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
~Panoramic View.~--A peculiar view of this town was published in 1847 by
Ackermann of London, and was thus called, as it purported to give the
thoroughfares pictorially, showing the houses as they would appear from
a balloon over Moseley Street. The size was 27-1/2 in. by 14-3/4 in. As
a curiosity it is prizable, but its correctness of delineation is marred
very much by the plan adopted.
~Pantechnetheca.~--A large place of general business, opened in 1824, at
the New-street end of Union-passage. In 1817, there stood on this spot a
publichouse, known as the "Old Crown," the entrance to which was in a
large, open gateway at its side, through which a path led to the cherry
orchard. The Pantechnetheca was one of "the sights" of the town, the
exterior being ornamented with pillars and statues; while the name was
not only a puzzle to the "Black Country" visitors, but quite a subject
of dispute as to its etymology among the Greek scholars of the Grammar
School opposite.
~Paradise Street.~--The footpath on the Town Hall side used to be
several feet higher than the causeway, and was supplied with iron
railings. If the name had been given in late years, it might be supposed
to have been chosen because the doors of the Parish Offices are in the
street.
~Parish Offices.~--See "_Public Buildings_."
~Parkesine.~--A material used for knife handles and other purposes, so
named after its maker, Alexander Parkes, a well-known local
manufacturer, who said it was made from refuse vegetable fibre,
pyroxyline, oil, naphtha, and chloride of sulphur.
~Park Lane.~--From Aston Cross Tavern to the Birchfield Road, originally
being the road outside the wall of Aston Park. The first lots of land
for building that were sold were those fronting Church Lane, and they
fetched an average price of 2s. 2d. per yard, each lot being 12 yards by
60 yards. The next were the lots marked out by the side of Park Lane,
and it was at about the middle of Park Lane that the first house was
built in Aston Park in 1854 or 1855.
~Park Road.~--Leading over the hill from Aston Cross to Aston Church,
was the first laid out, and the first opened to the public (Easter
Monday, 1855) through the old grounds belonging to the Holts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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