Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham Part 46

The Prince of Wales Theatre, previously Broad Street Music Hall, was opened in 1862. It was reconstructed in 1876, and has accommodation for an audience of 3,200.

The Holte Theatre was opened May 12, 1879, the license to the Lower Grounds Co. being granted November 29, 1878.

The last new Theatre, the Grand, in Corporation Street, must rank as one of the handsomest edifices in the town. It faces what was once the Old Square, and has a frontage of 120ft., the height to the cornice of the roof being 52ft., the whole being capped with a dome, supporting a winged figure of Auroro, which, drawn in a car by prancing horses, is 15ft. high. The interior is laid out in the most improved modern style, ornately decorated throughout, and provides accommodation for over 3,000 persons. The cost is put at 30,000, of which 17,000 went to the builders alone, and the theatre is the property of Mr. A. Melville. The opening day was Nov. 14th, 1883.

The "Interlude of Deritend Wake, with the representation of a Bull-baiting" was part of the performance announced at the King street Theatre, May 31, 1783.

Mrs. Sarah Siddons, whose _debut_ in London the previous season had been anything but successful, came to Birmingham for the summer season of 1776. Henderson, one of her colleagues here, notwithstanding the Drury Lane veto, declared that she was "an actress who never had an equal nor would ever have a superior"--an opinion quickly verified.

One of Kean's benefits was a total failure. In the last scene of the play "A New Way to Pay Old Debts," wherein allusion is made to the marriage of a lady, "Take her," said Kean, "and the Birmingham audience into the bargain."

Garrick was visiting Lord Lytton at Hagley on one occasion when news was brought that a company of players were going to perform at Birmingham.

His lordship suggested that Garrick should write an address to the audience for the players. "Suppose, then," said he, "I begin thus:

"Ye sons of iron, copper, bra.s.s and steel, Who have not heads to think, nor hearts to feel."

"Oh," cried his lordship, "if you begin like that, they will hiss the players off the stage, and pull the house down." "My lord," replied Garrick, "what is the use of an address if it does not come home to the business and bosoms of the audience?"

A "Birmingham Garrick," was the name given to an actor named Henderson (1782), whose friends did not think him quite so great a tragedian as he fancied himself.

Kemble made his last appearance on the Birmingham stage July 9, 1788.

Robinson Crusoe, or Harlequin Friday, was the pantomime in 1790.

Madame Catalini first appeared at Royal in 1807.

Incledon, the famous tenor, sang here first time in same year.

William Charles Macready made his _debut_ on the stage of the Royal as _Romeo_, June 7, 1810. He took his farewell benefit Aug. 13, 1871.

Alfred Bunn had the Theatre in 1823, during which year there appeared here Mr. and Mrs. C. Kemble, W.C. Macready, Joey Grimaldi, Miss Ellen Tree (afterwards Mrs. Charles Kean), W. Farrer, Braham, Elliston, Dowton, Rignold and Power.

Barry Sullivan was born here in 1824.

In 1824 the whole town was up in arms taking part in the "Battle of the Preachers and the Players," which was commenced by the Rev. J. Augell James delivering a series of sermons bitterly inveighing against the theatre, as a place of amus.e.m.e.nt, and pouring forth the most awful denunciations against the frequenters thereof. Alfred Bunn, the manager, was not slow to retort. He put "The Hypocrite" on the boards, Shuter, the clever comedian and mimic, personating Mr. James in the part of _Mawworm_ so cleverly that the piece had an immense run. The battle ended in a victory for both sides, chapel and theatre alike being crammed. If it pleased the G.o.dly it was a G.o.d-send for Bunn whose exchequer it filled to repletion.

Signer Costa was at the Festival in 1829, and he afterwards appeared on the stage at the Royal.

Paganini first fiddled at the Royal, January 22, 1832.

Sheridan Knowles, Macready, Paganini, Matthews, and Miss Ellen Tree were among the Stars at the Royal in 1833.

