Madame Roze-Mapleson, Miss Eleanor Farnel, Mr. Horrex, Mr. Campion, and
Mr. Woodhall, first came before a Festival audience. The list of new
works comprised Gounod's "Redemption," Gaul's "Holy City," Gade's
"Psyche," Benedict's "Graziella," Mr. C.H. Parry's "Symphony in G
Major." Brahm's "Triumphed," with a new song and a new march by Gounod.
Receipts, £15,011; profits, £4,704.
1885. Aug.25 to 28.--President: Lord Brooke. The principal performers
were Madame Albani, Mrs. Hutchinson, Miss Anna Williams, Madame Patey,
Madame Trebelli; Messrs. Edward Lloyd, Joseph Maas, Santley, Signor
Foli. Herr Richter was the conductor. Works performed were:--Oratorio,
"Elijah"; new Cantata, "Sleeping Beauty"; new Oratorio, "Mors et Vita";
new cantata, "Yule Tide"; Oratorio, "Messiah"; new Cantata, "The
Spectre's Bride"; new Oratorio, "The Three Holy Children."
~Music Halls.~--Mr. Henry Holder is often said to have been the first
who opened a public room of this kind, but there had been one some years
before at the George and Dragon, corner of Weaman Street, Steelhouse
Lane, which was both popular and respectably conducted.--See "_Concert
Halls_."
~Musical Instruments.~--Our grandfathers and grandmothers were content
with their harps and harpsichords, their big and little fiddles, with
trumpets and drums, horns, oboes, bassoons, and pipes. Clarionets were
not introduced into the Festival bands until 1778; the double-bass
kettle-drums came in 1784; trombones in 1790; flutes, with six or more
keys, were not known until 1802; serpents appeared in 1820; flageolets
in 1823; the ophicleide was brought in 1829, and the monster specimens
in 1834, which year also saw the introduction of the piccolo; the
bombardon not coming until 1843. Pianofortes were first known in England
in 1767, but when first played in Birmingham is uncertain; the first
time the instrument is named in a Festival programme was 1808, but the
loan of a grand by Mr. Tomkinson, a London maker, in 1817, was an event
thought deserving of a special vote of thanks.
~Musical Notabilities~ of the highest calibre have been frequent
visitors here, at the Festivals and at the Theatres, though the
native-born sons of song who have attained high rank in the profession
number but few. Under "_Musical Festivals_" appear the names of all the
leading artistes who have taken part in those world-known performances,
the dates of their first appearances being only given, and in like
manner in the notice of our "_Theatres_" and "_Theatrical Celebrities_"
will be chronicled the advents of many celebrated "stars" who have trod
our local boards. Considering the position he long held in the musical
world, the introduction of Sir Michael Costa to Birmingham has
sufficient interest to be here noted. Signor Costa had been sent by his
friend Zingarelli to conduct his "Cantata Sacra" at the Festival of
1829. The managers, however, thought so very little of the young
gentleman's appearance (he was but nineteen) that they absolutely
refused him permission to do so, only allowing his expenses on condition
that he went among the singers. It was of no use his telling them that
he was a conductor and not a singer, and he had nervously to take the
part assigned him. On returning to London, he quickly "made his mark,"
and fell into his right place of honour and credit.
~Musical Services.~--The first of a series of week-night musical
services for the people took place at St. Luke's Church, September 10,
1877, the instruments used being the organ, two kettle-drums, two
trumpets, and two trombones. This was by no means an original idea, for
the followers of Swedenborg had similar services as well in their Chapel
in Paradise Street (on site of Queen's College), as in Newhall Street
and Summer Lane.
~Mysteries of Past History.~--It was believed that a quantity of arms
were provided here by certain gentlemen favourable to the Pretender's
cause in 1745, and that on the rebels failing to reach Birmingham, the
said arms were buried on the premises of a certain manufacturer, who for
the good of his health fled to Portugal. The fact of the weapons being
hidden came to the knowledge of the Government some sixty years after,
and a search for them was intended, but though the name of the
manufacturer was found in the rare books of the period, and down to
1750, the site of his premises could not be ascertained, the street
addresses not being inserted, only the quarter of the town, thus: "T.
S.---- Digbath quarter." The swords, &c., have remained undiscovered to
the present day.--M 10, 1864, while excavations were being made in the
old "Castle Yard," in High Street the skeletons of three human beings
were found in a huddled position about 2-1/2 ft. from the surface.--The
Old Inkleys were noted for the peculiar character (or want thereof) of
its inhabitants, though why they buried their dead beneath their cellar
floors must remain a mystery. On October 29, 1879, the skeleton of a
full-grown man was found underneath what had once been the site of a
house in Court No. 25 of the Old Inkleys, where it must have lain at
least 20 years.
