Roads.—Same of the roads leading into and out of Birmingham in the olden days were little better than deep ruts, which were more or less levelled about the middle of last century. The making of the great Holyhead coachroad also graded some of the steeper spots as well as the lowest, but the modern town improvements must be credited as the greatest factor in the levelling of the roads, none of which, however, were "macadamised," until 1818. The total length of highways "taken to" and repairable by the Corporation at the commencement of 1884, amounted to 185-1/2 miles, there being other 12-1/2 miles undeclared. Ten years ago the figures stood at 143 and 40 respectively; but as during the last six years, owners of property have been paying at the rate of £17,820 per annum, for completion of the streets and highways so as to bring them in charge of the Corporation, the undeclared roads will soon be few and far between. To keep the roads fit for travelling on, requires about 60,000 tons of stone per year.

Rogues, Thieves, and Vagabonds.—According to some calculations made by the late Rev. Micaiah Hill, Sec. to the Town Mission, there were, on a given day, in 1880, 1,272 known thieves and bad characters at large in the town, of whom 177 were under sixteen years of age. There were 71 houses kept by receivers of stolen goods, 118 others known to be frequented by the criminal classes, and 188 houses of ill-fame, in which 262 women were found on the same day.

Rolling Mills.—There was one at Nechells as early as 1690, though the exact date of the erection of nearly all these places is a matter of the greatest uncertainty. The first steam rolling mill, with the exception of the one at Soho, was put up at Bradley ironworks.

Rotton Park.—In the list of the tenants of Edward Birmingham, whose estate was confiscated (circ. 1536), there appears the name of John Praty, as "farmer" of the office of "keeper of the Park called Rotton (or Roten) Park," with all the profits thereof, and the "wyndefal wood and lopwood," building timber excepted.

Rowley Rag.—The fusibility of basalt having been theoretically demonstrated, Mr. Henry Adcock, C.E., in 1851 took out letters patent for the manufacture of a number of articles from the Rowley ragstone. Furnaces were erected at Messrs. Chance Brothers, and the experiment thoroughly carried out, a number of columns, window-sills, doorways, steps, and other architectural pieces being the result. The process, however, was too expensive, and had to be given up. A number of the articles were used in the erection of Edgbaston Vestry Hall, where the curious may inspect them if so inclined.

Royal Visitors.—It is believed that Richard III. was the guest of Baron de Bermingham in November, 1189, and possibly King John may have visited the Manor, as he was more than once in the immediate neighbourhood (1206-08), but with those exceptions Charles I. was the first Sovereign who honoured us with a visit. He was at Aston Hall, October 16 and 17, 1642. and on the 18th he went to Packington. He was also in the neighbourhood on Friday, July 13, 1644. Queen Henrietta Maria, his Consort, was hereabouts on July 10, 1643, passing from Walsall to meet Prince Rupert at King's Norton. Charles II. does not appear to have been nearer than at Erdington. Prince Rupert paid his memorable visit April, 1643. In 1742, the Duke of Cumberland, with his forces, on their way to Scotland, encamped on Meriden Heath, near Packington Park.—October 21, 1765, Edward, Duke of York, was here, and grumbled at the inconvenient ball-room in which he danced, an event which probably led to the erection of the Royal Hotel.—The Duke of Gloucester May 4, 1805, slept at the Royal, and in the following July, King George III. was expected to lay the foundation stone of Christ Church, but was too ill to come, and the next Royal visitors were his grand-daughter (and our Most Gracious Queen) Victoria, and her mother the Duchess of Kent, who on August 4, and 5, 1830, inspected some of our principal manufactories. On a similar errand came the late Prince Consort, November 29, 1843; his next visit being made Nov. 12, 1849 to see the Exposition of Art and Manufactures at the Old Bingley Hall in Broad Street, which occasion Birmingham men proudly believe led to the great Hyde Park Exhibition of 1851. Her Majesty passed through the town on the 30th of August, 1852, when an address was presented to her. Prince Albert laid the foundation stone of the Midland Institute, November 22, 1855. The Duke of Cambridge, June 1, 1857, planted a tree in Calthorpe Park, as part of the opening ceremony. In the following year, June 15, 1858, the Queen and Prince Albert inaugurated the "People's Park," at Aston, and Her Majesty said it was the finest reception she had ever met with. Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, opened the Horticultural Exhibition at Lower Grounds, June 24, 1872. The Duke of Edinburgh was at the Musical Festival, Aug. 26, and following days, 1873. The Prince and Princess of Wales visited the town Nov. 3, 1874, and received a most enthusiastic welcome. Prince and Princess Teck were here Dec., 6, 1875; and the Prince and Princess Christian, with the Marquis of Lorne, visited the Cattle and Dog Shows, Dec., 1883. The Prince of Wales having accepted the Presidentship of the Agricultural Exhibition Society, it is believed he will again visit the town shortly.