Mercer H. Simpson took the management of the Royal in 1838. His farewell benefit was on December 16, 1864, and he died March 2, 1877, aged 76.

Sims Reeves' first visit to this town was in May, 1843; his last appearance at the Festivals was in 1873; at the Royal in May, 1875, and at the Town Hall, March 25, 1884.

Jenny Lind first sang here Aug. 29, 1847; she sang for the Queen's Hospital at Town Hall, Dec. 28, 1848; her last concerts were Jan. 22-23, 1862.

Madle. Rachael first played here Aug. 19, 1847.

Charles d.i.c.kens and his amateur friends gave their special performances in aid of the Shakespeare House Fund, at the Royal, June 6 and 27, 1848, the receipts amounting to 589.

Variety was not wanting at our New Street Theatre in 1852. Among the artistes advertised to appear were: A strong Man who had 5 cwt. of stone broken (by a sledge hammer) on his chest nightly; performing Dogs and Horses; Madame Grisi, Signor Mario, Haymarket Company, Benjamin Webster, and Madame Celeste, etc., etc.

Miss Menken, the female _Mazeppa_, appeared at Prince of Wales', May 15 1865, and at the Royal in Nov. 1807.

Miss Neilson's first appearance here was in Nov. 1868, in an adaptation, by Mr. C. Williams, a local dramatist, of Miss Braddon's "Captain of the Vulture."

Mr. Irving first appeared as _Hamlet_ in this town at Prince of Wales', Dec., 1877.

Sarah Bernhardt was at Prince of Wales', July 4-6, 1881.

Kyrle Beilew last appeared here at Prince of Wales', Sept, 17, 1881.

Mrs. Langtry was at Prince of Wales', May 29, 1882.

Edwin Booth's first appearance here was at the Royal, as _Richelieu_, Dec. 11, 1882.

Bobby Atkins, whose real name was Edward, was the most popular comedian of the Royal, with which he had been connected for more than twenty-five years. He died in 1882, in his 64th year. His bosom friend, John Barton, made his exit from the world's stage April 16, 1875.

Sir. George Rignold's mother is stated by Mr. Thomas Swinbourne (himself a native) to have been a leading actress of the Theatre Royal and very popular, as indeed she would necessarily be, her _role_ of parts including _Hamlet_ and _Virginius_. The father was, says Mr. S., "an admirable terpsich.o.r.ean artiste, and George inherits the talents of both parents, with a dash of music besides, for, like _William_, in 'Black-eyed Susan,' he 'plays on the fiddle like on angel.'"

Two or three of our places of amus.e.m.e.nt have been turned into chapels permanently, and therefore it was hardly a novelty to hold "Gospel services" in the Prince of Wales's Theatre, October 3, 1875, but it was to their credit that "the G.o.ds" behaved themselves.

~Time.~--When it is exactly twelve at noon here in Birmingham, it is 7min. 33secs. past at Greenwich, 12min. 50secs. past at Dover, and 16min. 54secs. past at Paris; while it wants 1-1/2mins. to the hour at Manchester, 9-1/2min. at Glasgow, 17min. 50secs. at Dublin, and 26-1/2mins. at Cork. At Calcutta, the corresponding time would be 6.1-1/2 p.m., Canton 7.40 p.m., j.a.pan 9.15 p.m., Mexico 5.34 a.m., New Orleans 8.5 a.m., New York 7.11 a.m., New Zealand 11.45 p.m., Nova Scotia 7.55 a.m., San Francisco 4.5 a.m., St., Petersburg 2.10 p.m., Sydney 10.12 p.m., and at Washington just seven o'clock in the morning.

