# Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham/R

​ Railways: London and North Western.—The first proposal for connecting Birmingham with the outer world by means of a railway seems to have originated in 1824, as we read of the share-book for a Birmingham and London line being opened here on December 14 of that year. There was a great rush for shares, 2,500 being taken up in two hours, and a £7 premium offered for more, but as the scheme was soon abandoned it is probable the scrip was quickly at a discount. Early in 1830 two separate companies were formed for a line to the Metropolis, but they amalgamated on September 11, and surveys were taken in the following year. Broad Street being chosen as the site for a station. The Bill was introduced into the House of Commons February 20, 1832, but the Lords rejected it in June. Another Bill, with variations in the plans, was brought in in the session of 1833, and it passed on May 6, the work being commenced at the London end in July, and at Birmingham in June of the following year. The line ​was to be 112½ miles long; and estimated to cost £2,500,000, but the veal cost amounted to £4,592,700, of which £72,868 18s. 10d, was spent in obtaining the Act alone. The line was opened in sections as completed, the first train running from Euston to Boxmoor, 24½ miles, on July 20, 1837. The average daily number of persons using the line during the first month was 1,428, the receipts being at the rate of £153 per day. On April 9, 1838, the trains reached Rugby, and on Aug. 14, the line was completed to Duddeston Row, the directors taking a trial trip on the 20th. There were only seventeen stations on the whole line, over which the first passenger train ran on Sept. 17.—The prospectus of the Grand Junction Railway (for Liverpool and Manchester) was issued May 7, 1830, and the line from Vauxhall Station to Newton (where it joined the Manchester and Liverpool line) was opened July 4, 1837. The importance of this line of communication was shown by the number of passengers using it during the first nine weeks, 18,666 persons travelling to or from Liverpool, and 7,374 to or from Manchester, the receipts for that period being £41,943.—The Birmingham branch of the South Staffordshire Railway was opened Nov. 1, 1847; the Birmingham and Shrewsbury line, Nov. 12, 1849; and between Dudley and Walsall May 1, 1850. The Stour Valley line was partially brought into use (from Monument Lane) Aug. 19, 1851, the first train running clear through to Wolverhampton July 1, 1852. The line to Sutton Coldfield was opened June 2, 1862, and the Harborne line (for which the Act was obtained in 1866) was opened Aug. 10, 1874. The Act for the construction of the Birmingham and Lichfield line, being a continuation of the Sutton Coldfield Railway, passed June 23, 1874; it was commenced late in October, 1881, and it will shortly be in use. The Bill for the Dudley and Oldbury Junction line passed July 15, 1881. A new route from Leamington to Birmingham was opened in Sept. 1884, shortening the journey to London.
Midland.—The Derby and Birmingham Junction line was opened through from Lawley Street Aug. 12th, 1839. The first portion of the Birmingham and Gloucester line, between Barnt Green and Cheltenham, was opened July 1, 1840, coaches running from here to Barnt Green to meet the trains until Dec. 15, 1840, when the line was finished to Camp Hill, the Midland route being completed and opened Feb. 10, 1842. The first sod was cut for the West Suburban line Jan. 14, 1873, and it was opened from Granville Street to King's Norton April 3, 1876. This line is now being doubled and extended from Granville Street to New Street, at au estimated cost of £280,400, so that the Midland will have a direct run through the town.
Great Western.—The first portion of the Oxford and Birmingham Railway (between here and Banbury) was opened Sept. 30, 1852, the tunnel from Moor Street to Monmouth Street being finished on June 6th previous. The original estimated cost of this line was but £900,000, which was swelled to nearly £3,000,000 by the bitter fight known as the "Battle of the Gauges."
The line from Snow Hill to Wolverhampton was opened Nov. 14, 1854. The first train to Stratford-on-Avon was run on Oct. 9, 1860. The Oxford. Worcester, and Wolverhampton line was opened in May, 1852. The broad gauge was altered in 1874.
Railway Jottings.—The London and Birmingham line cost at the rate of £23,000 per mile, taking nearly five years to make, about 20,000 men being employed, who displaced over 400,000,000 cubic feet of earth. The Grand Junction averaged £16,000 per mile, and at one time there were 11,000 men at work upon it. Slate slabs were originally tried for sleepers on the Birmingham and London line.
