red,
with a capital of L25,000 in L5 shares, for buying Mr. Cole's Promenade
Gardens, erecting Hotel, Aquarium, Skating Rink, Concert Hall, Winter
Gardens, &c., and the shares were readily taken up. Additional grounds
were purchased, and though the original plans have not yet been all
carried out, a very pleasant resort is to be found there. Day's, in
Smallbrook Street, is also called a "Crystal Palace," on account of the
style of decoration, and the immense mirror the proprietor purchased
from the Hyde Park Exhibition of 1851.
~Curzon Hall~, built originally for the purposes of the Dog Shows, was
opened in 1865. It is the property of a company, and cost about L7,500.
The building is well suited and has been often used for exhibitions,
panoramas, circus entertainments, &c., the hall being 103 ft. long by 91
ft. wide; the stage is of the fullest width, with a depth of 45 ft.
There is room for 3,000 seats.
~Danielites.~--A tribe who eschew fish, flesh, and fowl, and drink no
alcohol; neither do they snuff, smoke, or chew tobacco. At a fruit
banquet, held on August, 1877, it was decided to organise a "Garden of
Danielites" in Birmingham.
~Dates.~--The most complete work giving the dates of all the leading
events in the world's history is "Haydn's Book of Dates," the latest
edition bringing them down to 1882. For local events, the only "Local
Book of Dates" published is that of 1874, but "Showell's Dictionary of
Birmingham" (by the same author), will be found to contain more reliable
data than any book hitherto issued. For information of a general
character, respecting the immediate neighbourhood and adjoining
counties, our readers cannot do better than refer to the files of
Birmingham newspapers, preserved in the Reference Library, or write to
the present editors of the said papers, gentlemen noted for their
urbanity, and readiness to tell anybody anything.
~Dawson,~ George, _See "Parsons, Preachers, and Priests_," and
"_Statues_."
~Deaf and Dumb Asylum.~--_See "Philanthropic Institutions_."
~Debating Societies.~--From time immemorial the Brums have had their
little Parliaments, mostly in public-house parlours and clubrooms, and
certain Sunday nights gathering at "Bob Edmonds" and other well-known
houses have acquired quite an historical interest; but the
regularly-constituted "Spouting Clubs" of the present day cannot claim a
very long existence, the Birmingham Debating Society having held their
first palave
|