As an industrial centre, espeeially one in which production on a small scale is carried on to a considerable extent, Birmingham is taking great pains to provide all the facilities for technical education that can be obtained. III 1896 a municipal technical school was erected a cost of nearly $500,000. The school is attended by nearly 3000 pupils, who arc charged a small fee for tuition. In addition to that, the Midland Institute and :Mason College provide similar facilities. The well-known Queen's College is connected with the London University. The city maintains also a school of art, with branches in several of the board schools. The art gallery and museum, also maintained by the munici pality, form an integral part of the art school. The elementary schools are under the control of the school board. The charitable institutions, maintained by endowments, legacies, and dona tions, comprise the General, Queen's, and Chil dren's hospitals, general dispensary, asylums for lunatics, for the blind, deaf and dumb. sanato rium, and almshouses.
Birmingham is the largest manufacturing town in England after Manchester. It became very early the seat of iron manufactures on account of its proximity to a forest and exten sive iron-mines. Its principal industry at pres ent is the manufacture of iron and steel prod ucts. Its manufactures comprise steam and gas engines, electric motors, hydraulic presses. rail way cars, guns, and machinery. In addition there are glass-wo•ks, chemical-works, breweries, etc. Female workers are generally employed in the lighter trades.
Birmingham returns seven members to Par liament. (For the local government of cities of this class, see GREAT BRITAIN.) It is the seat
of an American consulate, and the see of a Roman Catholic bishop. Like most of the great industrial cities, Birmingham increased rapidly in population during the Nineteenth Century. In 1501 it had 60,000 inhabitants; in 1901. 522.200; an increase of 770 per cent. in a cen tury. and of 21.5 per cent. in the last decade (1891, 430,000).
lbsTouY. Birmingham was an old town of the Anglo-Saxons (Beo•mings Ham). After the Conquest it was ruled by the De Birmingham family till 1527. In mediceval times it was a thriving commercial and industrial place. Du• ing the Civil War it was stanchly Puritan. and supplied the armies of Parliament with arms. Prince Rupert burned it in it;43. Its great com mercial importance dates from the Seventeenth Century, when the restoration of Charles TT. brought from France a fashionable rage for metal ornaments, and Birmingham supplied the de mand with unexampled vigor. In the latter part of the Seventeenth Century the Birmingham smiths began to manufacture swords and guns. Its hardware manufactories as early as 1727 are said to have supported wted 50,000 persons. The earliest attempts at cotton-spinning by rollers were made in 1736. The opening Of the and iron fields of Lancashire added greatly to its prosperity, so that in 17 15 it was one of the principal inland towns of England. By 1761 its manufactures were known throughout the world.
Toward the end of the Eighteenth Century it was a centre of Liberal agitation, being the home of Dr. Priestley. The and Chartist move ment.; had powerful support in the town.