​The first railway carriages were built very like to coaches, with an outside seat at each end for the guard, though passengers often sat there for the sake of seeing the country.
The fares first charged between Birmingham and London were 30s. by first class, and 20s. second class (open carriages) by day trains; 32s. 6d, first class and 25s, second class, by night. In 1841 the fares were 30.s, first, 25s. second, and 20s. 3d, third glass; they are now 17s. 4d., 13s. 6d, and 9s. 5d.
"Booking" was a perfectly correct term when the lines were first used, as when passengers went for their tickets they had to give their names and addresses, to be written on the tickets and in the book containing the counterfoils of the tickets.
The day the Grand Junction line was opened was kept as a general holiday between here and Wolverhampton, hundreds of tents and picnic parties being seen along the line.
The directors of the Birmingham and Gloucester line ordered eleven locomotives from Philadelphia at a cost of 85,000 dollars, and it was these engines that brought their trains to Camp Hill at first. In comparison with the engines now in use, these Americans were very small ones. The trains were pulled up the incline at the Lickey by powerful stationary engines.
On the completion of the London line, the engineers who had been employed presented George Stephenson at a dinner held here with a silver tureen and stand worth 130 guineas. This celebrated engineer made his last public appearance at a meeting in this town of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. July 16, 1848, his death taking place on the 12th of the following month.
The L.N.W.R. Co. have 46,000 men in their employ.
The G.W.R, has the longest mileage of any railway in England, 2,276½ miles; the L. and N.W.R., 1,774½ miles; the Midland, 1,225 miles.
The returns of the L. and N.W., Midland and G.W.R. Companies for 1878 showed local traffic of 936,000 tons of goods, 693,000 tons of coal, coke and other minerals, 20,200 loads of cattle, and 7,624,000 passengers.
The south tunnel in New Street was blocked April 18, 1877, by a locomotive turning over. In October, 1854, an engine fell over into Great Charles Street.
The unused viaduct between Bordesley and Banbury Street belongs to the G.W.R. Co, and was intended to connect their lines with the other Companies. It now stands as a huge monument of the "Railway Mania" days.
The extensive carrying trade of Crowley and Co, was transferred to the L. & N.W.R. Co. May 17, 1873.
Railway Stations.'—As noted on a previous page, the first railway stations were those in Duddeston Row. Lawley Street, Vauxhall, the Camp Hill, but the desirability of having a Central Station was too apparent for the Companies to remain long at the outskirts, and the L. & N.W.R. Co, undertook the erection in New Street, of what was then (and will soon be again) the most extensive railway station in the kingdom, making terms with the Midland for part use thereof. The work of clearance was commenced in 1846, the estimated cost being put at £400,000, £39,000 being paid to the Governors of the Grammar School for land belonging to them. Several streets were done away with, and the introduction of the station may be called the date point of the many town improvements that have since been carried out. The station, and the tunnels leading thereto, took seven years in completion, the opening ceremony taking place June 1,1853. The iron and glass roof was the largest roof in the world, being 1,080ft. long, with a single span of 212ft. across at a height of 75ft. from the rails. This immense span has since been surpassed, as the roof of the St. Pancras Station, London, is 243ft. from side to side. The roof ​of Lime Street Station. Liverpool, is also much larger, being 410ft wide, but it is in two spins. The station has been since greatly enlarged, extending as tar as Hill Street, on which side are the Midland Booking Offices. The tunnels have been partially widened or thrown into open cuttings, additional platforms constructed, and miles of new rails laid down, one whole street (Great Queen Street) being taken bodily into the station for a carriage drive. The station now covers nearly 12 acres, the length of platforms exceeding 1½ miles. The cost of this enlargement was over half-a-million sterling.
As in the case of New Street Station, the introduction of the Great Western Railway caused the removal of a very large number of old buildings, but the monster wooden shed which did duty as the Snow Hill Station for many years was as great a disgrace to the town as ever the old tumbledown structures could have been that were removed to make way for it. This, however, was remedied in 1871, by the erection of the present building, which is extensive and convenient, the platforms having a run of 720 feet, the span of the roof being 92 feet.
