Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham by Thomas T. Harman and Walter Showell

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~Fly Vans.~--"Fly Boats" to the various places connected with Birmingham
by the canals were not sufficient for our townspeople seventy years ago,
and an opposition to the coaches started in 1821, in the shape of Fly
Vans or light Post Waggons, was hailed with glee. These Fly Vans left
the Crescent Wharf (where Showell and Sons' Stores are now) three
evenings a week, and reached Sheffield the following day. This was the
first introduction of a regular "parcels' post," though the authorities
would not allow of anything like a letter being sent with a parcel, _if_
they knew it.

~Foolish Wager.~--On July 8,1758, for a wager, a man named Moraon got
over the battlements of the tower at St. Martin's, and safely let
himself down to the ground (a distance of 73 feet) without rope or
ladder, his strength of muscle enabling him to reach from cornerstone to
cornerstone, and cling thereto as he descended.

~Football.~--See "_Sports_."

~Forgeries.~--The manufacture of bogus bank-notes was carried on here,
at one time, to an alarming extent, and even fifty years ago, though he
was too slippery a fish for the authorities to lay hold of, it was
well-known there was a clever engraver in the Inkleys who would copy
anything put before him for the merest trifle, even though the
punishment was most severe. Under "_Notable Offences_" will be found
several cases of interest in this peculiar line of business.

~Forks.~--Our ancestors did without them, using their fingers. Queen
Elizabeth had several sent to her from Spain, but she seldom used them,
and we may be quite sure it was long after that ere the taper fingers of
the fair Brums ceased to convey the titbits to their lips. Even that
sapient sovereign, James I., the Scotch Solomon, did not use the foreign
invention, believing possibly with the preacher who denounced them in
the pulpit that it was an insult to the Almighty to touch the meat
prepared for food with anything but one's own fingers. Later on, when
the coaches began to throng the road, gentlemen were in the habit of
carrying with them their own knife and fork for use, so seldom were the
latter articles to be found at the country inns, and the use of forks
cannot be said to have become general more than a hundred years ago.

~Forward.~--The self-appropriated motto of our borough, chosen at one of
the earliest committee meetings of the Town Council in 1839. Mr. William
Middlemore is said to have proposed the use of the word as being
preferable to any Latin, though "Vox populi, vox Dei," and other like
appropriate mottoes, have been suggested. Like all good things, however,
the honour of originating this motto has been contested, the name of
Robert Crump Mason having been given as its author.

~Fogs.~--Bad as it may be now and then in the neighbourhood of some of
our works, it there is one thing in nature we can boast of more than
another, it is our comparatively clear atmosphere, and it is seldom that
we are troubled with fogs of any kind. In this respect, at all events,
the Midland metropolis is better off than its Middlesex namesake, with
its "London particular," as Mr. Guppy calls it. But there was one day
(17th) in December, 1879, when we were, by some atmospheric phenomena,
treated to such "a peasouper" that we must note it as being the
curiosity of the day, the street traffic being put a stop to while the
fog lasted.

~Folk-lore.~--Funny old sayings are to be met with among the quips and
quirks of "folk-lore" that tickled the fancies of our grandfathers. The
following is to [**] with several changes, but it [**] good to be
lost:--

"Sutton for mutton,
Tamworth for beeves,
Walsall for knockknees,
And Brummagem for thieves."

~Fountains.~--Messrs. Messenger and Sons designed, executed, and
erected, to order of the Street Commissioners, in 1851, a very neat, and
for the situation, appropriate, fountain in the centre of the Market
Hall, but which has since been removed to Highgate Park, where it
appears sadly out of place.

The poor little boys, without any clothes,
Looking in winter as if they were froze.