~t.i.thes.~--One hundred and fifty years ago (if not, considerably later) the Rector of St. Martin's was paid t.i.thes in cash based on the value of the crops, &c., one acre of good wheat being t.i.thed at 7s. 6d.; an acre of good barley at 4s. 4-1/2d.; an acre of flax and hemp, if pulled, at 5s.; an acre of good oats, peas, or potatoes, and all kinds of garden stuff at 3s. 9d.; for meadow land 4d. an acre, and 2d. for leasow (or leasland); 3d. being claimed for cow and her calf. 1-1/2d. for each lamb, &c. In course of time these payments were changed into a fixed t.i.the rent, but before matters were comfortably settled, the Rector found it necessary to give notice (April, 1814) that he should enforce the ancient custom of being paid "in kind." The gun trade was brisk at that time, but whether the reverend gentleman took his tenths of the guns, what he did with them, or how the parties came to terms is not recorded.--The t.i.thes formerly due in kind to the Vicar of Edgbaston were commuted by Act pa.s.sed June 8, 1821, into art annual "corn rent,"

payable by the occupiers or all kinds in the parish.

~Tower.~--Originally, all guns made here for Government, had to be put together in London, but when the French Revolution broke out, it was seen that a quicker mode of procedure was necessary, and an establishment in Bagot Street was erected in 1798, where all guns for Government were viewed and stamped with the "Tower" mark. Hence the name.

~Town Criers~ were first appointed in 1526. Jacob Wilson entered into office May 4, 1853, and was pensioned off with 15s. a week in August, 1879, after a family tenure of the office, according to Jacob, of about 350 years. Surely it was a crying shame to stop the children of that family from crying in the future. The last of the criers did not last long after deposition from office, Jacob's last words being uttered in 1881.

~Town Improvements.~--Some fifty and odd years ago Dobbs, a local comedian, used to sing,

"Brumagem has altered so, There's scarce a place in it I know; Round the town you now must go To find old Brumagem."

Had he lived till these days he might well have sung so, for improvements are being carried out so rapidly now that in another generation it is likely _old_ Birmingham will have been improved off the face of the earth altogether. Prior to the days of steam, our forefathers went about their work more leisurely, for it was not until 1765 that the Act was obtained for the "enlightening" of the streets, and four years later when the first Act was pa.s.sed (April 21, 1769) for street improvements. The Street Commissioners appointed by this Act, and who held their first meeting May 22, 1769, for many years did little more than regulate the traffic of the streets, keep them clean_ish_, and look after the watchmen. In course of time the operations of the said Commissioners were extended a little, and it is to them that we owe the existence of the central open s.p.a.ce so long known as the Bull Ring, for they gave 1,730, in 1801, for the removal of nine tenements there and then blocking the way. Money must have been of more value then than now, for if such a purchase was necessary at the present date one or two more figures would require being added to the amount. This town improvement was completed in 1806, when the Commissioners purchased the remaining houses and shops round St. Martin's, but property owners had evidently learned something during the five years, for whereas the Commissioners at first estimated the further cost at 10,957, they reluctantly had to provide no less than 22,266, the additional sum required being swallowed up by "incidental expenses." The poet already quoted had apparently been absent during these alterations, for he wailingly bemoaned--

"Poor old Spiceal Street half gone, The poor old Church stands all alone, And poor old I can only groan, That I can't find Brumagem."

Though an Improvement Act for Duddeston and Nech.e.l.ls was obtained in 1829, the town improvements for the next forty years consisted princ.i.p.ally of road making, street paving, market arranging, &c., the opening-up ideas not getting well-rooted in the minds of our governors until some time after the Town Council began to rule the roast. That a great deal of work _was_ being done, however, is shown by reference to the Borough accounts for 1840, in which year 17,366 was expended in lighting, watching, and otherwise improving the thoroughfares, in addition to 13,794 actually spent on the highways. 1852 saw the removal of the turnpikes, at a cost of over 3,200; in the same year 5,800 was expended in widening the entrance to Temple Row from Bull Street, and 1,800 for rounding off the corner of Steelhouse Lane and Snow Hill. In October, 1853, it was decided to obtain for 33,000 the 11,540 square yards of land at the corner of Ann Street and Congreve Street, where the Munic.i.p.al Buildings, Art Gallery, and new Gas Office now stand. Almost every year since has seen the purchase of properties more or less required for substantial improvements, though some of them may not even yet have been utilised. A few fancy prices might be named which have had to be paid for odd bits of property here and there, but about the dearest of all was 53 10s. per yard, which the Council paid (in 1864) for the land required to round off the corner of New Street and Worcester Street, a further 1,300 going, in 1873, to extinguish certain leasehold rights. This is by no means the highest figure given for land in the centre of the town, as Mr. John Feeney, in 1882, paid at the rate of 66 per yard for the site at corner of Cannon Street and New Street, the portion retained for his own use costing him even more than that, as he generously allowed the Corporation to take 30-1/2 yards for 1,000.

