Read Ebook: Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham A History and Guide Arranged Alphabetically by Harman Thomas T Showell Walter

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~Accidental Death from Electricity.~--Jan. 20, 1880, a musician, named Augustus Biedermann, took hold of two joints of the wires supplying the electric lights of the Holte Theatre, and receiving nearly the full force of the 40-horse power battery, was killed on the spot.

~Accidents from Fallen Buildings.~--A house in Snow Hill fell Sept. 1, 1801, when four persons were killed.

During the raising of the roof of Town Hall, John Heap was killed by the fall of a principal , and Win. Badger, injured same time, died a few weeks after. Memorial stone in St. Philip's Churchyard.

Welch's pieshop, Temple Street, fell in, March 5, 1874.

Two houses fell in Great Lister Street, Aug. 18, 1874, and one in Lower Windsor Street, Jan. 13, 1875.

Three houses collapsed in New Summer Street, April 4, 1875, when one person was killed, and nine others injured.

Four houses fell in Tanter Street, Jan. 1, 1877, when a boy was lamed.

Two men were killed, and several injured, by chimney blown down at Deykin & Sons, Jennens Row, Jan. 30, 1877, and one man was killed by wall blown down in Harborne Road, Feb. 20, same year.

Some children playing about a row of condemned cottages, Court 2, Gem Street, Jan. 11, 1885, contrived to pull part on to their heads, killing one, and injuring others.

~Accidents from Fire.~--February, 1875, was an unfortunate month for the females, an old woman being burnt to death on the 5th, a middle-aged one on the 7th, and a young one on the 12th.

~Accidents through Lightning.~--A boy was struck dead at Bordesley Green, July 30, 1871. Two men, William Harvey and James Steadman, were similarly killed at Chester Street Wharf, May 14, 1879. Harvey was followed to the grave by a procession of white-smocked navvies.

~Accidents at Places of Amusement.~--A sudden panic and alarm of caused several deaths and many injuries at the Spread Eagle Concert Hall, Bull Ring, May 5, 1855.

The "Female Blondin" was killed by falling from the high rope, at Aston Park, July 20, 1863.

A trapeze gymnast, "Fritz," was killed at Day's Concert Hall, Nov. 12, 1870.

A boy was killed by falling from the Gallery at the Theatre Royal, Feb. 16, 1873.

At Holder's Concert Hall, April 1, 1879, Alfred Bishop had his leg broken while doing the "Shooting Star" trick.

~Accidents in the Streets.~--On New Year's Day, 1745, a man was killed by a wagon going over him, owing to the "steepness" of Carr's Lane.

The Shrewsbury coach was upset at Hockley, May 24, 1780, when several passengers were injured.

The Chester mail coach was upset, April 15, 1787, while rounding the Welsh Cross, and several persons much injured.

Feb. 28, 1875, must be noted as the "slippery day," no less than forty persons , being taken to the Hospitals through falling in the icy streets.

Captain Thornton was killed by being thrown from his carriage, May 22, 1876.

The Coroner's van was upset in Livery Street, Jan. 24, 1881, and several jurymen injured.

~Accidents on the Rails.~--An accident occurred to the Birmingham express train at Shipton, on Christmas Eve, 1874, whereby 26 persons were killed, and 180 injured. In the excitement at Snow Hill Station, a young woman was pushed under a train and lost both her legs, though her life was saved, and she now has artificial lower limbs.

Police-officer Kimberley was killed in the crush at Olton Station on the Race Day, Feb. 11th, 1875.

While getting out of carriages, while the train was in motion, a man was killed at New Street Station, May 15, 1875, and on the 18th, another at Snow Hill, and though such accidents occur almost weekly, on some line or other, people keep on doing it.

Three men were killed on the line near King's Norton, Sept. 28, 1876.

Mr. Pipkins, Stationmaster at Winson Green, was killed Jan. 2. 1877.

Inspector Bellamy, for 30 years at New Street Station, fell while crossing a carriage, and was killed, April 15, 1879.

~Acock's Green,~ a few years back only a little village, is fast becoming a thriving suburban town. The old estate, of about 150 acres, was lotted out for building in 1839, the sale being then conducted by Messrs. E. and C. Robbins, August 19. The Public Hall, which cost about ?3,000, was opened December 20, 1878; its principal room being 74 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 30 feet high.

~Adderley.~--Sir Charles B. Adderley was gazetted a peer April 16, 1878, his title being Baron Norton, of Norton-on-the-Moors, Staffordshire.

~Adderley Park~ was opened Aug. 30, 1856. Its area is 10a. Or. 22p., and the Corporation hold it as tenants under a 999 years' lease, at 5s. rental. A Reading Room and Branch Library was opened on Jan. 11, 1864.

~Afghan War.~--A stormy "town's meeting" on this subject was held in the Town Hall, Dec. 3, 1878, memorable for the interference of the police by order of the Mayor, and the proceedings consequent thereon.

~Agricultural Labourers.~--Jos. Arch, their champion, addressed a meeting in their behalf at Town Hall, Dec. 18, 1873, and other meetings were held April 15 and July 3 following. A collection made for some of the labourers on strike amounted to ?137 9s. 2-1/2d.

~Albion Metal,~ tin rolled on lead, much used for making "lace," &c., for coffin decoration, was introduced in 1804, being the invention of Thomas Dobbs, a comic actor, then engaged at the Theatre Royal. He was also the designer of a reaping machine, and made one and showed it with real corn for his "Benefit" on the stage of the Theatre Royal in 1815.

~Alcester~ Turnpike road was first used in 1767.

