distance of 57 miles in 80 minutes. Mr. Sadler went up from Vauxhall, October 7th, 1811, and again on October 20th, 1823. Mr. Green rose from Newhall Hill, July 17th, 1827, and several times after.

~Balsall Heath.~--In some ancient deeds called "Boswell Heath." The land round Mary street, known as the Balsall Heath estate, was sold in building lots (234) in 1839, the last day's sale being August 26, and the auctioneers, Messrs. E. & C. Robins. Edwardes-street takes its name from the last owner of the estate, who, if he could now but glance over the property, would be not a little astonished at the changes which have taken place in the last forty years, for, like unto Aston, it may be said to really form but a portion of the ever-extending town of Birmingham. Balsall Heath, which is in the parish of King's Norton, has now a Local Board (with its offices in Lime Grove, Moseley Road) several Board schools, chapels, and churches, a police court, and that sure mark of advancement, a local newspaper. One thing still wanting, however, is a cemetery. Though an appropriate and convenient spot near Cannon Hill Park was chosen for the last resting-place, the ratepayers, at a meeting held July 21, 1879, decided that they could not yet afford the required outlay of some 17,000 necessary for the purpose, notwithstanding that the annual rateable value of the property in the neighbourhood is something like 70,000, and increasing by three to four thousand a year.

~Banks and Bankers.~--The Birmingham Branch Bank of England (drawing on the parent Bank of England), is in Bennett's Hill.

The local Branch of the National Provincial Bank of England (Lim.), Bennett's Hill, also draws on its headquarters. It commenced business here on New Year's Day 1827.

The Birmingham Banking Company (Lim.), also in Bennett's Hill, draws on the London and Westminster. It opened its doors Sept. 1, 1829, with a nominal capital of 500,000, in 50 shares, 5 being paid up at starting. An amalgamation took place in the year 1880 with the Stourbridge and Kidderminster Bank (established in 1834) the united company having a paid-up capital of 286,000 and a reserve of 312,000.

The Birmingham and Midland Bank (Limited) opened in Union Street, August 23, 1836, removing to New Street in 1869. London agents, the Union Bank of London. Authorised capital, 2,400,000.

The Birmingham, Dudley, and District Banking Co. (Limited) was commenced in Colmore Row July 1st, 1836, as the Town and District Bank, with a capital of 500,000, in 20 shares. London agents, Barclay and Co., and Williams and Co.

The Birmingham Joint Stock Bank (Limited) opened in Temple Row West, Jan. 1st, 1862, with a capital of 3,000,000, in 100 shares, 10 paid.

Agents, London Joint Stock. Has branches in New Street and Great Hampton Street.

Lloyds' Banking Co. (Limited) Colmore Row, dates from June 3rd, 1765.

when it was known as Taylor and Lloyds, their first premises being in Dale End [hence the name of Bank Pa.s.sage]. This old established firm has incorporated during its century of existence a score of other banks, and lately has been amalgamated with Barnetts, h.o.a.res, and Co., of London, the present name being Lloyd, Barnett, Bosanquet, and Co. (Limited).

There are sub-offices also in Great Hampton Street, Deritend, Five Ways and Aston. In this and adjoining counties, Lloyds' number about 40 branch establishments.

The Worcester City and County Banking Co. (Limited), drawing on Glynn and Co., removed from Cherry Street to their newly-built edifice in Colmore Row, June 1, 1880.

The Union Bank of Birmingham (Limited), Waterloo Street, commenced business with a nominal capital of 1,000,000, in 20 shares, 5 paid.

London agents, the City Bank. It has since been taken over by the Midland Bank.

~Banks.~--A popular Penny Bank was established in 1851, but came to grief in 1865, closing March 16, with a.s.sets 1,608, to pay debts 9,448. Another penny bank was opened in Granville Street, April 13, 1861, and is still carried on at the Immanuel Schools, Tennant Street, with about 5,000 depositors at the present time.

