Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham Part 29

~Novel Sight.~--The appearance in the streets of Birmingham of a real war vessel would be a wonderful thing even in these days of railways and steam. Sir Rowland Hill, speaking of his childhood's days, said he could recollect once during the war with Napoleon that a French gunboat was dragged across the country, and shown in Birmingham at a small charge.

He had never then seen any vessel bigger than a coal barge, but this was a real s.h.i.+p, with real anchor and real s.h.i.+p guns.

~Numbering of Houses.~--We are rapidly improving in many ways, and the gradual introduction of the system of alternate numbering, the odd numbers on one side of the street, and the evens on the other, is an advance in the right direction. Still, the fixing of the diminutive figure plate on the sideposts of a door, or, as is frequently found to be the case, in the shadow of a porch, is very tantalising, especially to the stranger. Householders should see that the No. is placed in a conspicuous spot, and have the figures painted so that they can be well seen even on a dusky evening.

~Nunneries.~--See "_Religious a.s.sociations_."

~Nurseries.~--The outskirts, and indeed many parts of the town, less than a century back were studded with gardens, but the flowers have had to give place to the more prosaic bricks and mortar, and householders desirous of floral ornaments have now in a great measure to resort to the nursery grounds of the professed horticulturists. Foremost among the nurseries of the neighbourhood are those of Mr. R.H. Vertegans, Chad Valley, Edgbaston which were laid out some thirty-five years ago. The same gentleman has another establishment of even older date at Malvern, and a third at Metchley. The grounds of Messrs. Pope and Sons, at King's Norton, are also extensive and worthy of a visit. There are other nurseries at Solihull (Mr. Hewitt's), at Spark hill (Mr. Tomkins'), at Handsworth (Mr. Southhall's), and in several other parts of the suburbs.

The _Gardeners' Chronicle_, the editor of which is supposed to be a good judge, said that the floral arrangement at the opening of the Mason Science College surpa.s.sed anything of the kind ever seen in Birmingham, Mr. Vertegans having supplied not less than thirty van loads, comprising over 5,000 of the choicest exotic flowers and evergreens.

~Oak Leaf Day.~--In the adjoining counties, and to a certain extent in Birmingham itself, it has been the custom for carters and coachmen to decorate their horses' heads and their own hats with sprays of oak leaves on the 29th of May, and 99 out of the 100 would tell you they did so to commemorate Charles II. hiding in the oak tree near to Boscobel House. It is curious to note how long an erroneous idea will last. The hunted King would not have found much shelter in his historical oak in the month of May, as the trees would hardly have been sufficiently in leaf to have screened him, and, as it happened, it was the 4th of September and not the 29th of May when the event occurred. The popular mistake is supposed to have arisen from the fact that Charles made his public entry into London on May 29, which was also his birthday, when the Royalists decked themselves with oak in remembrance of that tree having been instrumental in the King's restoration.

~Obsolete Street Names.~--Town improvements of one sort and another have necessitated the entire clearance of many streets whose names may be found inscribed on the old maps, and their very sites will in time be forgotten. Changes in name have also occurred more frequently perhaps than may be imagined, and it will be well to note a few. As will be seen, several streets have been christened and re-christened more than once.

Baskerville-street is now Easy-row.

Bath-road is Bristol-street.

Beast Market was that part of High-street contiguous to New-street; also called English Market.

Bewdley-street, afterwards Ann-street, now Colmore-row.

Birch Hole-street has been improved to Birchall street.

Black Boy Yard is now Jamaica-row.

Brick Kiln lane is the Horse Fair.

Broad-street--Dale End was so called in the 15th century.

Buckle-row. Between Silver-street and Thomas-street.

b.u.t.ton Alley--Bishop-street, Ma.s.shouse-lane.

b.u.t.ts-lane--Tanter-street; The b.u.t.ts being Stafford-street.

Catherine-street--Whittal-street.

Cawsey (The Causeway)--Lower part of Digbeth.

Chapel-street--Bull-street was so called in the 14th century.

Chappel-row--Jennens'-row and Buck-street.

Charles or Little Charles-street--Now part of New Edmund-street.

c.o.c.k-street--Upper part of Digbeth; also called Well-street.

Colmore-street--From Worcester-street to Peck-lane.

Cony Greve street is now Congreve-street.

Cooper's Mill-lane is Heathmill-lane.

Corbett's Alley--Union-street.

Corn Cheaping or Corn Market was part of the Bull Ring.

Court-lane--Moat-lane.

Cottage-lane--Sheepcote-lane.

Crescent-street--Part of King Edward's Road.

Cross-street--Vauxhall-street.

Crown-street, afterwards Nelson-street is now Sheepcote-street.

Deadman's Lane--Warstone-lane.

Ditch--The Gullet was The Ditch.

Dock Alley--New Inkleys.

Dudwall-lane--Dudley-street

Farmer-street--Sand-street.

Ferney Fields--Great Hampton-street

f.e.c.k-lane or Peck-lane--Covered by New-street Station.

G.o.d's Cart-lane--Carrs-lane.

Grindstone-lane--Westfield-road.

Hangman's-lane, or Hay Barns-lane--Great Hampton-row.

Harlow-street--Edmund-street.

Haymarket--one of the names given to Ann-street.

High Town--Upper part of Bull Ring.

Hill-street--Little Charles-street.

Jennings-street--Fox-street.

King-street and Queen-street, as well as Great Queen-street, have made way for New-street Station.