Page:A century of Birmingham life- or, A chronicle of local events, from 1741 to 1841 (IA centuryofbirming01lang).pdf/46

2 Luckily we have the materials at hand which enable us to give such a picture of the past. The files of Aris's Gazette extend to 1741, the year of its birth; and thus for a century and a quarter we have a complete record of the life and doings of the people of Birmingham. From this rich store-house, and other sources not generally available, we propose to select information respecting the habits, customs, amusements, and life of our ancestors. This work will be rather the material for a local history than the history itself. From a most careful inspection of the files of the paper we can confidently assert that no authentic history of the town can ever be produced unless they are used. No other source of information so rich and authentic is now extant; and we hope so completely to exhaust its riches that the future historian will only have to refer to its pages for verification of our extracts-should he decline to take them on trust.

In dealing with the large mass of material we shall adopt the following plan:—From 1741 to 1841 we purpose taking periods of ten years, and confine ourselves to quoting such passages as will illustrate the changes which have been made in the appearance of the town and the general life of the people. These quotations will be arranged in a connected and systematic manner, and illustrated by information obtained from other sources. These will be carefully indicated, and all our obligations faithfully acknowledged. So far as the Gasette can help anyone in tracing the changes which have taken place, the principal source of information is the advertising page. In the early numbers of the paper there is the merest modicum of local news. From the advertisements, then, we proceed to cull a few examples of the kind of houses which used to exist in what are now the most crowded and central parts of the town. On December 14, 1741, appeared the following advertisement:—

To be Lett, and entered upon at Christmas, in the High Street, Birmingham, A Very Good Accustom'd Inn, the Sign of the Hen and Chickens, with Stables, Brew-Houses, and all Conveniencies for Publick Business, Enquire at the said Inn. N.B.—There is a very good Bowling Green joining to it.

This, it will be seen, was in the High Street. It would be a difficult task to provide "a very good bowling green" to a house so situated now.