Chapter XIII: Part 13

_Next-of-Kin Frauds_.--Many good people imagine they are entitled to property now in other hands, or laid up in Chancery, and to accommodate their very natural desire to obtain information that would lead to their getting possession of same, a "Next-of-Kin Agency" was opened in Burlington Passage at the beginning of 1882. The _modus operandi_ was of the simplest: the firm advertised that Brown, Jones, and Robinson were wanted; Brown, Jones, and Robinson turned up, and a good many of them; they paid the enquiry fees, and called again. They were assured (every man Jack of them) they were right owners, and all they had to do was to instruct the firm to recover. More fees, and heavy ones; the Court must be petitioned--more fees; counsel engaged--more fees; case entered for hearing--more fees, and so on, as long as the poor patients would stand bleeding. Several instances were known of people selling their goods to meet the harpies' demands; clergymen and widows, colliers and washer-women, all alike were in the net. It became too hot at last, and Rogers, Beeton and Co., were provided with berths in the gaol. At Manchester Assizes July 18, 1882, J.S. Rogers got two years' hard labour, A. Mackenzie and J.H. Shakespear (a solicitor) each 21 months; and E.A. Beeton, after being in gaol six months, was ordered to stop a further twelve, the latter's conviction being from this town.

_Novel Thefts_.--A youth of nineteen helped himself to £128 from a safe at General Hospital, and spent £13 of it before the magistrates (Jan. 15, 1875) could give him six months' lodgings at the gaol.--Three policemen were sent to penal servitude for five years for thieving July 8, 1876.--Sept. 19, 1882, some labourers engaged in laying sewage pipes near Newton Street, Corporation Street, came across some telegraph cables, and under the impression that they were "dead" wires, hitched a horse thereto and succeeded in dragging out about a dozen yards of no less than 33 different cables connecting this town with Ireland, the Continent, and America. Their prize was sold for 4s. 6d., but the inconvenience caused was very serious. Henry Jones, who was tried for the trick, pleaded ignorance, and was let off.--At Quarter Sessions, Ernest Lotze, got six months for stealing, Dec. 12, 1892, from his employer 87lb. weight of human hair, valued at £300.

_Personal Outrages_.--Maria Ward was sentenced to penal servitude December 18, 1873, for mutilating her husband in a shocking manner.--At Warwick Assizes, December 19, 1874, one man was sentenced to 15 years, and four others to 7 years' penal servitude for outraging a woman in Shadwell Street.--George Moriarty, plasterer, pushed his wife through the chamber window, and on her clinging to the ledge beat her hands with a hammer till she fell and broke her leg, May 31, 1875. It was three months before she could appear against him, and he had then to wait three months for his trial, which resulted in a twenty years' sentence.

_Sacrilege_.--In 1583 St. Martin's Church was robbed of velvet "paul cloathes," and also some money belonging to the Grammar School.-- Handsworth Church was robbed of its sacramental plate, February 10, 1784; and Aston Church was similarly despoiled, April 21, 1788.--A gross sacrilege was commuted in Edgbaston Church, December 15, 1816.--Four Churches were broken into on the night of January 3, 1873.

_Sedition and Treason_.--George Ragg, printer, was imprisoned for sedition, February 12, 1821.--George Thompson, gun maker, 31, Whittall Street, was imprisoned, August 7, 1839, for selling guns to the Chartists.

_Shop Robberies_.--Diamonds worth £400 were stolen from Mr. Wray's shop, November 27, 1872.--A jeweller's window in New Street was smashed January 23, 1875, the damage and loss amounting to £300.--A bowl containing 400 "lion sixpences" was stolen from Mr. Thomas's window, in New Street, April 5, 1878.--Mr. Mole's jeweller's shop, High Street, was plundered of £500 worth, April 13th, 1881. Some of the works of the watches taken were afterwards fished up from the bottom of the Mersey, at Liverpool.

_Short Weight_.--Jan. 2, 1792, there was a general "raid" made on the dealers in the market, when many short-weight people came to grief.

_Street Shouting_.--The Watch Committee passed a bye-law, May 14, 1878, to stop the lads shouting "_Mail, Mail_," but they go on doing it. _Swindles_.--Maitland Boon Hamilton, a gentleman with a cork leg, was given six months on July 25, 1877, for fleecing Mr. Marsh, the jeweller, out of some diamonds.--James Bentley, for the "Christmas hamper swindle," was sentenced to seven years at the Quarter Sessions, May 1, 1878.

The following tables show the number of offences dealt with by the authorities during the five years ending with 1882 (the charges, of which only a small number have been reported, being omitted):--

The total number of crimes reported under the head of "indictable offences"--namely, Sessions and Assizes cases--the number apprehended, and how dealt with, will be gathered from the following summary:--

Year. Crimes. Apprehended. Com. for trial. 1878 ......... 1746 ......... 495 ......... 349 1879 ......... 1358 ......... 474 ......... 399 1880 ......... 1187 ......... 451 ......... 340 1881 ......... 1343 ......... 435 ......... 351 1882 ......... 1467 ......... 515 ......... 401

NATURE OF CRIME. Number of Offences Reported. 1878. 1879. 1880. 1881. 1882. Murder ... ... ... 11 ... 11 ... 5 ... 5 ... 4 Shooting, wounding, stabbing, &c.... ... 30 ... 23 ... 8 ... 21 ... 28 Manslaughter ... ... 4 ... 3 ... 13 ... 6 ... 8 Rape, assaults with intent, &c. ... ... 6 ... 1 ... 1 ... 9 ... 4 Bigamy ... ... ... 8 ... 0 ... 1 ... 4 ... 7 Assaults on peace officers ... ... 0 ... 4 ... 0 ... 1 ... 2 Burglary, housebreaking, &c. ... 6 ... 112 ... 80 ... 83 ... 131 Breaking into shops, &c. ... ... 4 ... 94 ... 56 ... 109 ... 120 Robbery ... ... ... -- ... 9 ... 6 ... 10 ... 9 Larcenies (various) ... 1146 ... 959 ... 845 ... 935 ... 931 Receiving stolen goods ... ... ... 22 ... 3 ... 16 ... 8 ... 6 Frauds and obtaining by false pretences ... ... 63 ... 45 ... 53 ... 37 ... 69 Forgery and uttering forged instruments ... ... 5 ... 9 ... 5 ... 4 ... 9 Uttering, &c., counterfeit coin ... ... ... 48 ... 32 ... 43 ... 37 ... 63 Suicide (attempting) ... 20 ... 17 ... 19 ... 16 ... 23