Royal Visitors from Abroad.—The great workshops of Birmingham, and especially the Soho Works (in their day), have, for the last hundred years, attracted many crowned and coronetted heads from other parts of the world, though, in many respects, it is to be feared our town no longer holds the pre-eminence in manufacture it once did. The Hereditary Prince of Brunswick came here, January 2, 1766. The Empress of Russia inspected Soho in 1776. The Duc de Chartres came on a similar visit, February 22, 1785, and there were newspaper flunkies then as now, for it was gravely recorded that the Duke's horses were stabled at the Swan Inn. His Serene Highness the Statholder and the Prince of Orange called at Boulton's, August 8, 1796. The Grand Duke Nicholas, afterwards Emperor of Russia, was here, November 9, 1816. His Serene Highness Prince Nicolas Esterhazy, visited us in the month of August, 1821. Prince Louis Napoleon, afterwards Napoleon III., was seen here occasionally while in exile. The King of Portugal went the round of the manufactories, June 26, 1854; Prince Oscar of Sweden, May 8, 1862; the Emperor of Brazil, July 28, 1871; the Sultan of Zanzibar, July 2, 1875; Archduke Randolph, Crown Prince of Austria, and Prince Esterhazy, January 31 1878; and the Duke of Braganza, Crown Prince of Portugal, in December, 1883.

Sabbath Breaking.—In 1776 the churchwardens threatened to punish everyone caught playing at ball on the Sabbath. In 1779 they frequently stopped waggons travelling on that day, and fined the owners for so doing. In December, 1781, thirty-eight publicans were fined for allowing "tippling" on Sundays.

Sailor's Return.—There are several public-houses in the town with the sign of "The Sailor's Return," but few of the landlords can tell the history of the first so-named, which is in Watery Lane, at the bottom of Lawley Street. It is near a hundred years ago since "Old Dr. Spencer" was Vicar of Aston Church, and, though he was fond of hunting, and could be "a jolly good fellow" occasionally, few parsons have gone to the grave more lamented, for he was a man without cant,—a Christian who never thought himself better than his neighbours, be they rich or poor. His only son was mortally wounded in one of Nelson's battles, but he lived just long enough to give his watch and a few trifles for his father to the sailor who waited on him. 'Twas some time before the "old salt" got to land, and he had been in another brush with the French, and had left a leg behind him. When he delivered his message to the Dr., the latter asked what he could do for him. "Why, sir," said the sailor, "I should like to keep a public-house;" and he did, the Dr. christening it "The Sailor's Return."

Saltley.—So far as our ancient histories can tell us, there was a mansion here long previous to the Conquest, and the diligent antiquarian may still find an old Saltley Hall, though it looks wretchedly neglected and desolate. Saltley is one of the busiest of our suburbs, there being very extensive Railway Carriage and Wagon Works here, besides other factories and the Corporation Gas-works, the population being about 7,000.

