Part 56

~Volunteers of the Present Day.~--The first official enrolment of Volunteers of the present corps, was dated Nov. 25, 1859, though a list of names was on paper some three months earlier. Unlike sundry other movements which are now of a national character, that for the formation of a volunteer army was so far from having a local origin, that for a long time it was viewed with anything but favour in Birmingham; and, though it is not pleasant to record the fact, it was not until the little parish of Handsworth had raised its corps of the First Staffordshire, that the Brums really stepped into the ranks. Properly the natal day should be reckoned as the 14th of December, 1859, when a town's meeting was held "for the purpose of adopting such measures as might seem desirable for placing Birmingham in its proper position with regard to the great national rifle movement." The Hon. Charles Granvllle Scott had been previously selected by Lord Leigh (the Lord-Lieutenant of the County) as Colonel, Major Sanders had accepted the Captaincy, Mr. J.O. Mason been appointed Lieutenant, and 111 names entered on the roll of members of the 1st Company, but it was not till the above-named day that the movement really made progress, the Mayor (Mr. Thos. Lloyd), Sir John Ratcliff, Mr. A. Dixon, and Mr. J. Lloyd each then promising to equip his twenty men apiece, and sundry other gentlemen aiding to dress up others of the rank and file. The money thus being found the men were soon forthcoming too, the end of the year showing 320 names on the roll call, a number increased to 1,080 by the close of 1860. The latter year saw the first parade in Calthorpe Park, the opening of the range at Bournebrook, and the formation of the twelve companies forming the first battalion, but, notwithstanding many liberal donations (the gunmakers giving £850), and the proceeds of the first annual ball, it closed with the corps being in debt over £1,000. On the formation of the 2nd county battalion, Col. Scott took command thereof, Major Sanders being promoted. He was followed by Lieut.-Col. Mason, on whose resignation, in February, 1867, Major Ratcliff succeeded, the battalion being then 1,161 strong. Col. Ratcliff retired in June, 1871, and was replaced by Major-General Hinde, C.B., who held command until his death, March 1, 1881. Major Gem who temporarily acted as commander, also died the following Nov. 4, Major Burt filling the post till the appointment of Col. W. Swynfen Jervis. The first adjutant (appointed in 1860) was Captain McInnis, who retired in 1870, having received bodily injuries through being thrown from his horse; he was succeeded by the present Adjutant-Colonel Tarte. The first uniform of the corps was a grey tunic with green facings, and a peaked cap with cock's feathers; in 1863 this was changed for a green uniform with red facings, similar to that worn by the 60th Rifles, with the exception of a broad red stripe on the trousers. The trouser stripe was done away with in 1875, when also the cap and feathers gave place to the busby and glengarry, the latter in 1884 being exchanged for the regulation army helmet, and soon perhaps our boys will all be seen in scarlet like their brothers of the Staffordshire battalions. At no date since its enrolment has the battalion been free from debt, and it now owes about £1,300, a state of affairs hardly creditable to the town which sends out yearly, some half-million firearms from its manufactories. The annual balls did not become popular, the last taking place in 1864; bazaars were held October 14-17, 1863, and October 24-27, 1876; athletic displays have been given (the first in May, 1865), and the cap has been sent round more than once, but the debt--it still remains. At the Volunteer Review, July 24, 1861, before the Duke of Cambridge; at the Hyde Park Review, June, 1865, before the Prince of Wales; at the Midland Counties' Review at Derby, June, 1867; at the Royal Review at Windsor in 1868; and at every inspection since, the Birmingham corps has merited and received the highest praise for general smartness and efficiency; it is one of the crack corps of the kingdom, and at the present time (end of 1884) has not one inefficient member out of its 1,200 rank and file, but yet the town is not Liberal enough to support it properly. The first march-out of 720 to Sutton took place June 21, 1875, others joining at the camp, making over 800 being under canvas, 744 attending the review. The camping-out at Streetly Wood has annually recurred since that date; the first sham fight took place June 20, 1877. The "coming-of-age" was celebrated by a dinner at the Midland Hotel, January 29, 1881, up to which time the Government grants had amounted to £26,568 14s., the local subscriptions to £8,780, and the donations to £1,956 1s. 3d. The Birmingham Rifle Corps is now known as the First Volunteer Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, having been linked to the "Saucy Sixth," under the army scheme of 1873.--See "_Public Buildings_--_Drill Hall_."

