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

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~Cobbett~ delivered a lecture on the Corn Laws, &c., at Beardsworth's
Repository, May 10 1830.

~Cobden.~--There was a general closing of places of business here on
April 6, 1865, the day on which Richard Cobden was buried.

~Cockfighting.~--_Aris's Gazette_ of December 26, 1780, announced in one
of its advertisements that "the Annual Subscription Match of Cocks"
would be fought at Duddeston Hall, commonly called "Vauxhall," on the
New Year's day and day after.--The same paper printed an account of
another Cockfight, at Sutton, as late as April 17, 1875.

~Coffeehouses.~--Coffee, which takes its name from the Abyssinian
province of Kaffa, was introduced into this country in the early part of
the 17th century, the first coffeehouse being opened in London in 1652.
Until very late years coffeehouses in provincial towns were more noted
for their stuffy untidiness than aught else, those of Birmingham not
excepted, but quite a change has come o'er the scene now, and with all
the brave glitter of paint and glaring gas they attempt to rival the
public-houses. The Birmingham Coffeehouse Company, Limited (originally
miscalled The Artizan's Clubhouse Company), which came into existence
March 27, 1877, with a capital of L20,000 in 10s. shares, has now near
upon a score of houses open, and their business is so successful that
very fair dividends are realised.

~Coffins.~--Excluding textile fabrics and agricultural produce,
Birmingham supplies almost every article necessary for the comfort of
man's life, and it is therefore not surprising that some little
attention has been given to the construction of the "casket" which is to
enclose his remains when dead. Coffins of wood, stone, lead, &c., have
been known for centuries, but coffins of glass and coffins of brass must
be ranked amongst the curiosities of our later trades. Two of the latter
kind polished, lacquered, and decorated in a variety of ways, with
massive handles and emblazoned shields, were made here some few years
back for King Egbo Jack and another dark-skinned potentate of South
Africa. "By particular request" each of these coffins were provided with
four padlocks, two outside and two inside, though how to use the latter
must have been a puzzle even for a dead king. The Patent Metallic
Air-tight Coffin Co., whose name pretty accurately describes their
productions, in 1861 introduced hermetically-sealed coffins with plate
glass panels in the lid, exceedingly useful articles in case of
contagious diseases, &c., &c. The trade in coffin "furniture" seems to
have originated about 1760, when one ingenious "Mole" pushed it forward;
and among the list of patents taken out in 1796 by a local worthy there
is one for "a patent coffin," though its particular speciality could not
have met with much approval, as although some thousands of bodies have
been removed from our various sepultures nothing curious or rarer than
rotten boards and old lead has been brought to light.

~Coinage.~--So far had our patriotic forefathers proceeded in the art of
making money that about the middle of the last century it was estimated
over one half the copper coin in circulation was counterfeit, and that
nine-tenths thereof was manufactured in Birmingham, where 1,000
halfpennies could be had of the makers for 25s. Boulton's big pennies
were counterfeited by lead pennies faced with copper. One of these would
be a curiosity now. The bronze coinage was first issued December 1,
1860, and soon after Messrs. Ralph Heaton & Sons made 100 tons of bronze
coins for the Mint. They are distinguished by the letter "H" under the
date. The number, weight, and value of this issue were as follows:--

Tons Nominal Value.
62 or 9,595,245 pennies .. L25,396 17 1
28 or 5,504,382 halfpennies .. 11,469 10 11
10 or 3,884,446 farthings .. 4,096 5 4
---------------- --------------
100 or 15,484,043 pieces .. L40,962 13 4

The same firm has had several similar contracts, the last being in hand
at the present time. The bronze is composed of 95 parts copper, 4 tin,
and 1 zinc.

~Colleges.~--See "_Schools_," &c.

~Colmore Row,~ which now extends from the Council House to the Great
Western Hotel (including Ann Street and Monmouth Street) is named after
the Colmore family, the owners of the freehold. Great Colmore Street,
Caroline and Charlotte Streets, Great and Little Charles Streets,
Cregoe, Lionel, and Edmund Streets, all take their names from the same
source.

~Colonnade.~--This very handsome and (for Birmingham) rather
novel-looking building, was opened Jan. 10, 1883, being erected by Mr.
A. Humpage, at a cost of about L70,000, from the designs of Mr. W.H.
Ward. The Colonnade proper runs round the entire building, giving
frontage to a number of shops, the upper portion of the block being
partly occupied by the Midland Conservative Club, and the rest of the
building, with the basement, fitted up as a Temperance Hotel and
"Restaurant."