A number of small drinking-fountains or taps have been presented to the
town by benevolent persons (one of the neatest being that put up at the
expense of Mr. William White in Bristol Road in 1876), and granite
cattle-troughs are to be found in Constitution Hill, Icknield Street,
Easy Row, Albert Street, Gosta Green, Five Ways, &c. In July, 1876, Miss
Ryland paid for the erection of a very handsome fountain at the bottom
of Bradford Street, in near proximity to the Smith field. It is so
constructed as to be available for quenching the thirst not only of
human travellers, but also of horses, dogs, &c., and on this account it
has been appropriately handed over to the care of the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It is composed of granite, and as it
is surmounted by a gas lamp, it is, in more senses than one, both useful
and ornamental.--The fountain in connection with the Chamberlain
Memorial, at back of Town Hall, is computed to throw out five million
gallons of water per annum (ten hours per day), a part of which is
utilised at the fishstalls in the markets. The Water Committee have
lately put up an ornamental fountain in Hagley Road, in connection with
the pipe supply for that neighbourhood.

~Foxalls.~--For centuries one of the most prosperous of our local
families, having large tanneries in Digbeth as far back as 1570;
afterwards as cutlers and ironmongers down to a hundred years ago. They
were also owners of the Old Swan, the famous coaching house, and which
it is believed was the inn that Prince Rupert and his officers came to
when Thomas, the ostler, was shot, through officiously offering to take
their horses.

~Fox Hunts.~--With the exception of the annual exhibition of fox-hounds
and other sporting dogs, Birmingham has not much to do with hunting
matters, though formerly a red coat or two might often have been seen in
the outskirts riding to meets not far away. On one occasion, however, as
told the writer by one of these old inhabitants whose memories are our
historical textbooks, the inhabitants of Digbeth and Deritend were
treated to the sight of a hunt in full cry. It was a nice winter's
morning of 1806, when Mr. Reynard sought to save his brush by taking a
straight course down the Coventry Road right into town. The astonishment
of the shop-keepers may be imagined when the rush of dogs and horses
passed rattling by. Round the corner, down Bordesley High Street, past
the Crown and Church, over the bridge and away for the Shambles and Corn
Cheaping went the fox, and close to his heels followed the hounds, who
caught their prey at last near to The Board. "S.D.R.," in one of his
chatty gossips anent the old taverns of Birmingham, tells of a somewhat
similar scene from the Quinton side of the town, the bait, however,
being not a fox, but the trail-scent of a strong red herring, dragged at
his stirrup, in wicked devilry, by one of the well-known haunters of old
Joe Lindon's. Still, we _have_ had fox-hunts of our own, one of the
vulpine crew being killed in St. Mary's Churchyard, Feb. 26, 1873, while
another was captured (Sept. 11, 1883) by some navvies at work on the
extension of New Street Station. The fox, which was a young one, was
found asleep in one of the subways, though how he got to such a strange
dormitory is a puzzle, and he gave a quarter-hour's good sport before
being secured.

~Freemasons.~--See "_Masonic_."

~Freeth, the Poet.~--The first time Freeth's name appears in the public
prints is in connection with a dinner given at his coffee-house, April
17, 1770, to celebrate Wilkes' release from prison. He died September
29, 1808, aged 77, and was buried in the Old Meeting House, the
following lines being graved on his tombstone:--

"Free and easy through life 'twas his wish to proceed.
Good men he revered, whatever their creed.
His pride was a sociable evening to spend,
For no man loved better his pipe and his friend."

~Friendly Societies~ are not of modern origin, traces of many having
been found in ancient Greek inscriptions. The Romans also had similar
societies, Mr. Tomkins, the chief clerk of the Registrar-General, having
found and deciphered the accounts of one at Lanuvium, the entrance fee
to which was 100 sesterces (about 15s.), and an amphora (or jar) of
wine. The payments were equivalent to 2s. a year, or 2d. per mouth, the
funeral money being 45s., a fixed portion, 7s. 6d. being set apart for
distribution at the burning of the body. Members who did not pay up
promptly were struck off the list, and the secretaries and treasurers,
when funds were short, went to their own pockets.--The first Act for
regulating Friendly Societies was passed in 1795. Few towns in England
have more sick and benefit clubs than Birmingham, there not being many
public-houses without one attached to them, and scarcely a manufactory
minus its special fund for like purposes. The larger societies, of
course, have many branches (lodges, courts, &c), and it would be a
difficult matter to particularise them all, or even arrive at the
aggregate number of their members, which, however, cannot be much less
than 50,000; and, if to these we add the large number of what may be
styled "annual gift clubs" (the money in hand being divided every year),
we may safely put the total at something like 70,000 persons who take
this method of providing for a rainy day. The following notes respecting
local societies have been culled from blue books, annual reports, and
private special information, the latter being difficult to arrive at, in
consequence of that curious reticence observable in the character of
officials of all sorts, club stewards included.

