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Newspapers : From Birmingham Post 150 years ago

21.8.1866
Pit explosion at West Bromwich. Must admit I did not know that there were in this area pits for mining stone.
Prince of Wales theatre cjanging hands again after recent reported kerfuffles
 

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The reporter used some descriptive phrases ... 'The skip and its living freight' ... 'a scene of most painful and exciting character' ... I wonder what the Coroner's inquest found.
 
The Coroner's inquest would almost certainly have found accidental death. They would not have attached blame to the mine owners in those days. The stone would have been limestone. The Black Country was one of the few areas in the country where all four minerals required in iron making could be found together: ironstone, limestone. coal and clay.
 
I knew that limestone was obtained in the area but never realised that it came from mines rather than quarries
 
The verdict was "manslaughter" against Charles Kitson the "doggy", also referred to as "butty" of the pit. (No idea what that means). Apparently there had been no morning inspection(s) of the shaft - there was some mention of new rules.
Butty was the man in charge underground apparently, the doggy was the man who moved equipment around or sometimes referred to the man in charge of a section of the mine.
Janice
 
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Butty is a Black Country term for Foreman which I think has now died out. Butty also refers to a narrow boat without engine that is towed by another boat.
 
23.8.1866
The co-op seems to be building up business .
Not apparently an advert exactly, but bet they got paid for it to be put in, this sort of item was common in papers of the day. I suppose its not too different to colour supplements on travel or fashion today.
Murder in Hurst St back court. In fact the court next to where the back to baks of the National Trust are today. (This is only the first section of the report as it us long)
 

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24.8.1866
Protest meeting of gun trade regarding government factories

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26.8.1866
Aston surveyors meeting on cleaning up Hockley Brook, after the many complaints. Also seems as if some of the streets of Aston were shortly to be lit by gas

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27.8.1866
We think of the times then as being very bloodthirsty, with lots of people executed, but here the first execution in Manchester since 1798 is recorded .
However defending oneself was not easy and usually required outside help, as seen by this appeal.
The authorities seem to have underestimated the abilities of an older prisoner in this case.
One can only wonder at the confidence of the man here described, especially for the likelihood of French cooperation !

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27.8.1866
We think of the times then as being very bloodthirsty, with lots of people executed, but here the first execution in Manchester since 1798 is recorded .
However defending oneself was not easy and usually required outside help, as seen by this appeal.
The authorities seem to have underestimated the abilities of an older prisoner in this case.
One can only wonder at the confidence of the man here described, especially for the likelihood of French cooperation !

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Mike,
What an interesting post. I would suggest that the times were bloodthirsty with over 30,000 turning up to watch an execution. The bravery of the young prisoner was exceptional and I can only hope that his expectations of forgiveness in an afterlife were met.
The escape of the elderly man from prison has given me an idea of how to escape from this care home. If I succeed I will make my way through the channel tunnel to France where I now know that the authorities will be receptive.
If the care home manager sees this I am only joking perhaps
By the way thank you Mike for all the time and hard work you put into this project
Chris Beresford (Old Boy)
.
 
29.8.1866
The papers are full of reports on reform demonstrations, all far to long to print even a summary. One little note caught my eye ':
A Mr Lord was prosecuted for an offense regarding a house for which he was a landlord in Lord St. Almost alliteration.
 

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30.8.1866
Two local banks had failed in the last 2 years or so, and it can be seen that it was not just capitalists that suffered
 

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1.9.1866
Dissatisfaction amongst the police at attempts to cut costs is not confined to the present day
New branch of GWR to serve Great Bridge and provide another route into Dudley. The station and line were closed by Beeching
 

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4.9.1866
Another explosion at Kynochs
David Rowlands complains about lack of lighting on Bordesley roads. He was a well to do corn merchant and dealer, but claimed that his pleas to the council had been ignored. Obviously not a contributor to any political party, or i am sure his pleadings would have been heard.
Listening day and night to "words which say nothing". The house of commons has not changed much in 150 years

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6.9.1866
Bradford St firm expert at enamelling iron
Some say lager will not intoxicate!
No of floggings in army in 1863-65
Professor Poulton, the amphibious man
Manor house sale in Nechells Park
 

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Wonder what Lidstone said about the Winfield firm. There is a copy of the edition of the book pub 1856 at https://ia600306.us.archive.org/22/items/londoniad00lids/londoniad00lids.pdf , which does not seem to mention Winfield and seems to refer to London firms. But there seems to have been a series published referring to different areas and "The Thirteenth Londiniad" was published. in 1866, so would have been the one referred to. This seems to refer to the Potteries, described in verse of which a small sample is given at https://johngswogger.wordpress.com/tag/the-thirteenth-londiniad/ . An original is for sale on Abebooks but I have better use for £45.

There have been complaints about the acid fumes from a vitriol (sulphuric acid) works. It is claimed here that consumptive patients deliberately inhaled the fumes at one time. It also gives interesting information as to the development of Bath St


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7.9.1866
 
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8.9.1866
Further problems at Prince of Wales Theatre/
Description of luxury at Mellings Turkish Baths. These were at 15 The Crescent.
Theft of two prize cucumbers
 

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thanks mike i found the vitriol works snippet very interesting...must have been awful to live round there in those days...
 
10.9.1866
Metallic leggings. Sounds like Steampunk started earlier than I thought.
 

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12.9.1866
Troubles at Prince of Wales theatre reach court.
St Pauls church in Birmingham goes low church
Sutton Coldfield and veal calves

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Street lighting in Aston. The act of parliament referred to was passed in the parliament held in the 3rd & 4th year of the reign of William IV so Aston were more than 30 years later discussing the adoption of the act.
 
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