~Von Beck.~--The Baroness Von Beck was a lady intimately connected with the chiefs of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, and appears to have been employed by them in various patriotic services. In 1851 she visited Birmingham and was a welcome guest until "someone blundered" and charged her with being an impostor. On the evening of August 29, she and her copatriot, Constant Derra de Moroda, were arrested at the house of Mr. Tyndall and locked up on suspicion of fraud. Her sudden death in the police-court next morning put a stop to the case; but an action resulted, in which George Dawson and some friends were cast for heavy damages as a salve for the injured honour of M. de Moroda.

~Wages and Work.~--In 1272 the wages of a labouring man was just 1-1/2 d. per day. In Henry VIII.'s reign labourers' wages averaged 4d. per day; skilled workmen 5-1/2d. per day. The penny at that time was equal to a shilling of the present day, and would, relatively, purchase as much. In 1682, the Justices of the Peace assembled in Quarter Sessions at Warwick fixed the rates of wages to be paid to the several classes of artificers, labourers, and others, as enjoined by a statue of Elizabeth. From their order then made, we find that a master carpenter, his servants, and journeymen, were to receive 1s each per day; a master bricklayer, a mason, a cartwright, a thatcher, a tyler, a mower, and a reaper also 1s. per day, other workmen and labourers averaging from 4d. to 8d. per day, but none of them to receive more than half these rates if their meat and drink was found them. The hours of work to be from five in the morning till half-past seven at night. Any person refusing to work upon these terms was to be imprisoned, and anyone paying more to forfeit £5 in addition to ten days' imprisonment, the unfortunate individual receiving such extra wages to suffer in like manner for twenty-one days. In 1777, there was a row among the tailors, which led to what may be called the first local strike. The unfortunate "knights of the thimble" only got 12s. to 14s. per week.

~Warstone Lane~ takes its name from the Hoarstone, supposed to have been an ancient boundary mark, which formerly stood at the corner of the lane and Icknield Street, and which is now preserved within the gateway entrance to the Church of England cemetery. Hutton says that in 1400 there was a castle, with a moat round it, in Warstone Lane. The lane has also been called Deadman's Lane, and considering the proximity of the cemetery that name might even now be applicable.

~Warwick House~, as it now stands was began in 1839 or 1840; formerly it was composted of two cottages, one with a bit of garden ground in front, which underwent the usual transformation scene of being first covered in then built upon.

~Warwickshire~, the county in which Birmingham is situated, has a total area of 566,458 acres, of which 283,946 acres are permanent pasture lands, and 210,944 acres under crops or arable land. In 1882 the live stock in the country, as returned by the occupiers of land, included 29,508 horses, 5,503 being kept solely for breeding; 93,334 cattle; 218,355 sheep; and 41,832 pigs.

~Warwick Castle~ is open to visitors every day, except Sunday; when the family are absent from home, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., but if they are at home, from 9 to 10 a.m. only.

~Warwick Vase.~--The bronze copy in Aston Hall was cast by Sir Richard Thomason.

~Warwickshire Regiment.~--The 6th Foot recruited in this county in 1778 so successfully that it was called "The Warwickshire," Birmingham supplying the largest proportion of the men, and raising by public subscription £2,000 towards their equipment. Under Lord Cardwell's army localisation plan of 1873, the regiment is now called the 1st Royal Warwickshire, and, with the Warwickshire Militia and Volunteers, forms the 28th Brigade.

~Watch House.~--On the right hand side of Crooked Lane from High Street, may still be seen the old Watch House, where, fifty years ago, the "Charleys," or night watchmen, took any drunken or disorderly characters, or night prowlers, they happened to meet with, or whom they dare tackle.

~Waterloo Veterans.~--John McKay was born in November, 1792, and entered the army as a drummerboy in 1803; he died here in July, 1879. He served 41 years, and was for the last 25 years of his life office keeper of the Royal Engineers' Office in this town. Another "Waterloo man," George Taylor, died here, November 6, 1880, aged 98.

~Water Pipes.~--In 1810 Mr. Murdoch started a Company for manufacturing stone pipes for water-works, and they made a large quantity, which were laid down in London and Manchester, but they had to come up again, as the pipes split--and the Company burst.

~Waterspouts and Whirlwinds~ are not of common occurrence hereabouts. One of the former burst over the Lickey Hills, April 13, 1792, the resulting flood reaching to Bromsgrove. A whirlwind at Coleshill, April 4, 1877, played havoc with some hay-ricks, hedges, trees, &c.

~Water Street~, formerly Water Lane, had a brook running down one side of it when houses were first built there.

~Weather Cocks.~--Mention is made of Weather Cocks as early as the ninth 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.