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

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~Public Buildings.~--The Guild Hall, in New Street, and the Roundabout
House in High Street were at one time the only public buildings in the
town, besides the Parish Church, the Lockups, and the Pinfold. The
Market Cross, Public Office, Workhouse, &c., came after, and it is only
of late years we have been able to boast of Town Hall, Market Hall,
Parish Office, Council House and all the other establishments so
necessary to the dignity of a town ranking as third largest in the
Kingdom. The huge piles that have been erected during the last dozen
years or so are of so varied a character that it becomes somewhat
difficult to draw a line between those which are strictly of a private
nature and the so-called "public" buildings; under which heading perhaps
even Railway Stations, Banks, and Theatres might properly come. The
following are some of the chief edifices not noted elsewhere:--

_County Court_.--The new County Court, at the corner of Corporation
Street and Newton Street, was erected from the plans of Mr. J. Williams
at a cost of about L20,000. It is built of Hollington Stone, in Italian
style, though, like that other Government-built edifice, the new Post
Office, it is of too heavy an appearance. The two entrances for the
general public are in Newton Street, the Registrar's and principal
Courts being on the first floor, though neither are near large enough
for the business intended to be practised therein. The entrance to the
Judge's rooms is in Corporation Street, under a portico with Doric
columns.

_Drill Hall_--In 1880 a company was formed, with a capital of L5,000 in
L20 shares, for the purpose of building a Drill Hall and suitable
head-quarters for the local Volunteers. A site in Thorpe Street,
containing 2,287 square yards, was taken on lease for 99 years at L100
rental, and very suitable premises have been erected, the frontage to
the street (183 ft.) allowing the formation of a lofty drill hall, 180
ft. long by 85 ft. wide, at the rear of the usual and useful offices and
rooms required. The latter comprise on the ground floor an orderly room
and strong room, sergeant-major's office, armoury, clothing store,
non-commissioned officers' room, privates' meeting room,
sergeant-major's and staff-sergeant's quarters, and stables. On the
first floor there are an officers' meeting room, a sergeants' meeting
room, long galleries, &c.; the whole building being characteristically
laid out for military purposes.

_Fire Engine Stations_.--The Central Fire Brigade Station, which is in
telephonic communication with all the police stations, the theatres,
various public buildings, and chief manufactories, is situated in the
Upper Priory, between the Old Square and Steelhouse Lane, and is easily
distinguishable by the large red lamp outside its gate. There are here
kept ready for instant use three manual and one steam engine, the latter
being capable of throwing 450 gallons of water per minute to a height of
120 feet, the other also being good specimens of their class. Each
manual engine has on board its complement of hose, branches (the brass
pipes through which the water leaves the hose), stand-pipes for
connecting the hose with the water mains, &c., while at its side hang
scaling-ladders, in sections which can readily be fitted together to
reach a considerable height. The engine-house also contains a tender to
the steam machine, a horse hose-cart, a hand hose-cart, and a number of
portable hand-pumps. It is with these hand-pumps that the majority of
the fires in Birmingham are extinguished, and one of them forms a
portion of the load of every engine. Several canvas buckets, which
flatten into an inconceivably small space, are also taken by means of
which, either by carrying or by passing from hand to hand, the
reservoirs of the pump can be kept filled, and a jet of water be made
available where, perhaps, it would be difficult or impossible to bring
hose. The hose kept at the station amounts to a total length of
2,487-1/2 yards, of which about 1,700 yards is always kept on the
engines, hose-carts, tender, and fire-escapes ready for instant use. The
remainder forms a reserve to allow for repairs, drying, &c. Between the
engine-house and the street is a commodious house for the
assistant-superintendent, with a very pleasant yard on the roof of the
engine-house. Adjoining the engine-house on the other side, is the
stable, where five splendid horses are kept. In the yard stand three
fire-escapes, each fitted with a box containing hose, stand-pipes and
branches, so that it may be utilised for extinguishing fires independent
of the engines. The total strength of the brigade is twenty-five,
including the superintendent (Mr. A.R. Tozer), the assistant
superintendent (Mr. J. Tiviotdale), two engineers, and an assistant
engineer. Eighteen of the brigade reside at the central station, the
others being quartered at the seven divisional police stations and at
the fire station in Bristol Street (opposite the Bell Inn), at each of
which places are kept an escape, or an hose-cart, and one or two
hand-pumps with the needful hose and appliances. The cost of the
buildings in the Upper Priory, including the site (1,500 square yards at
seven guineas per yard), was about L20,000, there being in addition to
the offices and stables, a waiting-room (in which two men are on duty
night and day), a drill ground 153 ft. long by 40 ft. wide, an
engine-room large enough for six engines, good-sized recreation rooms,
baths, &c. The residences are erected upon the "flat" system, and have a
special interest in the fact that they constitute the first important
introduction of that style of building in Birmingham. The advantages and
the drawbacks, if any, of the system may here be seen and judged of by
all who are interested in the matter. On the ground floor there are
three residences, each having a living room, which may be used as a
kitchen and two bed rooms adjoining. A semicircular open staircase gives
access to the flats, and on the first floor there are four residences,
one being formed over the firemen's waiting room and office. On this
floor additional bed rooms are provided for men with families requiring
them; and the second floor is a reproduction of the first. On the top of
all there is a flat upon which are erected five wash-houses, the
remainder of the space being used as a drying ground or play ground for
children, the whole enclosed with iron palisades. In the basement there
is a lock-up cellar for each of the residences.

