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

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

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Geo. Fred. Muntz .. 2,176 }
Joshua Scholefield .. 1,963 }Returned.
Richard Spooner .. 1,825

1857, March.--The same gentlemen were again returned without opposition.

1857, August.--On the death of Mr. Muntz, though the names of George
Dawson and others were whispered, the unanimous choice fell upon Mr.
John Bright, "the rejected of Manchester," and it may be truly said he
was at that time the chosen of the people. Birmingham men of all shades
of politics appreciating his eloquence and admiring his sterling
honesty, though many differed with his opinions. Addresses were early
issued by Baron Dickenson Webster and Mr. M'Geachy, but both were at
once withdrawn when Mr. Bright consented to stand and _his_ address
appeared.

1859, April.--At the election of this year, though defeat must have been
a foregone conclusion, Mr. Thomas D. Acland waged battle with Messrs.
Scholefield and Bright, and the result was:--

William Scholefield .. ..4,425 }
John Bright .. .. ..4,282 }Returned.
T.D. Acland .. .. ..1,544

1864, December.--On the death of Mr. Spooner, Mr. Davenport-Bromley,
(afterwards Bromley-Davenport) was elected un-opposed, and retained his
seat until his death, June 15, 1884.

1864.--Householders, whose rates were compounded for by their landlords,
had hitherto not been allowed to exercise their right of voting, but the
decision given in their favour, Feb. 17, 1864, was the means of raising
the number of voters' names on the register to over 40,000.

1865, July.--Whether from fear of the newly-formed Liberal Association
(which was inaugurated in February for the avowed purpose of controlling
the Parliamentary elections in the borough and adjoining county
divisions), or the lack of a sufficiently popular local man, there was
no opposition offered to the return of Messrs. Scholefield and Bright at
the election of this year.

1867, July.--On the death of Mr. Scholefield, Mr. George Dixon was
nominated by the Liberals and opposed by Mr. Sampson S. Lloyd The result
was:--

Geo. Dixon .. .. .. ..5,819 Returned.
S.S. Lloyd .. .. .. ..4,214

1868, November.--This was the first election after the passing of the
Reform Bill of 1867, by which Birmingham became entitled to send three
members to the House of Commons; and as the Bill contained a proviso
(generally known as the "minority clause") that each voter should be
limited to giving his support to two only of the candidates, an immense
amount of interest was taken in the interest that ensued. The
Conservatives brought forward Mr. Sampson S. Lloyd and Mr. Sebastian
Evans, the Liberal Association nominating Messrs. John Bright, George
Dixon, and Philip Henry Muntz (brother to the old member G.F. Muntz).
The election has become historical from the cleverly-manipulated scheme
devised by the Liberal Association, and the strict enforcement of their
"vote-as-you're-told" policy, by which, abnegating all personal freedom
or choice in the matter the electors under the influence of the
Association were moved at the will of the chiefs of their party. That
the new tactics were successful is shown by the returns:--

George Dixon .. .. .. 15,188 }
P.H. Muntz .. .. .. 14,614 }Returned.
John Bright .. .. .. 14,601 }
S.S. Lloyd .. .. .. 8,700
S. Evans .. .. .. 7,061

1868, Dec. 21.--Mr. Bright having been appointed President of the Board
of Trade, was re-elected without opposition. He held office till the
close of 1870, but for a long time was absent from Parliament through
illness.

1873, Aug. 6.--Mr. John Jaffray, one of the proprietors of the _Daily
Post_, contested East Staffordshire against Mr. Allsopp, but he only
obtained 2,893 votes, as against Mr. Allsopp's 3,630.

1873, Oct. 18.--Soon after recovery of health Mr. Bright returned to his
seat, and being appointed to the office of the Chancellor of the Duchy
of Lancaster, was re-elected in due course.

1874, Jan. 30.--No opposition was made to the re-election of Messrs.
Bright, Dixon, and Muntz.

1876, June 27.--Mr. Joseph Chamberlain was elected without opposition on
the resignation of Mr. Dixon.

