century, and it has been supposed that the Cock was intended as an
emblem of the vigilance of the clergy, who irreverently styled
themselves the Cocks of the Almighty, their duty being, like the cock
which roused Peter, to call the people to repentance, or at any rate to
church. These are the longest-lived birds we know of. The one which had
been perched on the old spire of St. Martin's for a hundred years or
more was brought down July 22, 1853, and may still be seen at Aston
Hall, along with the old bird that tumbled off Aston church October 6,
1877. The last was made of copper in July, 1830, and contained, among
other articles, a copy of Swinney's _Birmingham Chronicle_ of June 29,
1815, with a full account of the Battle of Waterloo.
~Weighing Machines~ were introduced by John Wyatt, in 1761, and the
first was purchased by the Overseers in 1767, so that the profits might
reduce the poor rates. It was situated at the top corner of Snow Hill,
and so much did the Overseers value it, that they gave notice, (Feb.
18th, 1783) of their intention of applying to Parliament for the
monopoly of securing "the benefit of weighing out coals to the town."
~Welsh Cross.~--One of the Old-time Market-houses at the corner of Bull
Street, the bottom portion of the edifice being used by country people
as a butter market. The upper room was for meetings and occasionally
used for the detention of prisoners who came (it has been said) through
the window on to a small platform for the pillory or cat-o'-nine-tails,
according to their sentence.
~West Bromwich~, if we are to credit "Britannia Depicto," published in
1753, was originally West Bromicham, or West Birmingham.
~Wheeley's Lane~, though one of the quietest thoroughfares in Edgbaston,
was formerly used as part of the coach-road to Bristol, those vehicles
passing the Old Church and down Priory Road.
~Windmill.~--The old windmill that used to be on Holloway Head is marked
on the 1752 map, and it has been generally understood that a similar
structure stood there for many generations, but this one was built about
1745. The sails might have been seen in motion forty or forty-five years
ago, and probably corn was then ground there. After the departure of the
miller and his men it was used for a time as a sort of huge summer
house, a camera obscura being placed at the top, from which panoramic
views of the neighbourhood could be taken. It was demolished but a few
years back.
~Woman's Rights.~--A local branch of the Women's Suffrage Association
was formed here in 1868: a Women's Liberal Association was instituted in
October, 1873; a branch of the National Union or Working Women was
organised January 29th, 1875; and a Woman Ratepayers' Protection Society
was established in August, 1881. With ladies on the School Board, lady
Guardians, lady doctors, a special Women's Property Protection Act, &c.,
&c., it can hardly be said that our lady friends are much curtailed of
their liberty. We know there are Ladies' Refreshment Rooms, Ladies'
Restaurants, and Ladies' Associations for Useful Work and a good many
other things, but we doubt if the dear creatures of to-day would ever
dream of having such an institution as Ladies' Card Club, like that of
their Edgbaston predecessors of a century back.
~Women Guardians.~--The introduction of the female element in the choice
of Guardians of the Poor has long been thought desirable, and an
Association for promoting the election of ladies was formed in 1882.
There are now two women Guardians on the Birmingham Board, and one on
the King's Norton Board. Taking lesson of their political brothers, the
members of the Association, experiencing some difficulty in finding
ladies with proper legal qualification to serve on the Board, "purchased
a qualification," and then run their candidate in. The next step will
doubtless be to pay their members, and, as the last year's income of the
Association amounted to £12 4s. 11d., there can be no difficulty there.
~Yeomanry Cavalry.~--The last official report showed the Warwickshire
regiment could muster 213 on parade; while the Staffordshire had 422.
~Y.M.C.A. and Y.W.C.A.~--See "_Philanthropic Institutions_."
~Zoological Association.~--Early in 1873 a provisional committee of
gentlemen undertook the formation of a local society similar to that of
the Regent's Park, of London, proposing to raise a fund of £7,000
towards such an establishment, partly by donations and partly in shape
of entrance fees to Fellowship (fixed at £5). It was believed that with
a fair number of annual 40s. subscriptions and gate money from the
public that such a society might be made successful; several handsome
donations were promised, and a lot of "fellows" put their names down as
good for the fivers, but when, a little time after, Edmunds' (_alias_
Wombwell's) agents were trying to find here a purchaser for their
well-known travelling collections, the piecrust proverb was again proved
to be correct.
~Zoological Gardens.~--Morris Roberts, the ex-prizefighter, opened a
menagerie in the grounds of the Sherbourne Hotel, and called it The
Zoological Gardens, May 4, 1873. The animals were sold in April, 1876,
the place not being sufficiently attractive.
~Obituary.~
The following short list of local people of interest may not be an
unacceptable addition to the many whose names appear in various parts of
the preceding work:--
AITKEN, W.C., the working man's friend, died March 24, 1875, aged 58.
ALBITES, ACHILLE, a respected teacher of French, died June 8, 1872, aged
63.
ARIS, THOMAS, founder of the _Gazette_, died July 4, 1761.
AYLESFORD, LORD, died Jan. 13, 1885, at Big Springs, Texas, aged 35.
BANKS, MORRIS, chemist and druggist, died June 21, 1880, aged 75.
