Part 5

~Bright.~--The Right Hon. John Bright, though not a Birmingham man, nor connected with the town by any ties of personal interest or business, has for the last quarter-century been the leading member returned to Parliament as representing the borough, and must always rank foremost among our men of note. Mr. Bright is the son of the late Jacob Bright, of Greenbank, near Rochdale, and was born November 16, 1811. He and his brother, Mr. Jacob Bright, M.P. for Manchester, began business as partners in the affiliated firms of John Bright and Brothers, cotton spinners and manufacturers, Rochdale, and Bright and Co., carpet manufacturers, Rochdale and Manchester. At an early age Mr. Bright showed a keen interest in politics, and took part in the Reform agitation of 1831-32. In those days every householder was compelled by law to pay the Church-rates levied in his parish, whatever his religious creed might be, and it is said that Mr. Bright's first flights of oratory were delivered from a tombstone in Rochdale church-yard in indignant denunciation of a tax which to him, as a member of the Society of Friends, appeared especially odious. It was not, however, till 1839, when he joined the Anti-Corn Law League, that Mr. Bright's reputation spread beyond his own immediate neighbourhood; and there can be no doubt but that his fervid addresses, coupled with the calmer and more logical speeches of Mr. Cobden, contributed in an appreciable degree to the success of the movement. In July, 1843, he was returned as M.P. for the city of Durham, which he represented until the general election of 1847, when he was the chosen of Manchester. For ten years he was Manchester's man in everything, but the side he took in regard to the Russian war was so much at variance with the popular opinions of his constituents that they at last turned on him, burnt his effigy in the streets, and threw him out at the general election in March, 1857. At the death of Mr. G.F. Muntz, in July following, Mr. Bright was almost unanimously selected to fill his place as M.P. for this town, and for 25 years he has continued to honour Birmingham by permitting us to call him _our_ member. (See "_Parliamentary Elections_.") Mr. Bright has been twice married, but is now a widower, and he has twice held office in the Cabinet, first as President of the Board Of Trade, and more lately as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

~Bristol Road.~--Trees were first planted in this road in the spring of 1853.

~Britannia Metal.~--A mixed metal formed of 90 parts of tin, 2 copper, and 8 antimony, brought into use about 1790, and long a favourite with manufacturers and public alike. The introduction of electroplating did much towards its extended make at first, but latterly it has been in great measure, replaced by German silver and other alloys.

~British Association~ for the Advancement, of Science first met in this town Aug. 26, 1839. They were here again Oct. 12, 1857, and Sep. 6, 1865.

~Brittle Street~ formerly ran from Livery Street to Snow Hill, about the spot where now the entrance gates to the Station are.

~Broad Street.~--150 years ago part of what is now known as Dale End was called Broad Street, the present thoroughfare of that name then being only a pathway through the fields.

~Brunswick Buildings.~--Erected in New Street, by Mr. Samuel Haines in 1854. A funny tale has been told about the original lease, which included a covenant that at the expiration of the term of 100 years for which it was granted, the land was to be delivered up to the Grammar School "well cropped with potatoes." In 1760 New Street _was_ a new street indeed, for there were but a few cottages with gardens there then, and the potatoe proviso was no doubt thought a capital provision; but fancy growing that choice edibie there in 1860!

~Buck.~--Henry Buck, P.G.M., and Sec. of the Birmingham district of the Manchester Order of Oddfellows for twenty-five years, died Jan. 22, 1876, aged 63. A granite obelisk to his memory in St. Philip's churchyard was unveiled Sep. 17, 1877.

~Building Societies~ took early root here, as we find there were several in 1781.--See "_Friendly Societies_."

~Buckles~ were worn as shoe fasteners in the reign of Charles II.--See "_Trades_."

~Buttons.~--Some interesting notes respecting the manufacture of buttons will be found under the head of "_Trades_."

~Bulgarian Atrocities, 1876-7.~--A considerable amount of "political capital" was made out of these occurrences, but only £1,400 was subscribed here for the relief of the unfortunates; while merely £540 could be raised towards helping the thousands of poor Bosnian refugees driven from their homes by the Russians in 1878, and of this sum £200 was given by one person.