1880, March 31.--Though free from all the rioting and possible bloodshed
that would have attended such an occasion a hundred years ago, the
election of 1880 was the most exciting and hardest-fought battle between
the two great political parties of the town yet recorded in local
history. The candidates were Messrs. John Bright, Joseph Chamberlain and
Philip Henry Muntz, the previous members and nominees of the Liberal
Association, and Major Burnaby and the Hon. A.C.G. Calthorpe,
Conservatives. There were 139 polling stations, and no less than 47,776
out of the 63,398 persons whose names were on the register, recorded
their votes under the protection of the Ballot Act of 1870, now first
brought into use at a Parliamentary election. The usual courtesies (!)
appertaining to political contests were indulged in to considerable
extent, and personalities of all sorts much too freely bandied about,
but the election altogether passed off in the most creditable manner.
The returns of the polling stood thus--

Philip Henry Muntz..... 22,803}
John Bright............ 21,986} Returned.
Joseph Chamberlain..... 19,476}
Major Burnaby.......... 15,716
Hon. A.C.G. Calthorpe 14,270

An analysis of the polling issued by the Mayor about a week after the
election showed that 16,098 voters supported the Conservative candidates
and 33,302 the Liberals. Deducting the 2,004 who "split" their votes
between the parties, and 380 whose papers were either rejected or not
counted as being doubtful, the total gives 47,396 as the actual number
whose votes decided the election. As a curiosity and a puzzle for future
politicians, the Mayor's analysis is worth preserving, as here
re-analysed:--

PLUMPERS.

Calthorpe only .. .. 42
Burnaby only .. .. 164 206
Chamberlain only .. .. 50
Muntz only .. .. 199
Bright only .. .. 86 335

SPLIT VOTES.

Calthorpe and Muntz .. 153
Calthorpe and Chamberlain .. 83
Burnaby and Muntz .. 1,239
Burnaby and Chamberlain .. 182
Bright and Calthorpe .. 104
Bright and Burnaby .. 243 2,004

CON. PARTY VOTES.

Burnaby and Calthorpe .. 13,888 13,888

LIBERAL PARTY VOTES.

Chamberlain and Muntz .. 9,410
Bright and Muntz .. 11,802
Bright and Chamberlain .. 9,751 30,963

Voting papers rejected and doubtful 380
________

Total number of voters polled.. .. 47,776

Mr. Bright having been again appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of
Lancaster, and Mr. Chamberlain chosen as President of the Board of
Trade, they were re-elected, without opposition, early in May following
the election. Three other local Liberal gentlemen were returned to
Parliament during this general election, viz.:--Mr. Jesse Collings for
Ipswich (receiving 3,074 votes), Mr. H. Wiggin for East Staffordshire
(4,617 votes), and Mr. J.S. Wright for Nottingham (8,085 votes). The
last-named, however, did not live to take his seat, dying very suddenly
while attending a committee-meeting at the Council House, Birmingham, on
the 15th April.--See "_Statues_," &c According to the published returns
of January, 1884, Birmingham was then the largest borough constituency
in England, the number of electors on the register then in force being
63,221: Liverpool coming next with 61,336; and Lambeth third, with
55,588; but Glasgow was the largest in the United Kingdom, with 68,025.
The largest county constituency in England and Wales was Middlesex, with
41,299 electors; the next being South-West Lancashire, with 30,624; the
third, South-East Lancashire, with 28,728; and the fourth, the southern
division of the West Riding, with 27,625. The total electorate for
England and Wales, was 2,660,444; Scotland, 331,264; and Ireland,
230,156.

The following statistics have been taken from the returns named, showing
in respect of each constituency in this neighbourhood, the area of each
borough, city, or county division, the population, the number of
inhabited houses, the number of voters and their qualifications, and the
Members sent to Parliament prior to the passing of the Franchise and
Redistribution Bills of 1885, and are worth preserving for future local
reference:--

[Transcriber's note: this table has been split in order to fit the page
width.]