Rateable Values.—In 1815 the annual rateable value of property in the borough was totaled at £311,954; in 1824 the amount stood at £389,273, an increase of £77,319 in the ten years; in 1834 the return was £483,774, the increase being £94,501; in 1814 it was £569,686, or an increase of £85,912; in 1854 the returns showed £655,631, the increase, £85,934, being little more than in the previous decennial period. The next ten years were those of the highest prosperity the building trade of this town has ever known, and the rateable values in 1864 went up to £982,384, an increase of £326,763. In 1870 a new assessment was made, which added over £112,000 to the rateable values, the returns for 1874 amounting to £1,254,911, an increase in the ten years of £272,527. In 1877 the returns gave a total of £1,352,554; in 1878 £1,411,060, an increase in the one year of £58,506; but since 1878 the increase has not been so rapid, the average for the next three years being £36,379; and, as will be seen by the following table,
the yearly increase of values during the last three years is still less in each of the several parish divisions of the borough:— :
| | 1881 | 1882 | 1883 |
| Birmingham parish | £985,081 | £991,445 | £1,001,541 |
| Yearly increase | 18,483 | 6,364 | 10,096 |
| Edgbaston parish | £179,328 | £180,327 | £181,552 |
| Yearly increase | 8,474 | 999 | 1,225 |
| Aston, part of parish | £355,788 | £362,337 | £365,875 |
| Yearly increase | 9,419 | 6,549 | 3,588 |
| Total rateable value of the Borough | £1,520,179 | £1,534,109 | £1,548,968 |
| Yearly increase | 36,379 | 18,912 | 14,859 |
Rainfall.—The mean annual rainfall in the eleven years ending with 1871, in this neighbourhood, was 29.51 inches, in the following eleven years 36.01 inches, the two heaviest years being 1872 with 47.69 inches, and 1882 with 43.06 inches. The depth of rain ​registered in the last three months of 1882 (14.93 inches), was the largest for any three consecutive mouths ever recorded by our painstaking meteorologist, the late Mr. T. L. Plant, of Moseley.
Ravenhurst.—The old house at Camp Hill, which gave names to Hurst Street and Ravenhurst Street, leading in the direction of the mansion, where in 1810 there were found a number of coins and tokens of the period of Queen Elizabeth and Charles I., as well as sundry Scotch "bawbees."
Rea.—This little river takes its rise among the Lickey Hills, and from certain "geological discoveries made in 1883, there is every reason to believe that, in Saxon days, it was a stream of considerable force. The name Rea, or Rhei, is of Gaelic derivation, and, with slight alteration, it is the name of some other watercourses in the kingdom. From time to time, alterations have been made in the course_ of the Rea, and prior to the introduction of steam its waters were used extensively for mill-power, dams, fleams, and shoots interfering with the free running in all directions. Long little better than an open sewer, there is a prospect that, within a few years, it may be cleansed and become once more a limpid stream, if the sanitary authorities will but find some more convenient site as burial-place for unfortunate canines and felines.
Rebellion of 1745.—The first news of the Rebellion and of the landing of the Young Pretender reached here Aug. 19, 1745. The Scotch did not come so far as Birmingham, but [though thousands of swords were made here for "Bonnie Prince Charlie"] some little preparation was made to receive them. At a meeting held October 5, 1745, it was proposed to form a regiment of volunteers against them, and Sir Lister Holte found 250 hordes to pursue the unfortunate "Pretender," whose great-grandfather had been the guest of Sir Lister's ancestor.
Rebus.—Poking fun at our town is no new game, as may be seen by the following local rebus (by "Dardanus") copied from the Gentleman's Magazine of 1752:—
   "Take three-fourths of a creature which many admire, That's often confined in a castle of wire; Three-fourths of a herb that the garden doth yield, And a term used by husbandmen ploughing the field; With that part of a swine which is now much in fashion, And a town you'll discover in this brave English nation."
The answer was Bird, Mint, G, and Ham—Birmingham, the scribe who poetically replied, winding-up by saying that it was
   "A town that in trading excels half the nation, Because, Jove be thanked, there is no Corporation!"
