Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham: A History and Guide, Arranged AlphabeticallyHarman, Thomas T.
History
Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham: A History and Guide, Arranged Alphabetically
Harman, Thomas T.
Birmingham (England) -- History -- Dictionaries
_Fox_, Charles Fox, of the firm of Fox, Henderson and Co., was born at
Derby, March 11, 1810. His first connection with this town arose from
his being engaged with Stephenson on the construction of the Birmingham
and Liverpool line. He was knighted in 1851, in recognition of his
wonderful skill as shown in the erection of the International Exhibition
of that year, and we have a local monument to his fame in the roof which
spans the New Street Station. He died in 1874, and was buried at Nunhead
Cemetery, London. The firm of Fox, Henderson and Co., was originally
Bramah and Fox, Mr. Henderson not coming in till the death of Mr.
Bramah, a well-known ironmaster of this neighbourhood, and whose name is
world-famous for his celebrated locks.
_Geach_.--Charles Geach was a Cornishman, born in 1808, and came to
Birmingham in 1826 as one of the clerks in the Branch Bank of England,
then opened. In 1836 he was instrumental in the formation of two of our
local banks, and became the manager of one of them, the Birmingham and
Midland. In 1842 he made a fortunate speculation in the purchase of some
extensive ironworks at Rotherham just previous to the days of "the
railway mania." The profits on iron at that time were something
wonderful; as a proof of which it has been stated that on one occasion
Mr. Geach took orders for 30,000 tons at £12, the cost to him not being
more than half that sum! The Patent Shaft Works may be said to have owed
its origin also to this gentleman. Mr. Geach was chosen mayor for 1847,
and in 1851 was returned to Parliament for Coventry. His death occurred
Nov. 1, 1854. A full-length portrait hangs in the board-room of the
bank, of which he retained the managing-directorship for many years.
_Gem_, Major Thomas Henry.--The well-known Clerk to the Magistrates,
born May 21, 1819, was the pioneer of the Volunteer movement in this
town, as well as the originator of the fashionable game of lawn tennis.
A splendid horseman, and an adept at all manly games, he also ranked
high as a dramatic author, and no amateur theatricals could be got
through without his aid and presence. His death, November 4, 1881,
resulted from an accident which occurred on June 25 previous, at the
camp in Sutton Park.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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