Newspapers : From Birmingham Post 150 years ago

[mikejee]

The writer has messed up the year *(which should be 1838 I think) but at https://www.itv.com/news/2014-05-16/queen-victoria-diary-reveals-trip-to-desolate-midlands/ the original reference by Queen Victoria is given as that year

 

[DavidGrain]

It is reputed that Victoria had the blinds drawn on the train as she passed though the Black Country but this was at night so that people on the station platforms could not see in.

 

[mikejee]

27.11.1866
Seems like the church was not only sending out missionaries to the "savages" of Africa and China, but also to the Roman Catholic heretics !

 

[Pedrocut]

The black country museum website ( https://www.bclm.co.uk/season/did-you-know-facts/172.htm ) says that the first recorded use was in March 1846.

One of the founder members of the Black Country Society maintained that Wolverhampton was not in the Black Country and his arguement can be seen here...

https://brownhillsbob.com/2016/07/10/the-black-country-as-it-should-be-defined/

As seen in the comments, I and a few others totally disagree. Many claim that the first mention of the “Black Country” was by the Rev William Gresley in his book Colton Green: A Tale from the Black Country, published in 1846, but as Nick Moss says in the last comment, the term was in use in the 1830s. Also many are of the opinion that the Black Country was not solely defined by the thick coal seam, it was defined by the iron ore and fireclay in the ground, vast iron works.

There was an arch erected under which the Queen passed on her visit to Wolverhampton, after her exit from the station, built with around three tons of coal donated by the Earl of Dudley and strengthened by piles of pig iron; of course evergreens covered the inside of the arch, so she would not see too much coal.

 

[Pedrocut]

One of the founder members of the Black Country Society maintained that Wolverhampton was not in the Black Country and his arguement can be seen here...

https://brownhillsbob.com/2016/07/10/the-black-country-as-it-should-be-defined/

As seen in the comments, I and a few others totally disagree. Many claim that the first mention of the “Black Country” was by the Rev William Gresley in his book Colton Green: A Tale from the Black Country, published in 1846, but as Nick Moss says in the last comment, the term was in use in the 1830s. Also many are of the opinion that the Black Country was not solely defined by the thick coal seam, it was defined by the iron ore and fireclay in the ground, vast iron works.

There was an arch erected under which the Queen passed on her visit to Wolverhampton, after her exit from the station, built with around three tons of coal donated by the Earl of Dudley and strengthened by piles of pig iron; of course evergreens covered the inside of the arch, so she would not see too much coal.

On the visit to Wolverhampton the Queen went through the poorest part of the town and she was gratified by the flags on even "the most wretched-looking slums", and how comforting was the warmth with which they greeted "their poor widowed Queen."

 

[DavidGrain]

I don't argue over boundaries of the Black Country any more since the local government reorganisations of 1966 and 1974 which confused everything. I have added a comment to the blog the Pedrocut gave us the link to.

 

[mikejee]

28.11.1866
Changes in railway and canal regulations. I assume that not collecting after 7.30 is to enable them to reduce working hours, which has been much pressed for by shop workers at this time. I wonder if the first part regarding Christmas boxes and gifts refers to emoluments to their workers , possibly partly to make up for reduction of th late working

 

[mikejee]

29th.11.1866
A first attempt at getting female suffrage. Would be 50 years before anything resulted. doubt if many/any of those involved were still alive.
Maybe we should worry about the Americans taking over large chunks of our funeral industry

 

[Astoness]

2 interesting snippits mike...must say i did not realise that the fight for women to vote started so early...

 

[DavidGrain]

..must say i did not realise that the fight for women to vote started so early...

The first debate in parliament on women voting was in 1867 (150 years ago next year) but the first petition to parliament was way back in 1832. The Great Reform Act of that year specifically said 'male persons' were entitled to vote but it was not until 1918 that ALL men as well as some women were given the vote.

 

[Lady Penelope]

27.11.1866
Seems like the church was not only sending out missionaries to the "savages" of Africa and China, but also to the Roman Catholic heretics !

Mike, there were a lot of 'missions' at the time I believe. I remember one for the cabmen who, because of unsocial hours and lack of family life, would turn to drink. There was also one for canal folk. I wonder just how many missions were going in the 1800's and whether they actually reached the people most in need.

 

[pjmburns]

A bit of information here about the work of the Irish Church Mission. https://www.irishchurchmissions.ie/about/history/

 

[Eric Gibson]

When we were kids we were told about the African 'savages' who put bones through their noses and nails in their cheeks, it seems now that maybe they were 'advanced' because the Brits have caught up with the fashion.

 

[mikejee]

Some now put things not just through their noses and cheeks. But women have painted themselves with ridiculous concoctions and smeared their lips with unnatural-coloured greases for ages and have pierced their ears for some time . And, of course, Victorian women encased their waists in whalebone, which could be compared to African girls who stretch their necks by putting ever more metal hoops round them. Men have not been so "adventurous" , on the whole, and it is not clear, and probably unlikely, that the Prince Albert was actually sported by Victoria's husband.