~Bullbaiting~ was prohibited in 1773 by Order in Council, and an Act was passed in 1835, to put a stop to all baiting of bulls, badgers, and bears. At Chapel Wake, 1798, some law-defying reprobates started a bullbaiting on Snow Hill, but the Loyal Association of Volunteers turned out, and with drums beating and colours flying soon put the rebels to flight, pursuing them as far as Birmingham Heath, where the baiters got a beating, the Loyals returning home in triumph with the bull as a trophy. The last time this "sport" was indulged in in this neighbourhood appears to have been early in October, 1838, at Gib Heath, better known now as Nineveh Road.

~Bull Lane~ was the name once given to that part of the present Colmore Row between Livery Street and Snow Hill, though it has been better known as Monmouth Street.

~Bull Street.~--Once called Chapel Street, as leading to the chapel of the ancient Priory; afterwards named from the old inn known as the Red Bull (No. 83).

~Burial Grounds.~--See "_Cemeteries_."

~Burns.~--Excisemen, when Robert Burns was one of them, were wont to carry pistols, and those the poet had were given him by one of our gunmakers, Mr. Blair. They were afterwards bought by Allan Cunningham, who gave them back to Burns' widow.--Birmingham lent its rill to the great river of homage to the genius of Burns which flowed through the length and breadth of the civilised world on the occasion of the Burns' centenary in January, 1859. The most interesting of the three or four meetings held here was one of a semi-private nature, which took place at Aston Hall, and which originated, not with Scotchmen, but with Englishmen. Some forty-five or fifty gentlemen, only some half-dozen of whom were Scotch, sat down to an excellent supper in the fine old room in which the Queen lunched the previous year. The chairman was Mr. Samuel Timmins, and the vice-chairman was Mr. Ross.

~Cabs, Cars, and Carriages.~--The hackney carriages, or four-wheelers, of this town, have the credit of being superior to those used in London, though the hansoms (notwithstanding their being the inventions of one who should rank almost as a local worthy--the architect of our Town Hall) are not up to the mark. Prior to 1820 there were no regular stands for vehicles plying for hire, those in New Street, Bull Street, and Colmore Row being laid in that year, the first cabman's license being dated June 11. The first "Cabman's Rest" was opened in Ratcliffe Place, June 13, 1872, the cost (£65) being gathered by the cabman's friend, the Rev. Micarah Hill, who also, in 1875, helped them to start an association for mutual assistance in cases of sickness or death. There are sixteen of these "shelters" in the town, the cabmen subscribing about £200 yearly towards expenses. As a rule, the Birmingham cabmen are a civil and obliging body of men, though now and then a little sharp practice may occur, as in the instance of the stranger who, arriving in New Street Station one evening last summer, desired to be taken to the Queen's Hotel. His luggage being properly secured, and himself safely ensconced, Mr. Cabby cooly took the rug from his horse's back, mounted his seat and walked the animal through the gates back to the building the stranger had just left, depositing his fare, and as calmly holding out his hand for the customary shilling as if he had driven the full distance of a mile and a half. The fares laid down by the bye-laws as proper to be charged within the Borough, and within five miles from the statue in Stephenson Place, in the Borough, are as follows:--

_By time_, the driver driving at a rate not less than five miles per hour, if so required:--

s. d. For every carriage constructed to carry four persons, for the first hour, or part of hour .. .. 3 0 For every additional 15 minutes, or part of 15 minutes. .. .. 0 2 For every carriage constructed to carry two persons, for the first hour, or part of hour .. .. 2 6 For every additional 15 minutes, or part of 15 minutes.. .. .. 0 6 Any person hiring any carriage otherwise than by time is entitled to detain the same five minutes without extra charge, but for every 15 minutes, or part thereof, over the first five minutes, the hirer must pay .. .. .. 0 6 _By distance_:-- Cabs or Cars to carry 2 persons not exceeding 1-1/2 miles .. .. 1 0 Per 1/2 mile after .. .. .. 0 4 One horse vehicles to carry 4 persons, not exceeding 1 mile .. 1 0 For any further distance, per 1/2 mile after .. .. .. .. .. .. 0 6 Cars or Carriages with 2 horses, to carry 4 persons, not exceeding 1 mile .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 9 Per 1/2 mile after .. .. .. 0 9 _Double Fares_ shall be allowed and paid for every fare, or so much of any fare as may be performed by any carriage after 12 o'clock at night, and before 6 in the morning.

