Society

1900s Summer School group, including Rendle Harris Image from: Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre.

Image from: The Book of Trades or Library of the Useful Arts, 1806 [Image donated by: Birmingham Central… read more »

Image from: Joseph Priestley Collection by Samuel Timmins, Birmingham City Archives.

Image from: The Book of Trades or Library of the Useful Arts, 1806 [Image donated by: Birmingham Central… read more »

Anna Seward: “Swan of Lichfield” Born in Derbyshire in 1742, Anna Seward was the daughter of Thomas… read more »

Erasmus Darwin: Doctor, Inventor, Poet and Educationalist Erasmus Darwin was born at Elston, near Nottingham, in 1731… read more »

William Small: Teacher, Scientist and Mentor William Small was born in Forfarshire, Scotland, in 1734, the son… read more »

James Watt: Inventor James Watt was born in Greenock, Scotland in 1736. His father was an instrument… read more »

Josiah Wedgwood: Industrialist Josiah Wedgwood was born in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent in 1730 into a family of long… read more »

Maria Edgeworth: Author and Educationalist Text: Kate Iles Image: Birmingham City Archives Maria Edgeworth was born in Oxford in… read more »

Joseph Priestley: Scientist, Philosopher and Reformer Born into a Yorkshire wool manufacturing family in 1733, Priestley was… read more »

Richard Lovell Edgeworth: Inventor, Educator and Reformer In 1744, Edgeworth was born in Bath into a landowning… read more »

Samuel Galton Junior: Industrialist Samuel Galton junior was born in Birmingham in 1753, the son of the… read more »

Thomas Day: Humanitarian and Reformer Thomas Day was born in 1748. His father was a landowner and… read more »

Image from: The Book of Trades or Library of the Useful Arts, 1806 [Image donated by: Birmingham Central… read more »

Image: Print of Hazelwood School. Image from: Local Studies and History, Birmingham Central Library Unlike the Edgeworths, the Hills… read more »

Image from: William Hawkes Smith, Birmingham and its Vicinity as a Manufacturing and Commercial District (London and Birmingham, 1836), Local… read more »

Image from: William Hawkes Smith, Birmingham and its Vicinity as a Manufacturing and Commercial District (London and Birmingham, 1836), Local… read more »

An Account of a Society for Encouraging the Industrious Poor was published in Birmingham in 1787. Its… read more »

Samuel Johnson described Lichfield as a “city of philosophers” where Erasmus Darwinwas the most prominent of an outstanding group of… read more »

Image: Engraving of Erasmus Darwin M.D. Birmingham Central Library 3. Anna Seward and Erasmus Darwin 1756 saw the… read more »

Image: The West Front of Lichfield Cathedral Lantern Slide, Birmingham Central Library 1. Anna Seward and her World… read more »

Image: Samuel Johnson’s Birthplace, Lichfield Lantern Slide, Birmingham Central Library 2. Anna Seward and Lichfield Society So, how… read more »

Image: Engraving of Richard Lovell Edgeworth Birmingham Central Library 4. Anna Seward, Richard Lovell Edgeworth, Thomas  Lichfield and… read more »

Text: Marion Roberts Image: Engraving of Anna Seward [Image from Birmingham Central Library] Summary Anna Seward was an accomplished and… read more »

Introduction  The West Midlands region was home to a remarkable collection of individuals during the closing decades… read more »

Image from: Joseph Priestley Collection by Samuel Timmins, Birmingham City Archives.

Image from: Joseph Priestley Collection by Samuel Timmins, Birmingham City Archives.

A Child left. WHEREAS on Friday Evening the 11th instant, a Male Child, supposed to be about… read more »

Hotel, Birmingham, July, 1791. Commemoration of the French Revolution. A Number of Gentlemen intend DINING together on… read more »

AN ESCAPE. MARY TAYLOR, who escaped from the Custody of the Keeper of the County Gaol in… read more »

BIRMINGHAM, JULY 18. BIRMINGHAM, July 16, 1791. Friends and Fellow Countrymen, IT is earnestly requested, that every… read more »

Birmingham, August 22 1791 WHEREAS it now appears, that amongst other insidious and unwarrantable Practices made use… read more »

DUDLEY CHEESE FAIR. WHEREAS great Complaints have arisen from exposing of Cheese to Sale, and weighing the… read more »

To the Inhabitants of the Town of Birmingham. Friends and Fellow Townsmen, IT is with extreme concern… read more »

To the Rev. Dr. PRIESTLEY. Quid minus utile fuit quam ulcus hoc tangere? REV. SIR, TO deplore… read more »

By the KING. A PROCLAMATION. GEORGE R. WHEREAS it hath been represented unto Us, that a great… read more »

A respite during his Majesty’s pleasure has been received at Warwick, for Bartholomew Fisher, one of the… read more »

To the Printer of the Birmingham Gazette. SIR, I DO not now write to complain of my… read more »

WHEREAS it is well known that divers Persons still withhold Books, Paper and other Property belonging to… read more »

Newport, Aug. 13, 1790. Eloped from her Husband, WHEREAS Susannah, Wife of Wm, Hollingshead, of Newport, in… read more »

On Saturday the Commission for holding the Assize for this county, was opened before Mr. Baron Hotham,… read more »

Image from: Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre.

Image: Matthew Boulton by C F Von Breda, 1792. Oil on Canvas. Boulton was the most famous of Birmingham’s… read more »

Image: Antoine Lavoisier, the French chemist, whom Priestley met in 1774. Image from: Birmingham City Archives, Priestley… read more »

Image from: Joseph Priestley Collection by Samuel Timmins, Birmingham City Archives.

Image: “Miss Seward”. John Jackson, History of the City and Cathedral of Lichfield(London, 1805). Anna Seward, the Lichfield poet… read more »

Introduction: Malcolm Dick Source: Local Studies and History, Birmingham Central Library, UK Directions for Married Persons was written by John… read more »

Image: Print of a portrait of Dr John Ash (1723-1798) from R K Dent, Old and New Birmingham: A… read more »