--------------------------------------------------------------------
| Borough, City | Area in | Population |Inhabited Houses |
| or County | Square | in | in | in | in |
| Division | Miles. | 1871 | 1881 | 1871 | 1881 |
--------------------------------------------------------------------
| Birmingham | 13 | 343,787 | 400,774 | 68,532 | 78,301 |
| Bewdley | 11-1/4 | 7,614 | 8,678 | 1,717 | 1,839 |
| Bridgnorth | 17 | 7,317 | 7,212 | 1,565 | 1,52[**]
| Coventry | 10 | 41,348 | 46,563 | 9,334 | 10,185 |
| Droitwich | 43 | 9,510 | 9,858 | 1,931 | 2,006 |
| Dudley | 12 | 82,249 | 87,527 | 15,985 | 16,889 |
| E. Staffordshire | 218 | 101,564 | 138,439 | 19,960 | 26,003 |
| E. Worcestershr. | 324 | 147,685 | 117,257 | 30,551 | 35,781 |
| Evesham | 3-1/2 | 4,888 | 5,112 | 1,001 | 1,050 |
| Kidderminster | 3-3/4 | 20,814 | 25,633 | 4,292 | 5,062 |
| Lichfield | 5 | 7,347 | 8,349 | 1,543 | 1,678 |
| Newcastle (Stff.) | 1 | 15,948 | 17,493 | 3,180 | 3,393 |
| N. Staffordshire | 396 | 120,217 | 132,684 | 24,194 | 26,403 |
| N. Warwickshire | 383 | 134,723 | 170,086 | 29,032 | 35,151 |
| S. Warwickshire | 462 | 96,905 | 99,592 | 20,803 | 21,485 |
| Stafford | 1 | 15,946 | 18,904 | 2,939 | 3,385 |
| Stoke-on-Trent | 14 | 130,575 | 152,394 | 24,582 | 28,350 |
| Tamworth | 18 | 11,493 | 14,101 | 2,357 | 2,772 |
| Walsall | 11-3/4 | 49,018 | 59,402 | 9,566 | 11,140 |
| Warwick | 8-1/2 | 10,986 | 11,800 | 2,418 | 2,518 |
| Wednesbury | 17-3/4 | 116,809 | 124,437 | 22,621 | 23,443 |
| W. Staffordshire | 434 | 100,413 | 117,737 | 20,134 | 23,261 |
| W. Worcestershr | 341 | 66,419 | 67,139 | 13,895 | 13,928 |
| Wolverhampton | 29-1/2 | 156,978 | 164,332 | 30,424 | 31,475 |
| Worcester | 5 | 38,116 | 40,354 | 8,043 | 8,539 |
--------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------
| | City or Borough Electors. |
| -------------------------------------------------
| | L10 | | Freehold | Freemen |
| Borough, City | Occupiers and | Lodgers | and | or Voters |
| or County | Inhabitant | | Burgage | by Ancient |
| Division | Householders. | | Tenants. | Rights |
----------------------------------------------------------------------
| Birmingham | 63,149 | 72 | .. | .. |
| Bewdley | 273 | 2 | .. | 1 |
| Bridgnorth | 055 | .. | .. | 163 |
| Coventry | 4,733 | 12 | .. | 3,995 |
| Droitwich | 1,409 | .. | .. | 1 |
| Dudley | 14,833 | 1 | .. | .. |
| E. Staffordshire | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| E. Worcestershr. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| Evesham | 794 | 11 | .. | 20 |
| Kidderminster | 3,898 | 5 | .. | .. |
| Lichfield | 1,095 | 7 | 101 | 39 |
| Newcastle (Stff.) | 2,431 | 5 | .. | 679 |
| N. Staffordshire | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| N. Warwickshire | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| S. Warwickshire | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| Stafford | 2,764 | 22 | .. | 798 |
| Stoke-on-Trent | 21,131 | 13 | .. | .. |
| Tamworth | 2,220 | 6 | .. | 3 |
| Walsall | 9,821 | 3 | .. | .. |
| Warwick | 1,742 | 4 | .. | 15 |
| Wednesbury | 19,807 | 3 | .. | .. |
| W. Staffordshire | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| W. Worcestershr | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| Wolverhampton | 23,559 | 31 | .. | .. |
| Worcester | 5,948 | 59 | .. | 355 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
| | County Electors. | |
| ---------------------------------------------------
| Borough, City | |Total No. | |
| or County | L12 | L50 |Owners. | of | M.P.'s |
| Division |Occupiers. |Tenants. | |Electors. |Returned|
------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Birmingham | .. | .. | .. | 63,221 | 3 |
| Bewdley | .. | .. | .. | 1,276 | 1 |
| Bridgnorth | .. | .. | .. | 1,218 | 1 |
| Coventry | .. | .. | .. | 8,740 | 2 |
| Droitwich | .. | .. | .. | 1,410 | 1 |
| Dudley | .. | .. | .. | 14,834 | 1 |
| E. Staffordshire | 5,106 | 141 | 6,481 | 11,728 | 2 |
| E. Worcestershr. | 4,745 | 567 | 6,931 | 12,243 | 2 |
| Evesham | .. | .. | .. | 825 | 1 |
| Kidderminster | .. | .. | .. | 3,903 | 1 |
| Lichfield | .. | .. | .. | 1,242 | 1 |
| Newcastle (Stff.) | .. | .. | .. | 3,115 | 2 |
| N. Staffordshire | 3,008 | 1,071 | 7,141 | 11,220 | 2 |
| N. Warwickshire | 5,878 | 516 | 5,603 | 11,997 | 2 |
| S. Warwickshire | 2,561 | 688 | 3,253 | 6,502 | 2 |
| Stafford | .. | .. | .. | 3,584 | 2 |
| Stoke-on-Trent | .. | .. | .. | 21,144 | 2 |
| Tamworth | .. | .. | .. | 2,229 | 2 |
| Walsall | .. | .. | .. | 9,824 | 1 |
| Warwick | .. | .. | .. | 1,761 | 2 |
| Wednesbury | .. | .. | .. | 19,810 | 1 |
| W. Staffordshire | 2,715 | 661 | 8,570 | 11,946 | 2 |
| W. Worcestershr | 1,142 | 1,033 | 4,426 | 6,601 | 2 |
| Wolverhampton | .. | .. | .. | 23,590 | 2 |
| Worcester | .. | .. | .. | 6,362 | 1 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------