_Fish Market_.--A rather plain-looking erection, of the open-shed style
of architecture was put up at the corner of Bell Street in 1870. the
foundation stone being laid July 14. It has since been enlarged, and is
now much more ornamental as well as being useful. The estimated cost of
the alterations is put at L16,000 including fittings. The original area
was only 715 square yards, but to that has been added 909 square yards,
and Bell Street (to which it will have a frontage of 240 feet), which
will be widened to 16 yards, is to be covered with iron and glass roof,
Lease Lane is also to be widened for access to the market.

_Lincoln's Inn_.--This is a huge block of offices erected in Corporation
Street, opposite the County Court, in 1883. and which, like its London
namesake, is intended for the accommodation of solicitors, accountants,
and other professional gentlemen. There are a number of suites of
offices surrounding an inner court (66ft. by 60ft.), with from two to
eight rooms each, the street frontages in Corporation Street and Dalton
Street being fitted as shops, while there is a large room under the
court (48ft. by 42ft.) suitable for a sale room or other purpose. The
outside appearance of the block is very striking, having a large
entrance gateway with a circular bay window over it, surmounted by a
lofty lower. The tower has four clock faces, pinnacles at the angles,
and a steep slate roof and is 120 feet high. There are also two flanking
towers, at the extreme ends of the front. These have canted bay windows
below them, and their pediments are surmounted by figures representing
Mercury and Athaene. The space on each side between the central and the
flanking tower is divided into three bays, having ornamental dormers
above them, and being divided by niches, which will serve to hold
allegorical figures of the arts. The windows are ornamented by tracery,
and the facade is enriched by a free use of carving. The architect is
Mr. W.H. Ward, and the cost of the pile about L22,000.

_Market Hall_.--The foundation stone was laid Feb. 28, 1833, and it was
opened for business Feb. 14, 1835. The building, which is constructed of
freestone, from the designs of Mr. Edge, cost about L30,000, though
considerable sums have since been spent on it. The large vaults
constructed under the Hall in 1875 coat about L4,000. It contains an
area of 39,411 square feet, being 365 feet long, 108 feet broad, and 60
feet high, and was originally planned to give stall-room for 600
dealers. The liquor shop, house, and vaults beneath, at corner of Bell
Street, were let on lease by auction (Nov. 1833) for 100 years, for the
sum of L5,400 and a 20s. yearly rental. In 1876 the Corporation gave
L15,000 to resume possession, afterwards reletting the premises at L800
a year, with a further L100 for the vaults. The Street Commissioners,
when retiring from office, placed in the centre of the Hall a fountain
of very appropriate design (uncovered Dec. 24, 1851), and ornamented
with bronze figures characteristic of Birmingham manufactures, but which
has been removed to Highgate Park. A clock was put above the spot where
the fountain stood, in April, 1852, which cost L60.--A Market Hall was
erected in Prospect Row in 1837, but was very little used as such. A few
years back it was partly turned into a depot for American meat, but is
now simply used for warehouses.

_Masonic Hall_.--The first stone of this building, situated at the
corner of New Street and Ethel Street, was laid Sept. 30, 1865, the
ceremony of dedication taking place April 26th, 1870.

