A Description of Modern Birmingham: Whereunto Are Annexed Observations Made during an Excursion Round the Town, in the Summer of 1818, Including Warwick and Leamington — John Shaqi
A Description of Modern Birmingham: Whereunto Are Annexed Observations Made during an Excursion Round the Town, in the Summer of 1818, Including Warwick and LeamingtonPye, Charles
History
A Description of Modern Birmingham: Whereunto Are Annexed Observations Made during an Excursion Round the Town, in the Summer of 1818, Including Warwick and Leamington
Pye, Charles
Birmingham (England) -- Description and travel; Leamington (England) -- Description and travel; Warwick (England) -- Description and travel
There being two rooms of large dimensions, that are each of them
fitted up in a style of elegance, as ball rooms, one at the hotel in
Temple-row, and the other adjoining the theatre in New-street, there
are during winter, subscription concerts and assemblies held at each
of them.
Independant of these, private concerts are occasionally held at each
of them; those at the hotel being of some years' establishment, the
room, although eighty feet in length and thirty-three in breadth, is
so completely occupied, that any person who is desirous of becoming a
member must probably wait two or three years before they can obtain
admission.
_Panorama._
A pile of building was erected in New-street, for the purpose of
exhibiting paintings of this description, which has lately been
converted into an auction room.
_Deritend House._
This stone-fronted mansion was erected in 1786, as a tavern, under the
name of the Apollo, and in consequence of its bowling green, was for
several years much frequented. It was afterwards divided into two
private houses; but in 1816 being purchased by Wm. Hamper, Esq. that
gentleman greatly improved the premises and again converted it into
one dwelling, which he makes his residence, and which, from its
extensive gardens and pleasant situation, is much admired.
_Duddeston or Vauxhall,_
So called after that place of fashionable resort near London, is
little more than a mile from the centre of the town.
This was the ancient residence of the Holt family, and within memory
contained some good paintings, as the gardens did a number of lead
statues, large as life, and some smaller ones; but depredations being
committed by stealing some of them, the others were removed.
These delightful gardens, which contain a very spacious bowling green,
an orchestra, a great number of commodious gravel walks, on the
borders of which are numerous lofty trees, of various kinds, together
with parterres, where flowers of different sorts were accustomed to be
seen, were, till of late years, resorted to by none but the genteeler
sort of people, and from their retired situation, are every way
capable of being made one of the most rural retreats for public
amusement of any in the kingdom. Times are now completely changed, it
being turned into an alehouse, where persons of all descriptions may
be accommodated with that or any other liquor, on which account the
upper classes of the inhabitants have entirely absented themselves.
By adopting this method, the editor is of opinion, that the
present occupier is accumulating more money than any of his
predecessors.--There are, during summer, fire works occasionally
exhibited, and sometimes concerts of vocal and instrumental music.
_The Crescent._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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