~Calthorpe Park,~ Pershore road, has an area of 3la. 1r. 13p., and was given to the town in 1857 by Lord Calthorpe. Though never legally conveyed to the Corporation, the Park is held under a grant from the Calthorpe family, the effect of which is equivalent to a conveyance in fee. The Duke of Cambridge performed the opening ceremony in this our first public park.

~Calthorpe Road~ was laid out for building in the year 1818, and the fact is worthy of note as being the commencement of our local West End.

~Calico, Cotton, and Cloth.~--In 1702 the printing or wearing of printed calicoes was prohibited, and more strictly so in 1721, when cloth buttons and buttonholes were also forbidden. Fifty years after, the requisites for manufacturing cotton or cotton cloth were now allowed to be exported, and in 1785 a duty was imposed on all cotton goods brought into the Kingdom. Strange as it may now appear, there was once a "cotton-spinning mill" in Birmingham. The first thread of cotton ever spun by rollers was produced in a small house near Sutton Coldfield as early as the year 1700, and in 1741 the inventor, John Wyatt, had a mill in the Upper Priory, where his machine, containing fifty rollers, was turned by two donkeys walking round an axis, like a horse in a modern clay mill. The manufacture, however, did not succeed in this town, though carried on more or less till the close of the century, Paul's machine being advertised for sale April 29, 1795. The Friends' schoolroom now covers the site of the cotton mill.

~Canals.~--The first Act for the construction of the "cut" or canal in connection with Birmingham was passed in 1761, that to Bilston being commenced in 1767. The delivery here of the first boat-load of coals (Nov. 6, 1769) was hailed, and rightly so, as one of the greatest blessings that could be conferred on the town, the immediate effect being a reduction in the price to 6d per cwt, which in the following May came down to 4d. The cutting of the first sod towards making the Grand Junction Canal took place July 26, 1766, and it was completed in 1790. In 1768 Briudley, the celebrated engineer, planned out the Birmingham and Wolverhampton Canal, proposing to make it 22 miles long; but he did not live to see it finished. The work was taken up by Smeaton and Telford; the latter of whom calling it "a crooked ditch" struck out a straight cut, reducing the length to 14 miles, increasing the width to 40 feet, the bridges having each a span of 52 feet. The "Summit" bridge was finished in 1879. The Fazeley Canal was completed in 1783, and so successfully was it worked that in nine years the shares were at a premium of £1170. In 1785 the Birmingham, the Fazeley, and the Grand Junction Companies took up and completed an extension to Coventry. The Birmingham and Worcester Canal was commenced in 1,791, the cost being a little over £600,000, and it was opened for through traffic July 21, 1815. By an agreement of September 18, 1873, this canal was sold to the Gloucester and Berkeley Canal Co. (otherwise the Sharpness Dock Co.), and has thus lost its distinctive local name. The Birmingham and Warwick commenced in 1793; was finished in 1800. Communication with Liverpool by water was complete in 1826, the carriage of goods thereto which had previously cost £5 per ton, being reduced to 30s. For a through cut to London, a company was started in May, 1836, with a nominal capital of £3,000,000, in £100 shares, and the first cargoes were despatched in August, 1840. In April, 1840, an Act was passed to unite the Wyrley and Essington Canal Co. with the Birmingham Canal Co., leading to the extension, at a cost of over £120,000, of the canal system to the lower side of the town. There are 2,800 miles of canals in England, and about 300 miles in Ireland. The total length of what may properly be called Birmingham canals is about 130 miles, but if the branches in the "Black Country" be added thereto, it will reach to near 250 miles. The first iron boat made its appearance on canal waters July 24, 1787; the first propelled by steam arrived here from London, September 29, 1826. The adaptation of steam power to general canal traffic, however, was not carried to any great extent, on account of the injury caused to the banks by the "wash" from the paddles and screws, though, when railways were first talked about, the possibility of an inland steam navigation was much canvassed. When the Bill for the London and Birmingham Railway was before Parliament, in 1833, some enterprising carriers started (on Midsummer-day) an opposition in the shape of a stage-boat, to run daily and do the distance, with goods and passengers, in 16 hours. The Birmingham and Liverpool Canal Company introduced steam tugs in 1843. On Saturday, November 11, they despatched 16 boats, with an aggregate load of 380 tons, to Liverpool, drawn by one small vessel of 16-horse power, other engines taking up the "train" at different parts of the voyage. Mr. Inshaw, in 1853, built a steamboat for canals with a screw on each side of the rudder. It was made to draw four boats with 40 tons of coal in each at two and a half miles per hour, and the twin screws were to negative the surge, but the iron horses of the rail soon put down, not only all such weak attempts at competition, but almost the whole canal traffic itself, so far as general merchandise and carriage of light goods and parcels was concerned. "Flyboats" for passengers at one time ran a close race with the coaches and omnibuses between here, Wolverhampton, and other places, but they are old people now who can recollect travelling in that manner in their youth.