The following are the details of the more important offences dealt with summarily by the magistrates during the last five years:--

OFFENCES PUNISHABLE Number of persons proceeded against. BY JUSTICES. 1878. 1879. 1880. 1881. 1882. Assaults (aggravated) on women and children ... 78 ... 57 ... 68 ... 37 ... 67 Assaults on peace-officers, resisting, &c. ... 479 ... 390 ... 340 ... 340 ... 385 Assaults, common ... 1554 ... 1242 ... 1293 ... 1207 ... 1269 Breaches of peace, want of sureties, &c.... ... 426 ... 381 ... 287 ... 219 ... 244 Cruelty to animals ... 154 ... 77 ... 129 ... 128 ... 94 Elementary Education Act, offences against ... 1928 ... 2114 ... 1589 ... 1501 ... 1755 Employers and Workshops Act, 1875 ... ... ... 224 ... 198 ... 185 ... 155 ... 154 Factory Acts ... ... 12 ... 2 ... 17 ... 11 ... 62 Licensing Acts offences 267 ... 263 ... 132 ... 254 ... 297 Drunkenness, drunk and disorderly ... ... 2851 ... 2428 ... 2218 ... 2345 ... 2443 Lord's Day offences ... 46 ... 4 ... 1 ... 0 ... 0 Local Acts and Bye-laws, offences against ... 4327 ... 4327 ... 4127 ... 3702 ... 3603 Malicious and wilful damage... ... ... 187 ... 163 ... 163 ... 214 ... 225 Public Health Act, smoke, etc. ... ... ... 317 ... 172 ... 104 ... 104 ... 161 Poor Law Acts, offences against ... ... 203 ... 220 ... 251 ... 243 ... 325 Stealing or attempts (larcenies) ... ... 1094 ... 1222 ... 1434 ... 1253 ... 1235 Vagrant Act, offences under ... ... ... 614 ... 622 ... 624 ... 611 ... 783 Other offences ... ... 214 ... 174 ... 172 ... 211 ... 386

The following are the totals of the summary offences for the same period, and the manner in which they were disposed of:--

Year. Cases. Convicted. Fined. 1878 16,610 12,767 8,940 1879 14,475 10,904 7,473 1880 13,589 9,917 6,730 1881 13,007 9,468 6,412 1882 13,788 10,171 6,372

Similar statistics for 1883 have not yet been made up, but a return up to December 31 of that year shows that the number of persons committed during the year to the Borough Gaol, or as it is now termed, her Majesty's Prison at Winson Green, were 3,044 males and 1,045 females from the borough, and 1,772 males and 521 females from districts, making a total of 6,382 as against 6,565 in 1882. In the borough 734 males and 198 females had been committed for felony, 1,040 males and 290 females for misdemeanour, 707 males and 329 females for drunkenness, and 243 males and 121 females for vagrancy. Of prisoners sixteen years old and under there were 193 males and 21 females.

~Noteworthy Men of the Past.~--Though in the annals of Birmingham history the names of very many men of note in art, science, and literature, commerce and politics, are to be found, comparatively speaking there are few of real native origin. Most of our best men have come from other parts, as will be seen on looking over the notices which follow this. Under the heading of "_Parsons, Preachers, and Priests_," will be found others of different calibre.

_Allday_.--The "Stormy Petrel" of modern Birmingham was Joseph, or, as he was better known, Joey Allday, whose hand at one time, was against every man, and every man's hand against Joe. Born in 1798, Mr. Allday, on arriving at years of maturity, joined his brothers in the wire-drawing business, but though it _is_ a painful sight to see (as Dr. Watts says) children of one family do very often disagree, even if they do not fall out and chide and fight; but Joseph was fond of fighting (though not with his fists), and after quarelling and dissolving partnership, as one of his brothers published a little paper so must he. This was in 1824, and Joey styled his periodical _The Mousetrap_, footing his own articles with the name of "Argus." How many _Mousetraps_ Allday sent to market is uncertain, as but one or two copies only are known to be in existence, and equally uncertain is it whether the speculation was a paying one. His next literary notion, however, if not pecuniarily successful, was most assuredly popular, as well as notorious, it being the much-talked-of _Argus_. The dozen or fifteen years following 1820 were rather prolific in embryo publications and periodicals of one kind and another, and it is a matter of difficulty to ascertain now the exact particulars respecting many of them. Allday's venture, which was originally called _The Monthly Argus_, first saw the light in August, 1828. and, considering the times, it was a tolerably well-conducted sheet of literary miscellany, prominence being given to local theatrical matters and similar subjects, which were fairly criticised. Ten numbers followed, in due monthly order, but the volume for the year was not completed, as in July, 1830, a new series of _The Argus_ was commenced in Magazine shape and published at a shilling. The editor of this new series had evidently turned over a new leaf, but he must have done so with a dungfork, for the publication became nothing better than the receptacle of rancour, spite, and calumny, public men and private individuals alike being attacked, and often in the most scurrilous manner. The printer (who was still alive a few years back) was William Chidlow and on his head, of course, fell all the wrath of the people libelled and defamed. George Frederick Mantz horse whipped him, others sued him for damages, and even George Edmonds (none too tender-tongued himself) could not stand the jibes and jeers of _The Argus_. The poor printer was arrested on a warrant for libel; his types and presses were confiscated under a particular section of the Act for regulating newspapers, and Allday himself at the March Assizes in 1831 was found guilty on several indictments for libel, and sentenced to ten months' imprisonment. A third series of _The Argus_ was started June 1st, 1832, soon after Allday's release from Warwick, and as the vile scurrility of the earlier paper was abandoned to a great extent, it was permitted to appear as long as customers could be found to support it, ultimately dying out with the last month of 1834. To Mr. Joseph Allday must credit be given for the exposure of numerous abuses existing in his day. He had but to get proper insight into anything going on wrong than he at once attacked it, tooth and nail, no matter who stood in the road, or who suffered from his blows. His efforts to put a stop to the cruelties connected with the old system of imprisonment and distraint for debt led to the abolition of the local Courts of Requests; and his wrathful indignation on learning the shocking manner in which prisoners at the goal were treated by the Governor, Lieutenant Austin, in 1852-53, led to the well-remembered "Gaol Atrocity Enquiry," and earned for him the thanks of the Commissioners appointed by Government to make the enquiry. As a Town Councillor and Alderman, as a Poor Law Guardian and Chairman of the Board, as Parish Warden for St. Martin's and an opponent of churchrates (while being a good son of Mother Church), as founder of the Ratepayers' Protection Society and a popular leader of the Conservative party, it needs not saying that Mr. Allday had many enemies at all periods of his life, but there were very few to speak ill of him at the time of his death, which resulted from injuries received in a fall on Oct. 2nd, 1861.

