Hiring a Husband.—In 1815, a Birmingham carpenter, after ill-treating his wife, leased himself to another woman by a document which an unscrupulous attorney had the hardihood to draw up, and for which he charged thirty-five shillings. This precious document bound the man and the woman to live together permanently, and to support and succour each other to the utmost of their power. The poor wife was, of course, no consenting party to this. She appealed to the law; the appeal brought the "lease" before the eyes of the judiciary; the man was brought to his senses (though probably remaining a bad husband), and the attorney received a severe rebuke.
Historical.—A local Historical Society was inaugurated with an address from Dr. Freeman, Nov. 18, 1880, and, doubtless, in a few years the reports and proceedings will be of very great value and interest. The fact that down to 1752 the historical year in England commenced on January 1, while the civil, ecclesiastical, and legal year began on the 25th of March, led to much confusion in dates, as the legislature, the church, and civilians referred every event which took place between January 1 and March 25 to a different year from the historians. Remarkable examples of such confusion are afforded by two well-known events in English history: Charles I. is said by most authorities to have been beheaded January 30, 1648, while others, with equal correctness, say it was January 30, 1649; and so the revolution which drove James II. from the throne is said by some to have taken place in February, 1688, and by others in February, 1689. Now, these discrepancies arise from some using the civil and legal, and others the historical year, though both would have assigned any event occurring after the 25th of March to the same years—viz., 1649 and 1689. To avoid as far as possible mistakes from these two modes of reckoning, it was usual, as often seen in old books or manuscripts, to add the historical to the legal date, when speaking of any day between January 1 and March 25, thus:
| Jan.30. 164- | { | 8 | i.e. 1648, the civil and legal year. |
| 9 | i.e. 1649 the historical year. |
This practice, common as it was for many years, is, nevertheless, often misunderstood, and even intelligent persons are sometimes perplexed by dates so written. The explanation, however, is very simple, for the lower or last figure always indicates the year according to our present calculation.
Hockley Abbey.—Near to, and overlooking Boulton's Pool, in the year 1799 there was a piece of waste land, which being let to Mr. Richard Ford, one of the mechanical worthies of that period, was so dealt with as to make the spot an attraction for every visitor. Mr. Ford employed a number of hands, and some of them he observed were in the habit of spending a great part of their wages and time in dissipation. By way of example to his workmen he laid aside some 12/-to 15/-a week for a considerable period, and when trade was occasionally slack with him, and he had no other occupation for them, he sent his horse and cart to Aston Furnaces for loads of "slag," gathering in this way by degrees a sufficient quantity of this strange building material for the erection of a convenient and comfortable residence. The walls being necessarily constructed thicker than is usual when mere stone or brick is used, the fancy took him to make the place represent a ruined building, which he christened "Hockley Abbey," and to carry out his deceptive notion the date 1473 was placed in front of the house, small pebbles set in cement being used to form the figures. In a very few years by careful training nearly the whole of the building was overgrown with ivy, and few but those in the secret could have guessed at the history of this ruined "abbey." For the house and some fifteen acres of land £100 rent was paid by Mr. Hubert Gallon, in 1816 and following years, exclusive of taxes, and by way of comfort to the heavily-burdened householders of to-day, we may just add that, in addition to all those other duties loyal citizens were then called upon to provide for the exigencies of the Government, the parochial taxes on those premises from Michaelmas, 1816, to Michaelmas, 1817, included two church rates at 30s. each, three highway rates at 30s. each, and thirty-six levies for the poor at 30s. each—a total of £61 10s. in the twelve months.
Hollow Tooth Yard.—At one time commonly called the "Devil's Hollow Tooth Yard." This was the name given to the Court up the gateway in Bull Street, nearest to Monmouth Street.
Holt Street, Heneage Street, Lister Street, &c., are named after the Holte family.
Home Hitting.—The Rev. John Home, a Scotch divine, who visited Birmingham in 1802, said, "it seemed here as if God had created man only for making buttons."
Horse Fair.—Formerly known as Brick-kiln Lane, received its present name from the fairs first held there in 1777.
Horses.—To find out the number of these useful animals at present in Birmingham, is an impossible task; but, in 1873, the last year before its repeal, the amount paid for "horse duty" in the Borough was £3,294 7s. 6d., being at the rate of 10s. 6d. on 6,275 animals.