_Artisans at Large_.--In March, 1868, the Birmingham artisans who
reported on the Paris Exhibition of 1867, formed themselves into a
society "to consider and discuss, from an artisan point of view, all
such subjects as specially affect the artisan class; to promote and seek
to obtain all such measures, legislative or otherwise, as shall appear
beneficial to that class; and to render to each other mutual assistance,
counsel, or encouragement." Very good, indeed! The benefits which have
arisen from the formation of this society are doubtless many, but as the
writer has never yet seen a report, he cannot record the value of the
mutual assistance rendered, or say what capital is left over of the
original, fund of counsel and encouragement.

_Barbers_.--A few knights of the razor in 1869 met together and formed a
"Philanthropic Society of Hairdressers," but though these gentlemen are
proverbial for their gossiping propensities, they tell no tales out of
school, and of their charity boast not.

_Butchers_.--A Butchers' Benefit and Benevolent Association was founded
in 1877.

_Coaldealers_.--The salesmen of black diamonds have a mutual benefit
association, but as the secretary declines to give any information, we
fear the mutual benefit consists solely of helping each other to keep
the prices up.

_Cannon Street Male Adult Provident Institution_ was established in
1841. At the expiration of 1877 there were 8,994 members, with a balance
in hand of L72,956 15s. 5d. The total received from members to that date
amounted to L184,900, out of which L131,400 had been returned in sick
pay and funeral benefits, the payments out varying from 4s. to 20s. a
week in sickness, with a funeral benefit of L20, L8 being allowed on the
death of a wife.

_Carr's Lane Provident Institution_ was commenced in 1845, and has 299
male and 323 female members, with a capital of L5,488, the amount paid
in 1883 on account of sickness being L242, with L54 funeral money.

_Chemistry_.--A Midland Counties' Chemists' Association was formed in
May, 1869.

_Christ Church Provident Institution_ was established in 1835, and at
the end of 1883, there were 646 male and 591 female members; during the
year L423 had been paid among 138 members on account of sickness,
besides L25 for funerals. Capital about L5,800. A junior or Sunday
school branch also exists.

_Church of the Saviour Provident Institution_ was started in 1857.

_Church School Teachers_.--The Birmingham and District Branch of the
Church Schoolmaster's and Schoolmistresses' Benevolent Institution was
formed in 1866, and the members contribute about L250 per year to the
funds.

_Druids_.--The order of Druids has five Lodges here, with nearly 400
members. The United Ancient Order of Druids has twenty-one Lodges, and
about 1,400 members.

_Ebenezer Chapel Sick Society_ was established in 1828. Has 135 members,
whose yearly payments average 32s. 6d., out of which 17s. dividend at
Christmas comes back, the benefits being 10s. a week in sickness and L10
at death.