Sandwell Hall and Park.—Seat of the Earl of Dartmouth, who frequently permits the Park to be used for public purposes. Of late, however, it has acquired a far greater interest through the discovery of coal underneath its surface. The extension of the coal seams in this direction was long a debateable question, and the originators of the Sandwell Park Colliery Company were deemed by many to be very foolish people to risk their money in such a venture, but after a four years' suspense their most sanguine expectations were more than realised, and their shares, which at one period were hardly saleable, ranked amongst the best investments of the country. By their agreement with the owner, the Company have the right of mining under an area of 185 acres, at a royalty of 6d. per ton, with the option of taking a further area of 1,515 acres at a like royalty. The first sod was cut April 12, 1870, the thick coal being struck May 28, 1874, at a depth of 418 yards, the shaft, which is 10ft. diameter, being carried down to a total depth of 440 yards—a quarter of a mile; the second shaft, which was commenced June 24, 1874, is 15ft. in diameter. The following are the "winnings"; brooch coal, 2ft. 6in. thick, at a depth of 380 yards; best coal, 20ft. 6in. thick, at 418 yard; heathen coal 4ft. thick, at 427 yards; white ironstone, of excellent quality, at 434 yards, and good fire-clay, 6ft. thick, under that, besides thin seams of gubbin ironstone, and new mine coal.

A Central Seventh Standard Technical School has been originated through the offer of Sir. George Dixon to give the use of premises in Bridge Street, rent free for five years, he making all structural alterations necessary to fit the same for the special teaching of boys from the Board Schools, who have passed the sixth standard, and whose parents are willing to keep their sons from the workshops a little longer than usual. The course of the two years' further instruction proposed, includes (besides the ordinary code subjects, the three R's) mathematic, theoretical, and practical mechanics, freehand, geometry, and model drawing, machine construction and drawing, chemistry and electricity, and the use of the ordinary workshop tools, workshops being fitted with benches, lathes, &c., for the lads' use. The fee is 3d. per week, and if the experiment succeeds, the School Board at the end of the five years will, no doubt, take it up on a more extended scale.

Aston School Board.—The first election took place July 29, 1875, and, as in Birmingham, it was fought on the usual political basis, the Liberals gaining the day. The Board has nine Schools, with an average attendance of 11,500 children, out of nearly 15,000 on the registers; 187 teachers, and a debt of £110,000

King's Norton Board.—The first election took place March 19, 1876. Eight Schools have been built since that date.

The Birmingham and Edgbaston Proprietary School, Hagley Road, was the property of a company constituted by deed of settlement, dated February 28, 1839. The cost of the land chosen to build upon and the handsome edifice erected was £10,500, the school being opened in 1841. In 1874 there was originated a Birmingham Higher Education Society, and in 1876 a scheme was adopted for a High School for Girls in conjunction with the Proprietary School, a company being formed, with a nominal capital of £20,000, for the purchase of the property; but the days of the School's prosperity seem to have passed away, and in August,1881, it was bought over by the Governors of the Free Grammar School.

Bourne College is situated at Quinton, and is an institution for the education of the sons of friends belonging to the Primitive Methodist denomination. The memorial stones were laid June 6, 1881, and the College was opened October 24, 1882, with accommodation for 70 boys.

Church Schools.—St. Alban's Schools were commenced in 1865. Bishop Ryder's Schools were opened in December 1860, and for girls in March 1866. Christ Church Schools were built in 1837 at a cost of nearly £4,000 St. George's Schools were built in 1842; St. John's (Sparkhill) in 1884; St. Mary's, Bath Street, in 1824, the present schools dating from January, 1847. St. Martin's Church Schools were opened Nov. 1, 1846, but were transferred to the School Board, July 9, 1879; St. Matthew's, Lupin Street, October 20, 1841; St. Paul's, December 18, 1845; the Legge Lane Schools being erected in 1869. St. Anne's School, Deritend, was opened May 31, 1870; St. Mary's, Aston Brook, April 16, 1872.