Recorders.—The first Recorder appointed for the borough was Mr. Matthew Davenport Hill, whose name is so intimately connected with the history of Reformatory and Industrial Schools. Mr. Arthur Robarts Adams, Q.C., who succeeded Mr. M. D. Hill on his resignation in January, 1866, was a native of the county, and had acted as Deputy-Recorder for some years. He died in an apoplectic fit, while out shooting (Dec. 19, 1877), in Hagley Wood, near Oxford, in his 65th year. The present Recorder is Mr. John Stratford Dugdale, of Blythe Hall, Coleshill.
Recreation Grounds.—Early in 1854 Joseph Sturge set apart a field in Wheeley's Lane as a public playground for children, and this must rank as the first recreation ground. The last is the disused burial ground of St. Mary's Church, which, after an expenditure of about £1,500 was thrown open to the public as "St. Marys Garden," October 16, 1882.— See "Parks."
Red Book.—Quite a local institution is the yearly publication known ​as "The Birmingham Red Hook," which was first issued in 1865.
Reformatories.—See "Industrial Schools."
Reform Leagues—The first local affair of this kind that we have note of (though likely enough there had been "reform clubs" before that date) seems to have originated at a meeting of some dozen or so gentlemen at the Royal Hotel. Dee 14, 1829. On the 25th of Jan., 1830, a public meeting to organise a kind of local political bod' was held at 15eardswortlfs Repository, and it is chronicled that about 15,000 persons were present. The result was the formation of the celebrated Birmingham Political Union, though the full name was "The General Political Union between the Lower and Middle Classes of the People." The Union's "Petition of Rights" was issued Dec. 13, and the "Declaration of Council" Dec. 20, 1830. This is not the place to enter upon a history of the doings of the Political Union, which was dissolved by mutual consent of the leaders May 10, 1834, but there can be no doubt that it did have considerable influence on the political changes of the period. In 1848 an attempt was made to resuscitate the Old Union, though the promoters of the new organisation called it the "Political Council," and in 1865 another League or Union was started, which has a world-wide fame as "The Caucus." Indeed, it may be safely said the town has never, during the past sixty years or so, been without some such body, the last appointed being the "Reform League," started Sept. 2, 1880, by the Rev. Arthur O'Neill and his friends, to agitate for a change in the Constitution of the House of Lords.
Reform Meetings.—We have had a few big meetings of the kind one time and another, and give the dates of the principal. Newhall Hill used to be the favourite spot, and the first meeting held there was on January 22, 1817.—On July 22, 1819, there were 60,000 there, and a member was chosen to represent the town in Parliament. (See "Newhall Hill") The meeting of October 3, 1831, had only 150,000 persons at it, but May 7, in following year, saw 200,000 on the Hill—The "great" Reform meetings at Brookfields were on August 27, 1866, and April 22, 1867.—A procession to, and demonstration at Soho Pool, Aug. 4, 1884, at which 100,000 persons are said to have been present, is the last big thing of the kind.
Regattas.—Usually the A1 amusement of places blessed with sea or river space, but introduced to us (Aug 2, 1879), on the Reservoir, by the Y.M.C.A., whose members had to compete with some crack rowers from Evesham, Shrewsbury, Stratford, Stourport, and Worcester.
Registers.—At what date a parish register was first kept here is not known, but Mr. Hamper, the antiquarian, once found some old parts stowed away under the pulpit staircase, and he had them bound and preserved. There are very few perfect registers in this neighbourhood, though Aston can boast of one dated from 1544, King's Norton 1547, Handsworth 1558, Northfield 1560, Castle Bromwich 1659, and Moseley 1750—The Registration Act was passed Aug. 17, 1836.
Register Offices.—The custom of hiring servants at "statute fairs" and "mops" still exists in theory if not in practice, in several parts of the adjoining counties, but thanks to the low scale for advertising, such a system is not needed now. The introduction of register offices was a great improvement, the first opened in Birmingham being at 26, St. John Street (then a respectable neighbourhood), in January 1777, the fee being 6d. for registering and 3d. for an enquiry. There are a number of respectable offices of this kind now, but it cannot be hidden that there have been establishments so called which have been little better than dens of thievery, the proprietors caring only to ​net all the half-crowns and eighteen-pences they could extract from the poor people who were foolish enough to go to them.