~Parsonage.~--The Old Parsonage, at the corner of Smallbrook Street and
Pershore Street, an old-fashioned two-storey gabled house, was moated
round and almost hidden by trees, and has been preserved for future
historians in one of David Cox's sketches, which remains as a curious
memento of the once rural appearance of what are now some of the busiest
spots in town. The house was pulled down in 1826.

~Parson and Clerk.~--A noted publichouse on the old Chester Road is the
Royal Oak, better known as "The Parson and Clerk." An old pamphlet thus
gives the why and wherefore:

"There had used to be on the top of the house two figures--one of a
parson leaning his head in prayer, while the clerk was behind him with
uplifted axe, going to chop off his head. These two figures were
placed there by John Gough, Esq., of Perry Hall, to commemorate a law
suit between him and the Rev. T. Lane, each having annoyed the other.
Mr. Lane had kept the Squire out of possession of this house, and had
withheld the licenses, while the latter had compelled the clergyman to
officiate daily in the church, by sending his servants to form a
congregation. Squire Gough won the day, re-built the house in 1788,
and put up the figures to annoy Parson Lane, parsons of all sorts
being out of his good books."

~Parsons, Preachers, and Priests of the Past.~--It would be a lengthy
list or make note of all the worthy and reverend gentlemen who have,
from pulpit or platform, lectured and preached to the people in our
town, or who have aided in the intellectual advancement and education of
the rising generation of their time. Church and Chapel alike have had
their good men and true, and neither can claim a monopoly of talent, or
boast much of their superiority in Christian fellowship or love of their
kind. Many shepherds have been taken from their so-called flocks whose
places at the time it was thought could never be filled, but whose very
names are now only to be found on their tombs, or mentioned in old
magazines or newspapers. Some few are here recalled as of interest from
their position, peculiarities, &c.