~Nail Making.~--See "_Trades_."
~Natural History~ and Microscopical Society was formed in January, 1858.
The first meeting of the Midland Union of Natural History,
Philosophical, and Archæological Societies and Field Clubs was held at
the Midland Institute, May 27, 1878.
~Nechells.~--There is, or was, a year or two back, a very old house,
"Nechells Hall," still in existence, where at one period of their
history, some of the Holte family resided.
~Needless Alley~ is said to have been originally called Needles Alley
from a pin and needle makers' shop there.
~Nelson.~--Boulton struck a line medal in commemoration of the Battle of
Trafalgar, and by permission of the Government gave one to every person
who took part in the action; flag-officers and commanders receiving
copies in gold, lieutenants, &c., in silver, and the men, bronze. Being
struck for this purpose only, and not for sale, the medal is very
scarce.--See "_Statues_."
~New Hall.~--One of the residences of the Colmore family, demolished in
1787, the advertisement announcing the sale of its materials appearing
July 2 that year. It is generally believed that the house stood in exact
line with Newhall Street, and at its juncture with Great Charles Street;
the houses with the steps to them showing that the site between, whereon
the Hall stood, was lowered after its clearance.
~Newhall Hill.~--Famous for ever in our history for the gatherings which
have at times taken place thereon, the most important of which are those
of 1819, July 12, to elect a "representative" who should _demand_
admittance to, and a seat in, the House of Commons, whether the Commons
would let him or no. For taking part in this meeting, George Edmonds,
Major Cartwright, and some others, were put on their trial. A "true
bill" was found on August 9th, but the indictment being removed to
King's Bench, the trial did not take place till August 7, 1820, the
sentence of 12 months' imprisonment being passed May 28, 1821.--In 1832,
May 14, nearly 200,000 persons present, Mr. Thomas Attwood presiding.
This is the meeting described as "one of the most solemn spectacles ever
seen in the world." when the whole mighty assemblage took the vow of the
Political Union, to "devote themselves and their children to their
country's cause."--In 1833, May 20, at which the Government was censured
for passing a Coercian Bill for Ireland, for keeping on the window and
house taxes, for not abolishing the Coin Laws, and for not allowing vote
by ballot.
~Newhall Lane~ was the original name for that part of Colmore Row
situate between Newhall Street and Livery Street.
~New John Street~, for a long time, was considered the longest street in
the borough, being 1 mile and 200 yards long.
~New Market Street.~--Some ground was set out here, years ago, for a
market; hence the name.
~Newspapers and Magazines.~--In 1719 there were many small "sheets of
news" published in London, but the imposition of a halfpenny stamp
finished the career of the majority. In 1797 a 3-1/2 d. stamp, and in
1815 a 4d. stamp was required. In 1836 it was reduced to 1d., and in
1855, after a long agitation, the newspaper duty was abolished
altogether. About 1830 the trick of printing a calico sheet of news was
tried, the letter of the law being that duty must be paid on
news_papers_, but the Somerset House people soon stopped it. In Oct.,
1834, among many others, James Guest, Thomas Watts, and William
Plastans, news-vendors of this town, were committed to Warwick Gaol fur
the offence of selling unstamped papers. In 1840, the total circulation
of all the local papers did not reach 14,000 copies per week, a great
contrast to the present day, when one office alone sends out more than
150,000 in the like time. During the Chartist agitation there were
frequently as many as 5,000 to 6,000 copies of Feargus O'Connor's
_Northern Star_ sold here, and many hundreds a week of the _Weekly
Dispatch_, a great favourite with "the people" then. _Cacoethes
scribendi_, or the scribbling itch, is a complaint many local people
have suffered from, but to give a list of all the magazines, newspapers,
journals, and periodicals that have been published here is impossible.
Many like garden flowers have bloomed, fruited, and lived their little
day, others have proved sturdy plants and stood their ground for years,
but the majority only just budded into life before the cold frosts of
public neglect struck at their roots and withered them up, not a leaf
being left to tell even the date of their death. Notes of a few are here
given:--
_Advertiser_.--First number appeared Oct. 10, 1833.
_Argus_.--Started as a monthly Aug. 1, 1828.--See "_Allday_" under
"_Noteworthy Men_."