King Edward the VIth's Schools.—For 300 years known as the Free Grammar School, having been founded in 1551, the fifth year of the reign of Edward VI., and endowed with part of the property taken by his reforming father Henry VIII., in 1536, from the religious foundation known as the "Guild of the Holy Cross." At the time the charter was granted (Jan. 2, 1552) these lands were valued at about £20 per annum, and so little was it imagined that Birmingham would ever be more than the small hamlet it then was, that a funny tale has come down to the effect that the good people of King's Norton, when offered their choice of similar lands or a sum equal thereto, wisely as they thought chose the "bird in hand" and asked for the £20 per year for their school, leaving the Brums to make what they could out of the bare fields once belonging to the brotherhood of the Holy Cross. Like the majority of so-called charity schools, this foundation was for many generations so managed that the funds went into almost any channel except the purpose for which it was designed—the free education of the poor—and even now it would be an interesting question to find out how many boys are receiving the advantages thereof whose parents are well able to pay for their learning elsewhere. The property of the charity is widely scattered over the town, here a piece and there a piece, but it is rapidly increasing in value from the falling in of leases the rentals, which in 1827 were about £3,000 per annum, being in 1840 £8,400, in 1860 £12,600, and now £25,000; by the expiration of this century it will be at least £50,000. The earliest existing statutes are dated October 20, 1676, one of the most comical being that the assistant masters were not to marry. The head master's salary in 1676 was fixed at £68 15s., with a house and land; in 1738 he was allowed £20 in lieu of the house, in 1788 the salary was increased to £150; in 1726 to £200; in 1816 to £400; and now it is about £1,200. The second master at first received £34 6s. 8d.; in 1874 he received £300. The first school was the old Guildhall of the Holy Cross, which was pulled down at the commencement of the 18th century, a new school being erected in 1707, and removed in 1833, to make way for the present edifice, which was erected in 1840, from the designs of Mr. Barry, at a cost of £67,000. The school has a frontage of 174 feet, with a depth of 125 feet, being 60 feet high. The "schoolroom" proper is 120 feet, by 30 feet and 45 feet high. In the last century the governors "set up" branch schools in Shut Lane, Dudley Street, Freeman Street, London 'Prentice Street, and other localities; and in 1838 elementary schools were erected in Gem Street, Edward Street, and Meriden Street, as preparatory adjuncts to the New Street School. Extensive changes have lately been made in the government and management of the Grammar School, which can no longer be called a "Free School." Formerly the governors were self-elected, but by the new scheme, which was approved by the Queen in Council, March 26, 1878, the number is limited to twenty-one, eight of them being appointed by the Town Council, one by the school teachers, one each by the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and London, and the remaining nine to be chosen by the Governors themselves. The first meeting of the new Board of Governors was held May 15, 1878. The New Street School is divided into a High School for boys, a High School for girls, and a Middle School, the other schools being respectively called Grammar Schools. The fees now payable at the Five Ways School (formerly the Proprietary School), and at the new schools at Camp Hill and Albert Road, Aston are 2s. 6d. on admission, and £3 annually; to the High Schools the entrance fee is 10s., and the tuition fees £9 per annum; to the Middle Schools, 5s., and £3 per annum. The number of children in all the schools is about 2,000, and the fees amount to about £4,000 per annum. There are a number of foundation scholarships, which entitle the successful competitors from the Grammar Schools to free tuition at the High Schools, and ten exhibitions arising out of the Milward's, and Joanna Leuch's Trusts, for the Universities, besides yearly class prizes of considerable value.