BANKS, William, long connected with the local Press, died March 1, 1870,
aged 50.
BATES, WILLIAM, a literary connoisseur of much talent, died September
24, 1884.
BOULTON, ANN, only daughter of Matthew Boulton, died October 13, 1829.
BROWN, Rev. PHILIP, for 32 years Vicar of St. James's, Edgbaston, died
September 15, 1884.
BIRD, ALFRED, well-known as a manufacturing chemist, died December 15,
1878, aged 67.
BARRETT, Rev. I.C., for 43 years Rector of St. Mary's, died February 26,
1881.
BRACEBRIDGE, CHARLES HOLTE, a descendant of the Holtes of Aston, died
July 12, 1872, aged 73. He left several pictures, &c., to the town.
BRAILSFORD, Rev. Mr., Head-master Grammar School, died November 20,
1775.
BRAY, SOLOMON, formerly Town Clerk, died January 9, 1859.
BREAY, Rev. JOHN GEORGE, seven years Minister of Christ Church, died
December 5, 1839, in his 44th year.
BREEDON, LUKE, over fifty years a minister of the Society of Friends,
died in 1740, aged 81.
BRIGGS, Major, W.B.R.V., died January 24, 1877, aged 45.
BURN, Rev. EDWARD, 52 years Minister at St. Mary's, died May 20, 1837,
aged 77.
CADBURY, B.H., died January 23, 1880, in his 82nd year.
CHAVASSE, PYE.--A surgeon, well known by his works on the medical
treatment of women and children, died September 20, 1879, in his 70th
year.
CHAVASSE, THOS., pupil of Abernethy, and followed his profession in this
town till his 80th year. He died October 19, 1884, aged 84.
CHURCH, BENJ., of the _Gazette_, died July 1, 1874, aged 48.
DAVIS, GEORGE, a local poet, as well as printer, died 1819.
DAWSON, SUSAN FRANCES, relict of George Dawson, died November 9, 1878.
DOBBS, JAMES, a comic song writer and comedian, a great favourite with
his fellow-townspeople, died November 1, 1837, aged 56.
EGINGTON, F., an eminent painter on glass, died March 25, 1805, aged 68.
ELKINGTON, GEORGE RICHARDS, the patentee and founder of the
electro-plate trade, died September 22, 1866 aged 65.
EVERITT, EDWARD, landscape painter, a pupil of David Cox, and a member
of the original Society of Arts, died July 2, 1880, in his 88th year.
FEENEY, J.F., proprietor of _Birmingham Journal_, died May 12, 1869.
FREETH, Miss JANE, last surviving daughter of poet Freeth, died
September 2, 1860, aged 89.
GARBETT, Rev. JOHN, died August 23, 1858, aged 66.
GARNER, THOMAS, a distinguished line engraver, died in July, 1868. His
delineations of the nude figure were of the highest excellence.
GODFREY, ROBT., for nearly fifty years a minister of the Catholic
Apostolic Church, died Jan. 12, 1883, aged 75.
GOUGH, JOHN, an old churchwarden of St. Martin's, died November 30,
1877, aged 63.
HAMMOND, Rev. JOSEPH, Congregational Minister, Handsworth, died March,
30, 1870.
HANMAN, WILLIAM, for twenty-one years Market Superintendent, died Dec.
1, 1877, aged 51.
HILL, M.D., first Borough Recorder, died June 7, 1872, aged 79.
HILL, Rev. Micaiah, director of the Town Mission, founder of the Female
Refuge, and Cabmen's Mission, &c., died September 24, 1884, aged 60.
HODGETTS, WILLIAM, the first printer of the _Birmingham Journal_ (in
1825) and afterwards publisher of _Birmingham Advertiser_, died January
2, 1874, aged 83.
HODGSON, Mr. JOSEPH, for 27 years one of the surgeons at General
Hospital, died February 7, 1869, aged 82.
HOLDER, HENRY, died January 27, 1880, in his 70th year.
HOLLINGS, W., architect, died January 12, 1843, aged 80.
HORTON, ISAAC, pork butcher, died November 15, 1880, aged 59. His
property in this town estimated at £400,000, besides about £100,000
worth in Walsall, West Bromwich, &c.
HUDSON, BENJAMIN, printer, 54 years in one shop, died December 9, 1875,
aged 79.
HUTTON CATHERINE, only daughter of William Hutton died March 31, 1846,
aged 91.
HUTTON, Rev. HUGH, many years minister at Old Meeting, died September
13, 1871, aged 76.
IVERS, the Very Rev. BERNARD, canon of St. Chad's Cathedral, and for
thirty years rector of St. Peter's (Roman Catholic) church, Broad
Street, died June 19, 1880.
JAFFRAY, JAMES, a pleasant writer of local history, died Jan. 7, 1884.
JEUNE, Rev. FRANCIS, Bishop of Peterborough, and once head master of
Free Grammar School, died August 21, 1868, aged 62.
KENNEDY, REV. RANN, of St. Paul's died January 5, 1851, aged 79.
KENTISH, REV. JOHN, for fifty years pastor at the New Meeting, died
March 6, 1853.
