Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham/V
Vaughton's Hole.—An unfortunate soldier fell into a deep clay pit here, in July, 1857, and was drowned; and about a month after (August 6) a horse and cart, laden with street sweepings, was backed too near the edge, over-turned, and sank to the bottom of sixty feet deep of water. The place was named after a very old local family who owned considerable property in the neighbourhood of Gooch Street, &c., though the descendants are known as Houghtons.
Vauxhall.—In an old book descriptive of a tour through England, in 1766, it is mentioned that near Birmingham there "is a scat belonging to Sir Liston Holte, Bart., but now let out for a public house (opened June 4, 1758), where are gardens, &c., with an organ and other music, in imitation of Vauxhall, by which name it goes in the neighbourhood." The old place, having been purchased by the Victoria Land Society, was closed by a farewell dinner and ball, September 16, 1850, the first stroke of the axe to the trees being given at the finish of the ball, 6 a.m. next morning. In the days of its prime, before busy bustling Birmingham pushed up to its walls, it ranked as one of the finest places of amusement anywhere out of London. The following verse (one of five) is from an "Impromptu written by Edward Farmer in one of the alcoves at Old Vauxhall, March 6, 1850":—
"There's scarce a heart that will not start,
No matter what it's rank and station,
And heave a sigh when they destroy.
Tills favourite place of recreation.
If we look back on memory's track,
What joyous scenes we can recall,
Of happy hours in its gay bowers,
And friends we met at Old Vauxhall!"
Velocipedes.—We call them "cycles" nowadays, but in 1816-20 they were 'dandy-horses," and in the words of a street ballet of the period
" The hobby-horse was all the go
In country and in town."
Views of Birmingham.—The earliest date "view" of the town appears to be the one given in Dugdale's Warwickshire, of 1656, and entitled "The Prospect of Birmingham, from Ravenhurst (near London Road), in the South-east part of the Towne."
Villa Cross was originally built for and occupied as a school, and known as Aston Villa School.
Visitors of Distinction in the old Soho days, were not at all rare, though they had not the advantages of travel- ling by rail. Every event of the kind, however, was duly chronicled in the Gazette, but they must be men of superior mark indeed, or peculiarly notorious perhaps, for their movements to be noted nowadays. Besides the "royalties" noted elsewhere, we were honoured with the presence of the Chinese Commissioner Pin-ta-Jen.May, 7, 1866, and his Excellency the Chinese Minister Ku-ta Jen, January 23, 1878. Japanese Ambassadors were here May 20, 1862, and again November 1, 1872. The Burmese Ambassadors took a look at us August 14, 1872, and the Madagascar Ambassadors followed on January 5, 1883.—Among the brave and gallant visitors who have noted are General Elliott, who came August 29th, 1787. Lord Nelson, August 30, 1802, and there is an old Harborneite still living who says he can recollect seeing the hero come out of the hotel in Temple Row. The Duke of Wellington and Sir Robert Peel dined at Dee's Hotel, September 23, 1830. The Duke's old opponent, Marshal Soult, in July 1838, seemed particularly interested in the work going on among our gunshops. Lady Havelock, her two daughters, and General Havelock, the only surviving brother of Sir Henry, visited the town October 8, 18r)8. General Ulysses Grant, American Ex-president, was soft-soaped at the Town Hall, October 19, 1877.