~Comets.~--The inhabitants were very much terrified by the appearance of
a comet in December, 1680. At Michaelmas, 1811, an exceedingly brilliant
comet appeared, supposed to have been the same which was seen at the
birth of Jesus Christ. Donati's comet was first observed June 2, 1858,
but was most brilliant in September and October. The comets of 1861 and
1883 were also visible here.

~Commissioners.~--The first local governing body of the town, though
with but the merest shadow of power as compared with the Corporation of
to-day, were the Street Commissioners appointed under an Act of Geo.
III. in 1769, their duties being confined almost solely to repairing,
cleansing, and "enlightening" the streets of the town, appointing
watchmen, &c., their power of raising funds being limited to 1s. in the
L. By succeeding Acts of 1773, 1801, 1812, and 1828, the powers of the
Commissioners were considerably enlarged, and they must be credited with
the introduction of the first set of local improvement schemes,
including the widening of streets, clearing the Bull Ring of the houses
round St. Martin's Church, making owners lay out proper streets for
building, purchasing the market tolls, building of Town Hall and Market
Hall, regulating carriages, and "suppressing the smoke nuisance arising
from engines commonly called steam engines," &c., and, though they came
in for their full share of obloquy and political rancour, it cannot be
denied they did good and faithful service to the town. The Commissioners
had the power of electing themselves, every vacancy being filled as it
occurred by those who remained, and, as the Act of 1828 increased their
number to no less than 89, perhaps some little excuse may be made for
the would-be leading men of the day who were left out in the cold. Be
that as it may, the Charter of Incorporation put them aside, and gave
their power and authority into the hands of a popularly-elected
representative body. The Commissioners, however, remained as a body in
name until the last day of December, 1851, when, as a token of
remembrance, they presented the town with the ornamental fountain
formerly standing in the centre of the Market Hall, but which has been
removed to Highgate Park. On the transfer of their powers to the
Corporation, the Commissioners handed over a schedule of indebtedness,
showing that there was then due on mortgage of the "lamp rate," of 4 per
cent, L87,350; on the "Town Hall rate," at 4 per cent., L25,000;
annuities, L947 3s. 4d.; besides L7,800, at 5 percent., borrowed by the
Duddeston and Nechells Commissioners, making a total of L121,097 3s. 4d.

~Commons.~--Handsworth Common was enclosed in 1793. An Act was passed in
1798 for enclosing and allotting the commons and waste land in
Birmingham. The commons and open fields of Erdington and Witton were
enclosed and divided in 1801.

~Concert Halls, &c.~--The Birmingham Concert Hall, better known as
"Holder's," was built in 1846, though for years previous the house was
noted for its harmonic meetings; the present Hall has seats for 2,200
persons. Day's Concert Hall was erected in 1862 the opening night,
September 17, being for the benefit of the Queen's Hospital, when L70
was realised therefor; the Hall will accommodate 1,500.--The Museum
Concert Hall was opened Dec. 20, 1863, and will hold about 1,000
people.--A very large building intended for use as a Concert Hall, &c.,
will soon be opened in Snow Hill, to be conducted on temperance
principles.--A series of popular Monday evening concerts was commenced
in the Town Hall, Nov. 12, 1844, and was continued for nearly two
years.--Twopenny weekly "Concerts for the People" were started at the
Music Hall, Broad Street (now Prince of Wales' Theatre), March 25, 1847,
but they did not take well.--Threepenny Saturday evening concerts in
Town Hall, were begun in November, 1879.

~Conferences and Congresses~ of all sorts of people have been held here
from time to time, and a few dates are here annexed:--A Conference of
Wesleyan ministers took place in 1836, in 1844, 1854, 1865, and 1879,
being the 136th meeting of that body. Four hundred Congregational
ministers met in Congress Oct. 5, 1862. A Social Science Congress was
held Sept. 30, 1868. A Trades Union Conference Aug. 23, 1869. National
Education League Conference, Oct. 12, 1869. National Republican
Conference, May 12, 1873. Conference on Sanitary Reform, Jan. 14, 1875.
A Co-operative Societies Conference, July 3, 1875. A Conference of
Christians in Needless Alley, Oct. 27, 1875. The Midland Counties'
Church Defence Associations met in the Exchange, Jan. 18, 1876, and on
the 9th of Feb. the advocates for disestablishing and disendowing the
Church said their say in the Masonic Hall, resolutions in favour of
sharing the loaves and fishes being enthusiastically carried by the good
people who covet not their neighbours' goods. A Domestic Economy
Congress was held July 17, 1877. A Church Conference held sittings Nov.
7, 1877. The friends of International Arbitration met in the Town Hall,
May 2, 1878, when 800 delegates were present, but the swords are not yet
beaten into ploughshares. How to lessen the output of coal was discussed
March 5, 1878, by a Conference of Miners, who not being then able to
settle the question, met again June 17, 1879, to calmly consider the
advisableness of laying idle all the coalpits in the country for a time,
as the best remedy they could find for the continued reduction of wages.
The 18th Annual Conference of the British Association of Gas Managers
was held here June 14, 1881, when about 500 of those gentlemen attended.
A considerable amount of gassy talk anent the wonderful future naturally
arose, and an endowment fund of L323 was banked to provide a medal for
"any originality in connection with the manufacture and application of
gas," but the Gas Committee of Birmingham, without any vast improvement
in the manufacture, still keep to _their_ original idea of sharing
profits with ratepayers, handing over L25,000 each year to the Borough
rates. On Bank Holiday, August 6, 1883, a Conference of Bakers took
place here, and at the same date the 49th "High Court" of Foresters
assembled at the Town Hall, their last visit having been in 1849.