_Aris's Gazette_.--The oldest of our present local papers was first
published Nov. 10, 1741. Like all other papers of that period, it was
but a dwarf in comparison with the present broad-sheet, and the whole of
the local news given in its first number was comprised in five lines,
announcing the celebration of Admiral Vernon's birthday. Its Founder,
Thos. Aris, died July 4, 1761. Since that date it had seen but few
changes in its proprietorship until 1872, when it was taken by a Limited
Liability Company, its politics remaining staunchly Conservative. On May
12th, 1862, it was issued as a daily, the Saturday's publication still
bearing the old familiar name.
_Athlete_.--First issued as the "_Midland Athlete_," January, 1879.
_Bazaar_.--A quarto serial of 1823-25.
_Birmingham Magazine_.--A literary and scientific publication edited by
Rev. Hugh Hutton. First appeared in Nov. 1827, running only nine
numbers.
_Brum_.--A so-called satirical, but slightly scurrilous, sheet issued in
1869, for a brief period.
_Central Literary Magazine_.--First No. in Jan. 1873.
_Chronicle_.--First published in 1765 by Myles Swinney. who continued to
edit the paper until his death in 1812. It was sold March 15, 1819, as
well as the type foundry which had been carried on by Mr. Swinney, a
business then noteworthy, as there was but one other of the kind in
England out of London.
_Daily Globe_.--A Conservative 1/2d. evening paper, commencing Nov. 17,
1879, and dying Oct. 30, 1880.
_Daily Mail_.--Evening 1/2d. paper; an offshoot from the _Daily Post_,
and now printed on adjoining premises. First published Sept. 7, 1870.
_Daily Post_.--First published Dec. 4, 1857, by the proprietors of the
_Journal_. From the first it "took" well, and it is the leading daily
paper of the Midland Counties.
_Daily Press_.--The first daily paper issued in Birmingham appeared on
May 7, 1855. Like many other "new inventions," however, it did not
succeed in making a firm footing and succumbed in November, 1858.
_Dart_.--A well-conducted comic weekly paper. Commenced Oct. 28, 1876.
_Edgbaston Advertiser_.--Published monthly by Mr. Thos. Britton,
Ladywood. As its name implies, this publication is more of the character
of an advertising sheet than a newspaper, but it often contains choice
literary pieces which make it a favourite.
_Edgbastonia_.--A monthly, full of quaint and curious notes, local
biographies, &c., issued by Mr. Eliezer Edwards, the well-known "S.D.R."
First sent out May, 1881.
_Edmonds' Weekly Recorder_.--First published by George Edmonds, June 18,
1819. It was alive in 1823, but date of last issue is uncertain.
_German_.--A newspaper printed in the German language made its
appearance here Aug. 7, 1866, but did not live long.
_Graphic_.--A penny illustrated commenced Feb. 21, 1883, but its
growth was not sufficiently _hardy_ to keep it alive more than two
_summers_.
_Gridiron_.--"A grill for saints and sinners," according to No. 1 (June
14, 1879), and if bitter biting personalities can be called fun, the
publication was certainty an amusing one, so long as it lasted.
_Hardware Lion_.--Rather a curious name for the monthly advertising
sheet first published Dec., 1880, but it did not long survive.
_Illustrated Midland News_.--The publication of this paper, Sept. 4,
1869, was a spirited attempt by Mr. Joseph Hatton to rival the
_Illustrated London News_; but the fates were against him, and the last
number was that of March 11, 1871.
_Inspector_.--A political sheet, which only appeared a few times in
1815.
_Iris_.--A few numbers of a literary magazine thus named were issued in
1830.
_Jabet's Herald_.--A weekly paper, published 1808, but not of long
existence.
_Journal_.--A paper with this name was published in 1733, but there are
no files extant to show how long it catered for the public. A copy of
its 18th number, Monday, May 21, 1733, a small 4to of 4 pages, with the
1/2d. red stamp, is in the possession of the proprietors of the _Daily
Post_, The _Journal_ of later days first appeared June 4 1825, and
continued to be published as a Saturday weekly until 1873, when it was
incorporated with the _Daily Post_.
_Liberal Review_.--First number March 20, 1880, and a few numbers ended
it.
_Looker-On_.--A quizzical critical sheet of theatrical items of the year
1823.
_Literary Phoenix_.--A miscellany of literary litter swept together by
Mr. Henry Hawkes in 1820, but soon dropped.