Rejoicing. Days of—Great were the rejoicings in Birmingham October 9, 1746, when the news came of the battle of Culloden. The capture of Quebec, in 1759, was celebrated here on December 3, by a general illumination; the peace-loving Quakers, however, had to rejoice over broken windows, for the mob smashed them, one unfortunate Friend having to provide 115 squares of glass before his lights were perfect again. We were loyal in those days, and when we heard of our gallant boys thrashing their opponents, up went our caps, caring not on whose heads lay "the blood-guiltiness," and so there was shouting and ringing of bells on May 20, 1792, in honour of Admiral Rodney and his victory. The next great day of rejoicing, however, was for the Peace of Amiens in 1802, and it was notable the more especially from the fact of Soho Works being illuminated with gas, for the first time in the world's history used for such a purpose. In 1809, we put up the first statue in all England to the hero of Trafalgar, and we made the 6th of June the day to rejoice over it, because forsooth, it happened to be the jubilee day of George the Third. What he had done for us to rejoice about would be hard to tell; even more difficult is the query why we were so gleeful and joyous on February 1, 1820, when Ins successor was proclaimed. George IV.'s Coronation was celebrated here by the public roasting of oxen, and an immense dinner party in front of Beardsworth's Repository.
Religious Queerosities.—Among all its multifarious manufactures it would have been strange, indeed, if Birmingham had not prodnced something new in religious matters, and accordingly we find that in 1810 some of our advanced townsmen had formed themselves into a "Universal Community Society of Rational Religionists." We have not met with a copy of their rules, though Tidd Pratt registered them as of a Friendly Society (under cap. 4. Will. IV.), but the county magistrates, at the November Quarter Sessions would not pass them nor seal them. Of late years there have been introduced amongst us several other curiosities in the way of religious bodies, like the Theists, the Polytheists, the Positivists, the Secularists, the Latter-day Saints, and others.
Religious Societies.—In addition to those noted elsewhere, there have been many societies formed here which may come under this heading, such as the Lay Association for the Refutation of Infidelity, founded in 1839; the Protestant Association, commenced in 1847; the Christian Evidence Society, began in 1869; the Church Defence and Reform Association, formed in 1871, the Protestant and Church Association, inaugurated May 23, of same year, &c.
Repository.—Before the building of the Town Hall, there was no place in which a town's meeting could be held, except the Public Office in Moor Street, besides Beardsworth's Repository. As its name implies, it was originally built as a sale-room for horses and carriages, but some of the most important meetings known in Birmingham history have been held within its walls, grand banquets were often laid out there, popular lecturers have discoursed, and popular pugilists exhibited their prowess in the same arena, and the building has even been used as a barracks.
Republicanism.—In 1873 a small band of Birmingham bouncers patriotically provided us with a real "Republican Club," and proud of the feat announced the world-stirring fact to the "Hero of Caprera." The simple honest-hearted General, who knew not the guile of their hearts, was deluded into wishing them success. Ten years have passed since "Mio Caro Cattell" ​secured Garibaldi's autograph, but still Victoria remains Queen of Great Britain. Empress of Hindostan, and the best-beloved sovereign on the earth.
Reservoir.—See "Canals" and "Ranch Pool."
Restaurants.—Our grandfathers knew them not. They took their chop or steak at their inn or hotel, or visited the tripe houses. Indeed, Joe Allday's tripe shop in Union Street (opened about 1839-40) may be called the first "restaurant" established here, as it was the favourite resort of many Town Councillors and leading men of the town. A vegetarian restaurant was opened in Paradise Street in July, 1881, and 1883 saw the commencement of another novelty in the line, a fish restaurant in the old Warwick Passage.—See "Luncheon Bars."
Rifle Clubs.—The Midland Rifle Club was started in 1875, the Staffordshire Rifle Association dating from 1861. Both clubs use the range at Sandwell Park, by permission of the Earl of Dartmouth. At the International Match at Creedmore, New York, in 1881, the representatives of this neighbourhood scored high numbers. Corporal Bates (of the M.R.C.) taking the only first prize secured by visitors in the open competitions of the U.S. Associations.