~Conservative Associations~ have been in existence for at least fifty
years, as the formation of one in December, 1834, is mentioned in the
papers of the period. The present one, which is formed on a somewhat
similar plan to that of the Liberal Association, and consists of 300
representatives chosen from the wards, held its first meeting May 18,
1877. Associations of a like nature have been formed in most of the
wards, and in Balsall Heath, Moseley, Aston, Handsworth, and all the
suburbs and places around.

~Constables.~--In 1776 it was necessary to have as many as 25 constables
sworn in to protect the farmers coming to the weekly market.--See also
"_Police_."

~Consuls.~--There are Consulates here for the following countries (for
addresses see _Directory_):--Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chili, France,
Germany, Greece, Liberia, Portugal, Spain and Italy, Turkey, United
States, United States of Columbia, and Uruguay.

~Convents.~--See "_Religious Institutions_."

~Co-operative Societies~ at one time were put in the same category as
Chartist, Socialist, and Communistic Associations, all banned alike.
Nevertheless, in the old "Reform days" the theory of co-operation was
most enthusiastically taken up by the workers of this town, even more so
than in any other place in the kingdom. As early as 1828 several
attempts had been made to form such societies, but the one which
appeared the most likely to succeed was the so-called "Labour Exchange,"
situated in the old Coach Yard, in Bull Street, formed on the basis so
eloquently and perseveringly advocated by Robert Owen. The principle of
this Exchange was to value all goods brought in at the cost of the raw
material, plus the labour and work bestowed thereon, the said labour
being calculated at the uniform rate of 6d. per hour. On the reception
of the goods "notes" to the value were given which could be handed over
as equivalent for any other articles there on sale, and for a time this
rather crude plan was successful. Sharp customers, however found that by
giving in an advanced valuation of their own goods they could by using
their "notes" procure others on which a handsome profit was to be made
outside the Labour Mart, and this ultimately brought the Exchange to
grief. Mr. William Pare and Mr. George Jacob Holyoake, were foremost
among the advocates of Co-operation at the period, and a most
interesting history of "Co-operation in England" has been written by the
latter gentleman. Other societies were also in operation from time to
time, the longest-lived being the "Economic Provision Company," which
was commenced at Handsworth in 1830 by some of the workers at Soho and
Soho Foundry, 139 of whom clubbed 20s. each as a starting fund. After a
few months' trial, the profits were allowed to accumulate until they
made up L5 per share, on which capital no less than L6,000 were paid in
dividends during the first thirty years. The Supply Associations of the
present day are somewhat differently constituted, such establishments as
the one in Corporation Street (formerly in Cannon Street) and that in
High Street being on the most extensive scale, offering to the general
public all the advantages derivable from the use of large capital,
combined with a fair division of profits to the customer, as well as to
the shareholders. The Birmingham Household Supply Association in
Corporation Street supplies all the necessaries required in the
household, in addition to eatables and drinkables of the very best
quality, including Messrs. Walter Showell and Sons' ales, which are sent
out at the same prices as from the firm's own offices, either in cask or
bottle.

~Cornavii.~--The ancient inhabitants of this part of England, but who
were subdued by the Romans. Whether the said inhabitants had any name
for the particular spot now called Birmingham must for ever remain
doubtful.

~Corn Exchange,~ in High-street, was opened October 28, 1847. The
original capital of the Company was L5,000, in shares of L25 each; but
the total cost of erection was a little over L6,000. The length of the
interior is 172 feet and the breadth 40 feet.

