"_Luncheon Bars_."

~Diocese.~--Birmingham is in the diocese of Worcester, and in the
Archdeaconry of Coventry.

~Directories.~--The oldest Birmingham Directory known was printed in
1770, but there had been one advertised a few years earlier, and every
now and then, after this date one or other of our few printers ventured
to issue what they called a directory, but the procuring a complete list
of all and every occupation carried on in Birmingham appears to have
been a feat beyond their powers, even sixty years back. As far as they
did go, however, the old directories are not uninteresting, as they give
us glimpses of trade mutations and changes compared with the present
time that appear strange now even to our oldest inhabitants. Place for
instance the directory of 1824 by the side of White's directory for 1874
(one of the most valuable and carefully compiled works of the kind yet
issued). In the former we find the names of 4,980 tradesmen, the
different businesses under which they are allotted numbering only 141;
in 1874 the trades and professions named tot up to 745, under which
appears no less than 33,462 names. In 1824, if we are to believe the
directory, there were no factors here, no fancy repositories, no
gardeners or florists, no pearl button makers, no furniture brokers or
pawnbrokers (!), no newsagents, and, strange to say, no printer.
Photographers and electro-platers were unknown, though fifty years after
showed 68 of the one, and 77 of the latter. On the other hand, in 1824,
there were 78 auger, awlblade and gimlet makers, against 19 in 1874; 14
bellows makers, against 5; 36 buckle and 810 button makers, against 10
and 265; 52 edge tool makers and 176 locksmiths, against 18 of each in
1874; hinge-makers were reduced from 53 to 23; gilt toy makers, from 265
to 15. (Considering the immense quantity of gilt trifles now sent out