~Canal Accidents.~--The banks of the Birmingham and Worcester Canal, near Wheeley's Road, gave way on May 26, 1872, causing considerable damage to the properties near at hand. A similar occurrence took place at Aston, July 20, 1875; and a third happened at Solihull Lodge Valley, October 27, 1880, when about 80ft. of an embankment 30-ft. high collapsed.

~Canal Reservoir,~ better known as "The Reservoir," near Monument Lane, a popular place of resort, covers an area of 62A. 1R. 5P., and is three-quarters of a mile long. Visitors and others fond of boating can be accommodated here to their heart's content.

~Cannon.~--The first appearance of these instruments of destruction in connection with the English army was in the time of Edward III. in his wars with the Scotch and the French, the first great battle of historical note in which they were used being that of Cressy, in 1346. The manufacture of "small arms," as they are called, has been anything but a small feature in the trade history of our past, but cannon-founding does not appear to have been much carried on, though a local newspaper of 1836 mentioned that several 250 and 300-pounder guns were sent from here in that year for the fortifications on the Dardanelles.

~Cannon Hill Park~ covers an area of 57a. 1r. 9p., and was presented to the town by Miss Ryland, the deed of conveyance bearing date April 18th, 1873. The nearest route to this Park is by way of Pershore Road and Edgbaston Lane, omnibuses going that way every half-hour.

~Caps.~--The inventor of percussion caps is not known, but we read of them as being made here as early as 1816, though they were not introduced into "the service" until 1839. The manufacture of these articles has several times led to great loss of life among the workers, notes of which will be found under the head of "_Explosions_." See also "_Trades_."

~Carlyle.~--The celebrated philosopher, Thomas Carlyle, resided here for a short time in 1824; and his notes about Birmingham cannot but be worth preserving. Writing to his brother John under date Aug. 10, he says:--