Rights of Man.—An effigy of Tom Paine, author of "The Rights of Man," was paraded through the streets, Feb. 12, 1793, and ignominiously burned in the evening.
Ringers.—The St. Martin's Society of Change Ringers, date from 1755, and have always held high rank among the bellringers of the country. Many old newspapers have chronicled their mighty doings with bobs and treble bobs, caters and cinques, in all their courses and changes. In Southey's "Doctor" (vol. 1, p. 303) mention is made of "eight Birmingham youths who ventured upon a peal of 15,120 bob major, but after ringing for eight hours and a half were so fatigued that the caller brought them round at the 14,224th change, perhaps the longest peal that had ever been rung." On February 28, 1881, the ringers achieved a true peal of Stedman cinques, containing 9,238 change, in 6¾ hours, being the longest peal ever rung in that method, and noteworthy as the composition of H. Johnson, senr., and rung in honour of his 72nd birthday. In former days the local ringers were also famed for their skill with handbells, one celebrated performer being Elijah Roberts, an extraordinary adept, who died in 1865. One of this worthy's feats was the ringing (at Liverpool. March 23, 1837) a peal comprising 19,440 changes of Kent treble bob maximus, taking 13¾ hours.—See "Bells."
Riots.—In times past the Brums had a bad name for rioting, and when the list is looked over many may think it not undeserved.—In July, 1715, the Old Meeting House was destroyed in a riot.—In 1737 the naiimakers from Worcestershire marched into this town and forced the ironmongers to sign a paper allowing an advance in prices.—Some bigoted brutes got up an anti-Methodist movement in 1751, which culminated in a general riot on Oct. 19, the pulpit and seats being taken out of the meetinghouse and burnt.—The history of "the Birmingham Riots" of 1791 is world-known, and there is no necessity to repeat the disgraceful tale. The damage was estimated at £60,000; the sufferers recovered only £27,000.—On Oct. 24, 1793, caused by the enforced collection of the rates levied to pay damages done in riots of 1791. Two more lives lost.—June 22, 1795, on account of scarcity of food and the high prices thereof. Soldiers called out, and they gave two unfortunates leaden food enough to kill them.—May 28, 1810, two women fell out over the price of some potatoes, others joined in and a scrimmage ensued. Constables came and men mauled them, and the result of the unruly ​wagging of those two women's tongues was a riot, which lasted four days. Three men were sentenced to grow potatoes at Botany Bay the rest of their lives.—March 22, 1813, the chapels in Bond Street, Belmont Row, and Ladywell Walk, with the Jews' Synagogue in Severn Street, were damaged by a riotous mob. The Jabet Riots in 1816 were primarily caused by the proprietor of Jabet's Herald publishing an address showing that "a man, wife, and six children could live on 6s a week." Some cheap food was presented to the printer ill the shape of potatoes, with which his windows were smashed.—Claims for damages arising out of the Chartist riots of 1839 were made to the amount of £16,283, of which £15,027 were allowed, and rates were made on the Hundred of Hemlingford for £20,000 to cover the same and the expenses attendant thereon. It was a curious coincidence that the rioters of 1839 should have chosen July the 15th for their fiery pranks, the roughs of 1791 having on the same day of the same month, burnt Hutton's and other houses. At the Warwick Assizes, Aug. 8, 1839, Jeremiah Howell, Francis Roberts, and John Jones were sentenced to be hung, Thomas Aston had sentence of death recorded against him, and 13 other hot-heads were ordered various terms of imprisonment, for taking part in the mischief.—At Snow Hill Flour Mills, June 20, 1847, arising out of the seizure of sundry short weights.—The "Murphy Riots" commenced on Sunday, June 16, 1867, when William Murphy, the Anti-Papal lecturer, delivered his first oration. The police had to clear Cans Lane with their cutlasses, and Park Street was nearly demolished. An Irishman who threatened Morris Roberts in his publichouse was shot by him on the l7th, and the act was declared to be justifiable.—There was a disgraceful row (which may well be classed under this heading) at St. Alban's Church, Oct. 13, 1867, in consequence of some ecclesiastical excommunicatory proceedings.—The Navigation Street riot of roughs, in which Police-officers Lines and Fletcher were stabbed, took place March 7, 1875. Lines died on the 24th, and was buried at Aston the 29th. The sum of £840 14s. was gathered to support his wife and daughter. The Assizes, held in the following July, may be called "the Roughs' Reprisals," as one was sentenced to death, four to penal servitude for life, six to fifteen years each (three of them were flogged as well), one to ten years, one to seven years, and four to five years each.—A Conservative "demonstration" held at the Lower Grounds, October 13th, 1884, was broken into and disturbed by Liberals, who held a meeting outside and then breached the walls, spoilt the fireworks, and added another to the long list of Birmingham riots.
