Questions

1.
 When did this meeting take place?
2.
 How high is Edgbaston Observatory?
3.
 Is it in Edgbaston?
4.
 Do you remember why it was called Perrott's Folly?
5.
 At the time of the meeting it was 32 years old. In what year was it built?
6.
 How old was the Watt engine-house? (See last story)
7.
 This story names two buildings that are still standing, apart from the Observatory, and nine that have gone. How many of them can you name: where were they?
8.
 What modern roads were there in Hutton's time, even if they were only paths?
9.
 Who drew the first complete map of Birmingham Parish (St. Martin's).
10.
 Where did the Smeatons live? If it were standing today, where would it be?
11.
 What does 'perambulating the bounds' mean?
12.
 Of which farm was our school site a part?
13.
 Which parishes was our school site in - both of them?
14.
 What were the Streets Commissioners appointed to do?
15.
 Why were they not concerned with Rotton Park?
16.
 Which bodies were supposed to maintain the Turnpikes?
17.
 Why was Hutton so angry about them?
18.
 Why is the building on the opposite corner to the Bear Inn called The Causeway?
19.
 Why did Molly advise Hutton against going as far as the Bear?
20.
 Could you walk along the parish bounds today? If not, why not?

1780 Birmingham Metal Company formed. Taylor's cast-iron hollowware.

1782 Watt's Rotative Engine patented - an alternative to water-power, very inadequate on the Birmingham district's small streams. Slow introduction of steam.

1783 Twigg's Grinding & Boring Mill, Snow Hill, powered by a Watt engine. Canal link to Staff. & Worcs. Canal, thence to Trent & Mersey.

1788 Development of Ashted, Easy Hill, Crescent.

1790 Birmingham to Fazeley Canal link to Coventry Canal: Silver Cross linking Severn, Mersey, Humber & Thames

1790 Birmingham to Fazeley Canal link to Coventry Canal : Silver Cross linking Severn, Mersey, Humber & Thames. Slow but cheap transport now available for Birmingham manufactures : growing overseas markets, increasing diversity of processes and products.

1791 'Church & King Riots'. Bordesley Hall, Moseley Hall, Priestley's house & several others burnt, called Birmingham Riots

1794 Birmingham Mint

1795 Warwick to Birmingham Canal completed

1800s Better communications. Very rapid unplanned growth, industry & slum housing together, poverty & riches. Smoke, dirt, disease. Child & female sweated labour. Gradual tardy development of public health & factory legislation, public services & municipal government. Brass, copper, steel: guns, electro-plating, chemicals, jewellery, metalwares. Spread of industry along canals.

1801 Third Improvement Act. First appointment of public watchmen.

1802 Murdoch's gas-lighting installed at Soho.

1804 Dudley Canal tunnel link to Selly Oak (Worcester Canal) opened.

1806 Manorial market & fair rights bought from Lord of Manor.

1807 Public Offices (first municipal building) built in Moor Street.

1812 Fourth Improvement Act. Road-making powers. Chamber of Commerce formed.

1815 Worcester to Birmingham Canal opened. Joined B'ham Canal at Broad Street Wharf.

1816 Stratford to Birmingham Canal opened. Joined Worcs. Canal at Kings Norton. Smithfield Market opened, on manor-house site.

1818 Central street lit by gas.

1821 423 people in Sheldon
Previous