~Almanacks.~--The first English-printed Almanack was for the year 1497, and the London Stationers' Company had the monopoly of printing them for nearly 300 years. The first locally printed Almanack was the "Diaria Britannica" , by Messrs. Pearson and Rollason, issued in 1787 for 1788, at 9d. per copy, in addition to the 1s. 6d. required for stamp duty. It was barely half the size and not a tenth the value of the "Diary" published by Messrs Walter Showell and Sons, and of which 20,000 copies are given away annually. The stamp duty was removed from Almanacks in 1834. "Showell's Almanack" in past years was highly esteemed before we had been supplied with "Moody's," the "Red Book," &c., and a copy of it for the year 1839 is valuable as a curiosity, it being issued with a partly printed page with blanks left for the insertion of the names of the members of the Corporation, whose first election under the charter of incorporation was about to take place. To prevent any mistake, the "Esqrs." were carefully printed in where the names of the new Aldermen were to go, the blanks for Councillors being only honoured with a "Mr."

~Almshouses~ for Lench's Trust were built in Steelhouse Lane in 1764. In later years other sets of houses have been built in Conybere Street, Hospital Street, Ravenhurst Street, and Ladywood Road, the inmates, all women, numbering 182. Jas. Dowell's Almshouses in Warner Street, consisting of 20 houses and a chapel, known as the "Retreat," were built in 1820. Mrs. Glover's Almshouses in Steelhouse Lane for 36 aged women, were erected in 1832. James Lloyd's twenty-four Almshouses in Belgrave Street were erected in 1869.

~Aluminium.~--This valuable material for the use of one of our staple trades was first obtained by a German chemist in 1837, but was not produced in sufficient quantity for manufacturing purposes until 1854, at which time its market value was 60s. per oz. It gradually cheapened, until it is now priced at 5s., and a company has lately been formed for its more easy manufacture, who promise to supply it at about as many pence.

~Amphitheatres.~--Astley's celebrated amphitheatre was brought here in October, 1787. Mr. and Mrs. Astley themselves had performed in Birmingham as early as 1772.--A local amphitheatre was opened in Livery Street in 1787, on the present site of Messrs. Billing's printing works. After the riots of 1791 it was used for a time by the congregations of Old and New Meeting, while their own chapels were being rebuilt. An attempt to bring it back to its old uses failed, and "the properties" were sold Nov. 25, 1795. Several sects occupied it in after years, the last being the Latter-Day Saints. It was taken down in 1848.--Another amphitheatre was opened at Bingley Hall, December 29, 1853, by the plucky but unlucky John Tonks, a well-known caterer for the public's amusement.

~Amusement,~ Places of--Notes of the Theatres, Concert Halls, Parks, &c., will be found under the several headings. Among the most popular series of concerts of late years have been those of a Saturday evening in the Town Hall, which began on Nov. 8, 1879, and are continued to present date.

~Analyst.~--Dr. Hill was appointed Borough Analyst in Feb., 1861, his duties being to examine and test any sample of food or drinks that may be brought or sent to him in order to prove their purity or otherwise. The fees are limited to a scale approved by the Town Council.

~Ancient History~ of Birmingham can hardly be said to exist. Its rise and progress is essentially modern, and the few notes that have come to us respecting its early history will be found briefly summarised at the commencement of this book.

~Anti-Borough-Rate Meeting.~--In 1874 the Town Council asked for power to lay a Borough-rate exceeding 2s. in the ?., but after three days' polling permission was refused by a majority of 2,654 votes. The power was obtained afterwards.

~Anti-Church-Rate Meetings~ were frequent enough at one period of our history. The two most worthy of remembrance were those of Dec. 15, 1834, when the rate was refused by a majority of 4,966 votes, and Oct., 1841, when the polling showed 626 for the rate and 7,281 against.

~Anti-Corn-Law Meetings~ were also numerous. The one to recollect is that held Feb. 18, 1842.

~Anti-Papal Demonstration.~--A town's meeting took place in the Town Hall, Dec. 11, 1850, to protest against the assumption of ecclesiastical titles by the Catholic hierarchy. About 8,000 persons were present, and the "No Popery" element was strong, but Joseph Sturge moved an amendment for freedom to all parties, which so split the votes that the Mayor said the amendment was not carried and the resolution was lost.

~Anti-Slavery.~--The first Anti-Slavery meeting held here was that of Nov. 27, 1787. A local petition to Parliament against the slave trade was presented to the House of Commons, Feb. 11, 1788. A local society was formed here in 1826, Joseph Sturge being secretary, and many meetings were held before the Day of Abolition was celebrated. The most noteworthy of these was that at Dee's Assembly Room, April 16, 1833, when G.F. Muntz and the Political Union opposed the agitation; a great meeting, Oct. 14, 1835; another on Feb. 1, 1836, in which Daniel O'Connell and John Angell James took part. This last was the first large town's meeting at which the "total and immediate" abolition of slavery was demanded. Joseph Sturge following it up by going to the West Indies and reporting the hardships inflicted upon the blacks under the "gradual" system then in operation. Aug. 7, 1838, the day when slavery dropped its chains on English ground, was celebrated here by a children's festival in the Town Hall, by laying the foundation-stone of "The Negro Emancipation Schools," Legge Street, and by a public meeting at night, at which Sir Eardley Wilmott, D. O'Connell, Dr. Lushington, Edward Baines, &c., were present.

~Anti-one-thing-or-t'other.~--True to their motto, Birmingham people are always ready to oppose the wrong and forward the right, but what is right and what wrong is only to be ascertained by public discussion, and a few dates of celebrated "talks" are here given:--

In 1719 the apprenticing of Russian youths to local trades was objected to.

In the Christmas week of 1754 public protest was made against the tax on wheel carriages.

March 12, 1824, a deputation was sent to Parliament to protest against our workmen being allowed to emigrate, for fear they should teach the foreigners.

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