Ritualism.—Though there has been many instances of local clergymen adopting practices which usually come under the name of ritualistic, we have had but one "Martyr to the Cause," in the person of the Rev. R. W. Enraght, of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Bordesley. Among the numerous practices of which complaint was made against him were the following:—The use of lighted candles, the wearing of the alb and chasuble, the ceremonial mixing of water and wine, the making of the sign of the cross towards the congregation, the use of wafers instead of bread, standing with his back to the congregation during the prayer for consecration, not continuing to stand the whole time during the prayer, elevation of the cup and paten more than is necessary, causing the Agnus Dei to be sung immediately after the consecration, standing instead of kneeling during the Confession, and kissing the Prayer Book. Remonstrance, monition, and inhibition, not being sufficient to teach him the error of his ways, Mr. Enraght was committed for contempt Nov. 20, 1880, and taken to Warwick gaol on the 27th ​He was released soon after Christmas, and another Vicar fileth his place.
Roach Pool.—In the years 1825-26 the proprietors of the old Birmingham Canal purchased about 130 acres of land, partly in Edgbaston and partly in Birmingham parishes, for the purpose of forming reservoirs or feeders for their canal. Part of the area included Roach Pool, through which the boundary line ran, and the pleasant path then by its side is now 15ft., or 16ft. under water. In Ragg's "Edgbaston" is an allusion to this:—
   "In Rotton Park No more doth Roach Pool smile. Its humble mirror. Wherein the stars were once content to gaze On their reflected forms, is buried now Some fathoms deep. Yea, with the humble path That led beside its banks."
Roads.—Some of the roads leading into and out of Birmingham in the olden days were little better than deep ruts, which were more or less levelled about the middle of last century. The making of the great Holyhead coach-road also graded some of the steeper spots as well as the lowest, but the modern town improvements must be credited as the greatest factor in the levelling of the roads, none of which, however, were "macadamised," until 1818. The total length of highways "taken to" and repairable by the Corporation at the commencement of 1884, amounted to 185½ miles, there being other 12½ miles undeclared. Ten years ago the figures stood at 143 and 40 respectively; but as during the last six years, owners of property have been paying at the rate of £17,820 per annum, for completion of the streets and highways so as to bring them in charge of the Corporation, the undeclared roads will soon be few and far between. To keep the roads fit for travelling on, requires about 60,000 tons of stone per year.
Rogues, Thieves, and Vagabonds.—According to some calculations made by the late Rev. Micaiah Hill, Sec. to the Town Mission, there were, on a given day, in 1880, 1,272 known thieves and bad characters at large in the town, of whom 177 were under sixteen years of age. There were 71 houses kept by receivers of stolen goods, 118 others known to be frequented by the criminal classes, and 188 houses of ill-fame, in which 262 women were found on the same day.
Rolling Mills.—There was one at Nechells as early as 1690, though the exact date of the erection of nearly all these places is a matter of the greatest uncertainity. The first steam rolling mill, with the exception of the one at Soho, was put up at Bradley ironworks.
Rotton Park.—In the list of the tenants of Edward Birmingham, whose estate was confiscated (circ. 1536), there appears the name of John Praty, as "farmer" of the office of "keeper of the Park called Rotton (or Roten) Park," with all the profits thereof, and the "wyndefal wood and lopwood," building timber excepted.
Rowley Rag.—The fusibility of basalt having been theoretically demonstrated, Mr. Henry Adcock, C.E., in 1851 took out letters patent for the manufacture of a number of articles from the Rowley ragstone. Furnaces were erected at Messrs. Chance Brothers, and the experiment thoroughly carried out, a number of columns, window-sills, doorways, steps, and other architectural pieces being the result. The process, however, was too expensive, and had to be given up. A number of the articles were used in the erection of Edgbaston Vestry Hall, where the curious may inspect them if so inclined.