_Allen_, J.--Local portrait painter of some repute from 1802 to 1820.

_Aston_, John, who died Sept. 12, 1882, in his 82nd year, at one time took a leading share in local affairs. He was High Bailiff in 1841, a J.P. for the county, for 40 years a Governor of the Grammar School, and on the boards of management of a number of religious and charitable institutions. A consistent Churchman, he was one of the original trustees of the "Ten Churches Fund," one of the earliest works of church extension in Birmingham; he was also the chief promoter of the Church of England Cemetery, and the handsome church of St. Michael, which stands in the Cemetery grounds, was largely due to his efforts. In polities Mr. Aston was a staunch Conservative, and was one of the trustees of the once notable Constitutional Association.

_Attwood_.--The foremost name of the days of Reform, when the voice of Liberal Birmingham made itself heard through its leaders was that of Thomas Attwood. A native of Salop, born Oct. 6, 1783, he became a resident here soon after coming of age, having joined Messrs. Spooner's Bank, thence and afterwards known as Spooner and Attwood's. At the early age of 28 he was chosen High Bailiff, and soon made his mark by opposing the renewal of the East India Co.'s charter, and by his exertions to obtain the withdrawal of the "Orders in Council," which in 1812, had paralysed the trade of the country with America. The part he took in the great Reform meetings, his triumphant reception after the passing of the Bill, and his being sent to Parliament as one of the first representatives for the borough, are matters which have been too many times dilated upon to need recapitulation. Mr. Attwood had peculiar views on the currency question, and pertinaciously pressing them on his fellow members in the House of Commons he was not liked, and only held his seat until the end of Dec., 1839, the last prominent act of his political life being the presentation of a monster Chartist petition in the previous June. He afterwards retired into private life, ultimately dying at Malvern, March 6 1856, being then 73 years of age. Charles Attwood, a brother, but who took less part in politics, retiring from the Political Union when he thought Thomas and his friends were verging on the precipice of revolution, was well known in the north of England iron and steel trade. He died Feb. 24, 1875, in his 84th year. Another brother Benjamin, who left politics alone, died Nov. 22, 1874, aged 80. No greater contrast could possibly be drawn than that shown in the career of these three gentlemen. The youngest brother who industriously attended to his business till he had acquired a competent fortune, also inherited enormous wealth from a nephew, and after his death he was proved to have been the long un-known but much sought after anonymous donor of the £1,000 notes so continuously acknowledged in the _Times_ as having been sent to London hospitals and charities. It was said that Benjamin Attwood distributed nearly £350,000 in this unostentatious manner, and his name will be ever blessed. Charles Attwood was described as a great and good man, and a benefactor to his race. His discoveries in the manufacture of glass and steel, and his opening up of the Cleveland iron district, has given employment to thousands, and as one who knew him well said, "If he had cared more about money, and less about science, he could have been one of the richest commoners in England;" but he was unselfish, and let other reap the benefit of his best patents. What the elder brother was, most Brums know; he worked hard in the cause of Liberalism, he was almost idolised here, and his statue stands not far from the site of the Bank with which his name was unfortunately connected, and the failure of which is still a stain on local commercial history.

_Baldwin_, James.--Born in the first month of the present century, came here early in his teens, worked at a printer's, saved his money, an employer at 25, made a speciality of "grocer's printing," fought hard in the battle against the "taxes on knowledge," became Alderman and Mayor, and ultimately settled down on a farm near his own paper mills at King's Norton, where, Dec. 10, 1871, he finished a practically useful life, regretted by many.

_Bayley_, C.H.--A Worcestershire man and a Staffordshire resident; a persevering collector of past local and county records, and an active member of the Archæological section of the Midland Institute. Mr. Bayley was also a member of the Staffordshire Archæological Society, and took special interest in the William Salt Library at Stafford, whose treasures were familiar to him, and whose contents he was ever ready to search and report on for any of his friends. In 1869 he issued the first of some proposed reprints of some of his own rarities, in "A True Relation of the Terrible Earthquake at West Brummidge, in Staffordshire," &c., printed in 1676; and early in 1882 (the year of his death) "The Rent Rolls of Lord Dudley and Ward in 1701"--a very curious contribution to local history, and full of general interest also.

