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Humorous And Interesting Newspaper Stories about Birmingham

Birmingham Daily Post, July 1915........

Major Charlton Watson Spinks claimed £50 damages against Messrs Kynoch for breach of contract and for negligence in carelessly packing soft-nosed ammunition in place of solid ammunition. His representative claimed that Kynoch's carelessness might have resulted in the loss his client's life.

Major Spinks had a licence to shoot two elephants in a year, a prerequisite by which he could earn anything from £200 to £300 by selling the ivory. Major Spinks and his native bearers went out into the country. He used 6 of the 10 cartridges in the packet to test them, and fired 2 more at a buffalo while he was on his way. He had 2 remaining when he met the elephant, the first struck it in the shoulder and it turned round and received the second bullet in the hide. It was like throwing stones against a brick wall. Fortunately some one in the party had a small-bore rifle, and with with about 20 shots he finished off the animal. The expedition was abandoned at an estimated loss of £130 to £140.

His Honour referred judgement.
i wonder if he won the case against eley.
 

LONGTON, NORMACOT. Wesley Memorial Chapel, Chaplin Road, Normacot, was built in 1892. (fn. 394) In 1940 it seated 291 (fn. 395) and had a membership of 69 in 1942. (fn. 396) It was still in use in 1957 (fn. 397) and is a brick building in the Gothic style with stone dressings.
No trace of this there now as far as I see. Possible sites are an empty plot, a residential block or a Oriental religious building.
However, it is a good distance out from Brum, so I will not pursue.
 
I remember the starlings in the 1950s, they seemed to have a mad fly-around along the streets screeching before settling down on buildings or in the trees in the churchyard. The council workers used to drive around in a van fitted with loudspeakers sending out very loud recordings of starling alarm calls. It was a time to quickly dive into shop doorways as the starlings took off, dropped something, and then landed back in their roosts.
A great treat when i was 4 or 5(1953), was to be taken by Dad, on the bus, to watch the starlings doing their amazing aerobatics at roost time. Always seemad to be freezing cold, so roast chestnuts or a hot potato with salt were bought from the man who stood on the corner by the Midland Hotel, i think? Just up from the New st Station.
I never tired of watchin them.
 
1924

A little boy was offered a chance to spend a week in the country, but he refused. Coaxing, pleading, arguing brought from him nothing but the stubborn answer. "No country for me!"

"But why not." He was asked.

"Because," he answered, "I am told they have thrashing machines in the country, and it is bad enough here, where it's done by hand."
and what has that got to do with bham or history mate sorry it must go ? lol only joking pete
 
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What an amazing story. I did not know about this. I wonder if the construction of the building was similar to that of the Twin Towers
 
I had not heard of this before from the Birmingham Post of July 1945, Empire State hit by bomber...
Is this an early instance of 'fake news'? The picture looks as if it dates from before the building was finished as it doesn't have the tower on top. The US papers of the time say that the fire was put out in 40 minutes. Incidently the pilot came from Birmingham... the other one! Fourteen people died, most of them on the ground.

The construction of the World Trade Center was completely different to that of the Empire State Building, the former essentially had a steel outer shell that allowed for open-plan floors while the later is built upon an open steel girder framework.
 
Is this an early instance of 'fake news'? The picture looks as if it dates from before the building was finished as it doesn't have the tower on top. The US papers of the time say that the fire was put out in 40 minutes. Incidently the pilot came from Birmingham... the other one! Fourteen people died, most of them on the ground.

The construction of the World Trade Center was completely different to that of the Empire State Building, the former essentially had a steel outer shell that allowed for open-plan floors while the later is built upon an open steel girder framework.

It may be that the Post have used any picture they find available, or from an agency?
 
Quoted January 1878 in the Colonies and India publication...

"The Birmingham Post understands that large orders have been given out at Birmingham by the War Department for mess tins. As many as 30,000 have been, it is stated, ordered from a single house.”
 
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