has given employ to many thousands, but in addition thereto is the separate manufacture of "heavy edge tools." Light edge tools, such as table and pocket knives, scissors, gravers, &c., are not made here, though "heavy" tools comprising axes, hatchets, cleavers, hoes, spades, mattocks, forks, chisels, plane irons, machine knives, scythes, &c., in endless variety and of hundreds of patterns, suited to the various parts of the world for which they are required. Over 4,000 hands are employed in this manufacture.
Tubes.—Immense quantities (estimated at over 15,000 tons) of copper, brass, iron, and other metal tubing are annually sent out of our workshops. In olden days the manufacture of brass and copper tubes was by the tedious process of rolling up a strip of metal and soldering the edges together. In 1803 Sir Edward Thomason introduced the 'patent tube"—iron body with brass coating, but it was not until 1838 that Mr. Charles Green took out his patent for "seamless" tubes, which was much improved upon in 1852 by G. F. Muntz, junr., as well as by Mr. Thos. Attwood in 1850, with respect to the drawing of copper tubes. The Peyton and Peyton Tube Co., London Works, was registered June 25, 1878, capital £50,000 in £5 shares. Messrs. Peyton received 1,000 paid-up shares for their patent for machinery for manufacturing welded and other tubes, £3,500 for plant and tools, the stock going at valuation.
Tutania Metal took its name from Tutin, the inventor. It was much used a hundred years ago. in the manufacture of buckles.
Umbrellas.—The name of the man who first carried an umbrella in this town (about the year 1780) has not yet been enrolled among our "Birmingham Worthies," but he must have been known to some of our fathers, for it is not much more than 100 years ago since Jonas Hanway walked down the Strand, shielding his wig from the wet with the first umbrella seen in London. The metal work required for setting-up, technically called "furniture," has long been made here, and gives employment to about 1,700 hands, two-thirds of whom are females.
Vinegar.—Pardon's Vinegar Brewery, Glover Street, is worth a visit, if only to look at their five vats, each upwards of 30ft. high and 24ft. in diameter, and each capable of storing 58,000 gallons. But, besides these, among the largest of their kind in the world, there are thirteen 24,000 gallons vats, five 15,000, and twenty seven 10,000.
Vitriol.—The Oil of Vitriol in 1800 was reduced from 3s. per lb. ta Is. ; in 1865 it was sold at Id.
Watchmaking.—Few names of eminent horologists are to be found in the lists of departed tradesmen; so few indeed that watchmaking would seem to have been one of the unknown arts, if such a thing was possible at any period of the last two hundred years of Birmingham history. Messrs. Brunner (Smallbrook Street), Swinden (Temple Street), and Ehrardt (Barr Street West) take the lead at present among private firms, but the introduction of a watch manufactory is duo to Mr. A L. Dennison, who, though not the originator of the notion, after establishing factories in America (in or about 1850) and Switzerland, came to this country in 1871, and, with other gentlemen, in the following year started the Anglo- American Watch Co. (Limited), a factory being erected in Villa Street. The trade of the Co. was principally with America, which was supplied with machine made "works" from here until the Waltham, Elgin, and other firms over there beat them out of the market, a not very difficult operation, considering that our fair-trading cousins impose a 25 per cent, duty on all such goods sent there by the free-traders of this country. The Villa Street establishment was purchased in 1875 by Mr. William Bragge, who developed the business under the name of The English
