Cornavii.—The ancient inhabitants of this part of England, but who were subdued by the Romans. Whether the said inhabitants had any name for the particular spot now called Birmingham must for ever remain doubtful.
Corn Exchange, in High-street, was opened October 28, 1847. The original capital of the Company was £5,000, in shares of £25 each; but the total cost of erection was a little over £6,000. The length of the interior is 172 feet and the breadth 40 feet.
Corn Laws.—Long before the formation of the Anti-Corn Law League in 1838, a movement for the repeal of the obnoxious imposts had been started in this town, a petition being sent from here to Parliament in March, 1815, with 48,600 signatures attached. The doings of the League and their ultimate success is an off-told tale, the men of Birmingham of course taking their part in the struggle, which culminated on the 26th of June, 1846, in the passing of Sir Robert Peel's Bill for the total repeal of all duties levied on corn and breadstuffs.
Coroners.—The first borough coroner, the late Dr. Birt Davies, was appointed May 15, 1839, and he held the office till July, 1875, when Mr. Henry Hawkes was chosen as his successor, only one member of the Town Council voting against him. The preent coroner has introduced several improvements on the old system, especially in the matters of holding inquests at public-houses, and the summoning of jurors. Formerly the latter were chosen from the residents nearest to the scene of death, some gentlemen being continually called upon, while the occasional exhibition of a dead body in the back lumberroom of an inn yard, among broken bottles and gaping stablemen, was not conductive to the dignity of a coroner's court or particularly agreeable to the unfortunate surgeon who might have to perform a post mortem. Thanks to the persevering tenacity of Mr. Hawkes we have a proper court in Moor-street, and a mortuary at every police station to which bodies can at once be taken. The jurors are now chosen by rotation, so that having been once called upon to act as a good citizen in such a capacity no gentleman need fear a fresh summons for some years to come. Mr. Hooper, the coroner for South Staffordshire, received his appointment in 1860.
Corporation.—The Charter of Incorporation of the Borough of Birmingham, authorising the formation of a Governing body, consisting of Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors, duly elected by the Burgesses, dates from October 31, 1838. The elections took place in December, the first meeting being held on the 27. The borough was originally divided into 13 wards, but has since been, by Order in Council, made into 16, though the number of Aldermen (16) and Councillors (48) has not been increased. The Mayor is elected for one year, the Councillors for three, and the Aldermen for six. The first Mayor chosen was William Schofield, Esq., who was succeeded by P.H. Muntz, Esq., in 1839 and 1840, the election taking place at the November sitting in each year. Since 1840, the Mayoral chair has been successively filled by:—
1841, S. Beale; 1842, J. James; 1843, T. Weston; 1844, T. Phillips; 1845, H. Smith; 1846, R. Martineau; 1847, C. Geach; 1848, S. Thornton; 1849, W. Lucy; 1850, W. Lucy; 1851, H. Smith; 1852, H. Hawkes; 1853, J. Baldwin; 1854, J. Palmer; 1855, T. R, T. Hodgson; 1856, J. Ratcliff; 1857, J. Ratcliff; 1858, Sir J. Ratcliff, Kt.; 1859, T. Lloyd; 1860, A. Ryland; 1861, H. Manton; 1862, C. Sturge; 1863, W. Holliday; 1864, H. Wiggin; 1865, E. Yates; 1866, G. Dixon; 1867, T. Avery; 1868, H. Holland; 1869, T. Prime; 1870, G. B. Lloyd; 1871, J. Sadler; 1872, A. Biggs; 1873, J. Chamberlain; 1874, J. Chamberlain; 1875, J. Chamberlain; 1876, G. Baker; 1877, W. Kenrick; 1878, J. Collings; 1879, R. Chamberlain; 1880, R. Chamberlain; 1881, T. Avery; 1882, W. White; 1883, W. Cook; 1884, W. Martineau.
The members of the Council in 1862 subscribed £200 for the purchase of a "Mayor's Chain," the first to wear "the glittering gaud," strange to say, being a Quaker, Charles Sturge to wit. To this chain a valuable addition has since been made in the shape of a stone, worth £150, presented to the Town Council by Mr. W. Spencer, June 27, 1873, as being the first diamond cut in Birmingham, and which was appropriately mounted. For the names and addresses of the Aldermen and Councillors of the various wards (changes taking place yearly) reference should be made to "The Birmingham Red Book" published annually, in which will also be found a list of all the borough officials, &c.
Corporation Stock.—The balance against the Borough in the shape of loans, or mortgages on the then rates, when the Town Council took over from the Street Commissioners was £121,100. By the end of 1864 the Borough debts stood at £638,300, at varying rates of interest. After the purchase of the Gas and Water Works, and the commencement of the Improvement Scheme, this amount was vastly increased, the town's indebtedness standing in 1880 at no less than £6,226,145. The old system of obtaining loans at the market price of the day, and the requirement of the Local Government Board that every separate loan should be repaid in a certain limited number of years, when so large an amount as 6-1/4 millions came to be handled necessitated a consolidation scheme, which has since been carried out, to the relief of present ratepayers and a saving to those who will follow. The whole of the liabilities in the Borough on loans were converted into Corporation three and a half per cent. stock at the commencement of 1881, the operation being performed by the Bank of England. The tenders for same were opened Jan. 18th, when it was found that £1,200,000 had been applied for at and slightly over the minimum rate of £98 per £100. The remaining £800,000 was allotted to a syndicate, who afterwards applied for it at the minimum price. Persons having money to invest cannot do better than visit the Borough Treasurer, Mr. Hughes, who will give every information as to the mode of investing even a £10 note in the Birmingham Corporation Stock.
Council House.—See "[Public Buildings]."
County Areas.—The total areas of this and adjoining counties are:— Warwickshire 566,458 acres, Worcestershire 472,453, Staffordshire 732,434, and Shropshire 841,167.