The introduction of the railways, and consequent obliteration of scores of old streets, courts, alleys, and pa.s.sages, has been of vast service towards the general improvement of the town, as well in the matter of health and sanitation, as leading to the construction of many new buildings and the formation of adequate approaches to the several railway stations, the erection of such establishments as the Queen's Hotel, the Great Western Hotel, &c. Nor have private property owners and speculators been at all backward, as evidenced by our magnificent modern banking establishments, the huge piles of commercial buildings in Colmore Row, New Street, and Corporation Street, the handsome shops in New Street, High Street, and Bull Street, with many other edifices that our grandfathers never dreamed of, such as the Midland, the Grand, and the Stork Hotels, the palatial Club Houses, the Colonnade and Arcades, New Theatres, Inns of Court, &c., &c. Many of these improvements have resulted from the falling-in of long leases on the Colmore, the Grammar School, and other estates, while others have been the outcome of a far-seeing policy on the part of such moneyed men as the late Sir Josiah Mason, Isaac Horton, and others of somewhat similar calibre. Going away from the immediate centre of the town architectural improvements will be noted on all hands, Snow Hill, for one place, being evidently in the regenerative throes of a new birth, with its Gothic Arcade opposite the railway station, and the new circus at the foot of the hill, where for so many long years there has been nothing but a wreck and a ruin. In close neighbourhood, Const.i.tution Hill, Hampton Street, and at the junction of Summer Lane, a number of handsome houses and shops have lately been erected by Mr. Cornelius Ede, in the early Gothic style, from designs by Mr. J.S. Davis, the architect of the Snow Hill Arcade, the whole unquestionably forming a very great advance on many former street improvements. The formation in 1880 of John Bright Street as an extension of the Bristol Road (cost 30,000) has led to the erection of many fine buildings in that direction; the opening-out of Meetinghouse Yard and the alterations in Floodgate Street (in 1879, at a cost of 13,500), has done much for that neighbourhood; the widening of Worcester Street and the formation of Station Street, &c., thanks to the enlargement of the Central Station, and the remodelling of all the thoroughfares in the vicinity of Navition Street and Worcester Wharf, also arising therefrom, are important schemes now in progress in the same direction; and in fact there is hardly any district within the borough boundaries in which improvements of more or less consequence are not being made, or have been planned, the gloomy old burial grounds having been turned into pleasant gardens at a cost of over 10,000, and even the dirty water-courses known as the river Rea and Hockley brook have had 12,000 worth of cleaning out bestowed upon them. It is not too much to say that millions have been spent in improving Birmingham during the past fifty years, not reckoning the cost of the last and greatest improvement of all--the making of Corporation Street, and the consequent alterations on our local maps resulting therefrom. The adoption of the Artizans' Dwelling Act, under the provisions of which the Birmingham Improvement Scheme has been carried out, was approved by the Town Council, on the 16th of October, 1875. Then, on the 15th of March, 1876, followed the Local Government Board enquiry; and on the 17th of June, 1876, the provisional order of the Board, approving the scheme, was issued. The Confirming Act received the Royal a.s.sent on the 15th of August, 1876. On the 6th of September, 1880, a modifying order was obtained, with respect to the inclusion of certain properties and the exclusion of others. The operations under the scheme began in August, 1878, when the houses in New Street were pulled down. In April, 1879, by the removal of the Union Hotel, the street was continued into Cherry Street: and further extensions have been made in the following order:-- Cherry Street to Bull Street, August 1881; the Priory to John Street, June 1881; Bull Street to the Priory, January, 1882; John Street to Aston Street, February, 1882. Little Cannon Street was formed in August 1881; and Cowper Street in January, 1881. The first lease of land in the area of the scheme--to the Women's Hospital--was agreed upon in January, 1876; and the first lease in Corporation Street--to Mr. J.W. Danieli-- was arranged in May, 1878. In July, 1879, a lease was agreed upon for the new County Court. The arbitrations in the purchase of properties under the scheme were begun in June, 1879, and in June, 1880, Sir Henry Hunt, the arbitrator nominated by the Local Government Board, made his first award, amounting to 270,405, the remainder of the properties having been bought by agreement. The loans borrowed on account of the scheme amount to 1,600,000, the yearly charge on the rates being over 20,000 per annum, but as the largest proportion of the property is let upon 75-year leases, this charge will, in time, not only be reduced yearly by the increase of ground-rents, as the main and branch streets are filled up, but ultimately be altogether extinguished, the town coming in for a magnificent income derived from its own property. The length of Corporation Street from New Street to Lancaster Street is 851 yards, and if ultimately completed (as at first intended) from Lancaster Street to Aston Road, the total length will be 1,484 yards or five-sixths of a mile. The total area of land purchased for the carrying-out of the scheme is put at 215,317 square yds. (about 44a. 1r.