—Politicians include Daniel O'Connell, January 20, 1832. The Right Hon. Benjamin Disraeli, who visited the Small Arms Factory, August 18, 1869, was again here August 22, 1876, immediately after being raised to the peerage as Earl of Beaconsfield. The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone was welcomed with a procession and a "monster meeting" at Bingley Hall, May 31, 1877. The Right Hon. R. A. Cross, Home Secretary, honoured the Conservatives by attending a banquet in the Town Hall, Nov. 20, 1876. Sir Stafford Northcote, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, came here Oct. 19, 1878, and was at Aston, Oct. 13, 1884, when the Radical roughs made themselves conspicuous. Lord Randolph Churchill was introduced to the burgesses, April 15, 1884; and has been here many times since, as well as the late Col. Burnaby, who commenced his candidature for the representation of the borough July 23, 1878.—In the long list of learned and literary visitors occur the names of John Wesley, who first came here in March, 1738, and preached on Gosta Green in 1743 Whitfield preached here in Oct., 1753. Benjamin Franklin was in Birmingham in 1758, and for long afterwards corresponded with Baskerville and Boulton. Fulton, the American engineer, (originally a painter) studied here in 1795. Washington Irving, whose sister was married to Mr. Henry Van Wart, spent a long visit here, during the course of which he wrote the series of charming tales comprised in his "Sketch Book." His "Bracebridge Hall," if not written, was conceived here, our Aston Hall being the prototype of the Hall, and the Bracebridge family of Atherstone found some of the characters. Thomas Carlyle was here in 1824; Mr. and Mrs. Beecher Stowe ("Uncle Tom's Cabin"), in May, 1853; Sir W. Crofton, Oct. 9, 1862; M. Chevalier, April 28, 1875; Mr. Ruskin, July 14, 1877; Rev. Dr. Punshon, March 19, and J. A. Froude, M.A., March 18, 1878 ; Mr. Archibald Forbes, April 29, 1878; H. M. Stanley, Nov. 6. 1878; Bret Harte, April 7, 1879; the Rev. T. de Witt Talmage, an American preacher of great note, lectured in Town Hall June 9 and July 7, 1879, on "The Bright side of Things," and on "Big Blunders;" but, taking the brightest view he could, he afterwards acknowledged that his coming here was the biggest blunder he had ever made. Oscar Wilde, March 13, 1884. Lola Montes lectured here March 2-4, 1859. Dr. Kenealy was here June 26, 1875. The Tichborne Claimant showed himself at the Town Hall, August 26, 1872, and again, "after his exile," at the Birmingham Concert Hall, Jan. 12, 1885.
Volunteers in the Olden Time.—A meeting was held October 5, 1745, for the raising of a regiment of volunteers to oppose the Scotch rebels, but history does not chronicle any daring exploits by this regiment. Playing at soldiers would seem to have been formerly a more popular (or shall we say patriotic) amusement than of late years; for it is recorded that a local corps was organised in August, 1782, but we suppose it was disbanded soon after, as in 1797, when the threatening times of revolution alarmed our peaceful sires, there were formed in Birmingham two companies, one of horse and one of foot, each 500 strong, under the commands of Capt. Pearson and Lord Brooke. They were called the Birmingham Loyal Association of Volunteers, and. held their first parade in Coleshill Street, August 15, 1797. On the 4th of June following a grand review was held on Birmingham Heath (then unenclosed) to the delight of the local belles, who knew not which the most to admire, the scarlet horse or the blue foot. Over 100,000 spectators were said to have been present, and, strangest thing of all, the Volunteers were armed with muskets brought from Prussia. The corps had the honour of escorting Lord Nelson when, with Lady Hamilton, he visited the town in 1802. At a review on August 2, 1804, the regiment were presented with its colours, and for years the "Loyals" were the most popular men of the period. Our neighbours do not seem to have been more backward than the locals, though why it was necessary that the services of the Handsworth Volunteer Cavalry should be required to charge and put to flight the rioters in Snow Hill (May 29, 1810) is not very clear.—See also "Train Bands."
