Thomas Thalric Harman

“ Garrison.— Though a strong force was kept in the Barracks in the old days of riot and turbulence, it is many years since we have been favoured with more than a single company of red coats at a time, our peaceful inland town not requiring a strong garrison.
Gardens.—A hundred to 150 years ago there was no town in England better supplied with gardens than Birmingham, almost every house in what are now the main thoroughfares having its plot of garden ground. ”

“ Murdoch's own house. Though it has been always believed that the factory and offices throughout were lighted by gas in 1803, very soon alter the Amiens illumination, a correspondent to the Daily Post has lately stated that when certain of his friends went to Soho, in 1834, they found no lights in use, even for blowpipes, except oil and candles and that they had to lay on gas from the mains of the Birmingham and Staffordshire Gas Company in the Holyhead Road. ”

“ In lieu of good marks for industry, the new Governor imposed heavy penal marks if the tasks set them were not done to time, and what these tasks were may be gathered from the fact that in sixteen months no less than fifteen prisoners were driven to make an attempt on their lives, through the misery and torture to which they were exposed, three unfortunates being only too successful. ”

“ The Guild owned considerable portion of the land on which the present town is built, when Henry VIII., after confiscating the revenues and possessions of the monastic institutions, laid hands on the property of such semi-religious establishments as the Guild of the Holy Cross. ”

“ The establishment, which is vastly improved and much enlarged, is now used only as a place of temporary detention or lockup, where prisoners are first received, and wait their introduction to the gentlemen of the bench.
The erection of the Borough Gaol was commenced on October 29, 1845, and it was opened for the reception of prisoners, October 17, 1849, the first culprit being received two days afterwards. The estimated cost was put at £51,447, but altogether it cost the town about £90,000, about £70,000 of which has been paid off. In the year 1877, three prisoners contrived to escape ”

“ The Birmingham and Staffordshire Gas Co, were paid in Perpetual Annuities, amounting to £58,290 per year, being the maximum dividends then payable on the Co.'s shares £10,906 was returned as capital not bearing interest, £15,000 for surplus profits, £30,000 the half-year's dividend, and also £39,944 5s. 4d, the Co.'s Reserve Fund. The total cost was put down as £1,900,000. The Annuities are redeemable by a Sinking Fund in 85 years. For their portion of the mains, service pipes, works, &c. ”