_Foresters_.--In 1745 a few Yorkshire-men started "The Ancient Order of
Royal Foresters," under which title the associated Courts remained until
1834, when a split took place. The secessionists, who gave the name of
"Honour" to their No. 1 Court (at Ashton-under-Lyne), declined the
honour of calling themselves "Royal," but still adhered to the antique
part of their cognomen. The new "Ancient Order of foresters" throve
well, and, leaving their "Royal" friends far away in the background, now
number 560,000 members, who meet in nearly 7,000 Courts. In the
Birmingham Midland District them are 62 courts, with about 6,200
members, the Court funds amounting to L29,900, and the District funds to
L2,200. The oldest Court in this town is the "Child of the Forest,"
meeting at the Gem Vaults, Steelhouse Lane, which was instituted in
1839. The other Courts meet at the Crown and Anchor, Gem Street;
Roebuck, Lower Hurst Street; Queen's Arms, Easy Row; White Swan, Church
Street; Red Cow, Horse Fair; Crown, Broad Street; White Hart, Warstone
Lane; Rose and Crown, Summer Row; Red Lion, Suffolk Street; Old Crown,
Deritend; Hope and Anchor, Coleshill Street; Black Horse, Ashted Row;
Colemore Arms, Latimer Street South; Anchor, Bradford Street; Army and
Navy Inn, Great Brook Street; Red Lion, Smallbrook Street; Union Mill
Inn, Holt Street; Vine, Lichfield Road; Wellington, Holliday Street;
Ryland Arms, Ryland Street; Star and Garter, Great Hampton Row; Oak
Tree, Selly Oak; Station Inn, Saltley Road; Drovers' Arms, Bradford
Street; Old Nelson, Great Lister Street; Ivy Green, Edward Street; Iron
House, Moor Street; Green Man, Harborne; Fountain, Wrentham Street;
King's Arms, Sherlock Street; Shareholders' Arms, Park Lane;
Shakespeare's Head, Livery Street; Criterion, Hurst Street; Acorn,
Friston Street; Hen and Chickens, Graham Street; Albion, Aston Road; Dog
and Partridge, Tindal Street; White Horse, Great Colmore Street;
Carpenters' Arms, Adelaide Street; Small Arms Inn, Muntz Street;
Weymouth Arms, Gerrard Street; General Hotel, Tonk Street; Railway
Tavern, Hockley; Noah's Ark, Montague Street; Sportsman, Warwick Road;
Roebuck, Monument Road; Bull's Head, Moseley; Swan Inn, Coleshill; Hare
and Hounds, King's Heath; Roebuck, Erdington; Fox and Grapes, Pensnett;
Hazelwell Tavern, Stirchley Street; Round Oak and New Inn, Brierley
Hill; The Stores, Oldbury; and at the Crosswells Inn, Five Ways,
Langley.

_General Provident and Benevolent Institution_ was at first (1833) an
amalgamation of several Sunday School societies. It has a number of
branches, and appears to be in a flourishing condition, the assets, at
end of 1883, amounting to over L48,000, with a yearly increment of about
L1,400; the number of members in the medical fund being 5,112.

_Grocers_.--These gentlemen organised a Benevolent Society, in 1872.

_Independent Order of Rechabites_.--Dwellers in tents, and drinkers of
no wine, were the original Rechabites, and there are about a score of
"tents" in this district, the oldest being pitched in this town in 1839,
and, as friendly societies, they appear to be doing, in their way, good
service, like their friends who meet in "courts" and "lodges," the
original "tent's" cashbox having L675 in hand for cases of sickness,
while the combined camp holds L1,600 wherewith to bury their dead.

_Jewellers' Benevolent Association_ dates from Oct. 25, 1867.

_Medical_.--A Midland Medical Benevolent Society has been in existence
since 1821. The annual report to end of 1883 showed invested funds
amounting to L10,937, there being 265 benefit members and 15 honorary.

_Musical_.--The Birmingham Musical Society consists almost solely of
members of the Choral Society, whose fines, with small subscriptions
from honorary members, furnishes a fund to cover rehearsal, and sundry
choir expenses as well as 10s in cases of sickness.

_New Meeting Provident Institution_ was founded in 1836, but is now
connected with the Church of the Messiah. A little over a thousand
members, one-third of whom are females.

_Oddfellows_.--The National Independent Order of Oddfellows, Birmingham
Branch, was started about 1850. At the end of 1879 there were 1,019
members, with about L4,500 accumulated funds.

The Birmingham District of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows in
January, 1882, consisted of 43 lodges, comprising 4,297 members, the
combined capital of sick and funeral funds being L42,210. Tho oldest
Lodge in the District is the "Briton's Pride," which was opened in 1827.

The first Oddfellows' Hall was in King Street, but was removed when New
Street Station was built. The new Oddfellows' Hall in Upper Temple
Street was built in 1849, by Branson and Gwyther, from the designs of
Coe and Goodwin (Lewisham, Kent), at a cost of L3,000. Tim opening was
celebrated by a dinner on December 3rd, same year. The "Hall" will
accommodate 1,000 persons. The Oddfellows' Biennial Moveable Committee
met in this town on May 29th, 1871.