_Beale_, Samuel.--At one period a most prominent man among our local worthies, one of the first Town Councillors, and Mayor in 1841. He was Chairman of the Midland Railway, a director of the Birmingham and Midland Bank, and sat as M.P. for Derby from 1857 to 1865. He died Sept 11 1876, aged 71.

_Beale_, W.J.--A member of the legal firm of Beale, Marigold, and Beale. Mr. Beale's chief public service was rendered in connection with the General Hospital and the Musical Festivals. He was for many years a member of the Orchestral Committee of the Festivals, and in 1870 he succeeded Mr. J.0. Mason as chairman; retaining this position until after the Festival of 1876. His death took place in July, 1880, he then being in his 76th year.

_Billing_, Martin.--Founder of the firm of Martin Billing, Sons, & Co., Livery Street, died July 17, 1883, at the age of 71. He commenced life under his uncle, Alderman Baldwin, and was the first to introduce steam printing machines into Birmingham. The colossal structure which faces the Great Western Railway Station was erected about twenty-nine years ago.

_Bisset_, James, was the publisher of the "Magnificent Directory" and "Poetic Survey" of Birmingham, presented to the public, January 1, 1800.

_Bowly_ E.0.--A native, self-taught artist, whose pictures now fetch rapidly-increasing sums, though for the best part of his long life dealers and the general run of art patrons, while acknowledging the excellence of the works, would not buy them. Mr. Bowly, however, lived sufficiently long to know that the few gentlemen who honoured him in his younger years, were well recompensed for their kind recognition of his talent, though it came too late to be of service to himself. His death occurred Feb. 1, 1876, in his 70th year.

_Briggs_.--Major W.B. Briggs, who was struck off the world's roster Jan. 25, 1877, was one of the earliest and most ardent supporters of the Volunteer movement in Birmingham, being gazetted ensign of the 2nd Company in November, 1859. He was a hearty kindly man, and much esteemed in and out of the ranks.

_Burritt_ Elihu, the American "learned blacksmith," having made himself proficient in fifteen different languages. He first addressed the "Friends of Peace" in this town, Dec. 15, 1846, when on a tour through the country. He afterwards returned, and resided in England for nearly twenty-five years, being for a considerable time United States Consul at Birmingham, which he left in 1868. During his residence here he took an active share in the work of diffusing the principles of temperance and peace, both by lecturing and by his writings.

_Bynner_, Henry.--A native of the town; forty-five years British Consul at Trieste; returned here in 1842, and died in 1867. He learned shorthand writing of Dr. Priestley, and was the first to use it in a law court in this county.

_Cadbury_, Richard Tapper.--A draper and haberdasher, who started business here in 1794. One of the Board of Guardians, and afterwards Chairman (for 15 years) of the Commissioners of the Streets, until that body was done away with. Mr. Cadbury was one of the most respected and best known men of the town. He died March 13, 1860, in his 92nd year, being buried in Bull Street, among his departed friends.

_Capers_, Edward.--Sometimes called the "poet-postman," is a Devonshire man, but resided for a considerable time at Harborne. He deserves a place among our noteworthy men, if only for his sweet lines on the old Love lane at Edgbaston, now known as Richmond Hill.

"But no vestige of the bankside lingers now
or gate to show
The track of the old vanished lane of love's
sweet long ago."

_Carey_, Rev. Henry Francis, a native of this town (born in 1772), vicar of Bromley Abbots, Staffordshire, himself a poet of no mean order, translated in blank verse Dante's "Inferno," the "Divina Commedia," &c., his works running rapidly through several editions. For some time he was assistant librarian at the British Museum, and afterwards received a pension of £200 a year. Died in 1844, and lies in "Poet's Corner," Westminster Abbey.

_Chamberlain_, John Henry.--Came to Birmingham in 1856, and died suddenly on the evening of Oct. 22, 1883, after delivering a lecture in the Midland Institutes on "Exotic Art." An architect of most brilliant talent, it is almost impossible to record the buildings with which (in conjunction with his partner, Mr. Wm. Martin) he has adorned our town. Among them are the new Free Libraries, the extension of the Midland Institute, the Hospitals for Women and Children, the many Board Schools, the Church of St. David, and that at Selly Hill the Rubery Asylum, the Fire Brigade Station, the Constitution Hill Library, Monument Lane Baths, the Chamberlain Memorial, the Canopy over Dawson's Statue, several Police Stations, with shops and private houses innumerable. He was a true artist in every sense of the word, an eloquent speaker, and one of the most sincere, thoughtful, and lovingly-earnest men that Birmingham has ever been blessed with.

_Clegg_.--Samuel Clegg was born at Manchester, March 2, 1781, but his early years were passed at the Soho Works, where he was assistant to Mr. Murdoch in the gradual introduction of lighting with gas. In 1807 Mr. Clegg first used lime as a purifier and in 1815 he patented the water meter. In addition to his many inventions connected with the manufacture and supply of gas, Mr. Clegg must be credited with the introduction of the atmospheric railways, which attracted so much attention some five-and-forty years ago, and also with many improvements in steam engines.

_Collins_.--Mr. John Collins, an exceedingly popular man in his day, and quite a local author, made his first appearance here Jan. 16, 1793, at "The Gentlemen's Private Theatre," in Livery Street, with an entertainment called "Collins' New Embellished Evening Brush, for Rubbing off the Rust of care." This became a great favourite, and we find Collins for years after, giving similar performances, many of them being for the purpose of paying for "soup for the poor" in the distressful winters of 1799, 1800, and 1801. Not so much, however, on account of his charity, or his unique entertainment, must Mr. Collins be ranked among local worthies, as for "A Poetical History of Birmingham" written (or rather partly written) by him, which was published in _Swinney's Chronicle_. Six chapters in verse appeared (Feb. 25 to April 7, 17[**]6), when unfortunately the poet's muse seems to have failed him. As a sample of the fun contained in the seven or eight dozen verses, we quote the first--

"Of Birmingham's name, tho' a deal has been said,
Yet a little, we doubt, to the purpose,
As when "hocus pocus" was jargon'd instead
Of the Catholic text "_hoc est corpus_."

