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Birmingham and the British Empire.

Pedrocut

Master Barmmie
There doesn’t seem to be a thread about Birmingham’s role in the British Empire. So here is a start with a firm that, as far as I can see, slipped the net, being Messrs Walsh, Lovett and Co. at 10 Ludgate Hill.

In the Birmingham Daily Post of April 1892 they report the successful opening of the Bombay waterworks from Tansa to Bombay. It says that Messrs Walsh, Lovett and Co. are mentioned amongst the contractors, but to give them justice they add that they carried out by far the greater part of the gigantic engineering work. This included the conduits, earthworks, tunnels, iron bridges and aqueducts, as well as the complete laying of 50,000 tons of 48in cast iron mains.

Messrs Glover were the contractors for the dam and the reservoir only, and Messrs Walsh and Lovett executing the works from that point on to Bombay.

Other reports indicate that the construction of duct from Tansa Dam to Ghat Cooper started in 1886...“It will be of interest that this enormous work was undertaken by a Birmingham firm that our townsman Mr. T. Bernard Hall was chief engineer, and had the entire direction and control of the work in India.”

In 2020 the Mumbai News reports on the repair of the century-old Tansa pipeline at Lower Parel. “The most challenging aspect of repairing the leak is that this water main is buried over 25 to 30 feet under the ground, with a British era storm water drain, a sewage line, and TATA Power’s high voltage power line running right above it.”

Wikipedia...

Image Tansa Dam...
 
The City of a thousand trades included the production of Gods for the World, according to the Indian Daily News of March 1897.

“If I don’t supply the demand, someone else will...”
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And why not indeed, Pedro, if they weren't happy with them they wouldn't buy any more. As the old saying goes, never worry about the customer who complains, you can mollify him, but do worry about the one that doesn't complain and never comes back.

Maurice :cool:
 
The India Daily News in February 1897 reports that W and T Avery Ltd have their Weighing Beams copied in Madras...
31B200FA-4313-4D66-88C8-566F2139A73E.jpeg
 
The India Daily News June 1885, Rifles for the Afghans, 900 men on overtime at the Birmingham Small Arms Co...

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Colonial Week Exhibition, the Birmingham Gazette, November 1950.
“Made in Birmingham was seen on machinery and hardware in every colony in the Commonwealth."

7A0EBD4D-B762-4AB1-B7EB-B4BEE2471668.jpeg04DDF26A-E627-41E7-AC50-B77097BD5C20.jpeg
 
For March 8th International Women's Day, the Birmingham Libraries Iron Room has posted an article about Birmingham and the Ladies Society for Relief of Negro Slaves.

The society had a strong presence in Birmingham, and the society's minute book has been transcribed.

 
  • Appreciate
Reactions: cba
For March 8th International Women's Day, the Birmingham Libraries Iron Room has posted an article about Birmingham and the Ladies Society for Relief of Negro Slaves.

The society had a strong presence in Birmingham, and the society's minute book has been transcribed.

Great article. First article I have read about this group of women.
 
The Iron Room, Birmingham Libraries, mention...

“Major new heritage project, From City Of Empire To City Of Diversity: A Visual Journey will be created from The Dyche Collection, one of the most important photographic collections within Birmingham Archives and acquired by Birmingham Central Library in 1990. It will document post-1945 migration and the huge contribution made by those who settled in the city from the Commonwealth....and draw upon other collections held by Birmingham Archives, notably Benjamin Stone, Helen Caddick, Paul Hill, Nick Hedges, Vanley Burke and George Hallet.”

 
An interesting thread.

I’m moving the thread to the ‘Birmingham-wide topics’ section.

Viv
 
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