Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham. Walter Showell
houses remained in the Bull Ring and cows grazed near where the Town Hall now stands, there being a farmhouse at the back of the site of Christ Church, then being built. Recruiting parties paraded the streets with fife and drum almost daily, and when the London mail came in with news of some victory in Spain it was no uncommon thing for the workmen to take the horses out and drag the coach up the Bull Ring amid the cheers of the crowd. At night the streets were patrolled by watchmen, with rattles and lanterns, who called the hours and the weather.
AB House, so called from the initials inscribed thereon to show the division of the parishes of Aston and Birmingham near to Deritend Bridge. Early in 1883 part of the foundations were uncovered, showing that the old building was raised on wooden piles, when the neighbourhood was little better than a swamp.
ABC Time Table was first issued in July, 1853. A rival, called the "XYZ Time Table," on a system that was to make all the puzzles of Bradshaw as plain as pikestaves, was brought out in August, 1877, but it required such extra wise heads to understand its simplicity that before one could be found the whole thing was lost, the old Alpha being preferred to the new Omega.
Accidents and Accidental Deaths are of constant occurrence. Those here noted are but a few which, from their peculiar nature, have been placed on record for reference.
A woman fell in Pudding Brook, June 3, 1794, and was drowned in the puddle.
In 1789, a Mr. Wright, a patten-maker, of Digbeth, attempted to cross the old bridge over the Rea, fell in and was "smothered in the mud."
The Bridge in Wheeley's Road was burst up by flood waters, November 26, 1853.
Five men were killed by the fall of a scaffold in New Street Station, Oct. 11, 1862.
A lady was accidently shot in Cheapside, Nov. 5, 1866.
Pratt, a marker at Bournebrook Rifle Range, was shot April 12, 1873.
The body of a man named Thomas Bishop who had fallen in a midden in Oxford Street, was found Oct. 3, 1873.
Charles Henry Porter, surgeon, Aug. 10, 1876, died from an overdose of prussic acid taken as a remedy.
Richard Riley was killed by the bursting of a sodawater bottle, June 19, 1877.
Alfred Mills drowned in a vinegar vat at the Brewery in Glover Street, March 7, 1878.
Two gentlemen (Messrs. W. Arnold and G. Barker), while on a visit of inspection at Sandwell Park Colliery, Nov. 6, 1878, were killed by falling from the cage. Two miners, father and son, were killed by a fall of coal in the following week.
A water main, 30 inches diameter, burst in Wheeler Street, June 17, 1879.
On the night of Sep. 5, 1880, Mrs. Kingham, landlady of the "Hen and Chickens," fell through a doorway on the third storey landing into the yard, dying a few hours after. The doorway was originally intended to lead to a gallery of the Aquarium then proposed to be built at the back of the hotel.
January 12th, 1881.—A helper in the menagerie at Sanger's Exhibition, then at Bingley Hall, was attacked and seriously injured by a lion, whose den he was cleaning out. The animal was beaten off by the keeper, the said keeper, Alicamoosa (?) himself being attacked and injured a few days after by the same animal.
A child of 17 months fell on to a sewer grating in River Street, May 28th, 1881, and died from the effects of hot steam arising therefrom, neighbouring manufacturers pouring their waste boiler water into the sewers.
Accidental Deaths by Drowning.—Five persons were drowned at Soho Pool, on Christmas Day, 1822, through the ice breaking under them.
In 1872, John Jerromes lost his life while trying to save a boy who had fallen into Fazeley Street Canal. £200 subscriptions were raised for his wife and family.
A boat upset at the Reservoir, April 11, 1873, when one life was lost.
Boat upset at Kirby's Pools, whereby one Lawrence Joyce was drowned, May 17, 1875. Two men were also drowned here July 23, 1876.
Three boys, and a young man named Hodgetts, who attempted to save them, were drowned, Jan 16, 1876, at Green's Hole Pool, Garrison Lane, through breaking of the ice.
Arthur, 3rd son of Sir C.B. Adderley, was drowned near Blair Athol, July 1, 1877, aged 21.
Four boys were drowned at the Reservoir, July 26, 1877.
Two children were drowned in the Rea at Jakeman's Fields, May 30, 1878.
Rev. S. Fiddian, a Wesleyan Minister, of this town, aged nearly 80, was drowned while bathing at Barmouth, Aug. 4, 1880.
A Mrs. Satchwell was drowned at Earlswood, Feb. 3, 1883, though a carrier's cart falling over the embankment into the Reservoir in the dusk of the evening. The horse shared the fate of the lady, but the driver escaped.
Accidental Death from Electricity.—Jan. 20, 1880, a musician, named Augustus Biedermann, took hold of two joints of the wires supplying the electric lights of the Holte Theatre, and receiving nearly the full force of the 40-horse power battery, was killed on the spot.
Accidents from Fallen Buildings.—A house in Snow Hill fell Sept. 1, 1801, when four persons were killed.
During the raising of the roof of Town Hall, John Heap was killed by the fall of a principal (Jan. 26, 1833), and Win. Badger, injured same time, died a few weeks after. Memorial stone in St. Philip's Churchyard.
Welch's pieshop, Temple Street, fell in, March 5, 1874.
Two houses fell in Great Lister Street, Aug. 18, 1874, and one in Lower Windsor Street, Jan. 13, 1875.
Three houses collapsed in New Summer Street, April 4, 1875, when one person was killed, and nine others injured.
Four houses fell in Tanter Street, Jan. 1, 1877, when a boy was lamed.
Two men were killed, and several injured, by chimney blown down at Deykin & Sons, Jennens Row, Jan. 30, 1877, and one man was killed by wall blown down in Harborne Road, Feb. 20, same year.
Some children playing about a row of condemned cottages, Court 2, Gem Street, Jan. 11, 1885, contrived to pull part on to their heads, killing one, and injuring others.
Accidents from Fire.—February, 1875, was an unfortunate month for the females, an old woman being burnt to death on the 5th, a middle-aged one on the 7th, and a young one on the 12th.
Accidents through Lightning.—A boy was struck dead at Bordesley Green, July 30, 1871. Two men, William Harvey and James Steadman, were similarly killed at Chester Street Wharf, May 14, 1879. Harvey was followed to the grave by a procession of white-smocked navvies.
Accidents at Places of Amusement.—A sudden panic and alarm of [**] caused several deaths and many injuries at the Spread Eagle Concert Hall, Bull Ring, May 5, 1855.
The "Female Blondin" was killed by falling from the high rope, at Aston Park, July 20, 1863.
A trapeze gymnast, "Fritz," was killed at Day's Concert Hall, Nov. 12, 1870.
A boy was killed by falling from the Gallery at the Theatre Royal, Feb. 16, 1873.
At Holder's Concert Hall, April 1, 1879, Alfred Bishop (12) had his leg broken while doing the "Shooting Star" trick.
Accidents in the Streets.—On New Year's Day, 1745, a man was killed by a wagon going over him, owing to the "steepness" of Carr's Lane.
The Shrewsbury coach was upset at Hockley, May 24, 1780, when several passengers were injured.
The Chester mail coach was upset, April 15, 1787, while rounding the Welsh Cross, and several persons much injured.
Feb. 28, 1875, must be noted as the "slippery day," no less than forty persons (twelve with broken limbs), being taken to the Hospitals through falling in the icy streets.
Captain Thornton was killed by being thrown from his