Royal Visitors.—It is believed that Richard III. was the guest of Baron de Bermingham in November, 1189, and possibly King John may have visited the Manor, as he was more than once in the immediate neighbourhood (1206-08), but with those exceptions ​Charles I. was the first Sovereign who honoured us with a visit. He was at Aston Hall, October 16 and 17, 1642. and on the 18th he went to Packingtou. He was also in the neighbourhood on Friday, July 13, 1644. Queen Henrietta Maria, his Consort, was hereabouts on July 10, 1643, passing from Walsall to meet Prince Rupert at King's Norton. Charles II. does not appear to have been nearer than at Erdington. Prince Rupert paid his memorable visit April, 1643. In 1742, the Duke of Cumberland, with his forces, on their way to Scotland, encamped on Meriden Heath, near Packington Park.—October 21, 1765, Edward, Duke of York, was here, and grumbled at the inconvenient ballroom in which he danced, an event which probably led to the erection of the Royal Hotel.—The Duke of Gloucester May 4, 1805, slept at the Royal, and in the following Ju!y, King George III. was expected to lay the foundation stone of Christ Church, but was too ill to come, and the next Royal visitors were his grand-daughter (and our Most Gracious Queen) Victoria, and her mother the Duchess of Kent, who on August 4, and 5, 1830, inspected some of our principal manufactories. On a similar errand came the late Prince Consort, November 29, 1843; his next visit being made Nov. 12, 1849 to see the Exposition of Art and Manufactures at the Old Bingley Hall in Broad Street, which occasion Birmingham men proudly believe led to the great Hyde Park Exhibition of 1851. Her Majesty passed through the town on the 30th of August, 1852, when an address was presented to her. Prince Albert laid the foundation stone of the Midland Institute, November 22, 1855. The Duke of Cambridge, June 1, 1857, planted a tree in Calthorpe Park, as part of the opening ceremony. In the following year, June 15, 1858, the Queen and Prince Albert inaugurated the "People's Park," at Aston and Her Majesty said it was the finest reception she had ever met with. Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, opened the Horticultural Exhibition at Lower Grounds, June 24, 1872. The Duke of Edinburgh was at the Musical Festival, Aug. 26, and following days, 1873. The Prince and Princess of Wales visited the town Nov. 3, 1874, and received a most enthusiastic welcome. Prince and Princess Teck were here Dec, 6, 1875; and the Prince and Princess Christian, with the Marquis of Lorne, visited the Cattle and Dog Shows, Dec., 1883. The Prince of Wales having accepted the Presidentship of the Agricultural Exhibition Society, it is believed he will again visit the town shortly.
Royal Visitors from Abroad.—The great workshops of Birmingham, and especially the Soho Works (in their day), have, for the last hundred years, attracted many crowned and coronetted heads from other parts of the world, though, in many respects, it is to be feared our town no longer holds the pre-eminence in manufacture it once did. The Hereditary Prince of Brunswick came here, January 2, 1766. The Empress of Russia inspected Soho in 1776. The Duc de Chartres came on a similar visit, February 22, 1785, and there were newspaper flunkies then as now, for it was gravely recorded that the Duke's horses were stabled at the Swan Inn. His Serene Highness the Statholder and the Prince of Orange called at Boulton's, August 8, 1796. The Grand Duke Nicholas, afterwards Emperor of Russia, was here, November 9, 1816. His Serene Highness Prince Nicolas Esterhazy, visited us in the month of August, 1821. Prince Louis Napoleon, afterwards Napoleon III., was seen here occasionally while in exile. The King of Portugal went the round of the manufactories, June 26, 1854; Prince Oscar of Sweden, May 8, 1862; the Emperor of Brazil, July 28, 1871; the Sultan of Zanzibar, July 2, 1875; Archduke Randolph, Crown Prince of Austria, and Prince Esterhazy, January 31 1878; and the ​ Duke of Braganza, Crown Prince of Portugal, in December, 1883.