For it, doubtless, for ages was Bromwicham called,
But historians, their readers to bam,
Have Brom, Wich, and Ham so corrupted and maul'd,
That their strictures have all proved a sham.

That Brom implies Broom none will dare to deny,
And that Wich means a Village or Farm;
Or a Slope, or a Saltwork, the last may imply,
And to read Ham for Town is no harm.

But when jumbled together, like stones in a bag,
To make it a Broom-sloping town,
Credulity's pace at such juggling must flag,
And the critic indignant will frown.

Tis so much like the Gazetteer's riddle-my-ree,
Who, untwisting Antiquity's cable,
Makes Barnstaple's town with its name to agree,
Take its rise from a Barn and a Stable."

Collins' own comical notion gives the name as "Brimmingham," from the brimming goblets so freely quaffed by our local sons of Vulcan. Digbeth he makes out to be a "dug bath," or horsepond for the farriers; Deritend, from _der_ (water).

"Took its name from the swamp where the hamlet was seated,
And imply'd 'twas the water-wet-end of the town."

_Cox_, David--On the 29th of April, 1783, this great painter--the man whose works have made Birmingham famous in art--was born in a humble dwelling in Heath Mill Lane, Deritend, where his father carried on the trade of a smith. Some memorials of him we have--in the noble gift of a number of his pictures in oil, presented to the town by the late Mr. Joseph Nettlefold; in the portrait by Mr. J. Watson Gordon, and the bust by Mr. Peter Hollins; in the two biographies of him--both of them Birmingham works--the earlier by Mr. Neal Solly, and the more recent one by the late Mr. William Hall; besides the memorial window put up by loving friends in the Parish Church of Harborne, where the latter part of the artist's life was passed, and in the churchyard of which his remains were laid. He bade his pictures and the world good-bye on the 9th of June, 1859. A sale of some of "dear old David's" works, in London, May, 1873, realised for the owners over £25,000, but what the artist himself originally had for them may be gathered from the instance of his "Lancaster Castle," otherwise known as "Peace and War," a harvest-field scene, with troops marching by, only 24in. by 18in. in size. This picture he gave to a friend at first, but bought it back for £20, at a time when his friend wanted cash; he sold it for the same amount, and it afterwards got into the possession of Joseph Gillot, the pen maker, at the sale of whose collection "Lancaster Castle" was knocked down for £3,601 10s. The highest price Cox ever received for a picture, and that on one single occasion only, was £100; in another case he had £95; his average prices for large pictures were rather under than over £50 a piece in his best days. "The Sea Shore at Rhyl," for which he received £100, has been since sold for £2,300; "The Vale of Clwyd," for which he accepted £95, brought £2,500. Two pictures for which he received £40 each in 1847, were sold in 1872 for £1,575 and £1,550 respectively. Two others at £40 each have sold since for £2,300 and £2,315 5s. respectively. His church at "Bettws-y-Coed" one of the finest of his paintings, fetched £2,500 at a sale in London, in March, 1884. In the hall of the Royal Oak Inn, Bettws-y-Coed (David's favourite place), there is fixed a famous signboard which Cox painted for the house in 1847, and which gave rise to considerable litigation as to its ownership being vested in the tenant or the owner, the decision being in the latter's favour.

_Cox_, William Sands, F.R.S. and F.R.C.S., the son of a local surgeon, was born in 1801. After "walking the hospitals" in London and Paris, he settled here in 1825, being appointed surgeon to the Dispensary, and in 1828, with the co-operation of the late Doctors Johnstone and Booth, and other influential friends, succeeded in organising the Birmingham Royal School of Medicine and Surgery, which proved eminently successful until, by the munificent aid of the Rev. Dr. Warneford, it was converted into Queen's College by a charter of incorporation, which was granted in 1843. The Queen's Hospital was also founded mainly through the exertions of Mr. Sands Cox, for the education of the medical students of the College. In 1863 Mr. Cox retired from practice, and went to reside near Tamworth, afterwards removing to Leamington and Kenilworth, at which latter place he died, December 23rd, 1875. He was buried in the family vault at Aston, the coffin being carried to the grave by six old students at the College, funeral scarfs, hatbands, and "other such pieces of mummery" being dispensed with, according to the deceased's wish. He left many charitable legacies, among them being £15,000, to be dealt with in the following manner:--£3,000 to be applied in building and endowing a church then in course of erection at Balsall Heath, and to be known as St. Thomas-in-the-Moors, and the remaining £12,000 to be devoted to the erection and endowment of three dispensaries--one at Balsall Heath, one at Aston, and the other at Hockley. Two sums of £3,000 were left to found dispensaries at Tamworth and Kenilworth, and a cottage hospital at Moreton-in-the-Marsh; his medical library and a number of other articles being also left for the last-named institution.