~Corn Laws.~--Long before the formation of the Anti-Corn Law League in
1838, a movement for the repeal of the obnoxious imposts had been
started in this town, a petition being sent from here to Parliament in
March, 1815, with 48,600 signatures attached. The doings of the League
and their ultimate success is an off-told tale, the men of Birmingham of
course taking their part in the struggle, which culminated on the 26th
of June, 1846, in the passing of Sir Robert Peel's Bill for the total
repeal of all duties levied on corn and breadstuffs.

~Coroners.~--The first borough coroner, the late Dr. Birt Davies, was
appointed May 15, 1839, and he held the office till July, 1875, when Mr.
Henry Hawkes was chosen as his successor, only one member of the Town
Council voting against him. The preent coroner has introduced several
improvements on the old system, especially in the matters of holding
inquests at public-houses, and the summoning of jurors. Formerly the
latter were chosen from the residents nearest to the scene of death,
some gentlemen being continually called upon, while the occasional
exhibition of a dead body in the back lumberroom of an inn yard, among
broken bottles and gaping stablemen, was not conductive to the dignity
of a coroner's court or particularly agreeable to the unfortunate
surgeon who might have to perform a _post mortem_. Thanks to the
persevering tenacity of Mr. Hawkes we have a proper court in
Moor-street, and a mortuary at every police station to which bodies can
at once be taken. The jurors are now chosen by rotation, so that having
been once called upon to act as a good citizen in such a capacity no
gentleman need fear a fresh summons for some years to come. Mr. Hooper,
the coroner for South Staffordshire, received his appointment in 1860.

~Corporation.~--The Charter of Incorporation of the Borough of
Birmingham, authorising the formation of a Governing body, consisting of
Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors, duly elected by the Burgesses, dates
from October 31, 1838. The elections took place in December, the first
meeting being held on the 27. The borough was originally divided into 13
wards, but has since been, by Order in Council, made into 16, though the
number of Aldermen (16) and Councillors (48) has not been increased. The
Mayor is elected for one year, the Councillors for three, and the
Aldermen for six. The first Mayor chosen was William Schofield, Esq.,
who was succeeded by P.H. Muntz, Esq., in 1839 and 1840, the election
taking place at the November sitting in each year. Since 1840, the
Mayoral chair has been successively filled by:--

1841, S. Beale; 1842, J. James; 1843, T. Weston; 1844, T. Phillips;
1845, H. Smith; 1846, R. Martineau; 1847, C. Geach; 1848, S. Thornton;
1849, W. Lucy; 1850, W. Lucy; 1851, H. Smith; 1852, H. Hawkes; 1853, J.
Baldwin; 1854, J. Palmer; 1855, T. R, T. Hodgson; 1856, J. Ratcliff;
1857, J. Ratcliff; 1858, Sir J. Ratcliff, Kt.; 1859, T. Lloyd; 1860, A.
Ryland; 1861, H. Manton; 1862, C. Sturge; 1863, W. Holliday; 1864, H.
Wiggin; 1865, E. Yates; 1866, G. Dixon; 1867, T. Avery; 1868, H.
Holland; 1869, T. Prime; 1870, G. B. Lloyd; 1871, J. Sadler; 1872, A.
Biggs; 1873, J. Chamberlain; 1874, J. Chamberlain; 1875, J. Chamberlain;
1876, G. Baker; 1877, W. Kenrick; 1878, J. Collings; 1879, R.
Chamberlain; 1880, R. Chamberlain; 1881, T. Avery; 1882, W. White; 1883,
W. Cook; 1884, W. Martineau.

The members of the Council in 1862 subscribed L200 for the purchase of a
"Mayor's Chain," the first to wear "the glittering gaud," strange to
say, being a Quaker, Charles Sturge to wit. To this chain a valuable
addition has since been made in the shape of a stone, worth L150,
presented to the Town Council by Mr. W. Spencer, June 27, 1873, as being
the first diamond cut in Birmingham, and which was appropriately
mounted. For the names and addresses of the Aldermen and Councillors of
the various wards (changes taking place yearly) reference should be made
to "The Birmingham Red Book" published annually, in which will also be
found a list of all the borough officials, &c.