Volunteers of the Present Day.—The first official enrolment of Volunteers of the present corps, was dated Nov. 25, 1859, though a list of names was on paper some three months earlier. Unlike sundry other movements which are now of a national characters that for the formation of a volunteer army was so far from having a local origin, that for a long time it was viewed with anything but favour in Birmingham; and, though it is not pleasant to record the fact, it was not until the little parish of Handsworth had raised its corps of the First Staffordshire, that the Brums really stepped into the ranks. Properly the natal day should be reckoned as the 14th of December, 1859, when a town's meeting was held "for the purpose of adopting such measures as might seem desirable for placing Birmingham in its proper position with regard to the great national rifle movement." The Hon. Charles Granville Scott had been previously selected by Lord Leigh (the Lord-Lieutenant of the County as Colonel, Major Sanders had accepted the Captaincy, Mr. J. O. Mason been appointed Lieutenant, and 111 names entered on the roll of members of the 1st Company, but it was not till the above-named day that the movement really made progress, the Mayor (Mr. Thos. Lloyd), Sir John Ratcliff, Mr. A. Dixon, and Mr. J. Lloyd each then promising to equip his twenty men apiece, and sundry other gentle- men aiding to dress up others of the rank and file. The money thus being found the men were soon forthcoming too, the end of the year showing 320 names on the roll call, a number increased to 1,080 by the close of 1860. The latter year saw the first parade in Calthorpe Park, the opening of the range at Bournebrook, and the formation of the twelve companies forming the first battalion, but, notwithstanding many liberal donations (the gunmakers giving £850), and the proceeds of the first annual ball, it closed with the corps being in debt over £1,000. On the formation of the 2nd county battalion, Cul. Scott took command thereof, Major Sanders being promoted. He was followed by Lieut.-Col. Mason, on whose resignation, in February, 1867, Major Ratcliff succeeded, the battalion being then 1,161 strong. Col. Ratcliff retired in June, 1871, and was replaced by Major-General Hinde, C. B., who held command until his death, March 1, 1881. Major Gem who temporarily acted as commander, also died the following Nov. 4, Major Burt filling the post till the appointment of Col. W. Swynfen Jervis. The first adjutant (appointed in 1860) was Captain Mclnnis, who retired in 1870, having received bodily injuries through being thrown from his horse; he was succeeded by the present Adjutant-Colonel Tarte. The first uniform of the corps was a grey tunic with green facings, and a peaked cap with cock's feathers; in 1863 this was changed for a green uniform with red facings, similar to that worn by the 60th Rifles, with the exception of a broad red stripe on the trousers. The trouser stripe was done away with in 1875, when also the cap and feathers gave place to the busby and glengarry, the latter in 1884 being exchanged for the regulation army helmet, and soon perhaps our boys will all be seen in scarlet like their brothers of the Staffordshire battalions. At no date since its enrolment has the battalion been free from debt, and it now owes about £1,300, a state of affairs hardly creditable to the town which sends out yearly, some half-million firearms from its manufactories. The annual balls did not become popular, the last taking place in 1864; bazaars were held October 14-17, 1863, and October 24-27, 1876; athletic displays have been given (the first in May, 1865), and the cap has been sent round more than once, but the debt—it still remains. At the Volunteer Review, July 24, 1861, before the Duke of Cambridge; at the Hyde Park Review, June, 1865, before the Prince of Wales; at the Midland Counties' Review at Derby, June, 1867; at the Royal Review at Windsor in 1868; and at every inspection since, the Birmingham corps has merited and received the highest praise for general smartness and efficiency; it is one of the crack corps of the kingdom, and at the present time (end of 1884) has not one inefficient member out of its 1,200 rank and file, but yet the town is not Liberal enough to support it properly. The first march-out of 720 to Sutton took place June 21, 1875, others joining at the camp, making over 800 being under canvas, 744 attending the review. The camping-out at Streetly Wood has annually recurred since that date; the first sham fight took place June 20, 1877. The "coming-of-age" was celebrated by a dinner at the Midland Hotel, January 29, 1881, up to which time the Government grants had amounted to £26,568 143., the local subscriptions to £8,780, and the donations to £1,956 Is. 3d. The Birmingham Rifle Corps is now known as the First Volunteer Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, having been linked to the "Saucy Sixth," under the army scheme of 1873.—See "Public Buildings—Drill Hall."
Von Beck.—The Baroness Von Beck was a lady intimately connected with the chiefs of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, and appears to have been employed by them in various patriotic services. In 1851 she visited Birmingham and was a welcome guest until "someone blundered" and charged her with being an impostor. On the evening of August 29, she and her copatriot, Constant Derra de Moroda, were arrested at the house of Mr. Tyndall and locked up on suspicion of fraud. Her sudden death in the police-court next morning put a stop to the case; but an action resulted, in which George Dawson and some friends were cast for heavy damages as a salve tor the injured honour of M. de Moroda.