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Newspapers : Birmingham Papers (usually BhamPost) 150 Years Ago 1867-

bit of info on wiki rosie..cant see an F ELKINGTON mentioned but of course that does not mean to say there was not one within the company and we have to take wiki info with a pinch of salt

lyn
 
There are a number of F. Elkingtons in the newspapers at the time (over 800 references). There was a magistrate, who I think was probably him, and someone who won enormous number of prizes for his flours at flower shows, and there was also a surgeon, who I do not think was him. He apparently donated the land for the church (see cutting) , which makes me think he is probably Frederic (or Frederick) Elkington of Woodbrook House, Selly Oak (aged 34 in 1861 census) who is described as being " manufacturer employing 800 people", and is almost certainly one of the names associated with a court case involving infringment of Elkington's trademark in 1871.

Birm. Journal.25.7.1868.jpg aris. Birm Gazette. 25.2.1871.jpg
 
16.10.1867
The full report of the laying of the foundation stone at St Nicholas confirms that F. Elkington is Frederick, and that the land was donated by Elkington's , presumably at the behest of Frederick
laying foundation stone for St Nicholas church.jpg
 
17.10.1867
New Aston workhouse planned
Dispute at jewellers R W & J Randall. who seem to want their cake and eat it (claim there is no loss of metal in processing AND to own metal lost).
People come out of the woodwork when corpses and moved and money is on the table
Mr Whitlock is a photographer favoured by royalty.

dispute at jewellers R W J Randall.jpg money forn moving corpses.jpg Mr whitlock  photographer favoured by royalty.jpg new aston workhouse planned.jpg
 
19.10.1867
Stop Press. Report of fire at 2.30 am this morning. quite good, seeing as nowadays things happening at 11.00 pm the night before are often not reported the next day .
stop press. fire in Nelson St north at 2.00 this morning.jpg
 
Regarding the "sweepings" of gold, an explanation was given at the Jewellery Quarter Museum some years ago. The washbasins drained into sawdust which was saved, and the legs of the stools had small quantities sawn off periodically. The stools gathered minute amounts of gold, as did the washing water. The sawdust was dried out and burned with the slivers of leg and the gold was retrieved!! (They had to build up the seats of the stools with as they got shorter with layers of thin wood!)
rosie.
 
They also (more recently, in the 1960s) took up the floorboards regularly when (often an outside firm) came round with a vacuum cleaner
 
22.10.1867
Public meeting concerning effluents from Mr Rylands factory in Great Lister St (part of report). This would be Proctor & Ryland, agricultural chemists, bone merchants and artificial manure manufacturers.
meeting on condition of dartmouth st and gt lister st .part.jpg
 
25.10.1867
Accident at Saltley junction.
New site for fish market. The opening of the fish market is normally given as 1869, it moving from a site in the street, But it looks like the market was held on that site for a short time before the building was built.
acccident at Saltley junction.jpg new site for fish market Birm post.25.10.1867.jpg
 
28.10.1867
It would seem, if the contents of the letter are true, that Birmingham was the home of the steam roller.
steamrollers invented in Birmingham.jpg
 
29.10.1867
Old station at Moseley to be renamed Kings Heath, and new Moseley station opened
New St Nicholas church to be open to everyone. i presume this means all pews are free and open and none bought.
old moseley station renamed and new moaeley station opened.jpg
St nicholas' church to be open to everyone.jpg
 
31.10.1867
Never heard of christmas boxes being given by tradesman to customers before. The letter inplies that some who do not deserve it (meaning who do not spend enough money at the shop) can get them, which seems surprising.
Manufacturing fog signals without licence, adn woman injured in expolsion, yet lenient sentence. Sounds like the defendant was friend of magistrate, or had paid him off.
Report of the opening of the new Moseley station (mention previously on 29th)described.
A time gun to help residents. Don't think it was instituted.
No chenge then. Politicians were fiddling their expenses at the cost to the public then as now.

Christmas boxes.jpg manufacturing fog signals without licence. great leniency.jpg report on opening of new moseley station.jpg time gun.jpg politicians fiddling expenses.jpg
 
5.11.1867
More Aston streets to be lit at night.
Two cuttings which emphasise that , then, guns were far more common that today. The letter writer does not seem to be an enthusiastic churchgoer.
firing guns in street.jpg guns in the streets.jpg more aston streets to be lit at night.jpg
 
Mike, seeing your post #332 reminded me that Mom always used to tell the story of my brother and his love of steam rollers. She would walk miles pushing him in the 'big pram' looking for 'umber-diggers' which is what he called them. This would have been in the mid 1940's. They were quite a part of our growing up as the roads were frequently being mended.
 
11.11.1867
Report on conditions in Walsall Workhouse. Even then they thought it was pretty awful
Fog descends on Birmingham, and train drivers could not see signals.

severe fog in birmingham.jpg walsall workhouse. B.Post.11.11.1867.jpg
 
14.11.1867
Former occupant of Packwood house, John Fetherston (listed as head in 1861 census), at present in prison for debt. to be given discharge from bankruptcy.
release from bankruptcy of former occupant of PACKWOOD HOUSE.jpg
 
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