_Davies_, Dr. Birt.--By birth a Hampshire man, by descent a Welshman, coming to Birmingham in 1823, Dr. Davies soon became a man of local note. As a politician in the pre-Reform days, as a physician of eminence, and as Borough Coroner for three dozen years, he occupied a prominent position, well justified by his capacity and force of character. He took an active part in the founding of the Birmingham School of Medicine, the forerunner of the Queen's College, and was elected one of the three first physicians to the Queen's Hospital, being its senior physician for sixteen years. When the Charter of Incorporation was granted, Dr. Davies was chosen by the Town Council as the first Coroner, which office he held until June 8th, 1875, when he resigned, having, as he wrote to the Council, on the 29th of May terminated his 36th year of office, and 76th year of his age. Though an ardent politician, it is from his Coronership that he will be remembered most, having held about 30,000 inquests in his long term of office, during the whole of which time, it has been said, he never took a holiday, appointed a deputy, or slept out of the borough. His official dignity sat heavily upon him, his temper of late years often led him into conflict with jurors and medical witnesses, but he was well respected by all who knew the quiet unpretending benevolence of his character, never better exhibited than at the time of the cholera panic in 1832. The doctor had established a Fever Hospital in Bath Row, and here he received and treated, by himself, the only cases of Asiatic cholera imported into the town. He died December 11th, 1878.

_De Lys_, Dr.--One of the physicians to the General Hospital, and the proposer of the Deaf and Dumb Institution. A native of Brittany, and one of several French refugees who settled here when driven from their own country, at the time of the Revolution, Dr. De Lys remained with us till his death, August 24th, 1831, being then in his 48th year.

_Digby_, John, made Lord Digby in 1618, and Earl of Bristol in 1622, was born at Coleshill in 1580. He was sent Ambassador to Spain by James I. to negotiate a marriage between Prince Charles and the Infanta. He went abroad when the Civil War broke out, and died at Paris in 1653.

_Edmonds_.--George Edmonds, was a son of the Baptist minister of Bond Street Chapel, and was born in 1788. For many years after he grew up George kept a school, but afterwards devoted himself to the Law, and was appointed Clerk of the Peace on the incorporation of the borough. For taking part in what Government chose to consider an illegal meeting Mr. Edmonds had to suffer 12 months' imprisonment, but it only increased his popularity and made him recognised as leader of the Radical party. During the great Reform movements he was always to the fore, and there can be little doubt that it was to his untiring energy that the Political Union owed much of its success. In his later years he printed (partly with his own hands) one of the strangest works ever issued from the press, being nothing less than an alphabet, grammar, and dictionary of a new and universal language. On this he must have spent an immense amount of philosophical and philological research during the busiest years of his active life, but like other schemes of a similar character it came into the world some scores of generations too soon. His death took place (hastened by his own hand) July 1, 1868.

_Everitt_, Allen Edward.--Artist, antiquarian, and archæologist. It is reported that his portfolio contained more than a thousand sketches of his own taking, of old churches, mansions, cottages, or barns in the Midland Counties. Born here in 1824 Mr. Everitt had reached his 55th year before taking to himself a wife, whom he left a widow June 11, 1882, through catching a cold while on a sketching tour. He was much loved in all artistic circles, having been (for twenty-four years) hon. sec. to the Society of Artists, a most zealous coadjutor of the Free Libraries Committee, and honorary curator of tha Art Gallery; in private or public life he spoke ill of no man, nor could any speak of him with aught but affection and respect.

_Fletcher_, George.--Author of the "Provincialist" and other poems, a journeyman printer, and much respected for his genial character and honest kind-heartedness. Died Feb. 20, 1874, aged 64.

_Fothergill_, John.--Taken into partnership by Matthew Boulton in 1762, devoting himself principally to the foreign agencies. Many of the branches of trade in which he was connected proved failures, and he died insolvent in 1782, while Boulton breasted the storm, and secured fortune by means of his steam engines. He did not, however, forget his first partner's widow and children.

_Fox_, Charles Fox, of the firm of Fox, Henderson and Co., was born at Derby, March 11, 1810. His first connection with this town arose from his being engaged with Stephenson on the construction of the Birmingham and Liverpool line. He was knighted in 1851, in recognition of his wonderful skill as shown in the erection of the International Exhibition of that year, and we have a local monument to his fame in the roof which spans the New Street Station. He died in 1874, and was buried at Nunhead Cemetery, London. The firm of Fox, Henderson and Co., was originally Bramah and Fox, Mr. Henderson not coming in till the death of Mr. Bramah, a well-known ironmaster of this neighbourhood, and whose name is world-famous for his celebrated locks.

_Geach_.--Charles Geach was a Cornishman, born in 1808, and came to Birmingham in 1826 as one of the clerks in the Branch Bank of England, then opened. In 1836 he was instrumental in the formation of two of our local banks, and became the manager of one of them, the Birmingham and Midland. In 1842 he made a fortunate speculation in the purchase of some extensive ironworks at Rotherham just previous to the days of "the railway mania." The profits on iron at that time were something wonderful; as a proof of which it has been stated that on one occasion Mr. Geach took orders for 30,000 tons at £12, the cost to him not being more than half that sum! The Patent Shaft Works may be said to have owed its origin also to this gentleman. Mr. Geach was chosen mayor for 1847, and in 1851 was returned to Parliament for Coventry. His death occurred Nov. 1, 1854. A full-length portrait hangs in the board-room of the bank, of which he retained the managing-directorship for many years.

_Gem_, Major Thomas Henry.--The well-known Clerk to the Magistrates, born May 21, 1819, was the pioneer of the Volunteer movement in this town, as well as the originator of the fashionable game of lawn tennis. A splendid horseman, and an adept at all manly games, he also ranked high as a dramatic author, and no amateur theatricals could be got through without his aid and presence. His death, November 4, 1881, resulted from an accident which occurred on June 25 previous, at the camp in Sutton Park.