KNIGHT, EDWARD, an eminent comic actor, who had long performed at Drury
Lane and the Lyceum, was born in this town in 1774; died Feb. 21, 1826.
LEE, DR. J. PRINCE, the first Bishop of Manchester, and who had been for
many years head master at Free Grammar School, died December 24, 1869.
LLOYD, MR. SAMPSON, banker died December 28, 1807, aged 80.
MACREADY, WM., many years manager at Theatre Royal, died April 11, 1829.
MACKENZIE, Rev. JOHN ROBERTSON, D.D., many years at Scotch Church, Broad
Street, died March 2, 1877, aged 66.
MADDOCKS, CHARLES, a local democrat of 1819, died April 3, 1856, aged
78.
MARSDEN, Rev. J.B., of St. Peter's, died June 16, 1870.
McINNIS, Capt. P., adjutant B.R.V., died February 16, 1880, aged 66
years.
MITCHELL, SIDNEY J., solicitor, accidentally killed at Solihull, March
22, 1882.
MOLE, Major ROBERT, B.R.V., died June 9, 1875, aged 46.
MOORE, JOSEPH, "founder of the Birmingham Musical Festival," died April
19, 1851.
MOTTERAM, J., eight years County Court Judge, died Sept. 19, 1884, aged
67.
NETTLEFORD, JOSEPH HENRY, died November 22, 1881, aged 54. He left a
valuable collection of pictures to the Art Gallery.
NOTT, Dr. JOHN, born in 1751, studied surgery in Birmingham, but was
better known as an elegant poet and Oriental scholar, died in 1826.
OLDKNOW, REV. JOSEPH, Vicar of Holy Trinity, died September 3, 1874,
aged 66.
OSLER, THOS. CLARKSON, died Nov. 5, 1876, leaving personal estate value
£140,000. He bequeathed £1,000 to the hospitals, and £3,000 to the Art
Gallery.
PAGE, REV. RICHARD, first Vicar of St. Asaph's, died March 9, 1879, aged
41.
PEMBERTON, CHARLES REECE, long connected with Mechanics' Institute, died
March 3, 1840, aged 50.
PENN, BENJAMIN, died November 13, 1789. He was one of the old "newsmen"
who, for twenty years, delivered the _Gazette_ to its readers, and
though he travelled nearly 100 miles a week, never suffered from
illness.
PETTIT, REV. G., Vicar of St. Jude's, died January 19, 1873, aged 64.
PYE, JOHN, a celebrated landscape engraver, died February 6, 1874, aged
91.
RATCLIFF, Lady JANE, widow of Sir John, died Sept. 12, 1874, aged 72.
REDFERN, WILLIAM, the first Town Clerk, died April 23, 1872, aged 70.
REECE, W.H., solicitor, died in May, 1873, aged 63. He rebuilt St.
Tudno's Church, on the Ormeshead, and did much to popularise Llandudno.
RICHARDS, Mr. WM. WESTLEY, the world-known filmmaker, died Sept. 14,
1875, aged 76.
ROBINS, EBENEZER, auctioneer, died July 1, 1871.
ROTTON, H., died December 13, aged 67.
SALT, T.C., a prominent member of the Political Union, died April 27,
1859, aged 70.
SAXTON, Rev. LOT, a Methodist New Connexion Minister of this town, died
suddenly, September, 1880, in his 72nd year.
SCHOLEFIELD, JOSHUA, M.P., died July 4, 1814, aged 70.
SCHOLEFIELD, Rev. RADCLIFFE, for 30 years pastor of Old Meeting, died
June 27, 1803, aged 70.
SMITH, JOHN, attorney, died September 23, 1867.
SMITH, TOULMIN, died April 30, 1869.
SPOONER, Rev. ISAAC, for 36 years Vicar of Edgbaston, died July 26,
1884, aged 76.
SPOONER, RICHARD, Esq., M.P., died Novembar 24, 1864, aged 81.
SPOONER, Mr. WILLIAM, for seventeen years County Court Judge, of the
North Staffordshire district, died May 19, 1880, in his 69th year.
STANBRIDGE, THOMAS, Town Clerk died February 10, 1869, aged 52.
ST. JOHN, Rev. AMBROSE, of the Oratory, died May 24, 1875, aged 60.
SWINNEY, MYLES, 50 years publisher of the _Birmingham Chronicle_, died
November 2, 1812, aged 74.
THORNTON, Capt. F., B.E.V., was thrown from his carriage and killed, May
22, 1876. He was 35 years of age.
TURNER, GEORGE (firm of Turner, Son and Nephew), died March 25, 1875,
aged 68, leaving a fortune of £140,000.
UPTON, JAMES, printer, died November 9, 1874.
VINCENT, HENRY, the Chartist, died Dec. 29, 1878.
WORRALL, WILLIAM, for 30 years Secretary of St. Philip's Building
Society, died May 1, 1880, in his 78th year.
WRIGHT, Mr. THOS. BARBER, who died October 11, 1878, was one of the
founders of the _Midland Counties Herald_, the first to propose the
Hospital Sunday collections, and to establish the Cattle Shows.
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