_Municipal Buildings_.--The advancement of the town in trade and
prosperity, population, and wealth, made it necessary years ago for our
local governors to look out for a central spot on which could be
gathered the many offices and officers appertaining to the Corporation
of a large town like Birmingham. They were fortunate in being able (in
1854) to secure so eligible a site, in such a central position, and with
such commanding elevation, as the one at the corner of Ann Street and
Congreve Street, though at first glance the acquisition would appear to
have been a costly one. The price of the land and reversion thereto was
L39,525, but during the years that elapsed before the ground was cleared
ready for building (1872) the interest brought that sum up to nearly
L70,000. The total area was 11,540 square yards, of which 4,455 square
yards were thrown into the streets. Thus, though the original price was
but 68s. 6d. per yard, by the time the buildings were erected the actual
site cost over L9 per yard. The plans were approved Feb. 11, 1873, the
contract for building being L84,120, but during the course of erection
many important additions and alterations were made to the original
plans, raising the cost to L144,743. Part of the ground was originally
intended to be covered with Assize Courts, but have been devoted to the
erection of a magnificent Art Gallery, &c., so that more than a quarter
million sterling will ultimately have been spent on the spot. The
foundation stone was laid by the then Mayor, Mr. Joseph Chamberlain,
June 17, 1874, and the erection took about five years, the "hoarding"
being removed July 18, 1879. The design of the Municipal Buildings is
essentially classical, but not of any particular style, Mr. Yeoville
Thomasson, the architect, having given free rein to his own conceptions
of what was required in a modern erection of the nature of a local
Parliament House. The south, or principal front (to Ann Street), has a
length of 296 feet, the frontage to Congreve Street is 122 feet, and
that to Eden Place is 153 feet. From the ground to the top of the main
cornice the height is 65 feet; the pediment over the central entrance is
90 feet high; the stone cornice of the dome 114 feet; and the top of the
finial 162 feet, the dome rising behind the central pediment from the
main staircase. Looked at from a distance, the features of the building
that at first strike the spectator are the carved groups of life-sized
figures in the six pediments. The Ann Street and Congreve Street
frontages have a pediment at each end, of semicircular shape, and the
Eden Place frontage has one at the end where it joins the principal
front. The pediment in the centre of the south front is triangular in
shape, and contains a group of sculptured figures representing
"Britannia rewarding the Birmingham manufacturers." In the other
pediments the groups represent Manufacture, Commerce, Literature, Art,
and Science. Under the central pediment, and within a semicircular arch
over the central entrance, is a large and beautiful figure-subject in
mosaic, executed by Messrs. Salviati and Co., of London. Besides the
central entrance, which is reached through a portico supported by square
and round columns, and is reserved for the use of the Town Council and
state occasions, there are four entrances to the building, one at each
end of the principal front, one in Eden Place, and the other within the
gateway which runs through the Congreve Street wing into the courtyard
at the back. By the last-mentioned staircase access is obtained by the
general public to the Council Chamber. The building contains 94 rooms of
various sizes, three of the largest devoted to occasions of ceremony,
and the rest to the uses of the different departments of the Corporation
work. The central of the three reception rooms is 30 feet square, and is
divided from the other two by an open screen of marble columns, both
rooms being 64ft. by 30ft. The Council Chamber is 39ft. wide and,
including the gallery for spectators, is 48ft. long, the fittings and
furniture being of the most substantial character as well as ornamental.
In various parts of the building accommodation has been found for the
Town Clerk, the Borough Treasurer, Surveyor, Analyst, Chief Constable,
and every other department of Corporation work. The furnishing of the
Council Chamber and the other parts of the Municipal Buildings amounted
to L15,603, the laying in of the gas and water services being L2,418
additional.

_Odd-Fellows' Hall_.--Before the New Street Railway Station was erected
there was an Odd-Fellows' Hall in King Street. The first stone of the
present building in Upper Temple Street was laid early in 1849, the
opening ceremony taking place Dec. 3 same year. The principal room or
"hall" will accommodate about 1,000 persons, the remaining portion of
the premises being let off in offices.

