Newspapers : From Birmingham Post 150 years ago

[Vivienne14]

Wonder why the Street Commissioners weren't involved in the ash pit question? Sounds thoroughly disgusting and a health hazard. Like the bottomless trunk article. Imagine the faces of the by-standers when the skeleton sprewed out onto the platform! Viv

 

[Stephen0002002]

Crickey. 96 rounds and 2 hours. Must of been a right clash. And they had a wip round for the looser. Lucky boy (not) !

 

[mikejee]

4.9.1862
Tenders for Kings Norton workhouse. Unlike another workhouse a short time ago, no stipulation of good quality, nor spirits or beer requested.
Thou shalt have no pleasure in Holy Week

 

[mikejee]

5.9.1862
Wonder if he was pushing metrication as well.
Gettimg rid of an excess of women
If this law was still valid it might put off sunday trading
Sounds like justification of a hair of the dog
Wonder why he wants to contact him, accident perhaps
Why would you want a walnut table in the loo ?

 

[Stephen0002002]

Really interesting the 24 hr clock.
Correct me if Im wrong - Im guessing it was the war that really brought that time system into place ? Also isnt it funny that altho its an easier system (in my book) but like weights and measures for expl ~ its still "what-your-used-to" in real life. Like, I still think in inches and feet. And yes I know Im old fashioned.

 

[paul stacey]

I am not 100% sure but I believe it became common place by the Military in WW1, because of radio/phone messages , and so shortened everything, so communications were easier the 24hr clock worked well.
paul

 

[Stephen0002002]

Yes thought it might be WW1 and WW2 because it makes it less easy to make a mistake with somethings that are probably really important.

 

[DavidGrain]

I am sure that railway and bus timetables where still using am and pm in the 1960s. When they changed they had to explain the 24 hour clock in their printed timetables. What interested me was that the reporter could be so dogmatic as to actually say that it was a stupid idea.

 

[Vivienne14]

Loo tables. Here's a definition of the table and the game:

Loo table: a round table adapted for a circle of persons playing loo.

Loo: An old game played with five, or three, cards dealt to each player from a full pack. When five cards are used the highest card is the knave of clubs or (if so agreed upon) the knave of trumps; (formerly called lanterloo).

And two pics

A loo table.


A table for toilet rolls. Ha, ha ..........Viv

 

[paul stacey]

Like it Viv .
paul

 

[mikejee]

6.9.1862
A few weeks ago this exhibition was mentioned . the report makes it a bit clearer aa to what it was.
No hoops today.
Nude man shocks/excites girls
Thistles banned

 

[Stephen0002002]

Hooped skirts - Wow - You can see the safety aspect, but if I was the bloke making the banning decision I'd have lost the will to live after reading that article :fat:. But I guess it was similar to the mini skirt which also had associated safety aspects for different reasons - for blokes working machinery and having a mini skirted girl walking past. Ha. ( Apologies if that sounded a bit chav) we are only human.

 

[carolina]

Loo tables. Here's a definition of the table and the game:

Loo table: a round table adapted for a circle of persons playing loo.

Loo: An old game played with five, or three, cards dealt to each player from a full pack. When five cards are used the highest card is the knave of clubs or (if so agreed upon) the knave of trumps; (formerly called lanterloo).

And two pics

View attachment 80779 A loo table.


View attachment 80780 A table for toilet rolls. Ha, ha ..........Viv

Sounds like 3 or 5 card brag

 

[paul stacey]

I remember the hooped skirts , late 50's early 60's. 20thC.
paul

 

[mikejee]

8.9.1862
Sounds like the Reverend has been trying to milk the college to his benefit
The last worcester mail coach, end of an era
Sounds like changing name by deed poll did not exist then. I like the description of as a "fancy" name
Nowadays one could say it is bankers rather than engine fitters who have an excess of wages
Sounds a bit like a burglar claiming damages for falling off a ladder whule trying to break in
A man's man means one thing nowadays. Presumably Men's men is something different

 

[mikejee]

9.9.1862
Brandauer's new factory open
Luckily it did not happen
To light or not light the clock
Surprised Cameron hasn't tried this wheeze to cut welfare budgets
Let the kids earn their keep !