 

[mikejee]

30.11.1866
Burglary at bulls head, Price St.
Results of rum consumption from a wreck. Apart from the rum, I would have thought the residual paint from the pot that one man drank from (which at that time presumably was high in lead) would have caused probably death.

 

[Astoness]

mike katrina who will be at our xmas meet up will be interested in that snippet as her 4xgt grandfather is john fulford owner of the the bulls head as it was known then...later dropping the head to call it the bull..

 

[mikejee]

1.12.1866
Short comment on the Queen's visit to Wolverhampton (the paper's full report takes a page and a half).

 

[Pedrocut]

1.12.1866
Short comment on the Queen's visit to Wolverhampton (the paper's full report takes a page and a half).

Again Wolverhampton celebrate the Queen's visit...

https://www.expressandstar.com/news...sary-of-queen-victorias-visit/horse-19-ts-30/

The visit was on a Sunday and not all were impressed, it was now Monday and it was back to work, and Punch reported...

The Queen in the Black Country.

Gracious Queen Victoria, Wolverhampton greets you;
Pranks her unlovely face in smiles, with homage as she meets you;
Underneath her Arch of Coal loyally entreats you,
Wreaths, nails, locks and bolts, and near the iron trophy seats you.

Grimy labour washes and puts on its Sunday clothes;
For holiday unwonted forges cool and smithies close;
Pale toil-stunted children leave their nailing for the shows;
The stream of subterranean work, idly, above ground flows,

In honour of the Queen, whose very name sounds strange and odd
To many here that know no more of a Queen than of a God.
Slaving from dawn to darkness at nail-hammer and nail-rod
Their backs bowed to the anvil, and their soles chained to the clod.

The Queen comes honouring those who honouring him she loved and lost,
Albert, good, wise, and thoughtful, who in spite of chill court frost
Kept the green spring of head and heart alive, not counting cost
Of time, or toil, or scorn that scoffed, or doubt his work that crost.

Tis well his statue should stand high, in this Black Country's core,
Looking across these cindery wastes, seamed, scathed, and ashy-hoar;
Where the eviscerated earth knows seasons' change no more,
Where the only seed is gold, the only harvest coal and ore.

Where greed has gone upon its quest, with naked hand and brow,
Naked and not ashamed, bent to gain, not caring how:
Blighting man's life, even as it blights the blossom and the bough:
Over souls and over bodies driving its iron plough.

Till stamp of sex is beaten out, and youth is hard and old:
Rude toil makes ruder leisure: man grows brutal, women bold:
And so the iron is but dug and forged, and hived the gold,
Few questions how Heaven's grace recedes, and the Devil's way gains hold.

Tis well the good, wise, thoughtful Prince should show his gentle face,
Betwix the wealth and wretchedness of this unhallowed place,
Pointing to Christian goals Competition's reckless race,
Making Property less selfish, to rude Labour adding grace:

Guide for teaching of the highest, how good work should be done:
Proof, for comfort of the humblest, that high and low are one:
Record of life's course, by love's and duty's compass run,
All lessons needed here, that Earth's smoke quench not God's sun!

 

[mikejee]

3.12.1866
In 1866 there was still a tollhouse at Aston Cross

 

[mikejee]

4.12.1866
Progress of gas lighting in Aston streets.
30 years of the Aston Union. I notice it was written by a guardian. wonder if the review would have been so glowing and pleasant (or indeed at all pleasant) if written by an inmate

 

[Astoness]

i bet those in mates thought it was their birthdays mike...i was going to say its a pity they could not have enjoyed that type of food all the time but of course the workhouses were not put in place to attract people

lyn

 

[DavidGrain]

One should also remember that the cost of the workhouse was a charge on the ratepayers of the area not central government.

 

[mikejee]

5.12.1866
Man injured by explosion during royal visit to Wolverhampton
Calls for Aston Cross tollgate to be proceded with
Coal from arch in Wolverhampton for queens visit not to be wasted

 

[mikejee]

6.12.1866
Man sent for trial for burglary at Bulls Head Price St
Never heard a coal scuttle called a coal vase before.
Sale of old rackets court, with connection to birth of lawn tennis, for warehouse purposes (have also put on lawn tennis thread)

 

[DavidGrain]

In the Old Rackets Court cutting. I note the word shopping in its old meaning of workshops

 

[mikejee]

David.
The adverts for property at the time were full of the word. It it was obviously still used in that way

 

[mikejee]

10.12.1866
A letter in the paper on this day reminds us that the drawn pictures of the area shown in publications of that time are not necessarily correct. Looking at the picture in question , shown below, then I think it does look a little like fantasy

 

[Astoness]

i agree with you mike...i have always thought that we have to take these old drawings with a pinch of salt as they are not always precise..

lyn

 

[mikejee]

12.12.1866
Fire at john Aston's button manufactory in Princip St.
City council hears request for compulsory provision of urinals as a condition of licensing of pubs
Bailiff becomes permanent train passenger

 

[paul stacey]

hav't been here for awhile, just spent a happy half hour reading the reports, most interesting Paul