Mason's Scientific College.—The foundation of this College, situated in Edmund Street, opposite the Free Library, was laid on the 23rd February, 1875, by Sir Josiah Mason, the founder, who in that manner celebrated his 80th birthday; and it was opened October 1, 1880. The College, which is estimated to have cost £100,000, was built entirely by the founder who also endowed it with an income of about £3,700 per annum, with the intention of providing instruction in mathematics, abstract and applied; physics, mathematical and experimental; chemistry, theoretical, practical, and applied; the natural sciences, geology, metallurgy and mineralogy; botany, zoology and physiology; English, French and German, to which have since been added Greek, Latin, English literature, civil and mechanical engineering; the chemistry, geology, theory and practice of coal mining, &c. The entire management is in the hands of eleven trustees, five of whom are appointed by the Town Council, and there is no restriction on their powers, save that they must be laymen and Protestants. The students may be male or female of any creed, or of any birthplace, though preference is given to candidates from Mason's Orphanage, and to persons born in Birmingham or Kdderminster, other things being equal. The site contains a little over an acre of land, extending through from Edmund Street, with a frontage of 149 feet, to Great Charles Street, with a frontage of 127 feet. About one half of the area is covered by the present buildings, which were erected from the designs of Mr. J.A. Cossins, who chose the 13th century style, with elaborations of a French character, its stone balconies, lofty gables, oriel and dormer windows, picturesque turrets, and numberless architectural enrichments, forming a contour quite unique in the Birmingham district, though much of its beauty is lost through the narrowness of the thoroughfare. The College is built in two blocks communicating by corridors, and contains several lecture and other large rooms, laboratories, class-rooms, &c., so arranged that the attendants on one department in no way interfere with others, there being about 100 apartments altogether, in addition to library, reading-rooms, private rooms, &c. The report for the year ending Founder's Day, February 23, 1884, showed the number of students in the day classes during the session to have been 366—viz., 229 male and 137 female students; while in the evening classes there were 118 male and 54 female students, 20 students attending some day as well as evening classes. The number of individual students registered during the session 1882-3, as attending day or evening classes, was 518, as against 462 in 1881-82, and 181 in 1880-81. The accounts showed an expenditure for the year of £8,095 12s. 2d., of which £4,258 7s. 9d. was in respect of the teaching staff. The expenditure exceeded the income by £764 0s. 8d., principally on account of additional buildings, repairs, &c. The trustees have lately made provision for nine scholarships, including two entrance scholarships of £30 each; one of £30, for students of one year's standing; two of £30 each, for two years' students; two of £20 each for honour students in the examinations of the University of London; and two technical scholarships of £30 each, one in the chemical and the other in the engineering department. The two last are known as the Tangye, Scholarships, having been given by Messrs. R. and G. Tangye, and funds are being raised for several others.

Queen's College.—Originally established in 1828 as the School of Medicine; being patronised afterwards by William IV., it being known as The Royal School of Medicine and Surgery, under which name it existed until incorporated by Royal Charter in 1843, when it was rechristened as The Queen's College. The first building erected for the use of the Royal School was located in Snow Hill, the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the present handsome Gothic edifice in Paradise Street being performed August 18, 1843, the chapel being consecrated in the following year. At first there was but a medical department, but, at the incorporation, a theological department was added, and for many years, principally through the exertions of Dr. Warneford and Mr. W. Sands Cox, it was one of the most thriving and popular Colleges in the kingdom, the courses of study qualifying for degrees at the University of London, and for diplomas of the Society of Apothecaries, and the Royal College of Surgeons; while theological students, with the College certificate, could go up for their B.A. degree, with only a twelve months' residence at the University. A department in connection with the Arts, Manufacture, and Commerce was opened in May, 1853, and a High School of Trade and Commerce, for giving an education specially adapted for youths intended for mercantile pursuits, was commenced in the autumn of 1877. An attempt to extend the medical education to female students was made at one time, but the ladies were refused permission to attend the College June 27, 1873; they are still debarred from studying surgery here, and none have as yet entered their names on the list of theological students. In the other departments greater facilities have been allowed the fair sex, a Central High School for girls being opened at the College September 17, 1879, accommodation being provided for eighty pupils. The Museum of Natural History formed at the College soon after its opening, long one of the town attractions for visitors, was presented to the Corporation, and formed the nucleus of the heterogenous collection at Aston Hall. The medical students have the advantage of an extensive Anatomical Museum, and there is, besides, a library of about 6,000 volumes of the best works and books of reference that could be obtained.

Oscott College.—The old Roman Catholic College of St. Mary's, at Oscott, was first used as such in 1808. The present building was commenced in 1835, and opened May 31, 1838, and is considered one of the chief English seminaries for Catholic students in theology. The chapel is 112 ft. long by 33 ft. wide, and is richly decorated, having side chapels and several handsome memorial windows. The College library is very extensive, and includes many very rare, valuable, and ancient works, some choice MSS., and a number of "old masters," the latter having been contributed by the late Earl of Shrewsbury.

