More wise in their
generation were the men of Birmingham: they went not for country
estates, nor for apple orchards or turnip fields. The wise sagaciousness
of their leaders, and the Brums always play well at "follow my leading,"
made them go in for the vote, the full vote, and nothing but the vote.
The possession of a little plot on which to build a house, though really
the most important, was not the first part of the bargain by any means
at the commencement. To get a vote and thus help upset something or
somebody was all that was thought of at the time, though now the case is
rather different, few members of any of the many societies caring at
present so much for the franchise as for the "proputty, proputty,
proputty." Mr. James Taylor, jun., has been generally dubbed the "the
father of the freehold land societies," and few men have done more than
him in their establishment, but the honour of dividing the first estate
in this neighbourhood, we believe, must be given to Mr. William Benjamin
Smith, whilome secretary of the Manchester Order of Odd Fellows, and
afterwards publisher of the _Birmingham Mercury_ newspaper. Being
possessed of a small estate of about eight acres, near to the Railway
Station at Perry Barr, he had it laid out in 100 lots, which were sold
by auction at Hawley's Temperance Hotel, Jan.
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