Page:Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham.djvu/347

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SHOWELL'S DICTIONARY OF BIRMINGHAM.
335

receive 1s. each per day; a master bricklayer, a mason, a cartwright, a thatcher, a tyler, a mower, and a reaper also 1s. per day, other workmen and labourers averaging from 4d. to 8d. per day, but none of them to receive more than half these rates if their meat and drink was found them. The hours of work to be from five in the morning till half-past seven at night. Any person refusing to work upon these terms was to be imprisoned, and anyone paying more to forfeit £5 in addition to ten days' imprisonment, the unfortunate individual receiving such extra wages to suffer in like manner for twenty-one days. In 1777, there was a row among the tailors, which led to what may be called the first local strike. The unfortunate "knights of the thimble" only got 12s. to 14s. per week.

Warstone Lane takes its name from the Hoarstone, supposed to have been an ancient boundary mark, which formerly stood at the corner of the lane and Icknield Street, and which is now preserved within the gateway en trance to the Church of England cemetery. Hutton says that in 1400 there was a castle, with a moat round it, in Warstone Lane. The lane has also been called Deadman's Lane, and considering the proximity of the cemetery that name might even now be applicable.

Warwick House, as it now stands was began in 1839 or 1840 ; formerly it was composed of two cottages, one with a bit of garden ground in front, which underwent the usual transformation scene of being first covered in then built upon.

Warwickshire, the county in which Birmingham is situated, has a total area of 566,458 acres, of which 283,946 acres are permanent pasture lands, and 210,944 acres under crops or arable land. In 1882 the live stock in the country, as returned by the occupiers of land, included 29,508 horses, 5,503 being kept solely for breeding; 93,334 cattle; 218,355 sheep; and 41,832 pigs.

Warwick Castle is open to visitors every day, except Sunday; when the family are absent from home, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., but if they are at home, from 9 to 10 a.m. only.

Warwick Vase.—The bronze copy in Aston Hail was cast by Sir Richard Thomason.

Warwickshire Regiment.—The 6th Foot recruited in this county in 1778 so successfully that it was called "The Warwickshire," Birmingham supplying the largest proportion cf the men, and raising by public subscription £2,000 towards" their equipment. Under Lord Cardwell's army localisation plan of 1873, the regiment is now called the 1st Royal Warwickshire, and, with the Warwickshire Militia and Volunteers, forms the 28th Brigade.

Watch House.—On the right land side ot Crooked Lane from High Street, may still be seen the old Watch House, v;here, fifty years ago, the "Charleys," or night watchmen, took any drunken or disorderly characters, or night prowlers, they happened to meet with^ or whom they dare tackle.

Waterloo Veterans.—John McKay was born in November, 1792, and entered the army as a drummerboy in 1803 ; he died here in July, 1879. He served 41 years, and was for the last 25 years of his life office keep;r of the Royal Engineers' Office in this town. Another "Waterloo man," George Taylor, died here, November 6, 1880, aged 98.

Water Pipes.—In 1810 Mr. Murdoch started a Company for manufacturing stone pipes for water-works, «nd they made a large quantity, which were laid down in London and Manchester, but they had to come up again, as the pipes split—and the Company burst.