_Gillott_.--Joseph Gillott was born at Sheffield in 1799, but through want of work found his way here in 1822, spending his last penny in refreshments at the old publichouse then standing at corner of Park Street, where the Museum Concert Hall exists. His first employment was buckle making, and being steady he soon took a garret in Bread Street and became his own master in the manufacture of buckles and other "steel toys." The merchant who used to buy of him said "Gillott made very excellent goods, and came for his money every week." It was that making of excellent goods and his untiring perseverance that secured him success. His sweetheart was sister to William and John Mitchell, and it is questionable whether Gillott's first efforts at making steel pens did not spring from the knowledge he gained from her as to what the Mitchells were doing in that line. The Sheffield blade, however, was the first to bring the "press" into the proeess of making the pens, and that secret he must have kept pretty closely from all but his lass, as Mr. J. Gillott often told, in after life, how, on the morning of his marriage, he began and finished a gross of pens, and sold them for £7 4s. before they went to church. The accumulation of his fortune began from that day, the name of Gillott in a very few years being known the wide world over. The penmaker was a great patron of the artists, gathering a famous collection which at his death realised £170,000. His first interview with Turner was described in an American journal a few years back. Gillott having rudely pushed his way into the studio and turning the pictures about without the artist deigning to notice the intruder, tried to attract attention by asking the prices of three paintings. Turner carelessly answered "4,000 guineas," "£3,000," and "1,500 guineas." "I'll take the three," said Gillott. Then Turner rose, with "Who the devil are you to intrude here against my orders? You must be a queer sort of a beggar, I fancy." "You're another queer beggar" was the reply. "I am Gillott, the penmaker. My banker tells me you are clever, and I have come to buy some pictures." "By George!" quoth Turner, "you are a droll fellow, I must say." "You're another," said Gillott. "But do you really want to purchase those pictures," asked Turner. "Yes, in course I do, or I would not have climbed those blessed stairs this morning," was the answer. Turner marvelled at the man, and explained that he had fixed the prices named under the idea that he had only got an impertinent intruder to deal with, that two of the pictures were already sold, but that his visitor could have the first for £1,000. "I'll take it," said the prince of penmakers, "and you must make me three or four more at your own price." If other artists did as well with Mr. Gillott they could have had but little cause of complaint. Another hobby of Mr. Gillott's was collecting fiddles, his specimens, of which he once said he had a "boat load," realising £4,000; while his cabinet of precious stones was of immense value. The millionaire died Jan. 5, 1872, leaving £3,000 to local charities.

_Guest_, James.--Originally a brass-founder, but imbued with the principles of Robert Owen, he became an active member of the Political Union and other "freedom-seeking" societies, and opened in Steelhouse Lane a shop for the sale of that kind of literature suited to ardent workers in the Radical cause. Mr. Guest believed that "all bad laws must be broken before they could be mended," and for years he followed out that idea so far as the taxes on knowledge were concerned. He was the first to sell unstamped papers here and in the Black Country, and, notwithstanding heavy fines, and even imprisonment, he kept to his principles as long as the law stood as it was. In 1830 he published Hutton "History of Birmingham" in cheap numbers, unfortunately mixing with it many chapters about the Political Union, the right of a Free Press, &c., in a confusing manner. The book, however, was very popular, and has been reprinted from the original stereoplates several times. Mr. Guest died Jan. 17, 1881, in his 78th year.

_Hill_, Rowland.--The originator of the present postal system, born at Kidderminster, December 3, 1795, coming to Birmingham with his parents when about seven years old. His father opened a school at the corner of Gough Street and Blucher Street, which was afterwards (in 1819) removed to the Hagley Road, where, as "Hazlewood School" it became more than locally famous. In 1825 it was again removed, and further off, this time being taken to Bruce Castle, Tottenham, where the family yet resides. Rowland and his brother, Matthew Davenport Hill, afterwards Recorder of Birmingham, who took part in the management of the school, went with it, and personally Rowland Hill's connection with our town may be said to have ceased. Early in 1837 Mr. Hill published his proposed plans of Post Office reform, but which for a long time met with no favour from either of the great political parties, or in official quarters, where, it has been said, he was snubbed as a would-be interloper, and cursed as "a fellow from Birmingham coming to teach people their business"--

"All office doors were closed against him--hard
All office heads were closed against him too,
'He had but worked, like others, for reward,'
'The thing was all a dream.' 'It would not do.'"

In 1839, more than 2,000 petitions were presented to Parliament in favour of Mr. Hill's plans, and eventually they were adopted and became law by the 3rd and 4th Vict., cap. 96. The new postage law by which the uniform rate of fourpence per letter was tried as an experiment, came into operation on the 5th of December, 1839, and on the 10th January, 1840, the reduced uniform rate of 1d. per letter of half-an-ounce weight was commenced. Under the new system the privilege of franking letters enjoyed by members of Parliament was abolished, facilities of prepayment were afforded by the introduction of postage stamps, double postage was levied on letters not prepaid, and arrangements were made for the registration of letters. Mr. Hill received an appointment in the Treasury, but in 1841, he was told his services were no longer required. This flagrant injustice caused great indignation, and a national testimonial of £15,000 was presented to him June 17, 1846. On a change of Government Mr. Hill was appointed Secretary to the Postmaster General, and, in 1854, Secretary to the Post Office, a position which he retained until failing health caused him to resign in March, 1864, the Treasury awarding him for life his salary of £2,000 per year. In the same year he received a Parliamentary grant of £20,000, and in 1860, he was made a K.C.B., other honours from Oxford, &c., following. Sir Rowland was presented with the freedom of the City by the London Court of Common Council, June 6, 1879, the document being contained in a suitable gold casket. It was incidentally mentioned in the course of the proceedings, that at the time Sir Rowland Hill's system was inaugurated the annual amount of correspondence was 79 millions, or three letters per head of the population; while then it exceeded 1,000 millions of letters, 100 millions of post-cards, and 320 millions of newspapers, and the gross receipt in respect of it was £6,000,000 sterling. Sir Rowland Hill died Aug. 27, 1879, leaving but one son, "Pearson Hill," late of the Post Office.

_Hollins_, George--The first appointed organist of the Town Hall (in 1834), having been previously organist at St. Paul's, in the graveyard of which church he was buried in 1841, the funeral being attended by hundreds of friends, musicians, and singers of the town and neighbourhood.

