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Newspapers : From Birmingham Post 150 years ago

5.7.1866
Always thought these scottish pursuits were confined to north of the border, though admittedly the competition is apparently between two scotsman
 

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6.7.1866
Handsome salon with every convenience and bedroom , run by Miss Kate Simpson. Maybe it's my mind, but this sounds a little ifft to me. anyway apparently it did not sell, as the contents were up for auction a few months later
 

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7.7.1866
Wonder if the assistants appreciate the infernal new invention of the minister
 

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Costs cabbie 46.5 times the amount in dispute to get money he was owed. Things probably not so different nowadays really

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9.7.1866
 
12.7.1866
An interesting attempt to influence the public by appealing to their better natures not to shop late on a Saturday for the benefit of the shopworkers. Doubt if it would work now with most people, and probably not then either
 

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My mother told me that her father always shopped late on Saturday because then the butcher was selling off cheap the meat which would not keep. The word cagmag comes to mind meaning bad meat. Does anyone else know that term?
 
Well David
I cannot say I have heard the word of expression but the fact of the matter there was some logic
In the minds for that
Because as a kid I other heard people say if you go down the Birmingham market
The bull ring late Saturday afternoon these market traders throw it at you
For as little next to no think because they cannot keep it to Monday
Ie,, whether it be fruit and veg ,or fish and meat they gave it away at rock bottom price
A large box of toms for a shilling and as larger then life a huge hand of bananas
Apples and oranges ten a penny meat highly cheap in deed
A couple of large breast of lambs for 1/6d and right at the very end of the day they will give it to you free
As much as you can carry way in any sort of foods stuff you can carry
If you went down the o.d market earlysu day morning with a bag you would find a ton of fresh fruit lying around
Even if you went for roast beefe at the end of the day 2 Bob for a large piece
Alan,,,Astonian,,,,,,,,
 
16.7.1866
The final report of conditions of employment for children is reported. Conditions have improved . It is now comparatively rare for children below 6 years old to be employed, except for in straw plait schools, where 3 and 3½ year olds are employed for many hours. It may well be said that children today do not know what they have missed

childrens_employment_commission.jpg
 
hard to believe mike that children of that age were put to work..i have rellies aged 7 and 10 as nursemaid and housekeeper and also a 12 year old on my wood side of the family that was killed when he was crushed between the buffers of 2 coal wagons in 1885
 
17.7.1866
Wonder what a Gypsy Party was.
Scarlett fever is now a disease rarely heard of because of modern antibiotics ( though I have heard that some are worried that resistance might develop. bringing it back). 150 years ago it was a killer and there was a serious outbreak around villa St. (Actually it was a killer much more recently as an aunt of mine died of it in the 1930s)
 

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I remember Dr Calderwood, we moved to him from Dr Arnott who had a surgery in Beeches Road. I seem to remember it cost 2/6d to see Dr Arnott who treated me when I was very ill with Scarlet Fever at the age of seven and had to spend six weeks confined to my bedroom, because in those days before antibiotics it was a serious disease. During that time I was given some 'Just William' books to read which led to my life long love of reading.
Sent from my iPad
I had Scarlet Fever when I was young as mentioned above and it was the worst illness I remember from my childhood. Last year my young grandaughter caught it but with a dose of antibiotics she was back at school within a week.
 
delving into my research folder of the old end (i lived in villa st) the stench would have been coming from the mill race which was an off shoot of hockley brook and was situated behind hockley brewery...the mill race was used to work the nearby aston furnace and the paper mill...here is a pic of the brewery which was situated in nursery road near to the junction of villa st...also a map showing the brewery and another overlay map showing villa st in green and nursery road running across...my sister also caught scarlet fever in the 60s and our mom swore she caught it messing in the drain in our yard in villa st..ever since then mom would daily throw a bucket of jeyes fluid disinfectant down it...
hockley brewery card.jpg hockley brewery 1889.jpg peter_map2streets_coloured.jpg
 
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18.7.1866

This donation was presumably the start of the present Art Gallery
I assume this advert is for an auction, but never heard an auction described as a competition before.
Nor sure whether it was the vicar of the postman who asked for no Sunday work

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19.7.1866
Looks like the Garrison Tavern had racing enthusiasts long before the peaky blinders
Complaints about treatment in the army go on throughout the ages.
Similarly warnings about fire balloons, now called chinese lanterns (but they seem to be the same sort of thing) were made then, and were repeated a few years ago

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21.7.1866
A Birmingham Athletic club eventually to be formed, at what was the Poultry dept Bingley hall
Fire in Great Queen St.
People react with horror when hearing about the impositions forced on prisoners, slaves and others at this time. Yet Birmingham was a major producer of shackles and other similar products. From this it was also the place to look for a supplier of treadmills.
Lloyds Bank obviously hoping for a bit of extra business after the major collapse of a local competitor
 

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23.7.1866
A week before a letter described the scarlet fever outbreak around the Villa St area. Further comments on the sanitary conditions there are below.

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26.7.1866
The Black Horse in Sodom does make me think of something from the Book of Revelations. I would love to have seen what it was actually like
 

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I had to look this one up. According to Genuki, Sodom is a hamlet adjoining Can Lane, one mile ENE of Sedgley. I can't find a Can Lane in Sedgley however.
 
27.7.1866
Completion of spire at St Michaels church Handsworth
 

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28.7.1866
Completion of laying of Atlantic Cable
 

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Hi Mike,
I seem to be seeing double here. I was looking for the Atlantic Cable clipping but it appears to be the completion of St Michael's, Handsworth, twice. (or even 3 times).
 
30.7.1866
Big fire at Saltley Carriage works. Full report is very long, but I have it if anyone wishes to see it.
Further discussion as to the cause of illness. Here the sanitary state of a pond close to Aston Furnace is blamed Interestingly it states that the Aston furnace Grounds have recently been "thrown open". Not sure what if that means thrown open to all and sundry to use or what
Model of statue of Rowland Hill unveiled. The final statue It would be unveiled in 1870. am not sure what became of it as wikipedia just states it was removed from the Main Post Office in WW2 for safe keeping. Maybe then fell into a black hole in the council depot.
Amusing statement by policeman re witnesses evidence
 

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31.7.1866
Judge has forthright opinions in Wolverhampton
Problems with improvements meant for new st
 

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1.8.1866

Meeting advertised on Gosta green, showing that at that time it still was a green though from the report a rather muddy one
 

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