~Corporation Stock.~--The balance against the Borough in the shape of
loans, or mortgages on the then rates, when the Town Council took over
from the Street Commissioners was L121,100. By the end of 1864 the
Borough debts stood at L638,300, at varying rates of interest. After the
purchase of the Gas and Water Works, and the commencement of the
Improvement Scheme, this amount was vastly increased, the town's
indebtedness standing in 1880 at no less than L6,226,145. The old system
of obtaining loans at the market price of the day, and the requirement
of the Local Government Board that every separate loan should be repaid
in a certain limited number of years, when so large an amount as 6-1/4
millions came to be handled necessitated a consolidation scheme, which
has since been carried out, to the relief of present ratepayers and a
saving to those who will follow. The whole of the liabilities in the
Borough on loans were converted into Corporation three and a half per
cent. stock at the commencement of 1881, the operation being performed
by the Bank of England. The tenders for same were opened Jan. 18th, when
it was found that L1,200,000 had been applied for at and slightly over
the minimum rate of L98 per L100. The remaining L800,000 was allotted to
a syndicate, who afterwards applied for it at the minimum price. Persons
having money to invest cannot do better than visit the Borough
Treasurer, Mr. Hughes, who will give every information as to the mode of
investing even a L10 note in the Birmingham Corporation Stock.

~Council House.~--See "_Public Buildings_."

~County Areas.~--The total areas of this and adjoining counties are:--
Warwickshire 566,458 acres, Worcestershire 472,453, Staffordshire
732,434, and Shropshire 841,167.

~County Court.~--First opened in Birmingham at the Waterloo Rooms,
Waterloo Street, April 28th, 1847. R. G. Welford, Esq., Q.C., acting as
judge until September, 1872. He was followed by H. W. Cole, Esq., Q.C.,
who died in June, 1876; James Motteram, Esq., Q.C., who died Sept. 19,
1884: the present judge being W. Chambers, Esq., Q.C. The Circuit (No.
21) includes the towns and places of Aston, Atherstone, Balsall Heath,
Curdworth, Castle Bromwich, Erdington, Gravelly Hill, Handsworth,
Harborne, King's Heath, King's Norton, Lea Marston, Little Bromwich,
Maxstoke, Minworth, Moseley, Nether Whitacre, Perry Barr, Saltley, Selly
Oak, Sutton Coldfield, Tamworth, Water Orton and Wishaw.

~County Officials.~--For names and addresses of the Lord Lieutenant,
Deputy Lieutenant, High Sheriff, County Magistrates, and other official
gentlemen connected with the county of Warwick, see "Red Book."

~Court of Bankruptcy~ holden at Birmingham (at the County Court, in
Corporation Street) comprises all the places within the district of the
County Court of Warwickshire holden at Birmingham, Tamworth and
Solihull, and all the places in the district of the County Court of
Worcestershire holden at Redditch.

~Court Of Judicature.~--Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Walsall, and
Worcester, are District Registries of the Supreme Court of Judicature.

~Court Leet.~--The origin of that peculiar kind of Local Government
Board, known in the olden days as the Court Leet of the Manor of
Birmingham, is lost in the misty shadows of our past history. Doubtless
there were many onerous duties connected therewith, and very possibly
the officials considered themselves as "men of high degree," but what
those duties actually were, and what the remuneration for their due
fulfilment, appears to have been matter of doubt, even so late as a
hundred and a few odd years ago. The rights, powers, and privileges of
the officers of this Court had evidently been questioned by some of our
Radical-minded great-grandfathers, as we find it was deemed necessary to
assemble a jury on the 20th day of October, 1779, to "ascertain and
present" the same, and from a little pamphlet at that time published, we
extract the following:--

_The Office of Low Bailiff_.--"The Jury find and present that this
officer is annually elected by the Jury, and that his office is in the
nature of Sheriff of the Manor; that to him all the process of the Court
is to be directed, and that it is his right and duty to summon all
Juries to this court. And the Low Bailiff, at each fair, is entitled to
one penny for each stall or standing pitched in the said fairs."

_The Office of High Bailiff_.--"The Jury find and present that this
Officer is annually elected by the Jury; and that it is his duty to see
that the fairs be duly proclaimed, and that due order be preserved in
the fairs and markets; and if he sees any person in such fairs or
markets using unlawful games, to the injury of ignorant persons and
thoughtless youths, he may seize them and commit them to custody, to be
taken before a proper magistrate. That it is his duty to see that all
persons exposing any wares for sale in the fairs or markets, or as
shopkeepers within the manor, have legal weights and measures."

The other officers of the Court Leet, whose duties are also defined in
the aforesaid pamphlet, are the "Constables," the "Headborough," two
"Affeirers" (who looked after the rents and dues belonging to the Lord
of the Manor), two "Leather Sealers" (once important officers, when
there was a Leather Market, but whose duties in and about the year named
seemed to be confined to attending at the yearly dinners given by the
High Bailiff), two "Ale-conners, otherwise high tasters," and two
"Flesh-conners, otherwise low tasters." From their name it might be
thought the duties of the last named officers were limited to the
inspection of meat or flesh, but it will be seen that they were of a
more comprehensive character:--