The M.U. Lodges meet at the following houses:--Fox, Fox Street; White
Horse, Congreve Street; Swan-with-two-Necks, Great Brook Street; Albion,
Cato Street North; Hope and Anchor, Coleshill Street; 13, Temple Street;
Wagon and Horses, Edgbaston Street; Crystal Palace, Six Ways, Smethwick;
The Vine, Harborne; Prince Arthur, Arthur Street, Small Heath; George
Hotel, High Street, Solihull; Bell, Phillip Street; Bull's Head,
Digbeth; Edgbaston Tavern, Lee Bank, Road; The Stork, Fowler Street,
Nechells; Three Tuns, Digbeth; Town Hall, Sutton Coldfield; Coffee
House, Bell Street; Coach and Horses, Snow Hill; Roe Buck, Moor Street;
Drovers' Arms, Bradford Street; Co-operative Meeting Room, Stirchley
Street; Black Lion, Coleshill Street; Queen's Head, Handsworth; No. 1
Coffee House, Rolfe Street, Smethwick; New Inn, Selly Oak; Wagon and
Horses, Greet; Talbot, Yardley; Saracen's Head, Edgbaston Street;
Dolphin, Unett Street; Grand Turk, Ludgate Hill; Roebuck, Moor Street;
White Swan, Church Street; White Lion, Thorpe Street; Queen's Arms, Easy
Row; Rose and Crown, Wheeler Street, Lozells.

The National Independent Order was instituted in 1845, and registered
under the Friendly Societies' Act, 1875. The Order numbers over 60,000
members, but its strongholds appear to be in Yorkshire and Lancashire,
which two counties muster between them nearly 40,000. In Birmingham
district, there are thirteen "lodges," with a total of 956 members,
their locations being at the Criterion, Hurst Street; Bricklayers' Arms,
Cheapside; Ryland Arms, Ryland Street; Sportsman, Moseley Street; Iron
House, Moor Street; Exchange Inn, High Street; Red Lion, Smallbrook
Street; Woodman, Summer Lane; Emily Arms, Emily Street; Boar's Head,
Bradford Street; Turk's Head, Duke Street; Bird-in-Hand, Great King
Street; Tyburn House, Erdington.

_Old Meeting Friendly Fund_ was commenced in 1819, and registered in
1824. Its capital at the close of the first year, was L5 14s. 10-1/2d.;
at end of the tenth year (1828) it was nearly L264; in 1838, L646; in
1848, L1,609; in 1858, L3,419; 1868, L5,549; in 1878, L8,237; and at the
end of 1883, L9,250 16s. 2d.;--a very fair sum, considering the numbers
only numbered 446, the year's income being L877 and the out-goings L662.

_Railway Guards' Friendly Fund_ was originated in this town in 1848. It
has nearly 2,200 members; the yearly disbursements being about L6,000,
and the payments L40 at death, with life pensions of 10s. and upwards
per week to members disabled on the line. More than L85,000 has been
thus distributed since the commencement.

_Roman Catholic_.--A local Friendly Society was founded in 1794, and a
Midland Association in 1824.

_Shepherds_.--The Order of Shepherds dates from 1834, but we cannot get
at the number of members, &c. August 9, 1883 (according to _Daily
Post_), the High Sanctuary meeting of the Order of Shepherds was held in
our Town Hall, when the auditor's report showed total assets of the
general fund, L921 15s. 4d., and liabilities L12 6s. 9-1/2d. The relief
fund stood at L292 18s. 8d., being an increase of L66 0s. 11d. on the
year; and there was a balance of L6 13s. 9-1/2d. to the credit of the
sick and funeral fund.

_St. David's Society_.--The members held their first meeting March 1,
1824.

_St. Patrick's Benefit Society_, dating from 1865 as an offshoot of the
Liverpool Society, had at end of 1882, 3,144 members, the expenditure of
the year was L857 (L531 for funerals), and the total value of the
society L2,030.

_Unitarian Brotherly Society_, registered in 1825, has about 500
members, and a capital of L8,500.

_United Brothers_.--There are nearly 100 lodges and 10,000 members of
societies under this name in Birmingham and neighbourhood, some of the
lodges being well provided for capital, No. 4 having L8,286 to 186
members.

_United Family_ Life Assurance and Sick Benefit Society claims to have
some 8,500 members, 750 of whom reside in Birmingham.