_Holt_, Thomas Littleton.--A Press man, whose death (Sept. 14, 1879) at the age of 85, severed one of the very few remaining links connecting the journalism of the past with the present. It was to him that the late Mr. Dickens owed his introduction to Dr. Black, then the editor of the _Morning Chronicle_. Mr. Holt was proprietor of the _Iron Times_, which started during the railway mania. When his friend Leigh Hunt was imprisoned for libelling the Prince Regent, he was the first to visit him. He took an active part in popularising cheap literature, and it was greatly owing to him that the advertisement duty was repealed. He also took an active part in the abolition of the paper duty. Besides starting many papers in London in the latter period of his life, he returned to his native town, Birmingham, where he started _Ryland's Iron Trade Circular_, to the success of which his writings largely contributed.

_Humphreys_, Henry Noel.--This eminent naturalist and archæologist's career closed in June, 1879. A son of the late Mr. James Humphreys, he was born in Birmingham in 1809, and was educated at the Grammar School here. He was the author of many interesting works connected with his zoological and antiquarian researches. Among the most important of the latter class may be specified:--"Illustrations of Froissart's Chronicles," "The Parables of our Lord Illustrated," "The Coins of England," "Ancient Coins and Medals," "The Illuminated Books of the Mediæval Period," the "Coin Collector's Manual," the "Coinage of the British Empire," "Stories by an Archæologist," and especially his _magna opera_, so to speak, "The Art of Illumination," and "The History of the Art of Writing from the Hieroglyphic Period down to the introduction of Alphabets."

_James_, William.--A Warwickshire engineer, born at Henley-in-Arden, June, 13, 1771. Mr. James has been called the first projector of railways, as there was none started previous to his laying out a line from here to Wolverhampton, which was given up in favour of the Canal Companies. The wharves in Newhall Street were constructed on the site of his proposed railway station. He afterwards projected and surveyed many other lines including Birmingham to Manchester through Derbyshire, the Birmingham and London, etc. West Bromwich owes no little of its prosperity to this gentleman, who opened many collieries in its neighbourhood. At one time Mr. James was said to have been worth £150,000, besides £10,000 a year coming in from his profession, but he lost nearly all before his death.

_Jeffery_.--George Edward Jeffery, who died Dec. 29th, 1877, aged 33, was a local writer who promised to make a name had he lived longer.

_Johnstone_, Dr. John, a distinguished local physician, was born at Worcester in 1768. Though he acquired a high reputation for his treatment of diseases, it was noticeable that he made a very sparing use of medicines. Died in 1836.

_Johnstone_, John, whose death was the result of being knocked down by a cab in Broad Street in Oct. 1875, was one of those all-round inventive characters who have done so much for the trades of this town. He was born in Dumfriesshire in 1801, and was apprenticed to a builder, coming to this town in 1823. He was soon noticed as the first architectural draughtsman of his day, but his genius was not confined to any one line. He was the first to introduce photographic vignettes, he invented the peculiar lamp used in railway carriages, he improved several agricultural implements, he could lay out plans for public buildings or a machine for making hooks and eyes, and many well-to-do families owe their rise in the world to acting on the ideas put before them by Mr. Johnstone. In the latter portion of his life he was engaged at the Cambridge Street Works as consulter in general.

_Kempson_, James--In one of those gossiping accounts of the "Old Taverns" of Birmingham which "S.D.R." has written, mention is made of a little old man, dear to the musicians under the name of "Daddy Kempson," who appears to have been the originator of our Triennial Musical Festivals in 1768, and who conducted a performance at St. Paul's as late as the year 1821, he being then 80 years of age.

_Küchler_, C.H.--A medalist, for many years in the employ of Boulton, for whom he sunk the dies for part of the copper coinage of 1797, &c. The 2d. piece is by him. He was buried in Handsworth Churchyard.

_Lightfoot_.--Lieut.-General Thomas Lightfoot, C.B., Colonel of the 62nd Regiment, who died at his residence, Barbourne House, Worcester, Nov. 15, 1858, in his 84th year, and who entered the British army very early in life, was the last surviving officer of the famous 45th, the "Fire-eaters" as they were called, that went to the Peninsula with Moore and left it with Wellington. Lightfoot was in Holland in 1799. He was present in almost every engagement of the Peninsular War. He received seven wounds; a ball which caused one of these remained in his body till his death. He obtained three gold and eleven silver medals, being one more than even those of his illustrious commander, the Duke of Wellington. One silver medal was given him by the Duke himself, who said on the occasion he was glad to so decorate one of the brave 45th. Lightfoot was made a C.B. in 1815. Before he became Major-General he was Aide-de-Camp to William IV. and Queen Victoria, and as such rode immediately before her Majesty in her coronation procession. Lieutenant-General Lightfoot was a native of this town, and was buried in the family vault in St. Bartholomew's Church, his remains being escorted to the tomb by the 4th (Queen's Own) Light Dragoons, commanded by Colonel Low.

_Lloyd_.--The founder of the well-known banking firm of Lloyds appears to have been Charles Lloyd, for some time a minister of the Society of Friends, who died in 1698.

_Machin_, William.--Born here in 1798, began his musical career (while apprenticed to papier-mâché making), as a member at the choir at Cannon Street Chapel. As a favourite bass singer he was engaged at many of the festivals from 1834 to that of 1849. His death occurred in September, 1870.

_Malins_, David.--Brassfounder, who in course of his life filled several of the chief offices of our local governing bodies. Born June 5, 1803; died December, 1881. Antiquarian and persevering collector of all works throwing light upon or having connection with Birmingham or Warwickshire history. Mr. Malins, after the burning of the Free Library, generously gave the whole of his collection to the formation of the New Reference Library, many of the books being most rare and valuable, and of some of which no other copies are known to exist.