A Local Savings Bank was opened in May, 1827, and legalised in the year after, but ultimately its business was transferred to the Post Office Savings Bank, which opened its doors in Cannon Street, Dec. 1, 1863. By a Government return, it appeared that at the end of 1880 the total amount to the credit of depositors in the Post Office Savings Banks of the Kingdom stood at 30,546,306. After the Metropolitan counties of Middles.e.x, Surrey, and Kent, Warwickshire comes next with a deposit of 1,564,815, the average for the whole of the English counties being but little over 500,000.

~Banks Defunct.~--The old-established concern known so long as Attwood and Spooner's closed its doors March 10, 1865, with liabilities amounting to 1,007,296. The Joint Stock Bank took the business, and paid 11s. 3d. in the .

Bank of Deposit stopped Oct. 26, 1861.

The Borough Bank, a branch of Northern and Central Bank of England, stopped Feb. 24, 1840.

The Commercial (Branch) Bank, closed July 27, 1840.

Coates, Woolley and Gordon, who occupied the premises at corner of Cherry Street and Cannon Street in 1814, was joined to Moilliet's, and by them to Lloyds.

Freer, Rotton, Lloyds and Co., of 1814, changed to Rotton, Onions and Co., then Rotton and Scholefield, next to Rotton and Son, and lastly with its manager transferred to National Provincial.

Galton, Galton and James, of 1814, retired in 1830.

Gibbins, Smith, and Co. failed in 1825, paying nearly 20s. in the .

Gibbins and Lowell, opened in 1826, but was joined to Birmingham Banking Co. in 1829.

Smith, Gray, Cooper and Co., of 1815, afterwards Gibbins, Smith, and Goode, went in 1825.

~Banknotes.~--Notes for 5/3 were issued in 1773. 300 counterfeit 1 notes, dated 1814, were found near Heathfield House, January 16, 1858. A noted forger of these shams is said to have resided in the immediate neighbourhood about the period named on the discovered "flimsies." When Boulton and Watt were trying to get the Act pa.s.sed patenting their copying-press the officials of the Bank of England opposed it for fear it should lead to forgery of their notes, and several Members of Parliament actually tried to copy banknotes as they did their letters.

~Bankrupts.~--In the year 1882 (according to the _Daily Post_) there were 297 bankruptcies, compositions, or liquidations in Birmingham, the total amount of debts being a little over 400,000. The dividends ranged from 2d. to 15s. in the , one-half the whole number, however, realising under 1s. 6d. The estimated aggregate loss to creditors is put at 243,000.

~Baptists.~--As far back as 1655, we have record of meetings or conferences of the Baptist churches in the Midland district, their representatives a.s.sembling at Warwick on the second day of the third month, and at Moreton-in-the-Marsh, on the 26th of the fourth month in that year. Those were the Cromwellian days of religious freedom, and we are somewhat surprised that no Birmingham Baptists should be among those who gathered together at the King's Head, at Moreton, on the last named date, as we find mention made of brethren from Warwick, Tewkesbury, Alcester, Derby, Bourton-on-the-Water, Hook Norton, Moreton-in-the-Marsh, and even of there being a community of the same persuasion at Cirencester. The conference of the Midland Counties'

District a.s.sociation of Baptist Churches met in this town for the first time in 1740.--For Chapels see "_Places of Worship_."

~Barr Beacon.~--A trial was made on January 10, 1856, as to how far a light could be seen by the ignition of a beacon on Malvern Hills. It was said to have been seen from Snowdon in Wales (105 miles), and at other parts of the country at lesser distances, though the gazers at Worcester saw it not. The look-out at Dudley Castle (26 miles) could have pa.s.sed the signal on to Barr Beacon, but it was not needed, as the Malvern light was not only seen there, but still away on at Bardon Hill, Leicester.--Many persons imagine that Barr Beacon is the highest spot in the Midland Counties, but the idea is erroneous, Turners Hill, near Lye Cross, Rowley Regis, which is 893 ft. above mean sea level, being considerably higher, while the Clee Hills reach an alt.i.tude of 1,100 ft.

~Barber of Birmingham, The.~--The knights of the pole (or poll) have always been noted for getting into mischief, and it is not therefore so very surprising to find that in March, 1327, a royal pardon had to be granted to "Roger, the barber of Birmingham," for the part he had taken in the political disturbances of that time. Was he a Con., or a Lib., Tory or Rad.?

