Page:A century of Birmingham life- or, A chronicle of local events, from 1741 to 1841 (IA centuryofbirming02lang).pdf/36

 pleasure that we state that, on the Queen's Birthday, Buckles were universally prevalent. The beauty and brilliancy of those worn by the Prince of Wales, Duke of York, and Earl of Fife, attracted the notice of the whole Drawing Room."

Considering the violence of the riots of 1791, and the animosity of the rioters, it is no wonder that it was necessary to insert such paragraphs as the following:—

February 20, 1792.—Some country papers having asserted that there have been fresh riots in this place, we think it necessary to say that, although numbers of the Button-makers have assembled in a tumultuous manner, in consequence of a difference about prices with their masters, no outrage bas been committed;—most of them have returned to their labour, and the dispute, we hope, will be amicably settled:—at all events, we trust there will not be found among them any so rash as to bring upon themselves the evils that will infallibly ensue from an attempt to raise a riot, with such a strong military force as the town now possesses.

The people at this time were alarmed by the appearance of a "fiery meteor," which, to their disordered imaginations, must have appeared of direful import:—

February 20, 1792.—On Thursday night, an uncommonly strong fiery meteor hung over this town, and had so much the appearance of being the effect of a dreadful fire, that people ran alarmed from all parts to discover the supposed conflagration. It continued an hour before it dissipated.

The next extract again refers to the buckle trade. The fact is highly creditable to the manufacturers, and is in keeping with all the public proceedings of the people of Birmingham. They have often failed in the exhibition of some of the virtues, but never in that of charity to the poor and afflicted. A subscription had been entered into to defray the expenses of the agitation for the preservation of this important branch of local industry, and a surplus remained in hand. On February 27 we read:—

"At a meeting of the principal Manufacturers of Buckles on Thursday last, in this Town, they humanely resolved to expend the surplus of their subscriptions in bread, for poor and industrious workmen."

The two following extracts furnish us with a little more information on the proceedings of the buckle-makers:—

February 27, 1792.—Thursday the Petition of the Buckle Traders of London and Westminster was presented to his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence, at St. James's. The Royal Duke received the deputation with the considerateness and friendship that bespoke his interest in the prosperity of the Buckle Traders, and assured them—"that he