For the census of 1881, the papers were somewhat differently arranged, and we are enabled to get a nearer approximation, as well as a better notion of the increase that has taken place in the number of inhabitants in our neighbourhood.

Place 1871 1881
Acock's Green 1,492 2,796
Aston Manor 33,948 53,844
Aston Parish 139,998 201,287
Aston Union 146,808 209,869
Balsall Heath 13,615 22,734
Birchfield 2,544 3,792
Castle Bromwich 689 723
Erdington 4,883 7,153
Handsworth 16,042 22,903
Harborne 5,105 6,433
King's Heath 1,982 2,984
King's Norton 21,845 34,178
King's Norton Union 96,143
Knowle 1,371 1,514
Moseley 2,374 4,224
Northfield 4,609 7,190
Olton 906
Perry Barr 1,683 2,314
Quinton 2,010 2,145
Saltley 6,419
Selly Oak 2,854 5,089
Smethwick 17,158 25,076
Solihull 3,739 5,301
Ward End 866
Water Orton 396
Witton 182 265
Yardley 5,360 9,741

The most remarkable increase of population in any of these districts is in the case of Aston Manor, where in fifty years the inhabitants have increased from less than one thousand to considerably more than fifty thousand. In 1831, there were 946: in 1841, the number was 2,847; in 1851 it was 6,429; in 1861 it reached 16,337; in 1871 it had doubled to 33,948; in 1881 there were 53,844. Included among the inhabitants of the borough in 1881 there were

Males. Females. Totals.
Foreigners 1,288 859 2,147
Irish 3,488 3,584 7,072
Scotch 912 755 1,667
Welsh 1,575 1,742 3,317
Colonial 428 477 905
Born at sea 29 21 50

Of the English-born subjects of Her Majesty here 271,845 were Warwickshire lads and lasses, 26,625 came out of Staffordshire, 21,504 from Worcestershire, 10,158 from Gloucestershire, 7,941 from London, 5,622 from Shropshire, and 4,256 from Lancashire, all the other counties being more or less represented. The following analysis of the occupations of the inhabitants of the borough is copied from the Daily Post, and is arranged under the groups adopted by the Registrar-General:—

Occupations of Persons. Males. Females. Total.
Persons engaged in general or local government 1,145 79 1,224
Army and navy 307 -- 307
Clerical profession and their subordinates 287 98 335
Legal ditto 445 -- 445
Medical ditto 336 496 832
Teachers 512 1,395 1,907
Literary and scientific 70 4 74
Engineers and surveyors 111 --- 111
Artists, art-workers musicians, &c. 729 398 1,127
Engaged in exhibitions, shows, games, &c. 102 17 119
Domestic service 1,444 13,875 15,319
Other service 176 4,058 4,234
Commercial occupations 6,172 422 6,594
Engaged in conveyance of men, goods, and messages 2,442 1,839 11,281
Engaged in agriculture 881 25 906
Engaged about animals 771 5 776
Workers and Dealers in Books, prints and maps 1,888 428 2,316
Machines and implements 11,189 3,385 14,574
Houses, furniture, and decorations 12,781 1,209 13,990
Carriages and harness 2,748 466 3,214
Ships and boats 67 --- 67
Chemicals and their compounds 507 250 757
Tobacco and pipes 200 851 551
Food and lodging 8,126 2,124 10,247
Textile fabrics 1,229 920 2,149
Dress 6,894 12,946 19,840
Various animal substances 1,481 744 2,175
Ditto vegetable substances 2,277 2,237 4,514
Ditto mineral substances 36,933 9,582 46,515
General or unspecified commodities 10,542 2,631 18,173
Refuse matters 246 18 264
Without specific occupations 45,691 116,892 162,583
Children under five years 28,911 29,133 58,044
Total 194,540 206,234 400,774

The comparative population of this and other large towns in England is thus given:—

Pop. Inc. 1881. Inc. 1871. Prcent of inc.
London 3,707,130 3,254,260 452,870 13.89
Liverpool 549,834 493,305 56,429 11.35
Birmingham 400,774 343,787 56,893 16.52
Manchester 364,445 351,189 13,256 3.70
Salford 194,077 124,801 69,276 55.64
Leeds 326,158 259,212 66,946 25.81
Sheffield 312,943 239,946 72,997 30.38
Bristol 217,185 182,552 24,633 13.47
Bradford 203,544 145,830 57,614 39.50
Nottingham 177,934 86,621 91,343 105.81
Hull 152,980 121,892 31,088 25.62
Newcastle 151,822 128,443 23,379 17.96
Portsmouth 136,671 113,569 23,102 20.35
Leicester 134,350 95,220 39,130 41.05
Oldham 119,658 82,629 37,029 45.11
Sunderland 118,927 98,242 20,685 90.40
Brighton 109,062 90,011 19,051 21.11
Norwich 86,437 80,386 6,051 7.50
W'lvrhmptn 76,850 68,291 8,569 12.46
Plymouth 75,700 68,758 4,942 7.10

Portugal House.—See "[The Royal]."

Post Offices.—Charles I. must be credited with founding the present Post Office system, as in 1635 he commanded that a running post or two should be settled "to run night and day between London and Edinburgh, to go thither and come back again in six days, and to take with them all such letters as shall be directed to any post town in or near that road." Other "running posts" were arranged to Exeter and Plymouth, and to Chester and Holyhead, &c., and gradually all the principal places in the country were linked on to the main routes by direct and cross posts. It has often been quoted as a token of the insignificance of Birmingham that letters used to be addressed "Birmingham, near Walsall;" but possibly the necessity of some writer having to send here by a cross-country route, viâ Walsall, will explain the matter. That our town was not one of the last to be provided with mails is proved by Robert Girdler, a resident of Edgbaston Street in 1652, being appointed the Government postmaster. Where the earlier post offices were situated is uncertain, but one was opened in New Street Oct. 11, 1783, and it is generally believed to have been the same that existed for so many years at the corner of Bennett's Hill. As late as 1820 there was no Bennett's Hill, for at that time the site opposite the Theatre was occupied (on the side nearest to Temple Street) by a rickyard, with accommodation for the mailcoaches and stabling for horses. Next to this yard was the residence of Mr. Gottwaltz, the postmaster, the entrance doorway being at first the only accommodation allowed to the public, and if more than four persons attended at one time the others had to stand in the street. When Bennett's Hill was laid out, the post office was slightly altered, so as to give a covered approach on that side to the letterbox and window, the mailcoaches being provided and horsed by the hotelkeepers to whom the conveyance of the mails was entrusted, the mail guards, or mail-postmen, remaining Government officials. The next office was opened Oct. 10, 1842, on premises very nearly opposite, and which at one period formed part of the new Royal Hotel. The site is now covered by the Colonnade, the present convenient, but not beautiful, Central Post Office, in Paradise Street, being opened Sep. 28, 1873. There are 65 town receiving offices (52 of which are Money Order Offices and Savings' Banks and 13 Telegraph Stations), and 103 pillar and wall letter-boxes. Of sub-offices in the surrounding districts there are 64, of which more than half are Money Order Offices or Telegraph Offices. For the conduct of the Central Office, Mr. S. Walliker, the postmaster, has a staff numbering nearly 300, of whom about 250 are letter carriers and sorters. The Central Postal Telegraph Office, in Cannon Street, is open day and night, and the Central Post Office, in Paradise Street, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. On Sunday the latter office is open only from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., but letters are dispatched by the night mails as on other days. The Head Parcels Post Office is in Hill Street, on the basement floor of the Central Post Office, from which there are four collections and deliveries daily.