_Lion_.--Another of the modern "satirical" shortlived sheets, started
Jan. 4, 1877.
_Mercury.--The Birmingham Mercury and Warwickshire and Staffordshire
Advertiser_ was the title of newspaper of which the first copy was dated
November 24, 1820. The title of _Mercury_ was revived in 1848. on the
10th December of which year Mr. Wm. B. Smith brought out his paper of
that name. It commenced with _éclat_, but soon lost its good name, and
ultimately, after a lingering existence (as a daily at last), it died
out August 24, 1857.
_Middle School Mirror_.--A monthly, edited, written, and published by
the boys of the Middle School of King Edward the Sixth, shone forth in
December, 1880.
_Midland Antiquary_.--First numbtr for Oct., 1882. A well-edited
chronicle of matters interesting to our "Old Mortality" boys.
_Midland Counties Herald_.--First published July 26, 1836, by Messrs.
Wright and Dain. Its circulation, though almost gratuitous is extensive
and from its high character as a medium for certain classes of
advertisements it occasionally has appeared in the novel shape of a
newspaper without any news, the advertisers taking up all the space.
_Midland Echo_--Halfpenny evening paper, commenced Feb. 26, 1883, as an
extra-superfine Liberal organ. Ceased to appear as a local paper early
in 1885.
_Midland Metropolitan Magazine_. This heavily-named monthly lasted just
one year, from Dec., 1852.
_Midland Naturalist_.--Commenced Jan. 1, 1878.
_Morning News_.--Daily paper, in politics a Nonconformist Liberal; first
published Jan. 2, 1871, under the editorship of George Dawson until the
expiration of 1873. On Aug. 16, 1875, it was issued as a morning and
evening paper at 1/2d.; but the copy for May 27, 1876, contained its own
death notice.
_Mouse Trap_.--The title of a little paper of playful badinage, issued
for a month or two in the autumn of 1824.
_Naturalists' Gazette_.--In Sept. 1882, the Birmingham naturalists began
a gazette of their own.
_Old and New Birmingham_ was published in monthly parts, the first being
issued June 1, 1878.
_Owl_.--A weekly pennyworth of self-announced "wit and wisdom" first
issued Jan. 30, 1879.
_Penny Magazine_.--This popular periodical, the fore-runner of all the
cheap literature of the day, may be said to have had a Birmingham
origin, as it was first suggested to Charles Knight by Mr. M.D. Hill in
1832.
_Philanthropist_.--First published (as _The Reformer_) April 16, 1835,
by Benjamin Hudson, 18, Bull Street; weekly, four pages, price 7d., but
in the following September lowered to 4-1/2d., the stamp duty of 4d.
being at that time reduced to 1d. In politics it was Liberal, and a
staunch supporter of the Dissenters, who only supported it for about two
years.
_Radical Times_.--Came into existence Sept. 30, 1876, but being too
rabidly Radical, even for "the 600," whose leading-strings it shirked,
it did not thrive for long.
_Register or Entertaining Museum_.--With the prefix of the town's name,
this monthly periodical lived one year from May 10, 1764. This was one
of the earliest London-printed country papers, the only local portion
being the outside pages, so that it suited for a number of places.
_Reporter and Review_.--Principally devoted to the doings on the local
stage, and published for a brief period during June, &c., 1823.
_Saturday Evening Post_.--A weekly "make-up" from the _Daily Post_ (with
a few distinctive features) and came into being with that paper; price
1-1/2d. Originally issued at noon on Saturday, but latterly it has
appeared simultaneous with the _Daily_, and is known as the _Weekly
Post_, its price lately having been reduced to 1d.
_Saturday Night_.--First published, Sept. 30, 1882.
_Saturday's Register_.--Another of George Edmunds' political papers,
which appeared for a few months in 1820.
_Spectator_.--A literary and dramatic monthly, of which seven parts were
published in 1824.
_Sunday Echo_.--First number came out May 21, 1882.
_Sunday Express_.--Started August, 1884, and died August, 1885.
_Sunday Telegram_.--Started May, 1883.
_Sunrise_.--Rose Nov. 18, 1882, at the price of one-halfpenny, and
lasted a few weeks only.
_Tattler_.--April 1817 saw the first appearance of this
tittle-tattle-tale-telling monthly tease to all lovers of theatrical
order, and August saw the last.
_Theatrical Argus_.--Of May and following months of 1830. A
two-penny-worth of hotch-potch, principally scandal.