38p.), of which quant.i.ty 39,280 square yards has been laid out in new streets, or the widening of old ones. Of the branch or connecting streets intended there is one (from Corporation Street to the corner of High Street and Bull Street, opposite Dale End), that cannot be made for several years, some valuable leases not expiring until 1890 and 1893, but, judging by the present rate of building, Corporation Street itself will be completed long before then. More than a score of the unhealthiest streets and lanes in the town have been cleared away, and from a sanitary point of view the improvement in health and saving of life in the district by the letting in of light and air, has been of the most satisfactory character, but though the scheme was originated under the Artisans' Dwelling Act, intended to provide good and healthy residences in lieu of the pestiferous slums and back courts, it cannot in one sense be considered much of a success. The number of artisans'

dwellings required was 1,335, about 550 of which were removed altogether, the rest being improved and relet, or converted into shops, warehouses, &c. A piece of land between Newtown Row and Summer Lane, containing an area of 14,250 square yards was purchased for the purpose of leasing for the erection of artisans' dwellings, and a 50ft. wide street was laid out and nicely planted with trees, but, owing either to the badness of trade, or the over-building of small houses in other parts previously, less than a sixth of the site has been taken, and but a score of houses built, a most wonderful contrast to the rapid filling of Corporation Street with its many magnificent edifices present and prospective, that promise to make it one of the finest streets in the provinces. There cannot, however, be such necessity for the erection of small houses as was imagined when the Act was adopted here, for according to a return lately obtained, and not reckoning the thousands of little domiciles on the outskirts, there are in the borough 4,445 houses usually let at weekly rentals up to 2s. 6d. per week, 24,692 the rentals of which are between 2s. 6d. and 3s. 6d., and 36,832 others between 3s. 6d. and 7s. per week, a total of 65,969 working men's houses, but of which 5,273 (taking one week with another) are always void.

~Toyshop of Europe.~--It was during the debate in the House of Commons (March 26, 1777) on the first reading of a Bill to license the Theatre in Birmingham, that Mr. Burke, who spoke in its favour, described this town as "the great toyshop of Europe." At that time, and for long afterwards, hundreds of articles of utility manufactured here were roughly cla.s.sed as "light steel toys," and "heavy steel toys;" though we should hardly now be likely to consider tinder boxes, steelyards, pokers, fire-shovels and tongs as playthings.