_John Angell James_.--A Wiltshire man was John Angell James, who, after
a short course of itinerary preaching came to Birmingham, and for more
than fifty years was the idolised minister of Carr's Lane congregation.
He was a good man and eloquent, having a certain attractive way which
endeared him to many. He lived, and was loved by those who liked him,
till he had reached the age of 74, dying Oct. 1, 1859, his remains being
buried like those of a saint, under the pulpit from which he had so long
preached.

_Samuel Bache_.--Coming as a Christmas-box to his parents in 1804, and
early trained for the pulpit, the Rev. Samuel Bache joined the Rev. John
Kentish in his ministrations to the Unitarian flock in 1832, and
remained with us until 1868. Loved in his own community for faithfully
preaching their peculiar doctrines, Mr. Bache proved himself a man of
broad and enlightened sympathies; one who could appreciate and support
anything and everything that tended to elevate the people in their
amusements as well as in matters connected with education.

_George Croft_.--The Lectureship of St. Martin's in the first year of
the present century was vested in Dr. George Croft, one of the good old
sort of Church and King parsons, orthodox to the backbone, but from
sundry peculiarities not particularly popular with the major portion of
his parishioners. He died in 1809.

_George Dawson_.--Born in London, February 24, 1821, George Dawson
studied at Glasgow for the Baptist ministry, and came to this town in
1844 to take the charge of Mount Zion chapel. The cribbed and crabbed
restraints of denominational church government failed, however, to
satisfy his independent heart, and in little more than two years his
connection with the Mount Zion congregation ceased (June 24, 1846). The
Church of the Saviour was soon after erected for him, and here he drew
together worshippers of many shades of religious belief, and ministered
unto them till his death. As a lecturer he was known everywhere, and
there are but few towns in the kingdom that he did not visit, while his
tour in America, in the Autumn of 1874, was a great success. His
connection with the public institutions of this town is part of our
modern history, and no man yet ever exercised such influence or did more
to advance the intelligence and culture of the people, and, as John
Bright once said of Cobden "it was not until we had lost him that we
knew how much we loved him." The sincerity and honesty of purpose right
through his life, and exhibited in all his actions, won the highest
esteem of even those who differed from him, and the announcement of his
sudden death (Nov. 30, 1876) was felt as a blow by men of all creeds or
politics who had ever known him or heard him. To him the world owes the
formation of the first Shakesperian Library--to have witnessed its
destruction would indeed have been bitter agony to the man who (in
October, 1866) had been chosen to deliver the inaugural address at the
opening of the Free Reference Library, to which he, with friends, made
such an addition. As a preacher, he was gifted with remarkable powers;
as a lecturer, he was unsurpassed; in social matters, he was the friend
of all, with ever-open hand to those in need; as a politician, though
keen at repartee and a hard hitter, he was straightforward, and no
time-server; and in the word of his favourite author, "Take him all in
all, we ne'er shall look on his like again."--See "_Statues_," &c.

_W. D. Long_.--The Rev. Wm Duncan Long (who died at Godalming, April 12,
1878), according to the _Record_, was "a good man, and full of the Holy
Ghost and of faith." In our local records he is noted as being
distinguished for hard work among the poor of St. Bartholomew's, of
which parish he was minister for many years prior to 1851.

_Thomas Swann_.--The Rev. Thomas Swann, who came here in January 1829,
after a few years' sojourn in India, served the Cannon Street body for
28 years, during which time he baptised 966 persons, admitting into
membership a total of 1,233. Mr. Swann had an attack of apoplexy, while
in Glasgow, on Sunday, March 7, 1857, and died two days afterwards. His
remains were brought to Birmingham, and were followed to the grave
(March 16) by a large concourse of persons, a number of ministers taking
part in the funeral service.