_Parish Offices_.--The meeting-place of the Board of Guardians and their
necessary staff of officers has from the earliest days of Poor Law
government been the most frequented of any of our public buildings.
Formerly the headquarters were at the Workhouse in Lichfield Street, but
when that institution was removed to Birmingham Heath, the large
building at the corner of Suffolk Street and Paradise Street was built
for the use of the parish officers, possession being taken thereof Feb.
26, 1853. Thirty years seems but a short period for the occupation of
such a pile of offices, but as it has been necessary several times to
enlarge the Workhouse, as well as to collect very much larger sums from
the ratepayers, it is but in the natural order of things that the
Overseers, Guardians, and all others connected with them should be
allowed more elbow-room. A parish palace, almost rivalling our Municipal
Buildings in magnificence of ornate architecture, has therefore been
erected at the junction of Edmund Street and Newhall Street, where poor
unfortunate people going to the Workhouse, and whose ultimate
destination will possibly be a pauper's grave, may have the
gratification of beholding beautiful groups of statuary sculpture,
Corinthian columns of polished granite, pilasters of marble, gilded
capitals, panelled ceilings, coloured architraves, ornamental cornices,
encaustic tiles, and all the other pretty things appertaining to a
building designed in a "severe form of the style of the French
Renaissance," as an architectural paper critic calls it. Ratepayers will
also have pleasure in taking their money to and delivering it over in
"one of the most convenient suites of poor-law offices in the kingdom,"
possibly deriving a little satisfaction from the fact that their
descendants in less than a hundred years' time will have to build
another such suite of offices, or buy this over again, as the Guardians
only hold the site (1,700 square yards) upon a ninety-nine years' lease
at a yearly rental of L600 (7s. per yard). The building contract was for
L25,490, besides extras, the architect being Mr. W.H. Ward, and the
fittings, internal decoration, and furnishing was estimated at about
L5,000 more, though possibly as the chairs in the Boardroom are put down
at L5 each, if other articles be in proportion, both sums will be
materially increased. The work was commenced in June, 1882, the memorial
stone being laid February 15th, the following year. The building, which
has five storeys, stands on three sides of a square courtyard, and faces
into Edmund Street. Newhall Street, and a new thoroughfare made in
continuation of Bread Street. In general character the three faces are
alike, the masonry being rusticated in Coxbench stone to the line of the
second floor, the chiselling finishing with an entablature, and the
remaining two storeys included in one order of Corinthian red granite
pillars, which support the main entablature. The front in Edmund Street,
105 feet in length, is symmetrically divided by a central tower, on
either side of which the Corinthian pillars are discontinued until the
two corners are almost reached, where they support pediments. The tower,
which for a distance above the root is square, contains four clock-faces
and supports an octagonal storey, covered by a panelled stone dome,
surmounted in turn by a lantern and its finial. The height of the tower
from the level of the street is 105 feet, the slated towers over the
lateral pediments being smaller. The Newhall Street facade, 160 feet
long, is broken into three portions of nearly equal length, and the
middle portion is treated differently from the other two. Above the line
of the second floor entablature the windows, instead of being in a
double row in correspondence with the storeys, are in this middle
section of the facade carried almost to the height of the columns, and
the section is surmounted in its centre by an ornamental pedestal, which
bears a group of sculpture, and at its extremes by slated flagstaff
towers, whose sides are concave. The purpose of these larger windows is
the effectual lighting of the Boardroom, which is of the height of two
storeys. The length of the Bread Street front is 90 feet. The Boardroom
is 60 feet long, 36 feet wide and 24 feet high, the room being lighted
by two sunburners suspended from the ceiling panels, and is handsomely
decorated throughout. The offices of the Registrar of births, marriages
and deaths are entered from Newhall Street, and there is a special
waiting room for the use of marriage parties whilst they are preparing
to go before the Registrar, a provision which will no doubt be fully
appreciated by many blushing maidens and bashful bachelors.

_Public Office_.--The office for the meetings of the Justices was at one
time in Dale End, and it was there that "Jack and Tom" were taken in
November, 1780, charged with murdering a butcher on the road to
Coleshill. The first stone of the Public Office and Prison in Moor
Street was laid September 18, 1805, the cost being estimated at L10,000.
It was considerably enlarged in 1830, and again in 1861, and other
improving alterations have been made during the last three years, so
that the original cost has been more than doubled, but the place is
still inadequate to the requirements of the town.