_United Legal_ Burial Society, registered in 1846, like the above, is a
branch only.

_Union Provident Sick Society_.--Founded 1802, enrolled in 1826 and
certified in 1871, had then 3,519 members and a reserve fund of L8,269.
At end of 1883 the reserve fund stood at L15,310 16s. 9d., there having
been paid during the year L4,768 17s. 2d. for sick pay and funerals,
besides 15s. dividend to each member.

There are 15,379 Friendly Societies or branches in the kingdom,
numbering 4,593,175 members, and their funds amounted to (by last
return) L12,148,602.

~Friends (The Society of).~--Quakerism was publicly professed here in
1654, George Fox visiting the town the following year and in 1657. The
triends held their first "meetings" in Monmouth Street in 1659. The
meeting-house in Bull Street was built in 1703, and was enlarged several
times prior to 1856, when it was replaced by the present edifice which
will seat about 800 persons. The re-opening took place January 25, 1857.
The burial-ground in Monmouth Street, where the Arcade is now, was taken
by the Great Western Railway Co. in 1851, the remains of over 300
departed Friends being removed to the yard of the meeting-house in Bull
Street.

~Froggery.~--Before the New Street Railway Station was built, a fair
slice of old Birmingham had to be cleared away, and fortunately it
happened to be one of the unsavoury portions, including the spot known
as "The Froggery." As there was a Duck Lane close by, the place most
likely was originally so christened from its lowlying and watery
position, the connection between ducks and frogs being self-apparent.

~Frosts.~--Writing on Jan. 27, 1881, the late Mr. Plant said that in 88
years there had been only four instances of great cold approaching
comparison with the intense frost then ended; the first was in January,
1795; the next in December and January, 1813-14; then followed that of
January, 1820. The fourth was in December and January, 1860-61; and,
lastly, January, 1881. In 1795 the mean temperature of the twenty-one
days ending January 31st was 24.27 degrees; in 1813-14, December 29th to
January 18th, exclusively, 24.9 degrees; in 1820, January 1st to 21st,
inclusively, 23.7 degrees; in 1860-61, December 20th to January 9th,
inclusively, 24.5 degrees; and in 1881, January 7th to 27th,
inclusively, 23.2 degrees. Thus the very coldest three weeks on record
in this district, in 88 years, is January, 1881. With the exception of
the long frost of 1813-4, which commenced on the 24th December and
lasted three months, although so intense in their character, none of the
above seasons were remarkable for protracted duration. The longest
frosts recorded in the present century were as follows:--1813-14,
December to March. 13 weeks; 1829-30, December, January, February, 10
weeks; 1838, January, February, 8 weeks; 1855, January, February, 7
weeks; 1878-79, December, January, February, 10 weeks.

~Funny Notions.~--The earliest existing statutes governing our Free
Grammar of King Edward VI. bear the date of 1676. One of these rules
forbids the assistant masters to marry.--In 1663 (_temp_. Charles II.)
Sir Robert Holte, of Aston, received a commission from Lord Northampton,
"Master of His Majesty's leash," to take and seize greyhounds, and
certain other dogs, for the use of His Majesty!--The "Dancing Assembly,"
which was to meet on the 30th January, 1783, loyally postponed their
light fantastic toeing, "in consequence of that being the anniversary of
the martyrdom of Charles I."--In 1829, when the Act was passed
appointing Commissioners for Duddeston and Nechells, power was given for
erecting gasworks, provided they did not extend over more than one acre,
and that no gas was sent into the adjoining parish of Birmingham.--A
writer in _Mechanics' Magazine_ for 1829, who signed his name as "A.
Taydhill, Birmingham," suggested that floor carpets should be utilized
as maps where with to teach children geography. The same individual
proposed that the inhabitants of each street should join together to buy
a long pole, or mast, with a rope and pulley, for use as a fireescape,
and recommended them to convey their furniture in or out of the windows
with it, as "good practice."--A patent was taken out by Eliezer Edwards,
in 1853, for a bedstead fitted with a wheel and handle, that it might be
used as a wheelbarrow.--Sergeant Bates, of America, invaded Birmingham,
Nov. 21, 1872, carrying the "stars and stripes," as a test of our love
for our Yankee cousins.