"Birmingham I have now tried for a reasonable time, and I cannot complain of being tired of it. As a town it is pitiful enough--a mean congeries of bricks, including one or two large capitalists, some hundreds of minor ones, and, perhaps, a hundred and twenty thousand sooty artisans in metals and chemical produce. The streets are ill-built, ill-paved, always flimsy in their aspect--often poor, sometimes miserable. Not above one or two of them are paved with flagstones at the sides; and to walk upon the little egg-shaped, slippery flints that supply their places is something like a penance. Yet withal it is interesting for some of the commons or lanes that spot and intersect the green, woody, undulating environs to view this city of Tubal Cain. Torrents of thick smoke, with ever and anon a burst of dingy flame, are issuing from a thousand funnels. 'A thousand hammers fall by turns.' You hear the clank of innumerable steam engines, the rumbling of cars and vans, and the hum of men interrupted by the sharper rattle of some canal boat loading or disloading, or, perhaps, some fierce explosion when the cannon founders [qy: the proof-house] are proving their new-made ware. I have seen their rolling-mills, their polishing of teapots, and buttons and gun-barrels, and lire-shovels, and swords, and all manner of toys and tackle. I have looked into their ironworks where 150,000 men are smelting the metal in a district a few miles to the north: their coal mines, fit image, of Arvenus; their tubes and vats, as large as country churches, full of copperas and aqua fortis and oil of vitroil; and the whole is not without its attractions, as well as repulsions, of which, when we meet, I will preach to you at large."

~Carr's Lane.~--Originally this is believed to have been known as "Goddes Cart Lane," and was sufficiently steep to be dangerous, as evidenced by accidents noted in past history.

~Carr's Lane Chapel,~ the meeting house of the old Independents, or as they are now called, the Congregationalists, will be noticed under "_Places of Worship_."

~Cartoons.~--If some of our fore-fathers could but glance at the illustrations or the portait caricatures of local public men and their doings, now given us almost daily, we fear they would not credit us moderns with much advancement in the way of political politeness, however forward we may be in other respects. Many really good cartoons _have_ appeared, and neither side can be said to hold a monopoly of such sketchy skilfulness, but one of the best (because most truthful) was the cartoon issued in October 1868, giving the portrait of a "Vote-as-you're-told" electer, led by the nose by his _Daily Post_.

~Castle.~--Birmingham Castle is named in an ancient document as being situated a "bowshot southwestward of the church," but the exact site thereof has never been traced. It is supposed to have been erected about the year 1140, and to have been demolished by order of King Stephen, in 1176.

~Castle Street~ takes its name from the hostlery once so famous among our coach officers.

~Catacombs.~--There is a large number of massively-built stone vaults underneath Christ Church, each divided into tiers of catacombs, or receptacles for the dead. It is in one of these that the remains of Baskerville at last found a resting place.--The catacombs at the General Cemetery are many, being cut out of the sandstone rock known as Key Hill, and a large number have been and can be excavated underneath the church in the Warstone Lane Cemetery.

~Cathedral.~--See "_Places of Warship--Catholic_."

~Cat Shows.~--The first Cat Show held here was opened November 29th, 1873, and was a very successful speculation; but the exhibitions of the two following years did not pay and since then the grimalkins have been left at home.

~Cattle Show.~--As first started (in 1849, when it was held near Kent Street), and at Bingley Hall in the following year, this was an annual show of cattle, sheep, and pigs only, but after years has made it a gathering place for specimens, of nearly everything required on a farm, and the "Show" has become an "_Exhibition_," under which heading full notice will be found.

~Cemeteries.~--The burial grounds attached to the Churches were formerly the only places of interment save for suicides and murderers--the former of whom were buried at some cross-road, with a stake driven through the body, while the latter were frequently hung in chains and got no burial at all. In 1807 the first addendum to our churchyards was made by the purchase of 13,192 square yards of land in Park Street, which cost £1,600. Having been laid out and enclosed with substantial railed walls at a further outlay of £764, the ground was duly consecrated July 16, 1813, and for some years was the chief receptacle for decaying humanity of all classes, many thousands of whom were there deposited. By degrees the ground came to be looked upon as only fit for the poorest of the poor, until, after being divided by the railway, this "God's Acre" was cared fir by none, and was well called the "black spot" of the town. Since the passing of the Closed Burial Grounds Bill (March 18, 1878) the Corporations have taken possession, and at considerable expense have re-walled the enclosure and laid it out as a place of health resort for the children of the neighbourhood. The burial grounds of St. Bartholomew's, St. Martin's, St. Mary's, and St. George's have also been carefully and tastefully improved in appearance, and we can now venture to look at most of our churchyards without shame.