_Smithfield Market_.--Laid out by the Street Commissioners in 1817, at a
cost of L6,000, as an open market, has been enlarged by taking in most
of the ground bordered by Jamaica Row, St. Martin's Lane and Moat Lane,
and is nearly all covered in for the purposes of a wholesale market, the
work being commenced in November, 1880. The main entrance is in the
centre of the St. Martin's Lane front, and consists of a central roadway
for carts and wagons, 15ft. wide and 24ft. high, together with a wide
entrance on either side for foot passengers. The main piers supporting
the large archway are of stone, but the arch itself is constructed of
terra-cotta, richly moulded and carved. Over the archway are two
sculptured figures in red terra-cotta, representing "Flora" and
"Pomona." The whole of the carving and sculptured work has been executed
by Mr. John Roddis. The archways are fitted with massive wrought-iron
gates, manufactured by Messrs. Hart, Son, Peard, and Co. The entrances
in Jamaica Row and Moat Lane have arched gateways and gates to match,
though much higher to allow of the passage of laden wains. The market
superintendent's office is on the left of the man entrance. Greatest
part of the St. Martin's Lane front is occupied by the new Woolpack
Hotel, and the remainder by shops. The buildings, which are from the
designs of Messrs. Osborne and Reading, are designed in the style of the
English Renaissance of the Stuart period, and are constructed of red
brick, with red terra-cotta dressings. At each end of the St. Martin's
Lane front are circular turrets, with conical roof, flanked by
ornamental gables, and in the centre is a gable with octagonal turret on
each side.

_Temperance Hall_.--The foundation stone of this building, which is in
Upper Temple Street, was laid Jan. 12, 1858, and it was opened Oct. 11
following.

_The Cobden_.--Though the property of a private company, who have twenty
other establishments in the town, the "Cobden," in Corporation Street,
may rank as a public building if only from its central position and
finished architecture. It was opened by John Bright, Esq., Aug. 29,
1883, and cost about L10,000. In style it may be said to be
French-Gothic of early date, with Venetian features in the shape of
traceried oriel windows, &c., the frontage being of Corsham Down and
Portland stone.

_Town Hall_.--For many years the pride and the boast of Birmingham has
been its noble Town Hall, which still remains the most conspicuous
building, as well as the finest specimen of architecture, in the town.
It was erected by the Street Commissioners, who obtained a special Act
for the purpose in 1828, to enable them to lay a rate to pay for it. The
architect was Mr. T. Hansom, of the firm of Messrs. Hansom and Welch,
who, by a curious provision, were also bound to be the contractors.
Their original estimate was L17,000, with extras, which would have
raised it to about L19,000, but so far were their figures out that
L30,000 were expended prior to the first meeting being held in the Hall,
and that sum had been increased to L69,520 when the building was finally
completed in 1850 by the addition of the pillars and pediments at the
back. The foundations and solid parts of the structure are built of
brick, the casing or outside of the walls, the pillars, and the
ornamental portions being of Anglesey marble, given to the contractors
by the owner of Penmaen quarries, Sir Richard Bulkeley, Bart. The
building was commenced April 27, 1832, and opened Sept. 19, 1834, being
used for the Festival of that year; the first public meeting held in the
Hall being on Nov. 28th. The outside measurements of the Hall are--
Length 175ft., breadth 100ft., height 83ft., viz., basement 23ft.,
columns 36ft., cornice 9ft., and pediment 15ft,. The forty columns are
each 3-1/2ft. diameter. The hall, or great room, is 145ft. long, 65ft.
broad, and 65ft. high; including the orchestra it will seat a few over
3,000 persons, while it is said that on more than one occasion 10,000
have found standing room. Considerable sums have been spent in trying to
improve the ventilation and lighting of the Hall, as well as in
redecorating occasionally, the medallions of eminent composers and other
worthies being introduced in 1876. For description of Town Hall organ
see "_Organs_."

_Windsor Street Gas Works_ with its immense gas-holders, retort-houses,
its own special canal and railway approaches, covers an area of about
twenty-six acres, extending almost from Dartmouth Street to Aston Road.
Though there can be no grand architectural features about such an
establishment certain parts of the works are worthy of note, the two
principal gas-holders and the new retort-house being among the largest
of their kind in the world. The holders, or gasometers as they are
sometimes called, are each 240ft. in diameter, with a depth of 50ft.,
the telescope arrangement allowing of a rise of 170ft., giving a
containing capacity equal to the space required for 6,250,000 cubic feet
of gas. The new retort house is 455ft. long by 210ft. wide, and will
produce about nine million cubic feet of gas per day, the furnaces being
supplied with coal and cleared of the coke by special machinery of
American invention, which is run upon rails backwards and forwards from
the line of coal trucks to the furnace mouths. The quantity of coal used
per week is nearly 4,000 tons, most of which is brought from North
Staffordshire, and the reserve coal heap is kept as near as convenient
to a month's supply, or 16,000 tons. The machinery for the purification
of the gas, the extracting of the ammoniacal liquor, tar and residuals,
which make the manufacture of gas so remunerative, are of the most
improved description.