_W. L. Giles_.--The Rev. W. Leese Giles, who filled the pulpit in Cannon
Street from Oct., 1863, to July, 1872, was peculiarly successful in his
ministrations, especially among the young.

_Lewis Chapman_.--The Rev. Lewis Chapman (taken to his fathers Oct. 2,
1877, at the age of 81), after performing the duties and functions of
Rabbi to the local Jewish community for more than forty-five years, was,
from his amiability and benevolence, characterised by many Gentile
friends as "an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile."

_Hon. G. M. Yorke_.--Brother to the late Earl of Hardwicke, and born in
1809, Mr. Yorke, on finishing his University education, entered the
army, obtaining a commission in the Fourth Dragoons; and, considering
his subsequent connection with Birmingham in a widely different
character, it is curious that his first visit here should have been paid
as an officer of dragoons in the Chartist riots of 1839. Mr. Yorke's
personal tastes, however, led him to prefer the Church to the army, and
he entered into holy orders, the Bishop of Worcester, in 1814,
presenting him to the rectory of St. Philip's: and at a later period he
was nominated Rural Dean. Mr. Yorke held the living of St. Philip's for
the long period of thirty years--until 1874--when the Prime Minister
appointed him Dean of Worcester. During his residence in Birmingham Mr.
Yorke did much public service in connection with various educational
institutions. He promoted good schools in St. Philip's parish, and was
an active member of the committee of the Educational Prize Scheme, and
then of the Education Aid Society, both of them institutions which were
of great value in their day. He also took a strong interest in the
affairs of Queen's College, of which he was for many years the
Vice-president. In the Diocesan Training College, at Saldey, he likewise
took part as a member of the managing body and he was interested in the
School of Art and the Midland Institute. Wherever, indeed, there was
educational work to be done, the Rector of St. Philip's was sure to be
found helping in it; and though there have been many Rectors at the
church it can be truly said that none left more regretted by the poor,
notwithstanding the aristocratic handle to his name, than did Mr. Yorke.
The Hon. and Rev. gentleman died at Worcester, Oct. 2, 1879.

_J.C. Miller_.--The Rev. John Cale Miller (born at Margate, in 1814),
though only thirty-two, hail already attracted the notice of the
Evangelical Party in the Church, and his appointment to St. Martin's
(Sept. 1846), gave general satisfaction. His reputation as a preacher
had preceded him, and he soon diffused a knowledge of his vigour as a
worker, and his capacity as an administrator. Few men have entered so
quickly into popular favour as Dr. Miller did, which may, perhaps, be
accounted for by the fact that he not only showed a sincere desire to
live in harmony with the Dissenters of all shades, but that he was
prepared to take his full share in the public work of the town, and
determined to be the minister--not of any section of the people, but of
the parish altogether. Under his direction St. Martin's became a model
parish. New facilities were afforded for public worship, schools were
established, parochial institutions multiplied under his hand, an ample
staff of curates and scripture-readers took their share of labour, and
the energies of the lay members of the congregation were called into
active exercise. To the Grammar School, the Midland Institute, the Free
Libraries, the Hospitals and Charities of the town, the Volunteer
movement, &c., he gave most assiduous attention, and as long as he
remained with us, his interest in all public matters never failed. In
the early part of 1866, Dr. Miller was presented to the living at
Greenwich, taking his farewell of the townspeople of Birmingham at a
meeting in the Town Hall, April 21, when substantial proof of the public
goodwill towards him was given by a crowded audience of all creeds and
all classes. A handsome service of plate and a purse of 600 guineas,
were presented to him, along with addresses from the congregation of St.
Martin's, the Charity Collections Committee, the Rifle Volunteers (to
whom he had been Chaplain), the Committees of the Hospitals, and from
the town at large. The farewell sermon to St. Martin's congregation was
preached April 29. In 1871 Dr. Miller was appointed residential Canon of
Worcester, which preferment he soon afterwards exchanged for a Canonry
at Rochester as being nearer to his home, other honours also falling to
him before his death, which took place on the night of Sunday, July 11,
1880.