Saltley Training College, which covers nearly seven acres of land, was instituted in 1847, and was opened at Easter, 1852, for the education of future schoolmasters in connection with the Established Church. The building cost nearly £18,000 and will accommodate 100 students who undergo a two years' training, the College being under the inspection of the Committee of Council on Education. Government grants amount to about two-thirds of the income, the balance being raised by public subscription and from fees. In addition to over fifty scholarships tenable by students who pass their examination, there are four exhibitions arising from a sum of £2,000 given in October, 1874, by the late Mr. Arthur Ryland (for a donor who desired to be anonymous) to the governing body of this College "to found a trust for promoting the teaching of teachers the laws of health, and inducing teachers to make that subject one of the things statedly taught in their own schools," and a further £1,000 for four exhibitions to students.

Severn Street First Day Adult School.—The name tells pretty well that this school was commenced by some members of the Society of Friends, though there is really nothing sectarian about it. Established in 1815, in a simple way and with but few classes, there is hardly an institution in the town that can be compared to it in the matter of practical usefulness, and certainly none at which there has been exhibited such an amount of unselfish devotedness on the part of teachers and superintendents. The report to the end of 1883 stated that during the year the progress of the school had been of an encouraging character. The following statistics were given of the total attendance at all the schools connected with the movement:—Number of teachers, 57 males, 25 females—total, 82, average attendance, 51 males, 23 females—total 74. Elementary teachers, 173 males, 21 females—total, 194; average attendance, 152 males, 19 females—total, 171. Number of scholars, 3,370 males, 653 females—total, 4,023; average attendance, 2,510 males, 510 females—total 3,080. The total number admitted since the men's school commenced in 1845, and the women's in 1848, had been 40,350. In connection with the school there are a number of organisations of great utility, such as sick societies, building societies, savings' funds, libraries, excursions clubs, &c. In the savings' fund the balance in hand reached £14,000, while over £18,000 had been paid into the building societies. There are a dozen other "adult schools" in the town which have sprung from Severn Street.

Spring Hill College.—For the education and training of Independent ministers, was first opened in 1838, in the mansion of Mr. George Storer Mansfield, at Spring Hill, that gentleman giving certain landed property towards its future support. The present edifice, near Moseley, to which the old name was given, was opened in June, 1857, the cost of the building, &c., nearly £18,000, being raised by voluntary contributions. It has room for 36 students.

Sunday Schools.—Sunday classes for the teaching of the Catechism, &c., date from a very early period of Church history, but Sunday Schools as they are now known seem to have been locally organised about a hundred years ago, the Sunday after Michaelmas Day in 1784 being marked as a red-letter-day on account of there being twenty-four schools then opened, though the course of instruction went no further than teaching the children to read. In 1789 some young men formed the "Sunday Society" as an addition thereto, the object being to teach writing and arithmetic to boys and youths of the artisan class. In 1796 the society was extended, other classes being formed, lectures delivered, &c., and it was then called the "Brotherly Society." Mr. James Luckcock and Mr. Thos. Carpenter were the leaders, and this is claimed to have been the origin of Mechanics' Institutes. The Unitarians date their Sunday Schools from 1787: the Baptists and Methodists from 1795. Deritend Sunday School was opened by Mr. Palmer in 1808, with but six scholars; in a month they were so numerous that part had to be taught in the street. The first prizes given to the children were new Boulton pennies. On Emancipation Day (August 1, 1838) there was a procession of over 3,000 scholars from the Baptist Sunday Schools. In 1812 the Birmingham Sunday School Union was organised. The medallists of this town sent out about 800,000 commemoration medals in 1880, when the Sunday School Centenary was kept. Nearly 2,000 teachers attend the Church schools and about 2,500 attend Dissenting and other schools, the number of children on the books of Sunday Schools in Birmingham being estimated at—