~Baron of Birmingham.~--One of the t.i.tles of Lord Ward.

~Barracks.~--Built in 1793, at a cost of 13,000, as a consequence of the riots of 1791.

~Barring Out~--On the 26th of Nov. 1667, the scholars of the Grammar School "barred out" the Master, and then left the school for a time.

When they returned they found the worthy pedagogue had obtained admission and intended to keep his young rebels outside. Whereupon, says an old chronicler, they, being reinforced by certain of the townsmen "in vizards, and with pistolls and other armes," sought to re-enter by a.s.sault, threatening to kill the Master, and showering stones and bricks through the windows. When the fun was over the Governors pa.s.sed a law that any boy taking part in future "barrings-out" should be expelled from the School, but the amus.e.m.e.nt seems to have been rather popular, as an entry in the School records some ten years later show that a certain Widow Spooner was paid one shilling "for cleansinge ye Schoole at penninge out."

~Baskerville (John).~--This celebrated local worthy was a native of Wolverley, near Kidderminster, having been born in the year 1706. He came to this town in early life, as we find that he kept a writing school in 1726. In 1745 he built himself a residence at Easy-hill, and carried on the business of j.a.panner afterwards adding to it that of printer and typefounder. His achievements in this line have made his name famous for ever, though it is said that he spent 600 before he could produce one letter to his own satisfaction, and some thousands before he obtained any profits from his printing trade. He was somewhat eccentric in personal matters of dress and taste, his carriage (drawn by cream-coloured horses) being a wonderful specimen of the art of j.a.panning in the way of pictured panels, etc., while he delighted to adorn his person in the richest style of dress. The terms of his peculiar will, and his apparent renunciation of Christianity, were almost as curious as his choice of a place of sepulture. He was buried in his own grounds under a solid cone of masonry, where his remains lay until 1821, at which time the ca.n.a.l wharf, now at Easy Row, was being made. His body was found in a good state of preservation, and for some short period was almost made a show of, until by the kindness of Mr.

Knott the bookseller, it was taken to Us present resting-place in one of the vaults under Christ Church. Mr. Baskerville died January 8, 1775, his widow living till March 21, 1787, to the age of 80 years.

~Baths.~--Ladywell Baths were said by Hutton to be the most complete in the island, being seven in number, that for swimmers 36 yards long by 18 wide, and cost 2,000. The place is now occupied by a timber yard, the old spring being covered in, though fitted with a pump for public use.

For many years a tribe of water carriers procured a living by retailing the water at a halfpenny per can. The red sand from the New Street tunnels was turned to account in tilling up the old baths, much to the advantage of Mr. Turner, the lessee, and of the hauliers who turned the honest penny by turning in so near at hand.

~Baths and Wash-houses.~--The local movement for the establishment of public Baths first took practical shape at a meeting held Nov. 19,1844, within a week of which date subscriptions amounting to 4,430 were received for the purpose. The a.s.sociation then formed purchased a plot of land in Kent Street in June, 1846, and presented it to the Town Council in November following, though the Baths erected thereon were not opened to the public until May 12, 1851. It was at that time imagined that the working cla.s.ses would be glad of the boon provided for them in the convenient wash-houses attached to the Baths proper, and the chance given them to do away with all the sloppy, steamy annoyances of washing-day at home, but the results proved otherwise, and the wash-houses turned out to be not wanted. The Woodc.o.c.k Street establishment was opened August 27, 1860; Northwood Street, March 5, 1862; Sheepcote Street in 1878, and Ladywood in 1882. Turkish Baths are now connected with the above, and there are also private speculations of the same kind in High Street, Broad Street, and the Crescent. Hardy swimmers, who prefer taking their natatory exercises in the open air, will find provision made for them at the Reservoir, at Cannon Hill Park, and also at Small Heath Park. The swimming-bath in George Street, Balsall Heath, opened in 1846, was filled up in 1878, by order of the Local Board of Health.

~Bath Street~ takes its name from some baths formerly in Blews Street, but which, about 1820, were turned into a malthouse.