Page:Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham.djvu/83

Rh {|
 * || ||1876. ||1877. ||1878. ||1879. ||1880. ||1881. ||1882.
 * No. of Visitors || ||14981 ||17948 ||19500 ||14399 ||16796 ||16849 ||15901
 * Receipts at doors. || ||£664 ||£740 ||£820 ||£580 ||£728 ||£714 ||£648
 * Sales of Dogs. || ||£556 ||£367 ||£485 ||£554 ||£586 ||£474 ||£465
 * }
 * Sales of Dogs. || ||£556 ||£367 ||£485 ||£554 ||£586 ||£474 ||£465
 * }
 * }

In 1879, the exhibition of guns and sporting implements was introduced, an additional attraction which made no difference financially, or in the number of visitors.

Sporting.—An exhibition of requisites and appliances in connection with sports and pastimes of all kinds was opened in Bingley Hall, Aug 28, 1882. In addition to guns and ammunition, bicycles and tricycles, there were exhibited boats, carriages, billiard tables, &c.

Dairy Utensils.—The first of these exhibitions, June, 1880, attracted considerable attention for its novelty. It is held yearly in Bingley Hall.

Bees.—An exhibition of bees, beehives, and other apiary appliances took place at the Botanical Gardens, in Aug., 1879.

Food and Drinks.—A week's exhibition of food, wines, spirits, temperance beverages, brewing utensils, machinery, fittings, stoves and appliances, was held in Bingley Hall, December 12-20, 1881.

Building.—A trades exhibition of all kinds of building material, machinery, &c., was held in 1882.

Bicycles, &c.—The Speedwell Club began their annual exhibition of bicycles, tricycles, and their accessories in February, 1882, when about 300 machines were shown. In the following year the number was nearly 400; in 1884, more than 500; in 1885, 600.

Roots.—Messrs. Webb, of Wordsley, occupied Curzon Hall, November 20, 1878, with an exhibition of prize roots, grown by their customers.

Fruit, Flowers, &c.—The first flower show we have note of was on June 19, 1833. The first chrysanthemum show was in 1860. The first Birmingham rose show in 1874 (at Aston); the second, five years later, at Bingley Hall. The Harborne gooseberry-growers have shown up every year since 1815, and the cultivators of pommes de terre in the same neighbourhood first laid their tables in public in Sept., 1879.

Exhibitions of 1851 and 1862.—Even as Birmingham may be said to have given the first idea for the "Great Exhibition" of 1851, so it had most to do with the building thereof, the great palace in Hyde Park being commenced by Messrs. Fox, Henderson & Co., July 26, 1850, and it was finished in nine months at a total cost of £176,031. In its erection there were used 4,000 tons of iron, 6,000,000 cubic feet of woodwork, and 31 acres of sheet glass, requiring the work of 1,800 men to put it together. 287 local exhibitors applied for space amounting to 22,070 sup feet, namely, 10,183 feet of flooring, 4,932 feet of table area, and 6,255 feet of wall space. The "glory" of this exhibition was the great crystal fountain in the centre, manufactured by Messrs. Osler, of Broad Street, a work of art till then never surpassed in the world's history of glass-making and glass cutting, and which now pours forth its waters in one of the lily tanks in Sydenham Palace. Many rare specimens of Birmingham manufacture besides were there, and the metropolis of the Midlands had cause to be proud of the works of her sons thus exhibited. Fewer manufacturers sent their samples to the exhibition of 1862, but there was no falling off in their beauty or design. The Birmingham Small Arms trophy was a great attraction.

Explosions.—That many deplorable accidents should occur during the course of manufacturing such dangerous articles as gun caps and cartridges cannot be matter of surprise, and, perhaps, on the whole, those named in the following list may be considered as