Warwick and Staffordshire Journal.—Though printed here, the town was not thought capable of filling its columns; a little experience snowed the two counties to be as bad, and subscribers were tempted to buy by the issue of an Illustrated Bible and Prayer Book sent out in parts with the paper. The first No. was that of Aug. 20, 1737, and it continued till the end of Revelations, a large number of copperplate engravings being given with the Bible, though the price of the paper was but 2d.
Weekly Mercury.—Commenced November, 1884.
Weekly News.—A weak attempt at a weekly paper, lasted from May to September, 1882.
Newsrooms.—The first to open a newsroom were Messrs. Thomson and Wrightson, booksellers, who on Aug. 22, 1807, admitted the public to its tables. In 1825 a handsome newsroom was erected in Bennett's Hill, the site of which was sold in 1858 for the County Court, previous to its removal to Waterloo Street.
New Street once called "Beast Market," was in Hutton's time approached from High Street through an archway, the rooms over being in his occupation. In 1817 there were several walled-in gardens on the Bennett's Hill side of the street, and it is on record that one house at least was let at the low rent of 5s. 6d. per week. The old "Grapes" public-house was pulled down just after the Queen's visit, being the last of the houses removed on account cf the railway station. Though it has long been the principal business street of the town. New street was at one time devoted to the ignoble purposes of a beast market, and where the fair ladies of to-day lightly tread the flags when on shopping bent, the swine did wait the butcher's knife. New Street is 561 yards in length; between Temple Street and Bennett's Hill it is 46½ feet wide, and near Worcester Street 65 ft. 4 in. wide.
Nonconformists.—The so-called Act of Uniformity of 1662 deprived nearly 2,000 of the clergy of their livings, and a few of them came to Birmingham as a place of refuge, ministering among the Dissenters, who then had no buildings for regular worship. There were many documents in the lost Staunton Collection relating to some of these clergymen, who, however, did not find altogether comfortable quarters even here, one George Long, M.D., who had fled from his persecutors in Staffordshire, finding no peace in Birmingham, removed to Ireland; others, though they came here by stealth to minister, had to reside in country parts. A Central Nonconformist Committee was formed here March 3, 1870.
Nonjurors.—Among the name of the Roman Catholics, or "Nonjurors," who refused to take the oath of allegiance to George I., appeard that of John Stych, of Birmingham, whose forfeited estate was, in 1715, valued at £12.
Northfield.—Four and a-half miles from Birmingham. There was a Church here at the time of the Norman survey, and some traces of its Saxon origin, students of architecture said, could once be found in the ancient doorway on the north side of the building. Some forty years ago the psalmody of the congregation and choir received assistance from the mellifluous strains ground out of a barrel organ, which instrument is still preserved as a curiosity by a gentleman of the neighbourhood. They had an indelible way at one time of recording local proceedings in matters connected with the Church here. The inscriptions on the six bells cast in 1730 being:—
Treble.—We are now six, though once but five,
2nd—Though against our casting some did strive,
3rd.— But when a day for meeting they did fix,
4th.—There appeared but nine against twenty six.