_Theatrical John Bull_.--Published in May, 1824, lasting for the season
only.
_Theatrical Note Book_.--Rival to above in June, 1824, and going off the
stage same time.
_Town Crier_.--This respectable specimen of a local comic appeared first
in September, 1861, and it deserves a long life, if only for keeping
clear of scandal and scurrility.
_Warwick and Staffordshire Journal_.--Though printed here, the town was
not thought capable of filling its columns; a little experience showed
the two counties to be as bad, and subscribers were tempted to buy by
the issue of an Illustrated Bible and Prayer Book sent out in parts with
the paper. The first No. was that of Aug. 20, 1737, and it continued
till the end of Revelations, a large number of copperplate engravings
being given with the Bible, though the price of the paper was but 2d.
_Weekly Mercury_.--Commenced November, 1884.
_Weekly News_.--A weak attempt at a weekly paper, lasted from May to
September, 1882.
~Newsrooms.~--The first to open a newsroom were Messrs. Thomson and
Wrightson, booksellers, who on Aug. 22, 1807, admitted the public to its
tables. In 1825 a handsome newsroom was erected in Bennett's Hill, the
site of which was sold in 1858 for the County Court, previous to its
removal to Waterloo Street.
~New Street~ once called "Beast Market." was in Hutton's time approached
from High Street through an archway, the rooms over being in his
occupation. In 1817 there were several walled-in gardens on the
Bennett's Hill side of the street, and it is on record that one house at
least was let at the low rent of 5s. 6d. per week. The old "Grapes"
public-house was pulled down just after the Queen's visit, being the
last of the houses removed on account of the railway station. Though it
has long been the principal business street of the town, New street was
at one time devoted to the ignoble purposes of a beast market, and where
the fair ladies of to-day lightly tread the flags when on shopping bent,
the swine did wait the butcher's knife. New Street is 561 yards in
length; between Temple Street and Bennett's Hill it is 46-1/2 feet wide,
and near Worcester Street 65 ft. 4 in. wide.
~Nonconformists.~--The so-called Act of Uniformity of 1602 deprived
nearly 2,000 of the clergy of their livings, and a few of them came to
Birmingham as a place of refuge, ministering among the Dissenters, who
then had no buildings for regular worship. There were many documents in
the lost Staunton Collection relating to some of these clergymen, who,
however, did not find altogether comfortable quarters even here, one
George Long, M.D., who had fled from his persecutors in Staffordshire,
finding no peace in Birmingham, removed to Ireland; others, though they
came here by stealth to minister, had to reside in country parts. A
Central Nonconformist Committee was formed here March 3, 1870.
~Nonjurors.~--Among the name of the Roman Catholics, or "Non-jurors,"
who refused to take the oath of allegiance to George I., appeared that
of John Stych, of Birmingham, whose forfeited estate was, in 1715,
valued at £12.
~Northfield.~--Four and a-half miles from Birmingham. There was a Church
here at the time of the Norman survey, and some traces of its Saxon
origin, students of architecture said, could once be found in the
ancient doorway on the north side of the building. Some forty years ago
the psalmody of the congregation and choir received assistance from the
mellifluous strains ground out of a barrel organ, which instrument is
still preserved as a curiosity by a gentleman of the neighbourhood. They
had an indelible way at one time of recording local proceedings in
matters connected with the Church here. The inscriptions on the six
bells cast in 1730 being:--
Treble.--We are now six, though once but five,
2nd.--Though against our casting some did strive,
3rd.--But when a day for meeting they did fix,
4th.--There appeared but nine against twenty-six.
5th.--Samuel Palmer and Thomas Silk Churchwardens.
Tenor.--Thomas Kettle and William Jervoise did contrive
To make us six that were but five.
~Notable Offences.~--In olden days very heavy punishments were dealt out
for what we now think but secondary offences, three men being sentenced
to death at the Assizes, held March 31, 1742, one Anstey for burglary,
Townsend for sheep-stealing, and Wilmot for highway robbery. The laws
also took cognisance of what to us are strange crimes, a woman in 1790
being imprisoned here for selling almanacks without the Government stamp
on them; sundry tradesmen also being heavily fined for dealing in
covered buttons. The following are a few other notable olfences that
have been chronicled for reference:--
_Bigamy_.--The Rev. Thomas Morris Hughes was, Nov. 15, 1883, sentenced
to seven years' penal servitude for this offence. He had been previously
punished for making a false registration of the birth of a child, the
mother of which was his own stepdaughter.