 

[Wendy]

Thanks Mike how lovely to read of Brandauers move and the fact the building is still there. I couldn't belive they were thinking of demolishing The Old Crown in 1862. More facinating snippets wonderful...

 

[mikejee]

10.9.1862

From report on Watch ~commitee meeting - scandal concerning members of council, and images of defendents escaping from custody before they appear in court
There was apparently some regulations restricting smoke emmissions at this time. don't think they were very effective though
I would scarcely call the sale of raffle tickets by the Pope truely a "general distribution"

 

[Vivienne14]

Like the St. Martin's clock piece in post #196. Can't imagine any present day money grabbing energy companies willingly coughing up for something like this i.e. putting something back into the community without charging for it!

And in the next article, what are spills? Have a vague memory that my mum called strips of twisted paper to light the gas 'spills' but not 100% sure. Viv.

 

[mikejee]

11.9.1862
£1 a year for 4 examinations a year including one thorough, plus £100 insurance all for £1/boiler. I know money was worth a lot more then, but this sounds extrmely cheap to me.
Rather be in gaol than out in the world
If you sit on this pin cushion you might catch something
No one can blame him -including the court
Why would one rent a pig during a fair ?

 

[A Sparks]

Like the St. Martin's clock piece in post #196. Can't imagine any present day money grabbing energy companies willingly coughing up for something like this i.e. putting something back into the community without charging for it!

And in the next article, what are spills? Have a vague memory that my mum called strips of twisted paper to light the gas 'spills' but not 100% sure. Viv.

Yes, you are right about the spills Viv. I think they were made out of some sort of wood? They were about 6" - 8", flat and quite narrow, if I recall correctly!

 

[mikejee]

Yeas, as shown by this advert on 12.9.1862 for the sael of a spill business . I presumw spiral ones light more easily

 

[DavidGrain]

You can still buy spills. They are long thin wax candles. I found them very useful for lighting my old coal effect gas fire as that always lit with a whoosh and I did not want to get my hand too close with a match.

 

[carolina]

They were similar to the wooden tapers also used for lighting fires

 

[dottieau]

I remember decorating a tin at school that was for a Christmas present to keep spills in. Spill used to be coloured pink and green I think.

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks all for the 'spills' info. I vaguely remember the thin flat strips. Think we had a container/pot which held them on the mantlepiece. It was made of a light (in weight) wood of some sort. I think it was inscribed with 'Souvenier of ..... " but don't remember where it was from.

These newspaper extracts show us such a lot about the age and the fascination with the details of life. On the contents of the Rea Street sewer it's interesting that the journalist suggests "a pound or two of the deposit will afford an hour's harmless amusement" ! Today we'd describe it as an archaeological and historical activity. And as Mike suggests, can't imagine why you'd want to HIRE out an extroadinarily large pig. Maybe just to look at and be amazed! Viv.

 

[maypolebaz]

My memory of spills is of the wooden ones being used, having being lit from the fire, to light the gas stove.
The wax ones, mentioned by David Grain, I remember being used in the barber's shop in the forties/early fifties. I used to watch, fascinated as customers received a "singe". This involved a lighted spill being used to burn the ends of the hair. To this day I fail to see why !

 

[DavidGrain]

I used to watch other boys having a singe in the barbers. Never understood it either

 

[Vivienne14]

Does it deal with split ends? Come on ladies, surely one of you know the answer to the singeing (is that how it's spelt?) question? Viv.

 

[mikejee]

12.9.1862

Further information as to suggestions to demolish the Old Crown.
Serious accident at New St station, but not involving trains
Half a crown fine for allowing mixed sexes to sleep in the same room